JPH0621978B2 - Print control device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a print control device such as a printer.

[Prior art]

In a printer capable of high-speed printing such as a laser beam printer or a liquid crystal printer, the printing speed (how many sheets can be printed within a predetermined time) depends on the transfer speed of print data from the host computer. Therefore, in order to avoid repeatedly transferring the print data of the same content, for example, when creating a table many times by changing the print data in the same frame, the table frame within one page should be set in advance. It is registered (stored), and when printing, the command to specify the overlap and the data for actual printing are sent by one page, and the frame and data for one page are overwritten and printed. So-called form overlay is performed.

[Problems of conventional technology]

However, the above form overlay prints data by overwriting it page by page, so even if the same table is created, it needs to be registered separately in order to create it in different places on the page, and the size may vary. However, in order to create a different table, it is still necessary to register separately, and there is a drawback that the registered data is not versatile.

[Object of the Invention]

In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention eliminates the waste of the host computer repeatedly sending similar print data commonly used in printing to the planter, and increases the versatility of common data sent in advance. The purpose is to provide a device.

[Main points of the invention]

According to the present invention, the above object is to provide form generation information that is a combination of a plurality of types of partial pattern generation designation data that specifies the generation of a basic partial pattern that is the minimum required to print a form of a desired shape. Form storage means for storing and registering, read means for reading out the form generation information corresponding to the form selection designation information input from the host device, and repeat count information of the partial pattern input from the host device. A repeat control means for outputting the partial pattern generation designation data according to a designated number of times, and a pattern data generation section for generating corresponding pattern data based on the partial pattern generation designation data output from the reading means or the repeat control means. And a print control device provided with It is achieved by.

Example of Invention

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 (a) is a circuit block diagram of the print control device of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (b) is a specific circuit block diagram showing the main part thereof. In the figure (a), the interface unit 1
Is for controlling the input of print data consisting of character data and control data from an external host computer or the like as a host device, and print data input from the post computer is temporarily stored in the communication buffer 2 connected to the interface unit 1. Remembered. When the print data input to the communication buffer 2 exceeds a predetermined amount, the print data is output to the registration control unit 3 and the repeat control unit 5 via the interface unit 1. At this time, the registration control unit 3 as a reading means
Performs writing and reading of data to and from the registration area 4 as a form storage unit in response to a command specifying registration included in the control data input from the interface unit 1 and a command specifying execution of the registered data. On the other hand, the repeat control unit 5 as the repeat control means stores a part of the data read from the registration area 4 in the repeat buffer 6, and repeats the stored data a predetermined number of times to read it. When the data read from the registration area 4 and the data read from the repeat buffer 6 include a command that defines that other data is to be replaced, pattern data is generated by replacing the data input from the interface unit 1. Output to the normal analysis unit 7 as a unit.

The normal analysis unit 7 analyzes the command and converts the character code, which is character data, into a character pattern (dot pattern) and outputs it to the print execution unit 8. The print execution unit 8 outputs the dot pattern data output from the normal analysis unit 7. Follow the steps to print on paper and create an image.

Further, the repeat control unit 5 is composed of an input management unit 5a, a command analysis unit 5b, a flag management unit 5c, a counter management unit 5d, and a buffer management unit 5e, as shown in FIG. Data input from the interface unit 1 or the registration control unit 3 is selected by a signal and output to the command analysis unit 5b and the buffer management unit 5e. The command analysis unit 5b extracts and analyzes a specific command in the input data, outputs flag information corresponding to the data of the flag management unit 5c configured by a flag register, and outputs counter control data to the counter management unit 5d. Output. On the other hand, the buffer management unit 5e manages input / output of registration data as form generation information stored in the registration area 4.

In the print control device of the present invention configured as described above,
The peculiar commands included in the above-mentioned control data used in this embodiment are configured as shown in the following table.

Here, the registration start command is the name sandwiched between (1B) ₁₆ mb and CR in the table above as the registration name, and this registration name is the name of the drawing created by the data up to the registration end command. The registration start command is a registration start command. The registration end command is the registration end command for the above-mentioned drawing.

The parameter definition command as the information to be replaced exists in the registration data below the registration start command, and means that when the data registered in the registration area 4 is executed, it is replaced with other data.

The execution command as the form selection designation information is a command for reading the data registered in the registration area 4 and starting the execution, and at this time, it is performed by designating the registered name. Parameter 1, parameter 2, parameter 3, ... as replacement information following the execution command
Data is data that is sequentially replaced with the parameter definition command included in the registered data.

The repeat start command and the repeat end command buffer the data between the repeat start command and the repeat end command, and when the data is read, it is repeatedly read according to the numerical value specified between the repeat start command and CR. Is.

