JPH07323608A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To solve such a problem that a printing result is different or printing becomes impossible corresponding to the resolving power of a printer capable of changing over printing density resolving power. CONSTITUTION:In a printer having, for example, two kinds of printing densities and capable of freely changing over printing density resolving power, the indication of printing density resolving power and the kind 4 of printing data determining the possibility of density conversion, the indication of resolving power 2 to printing data in a page unit and the indication of resolving power 3 in a printing medium unit are performed and the resolving power 5 of the printer (the resolving power of a bit map memory) and the changeover of density conversion are determined on the basis of the kind 4 of printing data, the resolving power 2 of the page unit and the resolving power 3 of the printing medium unit to perform printing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer capable of switching the print density resolution, and a printer for printing by determining the print density resolution according to the type of print data, the resolution of each page and the resolution of each print medium. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a conventional printer device. Due to the development of multimedia in recent years, high-quality printer devices are required, but print data sent from a host, which is a higher-level device, to the printer device is set based on the specific resolution of the printer device. Data.

In FIG. 5, the print data sent from the host device via the adapter is stored in the main storage device (MM) 2
After the data is analyzed by the predetermined data analysis program 21 'developed above and expanded to a predetermined size, for example, interpolation or reduced, for example, thinned out and expanded in the bitmap memory 3, it is printed in the printing unit 4. Transfer to photosensitive drum and print.

[0004]

When print data of resolutions designed on the premise of the resolution provided in the printer device is printed by printer devices having different print resolutions, for example, the number of dot data per inch is reduced. Because it is different, if the resolution of the print data is finer than the print density resolution of the printer device, it will be printed as if it was reduced,
On the other hand, if the resolution of the print data is coarser than the print density resolution of the printer, the print is enlarged. Therefore, in reality, the above data analysis program
At 21, the print data sent is analyzed, and a predetermined density conversion is performed for printing.

However, if the above-mentioned density conversion is performed on the print data sent from the host device, dot unit,
Alternatively, there is data such as a bar code which gives different results depending on the error in inches.

For example, with data premised on printing with a 240 dpi printer, 24 dots of data are printed at 0.1 inch intervals of the bar code. When printing the print data designed in this way with a 400 dpi printer device, for example, by performing density conversion of 24 dots × 400/240 = 40 dots, the same bar code with 0.1 inch intervals can be printed. However, if the accurate density conversion cannot be performed as described above, for example, the density conversion is increased or decreased by 1 dot, and there is a problem that an accurate barcode cannot be printed. It was

That is, for such print data,
There is a problem that the density conversion cannot be performed by enlarging or reducing inside the printer device. In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printer device capable of switching the print density resolution, which solves the problem that the print result differs depending on the resolution of the printer device or that printing cannot be performed. Is.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention, in which the print density resolution (bitmap memory resolution) of a printer device and, for example, a page unit designated by a print command (POC command). , The resolution of each print media, and the type of print data,
The principle configuration for determining at which print density resolution to print is shown. The above problems can be solved by a printer device configured as described below.

(1) A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions of the printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions, wherein the print density resolution is unique according to the type of print data instructed by the host device. Determining means 20, a determining means 21 for determining the resolution a of data based on the determined print density resolution, the resolution of each page, and the resolution of the print medium, and a resolution a of the determined data, According to the print density resolution determined above, means 21a, 21b, 21c is provided for performing a selection process of density conversion or normal printing depending on the type of print data.

(2) A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions of the printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions. For example, print data relating to determination of the print density resolution in the printer device. Switching means 20,21, for switching the print density resolution of the printer device to one of the print density resolution specified by the type of the print data, the resolution in page units specified in the print data, and the resolution in print media units. 21a and 21a.

(3) A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions of the printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions. For example, the printer device is specified for print data by a predetermined print command. , The resolution in page units, the resolution of data in print media units, the print density resolution of the printer device, and the type of print data that determines whether or not density conversion specified by a predetermined print mode command a is possible, for example. Therefore, density conversion control means 20, 21, 21b for controlling whether or not to perform density conversion of print data is provided.

