JPH05177896A - Printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a printer device preventing esp. what is called a dropping of a printing image and realizing a superior printing quality with respect to a printer device conducting a printing processing based on printing information outputted from a host equipment, such as a host computer. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 30 writes printing control information outputted from a host computer in a data memory 32 through a host I/F input part 33 and analyzes this information. Dot pattern data for one page of paper is stored in an image memory 35. When this data is outputted to a PR controller, a paper size detection signal is received through a video I/F input/output part 38 under the control of a printer control information input/output part 37. Before printing out, the detection signal and data area stored in the image memory 35 are identified. Such a control ensures that all the dot pattern data can be printed out on paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device for performing printing processing based on print information output from a host device such as a host computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Printer devices such as LED printers and LCS printers perform print processing based on print information output from a host device such as a host computer. A program for controlling such a printer device, that is, application software, determines the paper size to be printed by identifying the type of the paper cassette installed before creating the document data in the document memory in the printer device. Document data is created with the number of characters and lines according to the determined size. That is, the printer device is 1
When the head data in a page is received from the host computer, image data is generated according to the data, and the image data is stored in the image memory, an area (so-called clipping area) where printing is not performed is determined for the page.

Therefore, if the paper size stored in the paper feed cassette is different from the preset paper size at the time of starting the data transfer from the host computer to the printer or developing the data in the document memory, the document Some of the data stored in the memory will not be printed out on the paper. For example, if a cassette with a paper size different from the paper size set by the host computer is loaded when the corresponding data is expanded in the document memory according to the data sent from the host computer,
Even if the user replaces the paper cassette with a paper size that corresponds to the paper size before printing is started, some data may not be printed.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention, in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, to provide a printer device which prevents so-called print image defects and has excellent print quality.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the above object is to provide a printer device for generating image data corresponding to print information input from a host device and outputting the print data on a sheet, in accordance with the print information. Image data generating means, an image memory for storing at least one page of the image data, a printing mechanism for printing on the paper in accordance with the image data output from the image memory, and a loaded paper size. Paper size detection means for detecting and generating paper size information, and identification means for comparing the image data area developed in the image memory with the paper size information, and for identifying whether the image data can be printed out on paper in full. Output permission means for giving permission to output image data from the image memory to the printing mechanism according to the identification result of the identification means. It is characterized in.

[0006]

EXAMPLES An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic system configuration when a host computer is connected to the printer apparatus of this embodiment for use. Printer device 1
On the other hand, the host computer 2, which is a higher-level device, is connected to the printer device 1 via the Centronics interface. The printer device 1 is, for example, a so-called page printer including a frame memory that stores data for one page of paper. The printer device 1 is basically an interface controller (hereinafter referred to as an I / F controller).
1a and a printer controller (hereinafter referred to as PR controller) 1b. I / F controller 1a
Analyzes the print data (character code, print control information) output from the host computer 2, creates image data, and outputs it as a video signal to the PR controller 1b. The PR controller 1b prints out on paper or the like based on the supplied video signal.

FIG. 3 shows the mechanical structure of the printer device 1 used in the above system. The printer device 1 shown in the figure is an example of a so-called LED printer in which an LED element is used for a print head.

In FIG. 1, the printer device 1 includes a photosensitive drum 3, a charger 4, a print head 5, a developing device 6, a transfer device 7, and a cleaner 8 which are sequentially arranged near the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 3. A slip roll 11 that conveys the paper P carried out from a paper feed cassette 9 by a paper feed roller 10, a standby plate 1
2, a paper transport mechanism such as the fixing roll 13, the paper discharge roll 14, the printer controller board 15 on which the above-mentioned I / F controller 1a is mounted, and the PR controller 1b.
A control box 17 for accommodating a printer controller board 16 on which the printer is mounted.

The charging device 4 is a device that applies an initial charge to the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum 3 that rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the print head 5 is a device that exposes the photosensitive surface based on image data. The developing device 6 is a device for converting the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive surface by the above-described exposure into a toner image, and the transfer device 7 is a device for transferring the toner image onto the paper P. The cleaner 8 is a device that removes the toner image remaining on the photosensitive surface, and the fixing roll 13 is a device that conveys the paper P on which the toner image is transferred and fixes the toner image on the paper P.

