JPH07137359A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To print new data immediately when the new data, for example, having a priority higher than that of presently printed data are inputted and to recover the printing of the previously printed data after completion of printing the new data. CONSTITUTION:When JOB having a priority higher than that of presently printed JOB inputted in an I/F 1 is inputted to an I/F 2, the I/F 1 is changed to the I/F 2 storing the JOB of a higher priority by an I/F selection means executed by a CPU 16. The printing state of the presently printed JOB is retracted to a memory (RAM 18) by a printing state retracting means by the CPU 16. The JOB of a higher priority is printed. After completion of printing, the retracted printing state is recovered by a printing state recovery means by the CPU 16 for printing the previous JOB.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device.

[0002]

[Prior art]

(1) Conventionally, the printing apparatus has a JOB having a higher priority than the first interface selected, that is, a print data group (hereinafter, JOB) for performing a series of print processing received by the I / F (I / F1). When input to the second interface different from I / F 1, that is, I / F (I / F 2), the JOB received by I / F 1 is terminated, and then the I / F is transferred to I / F 1 Was changed from I / F 2 to JOB and the JOB received by I / F 2 was printed.

(2) Further, conventionally, a multi-valued image printer which has been put to practical use outputs image data rendered in a raster memory area with one resolution between position pages.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example (1), the next job cannot be received until the job currently being printed is completed, and therefore the priority is higher than the job currently being printed. Even if JOB is input,
There is a problem that printing cannot be started immediately.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example (2), when drawing at a high resolution such as 600 DPI due to the characteristics of the multi-valued printer,
Since the density reproducibility deteriorates even when multi-gradation data is given, when printing a natural image or solid paint, we want to print at a low resolution such as 300 DPI to print fine lines and characters neatly at the expense of resolution. At the time, there was only a measure to print at a high resolution such as 600 DPI at the expense of density reproducibility. But these two in one page
When different types of data were mixed, the resolution had to be decided by giving priority to either one.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that solves the above problems.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a plurality of interfaces for receiving data, data analysis means for analyzing the data received by the interfaces, and the data analysis means. Storage means for storing the priority order of the printing order analyzed by the selection means, selection means for selecting one of the plurality of interfaces in descending order of priority in the storage means, and a new means received by analysis of the analysis means. When the data has a higher priority than the data currently being printed, the printing status saving means for saving the printing status during the printing and printing the new data, and the printing status after the printing of the new data is completed. It is characterized by comprising a printing state restoring means for restoring the printing state of the retracting means.

Further, according to the present invention, in a printing apparatus which receives data from the outside and expands it in a multi-valued raster memory and outputs it to a printer engine, a bitmap memory corresponding to the raster memory and the raster memory in the bitmap memory. Means for setting a flag in a portion corresponding to a pixel for which the contour is important when developing the data in
At the time of printing, by referring to the flag, a portion corresponding to a portion in which importance is attached to high gradation in the multi-valued raster memory is low resolution, and data corresponding to a portion in which outline is important is read out in high resolution and is read by the printer engine. And a means for outputting.

[0009]

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

<Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for carrying out a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 11 and 12 denote output devices (host computers) which send out a print data group (hereinafter referred to as JOB) for performing a series of print processing. A printing device 13 includes the following components. That is, 14 and 15 are first and second interfaces (I / F 1 and I / F 1) for controlling transmission and reception of JOB with the output devices 11 and 12.
2) and 16 are central processing units (CPU) for judging and controlling various processes according to programs stored in a ROM 17 described later, and 17 is each procedure as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6. A ROM (read only memory) 18 for storing the program is a RAM (random access memory) 18 for storing data necessary for the CPU 16 to judge and control each process according to the program stored in the ROM 17. FIG. 2 exemplifies the data structure of the JOB transmitted from the output devices 11 and 12, which is stored in the RAM 18. The print data is stored in the CPU 16
Is read from the RAM 18 under the control of, and output to a printer engine (not shown) for printing.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 is control data indicating the start of the JOB, which is sent from the output devices 11 and 12 as the head data of the JOB. Reference numeral 22 is data indicating the priority order of JOB, and the printing order is determined by this priority order. 22 is transmitted following the JOB start data.
A print data group 23 for performing print processing includes character data, graphic data, and the like. Reference numeral 24 is control data indicating the end of JOB, which is sent as the final data of JOB.

FIG. 3 shows a processing flow of this embodiment.

