JPH0443063A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the load of a user to a large extent by subjecting the data supplied from host machinery in a selected emulation mode to emulation processing to prepare data for lower machinery. CONSTITUTION:When the first data from a host interface l is the command of a tps mode, the tps mode is selected as emulation and the data outputted from the host interface l is subjected to emulation processing in the tps mode. When the data supplied from the host interface l in the first place is the command of a tpc1 mode, the tpc1 mode is selected as emulation and the data outputted from the host interface l is subjected to emulation processing in the tpc1 mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Field of Industrial Application> The present invention relates to a controller provided in a device such as a page printer.

<Prior Art> In a page printer, etc., a controller is used to select and use one corresponding to each of the seven emulations from a plurality of emulations.

Efforts are being made to ensure compatibility with conventional models and compatibility with host computers.

However, with a traditional controller like this::i
, select one of a plurality of preset emulations 5, and when the data sent from the host computer and the currently selected emulation do not match, interrupt the print process, An emulation that is judged to correspond to the currently supplied data is selected and presented to the user, and when the user inputs permission to use this emulation or instructions to use another emulation, the host computer The emulation process is restarted by resending the data.

However, with this method, if the currently selected emulation does not match the data sent from the host computer, the printing process is temporarily interrupted and the user is forced to select the emulation. This poses a problem in that it requires too much effort on the part of the user.

Therefore, it may be possible to issue an instruction to select emulation on the printer side for each application program executed on the host computer side, but with this method, the application program that has been used until now Because it has to be reworked,
The problem is that it is inefficient.

Purpose of the present invention In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a controller that can automate emulation selection and significantly reduce the burden on the user without modifying each application.

In order to solve the above problems, a controller according to the present invention emulates data supplied from a higher-level device to create data for a lower-level device, and has a plurality of emulation modes. a determination unit that determines which emulation mode of each emulation mode the data supplied from the device corresponds to; a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of emulation modes according to the determination result of the determination unit; The emulator selected by the selection section
- an emulation processing unit that emulates data supplied from the higher-level device in the John mode to create data for the lower-level device.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained based on one example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a controller according to the present invention.

The controller shown in this figure includes a host interface 1, a CPU 2, and a program ROM 3.

It is equipped with a font ROM 4, a work RAM 5, a page buffer 6, and an engine interface 7, and when data is not supplied from the host computer computer 8, it waits in a waiting mode as shown in FIG. When data is started to be supplied from the host computer 8, the type of the data is determined, and one of the two emulation modes is selected according to the result of this determination to emulate the data. This emulation result is supplied to the engine 9 and printed out.

The host interface l connects the host computers 8 and C
This is the part that connects to the PU2, and when data is output from the host computer 8, it is taken in, sent out on the path 11, and supplied to the CPU2.

The program ROM 3 stores programs that define the operation of the CPU 2, and when a read command is supplied from the CPU 2, it reads the program stored at the address corresponding to the read command and passes it. 11 to the CPU 2.

Also, font ROM4 is in front! , font data such as character fonts used by CPU2 are stored,
When a read command is sent from the CPU 2, the font data stored at the address corresponding to the read command is read out and sent to the C through the path 11.
Supply to PU2.

Further, the work RAM 5 is a part used as a work area etc. of the CPU 2, and when a write command is supplied from the CPU 2, it stores the data supplied to the address specified by the write command, and also stores the data supplied to the address specified by the write command. CP[
When a read command is supplied from J2, the data stored in the address specified by the read command is read out and is supplied to the CPU 2 via path 11.

Also, a page buffer 6 (a part that stores print data created by the CPU 2 in page units, stores print data supplied from the CPU 2 in page units, and also stores output commands from the CPU 2). At this time, the stored print data is read out and is supplied to the engine interface 7 via the bus It.

Also, CPL! 2 consists of a microprocessor, etc., and includes a program ROM 3 and a font ROM 4.
, the work RAM 5, the page buffer 6, etc., to determine which emulation among the preset emulations the data supplied from the host interface l corresponds to, and perform the emulation according to the result of this determination. The print data obtained as a result of this processing is supplied to the engine interface 7.

In this case, the CPU 2 emulates "tps-mode" and "tp-mode" as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example.
cl" mode, and when data in the "tps" mode shown in FIG. 3 is supplied from the host interface l, it is emulated and processed in the "tpS" mode, and
When data in the "tpc I-mode" shown in the figure is supplied, it is emulated in the "tpcl-mode" to create print data, which is then supplied to the engine interface 7.

