JPH07137367A - Image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit external character registering, which employs external character producing function possessed by the application software of a host computer, reduce a time necessary for the registering and facilitate registeration work. CONSTITUTION:External character information, produced by an application software having external character producing function, is received (S1) and when an image processing device decides the information that it is external character information (S2: YES), conversion into a font format employed in the image processing device is effected (S7). Further, the external character information, converted into the font format, is stored (S8).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus suitable for processing input image data in various printers.

[0002]

[Prior art]

(1) Conventionally, the external character creation function of the application software is used to register the external character to the host computer, while the external character creation function of the printing device is used to register the external character to the printing device. .

Therefore, it has been necessary to perform the external character registration work for each of the host computer and the printing device.

(2) Conventionally, when it is determined that the printing process cannot be continued, only the occurrence of a failure is notified and the printing process is stopped.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

(1) However, in the above-described conventional example, a large amount of time has to be spent because the external character registration work has to be performed separately for each of the host computer and the printing apparatus.

Moreover, the external character registration function of the printing apparatus is very difficult to use.

(2) Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example, it is not clear why the printing process cannot be continued, and it is difficult to analyze the cause.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus in which an external character created by using the external character creating function of application software can be used as it is in a printing apparatus.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which facilitates analysis of the cause of failure of print information by converting print information having a failure into a dump list by a control code.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) In order to achieve the first object of the present invention, the present invention is an image processing apparatus comprising means for registering an external character created by an external character creating means in an external device such as a host computer, wherein the external character It is provided with a discriminating means for discriminating that the information is the external character created by the creating means, and a storage means for converting and storing the font format of the external character information in response to the discrimination output of the discriminating means. .

(2) In order to achieve the second object of the present invention, a judgment means for judging whether or not the print processing can be continued with respect to the print information from the external device such as the host computer. When the determination means determines that the print information has a failure and the print processing cannot be continued, the conversion means for converting the print information into a dump list by a predetermined control code or a page description language, and the dump list are stored. It is provided with a processing of storing the medium in a medium and / or an output unit for printing out the dump list.

[0012]

[Action]

(1) According to the above configuration of the present invention, when the external character information created by the application software having the external character creating function is received and the image processing apparatus determines that the external character information is used by the image processing apparatus. Converts to the existing font format. Further, the external character information whose font format has been converted is stored.

(2) The image processing apparatus according to the present invention is
If it is judged that the print processing can be continued and it is judged that the print information has a fault and the print processing cannot be continued, the print information is converted into the dump list by the control code (page description language) and saved in the storage medium. Or print.

[0014]

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

[0015] In the first embodiment described in detail below in Example 1, it will be described when applied to a printing apparatus for performing printing output by receiving data from the host computer.

<Description of Apparatus Configuration (FIG. 1)> FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic printing apparatus according to this embodiment.
In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes a printing apparatus according to this embodiment, which forms a print result 110.

Reference numeral 120 denotes a host computer which outputs print information (data for print output) and external character information (data for external character registration).

In order for the printing apparatus 100 to judge the external character information, the application software in the host computer adds information to the created external character so that the printing apparatus can judge it as the external character information.
It shall have a function to output the created external character information to the printing device.

In the printing apparatus 100, the CPU 10 as a processing unit for controlling the entire printing apparatus and performing the processing described later.
1 and the following configurations.

Reference numeral 102 is a reception buffer for temporarily storing data sent from the host computer, 103 is a font memory for storing font data, 104 is a page buffer memory for storing the reception data in page units, and 105 is one page. Bit map memory for expanding minute image data, 106 is a bit map memory 105
It is a printer engine that actually performs a printing process based on the image data expanded in.

Reference numeral 107 is a font memory for external characters for storing data converted into the font format used in this printing apparatus.

In the CPU 101, a ROM 101A storing a program (a processing procedure corresponding to the flowchart of FIG. 3 described later) for functioning as a processing unit,
A RAM 101B used as a work area is built in.

<Description of Printer (FIG. 2)> FIG. 2 shows a laser beam printer (hereinafter, LBP) to which this embodiment is applied.
Is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the LBP. This LBP can register a character pattern and a fixed form (form data) from a data source (not shown). In the figure, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores character information (character code), form information, macro commands, etc. supplied from an externally connected host computer (120 in FIG. 1). A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on a recording paper, which is a recording medium.

Reference numeral 1012 is a switch for operation and L
An operation panel 1001 is provided with an ED display and the like, and a printer control unit 1001 controls the entire LBP 1000 and analyzes character information supplied from a host computer. The control unit 1001 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1002. Laser driver 100
Reference numeral 2 denotes a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1003, which corresponds to the input video signal.
The laser light 1004 emitted from 3 is switched on and off.