In FIG. 3, first, in an I / F selection process, which will be described later, it is determined which interface receives a JOB from a plurality of interfaces and the print process is performed (step 31). In step 31, an I / F different from the previously selected I / F is selected and it is determined whether or not the I / F has been changed (step 32). If it is determined that the I / F has been changed, the selected I / F is selected. It is judged whether or not the data received at / F is the JOB start data (step 33),
If it is determined that the data is start data, the print state saving process (step 34) described later is performed, and the print process (step 37).
Proceed to. If it is determined in step 33 that the data is not start data, it is determined whether or not it is JOB end data (step 3
5) If it is determined that the data is the end data, a printing state restoration process (step 36) described later is performed, and the process proceeds to the printing process (step 37). If it is determined in step 35 that the data is not the JOB end data, the process proceeds to the printing process (step 37).
If it is determined in step 32 that the I / F has not been changed, the process proceeds to print processing (step 37). In the print processing, the data analysis means analyzes the print data of JOB, controls the printer, and proceeds to step 31.

FIG. 4 shows the process flow of the I / F selection process (step 31) shown in FIG. 3 of the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, there are two interfaces, the currently selected I / F is I / F 1, and the unselected I / F is I / F 2. Priority data is I /
The data indicating the priority order of JOB received from F1 is RA
Store in M18. The standby data was saved during printing I
The I / FID for identifying the / F and the data indicating the priority of the JOB received from the I / F are stored in the RAM 18.

In FIG. 4, first, it is judged whether or not there is data in the I / F 1 (step 401). If it is judged that it is in the I / F 1, it is judged whether or not the data is the JOB start data 21. Judgment (step 402), if it is judged that it is JOB start data, I / F 1 is set to priority data.
The priority of (step 403) and step 4
Proceed to 07. If it is determined in step 402 that it is not JOB start data, it is determined whether it is JOB end data 24 (step 404), and if it is determined that it is JOB end data, the currently selected I / F is set as standby data. Change to the I / F indicated by the I / FID of
5) Then, the priority order of the standby data is set in the priority data (step 406), and the I / F selection processing is ended. If it is determined in step 404 that the data is not JOB end data, the I / F selection process is ended. I / F in step 401
I / F when it is judged that the data does not come to 1
It is judged whether or not the data comes in 2 (step 40
7) If it is judged that the data has come, it is judged whether or not the data is the JOB start data (step 408), and the JOB
When it is determined that the data is the B start data, it is determined which of the I / F 2 and the priority data (the priority of I / F 1) has the higher priority (step 409), and the priority of I / F 2 is determined. If it is determined that the
1 is set to the priority order of the priority data and the priority data (step 410), and the priority order of the I / F2 is set to the priority data (step 411).
/ F is changed to I / F 2 (step 412), I / F
The change process ends. When it is determined in step 409 that the priority of I / F 1 is high, I / F is set as the standby data.
2 and the priority order are set (step 4
13), the I / F change processing ends. If it is determined in step 408 that the data is not the JOB start data, the I / F selection processing ends. If it is determined in step 407 that no data has arrived in the I / F 2, the I / F selection processing ends.

FIG. 5 shows the process flow of the print state saving process (step 34) shown in FIG. 3 of the present embodiment.

In FIG. 5, first, the current printing device 13 determines whether or not the JOB is in the process of printing (step 51). If it is determined that the JOB is in the process of printing, the current printing state, for example, Information necessary for printing, such as the size, position, and decoration of characters to be printed, is stored in the memory (RAM 18) (step 52), and it is determined whether or not there is a paper currently being printed in the printing device 13 (step 53). ), If it is determined that there is paper, temporarily retract the paper (step 54),
The printing state is initialized so that a new JOB printing process can be performed (step 55), and the printing state saving process ends. If it is determined in step 53 that there is no paper, the process proceeds to step 55. If it is determined in step 51 that the printing process is not in progress, the printing state saving process ends.

FIG. 6 shows the process flow of the printing state restoration process (step 36) shown in FIG. 3 of the present embodiment.

In FIG. 6, first, the printing state saved in the printing state saving process (step 34) in FIG. 5 (step 5).
2) It is determined whether or not there is (step 61), and if it is determined that there is the saved print state, the saved print state is set to the current print state (step 62), and the temporarily saved paper ( It is determined whether or not it is step 54) (step 63). If it is determined that there is paper, the retracted paper is returned to the state before the evacuation (step 64), and the print state restoration processing is ended. If it is determined in step 63 that there is no paper, the printing state restoration process ends. If it is determined in step 61 that there is no saved printing status, the printing status restoration processing ends.

