JPH0461782B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dot matrix printer,
In particular, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that does not require ruled lines to be supplied as patterns or codes from the outside.

(b) Prior Art and Problems The ruled line connection method of conventional dot matrix printers uses a method in which images are transferred from the host computer side. FIG. 1 shows a diagram for explaining a conventional image transfer method.

In the figure, n indicates the number of lines in the line feed direction, and m indicates the number of digits in the printing direction. 1 to 8 are the respective character printing areas or line/column space areas, 1 _a ,
3 _a , 6 _a , and 8 _a indicate print information in each character area, 2 _a and 7 _a indicate print information in each column space area, and 4 _a and 5 _a indicate print information in each line space area.

The conventional printing method uses the character code input from the host computer to the dot matrix printer's built-in character pattern generator (hereinafter simply referred to as built-in character code).
For example, the printing information _1a to be printed in the character printing area 1 of the nth line and mth column shown in FIG. (abbreviated as LB). Next, print information _2a transferred as an image (directly converted into a pattern and transferred without depending on the character code) from the host computer is stored at an address on the LB corresponding to the interdigit space area. Next, the character code from the host computer is converted into a pattern by the built-in CG and stored at the address on the LB corresponding to the character printing area 3 of the n-th line + 1st column. When the pattern is stored for all the n-th lines by repeating the same process, the n-th line is printed and the contents of LB are cleared. Next, print information 4a and _5a corresponding to interline space areas 4 and ₅ are stored in LB by image transfer from the host computer, and printing is executed after a small line feed. Next, when a line break occurs on the (n+1)th line, storage is performed in the LB and printing is performed in the same way as for the nth line described above.

In this method, the printing information in the intercolumn space area and the line spacing area is transferred from the host computer as an image, which increases the amount of transfer, and the host computer has the disadvantage that the processing time required for transfer is a large burden. It was hot.

(c) Object of the Invention In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device that can reduce the burden on a host computer required to transfer information to be printed.

(d) Structure of the Invention According to the present invention, the present invention provides a decoding means for decoding a character code transferred from a host device and determining whether or not the code is a ruled line code; dot pattern generation means for generating a dot pattern based on the decoding output of the dot pattern; and when the determination output of the decoding means indicates that the dot pattern is a ruled line code, By providing an information processing apparatus, comprising a creation means for creating a pattern corresponding to the space area between the characters by copying the dot pattern in the end row a predetermined number of times. achieved.

(e) Embodiments of the Invention Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention, and all the components shown in the block diagram are built into a dot matrix printer.

In the figure, P indicates an input terminal, which is a data input terminal that receives an output signal from a host computer (not shown). 11 is a code buffer memory, 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a decoder, and a function code is connected to a predetermined drive circuit at an arrow Q for identifying the content of data input to the code buffer. In the case of a character code, it is transferred to the built-in CG 13, developed into a character pattern, and temporarily stored in the storage area 14. Furthermore, if the character code is a ruled line code, the built-in CG
At step 13, the pattern is developed into a ruled line pattern and temporarily stored in the storage area 14, and identification information indicating that it is a ruled line is directly input from the decoder 12 to a required location in the storage area 14 as shown by arrow R. The storage area 14 uses a random access memory (hereinafter abbreviated as RAM), etc., and prints the print information in the character print area of the expanded dot matrix in the printing direction (horizontal direction).
It is composed of a matrix of dots and B dots in the line feed direction (vertical direction). For example, as shown in character areas 1, 3, 6, and 8 in Figure 1, if the printing information in the nth line and mth column is composed of dots with 24 columns in the horizontal direction and 24 columns in the vertical direction, then the print information will be 24 columns in the horizontal direction. Column 14 _A contains one dot in each of the 12th and 13th columns in the vertical direction, and row 14 _B in the 24th column in the vertical direction contains one dot in the 12th and 13th columns in the horizontal direction, respectively. 1
Contains dots.

Therefore, when writing the temporary storage contents of the storage area 14 to the LB 17 column by column via the write circuit 16, a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a dot in the write area in the bottom row of the first column, that is, the B-th row is used. When the detection means detects the presence of the character and the ruled line identification information of the arrow R has been input into the storage area 14, the character address and the writing area 14 are stored in the second storage area 15, which is separately provided.
Temporarily store pattern _B.

Also, write the contents of column A in writing area _14A in circuit 1.
When writing to LB17 via A
A detection means is provided to detect the presence or absence of dots in each row of the column, and when the detection means detects the presence, after writing the contents of column A to LB 17 is completed, the pattern of write area 14 _A is printed as required in the printing direction. Connect ruled lines by copying as many dots as possible.

Next, after one line has been written to LB17 and the memory contents of LB17 are cleared by printing, the second memory area is triggered from the write circuit 16 at arrow S, and the Bth line write area 14 _B The contents of the second storage area 15 corresponding to the ruled line information are written to the LB 17 via the write circuit 16, and the number of minute line feeds is copied by the number of dots corresponding to the line spacing, thereby connecting the ruled lines of the line spacing. It can be performed. The second storage area 15 can also be easily realized by using RAM.

In the embodiment, a dot impact method has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to dot impact methods such as thermal transfer and thermal transfer.

(f) Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, according to the information processing apparatus of the present invention, since the dot matrix printer automatically connects ruled lines, the loss required for the ruled line connection process on the host computer can be significantly reduced. It can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a conventional image transfer system, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information processing system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1, 3, 6, and 8 are character printing areas, 4 and 5 are interline space areas, 2 and 7 are interdigit space areas, 13 is a built-in CG (character pattern generator), 14 is a storage area, and 14 _A and _14B are write areas for ruled line information, 15 is a second storage area, 16 is a write circuit, and 17 is a line buffer (LB).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Decoding means for decoding a character code transferred from a host device and determining whether or not the code is a ruled line code; and generating a dot pattern based on the decoded output of the decoding means. dot pattern generating means for generating a dot pattern, and when the determination output of the decoding means indicates that it is a ruled line code, the dot pattern in the endmost row and/or the endmost column of the dot pattern obtained by the dot pattern generation means is repeated a predetermined number of times. An information processing apparatus comprising: a creation means for creating a pattern corresponding to the space area between the characters by copying.