JPH0486277A - Pattern generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow efficient storage of pattern information and at the same time, efficient reading of said information by reading address information corresponding to internal character codes and designated specific pattern information and generating print pattern. CONSTITUTION:Address information corresponding to internal character codes obtained by conversion of character code and writing style code and specified pattern information obtained using the number of useful dots in a vertical and a horizontal direction of print pattern which is read from pattern dot count storage memory 26, are read using a code conversion part 25. Then a pattern control part 27 generates specified pattern information based on the magnification rate of the pattern information and print data which is read. Therefore, the pattern control part 27 can store pattern information efficiently and read specified pattern information at any magnification rate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a pattern generation device that generates print patterns of characters and barcodes according to print data.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in this type of pattern generation device, a predetermined print pattern written in advance in a memory such as a ROM built in a printing device such as a printer is read out in accordance with print data output from a control unit, and After that, characters were printed in the font using the fixed printing pattern. Furthermore, when enlarging a print pattern, a preset enlargement rate is specified, and the print pattern is enlarged according to the set enlargement rate.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such a pattern generating device, the dot configuration of the font pattern is fixed, and therefore a font pattern with a free dot configuration cannot be used.

Also, if the dot configuration is defined as the maximum number of dots in the phono I pattern used, extra memory will be required for small font patterns. Furthermore, since the barcode font pattern is registered as a custom character and the dot configuration is fixed, an extra pattern must be stored.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of conventional devices, and generates patterns with many types of dot configurations by registering vertical and horizontal dot configurations for each character and barcode font pattern. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pattern generating device that can efficiently use the storage area of a memory.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention reads predetermined pattern information corresponding to specified address information,
A pattern generation device that generates a print pattern according to the pattern information, a pattern information storage means for storing the pattern information, a character code of the print pattern,
a print data storage means for storing print data having a typeface code; an effective dot number storage means for storing the number of effective dots of the print pattern; and a print data storage means for storing predetermined print data from the print data storage means in accordance with a specified print pattern a dot number read control means for reading out a corresponding number of effective dots from an effective dot number storage means according to the character code and font code of the read print data; code conversion means for converting a code into an internal character code; and pattern information readout control means for reading out predetermined pattern information from the address information corresponding to the converted internal character code and the readout number of effective dots. It is something.

(Operation) Reads predetermined pattern information from the address information corresponding to the internal character code converted from the character code and font code and the effective number of dots in the vertical and horizontal directions of the specified corresponding printing pattern, Generates a print pattern according to pattern information.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to efficiently store and read pattern information.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 12.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing device using a pattern generation device according to the present invention. In the figure, a control unit (CPU) 1.0 uses a keyboard 11 and a display 12 to read print data via a magnetic recording medium or a communication line, and converts the print data into print data that can be analyzed by a pattern generation unit 13. Convert it to
The above print data is transferred to the pattern generation section 13 page by page. The pattern generation unit] 3 performs predetermined enlargement and rotation processing on the character or barcode pattern according to the transferred print data, generates print pattern information for one page, and generates the print pattern information generated above. The pattern information is output to the printing section 14 based on a control signal from the CPU10 and the printing section 14, which will be described later. The printing section 14 is
For example, in a printer with fine print density, CPU10
A printing operation is performed to print a predetermined character or barcode pattern on a recording paper or the like according to the print pattern taken in by the operation control signal from the printer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the pattern generating section 13 according to the present invention. In the figure, a pattern generation section main control section 20 controls the operations of all memories and control sections constituting a pattern generation section 13, which will be described later, based on operation control signals from the CPU 10 and the printing section 14.

The print data storage memory 21 is a so-called dual port RAM or a memory with an address bus and data bus selector added to a normal RAM and stores one page of print data transferred from the CPU10. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, two memories (RAM) 2 are used.
], a, 2 l b, 71' and a selector circuit 21 for the 7 bus and the data bus. c~21'', the read address information is counted up by the write address counter circuit 21 in response to the input of the write signal or read signal.
It is composed of a read address counter circuit 21β, and is capable of reading and writing print data from the CPU 10 and the main control unit 20.

That is, for example, when the CPU 10 accesses the first RAM 21a to write or read print data in units of words, the main control unit 20 accesses the first RAM 21a.
B is accessed to read the print data, and each time the page is changed (the print data to be stored is changed), the C
RAM2 + accessed by PU10 and main control unit 20
a, 2 l b are exchanged.

