JPH06198960A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer a printer capable of performing high quality printing without providing a bit mapped font for a high resolution. CONSTITUTION:When printing data sent from a host computer are printed, it is judged whether a low resolution is set on the printing data (judge step 1), and in the case a low resolution is set (Judge Step 1: Yes), a built-in low resolution bit mapped font is read out (Step 10), image data are created according to the bit mapped font (Step 5) and printing is carried out (Step 6). On the other hand, in the case a high resolution is set on the printing data (Judge Step 1: No), a bit mapped font corresponding to the high resolution set by an outline font is created (Step 4), image date are created based on the bit mapped font created (Step 5) and printing is carried out (Step 6).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus capable of printing by switching a plurality of resolutions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The resolution of a printing device is currently 300 DP
Although I is the mainstream, 600 DPI with an increased resolution has also been used to improve the printing quality. 300D for printing devices such as laser printers
Some resolutions can be switched so that printing can be performed using PI and 600 DPI. The printing device capable of switching the resolution has a bitmap font corresponding to each resolution, and the resolution of the printer engine can also be switched. Then, for example, when 300 DPI is set in the print data, a bitmap font for 300 DPI is read to create image data, and the printer engine is switched to the 300 DPI side for printing. If the print data is set to 600 DPI, 60
The image data is created by reading the 0DPI bitmap font and the printer engine is set to 600
Printing is performed by switching to the DPI side, and print quality higher than 300 DPI is obtained.

[0003]

However, the data capacity of the bitmap font is large, for example, one typeface for Japanese with a resolution of 300 DPI has 2 to 3 Mbytes, which is even larger for a higher resolution of 600 DPI. A storage capacity of 8 to 12 Mbytes is required. Therefore, in order to have not only low-resolution bitmap fonts but also high-resolution bitmap fonts, a very large capacity is required for the memory for font data, and the cost of the printing device increases. It was

On the other hand, in order to avoid the cost increase of the memory, if only the bitmap font on the low resolution side is provided and the bitmap font on the high resolution side is abandoned, a high print quality is obtained. There is a problem that it is not possible. For example, if the printer engine has a 300 DPI and a 600 DPI switchable printing device,
If only PI bitmap font is built in, 6
When printing is performed based on the print data set to 00 DPI, the image data is created based on the built-in 300 DPI bitmap font. Is 3
It will be the same as the original of 00DPI. In addition, when only outline fonts are provided and when printing with all resolutions with outline fonts, outline fonts have poor print quality when used at low resolution, and good print quality when used at high resolution. However, inconvenience arises when used at low resolution. The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of high-quality printing without providing a bitmap font for high resolution.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the printing apparatus of the present invention is capable of setting at least two kinds of resolutions, is provided with a low resolution bitmap font and an outline font, and has low print data. If the resolution is set, printing is performed based on the bitmap font. If the print data is set to high resolution, a bitmap font corresponding to the set resolution is created from the outline font. The printing is performed based on the created bitmap font.

[0006]

The printing apparatus of the present invention having the above-described structure, when print data is sent from the host computer and printing is performed,
When the low resolution is set for the print data, the image data is created based on the built-in low resolution bitmap font and printing is performed. Then, when the high resolution is set for the print data, a bitmap font corresponding to the set high resolution is created from the outline font, and image data is created based on the created bitmap font. To print. In this way, when low resolution is set for print data,
The built-in bitmap font is used and the outline font is not used, so high print quality can be maintained.
If high resolution is set for the print data, a bitmap font corresponding to the resolution is created from the outline font to create the image data. Therefore, even if a high resolution bitmap font is not provided, high quality is achieved. Printing can be performed.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A laser printer as an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the laser printer 10 of this embodiment. The laser printer 10 is connected to the host computer 13 and is configured to perform printing based on the print data sent from the host computer 13. An optional font cartridge 15 and an optional hard disk 17 can be attached to the laser printer 10 for expansion. The optional font cartridge 15 is used in the laser printer 10
A bitmap font in a cartridge 15 that holds a bitmap font with a resolution (600 DPI) higher than the low-resolution (300 DPI) bitmap font or a bitmap font with a different typeface installed in the laser printer 10 and is in the cartridge 15 Are configured to be usable in the laser printer 10. On the other hand, the optional hard disk 17 is attached to the laser printer 10 when the user uses a plurality of different fonts, and holds the bitmap fonts of the fonts transferred from the host computer 13 side. Then, when the typeface set in the print data is held in the optional hard disk 17 at the time of printing, the bitmap font of the corresponding typeface is read, and the laser printer 10 creates image data based on this. And print.

The laser printer 10 of this embodiment receives print data from the host computer 13 via the interface 27 as described above. A CPU 19 for controlling the laser printer 10 is connected to the interface 27 via the bus line 11. Then, to the CPU 19 via the bus line 11,
A program ROM 21 for holding the control program of the CPU 19, and a font ROM 2 for holding a built-in low resolution (300 DPI) bitmap font.
3. Font R for holding outline font
The OM 25, a work memory 29 for creating a bitmap font from an outline font as a work area of the CPU 19, a page memory 31 for storing the received print data expanded into image data, and a low resolution (300 DPI). ) And high resolution (6
Printer engine 33 that can be switched to (00DPI)
Are connected.