In the above embodiment, the I / F of the printer is used.
Although 2 is set to 2, the present invention is also effective for a printing apparatus having an arbitrary number of I / Fs. Even if there is only one I / F, the present invention is effective by switching the JOB in the output device and designating a higher priority than the previous JOB. Further, the present invention is effective not only as a printing apparatus that prints data output from a computer but also as a printing apparatus that has a function such as a facsimile function.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When a JOB having a higher priority than the JOB currently being printed is input, the I / F selecting unit changes the I / F to the I / F to which the JOB having a higher priority is input, and the print state saving unit. To save the print status of the JOB currently being printed to the memory, print the JOB with a high priority, and after the printing is completed, the saved print status is restored by the print status restoring means, and printing is performed. Even if there is a medium JOB, it is possible to immediately print a JOB having a high priority.

<Second Embodiment> First, the flow of the entire process will be described with reference to the overall configuration diagram of FIG. 1.1 is a host computer. The 1.2 page printer is composed of a 1.3 host interface block, a 1.4 dot image forming block, a 1.5 video interface block, and a 1.6 printer engine. Further, the dot image forming block 1.4 includes an MPU (microprocessor unit) 1.7, a raster memory 1.8 controlled by the MPU 1.7, and a bit memory 1.9.
It is included. Next, each part will be described.

1) Host interface block 1.
3 In the host interface block, a page description language (hereinafter referred to as PD) that consists of coded figures, types of characters, sizes, positions, etc. and images such as natural images.
L) is received.

2) Dot image forming block 1.4 The PD received at the dot image forming block 1.4
The L code data is analyzed by the MPU 1.7 and expanded in the raster memory 1.8. At this time, when rendering a pixel to be drawn with high definition, a flag corresponding to the bit map memory 1.9 is set.

3) Video interface block 1.
5 In the video interface block 1.5, the bit map memory 1.9 and the image development memory (raster memory 1.8) are scanned in the main scanning direction according to the clock signal to form a video signal, which is then sent to the printer engine 1.6. send. The video signal includes a horizontal synchronization signal (LSYNC), a vertical synchronization signal (TOP), a clock signal (VCLK), an image video signal (VCO), a high resolution and a low resolution selection flag (IMCHR).

4) Printer Engine 1.6 The printer engine 1.6 prints according to the video signal sent thereto. The printer engine 1.6 switches between high resolution and low resolution for printing according to the IMCHR of the video signal.

Next, the operation of the page printer will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. PDL in step 201
Receive the code. In step 203, the PDL code is classified as a character, a figure, or an image. When the PDL code is a character figure, a step 204 sets a flag at that location in the bitmap memory 1.9. In either case, step 205
The data to be actually output is drawn in the rendering memory (raster memory 1.8) and the next PDL code is read. In step 202, it is checked whether one page of PDL code is completed, and if there is no more, step 20
In step 6, a video signal is generated and the printer engine is activated.

In the following, the printer will be described in detail as an electrophotographic multi-value monochrome printer. This printer has a high resolution of 600 DPI and a low resolution of 300 DPI, and one pixel in the rendering memory is 8 bits (25
5 gradation recording is possible), 1 pixel of bitmap memory is 1 bit (only ON and OFF can be recorded), both 60
It is assumed that it has a size that can be recorded with 0 DPI.

The rendering memory and the bitmap memory are initialized as in 3.0 and 3.1 of FIG. The meaning of this initialization is to draw all surfaces with a low resolution solid fill. Now, change the PDL code to MPU 1.7.
And the characters and figures are developed on the rendering memory (3.2 in FIG. 9). At this time, a flag is set for the pixel corresponding to the same location on the bit map memory, and at the same time, a flag indicating that the pixel paired with the low resolution is drawn at the high resolution is set (3.3 in FIG. 9). . The point on the bitmap memory corresponding to a natural image or a portion for which the density that faithfully fills a wide area with the same color is to be reproduced is left at the initial low resolution.

When recorded in the rendering memory and the bitmap memory in this way, it is converted into a video signal via the video interface block 1.5 and sent to the printer engine 1.6.

Here, three kinds of video signals, which are a part of them, are shown in 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of FIG.

A) VCO 7-0 (4.1) indicates image density information to be printed by the printer. VCO7 is MSB, V
CO0 is the LSB signal.

B) IMCHR (4.2) is a signal indicating resolution, where true indicates low resolution and false indicates high resolution.

C) VCLK (4.3) is a transfer synchronization clock for the above two data. The video interface controller uses VDO on the rising edge of VCLK.
7 to VDO0, IMCHR signal is sent to the printer engine.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram until the printer engine receiving these signals generates a laser. IMC input at the rising edge of VCLK
The selector 5.1 selects two types of triangular waves which are reference waves generated by the triangular wave generator 5.0 according to HR. Also,
When the density values of VDO7 to VDO0 are converted into analog signals by the D / A converter 5.2 and the selected triangular wave and the input to the comparator 5.3, the laser start signal is output from the comparator 5.3 only for the time for emitting the laser. It is sent to the laser driver 5.4.
The processing flow will be described with reference to FIG.