(4) A printer device having a plurality of printing density resolutions of the printer device and being capable of freely switching the printing density resolutions, and having a predetermined resolution designed on the premise of a specific printing density resolution. The means for printing the print data at that resolution, and the means for density-converting and printing the print data designed at a resolution different from the above resolution, the resolution of the data and the print density provided in the printer device. Selection means for selecting by resolution and, for example, the type of print data that determines whether or not density conversion specified by a predetermined print mode command a is possible
It is configured to include 20, 21, 21c.

[0013]

In other words, the printer device of the present invention, according to the data type instructed by the higher-level device, determines at which resolution the print data can be printed and whether density conversion can be performed.
The resolution (printing density resolution) of the bitmap memory provided in the printer device is uniquely determined, and the determined resolution of the bitmap memory (printing density resolution)
And a resolution for each page that specifies at what resolution the page is printed, and a resolution for each print medium (for example, image data, graphics, characters, etc.) that composes the page, The data resolution a is determined by the data analysis program 21 based on the page resolution and the media resolution.

The data analysis program 21 performs density conversion for printing or density conversion according to the resolution a of the data, the resolution of the determined bitmap memory of the printer device, and the data type. Instead, the data is printed at the resolution of the above data. {Refer to the processing matrix of FIG. 4}
Specifically, the print density resolution is, for example, two types (240
The printer device which has the maximum print density, 400 dpi, has a bitmap memory with a capacity capable of storing one page of print data. Therefore, when print data with a print density resolution of 240 dpi is received, the received data is stored in the area of the bitmap memory corresponding to the resolution of 240 dpi and then transferred to the photosensitive drum of the printing unit. When the print data with a print density resolution of 400 dpi is received, the received data is stored in the full bitmap memory, and the data in the bitmap memory is stored in the photosensitive drum of the printing unit. By transferring and printing, it is possible to obtain a print output with the above two types (240 dpi, 400 dpi) of print density resolution.

At this time, the resolution of each print medium is
When the resolution is different from the determined resolution of the bitmap memory, only when the data type is a print data type capable of density conversion, the resolution of the density is converted to the resolution of the bitmap memory. At this time, in the case of a print target (for example, a conversion figure, etc.) in the page that is not designated by the print medium, as shown in FIG. 4, at the print resolution of the page unit, the determined bit is determined. Converted to map memory resolution. In particular, for characters, since character generators are normally provided with dot data in character units corresponding to the resolutions of the above two types (240 dpi, 400 dpi), the above density conversion simply means which character generator data. It is realized by reading.

Since the printer according to the present invention operates as described above, even if the print data designed on the premise of the specific resolution of the printer is received, the type of the received print data is judged. , Decide which of the print density resolutions it has to print, and
When the data type is a print data type that can be density converted, the resolution data of each print medium is
Since the density is converted to the resolution of the bitmap memory before printing, the print result may be the same resolution as the data type specified by the host indicates, or the higher resolution provided by the higher resolution of the printer device. There is an effect that a print result with various resolutions can be obtained.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The above-mentioned FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the principle of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the printer device of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the printing process of the present invention, and FIG. , Print density resolution of printer device, print data resolution, and,
Print data analysis program according to print data type 2
The processing matrices for 1,21a-21c are shown.

In the present invention, the resolution (printing density resolution) of the bitmap memory 3 provided in the printer is uniquely determined based on the data type instructed from the host, and the determined bitmap memory A resolution of 3 (print density resolution) and a resolution per page that specifies at what resolution the page should be printed,
It has a resolution for each print medium (for example, image data, graphics, characters, etc.) that composes the page, and the data analysis program 21 uses the resolution for each page and the resolution for each media to determine the data. Means for determining the resolution a and the data analysis program 2
1, 21a to 21c, based on the resolution a of the printer, the resolution of the determined bitmap memory of the printer, and the data type instructing the availability of the density conversion, according to the resolution of the printer. Means for printing with density conversion, or means for printing with the resolution of the above data without density conversion 21a, 21b, 2
1c is the means necessary to carry out the present invention. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the drawings.

The configuration and printing process of the printer device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 while referring to FIG. First, in the printer device of the present invention shown in FIG.
Multiple types of print density resolutions (for example, 24 types)
It has 0 dpi, 400 dpi). Therefore, as mentioned above,
The capacity of the bitmap memory 3 is 400 dp in this embodiment.
If the data of i has the capacity to store one page and the resolution of the data received from the host is 240 dpi, it is stored in the corresponding area of the bitmap memory 3 and received from the host. If the print data has a resolution of 400 dpi in page units, it is stored in the entire area of the bitmap memory 3.

