JPH0685115B2 - output method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an output method in an output device such as a printer that generates and outputs output information based on input information input from the outside.

(Prior Art) As a conventional output device having a pattern generator, there are a type printer and a non-type printer. In a non-printing type printer, characters and figures are represented by a set of points called dots. In the case of a non-printing type printer, for example, based on input information (for example, character code) sent from a host computer, it is converted into a character dot pattern corresponding to each character code, and output information (for example, dot image) is generated. It is configured to print. For example, a wire dot printer, a thermal printer, an inkjet printer, a laser beam printer, etc. correspond to this.

Output devices such as these printers do not store only one type of information used when generating output information, but store multiple types of information. For example, multiple types of information (Mincho,
An output device that can use multiple types of character patterns with different typefaces and different sizes by storing multiple types of character patterns such as Gothic characters and character groups that refer to groups of symbols) in a character generator. To do.

Further, by allowing an external storage means such as an IC card or a memory cartridge storing information used when generating output information to be attached to and detached from the output device, the user can select desired information.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) When using an output device that generates and outputs output information using a plurality of types of information in this way, the user sends a selection instruction command for selecting information from the host computer. Alternatively, it is necessary to instruct selection by a switch or the like on the output device. In that case, if you do not know the attribute information (such as name) about each information, proper printing will not be performed, and if you select and specify wrong information, unintended output information will be generated,
Characters have protruded from the paper. Therefore, there is a problem that the user has to refer to each time to check a catalog or an operation manual in which attribute information of information usable by the output device is described.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an output method in an output device capable of controlling output of a list of all information that can be used in the output device or a list of attribute information relating to a part of the information, only by a user's external instruction. The purpose is to provide.

(Means for Solving the Problem) An output method according to the present invention is an output method in an output device that generates and outputs output information based on input information input from the outside, and generates the output information. In the case where the output instruction information of the attribute information related to the information, which is instructed in advance to confirm the type of information used in the case, instructs to output the list of attribute information related to all the information usable in the device, or Is a judgment step of judging whether or not a list of attribute information relating to a part of all the information usable in the apparatus is instructed to be output, and in the judgment step, the instruction information is the attribute information regarding all the information. When it is determined that the list is instructed to be output, a list of attribute information relating to all information usable in the device is output, or in the determining step, the instruction information is all the information. If it is determined that the list of attribute information related to a part of the information is output, an output control step of outputting a list of attribute information related to a part of all the information usable in the device. Having (Operation) With such a configuration, output of a list of all the information usable in the apparatus or a list of attribute information relating to a part of the information can be controlled only by an instruction from the outside by the user.

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

FIG. 1 shows a control circuit diagram for generating a character pattern in the present embodiment, in which character code data and control commands sent from a host such as a computer are input to a page printer such as a laser beam printer. Etc., a case where a character pattern (hereinafter, symbols and the like are also referred to as characters in this embodiment) is recorded. In the figure, 201 is a computer (host computer) that generates character code data and control commands (control commands) described later, 202 is an input buffer that temporarily stores the character code data and control commands, and 203 is a general-purpose microprocessor. CPU, 204 is a built-in character generator that generates a character dot pattern according to character code data, 205 is a cartridge type removable character generator, 206 is a socket for connecting the character generator 205, and 210 is a character dot. Pattern generator 205,2
04 or RAM for copying from itself and used, and it is also possible to store and use the character dot pattern sent from the computer 201. Also, 207 is an output page buffer consisting of a RAM having the number of dots for one page, and 211 is a registered character pattern set (described later).
RA for management to store information (attribute information) about
M and 208 are printer interface units that maintain the interface with the printer and generate a video signal from the dot information of the output page buffer 207, and 209 is a page printer that is an output device that actually receives the video signal and records an image. 214 is a CPU board.

Next, the operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail.

First, the data structure of the character pattern set in this embodiment will be described.