A paper feeding unit 19 is optionally provided below the printer device 1. The paper feed unit 19 is composed of a paper feed cassette 20, a paper feed roller 21, a transport guide plate 22, and transport rolls 23 and 24.
The paper P ′ in the paper feed cassette 20 is unloaded from the paper feed cassette 20 by the paper feed roller 21, and is provided directly below the manual feed tray 25 formed on the side surface of the printer device 1 by the transport rolls 23 and 24. It is configured to be conveyed to the above-described slip roll 11 via 26. The transport mechanism for the paper P ′ ahead of the slip roll 11 is the above-described paper P.
Is the same as in.

Further, the manual feed tray 25 is used as a paper tray for paper used when printing on a relatively small number of paper such as slip paper or colored paper. The paper P ″ placed on the manual feed tray 25 is driven by the manual paper feed roll 27 at a predetermined timing to cause the slip roll 11 to move.
After that, the sheets P and P'are fed by the same conveyance mechanism.

FIG. 1 shows the control box 1 described above.
7 is a circuit block diagram of the interface controller 1a housed in FIG. The CPU 30 as a part of the identification unit and a part of the output permission unit is a microprocessor that manages each unit of the interface controller 1a. The program memory 31 stores programs for analyzing print control information sent from the host computer 2 via the host I / F input unit 33, processing for converting character codes into image data and drawing, and system management. Remember. The data memory 32 is a working memory of the CPU 30, and is used as a storage of variables required during program execution and as a reception buffer and a stack area described later.
The font memory 34 as an image data generating means is a memory that stores dot pattern data corresponding to a character code.

The image memory 35 includes a host I / F input unit 3
3 is a memory for storing the image data based on the above-mentioned data fetched from No. 3 as dot pattern data, and when the data fetched from the host I / F input unit 33 is a character code, the corresponding dot read from the font memory 34・ Store pattern data. In the case of image data, the data taken in via the host I / F input unit 33 is stored as it is.

The image memory 35 has a memory capacity necessary for storing a dot pattern for one sheet of the maximum size that can be printed by the printer device 1, and the dot pattern data corresponding to the character code and The image data corresponds to the paper to be printed out in a one-to-one memory area (XY
Coordinate).

The image data transfer unit 36 includes an image memory 35.
Sequentially read the dot pattern data stored in
It is a DMA (Direct Memory Access) circuit for sending to the video I / F input / output unit 38, and when there is a command from the algorithm stored in the program memory 31, the paper 1
The data for one sheet is transferred to the PR controller 1b.

The printer control information input / output unit 37 as a part of the identifying means conveys any one of the sheets stored in the above-mentioned paper feed cassettes 9 and 20 or placed on the manual feed tray 25. The paper feed designation information for instructing whether or not, the print start command information for notifying the start of sending the dot pattern data from the image data transfer unit 36 is output to the PR controller 1b, or the paper feed cassette 9 designated by the paper feed designation information. Alternatively, it controls the input / output of the sheet presence / absence information for detecting the presence / absence of the sheet of paper 20 or the manual feed tray 25 and the sheet size information indicating the size of the sheet. Further, the paper for printing the dot pattern data sent by the print start command information is the above-described paper feed roller 10 or roller 21, or the manual paper feed roll 27.
The PR controller 1b displays the sheet discharge information indicating that the sheet has been conveyed to the sheet discharge roll 14 from any one of them.
Input / output port for input from. Although the PR controller 1b is not specifically shown in FIG. 1, the PR controller 1b having a function as a printing mechanism is a video I / O.
It is connected to the F input / output unit 38.

The video I / F input / output unit 38 outputs the dot pattern data output from the image data transfer unit 36 and the output signal from the printer control information input / output unit 37 to the video I / F.
Convert to / F signal and send to PR controller 1b,
It has a function of sending the video I / F signal sent from the PR controller 1b to the printer control information input / output unit 37. The operation / display unit 39 displays means for displaying the paper feed designation information, the paper presence / absence information, the paper size information, and the paper size / error information described later, and an operator operating the printer device 1 of the present embodiment. It is composed of a key input unit for judging the information given and instructing the printer device 1 to change the paper feed designation information and to perform the error skip processing of the paper size / error information.