The print data stored in the print data storage memory 21 includes, for example, a 2-byte character code, a 4-bit font code, and a 1-byte font code for each character or barcode, as shown in FIG.
2-bit horizontal print position, 12-bit vertical print position, 1-hide vertical enlargement rate (enlargement number), 1
It consists of information indicating the horizontal expansion rate (number of expansions) of the byte and the rotation direction of the two pits, and an information end flag and a print end flag for each bit are added as control flags. Note that the print data storage memory 21 can be configured with one RAM when outputting an intermittent print pattern, or it can be configured with two or more RAMs when outputting a continuous print pattern. It is also possible to configure it by RA and M.

The register circuits 22 and 23 are connected to the print data storage memory 21 under the control of the main control section 20 during pattern printing.
The character code and font code information read from the register circuits 22 and 23 are temporarily stored, and the character code and font code stored in the register circuits 22 and 23 serve as address information for the pattern dot number storage memory 24, which will be described later. , is output to the code converter 25. Further, the number of enlargements in the vertical and horizontal directions is transmitted to a pattern control unit 27 (described later) via a register circuit (not shown), and information regarding the horizontal and vertical printing positions and rotational direction is transmitted to a storage control unit 27 (described later) via a register circuit (not shown). output to the address control section that performs

The pattern dot number storage memory 24 is a register circuit 22.
．． A so-called dual-port RAM or normal RAM that stores the character code and font type input from 23 as address information, and stores information on the number of effective dots in the vertical and horizontal directions of the character pattern and barcode pattern corresponding to the address information. It consists of a memory with an address bus and data bus selector added to the memory, and can only read and write information from the CPU, O, and the main control unit 20. In the embodiment, the pattern dot number storage memory 24, as shown in FIG.
Contains information on the effective number of OT7), 256 x 25
It is possible to define patterns of up to 6 dots. When printing a pattern, use the character code 1' (C0) as address information.
Character code F' (C0
8 to Cl01C12 to C15) and 4-bit font code (800 to 803), information on the number of effective dots (H
DOTO to HDOT7, VDOT to VDOT7) are read out and output to a pattern control section 27, which will be described later.

When printing this pattern, a busy signal is input from the main control unit 20, and reading and writing from the CPU 10 is prohibited. Also, when reading or writing from CPU10, address information (ABOI~A, B11.) is specified according to the character code and font, and data (DB00~DB11.) is specified by the control signal.
l 5) is being read or written.

In addition, the upper hide of the above character code (C08 to C15)
are defined as Table 1 and Table 2, as shown in Table 1, and other codes are treated as abnormal codes. Also, the character code of the barcode (008-C15)
indicates the code type of the barcode, and from this it is possible to recognize the effective number of horizontal dots of the barcode, which is set differently for each code type. Furthermore, the lower byte (COO-C07) of the character code is a code indicating a character.

Further, the font code is defined as shown in Table 2, where the font code of the barcode corresponds to the number of dots (barcode density) of the narrow bar, and * is processed as an abnormal code. According to this definition, in this example, there are 4 fonts for Kanji characters, 8 fonts for alphanumeric characters, 1 font for OCR characters, 16 types of barcodes with 16 or less characters, 8 types of densities, 3
It can handle 8 types of 16 density barcodes with 2 types or less, 4 types of 16 density barcodes with 64 types or less, and 2 types of 16 density barcodes with 12828 types or less.

The code conversion unit 25 is a ROM that generates an internal character code in the pattern generation unit 13 using the character code and font code input from the lnosister circuit 22 and 23 as address information when printing a pattern, and it is a ROM that generates an internal character code in the pattern generation unit 13, and is connected to the CPU l0 and the main controller. Part 2
Information can be read from 0. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, 16-bit internal character codes (I00 to ■15) are generated from the character code (COO-C15) and 4-bit font code (800 to 5O3) as address information. and outputs it to the pattern address storage memory 26.

The pattern address storage memory 26 uses internal character codes as address information, and stores position information indicating the first storage area of predetermined pattern information on the font memory 28 in which character patterns and barcode patterns are stored corresponding to the address information. and information (flag) indicating whether pattern information is stored in the storage area corresponding to the location information, so-called dual port R and A.
It consists of a memory consisting of M or normal RAM with an address bus and data bus selector added, and the CPU
0 and the main control unit 20 can be read and written. In the embodiment, the information stored in the pattern address storage memory 26 is, for example, 24-bit information consisting of 23-bit position information and a 1-bit flag, assuming that the storage area of the font memory 2B, which will be described later, is 8 megawords. indicates the position of pattern information for one character. Address information read out corresponding to the storage position of the predetermined pattern information is output to a pattern control section 27, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pattern control section 27 includes a counter circuit 2 that operates in synchronization with the write signal from the main control section 20.
7a to 27e, take in the output signals from the counter circuits 27a to 27e, and control the operation of the selector circuits 27g, 27+], the register circuit 2711, the power counter circuit 27j, and the shift register circuit 271 (based on the output J signal). It is composed of a controller 27f and the like.