Usually, from the host, for example, a print output control command {hereinafter, POC command
(Print command)} specifies the resolution in page units, and in the data section following the POC command, print media (image data, graphics, characters),
The resolution for each print medium is designated. Also, the print output mode command from the host {hereinafter, PO
M command (print mode command)} a allows data types such as bar code data that cannot be density converted, normal data types that can be density converted, and which print density resolution (240 dpi or 240 dpi / 4
The data type that indicates whether to print at 00 dpi or only 400 dpi is specified.

Central processing unit (CPU) of the printer device 1
The data received by the POM command a, POC command received from the host, once
Stored in the second print data area 22.

Next, the central processing unit (CPU) 1 executes the print data type analysis program 20, recognizes the type of print data instructed by the POM command a, and executes the data analysis program 21. The resolution of each page designated by the POC command and the resolution of each print medium (image data, figure, character) designated by the data part of the POC command are recognized.

In the bitmap memory switching program 21a, the print density resolution range specified by the data type uniquely determines the print density resolution of the printer. . For example, when the data type indicates 240 dpi, the data type is switched to the bitmap memory 3 having a print density resolution of 240 dpi, and the data type is
If 240 dpi / 400 dpi is specified, a bitmap memory with a print density resolution of 400 dpi with good printing accuracy.
Switch to 3.

When it is instructed that the print data type is data capable of density conversion, the print density conversion program 21b becomes data stored in the determined resolution of the bitmap memory 3. like,
Density conversion is performed on the resolution of each print medium and the resolution of each page.

That is, when the resolution of the switched bitmap memory 3 is 240 dpi and the resolution of each page is 240 dpi, if the resolution of image data and graphics is 240 dpi, the bitmap is It is stored in the corresponding area of memory 3, but if the resolution of the image data and graphics is 400 dpi, the density is converted to 240 dpi.
(Specifically, the thinning process). For characters, even if the resolution is specified as 400 dpi, 240 dpi character data is read from the 240 dpi character generator,
Store in the corresponding area of bitmap memory 3. Further, the print data in the page which is not designated by the print medium is also density-converted to the resolution of the bitmap memory 3.

Similarly, when the resolution of the bitmap memory 3 determined above is 400 dpi and the resolution of image data and graphics is 240 dpi, density conversion is performed.
(Specifically, interpolation processing). 400 dpi for text
Read character data of 400 dpi from the character generator of and store it in the corresponding area of bitmap memory 3. If the resolution of the image data and the figure is 400 dpi, it is stored in the corresponding area of the bitmap memory 3 at the same time, and in the case of a character, the character data of 400 dpi is read,
Store in the corresponding area of bitmap memory 3. Further, similarly to the above, for print data not specified by the resolution of the print medium in the page, if the resolution is the same as that of the bitmap memory 3, and if it is different from the resolution of the bitmap memory 3, Density converted,
The data is stored in the corresponding area of the bitmap memory 3. At this time, if the resolution of the bitmap memory 3 determined by the data type is 400 dpi, a high quality print result can be obtained. If the resolution of each print media
, And, even though the print resolution of the page is 400 dpi, when the resolution of the bitmap memory 3 determined above is 240 dpi, the resolution of the print data of the page unit is converted to 240 dpi. (Thinning out),
The data may be stored in the corresponding area of the bitmap memory 3, but in this case, the printing quality is degraded.