The laser 1004 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 1005 to scan the electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. The latent image is developed by the developing unit 1007 around the electrostatic drum 1006 and then transferred to the recording paper. A cut sheet is used as this recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is stored in a sheet cassette 1008 attached to the LBP 1000, and is taken into the apparatus by a sheet feeding roller 1009 and conveying rollers 1010 and 1011 and is then transferred to an electrostatic drum 1006. Supplied.

<Description of external character registration processing means (FIG. 3)> FIG.
Is the CPU 10 in the printing apparatus that is the embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart for explaining the external character registration processing of No. 1;

In this embodiment, the host computer 1
When the print information from 20 is received, the CPU 101 is interrupted, and is stored in the page buffer memory 104 from the reception buffer 102 by this interrupt processing.

That is, the receiving process is performed in parallel with the process of FIG. However, this processing itself does not have a characteristic, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

First, data is read from the reception buffer 103 (step S1), and it is determined whether the read data is print information or external character information (step S).
2).

If it is determined that the print information is the print information, the character data corresponding to the print information is read from the font memory 103 or the external character font memory 107 (step S
3), bitmap image 1 based on print information
05 is expanded (step S4).

Further, until it is determined in step S5 that the bitmap expansion processing for one page has been performed, the processing from step S3 onward is repeated.

In this way, when it is determined that the bitmap expansion processing for one page is completed, the printer (laser beam printer) engine 106 having the mechanism shown in FIG. 2 prints out (step S6).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the data read in step S2 is the external character information, this external character information is converted into the font format used in the printer (step S).
7) and stores it in the external character font memory 106 (step S8).

When print information requesting the use of registered external characters is sent from the host computer by performing the external character registration process as described above, by reading the corresponding character data from the external character font memory 107 in step S3, It becomes possible to print external characters.

Although the present embodiment is an electrophotographic printing apparatus, the recording method does not matter, and the processing described in this embodiment is applied even if the image output is not print output. be able to.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the external character registration in the printing apparatus, which has been difficult until now, can be performed by using the application software of the host computer, so that it becomes very easy.

Further, it becomes possible to provide the host computer and the printing device with a device which requires only one external character creation.

Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment, when the external character information is converted into the font format used in the printing apparatus, the conversion is performed in the printing apparatus, but in the second embodiment, this conversion is performed. A case where the font format conversion is performed in the host computer will be described.

According to this, it becomes unnecessary to provide the printer with a function of converting the font format.

The data processing in the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Of course, in order to perform the operation (processing) of the second embodiment, the ROM 101
The program corresponding to the flowchart of FIG. Further, the device configuration is the first
The same as the example of FIG.

Steps S1 to S6 are the same as those in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, since the external character information which has already undergone the font format conversion in the host computer only needs to be stored in the external character font memory 107 (step S9), the font format conversion in the printing apparatus is performed. Can be saved.

Therefore, high-speed external character registration can be performed.

Embodiment 3 In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, conversion into the font format used in the printing apparatus is performed, but in the third embodiment, this font format is used. The transformation may be in a number of different formats available on the printing device.

Embodiment 4 In this embodiment, an example applied to a printing apparatus that receives data from a host computer and prints out will be described.

<Description of Apparatus Configuration (FIG. 5)> FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of the electrophotographic printing apparatus according to this embodiment. This figure differs from FIG. 1 in the external character font memory 107.
Not equipped. The other configuration is the same as that of FIG. 1, and thus detailed description will be omitted.

However, in the CPU 101, a ROM 101A storing a program (processing procedure corresponding to the flowchart of FIG. 6 described later) for functioning as a processing unit.
And a RAM 101B used as a work area.

Since the laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) to which this embodiment is applied is the same as that shown in FIG. 2, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<Description of Dump List Conversion Processing Unit by Control Code (FIG. 6)> FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the dump list conversion process by the control code of the CPU 101 in the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. .

In this embodiment, the host computer 1
When the print information from 20 is received, the CPU 101 is interrupted, and is stored in the page buffer memory 104 from the reception buffer 102 by this interrupt processing.

That is, the receiving process is performed in parallel with the process of FIG. However, this processing itself does not have a characteristic, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

First, the print information is read from the page buffer memory 104 (step S11), and it is judged whether or not it is possible to continue the print processing for the read print information (step S12). It is expanded on the bitmap memory 105 based on the print information (step S13).

In this way, when it is determined that the printing process can be continued in this bitmap expansion, the above-mentioned processes from step S11 are repeated until the bitmap expansion process for one page is performed in step S14.

When it is determined that the bitmap expansion process for one page is completed and the print process can be continued, the printer (laser beam printer) engine 106 having the mechanism shown in FIG. Is performed (step S15).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the print processing cannot be continued (step S12), the work information of the RAM 101B is used, and the print information stored in the page buffer memory 104 is controlled by the control code (page description language). The dump list is converted (step S16), and the device for outputting the dump list is selected (step S).
17).

