JPH07242029A - Printer, printing mechanism and page transfer method of printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently perform two-page printing by shortening the waiting time up to the start of page printing at the time of a spread page printing mode. CONSTITUTION:When a CPU 201 judges a spread printing mode, the bit map image successively developed on a paint memory 204 in a page unit is processed by the CPU 201 to be transmitted to an output part 205 by the quantity corresponding to a spread page.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing while expanding a bit map in page units, and more particularly to a printing apparatus side-by-side printing system and a printing apparatus for printing data for two pages on one sheet. The present invention relates to a page transfer method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of printing apparatus, a conventional page printer having a method of printing data for two pages side by side on one sheet (hereinafter referred to as "two-page printing") , The "page orientation" of each page when printing two pages, or the "order" of arranging each page, etc. I used the printing method.

Here, "page orientation" refers to two types of "portrait" and "landscape". "Portrait" is to use a page in a portrait orientation, and "landscape" is to use a page in landscape orientation. Is to use.

Further, "order" means two types of "right-open" and "left-open", and when looking at a paper printed with two pages and looking at it, an odd page comes to the right "right-open". That is, the odd-numbered page is on the left side is the "left opening" (hereinafter referred to as "right opening" or "left opening").

For example, when it is desired to print two pages of data having portrait orientation by left-opening two-page printing, as shown in FIG. 6A, first, an odd page is developed in front of the paint memory. Then, the even page is expanded to the rear of the paint memory.

When this is printed, odd pages are printed first, then even pages.

Here, the paint memory is an area for expanding the contents of a page into a bit image, and when the contents of this area are transferred to the engine, the engine prints on paper.

If the same page orientation data as described above is to be printed by opening the right two pages,
As shown in FIG. 6B, first, the odd page is expanded to the rear of the paint memory, and then the even page is expanded to the front of the paint memory. When this is printed, the even pages are printed first, then the odd pages.

As described above, due to the difference between right-opening and left-opening, the printing method is different from the viewpoint of "whether an even-numbered page or an odd-numbered page is developed in the front of the paint memory and printed first".

As described in the above example, the paint memory needs to have a capacity capable of expanding the data of two pages into a bit image and storing it.

[0011]

However, in the conventional two-page printing method described above, there is a problem that the paint memory requires a large capacity memory and becomes expensive, and printing is performed after expanding data for two pages. There is a problem that the processing time becomes long to start.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and a first object thereof is to successively transfer a spread page bitmap image from the received print information page by page. Accordingly, it is to provide a printing apparatus capable of outputting a double-page spread with a memory for one page.

The second purpose is to sequentially transfer the spread page bitmap image one page at a time while switching the transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode according to the designated print mode. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus capable of reliably switching control between transfer and single page transfer.

A third object is to compare the spread direction in which the spread pages are expanded with the spread direction in which the bitmap image is expanded to control spread page expansion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus that can output a double-page spread with a memory for one page even if the double-page spread direction and the unfolding direction are different.

A fourth object is to instruct the host side to switch the double-page spread output by successively transferring the bitmap images for double-page spread one by one in accordance with the print mode designated by the host computer. It is to provide a printing device that can do so.

A fifth object is to successively transfer one-page spread bitmap images sequentially for each page in accordance with a print mode designated from the operation panel.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that can instruct switching of spread page output from the operation unit side.

A sixth object is to successively transfer one-page spread bitmap images from the print information described in the received page description language, one page at a time, so that the one-page spread memory is used. It is to provide a printing device capable of outputting.

A seventh object is to successively transfer one-page spread bitmap images from the print information in which the received bitmap is coded, so that the spread pages are stored in one-page memory. It is to provide a printing device capable of outputting.

An eighth object is to provide a printing apparatus capable of developing a bitmap image of a two-page spread at high speed by analyzing print information, converting it into an intermediate code, and developing a bitmap based on the intermediate code. It is to be.

A ninth object is that when the spread page direction and the development direction of the bitmap image are different, the spread bitmap image is rotated and transferred to the printer engine so that the spread page direction and the bitmap image are transferred. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device capable of outputting a double-page spread with a memory for one page even if the image development direction is different.

A tenth object is to output a spread page in the memory for one page by successively transferring the bitmap images band-developed based on the received print information for spread pages, one page at a time. A printing device capable of performing

An eleventh object is a printing system capable of outputting a double-page spread in a single-page memory by successively and sequentially transferring a bitmap image of a double-page spread from the print information received from an external device for each single page. Is to provide.

A twelfth object is to successively transfer a spread page bitmap image based on print information received from an external device page by page while switching the transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode in accordance with a designated print mode. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of reliably controlling switching between double-page spread transfer and single-page transfer by performing transfer.

A thirteenth object is to control the spread page expansion by comparing the spread direction of the spread spread page and the spread direction of the bitmap image so that the spread direction and the spread direction are different. Is also to provide a printing system capable of outputting a double-page spread based on print information received from an external device with a memory for one page.

A fourteenth object is to successively transfer, one by one, a bitmap image for spread pages based on print information received from the external device according to a print mode designated by the external device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system capable of instructing switching of double-page spread output from the side.

A fifteenth object is to operate by successively and sequentially transferring one-page spread bitmap images for spread pages based on print information received from an external device according to a print mode designated from the operation panel. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system capable of instructing the switching of spread page output from the copy side.