IMC at the rising edge of VCLK4.3
HR4.2 and VDO7-0 are sent to the printer engine, but from the left end of FIG.
Is in a high resolution 600 DPI mode, the triangular wave generated by the triangular wave generator 5.0 of FIG. 11 is selected by the selector 5.1 as a reference wave of 600 DPI. As shown in 4.4, when the D / A-converted VDOs 7 to 0 corresponding to IMCHR4.2 and the triangular wave are input to the comparator 5.3, the time when the triangular wave is larger than the density value of the VDO signal 4.1 is input. Only the true signal 4.5 is sent to the laser driver 5.4. The laser driver 5.4 irradiates the laser only during the true signal while the laser scans one dot.

In FIG. 10, the IMCHR 4.2 is 300 DPI.
When switching to the mode, the selector 5.1 selects 300 DPI.
The triangular wave of is selected as the reference wave, the triangular wave for 300 DPI and the VDO signal are input to the comparator as in the case of 600 DPI, and the laser is emitted only for the true signal while the laser scans two dots. Even when 300 DPI is selected, VD is output every time VCLK4.3 rises.
The O signal 4.1 and the IMCHR 4.2 are taken in, but the subsequent signals are ignored until the end of the 300 DPI triangular wave.

By irradiating the photosensitive drum with a laser, the photosensitive drum is charged, and toner can be attached to the photosensitive drum to perform printing. 4.5 in FIG. 10 shows a dot model at each resolution (600 DPI, 300 DPI) corresponding to the VDO signal.

In the second embodiment, the monocolor electrophotographic printer is used.
In the case of a multi-valued printer, this method can be realized regardless of the number of bits per pixel or even a color printer.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, a portion such as a thin character or figure that requires resolution and a reproducibility of gradation such as a natural image are required in one page. It is now possible to output a mixture of these parts with high quality at once using a multi-valued printer.

That is, in the command analysis unit of the printer, P
When the DL code is analyzed and calculated and rendered with the density of each pixel, it is calculated for each pixel whether to output at high resolution or low resolution, and the calculation result is recorded for each pixel in the bitmap memory. . Then, the resolution flag and the density value for each pixel are sent to the printer engine as a set in accordance with the synchronization signal. In the printer engine, according to the resolution flag sent, high resolution is printed with the delayed density value in the case of high resolution, and when the resolution is low, pixels of the size of low resolution are printed together with the same density value. To do. By doing so, it is possible to display a natural image or a solid-painted portion at a low resolution to obtain gradation, and to draw a character or a graphic at a high resolution to display a fine outline.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, even during printing, it is possible to immediately print a JOB having a higher priority sequence than that, and a single image can be printed with high resolution and It is possible to print at one time with satisfying both tonality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a data configuration diagram illustrating a JOB according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of I / F selection processing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of a print state saving unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of a print state restoration process of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an overall configuration diagram when a printer is used from a host computer.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for reading a PDL code sent from a host computer, drawing it in a bitmap memory and a rendering memory, and creating a video signal.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of how to use a rendering memory and a bitmap memory.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a video signal and an operation of a printer engine which receives the video signal.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram from receiving the video signal of the printer engine to moving the laser driver.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Output Device 1 12 Output Device 2 13 Printing Device 14 Interface 1 (I / F 1) 15 Interface 2 (I / F 2) 16 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 17 Read Only Memory (ROM) 18 Random Access Memory (RAM)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of interfaces for receiving data, a data analysis unit for analyzing the data received by each interface, a storage unit for storing the priority order of the printing order analyzed by the data analysis unit, When the selection unit that selects one of the plurality of interfaces in the order of higher priority in the storage unit and the new data received by the analysis of the analysis unit has a higher priority than the data that is currently being printed, A print state saving unit for saving the print state during printing and printing the new data; and a print state restoring unit for restoring the print state of the print state saving unit after the printing of the new data is completed. A printing device characterized by. 2. A printing apparatus which receives data from the outside, expands it in a multi-valued raster memory, and outputs it to a printer engine, stores data in a bitmap memory corresponding to the raster memory and the raster memory in the bitmap memory. A means for setting a flag in a portion corresponding to a pixel in which a contour is emphasized at the time of developing, and a portion corresponding to a portion in the multi-valued raster memory where a high gradation is emphasized is referred to as a low resolution by referring to the flag at the time of printing. Then, the printing apparatus is provided with means for reading out data corresponding to a portion in which the contour is emphasized at a high resolution and outputting the data to a printer engine.