The operation / display unit 39 displays the paper feed designation information,
It is a display means capable of displaying four types of paper presence / absence information, paper size information, and paper error information simultaneously and independently, and is a key only for independently instructing change of paper feed designation information and error skip processing of paper size / error information. It has a number.

The operation of the printer having the above structure will be described below. First, when the power of the printer device 1 is turned on, the printer device 1 executes a predetermined initialization process, and thereafter waits for the input of print data output from the host computer 2. Here, an example of the print data output from the host computer 2 is shown in FIG. The example of the print data shown in the figure shows data for one page of paper. The print data includes print position designation commands, character codes "A", "B", "C", "D", "E",
“F”, “.”, And a print position designation command, an image data designation command, image data, and a page break command. Briefly explaining the meaning of each command above,
The print position designation command is a command for designating the print coordinate position of the data immediately following, and the first print position designation command is the character code "A", "B", "C",
Specify the coordinate position of "D", "E", "F", ".",
The second print position designation command designates the coordinate position of the image data. The image data designation command is a command that designates the size of the image data that immediately follows, and the page break command is a command that indicates the end of print data for one page. Become.

Assuming that the print data having the above configuration is output from the host computer 2 to the printer device 1 of this embodiment, for example, the CPU 30 executes the data reception interrupt program stored in the program memory 31. Figure 5
Is a flowchart showing this processing. The print data output from the host computer 2 is fetched into the host I / F input unit 33 byte by byte (step (hereinafter referred to as S) 1), and the fetched data is stored in the data memory 32. The data is written in the reception buffer formed inside (S2). FIG. 6 shows a state in which the print data of the above example is written in the reception buffer by this processing. Since the reception buffer has a memory capacity for storing print data for several pages as described above, print data output from the host computer 2 after the page break command is also written subsequently.

As described above, when print data is sequentially written in the reception buffer and a predetermined amount of data is stored, an analysis process of the print data stored in the reception buffer is executed. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing this processing. First, the CPU 30 reads the print data stored in the reception buffer byte by byte (step (hereinafter referred to as ST)).
1). Next, the CPU 30 analyzes the read data,
It is determined whether the command is a print position designation command, a character code, an image data designation command, or a page break command (ST2). Here, if the read data is, for example, a print position designation command, the variable indicating the print coordinate position in the program is updated (ST3). Also,
If the read data is, for example, a character code, the dot pattern data corresponding to the read character code is read from the font memory 34, and the dot pattern data is stored in the image memory 35. For example, in the case of the above print data example, the character codes "A", "B",
The dot pattern data corresponding to "C", "D", "E", "F", "." Is read from the font memory 34 and sequentially stored in the image memory 35. On the other hand, if the read data is, for example, an image data designation command, the amount of image data designated by the image data designation command is read from the reception buffer (ST
5) Further, the read image data is stored in the image memory 35 (ST6). If the read data is a page break command, the process (ST7) is executed and the analysis process of the print data for one page is completed. At this time, the image data for one page is stored in the image memory 35. Will be remembered. In the case of the print data of the above example, the image data shown in FIG. 8 is stored in the image memory 35 in a one-to-one relationship with the paper. The image data at this time is the arrow shown in FIG. Further, the dotted line shown in the figure shows the comparison between the paper size and the storage area. For example, dotted line A shows the comparison with the B5 size paper, and dotted line B shows the comparison with the A4 size paper.

Next, the processing of the CPU 30 will be followed by the above-mentioned ST.
The process of 7 is executed. This process is a process of detecting a storage range of data stored (drawn) in the image memory 35, that is, a maximum X coordinate and a maximum Y coordinate of image data indicating a black dot. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the maximum value of the X coordinate is x shown in the same figure, and the maximum value of the Y coordinate is y shown in the same figure.

Next, the CPU 30 controls the printer control information input / output unit 37 to determine whether the storage range of the image memory 35 is over (ST8). This judgment is made through the maximum value of the storage range of the data obtained in the above processing (ST7) and the PR controller 1b via the video I / F input / output unit 38.
The CPU 30 determines from the paper size information sent from the. Here, for example, if either the maximum X coordinate or the maximum Y coordinate of the black dot data drawn in the image memory 35 exceeds the size of the paper indicated by the paper size information (ST8 is Y (yes)). The paper size error flag is turned on (ST9). Then, the operator operates a key and waits until the paper size error flag is turned off (ST10).