The counter circuits 27a and 27d store the horizontal and vertical expansion numbers Xm and Ym from the register circuit, and the counter circuit 27)) is the number C for one word (in the font memory 28). 1, which is the number of horizontal dots in
6 dots), and the counter circuits 27c, 27
e stores the number of effective dots Xd and Y(] in the horizontal and vertical directions of the font from the pattern dot number storage memory 24, respectively.The counter circuit 27a stores the stored information Xm of the number of horizontal expansions, When the number of write signals input for each hit matches, a count end signal is output to the counter circuits 27b and 27c, and a -.match signal is output to the controller 27f.

When the input count end signal matches the stored information, the counter circuits 27b and 27c output a match signal to the controller 27f, and the counter circuit 27c simultaneously outputs a count end signal to the counter circuit 27d. The counter circuit 27d outputs a match signal to the controller 27f when the input count end signal matches the stored information on the number of vertical expansions.

The controller 27f receives the address information from the pattern address storage memory 26 taken in via the selector circuit 27g27h register circuit 2711 and the counter circuit 27j, the number of horizontal and vertical expansions, and the number of valid dots of the pattern dots in the horizontal and vertical directions. Accordingly, the pattern information (font) is read from the font memory 28 to the shift register circuit 27k, and the pattern information is expanded by outputting the read font one bit at a time from the shift register circuit 27k to the address control section.

The font memory 28 is composed of a so-called dual-port RAM that stores character and barcode patterns, or a pattern information storage memory formed by adding an address bus and a pig bus selector to a normal R, AM. It is possible to read and write information from the main control unit 20. In the embodiment, the font memory 28 has a storage capacity of 8 megawords with a data width of 16 bits, and the pattern information stored in the -F font memory 28 is divided into vertical effective dots as shown in FIG. If the number is 4 and the number of horizontal effective dots is D, then the 9th
The pattern information is stored for every 16 dots as shown in the figure. And the font memory 28 is
When printing a pattern, pattern information corresponding to the address information from the pattern control section 27 is output to the pattern control section 27, and when writing/reading pattern information in the font memory 28, the pattern control section Pattern information corresponding to address information from 27 is outputted via a register circuit (not shown).

Next, the pattern generation operation of the pattern generation device according to the present invention will be explained.

To read pattern information from the font memory 28,
When the main control unit 20 receives a command to read the pattern information in the font memory 28 from the CPUIO, it controls each control unit and memory to perform the process of reading out the font memory 2 days. First, the main control unit 20 includes a register circuit 22.
．． 23 stores the character code and font code information from the print data storage memory 21, and then outputs it to the pattern dot converter 25 at a predetermined timing, and also outputs the horizontal and vertical enlargement numbers via a register circuit (not shown). The pattern control section 27 is made to output it. Next, from the pattern dot number storage memory 24, the character code and font code from the register circuit 22, 23 are used as address information, and information on the corresponding effective number of dots in the horizontal direction and O/vertical direction is sent to the pattern control unit 27. The code conversion section 25 outputs an internal character code corresponding to the character code F and the font code. Furthermore, the pattern address storage memory 26 outputs information on the pattern start address using the internal character code as address information.

When the pattern control unit 27 takes in the pattern start address information from the pattern address storage memory 26,
Font memory 28 according to pattern start address information
The pattern information for writing is output to the address control section one bit at a time in synchronization with the control signal from the main control section 20 while referring to the address information and the number of vertical and horizontal expansions.

Next, the operation of the pattern control section 27 will be explained in detail based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 10 to 12. In this embodiment, the pattern information shown in FIG. 9 is written into the bitmap memory, and for example, the number of horizontal expansions Xm is "3", the number of vertical expansions Ym is "2", and the number of dots in a word C. is 16 dots.

First, the pattern control unit 27 sends the number of horizontal expansions Xm to the counter circuit 27a, the number of dots C of the ■word to the counter circuit 27b, the number of effective dots in the horizontal direction Xd to the counter circuit 27c, and the number of vertical expansions Ym to the counter circuit 27a. In the counter circuit 27d,
The number Yd of effective dots in the vertical direction is stored in each counter circuit 27e.

