JPH05221042A - Printing control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain printed matter of high accuracy and high image quality by providing a data size converting means converting a segment data group to the integral multiple of the section size being the min. unit of the reading writing of an external memory device. CONSTITUTION:A data size conversion part 407 is stored in a hard disk and transmitted to a second dynamic memory at the time of the starting of an apparatus and a command interpretation part 401, a command execution part 402, a command dictionary part 403, a printing data developing part 406 and the data size conversion part 407 are successively executed by a second CPU. The command interpretation part 401 resolves an arriving command group into individual commands and the command dictionary part 403 inspects whether the arriving command group is a just one and resolves the arriving command group in a work area 404 under the control of the command execution part 402 to form segment data. The data size conversion part 407 converts the data size of the segment data group to the integral multiple of the sector size of the reading.writing of the hard disk.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control device,
In particular, the present invention relates to an improvement in a print control device for printing data created by a computer or the like, which expands the data into raster image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printer device (printing device) of this type, a capacity of one page of two-dimensional raster image data to be printed is assigned to a semiconductor memory device in a print control device and sent out from a computer. Based on the data such as the character code, raster image data is expanded in the storage area. Here, the raster image data refers to image data created to correspond to individual pixels included in the print width for one line. After the completion of the expansion, the printing mechanism of the printer device is started, and the expanded raster image data is output to the printing mechanism to print one page.

However, in recent years, the amount of raster image data for one page has increased remarkably as the resolution and image quality of printers have become higher, so that the cost of the semiconductor storage device is increased and the cost of the device is increased. However, due to restrictions such as power consumption, electrical driving capability of semiconductors, and upper limit of data amount that can be handled by CPU, it has become impossible to actually manufacture a printer device. Furthermore, when it is desired to print a large print output, the capacity of the semiconductor memory device has been increased.

Further, it takes a very long time to develop raster image data in such a huge semiconductor memory device (memory). For example, when printing an A4 size printout, 1 bit of data is required for each pixel like a conventional monochrome laser printer, and if the resolution is about 12 pixels / mm, the required semiconductor memory device is 1 It was about megabytes. However, with an output size of A0, a resolution of 12 pixels / mm, and 16.7 million colors per pixel (24 bits / pixel), at least 500 megabytes of memory are required, which dramatically increases the cost and development time of the device, making it practical. It was not possible to make a device that could be used.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, the applicant of the present application has proposed a print control device which can reduce the amount of semiconductor memory devices and can perform large size, high resolution and high image quality printing at high speed ( Japanese Patent Application No. 4-9511).

In the printing control apparatus of this Japanese Patent Application No. 4-9511, first, the graphic information data transmitted from the computer is converted into line segment data having the position, length, density, etc. in the raster direction. And a line segment data group, which is a set of line segment data for each raster, is formed on a storage device (semiconductor storage device) and the storage capacity of the storage device is exceeded, the line segment data group that exceeds Are sequentially stored in an external storage device (fixed magnetic disk device) which is a secondary storage device.

After the transmission of the transmitted graphic information data to the line segment data group is completed, the line segment data group necessary for developing the raster image data sequentially is printed as the printing progresses. Read it from the storage device and develop it into raster image data. The raster image data thus expanded is output to the printing mechanism as described above, and 1
Raster printing is performed, and one page is printed by repeating the reading of the line segment data group and the output to the printing mechanism.

[0008]

However, in the print control apparatus of Japanese Patent Application No. 4-9511, the size of the line segment data group required for raster image data expansion and the external storage device (fixed magnetic disk device) are used. Since it has nothing to do with the sector size, which is the minimum unit for reading and writing, the line segment data group boundary and the sector boundary do not match,
When reading / writing a line segment data group corresponding to a specific raster, line segment data of other rasters, that is, unnecessary data is attached before and after the line segment data group, and unnecessary data is processed at the same time. Since this has to be done, it takes a long processing time to reduce the transfer rate of the line segment data group, and thus the printing process takes a long time.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to reduce the amount of semiconductor memory devices and perform printing of large size, high resolution, and high image quality at higher speed. An object is to provide a control device.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a print control apparatus of the present invention converts graphic information data created by a computer or the like into line segment data having a position and a length in the raster direction. , This line segment data is collectively stored in an external storage device in a line segment data group composed of line segment data of the same raster, the line segment data group is read from the external storage device, and the line segment data is raster imaged. A print control device for converting into line data and outputting to a printing device, wherein the print control device includes:
The external storage device is provided with data size conversion means for converting it into an integral multiple of the sector size, which is the minimum unit for reading / writing, and the read / write processing to the external storage device is performed in units of the sector size. ..