A sixteenth object is to successively transfer one-page spread bitmap images from print information written in a page description language received from an external device, one page at a time. It is to provide a printing system capable of outputting a two-page spread in.

A seventeenth object is to successively transfer one-page spread bitmap images from the print information in which the bitmap received from the external device is encoded, so that one-page memory memory is sequentially transferred. It is to provide a printing system capable of outputting a two-page spread in.

The eighteenth object is to analyze the print information received from the external device, convert it into an intermediate code, and develop a bitmap based on the intermediate code, so that the bitmap image of the double-page spread can be developed at high speed. It is to provide a printing system that can.

A nineteenth object is to transfer the expanded bitmap image to the printer engine while rotating the expanded bitmap image when the spread page direction based on the printing device received from the external device and the expansion direction of the bitmap image are different. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a printing system capable of outputting a double-page spread with a memory for one page even if the double-page spread direction and the development direction of the bitmap image are different.

A twentieth object is to switch the transfer mode in accordance with the designated print mode and start the spread page transfer, whereby the spread page can be surely transferred by designating the print mode. Is to provide.

The twenty-first purpose is to switch the transfer mode according to the designated print mode, compare the spread direction and the bitmap image expansion direction, and transfer the expanded bitmap image while rotating it. To provide a page transfer method of a printing apparatus capable of efficiently transferring a bitmap image to a printer engine even if the spread direction and the bitmap image development direction are different.

[0033]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, storage means for storing a bitmap to be output to a printer engine in page units, and received print information are analyzed to store the bitmap image. Expansion means for expanding to the means, mode determining means for determining the designated print mode, and when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode, the expanding means sequentially expands the storage means page by page. Process the bitmap image,
And a control means for continuously transferring the spread pages by the printer engine.

A second aspect of the present invention is a storage means for storing a bitmap to be output to the printer engine in page units, and a developing means for analyzing received print information and developing a bitmap image in the storage means. And a mode determining means for determining a designated print mode and a transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode. Mode switching means for switching from the one-page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode, and the spread page transfer processing of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means by the expansion means according to the transfer mode switched by the mode switching means. And control means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an image processing means for performing a predetermined image processing on a bit map image developed in a storage means, and a recording medium when the mode determining means determines a spread print mode. The direction determining means for determining the two-page spread direction of the print information output in two-page spread, and the direction comparing means for comparing the two-page spread direction determined by the direction determining means and the bitmap image development direction for the storage means, the control means, Either the bitmap image image-processed by the image processing means or the bitmap image stored in the storage means is sequentially transferred to the printer engine for the spread pages based on the comparison result of the direction comparing means. It was done.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the print mode is designated by the host computer.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the print mode is designated from the operation panel.

A sixth aspect of the present invention comprises an analyzing means for analyzing print information, and the analyzing means is configured to analyze print information described in a page description language.

A seventh aspect of the present invention comprises an analyzing means for analyzing print information, and the analyzing means is configured to analyze print information in which a bitmap is encoded.

An eighth aspect of the present invention comprises an analyzing means for analyzing the print information, and the analyzing means converts the print information into an intermediate code.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the image processing means is configured to rotate the bitmap image expanded in the storage means by the expansion means in accordance with the spread direction.

In a tenth aspect of the present invention, the expanding means is configured to expand the bitmap image for one page into bands.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, a storage means for storing a bitmap to be output to a printer engine in the printing device in page units, and a bitmap image in the storage means by analyzing received print information. Expanding means for expanding, mode determining means for determining a designated print mode, and a bitmap that is sequentially expanded in the storage means by the expanding means when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode Process the image,
The printer engine is provided with control means for continuously transferring the spread pages.

A twelfth invention according to the present invention is an external device for transferring print information for double-page spread printing to a printing device,
In a printing system having a communication control unit that controls communication between the external device and the printing device, a storage unit that stores a bitmap to be output to the printer engine in page units and a bit that analyzes the received print information A developing means for developing the map image in the storage means, a mode determining means for determining a designated print mode, and a storage means for transferring to the printer engine when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode. A mode switching means for switching the transfer mode of the expanded bitmap image from the single page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode, and the expansion means expanded the storage means into the storage means in accordance with the transfer mode switched by the mode switching means. Control means for controlling spread page transfer process of bitmap image The but on the printing apparatus.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, an image processing means for performing a predetermined image processing on a bit map image developed in a storage means, and a recording medium when the mode determination means determines a spread print mode. The printing apparatus is provided with a direction determination means for determining a two-way spread direction of print information to be output in a two-page spread and a direction comparison means for comparing the two-page spread direction determined by the direction determination means with a bitmap image development direction for the storage means, and controlling the printing apparatus. The means sequentially transfers either the bitmap image image-processed by the image processing means or the bitmap image stored in the storage means based on the comparison result of the direction comparing means to the printer engine for the spread pages. It is configured as follows.

A fourteenth invention according to the present invention is configured such that a print mode is designated from an external device.

The fifteenth aspect of the present invention is configured such that the print mode is designated from the operation panel.

A sixteenth invention according to the present invention is provided with an analysis means for analyzing print information, and the analysis means is configured to analyze print information described in a page description language. A seventeenth aspect of the invention is provided with an analyzing unit for analyzing print information, and the analyzing unit is configured to analyze the print information in which the bit map is encoded.