Next, the operation of the laser printer 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 showing the routine of this printing process. Host computer 1
When the print data is sent from the CPU 3, the CPU 19 starts the print processing routine. Here, first, the processing when the low resolution (300 DPI) is set for the print data will be described. The CPU 19 first determines whether or not the resolution set in the print data is low resolution (300 DPI) (determination step 1). Here, since the low resolution (300 DPI) is set in the print data, the determination step 1 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to step 10 to read the low resolution (300 DPI) bitmap font data from the font ROM 23. And the CPU 19
Develops image data for printing in the page memory 31 (step 5), and then sets the printer engine 33 to 30.
Switching to the 0 DPI side and printing at the low resolution of 300 DPI (step 6), the entire process is completed. In this way, when low resolution is set for the print data, high quality printing is performed using the bitmap font instead of the outline font.

Next, the processing when the print data in which the high resolution (600 DPI) is set is transmitted from the host computer 13 will be described. Here, it is determined whether or not the resolution set for printing in the determination step 1 is the low resolution (300 DPI), and
Go to the next decision step 2. In the judgment step 2, it is judged whether or not the optional font cartridge 15 is mounted. Here, when the optional font cartridge 15 is not mounted (determination step 2
No), the process proceeds to the judgment step 3. On the other hand, when the optional font cartridge 15 is attached (determination step 2 is Yes), the process proceeds to determination step 8 and the optional font cartridge 15 has high resolution (600 DPI) bitmap font data set for printing. Determine whether or not. If 600 DPI bitmap font data is held in the optional font cartridge 15, the decision step 8 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to the next step 9, where the high resolution (6
00DPI) bitmap font data is read. Then, the CPU 19 expands the image data for printing in the page memory 31 (step 5), then switches the printer engine 33 to the 600 DPI side to perform printing with high resolution (step 6), and completes the entire processing. .

On the other hand, when the judgment as to whether or not the optional font cartridge 15 is mounted in the above-mentioned judgment step 2 is No, or the high-resolution (600 DPI) bitmap font data set for printing in the judgment step 8 is the optional font. If the determination as to whether the cartridge 15 is present is No, it is determined at determination step 3 whether or not there is bitmap font data of high resolution (600 DPI) set for printing in the optional hard disk 17. Here, when the high resolution (600 DPI) bitmap font data is held in the optional hard disk 17, the determination step 3 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to the next step 7, where 60
Reads 0DPI bitmap font data. Then, the CPU 19 develops the print image data in the page memory 31 (step 5), and the printer engine 3
3 is switched to 600 DPI and printing is performed (step 6), and the entire processing is completed.

When it is judged in the judgment step 3 whether the optional hard disk 17 has the bitmap font data of the resolution set for printing, the bitmap font data of the high resolution (600 DPI) is not held. No, the determination is No, and the process proceeds to the next step 4. In step 4, the CPU 19 reads the outline font data from the font ROM 25. Then, the bitmap font corresponding to the resolution of 600 DPI set for printing based on the outline font data is set in the work memory 29.
Create it and load it. Next, the image data for printing is expanded in the page memory 31 (step 5), the printer engine 33 is switched to the 600 DPI side to perform printing (step 6), and the whole processing is completed. In this way, when the bitmap font corresponding to the high resolution set in the print data is not provided, the outline font is used to perform high quality printing.

As described above, the laser printer 10 of this embodiment has a resolution from outline font to 600 DPI even if the optional font cartridge 15 holding the high resolution (600 DPI) bitmap font or the optional hard disk 17 is not mounted. Since a bitmap font corresponding to is created, print data set to high resolution (600 DPI) can be printed with high quality. Further, when the low resolution is set for the print data, the bitmap font is used instead of the outline font, so that the low resolution print data can be printed with high quality.

Currently, the mainstream printer resolution is 300 DP
I, which is expected to shift to 600 DPI in the future, but at present, most of the print data transferred from the host computer is set to 300 DPI. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the printer engine 33, which is a hardware part of the laser printer 10, has a low resolution (300 DPI) and a high resolution (600 DP) in advance.
I) and switchable to high resolution (600DP
The bitmap font on the I) side is the font ROM 25.
600 by creating from the outline font
It enables high-quality printing without incorporating the DPI bitmap font, reduces the memory capacity, reduces the cost, and reduces the burden on the user. Then, in the laser printer 10 of the present embodiment, the user actually uses high resolution (600DP).
When the print data of I) is used a lot, 60
By mounting the optional font cartridge 15 having a built-in bitmap font having a resolution of 0 DPI, it is possible to comfortably perform high resolution printing using the laser printer 10. Further, according to the present embodiment, there is an advantage that the user can select and use an expensive typeface of 600 DPI bitmap font, not the selection by the printing apparatus maker, but the one actually matching the individual taste.

In the above-described embodiment, the resolution is low (300 DPI) and high (600 DP).
Although an example of a printing device that switches to I) has been described, the present invention can be applied to more types of resolutions (for example, 300 DPI,
In a printing device capable of switching between 600 DPI and 1200 DPI, only a low-resolution 300 DPI bitmap font is built-in,
It is also possible to create a bitmap font corresponding to a resolution of 0 DPI or 1200 DPI. Further, in the above-described embodiments, the laser printer has been described as an example of the printing device, but the present invention can be applied to all printing devices capable of printing by switching the resolution.

[0016]

As is apparent from the above description,
According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, since high-resolution font data is created from outline fonts, high-quality printing can be performed without providing high-resolution font data.
Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide a plurality of types of font data, the memory capacity can be reduced and the cost of the printing apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing of the printer of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Host Computer 15 Optional Font Cartridge 17 Optional Hard Disk 19 CPU 23 Font ROM 25 Font ROM 31 Page Memory 33 Printer Engine

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer capable of setting at least two types of resolutions, comprising a low-resolution bitmap font and an outline font, and when the print data is set to the low resolution, the bitmap font. If the print data is set to a high resolution, create a bitmap font corresponding to the set resolution from the outline font, and print based on the created bitmap font. A printing device characterized by performing.