[0011]

The print control device receives the graphic information data sent from the computer or the like and sequentially converts it into line segment data, and stores the line segment data group for each raster in the storage device. When the stored line segment data group exceeds the capacity of the storage device, the data size conversion means sets the data size of the line segment data group to an integral multiple of the sector size, which is the minimum unit of reading / writing of the external storage device. And the line segment data group is sequentially stored in the external storage device in units of sector size. Here, since the data size of the line segment data group is an integral multiple of the sector size and is stored in units of the sector size, the storage processing time in the external storage device can be shortened.

When the expansion of all the graphic information data is completed, the line segment data group stored in the external storage device is sequentially read in units of the sector size, and converted into raster image data having a width of several rasters. To the printing mechanism. Here, since the line segment data group is read from the external storage device with an integral multiple of the sector size, the read processing time from the external storage device can be shortened. The printing mechanism executes printing based on the converted raster image data.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a print control apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an external connection of an embodiment of the print control apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the external connector 101 of the computer 100 and the first interface connector 3 of the print control device 300 enable the exchange of print commands between the computer 100 and the print control device 300.
01 is connected by the first cable 401. In addition, the print control device 300 to the inkjet printer 2
The second interface connector 302 of the print control device 300 and the interface connector 201 of the inkjet printer 200 are connected by the second cable 402 so that raster image data corresponding to one line can be sent to 00.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the print control device 3
The configuration of 00 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 2, the first interface connector 301 to which data is input from the computer 100 is connected to a first interface circuit 303 that receives the data. Similarly, a second interface circuit 350 is connected to the second interface connector 302 so that data can be transmitted. A first bus 313 is connected to the other ends of both interface circuits so that data can be exchanged with the first CPU 305. The first bus 313 has a first dynamic memory 306 for storing data and a hard disk drive 30.
9, a third interface circuit 307 for interfacing with the second CPU 310, and a dual port memory 3 having two ports for communicating with a second CPU 310 described later and capable of accessing the same memory cell from both ports.
A first port 08 and a DMAC 314 for direct memory transfer between these devices are connected.

On the other hand, the second bus 312 of the second CPU 310.
A second port of the dual port memory 308 and a second dynamic memory 311 for storing data are connected to the. The hard disk 309 stores programs such as a command execution unit 402 shown in FIG. 5 described later and a data size conversion unit 407 according to the gist of the present invention.
The data is transferred to the second dynamic memory 311 when the device is activated. In FIG. 2, various control signals such as an address bus and a chip select signal are not shown.

The configuration of the second interface circuit 350 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, a data input terminal of a first-in first-out memory device (hereinafter, referred to as FIFO) 351 is connected to a first bus 313 so that data can be written from the first CPU 305 or the like. A driver 352 for outputting data to the second interface connector 302 is connected to the data output terminal of the FIFO 351. A receiver 353 is provided to receive the ready signal from the second interface connector 302 and input it to the control circuit 354. The FI
A control circuit 354 is provided to generate a read signal 359 of the FO 351 and a data clock signal 356 output to the second interface connector 302 via the driver 352.
Clock signal 360 for controlling the timing of 54
A clock generation circuit 355 for generating the clock signal is provided. The empty flag 357 of the FIFO 351 is input to the control circuit 354.

Next, the ink jet printer 200
The configuration will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the interface connector 201 receives the input data and data clock signal 221 from the FIFO2.
A data input terminal 05 and a receiver 202 for inputting to the interface control circuit 204 are connected. A driver 203 for outputting a ready signal 220 generated by the interface control circuit 204 is connected to the interface connector 201. In order to prevent the overflow of the FIFO 205, the full flag signal 22 of this FIFO 205
3 is connected to the interface control circuit 204. To write data to the FIFO 205,
A write signal 222 is connected from the interface control circuit 204.

At the data output end of the FIFO 205, CP
A bus 230 is connected so that the U206 can read the data, and the dynamic memory 20 for storing the data is also provided so that the bus 230 can exchange the data with each other.
7. First data memory 2 for storing print data described later
09, second data memory 210, third data memory 21
The first and fourth data memories 212 are connected to each other. The data output terminal of the first data memory 209 is connected to the first head control circuit 213 so that the print data 224 can be sent out, and the read signal 228 of the data read control circuit 208 controls the read of the print data 224. It is connected to the data memory 209.