At this time, the selector circuit 27g is in an output enabled state,
The register circuit 27i stores the character or barcode pattern start address (storage area l for the first word shown in FIG. 9) output from the pattern address storage memory 26 by a control signal from the controller 27f. address) is stored (step 101). Let Ar be the address stored in this register circuit 27i. Further, the address Ar stored in the register circuit 27i is transferred to the counter circuit 27 by a control signal from the controller 27f.
Store in j. The address stored in this counter circuit 27j is assumed to be Ac. Then, the value A stored in the counter circuit 27j is used as the address information of the font memory 28,
The 16-bit pattern information (pattern information in storage area 1) read from the font memory 28 in accordance with the address information A is stored in the shift register circuit 27k (stapper 102). After this, the selector circuit 27g is set to an output disabled state, and the selector circuit 27h is set to an output enabled state. Therefore, the register circuit 27i includes the selector circuit 2
The output of the counter circuit 27j is input via 7h.

Next, when a 1-bit write signal is output from the main control section 20 (step 103), the horizontal expansion number Xm of the counter circuit 27a is subtracted by one (step 104). In the embodiment, since Xm is "3", the shift register circuit 27k
From there, the most significant bit of the first word (pattern information in storage area 1), that is, the 15th bit, is read three times one bit at a time and output to the address control section.
Xm is subtracted every time the pattern information is read. Then, step IO is performed until the horizontal expansion number Xm of the counter circuit 27a matches the write signal and becomes "0".
The operation from step 3 is repeated (step 10'5), and when the above horizontal expansion number Xm becomes "0", the horizontal expansion number X
m is set in the counter circuit 27a again (step 1
06).

Next, in FIG. 11, when Xm is set in the counter circuit 27a, the counter circuit 27a
7f, and also outputs a count end signal to the counter circuit 27b and the counter circuit 27c.

When the controller 27f receives the output signal, it shifts the pattern data in the shift register circuit 27 by 1 bit (step 107). In addition, counter circuit 2
7b and the counter circuit 27c calculate the number of dots C and the number of effective dots X each time the count end signal is output.
d is subtracted by 1 (step 108.1O9), and as a result, it is determined whether the number C of dots and the number of effective dots Xd have become "0" (step 110.111).

Here, both the number of dots C and the number of effective dots Xd are "0".
”, the process returns to step 103 and repeats the above operation, and the pattern information is read three times in order from the 14th bit to the 0th bit from the shift register circuit 27k and output to the address control section. Furthermore, after repeating the above operation, if the number of dots C in the counter circuit 27b reaches "0", that is, the pattern information being read out reaches 16 dots, which is the number of dots in one word (in this example, When the pattern information of O bits has been read three times), it is determined that the reading of the pattern information for one word (the last information of the pattern information in storage area l) has been completed, and the number of dots is C (16 dots) is reset to the counter circuit 27b (step 1.12), and it is determined whether the number of effective dots Xd in the counter circuit 27c has become "0" (step 113).

Here, if C is set in the counter circuit 27b and the number of effective dots If the number of dots has not been reached, a signal is output from the counter circuit 27b to the controller 27f, and the process returns to step 102. controller 2
7f receives the above output signal and then outputs the counter circuit 27.
Add 1 to the address information Ac of j (step 114),
Pattern information (1
The pattern information in the memory area 2 corresponding to one word) is read out and stored in the shift register circuit 271, and the operations from step 103 onwards are performed in the same manner as above.

Then, when the number of effective dots in the horizontal direction reaches Xd, that is, in step 111 or 113, when Xd in the counter circuit 27c becomes "0", the horizontal direction is expanded (pattern information is expanded to storage area 1-N). It is determined that the process has ended, and Xd is set in the counter circuit 27c again (step 115).

Next, in FIG. 12, when Xd is set in the counter circuit 27c, a count end signal is output to the counter circuit 21d. In response to the count end signal, the counter circuit 27d subtracts 1 from the vertical expansion number Ym (step 1) and determines whether the vertical expansion number Ym has become "0" (step 117). .

In this embodiment, the vertical expansion rate is "2", so if Ym in the counter circuit 27d is not "0", a signal is output from the counter circuit 27c to the controller 27f. When the controller 27f receives the output signal, it sets the top address information Ar stored in the register circuit 27i in the counter circuit 27j again (step 118). Then, returning to step 102, the controller 27f transfers the 16-bit button information (pattern information of storage area l) read out from Ac as the address information of the font memory 28 to the shift register circuit 2.
7k, and perform the operations from step 103 onwards in the same manner as above. Then, when the number of vertical expansions reaches Ym, that is, when Ym becomes "0" in step 117,
The counter circuit 27d determines that the vertical expansion has been completed.
Ym is reset again, a signal is output to the controller 27f, and a count end signal is output to the counter circuit 27e (step 119).