This processing is executed as a part of the processing at the time of key operation shown in FIG. That is, the process shown in FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the process when any key of the operation / display unit 39 is operated, and is executed at a predetermined cycle and when there is no key operation (step (hereinafter referred to as STP)).
1 is Y), the status of the PR controller 1b is displayed.
For example, when the above-mentioned paper size error flag is turned on, this on state is displayed. The operator operates / displays 3
After confirming the display state of 9, the error skip switch of the operation / display unit 39 is pushed. By this processing, the CPU 30
Execute the process to compare the paper size error flags (ST
P2), if the paper size error flag is on as described above, the paper size error flag is turned off (STP
3).

When the paper feed change switch shown in the figure is pressed, the paper feed designation information is updated (STP).
4). This processing is performed by the paper feed cassettes 9 and 20, the manual feed stand 25
This is a process of outputting from the video I / F input / output unit 38 which of the sheets placed on the paper sheet to be conveyed, and instructing the PR controller 1b via the video I / F signal 6. By this processing, the paper presence / absence information and the paper size information are input from the PR controller 1b to the printer control information input / output unit 37 via the video I / F signal 6 (STP).
5). Further, based on these data, the CPU 30 displays the paper feed designation information, the paper presence / absence information, the paper size information, and the OFF information of the paper size error flag on the operation / display unit 39 (STP6).

On the other hand, the CPU 30 executes the above-mentioned processing (STP
By 3), it is determined that the paper size error flag is switched off (ST10 in FIG. 7 is off), and then the printing process is executed (ST11). When it is determined in the determination (ST8) that the storage (drawing) range of the image memory 35 does not exceed the paper size (ST8 is N), the printing process is immediately started (ST11). This print processing is performed together with print start command information output from the printer control input / output unit 37.
This is a process of sending the dot pattern data stored in the image memory 35 from the video I / F input / output unit 38 to the printer controller under the control of the image data transfer unit 36.

The dot pattern data output to the PR controller 1b by this processing is the above-mentioned print head 5.
The LED element formed in the above is selectively made to emit light, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to print data is formed on the photosensitive drum 3. As described above, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 3 is converted into a toner image by the developing device 6, transferred to the paper by the transfer device 7, and then heat-fixed by the fixing roll 13 to form a print image. It is discharged outside the machine.

[0028]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, even after the document data is stored in the image memory, it is possible to match the paper size immediately before the document data is output based on the output of the page break command. Since it can be confirmed, it is possible to prevent the printed image from being chipped.

Further, since the paper feed cassette, the manual feed paper and the like can be exchanged at any time, the printer device has extremely excellent operability. Further, when it is difficult to judge the data area actually stored in the image memory by the print data output from the host device, the printer device of the present invention checks the relationship with the paper, which is convenient for the operator.
Workability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of a printer device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic system diagram when the printer device of one embodiment is connected to a host computer.

FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a printer device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of print data.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing reception of print data.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state when the print data shown in FIG. 4 is written in a reception buffer.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating print data analysis processing.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between data stored in an image memory and paper.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process based on a key operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printer Device 1a Interface Controller 1b Printer Controller 2 Host Computer 3 Photosensitive Drum 4 Charger 5 Print Head 6 Developer 7 Transfer Device 9, 20 Paper Feed Cassette 10 Paper Feed Roller 12 Standby Plate 13 Fixing Roll 15 Interface Controller Board 16 Printer Controller board 30 CPU 31 Program memory 32 Data memory 33 Host I / F input 34 Font memory 35 Image memory 36 Image data transfer unit 37 Printer control information input / output unit 38 Video I / F input / output unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer device for generating corresponding image data according to print information input from a higher-level device and printing out on a sheet, image data generating means for generating image data corresponding to the print information, An image memory that stores the image data for at least one page of a sheet, a printing mechanism that prints on the sheet according to the image data output from the image memory, a loaded sheet size is detected, and sheet size information is generated. Paper size detection means, image data area expanded in the image memory and the paper size information are compared, and identification means for identifying whether the image data can be completely printed out on paper, and depending on the identification result of the identification means Output permission means for giving permission to output image data from the image memory to the printing mechanism. Printer apparatus.