Here, since the dump list conversion process by the control code itself is not characteristic, its explanation is omitted.

By selecting an output device, the dump list can be printed out by the printer engine 106 (step S15), and a storage medium such as a disk connected to the printer or a writable ROM such as a flash ROM. By making it possible to save in (step S18), it is possible to always perform printout by the printer.

Although the electrophotographic printing apparatus is used in this embodiment, the recording method does not matter and the processing described in this embodiment is applied even if the image is not printed out. can do.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, after converting the data judged to be unable to continue the printing process due to the trouble of the printing information into the dump list by the control code, the converted data is stored in the storage medium or printed. By outputting, it becomes possible to provide a device that can easily analyze the cause of failure in print information.

Fifth Embodiment In the above-described embodiment (fourth embodiment), the case where it is determined that the printing process cannot be continued has been described. In the fifth embodiment, the print information has a fault, A case where the dump list is converted and output by the control code of the print information when the printing process can be continued will be described.

According to this, when the print output is made but the print result has a fault, it becomes possible to output the dump list of the print information for the analysis of the cause.

The data processing in the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Of course, in order to perform the operation (processing) of the fifth embodiment, the ROM 101
The program corresponding to the flowchart of FIG.

The apparatus structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

First, the print information is read from the page buffer memory 104 (step S21) and developed on the bitmap memory 105 based on this print information (step S22).

Then, the processes after step S1 are repeated (step S23) until the bitmap expansion process for one page is performed, and the print output (step S24) is performed. These are the same as in the fourth embodiment described above.

In the fifth embodiment, after the print output, the execution of the dump list conversion by the control code can be selected in step S25 to convert the print information into the dump list (step S26). The output (steps S27, S28, S29) is performed in the same manner as in the embodiment to facilitate the analysis of the cause of the failure in the print information. It can be used for analysis.

Sixth Embodiment In the above fourth and fifth embodiments, the case where the dump list is formed by the control code (page description language) of the print information for one page has been described. The case of creating a dump list of print information including pages will be described.

When the fourth embodiment is applied to the print information of a plurality of pages, the following two types can be selected.

According to the first method, the normal print processing is performed until the failure in which the print processing cannot be continued occurs, and the dump information is converted and output to the print information of the page in which the failure has occurred.

In the second method, when a failure occurs, the dump list is converted and output for the print data of all pages.

Further, when the second embodiment is applied to the print information of a plurality of pages, the dump list conversion and the output thereof are performed for any page.

Embodiment 7 In the above fourth to sixth embodiments, the dump list conversion by the control code (page description language) of the print information is carried out, but in the seventh embodiment, the hexadump list conversion of the print information is carried out. But it's okay.

Embodiment 8 In the above fourth to seventh embodiments, the dump list conversion by the control code is carried out for the print information in units of one page, but in the eighth embodiment, it is in units of one character and one line. It is assumed that dump list conversion can be performed on unit print information.

[0073]

【The invention's effect】

(1) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to register an external character using the external character creating function of the application software of the host computer, reduce the time required for registration, and facilitate the registration work. The effect is that you can.

(2) Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, printing is performed when print processing cannot be continued and print output cannot be performed, or when a print result has a failure due to a failure in print information. It is possible to easily analyze the cause of information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a printing apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of the CPU in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operation contents of a CPU in the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing operation contents of a CPU in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of the CPU in the fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 CPU 102 Receive Buffer 103 Font Memory 104 Page Buffer Memory 105 Bitmap Memory 106 Printer Engine

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus comprising means for registering an external character created by an external character creating means of an external device, wherein the determining means is for determining that the information is the external character created by the external character creating means, An image processing apparatus comprising: a storage unit for converting and storing the font format of the external character information in response to the determination output of the determination unit. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the font format can be converted by an external device and the image processing device. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion of the font format may be a plurality of different formats as long as the font format is used in the image processing apparatus. 4. The external character creating means according to claim 1, when the external character is created, information is added so that the image processing apparatus can determine that the external character information is external character information, and the determining means makes the determination based on the additional information. An image processing apparatus characterized by performing processing. 5. A judgment means for judging whether or not the print processing can be continued with respect to the print information from the external device, and a judgment means for judging that the print information cannot be continued due to a fault in the print information. And a conversion means for converting the print information into a dump list according to a predetermined control code or a page description language, a process of storing the dump list in a storage medium, and / or
Alternatively, the image processing apparatus includes an output unit that prints out the dump list. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the conversion means for converting the dump list can be executed even when it is determined that the print processing can be continued. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the dump list can be stored in a disc or a writable ROM.