When the controller 27f takes in the above output signal, it adds 1 to the address information Ac of the counter circuit 27j, and also adds 1 to the address information Ac of the counter circuit 27j and adds it to the CC register path 27 via the selector circuit 2711.
The address information Ac+1 added above is stored in 1 (step 120). Also, due to the above count end signal,
The counter circuit 27e calculates the number of effective dots Yd in the vertical direction by 1.
Subtract step 121), and as a result, the number of effective dots Y
Determine whether d has become “O” (step 122
).

Here, if the number of effective dots Yd is not "0", the process returns to step 118, the address information of the register circuit 271 is stored in the counter circuit 27j, and the above operation is repeated. Furthermore, if Yd is "0", it is determined that the reading of pattern information of one character or barcode has been completed, and the operation described in "2" is completed.

As a result, the enlarged pattern information is input from the shift register circuit 27k to the address control unit, and the address control unit inputs the pattern information in the horizontal and vertical directions (print position) taken in from the print data storage memory 21. The input pattern information can be written into the bitmap memory by manipulating the horizontal and vertical addresses of the bitmap memory in accordance with the starting position) information and the rotation direction information.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the address information corresponding to the internal character code converted from the character code and font code by the code converter, and the vertical and horizontal directions of the corresponding print pattern read from the pattern dot number storage memory. The pattern control unit can read predetermined pattern information based on the number of effective dots and generate the predetermined pattern information based on the pattern information and the enlargement rate of the read print data, so the pattern information can be stored efficiently. At the same time, it becomes possible to read out the predetermined pattern information at any magnification ratio.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, in the present invention, in a pattern generation device that reads predetermined pattern information corresponding to designated address information and generates a print pattern corresponding to the pattern information, the pattern information is a pattern information storage means for storing, a print data storage means for storing print data having a character code and a font code of the print pattern, an effective dot number storage means for storing the number of effective dots of the print pattern; print data read control means for reading predetermined print data from the print data storage means according to a print pattern; and a corresponding number of effective dots from the effective dot number storage means according to the character code and font code of the read print data. a dot number reading control means for reading out the number of dots; a code conversion means for converting the character code and font code into an internal character code; and a code conversion means for converting the character code and font code into an internal character code; A pattern information readout control means for reading out pattern information of the character font and narrow dot number barcode for each font of any dot configuration stored in the memory according to the number of effective dots necessary for pattern generation and address information. Pattern information can be read out and memory storage areas can be used efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing device using a pattern generation device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram showing the configuration of a pattern generation section shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram showing an embodiment of the print data storage memory according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of print data stored in the print data storage memory according to the invention; FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the pattern dot number storage memory, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the code converter, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the structure of the pattern control section. , FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the number of vertical and horizontal effective dots of pattern information stored in the font memory, FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing an example of pattern information stored in the font memory, and FIG. 12 are flowcharts for explaining the enlargement processing operation of pattern information in the pattern control section shown in FIG. 7. 10... Control unit (CPU), l 3... Pattern generation unit, 14... Printing unit (printer), 20... Main control unit, 21... Print data storage memory, 22.23
...Register circuit, 24.. Pattern dot number storage memory, 25.. Code converter, 26.. Pattern address storage memory, 27.. Pattern control section, 2B
...font memory.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a pattern generation device that reads predetermined pattern information corresponding to designated address information and generates a print pattern according to the pattern information, a pattern information storage means for storing the pattern information; a print data storage means for storing print data having character codes and font codes; an effective dot number storage means for storing the number of effective dots of the print pattern; and a print data storage means for storing print data having character codes and font codes; a print data read control means for reading print data; a dot number read control means for reading a corresponding number of effective dots from an effective dot number storage means according to the character code and font code of the read print data; and the character code. code conversion means for converting the typeface code into an internal character code; and pattern information readout control means for reading out predetermined pattern information from the address information corresponding to the converted internal character code and the read effective number of dots. A pattern generator characterized by: (2) The pattern according to claim 1, wherein the effective dot number storage means is means for storing pattern information indicating the number of constituent dots in the vertical and horizontal directions of the print pattern for each character and typeface. Generator.