Considering the printing of English texts, the code system is as shown in FIG. 2, for example. As can be seen from the figure, each character, symbol, etc. is represented by a code of 2/1 to 7/14. In the present embodiment, the character pattern set is a memory such as RAM or ROM (character generator 20) according to the system shown in FIG. 3, for example.
4,205,210). The character pattern set includes a character pattern set information section 501 and a character pattern section 502. The character pattern section 502 stores a pattern (dot pattern) corresponding to each code 2/1 to 7/14 in a specified size. ing. At this time, one character set (code 2 /
1 to 7/14) control information (attribute information) is stored in the character pattern set information section 501. In this character pattern set information section 501, a character pattern set identifier indicating the type of character pattern set and a character height are set. Control information such as character width, character pitch, character size, character style, character thickness, code system (7 bits or 8 bits) is stored. The character size of the character pattern section 502 is indicated by the character pattern set information section 501, and is determined by the size of (character height × character width) / 8 bytes. A character, for example, the character "A" corresponding to the code "4/1" shown in 503 is the character pattern set information section 501.
Character height is 1 and the character height is 1 as shown in the figure.
8 bits are separated from the left end of the point and are registered in RAM or ROM. The capacity of the character pattern set information section 501 is fixed (1 byte), but the character pattern section 502 has a variable length determined by the code system (7 bits, 8 bits, 2 bytes, etc.). In this embodiment, a management table is created by using the management RAM 211 in order to manage such character pattern sets. Its format is shown in FIG. 4, for example.

In the figure, 601 is an area for showing the number (for example, 1 to i) of all the character pattern sets managed by this character pattern set management table (usable by this apparatus). Further, 602-1 to 602-i are areas corresponding to the respective character pattern sets, and 602-1 to 602-i each area includes the character pattern set information section 50 shown in FIG.
The control information equivalent to the control information of 1 is stored.

That is, area 602-1 stores control information regarding the first character pattern set, and area 602-1
Stores the control information about the second character pattern set, and the area 602-i similarly stores the control information about the i-th character pattern set.

Therefore, the control information relating to all the character pattern sets existing in the character generators 204, 205, 210 is stored in the management RAM 211 in the structure shown in FIG. Area 603 is a pointer indicating the address of the character pattern set currently used.

The contents of the RAM 211 are the RA for storing the character pattern set sent each time the removable character generator 205 is replaced or the character pattern set sent from the host computer 201.
It is stored in M210 and updated every time a new character pattern set is registered. It is also updated when the character pattern set is copied from the character generator 205 to the RAM 210. This management table 211 is referred to, for example, every time a character pattern set change command comes from the host computer, and if the specified character pattern set exists, the character generator storing the specified character pattern set is selected. Further, this management table can output information on the currently usable character pattern set. When this device receives a character pattern set information output command from the host computer 201, it refers to the character pattern set management table 211 and controls information on the character pattern set currently being accessed or control information on all character pattern sets currently available. On the host side (host computer
201).

FIG. 5 shows an example of printing out information on three types of character pattern sets. In the figure, 101 is a character set name for identifying the character pattern set, 102 is a character pitch (character feed amount), and 103 is a character size. , 104 are character styles, 105 is a character thickness, and 106 is a sample print of all characters.

In this device, information regarding these character pattern sets is sent to the host side.

Next, the operation of outputting the information on the character pattern set to the host side using the flow chart of FIG. 6 will be described. The flow chart shown in FIG. 6 is executed by the CPU 203 in response to a command from the host.

First, in step 1, the number of all character pattern sets that can be used by the apparatus is read from area 601 and set in a counter (not shown). In step 2, it is checked whether or not the value of the counter is "0". If it is "0", it is judged that there is no character pattern set currently available, and in step 4 this is sent to the host.

If the counter value is not "0" in step 2, at least one character pattern set that can be used is present. Therefore, in step 3, the control command from the host is judged. If the control command from the host asks which character pattern set is currently being used, step 5
In step 5, the address indicated by area 603 is set in the address pointer (not shown), and in step 6,
Move to. At step 6, the contents described in the character pattern set information section 501 are sent by referring to the above-mentioned address pointer. That is, the control information of the character pattern set currently being accessed is sent to the host side.

If it is determined in step 3 that the control command from the host is a command to send all usable character pattern sets, in step 7, the control information address of the first character pattern set in area 602-1 is set. Set to address pointer. Then, in step 8, the control information regarding the first character pattern set is sent to the host side.