The eighteenth aspect of the present invention is provided with an analyzing means for analyzing print information, and the analyzing means is configured to convert the print information into an intermediate code.

In a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the image processing means is configured to rotate the bit map image expanded in the storage means by the expansion means in the spread direction.

In a twentieth aspect of the present invention, when the mode determining means determines the spread printing mode, the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine is transferred as a single page. A mode switching step of switching from the mode to the spread page transfer mode, and a spread page transfer step of sequentially transferring spread pages of spread bitmap images in the storage means by the expanding means in accordance with the switched transfer mode. is there.

In the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, when the mode determining means determines the spread printing mode, the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine is transferred as a single page. A mode switching step of switching from the mode to the spread page transfer mode; and an image processing step of performing image processing on the stored bitmap image by comparing a bitmap image expansion direction expanded in the storage means with a spread page expansion direction, A spread page transfer process for sequentially transferring spread pages for either the image-processed bitmap image or the bitmap image stored in the storage means.

[0053]

In the first aspect of the invention, when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode, the control means processes the bitmap images sequentially expanded in page units in the storage means by the expanding means, The spread page is continuously transferred to the printer engine, and the bitmap image for the spread page is output in the spread page in the memory for one page.

In the second aspect of the invention, when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode, the mode switching means transfers the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to the printer engine to a single page. The transfer mode is switched to the double-page spread transfer mode, and the control means controls the double-page spread transfer processing of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means by the expanding means in accordance with the changed transfer mode to perform single-page spread transfer. The one-page transfer is surely switched and controlled.

In the third invention, the control means is either a bitmap image image-processed by the image processing means based on the comparison result of the direction comparing means or a bitmap image stored in the storage means. Sequentially transfer the spread pages to the printer engine,
Even if the two-page spread direction and the unfolding direction are different, the two-page spread page output is similarly performed in the memory for one page.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the bitmap images for spread pages are successively transferred page by page according to the print mode designated by the host computer, and the host side instructs switching of spread page output. To do.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the bitmap images for spread pages are successively transferred page by page according to the print mode specified from the operation panel, and the spread page output is switched from the operation unit side. It is an instruction.

In the sixth invention, the analyzing means analyzes the print information described in the page description language and divides the bitmap information for the spread pages from the received print information described in the page description language. The pages are sequentially and continuously transferred, and the spread pages are output in the memory for one page.

In the seventh invention, the analysis means analyzes the print information in which the bitmap is coded, and the received bitmap print information in which the bitmap is coded divides the bitmap image for the spread pages. By sequentially and sequentially transferring pages, a two-page spread output is performed in the memory for one page.

In the eighth invention, the analysis means converts the print information into an intermediate code, develops the bitmap based on the intermediate code, and develops the bitmap image of the spread page at high speed.

In the ninth invention, when the facing page direction and the developing direction of the bitmap image are different, the image processing means transfers the expanded bitmap image to the printer engine while rotating the spread page image. Even if the direction and the development direction of the bitmap image are different, the double-page output is performed in the memory for one page.

According to the tenth aspect of the invention, the bitmap images band-expanded by the expansion means based on the received print information for the spread pages are transferred successively page by page and stored in the memory for one page. This is for outputting a two-page spread.

In the eleventh aspect of the invention, the control means successively and sequentially transfers the bitmap images of spread pages from the print information received from the external device, one page at a time.
A two-page spread output is performed with a memory for one page.

In the twelfth aspect of the invention, the bit map image for the spread pages based on the print information received from the external device is switched while the transfer mode is switched to the spread page transfer mode according to the designated print mode. The control means successively and sequentially transfers one page at a time to reliably switch between the spread page transfer and the single page transfer.

In the thirteenth aspect, the control means is either a bitmap image image-processed by the image processing means based on the comparison result of the direction comparison means or a bitmap image stored in the storage means. Is sequentially transferred to the printer engine for the double-page spread, and even if the double-page spread direction and the development direction are different, the single-page memory similarly outputs the double-page spread based on the print information received from the external device.

In the fourteenth aspect of the invention, the bitmap images for spread pages based on the print information received from the external device according to the print mode designated by the host computer are successively transferred one by one to the host computer, This is to instruct switching of the double-page spread output from the side.

In the fifteenth aspect of the invention, the bitmap image for spread pages based on the print information received from the external device according to the print mode designated from the operation panel is successively transferred page by page for operation. This is for instructing the switching of the spread page output from the copy side.

In the sixteenth aspect of the invention, a bitmap image for spread pages is successively transferred page by page from the print information described in the page description language received from the external device, and the memory for one page is stored. Is used to output a double-page spread.

In the seventeenth aspect of the invention, the control means successively and continuously transfers the bitmap images of spread pages from the print information in which the bitmap received from the external device is coded, and the bitmap images of one page are sequentially transferred. The spread page output is performed in the memory.

In the eighteenth invention, the print information received from the external device is analyzed and converted into an intermediate code, and the bit map is developed based on the intermediate code, and the bit map image of the facing page is developed at high speed. To do.

In the nineteenth aspect, when the spread page direction based on the printing device received from the external device is different from the developing direction of the bitmap image, the image processing means rotates the developed bitmap image. Even if the spread page direction is different from the spread direction of the bitmap image after being transferred to the printer engine, the spread page output is performed in the memory for one page.

