JPH0661967B2 - output method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an output method for controlling output processing when output information is generated and output from document information input from an information processing apparatus.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, an output device such as a laser beam printer generates and outputs output information from document information (character code, control code) input from an information processing device such as a host computer. FIG. 1A shows an example of control codes (control parameters) necessary for controlling the generation process of output information (for example, a recorded image), and the output form of the output information is determined by this parameter. FIG. 1 (b) is a diagram for explaining the meaning of each of the parameters, and the reference numerals in FIG. 1 (a) and FIG. 1 (b) correspond to each other. 101
Indicates the character spacing, and when this is determined, the number of characters that can be printed on one line is determined. Further, 102 is a line interval, which determines the number of lines that can be printed on one page. Reference numeral 103 denotes a margin, which is used to determine how much left, right, up, and down margins are to be taken from an output medium such as paper. Reference numeral 104 denotes a character set (for example, a group of characters and symbols of different typefaces such as italic font and bold font), which character set is used to print in an apparatus in which a plurality of character sets can be selected. It is what you specify. These control codes (control parameters) are necessary for proper printing and are determined for each command system of each application program on the host computer.

Therefore, a control command (control program) for interpreting the document information input from the host computer and controlling the output information generation processing in the output device is built in the output device, and the output information is output based on various document information input from the host computer. Was generated and output.

However, when document information that cannot be interpreted by the output device is input, there is a drawback that desired output information cannot be generated and output.

It is also conceivable to store a new control command (control program) in an external storage means such as a memory cartridge and connect it to the device for use. However, if there are multiple types of cartridges, the output device is not stored in the cartridge. Since the type of information that is present cannot be identified, in order to generate and output the desired output information, the user must always be aware of which cartridge is connected to the output device, which has the drawback of poor operability. It was

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and identifies whether the information stored in the external storage means is control information or character pattern information, and controls according to the identification result. By generating and outputting output information from externally input document information using information, or generating and outputting output information from externally input document information using character pattern information, it is possible to obtain the desired information. It is to provide an output method capable of generating and outputting output information to be output.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a control circuit diagram for generating a character pattern in the present embodiment. Character code data and a control code sent from a host computer are inputted and the character pattern is stored in a laser beam printer or the like. The case is shown. In the figure, 201 is character code data, an input buffer for temporarily storing control codes, 203 is a CPU composed of a general-purpose microprocessor, and 204 is a character dot pattern according to the character code data (in this embodiment, symbols are also referred to as characters). .) Is a cartridge type detachable control command generator, which is composed of a ROM (read only memory) or the like. Further, 206 is the control command generator 205.
, 207 is an output page buffer consisting of a RAM having the number of dots for one page, 2
Reference numeral 08 denotes a printer interface section which maintains an interface with the printer and generates a video signal from the dot information of the output page buffer 207, and 209 is a page printer which is an output device which receives the video signal and actually stores an image. , 210 is a table for setting the print control parameters as shown in FIG. 1, and RAM is used in this embodiment. 211 is a control command generator 205
Is a detachable signal indicating whether or not the socket is connected to the socket 206, 212 is a form generating RAM, and 214 is a CPU board.

The control command generator 205 is a cartridge type detachable type, and the CPU 203 can directly access it from the bus 206b. FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of data stored in the control command generator 205. In the figure 301
Is an identifier, which is used for identifying the control cartridge generator (cartridge) 205 used for multiple purposes, so that the cartridge cartridge currently mounted is identified. Here, the identifier 1 indicating that the control command sequence is included is written. Reference numeral 302 denotes a control command sequence number indicating the number of control commands, 303 denotes a control command sequence, and 303a to 303
h indicates each control command.

Next, the operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 2 will be described in detail according to the flow chart of FIG. The flow chart of FIG. 4 is executed by the CPU 203. The flow chart of FIG. 4 is executed when the power of the apparatus is turned on or when the reset switch (not shown) attached to the apparatus is pressed. Further, the initialization command is sent from the host and is executed even after the current print operation is completed.

First, in step 401, the initial values of the apparatus are set in the print control parameter table 210. Next, at step 402, the cartridge removal signal 211 is sensed and the cartridge 2 is detected.
Check if 05 is connected.

If the cartridge is not connected here, the process ends. If it is connected, the process proceeds to step 403, and the identifier of 301 is read and confirmed whether or not there is a control command sequence.
In case of another identifier, the corresponding program is executed. When it is recognized that the identifier is 1, 30 is obtained in step 404.
The control command sequence number 2 is read and the number is set in the counter. Next, at step 405, one control command is read, and at step 406 it is confirmed whether or not the control command is correct. If not correct, skip and proceed to step 409. If it is correct, the control command is analyzed in step 407. Then, in step 408, the analysis result is written in the corresponding portion of the print control parameter table 210. Then step 409
The counter is decremented by 1 at step 410, and it is determined at step 410 whether the counter is "0", that is, whether all the control commands have been read. If not, step 405
Then, the above operation is repeated.