The symbol (1B) ₁₆ used for each command is JISC-
ESC (escape) defined by 6225, followed by one or more characters (eg mb, me, mp, r
b, re, etc.) are control characters that have a specific meaning.

FIG. 3 shows a case in which the registration data shown in FIG. 2 (a) is registered in the registration area 4 by using the above-mentioned control data in the print control apparatus of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration.
This will be described using the flowchart of (a).

The print data input from an external host computer or the like is once input to the communication buffer 2 as described above, and then input to the registration control unit 3 via the interface unit 1 to execute the normal print input data processing (step 1). It At this time, the registration start command [(1B) ₁₆ mb name C is included in the input data.
R] is not included, {step 2 is NO (hereinafter N
If shown), then the process proceeds to the determination (step 7) whether an execution command described later is included in the print data. On the other hand, if the input data includes a registration start command {if step 2 is yes (hereinafter Y)) then the name is registered in the registration area 4. Here, for example, this name is ABC (step 3). Since the input data following this registration start command is the data containing the actual registration contents, the print data input processing (step 4) is performed in the same manner as described above, and after it is judged whether it is a registration end command (step 5) , Input data is registered (step 6), and steps 4 to 6 are repeated until the registration end command [(1B) ₁₆ me] is input. Is registered in the registration area 4.

When the registration end command is input (when step 5 becomes Y), the process returns to step 1 and the execution command is input.

As described above, the registration data named ABC is stored in the registration area 4, and the operation when the registration data is read out and used next is shown below.

The print data input through the interface unit 1 while the execution command is not input is subjected to repeat analysis processing (step 9) described later, and is printed on the paper through the normal analysis unit 7 and the print execution unit 8.

When the execution command is input here (Y in step 7), it is judged whether the name is registered (step 8),
If not registered, the next data is input from the interface section 1 in sequence. At this time, as described above, ABC
Since the registration data with the name is stored (registered) in the registration area 4 and the content of the registration data is also registered (Y in step 10), the registration data from the registration area 4 is repeat-controlled via the registration control unit 3. Enter in Part 5 (Step 1
1), repeat analysis processing (step 12) is performed.

The repeat analysis process in steps 9 and 12 is shown in FIG.
It is processed by the flowchart shown in (b). Here, the execution data is the data shown in FIG. 2 (b). While the data sequentially registered from the registration area 4 is being input to the repeat control unit 5, while the repeater start command [(1B) ₁₆ rb] is not input (step 13 is N), the flag A described later is set. It is judged whether or not it is on (step 14), and since the flag A is not on, normal analysis is performed, that is, the data read from the registration area 4 is converted by the normal analysis section 7 into a character code and the like, and the print execution section 8 prints it. Is printed (step 15). The specific portion where printing is performed on the paper with the peach is the area I shown in FIG. 4 (a).

Next, when the repeat start command in the registration data is read to the repeat control unit 5 (Y in step 13), the flags A and B in the flag management unit 5c are turned on (steps 16 and 17). Therefore, when the next data of the repeat start command is input (step 11), it is judged that the command is not the repeat start command (N in step 13), and it is judged whether the flag A is on or B is on (step 14 is Y, step 18). Is Y), the process proceeds to the judgment as to whether or not it is a parameter definition command (step 19). The data following the repeat start command is the data that specifies the number of repeats described below. If you want to keep the number of repeats fixed at the time of registration, use the actual value, and if you want to determine the number of repeats at the time of execution. Is a parameter definition command.

In this example, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), when the parameter definition command is input immediately after the repeat start command and the parameter definition command is input to the repeat control unit 5 (Y in step 19), the print data is input. (Step 20). In other words, since the number of times specified here is the parameter definition command, the parameter definition command and the data following the execution command are replaced. Here, data separated by commas is placed for one parameter definition command. Change That is, it is determined whether the input data is a comma (step 21), and if it is not a comma, the data is set in the counter (step 2).
2), Steps 20, 21, 22 until a comma is entered
repeat.

In this example, the data delimited by commas is 3, so 3 is set in the counter management unit 5d.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), since a comma is input next to the execution data 3, step 21 is Y and the process returns to step 10 again. Since step 10 is Y, data is input from the registration area ( Step 11).

Since the data to be input is CR, step 13 is N, step 14 is Y, step 18 is Y, step 19 is N, step 23 is Y, and the flag B is turned off (S
T26).

In this way, while the flags A and B are turned on and the flag B is turned off, a counter for the number of repetitions described later is set.