In the twentieth aspect of the invention, the spread-page bitmap image is sequentially transferred from the print information received from the external device for each page, and the spread page is output in the memory for one page. is there.

In the twenty-first aspect, the transfer mode is switched according to the designated print mode, and the developed bitmap image is rotated and transferred while comparing the spread direction and the bitmap image development direction. The bitmap image is efficiently transferred to the printer engine even if the spread direction and the bitmap image development direction are different.

[0074]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 210 denotes a printer main body, a central processing unit (CPU) 201, and a program ROM for storing various control programs including control procedures described later.
202, a RAM 203 for holding the record information of the page before being expanded in the paint memory 204, or a RAM 203 for holding the information as to whether the two-page printing method is right-opening or left-opening, a paint memory expanded in a bit image The main part is composed of the output unit 205 and the like that receives the content of the above and prints it out.

In the printing apparatus configured as described above, the host computer 206 or the operation unit (not shown)
CPU2 when the page spread print mode is specified
01 is sequentially read out from the bitmap image of one page of the spread page that is developed by the developing means prior to the paint memory 204, and is output to the output unit 205 to print before the completion of bitmap expansion for two pages. Start the two-page spread printing without waiting for the completion of the two-page bitmap image development. 207
Is a printer controller, and 208 is an operation unit.

FIG. 2 shows the paint memory 20 shown in FIG.
4A and 4B are schematic diagrams illustrating a bit image developed in FIG. 4, where FIG. 4A shows a bit image in the case of right-opening when printing two pages, and FIG. 4B shows a bit image in the case of left-opening when printing two pages. Indicates.

In the figure, reference numeral 401 corresponds to a right-opened two-page image, which is developed so that odd pages are arranged on the right side. Reference numeral 402 corresponds to a left-open two-page image, and is expanded so that even-numbered pages are arranged on the right side.

FIG. 3 shows the paint memory 20 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bit image that is rotated and expanded to 4;

In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a normal expansion image, which is the expansion image when printing the left-opened two pages.
302 is a rotation development image, and is a normal development image 301
Corresponds to the image rotated by 180 degrees, and becomes the developed image when printing the right-opened two pages. Correspondence between the first to tenth inventions (printing apparatuses) according to the present invention and the present embodiment and their functions will be described below.

In the first invention, when the mode determining means (CPU 201) determines the spread printing mode, the control means (CPU 201) causes the expanding means (CPU).
The storage means (the means for executing the expansion program by 201) processes the bitmap images sequentially expanded page by page in the storage means (paint memory 204 (having a capacity for storing one page of the bitmap image at the maximum paper size)). The printer engine (output unit 20
For 5), the spread pages are continuously transferred, and the bitmap image for spread pages is output as spread pages in the memory for one page.

In the second aspect of the invention, when the mode determining means (CPU 201) determines the spread printing mode, the mode switching means (the CPU 201 is configured as a means for executing the control program stored in the ROM 202) is described above. The transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage unit (paint memory 204) to be transferred to the printer engine (output unit 205) is switched from the single page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode, and the transfer mode is changed according to the switched transfer mode. Control means (CPU 20
1) is a developing means for storing the storage means (paint memory 2
This is to control the spread page transfer process of the bitmap image expanded in 04) so as to reliably switch between the spread page transfer and the single page transfer.

In the third invention, the control means (CPU
201) is the direction comparing means (CPU 201 is ROM
Image processing is performed by the image processing unit (the CPU 201 is configured as a unit that executes the control program stored in the ROM 202) based on the comparison result. Either the bitmap image or the bitmap image stored in the storage means (paint memory 204) is sequentially output to the printer engine (output unit 20).
When the spread page is transferred to 5) and the spread direction and the development direction are different, the spread page is output in the memory for one page in the same manner.

In the fourth invention, from the host computers 206A to 206C (communication control by different OS may be possible by a common protocol, or communication may be controlled by the same OS) According to the designated print mode, the bitmap images for spread pages are sequentially transferred one by one, and the host side instructs switching of spread page output.

In the fifth aspect of the invention, the bitmap images for spread pages are successively transferred page by page in accordance with the print mode designated from the operation panel (operation unit 208), and the operation unit 208 side This is an instruction to switch the output of the spread pages.

In the sixth invention, the analyzing means (CPU
201 is a page description language (Postscript, LIP)
The print information described in S, CaPSL, etc. (each of which is a product name) is analyzed, and a bitmap image for a double-page spread is sequentially consecutively printed one by one from the print information described in the received page description language. This is to transfer and output a double-page spread in the memory for one page.

In the seventh invention, the analyzing means (CPU
201) analyzes the print information in which the bitmap is coded, and sequentially transfers the spread page bitmap image for each spread page from the received print information in which the bitmap is coded. The double-page spread is output in the memory for one page.

In the eighth invention, the analyzing means (CPU
201) converts the print information into an intermediate code, and based on the intermediate code, develops a bitmap by a development control board (not shown) or a sub CPU (coprocessor) (not shown) to develop a bitmap image of a double-page spread at high speed. To do.

In the ninth invention, when the facing page direction and the developing direction of the bitmap image are different from each other, the image processing means (CPU 201) rotates the developed bitmap image by a known rotation reading process. Transfer to the printer engine (output unit 205),
Even if the spread page direction and the development direction of the bitmap image are different, the spread page output is performed in the memory for one page.