Engine interface 7: This is the part that connects the CPU 2 and the engine 9. When print data is supplied from the page buffer 6, it takes in the data and supplies it to the engine 9 for printing out.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, data is supplied from the host computer 8, and when the first data is output from the host interface l that has taken it in, the CPU 2 takes it in (step 5TI), and then converts this data into a "tps" mode command. If this is a "tps" mode command, select "tps" mode as the emulation (step 5T2).
T9), emulates the data output from the host interface l in the "tps" mode, supplies the print data obtained as a result of this processing to the engine interface 7, and prints it out from the engine 9 (step 5TIO)7. If the first data supplied from host interface 1 is not a “tps” mode command, the CP
U2 checks whether this is a -tpcl" mode command (step 5T3), and this is a °tpcl"' command.
As emulation when the mote command “
tpcl" mode (step 5TII), and selects the host interface I to output the data as "tpc
The print data obtained as a result of this processing is processed by the engine interface 7 in emulation mode.
is supplied to the engine 9 and printed out from the engine 9 (step 5T12).

Also, whether the first data supplied from the host interface l is a "tps" mode command or tpc
If the CPU 2 determines that it is a "l" mode command and the command is not valid, the CPU 2 stores this data in a storage area secured in a predetermined part of the work RAM 5, and then stores the next data (second data) output from the host interface l. ) or “tps
``mode command'' or ``pci-mode'' command.
” mode command, selects the “tps” mode as the emulation (step 5T9) and converts the data output from the host interface into “tps” mode.
” mode, and the print data obtained as a result of this processing is supplied to the engine interface 7 and printed out from the engine 9 (step 5T10).

Further, when the second data output from the host interface l is a command in the "tpcI" mode, the "tpc1" mode is selected as emulation (step 5TII), and the data output from the host interface l is changed to "tpcl'". mode, and the print data obtained as a result of this processing is supplied to the engine interface 7 and printed out from the engine 9 (step ST12).

Also, whether the second data output from the host interface l is a "tps" mode command or "t,"
If it cannot be determined whether it is a p c i” mode command,
After storing this data in the @record storage area on the work RAM 5, the CPU 2 checks whether this storage area is memory full. If the memory is not full, the CPU 2 The next data (third data) to be output is taken in and the above-described emulation mode determination process is repeated (steps ST4 to ST5T7).

Even if the storage area becomes memory full,
The data supplied from host interface l is “tp
If it cannot be determined whether the command is a command in "s" mode or "tpcl" mode, the CPU 2 executes -tps- mode,
-tpc One of the 1'' motes set as default is selected and emulation processing is performed, and the print data obtained as a result of this processing is supplied to the engine interface 7 and printed out from the engine 9.

In this case, in the case where the data output from the host computer 8 does not include any commands in the "tps" mode or commands in the "tpcl" mode,
Since most of the time, the data is only text data used in the "tpcl" mode, emulation processing is usually performed in the "tpcl-mode."

In this way, in this embodiment, it is determined whether the data output from the host computer 8 is a "tps" mode command or a "tpcl'" mode command, and based on the result of this determination, the "tps" mode or “tpc 1
Since the data output from the host computer 8 is emulated by selecting one of the ``PS-modes'', the data is output from the host computer 8 in the ``PS-mode'' as shown in FIG. 7, the contents shown by each of these data can be exported in a specified format, and as shown in FIG.
When data is output in the "1" mode, the contents indicated by each of these data can be printed out in a specified format as shown in FIG.

As a result, in this embodiment, each application on the host computer 8 side does not have to be modified (,
By automating the selection of emulation systems, the burden on the user can be significantly reduced.

In addition, in the embodiment described above, when the data output from the host interface l is neither a "tps-mode" command nor a "tpcl" mode command, such as when the data is only text data, the default setting is made. The "Lpcl" mode is automatically selected, but even if you do this, when the data is only text data, no specific format is specified, so emulation processing is performed in the "tpcl" mode. Even if you print it out, no problems will occur.

Effects> As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automate emulation selection and significantly reduce the burden on the user without modifying each application.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the controller according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of emulation selection operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an example of emulation used in the embodiment. 4 is a table showing an example of emulation used in the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 6 is an example of data processed in the embodiment. The schematic diagram shown in Fig. 7 is the 6th
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of data processed in the same embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a printout corresponding to the data example shown in FIG. 8. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of out. 2.-Determination unit, selection unit, emulation processing unit (C:
P[j), 8-1st higher-level device (host computer), 9
-Lower equipment (engine).

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A controller that emulates data supplied from a higher-level device to create data for a lower-level device has multiple emulation modes, and in which of the emulation modes the data supplied from the higher-level device is applied. a determination unit that determines whether the data is compatible; a selection unit that selects one of a plurality of emulation modes according to the determination result of the determination unit; 1. A controller comprising: an emulation processing section that performs emulation processing on data to create lower-order data.