With the above configuration, even if the user does not send the control command from the host, or even if the control command cannot be sent, the desired printing can be performed by mounting the cart carriage 205 and turning on the power or pressing the reset switch. The control parameters are set in the table. Therefore, the desired printing is performed by sending only the print data (character code) from the host.

Even if a control command (control command) is sent from the host side, the present apparatus operates normally.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of a laser beam printer to which the present invention can be applied.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 21 is an exposure apparatus having a scanner and a laser unit. A developing unit 22 visualizes the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 23. 23
Is a photosensitive drum, 24 is a paper feed cassette, and 5 is a paper feed roller that feeds paper one by one from the paper feed cassette 24 to the transport roller 6. Reference numeral 7 denotes a resist shutter, and the sheet conveyed through the conveying roller 6 is temporarily stopped by the resist shutter 7 so that the laser beam is projected and the photosensitive drum 23 is rotated and the sheet is fed. Synchronized. Reference numeral 8 denotes a feeding roller for feeding the sheet to the transfer section 9. Reference numeral 10 is a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred onto the paper, and 11 is a stacker unit that receives the discharged paper. As described above, 205 is a removable character generator, 206 is a socket, and 214 is the CPU 20.
3, a CPU board to which an output buffer 207 and the like are attached.

In the laser beam printer configured in this way,
A sequence controller 13 controls a series of operation timing control such as paper conveyance and development. Also, this laser beam printer has a printer interface unit 208.
A visible image is formed on the photosensitive drum 23 by turning on / off a laser beam according to a video signal output from the device.

In the present embodiment, the control command for setting the print control parameter is stored in the cartridge 205 and read and used. However, by storing another control command in the cartridge 205, The function can be expanded. An example is shown below.

(1) When the form creation control command sequence is stored.

For example, control commands for generating ruled lines, characters representing items, patterns representing company marks (logos), patterns representing signatures, etc. are stored in the cartridge 205, and these data are read out as described above. A desired form (hereinafter referred to as a form) can be obtained by registering the form generating RAM 212 as a dot pattern, for example. That is, the character generator 204
A character pattern is generated in accordance with the character code sent from the device, and a form pattern is generated from the form generating RAM 212. Therefore, both patterns are superposed on the output page buffer 207 to form a form in which a character is inserted. Therefore, the user can output the desired form together with the print data by changing the cartridge 205.

(2) When a character code (including control command) string is stored.

Normally, the output device cannot print unless a character code (print data) is sent from the host, except for a test print for self-diagnosis. Therefore, the print data is stored in the cartridge 205 together with the control command, these data are read out as described above, and the processing is performed as if the print data was sent from the host computer, and the printing is performed. For this reason, printing can be performed only by this apparatus without a host computer, which is very useful for product demonstration. In particular, if a character generator that generates a character pattern of a desired typeface is placed in the cartridge 205, it is possible to generate a character pattern that matches the demonstration.

Further, in this embodiment, the cartridge 205 is used as a read-only memory, but a non-volatile memory or the like which can be written and whose contents are stored is used as the memory of the cartridge, and the control command sent from the host is used. May be written and saved in the same format.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices, may be applied to a device composed of one device, or may be achieved by supplying a program to the system or the device. It goes without saying that it can also be applied to cases.

[Effect] As described above, according to the present invention, it is discriminated whether the information stored in the external storage means is the control information or the character pattern information, and the control information is used according to the discrimination result. By generating and outputting output information from document information input from the outside, or generating and outputting output information from document information input from the outside using character pattern information, desired output information can be obtained. An effect is that it can be generated and output.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a diagram showing an example of parameters necessary for print control, FIG. 1 (b) is a diagram for explaining each of the parameters, and FIG. 2 is a control circuit diagram in this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a data configuration diagram of a detachable control command generator, FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a schematic of a laser beam printer to which the present invention can be applied. It is a block diagram. Here, 201 is a calculator, 202 is an input buffer, and 203
Is a CPU, 204 is a built-in character generator, 205 is a removable control command generator, 206 is a socket, 207 is an output page buffer, 208 is a printer interface section, 209 is a page printer, and 210 is a print control parameter table. RAM, 211 is an attach / detach signal, and 212 is a form generating RAM.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Nagata 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Kenya Sato 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Incorporated (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Kawamura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Soichi Shibuya 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Yutaka Murakami 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. Output information is generated from externally input document information by using external storage means for storing control information or character pattern information used when generating output information from externally input document information. An output method in an output device that outputs the identification information from the external storage means, and based on the identification information, the information stored in the external storage means is the control information or the character pattern information. If the information stored in the external storage unit is identified as control information according to the identification step of identifying whether or not the identification result in the identification step is input from the outside using the control information. If output information is generated from the document information to be output and output, or if the information stored in the external storage means is identified as character pattern information, then Output method characterized in that it comprises an output control step of generating and outputting output information from the document information input from the outside using the character pattern information. 2. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the document information comprises a character code and a control code. 3. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output information is dot information for one page. 4. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the control information is a program used when the output information is generated from the document information. 5. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the character pattern information is information for generating dot information used when generating the output information from the document information. . 6. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output device is a laser beam printer.