On the other hand, in the first head control circuit 213, a head control signal 229 is connected to the ink jet head 251, and an ink pump (not shown) is connected to the ink jet head 251 so that the ejection amount of ink from the nozzle 256 can be controlled. So that the ink is supplied from the pipe 2
60 is connected. Second to fourth data memory 21
Also in the case of 0, 211, and 212, the first data memory 2
They are connected in the same way as from 09. Each of the pipes 260 to 26 is provided in each of the inkjet heads 251 to 254.
For example, four color inks of black, yellow, magenta, and cyan are supplied via 3.

The four ink jet heads 251 to 251
A drum 269 on which a paper 264 is wound so as to face 254.
Is rotatably arranged around a shaft 265, and an encoder 266 capable of sending a rotation timing signal to the data read control circuit 208 is attached to the shaft 265. A belt 268 for transmitting the rotation of the motor 267 is stretched around the shaft 265. The four inkjet heads 251 to 254 are arranged on one bed (not shown) and are configured so as to be movable integrally in the axial direction of the drum 269.

Next, a series of printing operations of the print control apparatus 300 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
The first CPU 305 (see FIG. 2) is the computer 100.
When the command group to be printed is received from, the command group is first stored in the hard disk drive 309. When all the command groups from the computer 100 (see FIG. 1) are input, the first CPU 305 causes the dual port memory 308 to interpret the command groups in the second CP.
Write a command to U310. When the command group is written in the dual port memory 308, the second CPU
310 reads a command group from the memory 308, interprets the command group, and outputs the result to the second dynamic memory 3
It stores in 11.

The interpretation procedure will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of command group interpretation and print data expansion. As shown in FIG.
Command interpreting unit 40 forming "line segment data converting means"
1, a command execution unit 402, a command dictionary unit 403, a print data expansion unit 406 that constitutes a “raster image conversion unit”, and a data size conversion unit 407 according to the gist of the present invention are stored in a hard disk 309 and stored in the hard disk 309. At the time of startup, the command is transferred to the second dynamic memory 311 (see FIG. 2), and the command interpreting unit 401, the command executing unit 402, the command dictionary unit 403, the print data expanding unit 406, and the data size converting unit 407 are the second CPU.
Sequentially executed by 310. Here, the command interpreting unit 401 decomposes the incoming command group into each one, the command dictionary 403 checks whether the incoming command group is a valid command, and in the work area 404, the command executing unit The command group arrived under the control of 402 is decomposed to create line segment data. The line segment data storage unit 405 includes a second dynamic memory 311 and a hard disk drive 309. A line segment data buffer 505 (see FIG. 6) described later is secured in the second dynamic memory 311 and the hard disk drive 30
A line segment data auxiliary buffer 507 is secured at 9. The data size conversion unit 407 converts the data size of the line segment data group into an integral multiple of the read / write sector size of the hard disk 309.

The commands to be interpreted include "vector data" represented by figures such as lines and circles and their coordinate values, and "bit image data" obtained by scanning a photograph with an image scanner device or the like and digitizing it. "It is included. The command group written in the dual port memory 308 is decomposed into commands one by one by the command interpreting unit 401, and the command dictionary 403 examines whether or not the commands are valid. Command execution unit 402
Is a work area 40 in the second dynamic memory 311.
While using 4 as a temporary buffer, "vector data" is converted into line segment data, and "bit image data" is separated from the command group and written in the hard disk drive 309. The position information of the converted line segment data and bit image data is stored in the line segment data storage unit 405.

FIG. 6A shows the data structure of the line segment data stored in the line segment data storage unit 405 (see FIG. 5).
FIG. 6A shows the storage state in the second dynamic memory 311, and when the data in the second dynamic memory 311 overflows, as shown in FIG. 6B, the line segment data auxiliary buffer of the hard disk drive 309. It is stored on 507.

As shown in FIG. 6A, one line segment data D includes an image flag bit 501 for discriminating between "vector data" and "bit image data", and a starting point position 502 for starting the existence of data. , Is represented as line segment data having four fields of an end point position 503 at the end of the existence of data and a color value 504 that defines a color such as red or green. The line segment data D is stored in the line segment data buffer 505 divided for each raster in the order of interpretation. Further, the buffer management information 506 holds the use efficiency of the line segment data buffer 505 and the position of the empty area, and the auxiliary buffer management information 508 is connected from the line segment data buffer 505 to anywhere in the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507. Holds connection information of whether or not.