In the tenth aspect of the invention, the expansion means (CPU 20) is used based on the received print information for the spread pages.
By 1), the bitmap image band-expanded to a band memory (not shown) having a significantly smaller capacity than the paint memory 204 is sequentially transferred page by page, and the spread page output is performed in the memory for one page. It is something to do.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the page transfer method of the printing apparatus showing the embodiment of the present invention. Note that (1) to (10) indicate each step.

First, the CPU 201 determines whether or not double-page spread printing is designated as the print mode (1). When it is determined that the normal print mode is designated, the process proceeds to step (2), The normal expansion print processing routine is executed, and the processing is ended.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step (1) that the spread page print mode is designated,
The two-page printing process is started, and the process proceeds to step (3) to expand the record of the first page into the paint memory to form a bit image.

Here, the "record" (not shown) is a print command in which the characters and figures of a page are described is received from host data (not shown) and converted into an information format inside the printer. The processing is performed by the CPU 201 of FIG. 1), and this “record” is the RA of FIG.
It is assumed to be held in M203 or the like. The output of the “record” developed into a bit image is the output unit 20.
Pass to 5.

In step (4), it is checked whether the two-page printing status is "right-open" or "left-open". In this "two-page printing state", as shown in FIG. 2, when the paper printed with two pages is viewed by hand, the odd page is on the right side is "right opening" (right opening 2). (See page image 401), it is "left open" that odd pages come to the left
(See the left-opened two-page image 402).

If the result of determination in step (4) is "open left", the process proceeds to step (6) to transfer the contents of the paint memory 204 to the output unit 205 for printing.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step (4) is "open right", the process proceeds to step (5), where the contents of the paint memory 204 are rotated 180 degrees and developed for "open right". The reason for this is that the contents of the paint memory 204 already developed in step (3) are for "open left".

Here, in the process of step (5), as shown in FIG. 3, the normal developed image 301 can be used as it is for left-opened two-page printing, but if this is expanded 180 degrees, a rotated expanded image is obtained. As shown in 302, it can be used for opening to the right.

In step (6), printing is executed by transferring the contents of the paint memory 204 to the output unit 205. Next, in step (7), the record on the second page is developed in the paint memory 204 as a bit image.

Then, in step (8), as in step (4) above, the state of two-page printing is checked,
If the determination result is "right-opening", the contents of the paint memory 204 are rotated 180 degrees for "right-opening" in step (9) as in step (5) above.

If the result of determination in step (8) is "open left", the process proceeds to step (10) without performing the process of step (9), and the second page developed in the paint memory 204. Is transferred to the output unit 205, printing is performed, and the process ends.

As described above, according to the page transfer method of the first printing apparatus of the present invention, the storage unit (paint memory 204) for storing the bitmap to be output to the printer engine in page units, and the received print information. In a page transfer method of a printing apparatus having a developing means (CPU 201) for analyzing a bitmap image in the storage means and a mode determining means for determining a designated print mode, the mode determining means performs spread printing. When it is determined that the mode is the mode, a mode switching step (steps (1) to (3) for switching the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine from the single page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode. ))
And a two-page spread page transfer step (step (3) to step (10)) for sequentially transferring two-page spread bitmap images expanded in the storage means by the expansion means in accordance with the switched transfer mode, Bitmap images for spread pages are sequentially and continuously transferred from the print information received from the external device for each page, and spread pages are output in the memory for one page.

According to the second page transfer method of the printing apparatus of the present invention, the storage means (paint memory 2) for storing the bitmap output to the printer engine in page units.
04), and the developing means (CPU 20 for analyzing the received print information and developing the bitmap image in the storage means).
1) and a mode determining unit (CPU 201) for determining a designated print mode, a page transfer method for a printing apparatus, wherein when the mode determining unit determines the spread print mode, the page is transferred to the printer engine. Mode switching step of switching the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means from the single page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode (steps (1) to
(3)) and an image processing step of performing image processing on the stored bitmap image by comparing the bitmap image development direction developed in the storage means (paint memory 204) with the spread page development direction (step (4) ),
(5), Steps (8) and (9)) and a spread page transfer step of sequentially transferring spread pages for either the image-processed bitmap image or the bitmap image stored in the storage means (step ( 6), (1
0) and step (2)) are executed to switch the transfer mode according to the specified print mode and compare the spread direction and the bitmap image development direction to rotate the developed bitmap image. However, the bitmap image is efficiently transferred to the printer engine even if the spread direction and the bitmap image development direction are the same. [Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the contents of the paint memory 204 expanded for "left opening" when "right opening" is set to 1
Although it is inverted by 80 degrees, this is because the record information is for "left opening", that is, if the record information is created for "right opening", step (3), step ( 4) and the steps "7" and "8""rightopening" and "left opening" are just opposite conditions, and the same operation as in the above embodiment is performed. In other words, when printing 2 pages of "Left difference", paint memory 2
It means that the contents of 04 are rotated 180 degrees.