In the above-described embodiment, the data next to the repeat start command is the parameter definition command, but when the actual numerical value is given instead of the parameter definition command, step 19 is N, so The replacement (print data input) is not performed, and the counter is set in step 24. When the flag B is turned off (step 26), the process returns to ST10 and ST10 is Y, so data is input from the registration area. Since the input data is |, it is buffered (stored) by step 28 through step 13, step 14, step 18, and step 27. Similarly, “| (1B) ₁₆ mp
Each data of | ... CR LF ”is sequentially buffered in the repeat buffer 6.

Next, when the repeat end command [(1B) ₁₆ re] is input,
(Step 27: Y), the flag A is turned off (Step 2
9), the first buffer of the data of the input repeat buffer 6 is designated (step 30), and the first data of the buffered data at this time is "|", and the repeat buffer 6 naturally has data. (Step 31
Y), the buffered data is read from the buffer management unit 5e (step 32). Further, since it is not a parameter definition command (N in step 33), it is normally analyzed (step 34), and next data in the repeat buffer is input.

The next data is the parameter definition command [(1B) ₁₆ mb], the step 33 is Y through the steps 31 and 32, and the print data “1” of FIG. 2 (b) is input (step 35). . It is determined whether or not the input data is a comma (step 36). Since it is not a comma, it is analyzed normally (step 37), the next print data "2" is input, and the process is repeated until a comma is input. That is, here, the operation of replacing the parameter definition command buffered in the repeat buffer 6 and the print data separated by commas is performed. Similarly, | is normally analyzed (step 34), the parameter definition command is replaced with "3" of the print data and is normally analyzed (step 37), and |, CR (return) and LF (line feed) are normally analyzed. (Step 34). That is, Fig. 4 (a)
The printing operation for area II shown in is performed. When there is no data in the buffer (N in step 31), the value of the counter is judged (step 38) and if not 1, the value is subtracted and step 30
Go back.

The data other than the parameter definition commands that have been sequentially buffered are normally analyzed below, and "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9" shown in FIG. Replaced with the parameter definition command, the printing operation of the areas III and IV shown in FIG. 4 (a) is performed. During this time, the contents of the counter management unit 5d are judged (step 38). If the contents of the counter are larger than 1, each area Is printed and is sequentially subtracted, and the same operation is repeated until the counter content (n) = 1.

If n = 1, the subsequent data read from the registration area Are sequentially analyzed normally (step 15), it is judged that there is no data from the registration area 4 (N in step 10), and the execution command operation is ended. That is, it was read from the registration area 4. Area V in Fig. 4 (a) is printed by the following data,
Therefore, after the execution command operation is completed, it is possible to create a table as shown in FIG. 9A and an image in which the numbers 1 to 9 are printed in the table as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, it is of course possible to tabulate similarly if the re-execution command of FIG. 2 (b) is input,
At this time, the numbers 1 to 9 in the execution command can be printed by replacing them with other numbers, and what can be replaced by the parameter definition command is not limited to numbers, but may be katakana as shown in FIG. 4 (b). Repeat 3 times as shown
The area can be increased by repeating from four times to four times.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily create a table in which the same printing is repeated, and not only the table but also the same sentences, symbols, marks, etc., which are frequently repeated, can be easily printed. Therefore, when printing the same data as in the conventional case, it is not necessary to store a large amount of data in the storage unit corresponding to the registration area 4 of the present embodiment, the capacity of the storage unit can be reduced, and the data processing speed can be improved. To do.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the printing speed can be increased by reducing the amount of data sent from the host computer to the print control device, and the versatility of the registration data sent in advance increases, so that the registration can be performed. Has the advantage that it requires less storage capacity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) are circuit block diagrams of a print control device of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a configuration diagram of registration data, and FIG. 2 (b) is execution. Data configuration diagram, FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are flowchart diagrams, and FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are configuration diagrams of tabulation. 1 ... Interface, 2 ... Communication buffer, 3 ... Registration control unit, 4 ... Registration area, 5 ... Repeat control unit, 6 ... Repeat buffer, 7 ... Normal analysis unit, 8 ... Print execution unit ．

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A form for storing and registering form generation information, which is a combination of a plurality of types of partial pattern generation designation data for designating the generation of a basic partial pattern which is the minimum necessary for printing a form of a desired shape. Storage means; reading means for reading out the form generation information corresponding to the form selection designation information input from the host device from the form storage means; and the part according to the number of times of repeating the partial pattern input from the host device. A repeat control means for outputting the pattern generation designation data a designated number of times; and a pattern data generation section for generating the corresponding pattern data based on the partial pattern generation designation data output from the reading means or the repeat control means. A printing control device characterized by the above. 2. The partial pattern generation designation data includes replacement information, and the replacement information included in the partial pattern generation designation data output from the reading unit or the repeat control unit and replacement information input from a higher-level device. 3. The print control device according to claim 1, further comprising a replacement control unit that replaces and outputs the replacement data to the pattern data generator.