FIG. 7A shows an example of the order relation on the second dynamic memory 311 of the figure to be output. As shown in FIG. 7A, bit image data 601 such as a photograph, a rectangle 602 and a circle 603 corresponding to vector data are arranged in the order of command generation. here,
I _s indicates the image start position of the bit image data 601, I _e indicates the image end position, and I _c is an image ID indicating the appearance order of each bit image data. C _s is the starting point position of the circle 603, C _e is the ending point position, and C _c is the color value of the circle. Furthermore, R _s
Is the start position of the rectangle 602, R _e is the end position, and R _c is the color value of the rectangle.

FIG. 7B shows the line segment data 604 of the various figures in a given raster i. Figure 7
As shown in (B), in the case of “vector data”, taking the circle 603 as an example, since the same color value C _c is continuous from the start point C _s to the end point C _e , the data is held by the line segment data. If so, the storage capacity can be reduced. On the other hand, in “bit image data 601”, there is a low possibility that dots having the same color value will continue. Therefore, the amount of data increases when converted into line segment data. In order to solve such a problem, the image flag bit 501 is used in this embodiment.
(See FIG. 6A) is provided, and only the position information where the bit image data is arranged and the image ID (code I _c ) are recorded in the line segment data D, and the bit image data is held separately. That is, the line segment data is held in the semiconductor storage device (second dynamic memory 311) and the bit image data is stored in the external storage device (hard disk drive 30).
9) Separate and hold. By separating in this way, "vector data" and "bit image data" can be held efficiently, there is no need to specially treat bit image data until the expansion of print data, which will be described later, and processing is simplified. To help.

If the line segment data is small, it is stored in the line segment data buffer 505 of the line segment data storage unit 405. However, the number of line segment data increases and the line segment data buffer 50
If 5 overflows, line segment data buffer 5
The collection of the line segment data for one raster stored in 05 is defined as a “line segment data group” and the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507
Move to. At this time, the processing in the data size conversion unit 407 is executed by the second CPU 310. That is, FIG.
As shown in (A), first, the data size of the line segment data group DG is divided into the sector size which is the minimum unit of reading and writing of the hard disk drive 309, and the presence or absence of a surplus is checked. If there is a remainder, as shown in FIG. 8B, a line segment data group DG ₁ with dummy data added by the remainder data is added, and an apparent integer number (3 in the case of FIG.
The segment size is converted so that the line segment data group is configured.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic flowchart of a method of storing line segment data. When line segment data is generated by expanding the print data, first, the line segment data buffer 505
By referring to the buffer management information 506 that holds the usage efficiency and the position of the empty area (see FIG. 6A) (step S701), it is determined whether or not the line segment data can be written in the line segment data buffer 505 (step S701). S702).

If the writing is impossible due to the buffer full, the auxiliary buffer management information 508 holding the usage efficiency of the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507 (see FIG. 6B) and the connection information with the line segment data buffer 505 is stored. The transfer destination of the line segment data group, which will be described later, is determined by reference (step S703). Then, the line segment data for one raster stored in the line segment data buffer 505 is extracted as a line segment data group, and the line segment data conversion unit 407 is driven by the second CPU 310 as shown in FIG. The data size of the data group is converted into an integral multiple of the sector size of the hard disk drive 309 (step S704). Then, the line segment data group is transferred to the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507, and the area occupied by the transferred line segment data group in the line segment data buffer 505 is released (step S70).
5). Next, as connection information of the line segment data buffer 505 and the line segment data buffer 507, a pointer indicating where the line segment data group of the same raster is connected from the line segment data buffer 505 to the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507 is held. The auxiliary buffer management information section 508 is updated (step S706). Step S704
By converting the data size of the line segment data group with
Access to the hard disk drive 309 in units of sectors is eliminated, access time can be shortened, and the line segment data transfer rate can be maximized.

Thereafter, the line segment data generated this time is written in the line segment data buffer (step S707), and the buffer management information is updated (step S708). Usually, the cost per bit of storage capacity is about 1/100 of that of a semiconductor memory for a hard disk, and by using a semiconductor memory and a hard disk together and optimizing the data transfer unit, a significant reduction in speed is involved. A large-capacity, low-priced buffer can be realized without using it.