As described above, according to the page transfer method of the printing apparatus of the present invention, the bitmap image to be output to the output unit 205 is developed in the paint memory 204 page by page, and 2
When the two-page spread printing mode is designated by the mode designating unit that designates the two-page spread printing mode, the output unit sequentially reads from the bitmap image of one page of the two-page spread that is developed prior to the paint memory 204. It is possible to start the printing process without waiting for the completion of the bitmap expansion for two pages because the printing is started sequentially from the bitmap image of one page that is output to 205 and expanded in the paint memory in advance. Becomes [Third Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the output unit 205 to which the present invention is applied is not particularly limited, but the printer engine may be a bubble jet printer engine or a laser beam printer engine (details will be described later). Do)
But exactly the same.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view for explaining the structure of a laser beam printer to which the present embodiment is applied, which is constructed so that a character pattern and a fixed form (form data) can be registered from a data source (not shown). There is.

In the figure, reference numeral 1000 denotes a laser beam printer (LBP) main body (hereinafter simply referred to as a main body),
Character information (character code) supplied from an external device, such as the host computer 206 shown in FIG. 1 or the like, which is connected to the outside, form information, a macro command, or the like is input and stored, and corresponding in accordance with the information. A character pattern, a form pattern, etc. are created, and an image is formed on a recording sheet, which is a recording medium. An operation panel 1112 is provided with switches for operation and an LED display or LCD display for displaying the status of the printer.
A printer control unit 01 controls the entire LBP 1000 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer. This printer control unit 1101
(The printer controller 207 shown in FIG. 1) mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs it to the laser driver 1102. Laser driver 1
Reference numeral 102 denotes a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1103, which corresponds to the semiconductor laser 11 depending on the input video signal.
The laser beam 1104 emitted from 03 is switched on / off. As a result, a character pattern electrostatic latent image is formed on the electrostatic drum 1106.

This latent image is developed by a phenomenon unit 1107 around the electrostatic drum 1106 and then transferred to a recording sheet. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet is the sheet cassette 11 mounted on the main body 1000.
No. 08 is accommodated in the apparatus and is taken into the apparatus by the sheet feeding roller 1109 and the conveying rollers 1110 and 1111 and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1106. A reference numeral 1105 is a polygon mirror.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

Since the print sequence in the laser printer cannot be interrupted, it is assumed that the bitmap development of the remaining one page is finished at the time when the one-page printing is finished. [Other Embodiments] In the above embodiments, the printing apparatus has been described in detail as an example, but the present invention is also applied to a printing system capable of communicating with an external device (for example, a host computer) via a network path or a communication line path. It goes without saying that it can be applied. That is, the basic configuration is the same as that in FIG. 1, and the present invention can be applied to any printing system as long as the host computer group and the printer body 210 can communicate with each other.

Correspondence and operation between the 11th to 19th inventions according to the present invention and other embodiments will be described below.

In the eleventh aspect of the invention, the control means (CPU 201 functioning as a system controller) successively outputs the spread page bitmap images one by one from the print information received from the external devices (host computers 206A to 206C). The data is transferred and output as a double-page spread in one page of memory.

In the twelfth aspect of the invention, the mode switching means (CPU 201) switches the transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode in accordance with the designated print mode.
The control means successively and sequentially transfers the bitmap images for spread pages based on the print information received from the external devices (host computers 206A to 206C) by one page at a time, thereby reliably switching between the spread page transfer and the single page transfer. Is.

In the thirteenth invention, the control means (CP
U201 is the direction comparing means (CPU 201 is RO
The image processing means (which is configured as a means for executing the CPU 201 based on the control program stored in the ROM 202) based on the comparison result of Either the image-processed bitmap image or the bitmap image stored in the paint memory 204 is sequentially processed by the printer engine (output unit 20).
5, even if the two-page spread is transferred and the two-page spread direction and the unfolding direction are different, the one-page memory similarly outputs the two-page spread based on the print information received from the external device (host computers 206A to 206C). Is.

In the fourteenth invention, an external device (host computer 206A-206C) is selected according to the print mode designated by the host computer 206A-206C.
Bit map images for spread pages based on the print information received from C) are sequentially and sequentially transferred page by page, and the host side instructs switching of spread page output.

In the fifteenth aspect of the invention, the bitmap images for spread pages based on the print information received from the external device according to the print mode designated from the operation panel (operation unit 208) are sequentially consecutively page by page. The data is transferred and the operation unit 208 instructs the switching of the spread page output.

In the sixteenth aspect of the invention, a bitmap image for spread pages is sequentially transferred page by page from print information written in the page description language received from an external device (host computers 206A to 206C). Then, the spread pages are output in the memory for one page.

In the seventeenth aspect of the invention, the control means successively and continuously transfers the bitmap images for spread pages from the print information in which the bitmaps received from the external devices (host computers 206A to 206C) are coded. Then, the spread pages are output in the memory for one page.

In the eighteenth invention, the print information received from the external device (host computer 206A to 206C) is analyzed and converted into an intermediate code, the bit map is developed based on the intermediate code, and the spread page is opened. It is for developing bitmap images at high speed.

In the nineteenth invention, when the spread page direction based on the printing device received from the external device (host computers 206A to 206C) and the development direction of the bitmap image are different, the image processing means (CPU).
201 is configured as a means for executing based on a control program stored in the ROM 202) and transfers the expanded bitmap image to the printer engine (output unit 205) while rotating the spread page direction and the bitmap image. Even if the expansion direction is different, the spread page output is performed in the memory for one page.

[0120]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention
According to the invention, when the mode determination unit determines the spread printing mode, the control unit processes the bitmap images sequentially expanded in page units in the storage unit by the expansion unit and instructs the printer engine. Since the pages are continuously transferred for the spread pages, the bitmap image for the spread pages can be output in the spread pages in the memory for one page.