When the transmission of the information of the first character pattern set is completed, the counter is decremented in step 9, and the value of the address pointer is advanced to the address of the control information of the next character pattern set in step 10. That is, in step 10, the address of the control information of the second character pattern set in area 602-2 is set in the address pointer. After that, in step 11, it is judged whether or not the transmission of the control information of all the character pattern sets is completed by looking at the value of the counter, and if the value of the counter is not "0", the operations of steps 8 to 10 are performed. Repeat until the control information of the last character pattern set is output. If the value of the counter is "0", the operation of transmitting the control information of the character pattern set is completed.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional view of a laser beam printer to which the present invention can be applied.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 21 is an exposure device equipped with a scanner and a laser unit. A developing unit 22 visualizes the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 23. Reference numeral 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, which temporarily stops the sheet conveyed through the conveying roller 6 by the resist shutter 7, and performs projection of laser light, rotation of the photosensitive drum 23, and sheet feeding. The two are synchronized. 8
Is a feeding roller for feeding the paper to the transfer unit 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 mentioned above, 205 is a removable character generator, 206
Is a socket, and 214 is a CPU board to which the CPU 203, the output buffer 207, etc. are attached.

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

In this embodiment, a printer is used as the terminal device, or an output device other than the printer, such as a CRT device, may be used. Alternatively, the control information of the character pattern set sent to the host side may be sent from the management table 211,
You may comprise so that it may be sent from each character generator. Further, the character pattern may be transmitted together with the control information of the character pattern set.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example of a character pattern set of fixed pitches (all having the same character spacing regardless of the character shape) is shown, but proportional spacing (such as "A" or "I") is shown. In the case of a character pattern set (character spacing varies depending on the character shape), a pitch for each character is stored in the character pattern set information section 501, and the value of the corresponding pitch for each character is sent to the host side. It is also possible to make a difference.

The above-mentioned image output device uses the character pattern set stored in the removable character generator for RA for pattern storage inside the device.
Although it is possible to increase the number of types of character pattern sets that can be used by copying and registering in M, according to the present embodiment, even in a device that can newly register a character pattern set, The host can know whether such a character pattern set can be used.

The detailed description of the copy registration of the character pattern set is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-276930 previously proposed by the applicant of the present application.

(Effect) As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the recording / displaying formula from being lost due to incorrect designation of the character pattern.

Further, there is an effect that it is not necessary for the user to read the device manual or the like every time the user uses the device. In addition, it is possible to obtain necessary information on the host side without having to go to the installation location of the device each time the device is used.

(Effect) As described above, according to the present invention, whether the instruction information outputs a list of attribute information relating to all information usable by the device, only by the instruction from the outside by the user, Alternatively, the device determines whether or not it is instructed to output a list of attribute information related to a part of all the information that can be used by the device, and based on the result of the determination, the information related to all the information that can be used by the device Output a list of attribute information, or
This has an excellent effect that it is possible to perform output control as to whether to output a list of attribute information regarding a part of all information usable in the apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control circuit diagram in this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a code system such as English, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of character pattern sets, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a character pattern set management table, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of outputting information on character pattern sets, FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the operation of sending control information of character pattern sets to the host side in this embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a laser to which the present invention can be applied. It is a schematic block diagram of a beam printer. Here, 201 is a calculator, 202 is an input buffer, 203 is a CPU, 20
4 is a built-in character generator, 205 is a wearable character generator, 206
Is a socket, 207 is an output page buffer, 208 is a printer interface unit, 209 is a page printer, 210 is a character pattern set storage RAM, and 211 is a management 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. (56) References JP-A-56-34177 (JP, A) JP-A-61-7920 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Publication 5-43512 (JP, B2)

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An output method in an output device for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from the outside, for confirming in advance the type of information used when generating the output information. The output instruction information of the attribute information related to the information, which is instructed to, outputs the list of attribute information related to all the information usable in the device, or
A judgment step of judging whether or not a list of attribute information relating to a part of all information usable in the device is instructed to be output, and in the judgment step, the instruction information indicates a list of attribute information relating to all the information. If it is determined that the output instruction is given, a list of attribute information relating to all information usable in the device is output, or in the determination step, the instruction information is a partial information of all the information. The output control step of outputting a list of attribute information relating to a part of all the information usable in the device when it is determined that the output instruction is issued. Output method. 2. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the input information is a character code. 3. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output information is dot information. 4. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the information used when the output information is generated is a character pattern set. 5. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information is a name of information used when generating output information. 6. The attribute information is a character pattern set style, pitch, used in generating output information.
The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output method is size. 7. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction information is instructed by a command from another device or a switch on the output device. 8. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output device prints a list of the attribute information. 9. The output device displays a list of the attribute information,
The output method according to claim 1, wherein the input information is output to a host computer which is input to the output device.