When the above interpretation is completed for all command groups, the second CPU 310 causes the dual port memory 3
A command is issued to 08 to notify that printing is started.
Upon receiving the command, the first CPU 305 causes the second interface control circuit 350 to send the inkjet printer 20.
Write the data that becomes the 0 start command. If the ready signal 358 is true, the second interface control circuit 350 reads the above data from the FIFO byte by byte and sends it to the second interface connector 302, and at the same time sends a data clock signal pulse by pulse. The interface control circuit 204 in the inkjet printer 200 fetches the data into the FIFO 205 in synchronization with the data clock signal. In the above operation, the FIFO 351 in the print control device 300 becomes empty or the FIFO 20 in the inkjet printer 200 becomes empty.
It will not be interrupted until 5 is full. Further, the interface control circuit 204 uses the FIFO 205
The CPU 206 is informed that the data is input to the. When the CPU 206 sequentially reads the data and recognizes that it is a start command, the mechanism control circuit (not shown) starts the motor 267 and rotates the drum 269.

Subsequently, the second CPU 310 makes the first CPU 3
A command is issued to 05 to read the first print data.
The print data is “line segment data” stored in the line segment data buffer 505 and the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507.
And “bit image data” stored in the hard disk drive 507 are reconstructed. The reconfiguration procedure has been previously transferred to the second dynamic memory 311 to interpret the command group, and the second
It is executed by the CPU 310.

Next, a method of configuring print data will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the configuration of print data, and FIG. 11 is a buffer on the second dynamic memory 311 for configuring print data, which is a line buffer 80 for storing print data.
1, a dot flag column 802, and a dot counter 803. Here, the dot flag column 802 exists in the number corresponding to all the dots in the raster, and is set to ON when writing is performed in the corresponding dots. The dot counter 803 is a counter that counts the number of written dots in the raster.

A method for forming one raster into "print data" will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the line buffer 801, the dot flag row 80
2. Initialize the dot counter 803 (step S9
01). Then, it is checked whether or not there is "line segment data" in the corresponding raster (step S902). If there is no line segment data, the process ends, and if there is, one data is read (step S903). In this step S903, when the line segment data group stored in the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507 is read out, the size of the line segment data group is converted to an integral multiple of the sector size at the time of storage, as described above. Since it is not necessary to read extra data as described in the technology, the access time in the hard disk drive 309 can be shortened and the transfer rate of the line segment data group can be maximized. The line segment data is read from the latest one to the oldest one. That is, the reading is performed in "reverse order". The starting point position of the read line segment data is set in the dot position pointer (step S90).
4). Here, it is checked whether or not the dot counter and the print width are equal (step S905), and if they are equal, the process ends.

Next, the dot flag corresponding to the current dot pointer is checked (step S906), and if it is on, the process jumps to step S912. The image flag of the line segment data is checked (step S907), and if it is ON, the bit image data is expanded (step S908), and the bit image data is written in the corresponding dot of the line buffer (step S910). If it is not bit image data, the color value of the current line segment data is written in the line buffer (step S909).
Next, the dot counter is updated, the dot flag is set to ON (step S911), and the dot position pointer is updated (step S912). If the dot position counter is equal to the end point position of the line segment data, step S90
If not equal to 2, the process returns to step S905 (step S913).

As described above, there are two ending conditions for developing the print data of "line segment data", that is, step S902 and step S905, but step S902 is a case where the line segment data is lost in the corresponding raster. This is a normal termination condition.

In step S905, when the dot counter becomes equal to the print width, that is, the writing is completed for all the dots in the line buffer, but the "line segment data" remains. In this state, the remaining line segment data is hidden under the new line segment data like a rectangle 602, and the need for expansion is eliminated.

In step S903, the line segment data group is stored in the line segment data storage unit 405 as follows.
Read from. First, the line segment data group of the corresponding raster is read from the line segment data buffer 505. And
The auxiliary buffer management information 508 corresponding to the raster is checked, and if the pointer which is the connection information between the line segment data buffer 505 and the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507 is stored, the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507 reads the The line segment data group indicated by the pointer is read. If the pointer is not stored in the auxiliary buffer management information 508, the line segment data group of the raster is not stored in the line segment data auxiliary buffer 507, so the read processing is terminated.