According to the second invention, when the mode determining means determines the spread print mode, the mode switching means transfers the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded to the storage means to the printer engine to a single mode. The page transfer mode is switched to the spread page transfer mode, and the control means controls the spread page transfer processing of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means by the expanding means in accordance with the switched transfer mode. It is possible to reliably control switching between single page transfer.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the control means selects either the bitmap image processed by the image processing means based on the comparison result by the direction comparing means or the bitmap image stored in the storage means. Since these pages are sequentially transferred to the printer engine for the spread pages, the spread pages can be similarly output in the memory for one page even if the spread direction and the developing direction are different.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the bitmap images for spread pages are successively transferred one page at a time in accordance with the print mode designated by the host computer, and the spread page output is switched from the host side. Can point.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the bitmap images for spread pages are sequentially transferred one page at a time in accordance with the print mode designated from the operation panel, and the spread page output is switched from the operation unit side. Can be indicated.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the analyzing means analyzes the print information described in the page description language to generate a bitmap image for a spread page from the received print information described in the page description language. Since one page at a time is continuously transferred, a two-page spread can be output in the memory for one page.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the analyzing means analyzes the print information in which the bitmap is coded, and extracts the bitmap image for the spread page from the received print information in which the bitmap is coded. By sequentially and sequentially transferring one page at a time, it is possible to output a two-page spread in the memory for one page.

According to the eighth invention, the analyzing means converts the print information into an intermediate code and develops the bitmap based on the intermediate code, so that the bitmap image of the spread page can be developed at high speed. .

According to the ninth invention, when the spread page direction and the bitmap image development direction are different,
Since the image processing means transfers the expanded bitmap image to the printer engine while rotating it, even if the spread page direction and the expansion direction of the bitmap image are different, the spread page output is performed in the memory for one page. You can

According to the tenth aspect of the invention, since the bit map images band-expanded by the expansion means based on the received print information for the spread pages are successively transferred page by page, memory for one page is stored. You can output a double-page spread with.

According to the eleventh aspect of the invention, since the control unit successively transfers the bitmap images of spread pages from the print information received from the external device one by one in succession, the spread pages are output in the memory for one page. It can be performed.

According to the twelfth aspect, while the transfer mode is switched to the spread page transfer mode in accordance with the designated print mode, the bitmap image for spread pages based on the print information received from the external device. Since the control means successively and sequentially transfers one page at a time,
It is possible to reliably switch between double-page spread transfer and single-page transfer.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the control means selects either the bitmap image image-processed by the image processing means or the bitmap image stored in the storage means based on the comparison result of the direction comparing means. Since these pages are sequentially transferred to the printer engine for the spread pages, the spread pages can be output based on the print information received from the external device in the memory for one page even if the spread direction and the developing direction are different. .

According to the fourteenth aspect of the invention, since the bitmap images for spread pages based on the print information received from the external device according to the print mode designated by the host computer are successively transferred page by page. The host side can instruct switching of the spread page output.

According to the fifteenth invention, since the bitmap images for spread pages based on the print information received from the external device according to the print mode designated from the operation panel are successively transferred one by one, It is possible to instruct switching of the spread page output from the operation unit side.

According to the sixteenth aspect, since the bitmap images for spread pages are sequentially transferred one by one sequentially from the print information described in the page description language received from the external device, one page worth of page images is continuously transferred. Spread pages can be output in memory.

According to the seventeenth aspect, since the control means successively and successively transfers the bitmap images of spread pages from the print information in which the bitmap received from the external device is coded, one page worth of the bitmap images. Spread pages can be output in the memory.

According to the eighteenth aspect, the print information received from the external device is analyzed and converted into an intermediate code, and the bit map is developed based on the intermediate code. Therefore, the bit map image of the double-page spread can be processed at high speed. Can be deployed.

According to the nineteenth aspect, when the spread page direction based on the printing device received from the external device and the developing direction of the bitmap image are different, the image processing means rotates the developed bitmap image. However, since the data is transferred to the printer engine, even if the spread page direction and the bitmap image development direction are different, the spread page output can be performed with the memory for one page.

According to the twentieth aspect of the invention, since the bitmap images for spread pages are sequentially transferred page by page from the print information received from the external device, the spread pages are output in the memory for one page. You can

According to the twenty-first aspect, the transfer mode is switched according to the designated print mode, and the expanded bitmap image is transferred while comparing the spread direction and the bitmap image expansion direction. Therefore, the bitmap image can be efficiently transferred to the printer engine even if the spread direction and the bitmap image development direction are different.