The first CPU 305 (see FIG. 2) stores the expanded data in the dynamic memory 207,
The DMAC 314 is instructed to write the expanded data to the second interface circuit 350. The capacity of the dynamic memory required at this time is at least the data amount for one raster, and can be remarkably reduced as compared with the case where one page of expanded data is stored. DMAC314 is F
When the IFO 351 becomes full, the writing is suspended and the FIFO
When O351 becomes empty, writing is started again. While this direct memory transfer is suspended, the first CPU 305 transfers the next line segment data to the second CPU 310.
It is possible to transfer the data to the side from the hard disk drive 309, and it is also possible to store the expanded data in another area of the dynamic memory 207. Further, since the second CPU 310 can continue the expansion work regardless of whether the bus 230 is in use, high speed processing is possible. DMAC314
When the expanded data is written to the FIFO 351 by
The data is sent to the inkjet printer 200 and is sent to the CPU as in the case of the sending of the start command.
206 temporarily stores the data in the dynamic memory 207.

Further, the CPU 206 sequentially stores only the cyan data component for one raster in the data memory 212, and when the storage is completed, issues a command to the data read control circuit 208 to print for one raster. When the data read control circuit 208 receives the command, the data read control circuit 208 synchronizes with the output signal of the encoder 266 and synchronizes with the data memory 21.
The contents of 2 are sent to the fourth head control circuit 216. The fourth head control circuit 216 determines the drive amount based on the data and drives the head 254. The head 254 ejects an ink amount corresponding to the driving amount onto the paper 264. By this ejection, one cyan raster image is printed on the paper 264 on the drum 269. The CPU 206 then moves the head in the axial direction for one raster, and repeats the above operation for the next one raster image of cyan. Then, when the head 253 comes to the first cyan raster position, the same thing is repeated with respect to the magenta and cyan data. If the required data is not in the dynamic memory 207, it waits until the data is input.

The above operation is repeated for yellow and black, and the printing of the raster is sequentially stopped from cyan until the end of the print data.
Full color printing can be performed on the 64. At this time, the capacity required for the dynamic memory 207 in the inkjet printer 200 is the sum of the memory capacities stored for printing the intervals between the heads, which is extremely smaller than the raster image memory for one page. It is possible to obtain the same printed matter with the memory amount.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various applications are possible. For example, the printing device may be a sublimation type thermal transfer system, or a magneto-optical disk device or a tape drive device may be used instead of the hard disk drive.

[0045]

As is clear from the above description,
According to the present invention, instead of rasterizing one page of raster image data on a memory, a print command is first converted into "line segment data having a position and a length", and printing is performed while sequentially expanding it. Therefore, the required memory amount can be remarkably reduced, and thus a print control device capable of obtaining a printed matter with high definition and high image quality can be configured at low cost. Further, since the size of the line segment data group is converted to an integral multiple of the sector size of the external storage device, the access time for reading and writing with the external storage device can be shortened, and the transfer rate of the line segment data group can be maximized. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a connection between a print control apparatus and the outside according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a print control apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an interface control circuit in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram of the inkjet printer in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a procedure of interpreting a command group, performing data size conversion, and expanding the print data in the embodiment.

6A and 6B are diagrams showing a data structure stored in a line segment data storage unit in the embodiment.

7 (A) and 7 (B) are diagrams showing an example showing the order relationship of target figures in the above-described embodiment.

8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams in which dummy data is added to a surplus portion of a line segment data group to create a line segment data group having an integral multiple of the sector size.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of a method of storing line segment data in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for forming one raster into print data in the above embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a buffer for forming print data in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 ... Computer 200 ... Inkjet printer 300 ... Print control device 401 ... Command interpretation unit (line segment data conversion unit) 402 ... Command execution unit (line segment data conversion unit) 403 ... Command dictionary unit (line segment data conversion unit) 404 ... line was added to the work area (the line segment data converting means) 405 ... line data storage section 406 ... print data rasterizing unit (raster image data converting means) 407 ... data size converting unit DG ... line segment data group DG ₁ ... dummy data Minute data group

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Reference number within the agency FI Technical indication location G06K 15/00 (72) Inventor Kosuke Fukaya 15-1 Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi Prefecture Inside the Laser Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshiyuki Saka 15-1 Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Aichi Prefecture Nagoya City

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A line segment data formed by a computer or the like is converted into line segment data having a position and a length in the raster direction, and the line segment data is composed of line segment data of the same raster. A print control device that collectively stores the line segment data in an external storage device, reads the line segment data from the external storage device, converts the line segment data into raster image data, and outputs the raster image data to a printing device. The control device includes a data size conversion unit that converts the line segment data group into an integer multiple of a sector size that is a minimum unit of reading and writing of the external storage device, and performs read / write processing to the external storage device. A printing control apparatus, wherein the sector size is used as a unit.