Therefore, there is an effect that the waiting time until the page printing is started in the two-page printing mode can be shortened and the two-page printing can be efficiently performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bit image developed in the paint memory shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a bit image rotated and developed in the paint memory shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a printing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a laser beam printer to which this embodiment is applied.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a page layout when printing two pages in this type of printing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 201 CPU 202 ROM 203 RAM 204 Paint Memory 205 Output Unit 206 Host Computer 207 Printer Controller

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. A storage means for storing a bitmap to be output to a printer engine in page units, a developing means for analyzing received print information and developing a bitmap image in the storage means, and a designated print mode. A mode determining unit for determining and a bitmap image sequentially expanded in page units in the storage unit by the expanding unit when the mode determining unit determines the spread print mode, and outputs the processed image to the printer engine. A printing apparatus comprising: a control unit for continuously transferring the spread pages. 2. A storage unit for storing a bitmap to be output to the printer engine in page units, an expansion unit for analyzing received print information and expanding a bitmap image in the storage unit, and a designated print mode. A mode determining unit for determining and a transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage unit to be transferred to the printer engine when the mode determining unit determines the spread printing mode from the single page transfer mode. It has a mode switching means for switching to the mode, and a control means for controlling the spread page transfer processing of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means by the expansion means according to the transfer mode switched by the mode switching means. And printing device. 3. A spread direction of print information to be spread out and output to a recording medium when an image processing unit for performing a predetermined image processing on a bitmap image expanded in a storage unit and a mode determination unit determines a spread print mode. And a direction comparison means for comparing the spread direction determined by the direction determination means and the bitmap image development direction for the storage means, and the control means causes the direction comparison means to compare 3. The printing according to claim 2, wherein either the bitmap image image-processed by the image processing unit or the bitmap image stored in the storage unit is sequentially transferred to the printer engine for the spread pages. apparatus. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print mode is designated by a host computer. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print mode is designated from the operation panel. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an analyzing unit for analyzing the print information, and the analyzing unit analyzes the print information described in the page description language. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an analyzing unit for analyzing the print information, and the analyzing unit analyzes the print information in which the bit map is encoded. 8. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an analysis unit that analyzes print information, and the analysis unit converts the print information into an intermediate code. 9. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image processing means rotates the bitmap image expanded in the storage means by the expansion means in accordance with the spread direction. 10. The expansion means band-expands a bitmap image for one page.
Or the printing apparatus according to any one of 2 and 3. 11. A printing system, comprising: an external device for transferring print information for double-page spread printing to a printing device; and a communication control means for controlling communication between the external device and the printing device, wherein the printing device is a printer. Storage means for storing the bitmap output to the engine in page units;
A developing means for analyzing the received print information and developing a bitmap image in the storage means, a mode determining means for determining a designated print mode, and a case where the mode determining means determines the spread print mode, A printing system, comprising: a control means for processing a bitmap image sequentially expanded in page units in the storage means by the expansion means and continuously transferring to the printer engine for spread pages. 12. A printing system having an external device for transferring print information for double-page spread printing to a printing device, and a communication control means for controlling communication between the external device and the printing device, the information being output to a printer engine. Storage means for storing a bitmap in page units, developing means for analyzing received print information and developing a bitmap image in the storage means, mode determining means for determining a designated print mode, and mode determining means Mode switching means for switching the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine from the single-page transfer mode to the double-page spread mode when the means determines the double-page spread transfer mode. The storage means is expanded by the expansion means in accordance with the transfer mode switched by the switching means. A printing system, wherein: a printing device is provided with a control unit for controlling a spread page transfer process of a bitmap image expanded in stages. 13. A spread direction of print information to be spread and output to a recording medium when an image processing unit for performing a predetermined image processing on a bitmap image expanded in a storage unit and a mode determination unit determines a spread print mode. And a direction comparing means for comparing the spread direction determined by the direction determining means with the bit map image developing direction for the storage means, and the control means controls the direction comparing means. 13. A spread page is transferred to the printer engine in sequence for either the bitmap image image-processed by the image processing means or the bitmap image stored in the storage means based on the comparison result. The printing system described. 14. The printing system according to claim 11, wherein the print mode is designated from an external device. 15. The printing system according to claim 11, wherein the print mode is designated from the operation panel. 16. An analysis means for analyzing print information is provided,
14. The printing system according to claim 11, wherein the analyzing unit analyzes the print information described in the page description language. 17. An analysis means for analyzing print information is provided,
14. The printing system according to claim 11, wherein the analysis unit analyzes the print information in which the bit map is encoded. 18. An analysis means for analyzing print information is provided,
14. The printing system according to claim 11, wherein the analysis unit converts the print information into an intermediate code. 19. The printing system according to claim 13, wherein the image processing unit rotates the bitmap image expanded in the storage unit by the expansion unit according to a spread direction. 20. Storage means for storing a bitmap to be output to the printer engine in page units, expansion means for analyzing received print information and expanding a bitmap image in the storage means, and a designated print mode. In the page transfer method of the printing apparatus having the mode determining means, when the mode determining means determines the spread printing mode, the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine is set. A mode switching step of switching from the single page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode, and a spread page transfer step of sequentially transferring spread pages of spread bitmap images in the storage means by the expanding means in accordance with the switched transfer mode. A page transfer method for a printing apparatus, comprising: 21. Storage means for storing a bitmap to be output to the printer engine in page units, expansion means for analyzing received print information and expanding a bitmap image in the storage means, and a designated print mode. In the page transfer method of the printing apparatus having the mode determining means, when the mode determining means determines the spread printing mode, the transfer mode of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means to be transferred to the printer engine is set. An image for performing image processing on the stored bitmap image by comparing a mode of changing the single-page transfer mode to the spread page transfer mode with the spread direction of the bitmap image expanded in the storage means and the spread page expansion direction. Processing step and image-processed bitmap image or the above 2. A page transfer method for a printing apparatus, comprising: a two-page spread transfer step of sequentially transferring one of the bitmap images stored in the storage means by the two-page spread.