As described above, the bitmap memory 3
Data of the resolution designated by the data type is stored above. {Refer to processing steps 100, 101, 102, 103 in FIG. 3} The data type designated by the POM command a is
In the case of a data type such as barcode data that has not been subjected to density conversion, the bitmap memory 3 having a predetermined resolution is selected, and the density is not converted and the data is stored in a predetermined area of the bitmap memory 3. Is stored. {Refer to processing steps 100, 101, 102, 104 in FIG. 3} The print data stored in the bitmap memory 3 is transferred to the photosensitive drum of the printing unit 4 in units of one page. At this time, if the resolution of one page is 240 dpi,
Print data stored in part of bitmap memory 3 (bitmap memory resolution supports 240 dpi)
However, the data is transferred to the full extent of the photosensitive drum and becomes 240 dpi print data that the printer device has. Similarly, if the resolution of one page is 400 dpi, the print data stored in the entire bitmap memory 3 (the resolution of the bitmap memory corresponds to 400 dpi) is transferred to the full photosensitive drum, The print data is 400 dpi that the printer has. {Refer to the processing steps 105 and 106 of FIG. 3} The printing method of printing the density-converted data or printing the data without density conversion is selected.
Specifically, it is the printing method selection program 21c shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 that selects (transfers to the photosensitive drum) the bitmap memory 3.

FIG. 4 is a representation of the printing process described above in a processing matrix. For example, the resolution for each page specified by the POC command, the resolution (data resolution) for each print medium specified by the data section of the POC command, and the data type specified by the POM command a (determined in this matrix, Bitmap memory resolution and density conversion are possible and not shown)
As described above, the matrix shows the printing process when the printing density resolution of the printer device, that is, the resolution of the bitmap memory 3 is determined.

In this matrix, in the case of the data type capable of density conversion, the resolution of the page unit, the resolution of the bitmap memory 3 determined as described above,
The print data a (see FIG. 1) having the resolution converted by the density of the print medium is generated. Further, in the case of bar code data for which density conversion is not possible, print data a having the same resolution is generated.

Switching means (bitmap memory switching means) 21a for switching the print density resolution of the printer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to print according to the data type from the host device is shown in FIG. It corresponds to the resolution switching means of the bitmap memory 3.

Further, the print density converting means shown in FIGS.
Reference numeral 21b corresponds to the density conversion processing means corresponding to the data type capable of density conversion in FIG. Further, it is designed on the assumption of a specific print density resolution () depending on the resolution of data in units of print media shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the print density resolution provided in the printer device, and the type of print data. The means 21c for selecting the means for printing the print data having a predetermined resolution at that resolution and the means for density-converting and printing the print data designed at a resolution different from the above resolution are shown in FIG. This corresponds to the printing method selection unit in FIG. 4 for “printing as it is” or “printing with density conversion”.

As described above, the printer device of the present invention uniquely determines the resolution (printing density resolution) of the bitmap memory 3 of the printer device according to the data type from the host device, and the bitmap memory 3 thus determined. Resolution (print density resolution), page resolution,
The resolution a of the data determined by the data analysis program is determined by the resolution of the print medium and the data type. By specifying the resolution a of the data and the resolution (printing density resolution) of the bitmap memory 3, density conversion is performed according to the data type according to the resolution of the bitmap memory 3 (printing density resolution). Or a process of selecting whether or not to print it is performed. Again 2
The feature is that if the two resolutions are inconsistent, an error notification is sent to the host.

[0033]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, even if print data designed on the premise of a specific resolution of a printer is received, the type of print data is judged and For example, the received print data is determined as one of the print density resolutions capable of high-quality printing, and in the case of print data capable of density conversion, the resolution data of each print medium is determined as above. Print density resolution (ie resolution of bitmap memory)
Since the density is converted into the print result, the print result is the same as the print result with the resolution specified by the host, or there is an effect that a higher-quality print result with the higher resolution provided by the printer device can be obtained. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (No. 1).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (part 2).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (part 3).

FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional printer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Central processing unit (CPU) 2 Main memory
(MM) 3 Bitmap memory 4 Printing unit 5 Adapter (ADP) 20 Print data type analysis program 21 ', 21 Data analysis program 21a Bitmap memory switching means 21b Print density conversion means, density conversion program 21c Printing method selection program POC command a POM command Print resolution in page units Resolution in print media units Print data type Printer device resolution, bitmap memory resolution

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions () of a printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions (), wherein: Means (20) for uniquely determining the print density resolution ();
Means (21) for determining the resolution (a) of the data based on the print density resolution (), the page resolution (), and the print media resolution () determined above;
Means for performing selection processing of density conversion or normal printing according to the type () of the print data according to the determined data resolution (a) and the determined print density resolution (). 21a, 21b, 21c). 2. A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions () of the printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions (), which is involved in determining the print density resolution () of the printer device. The print density resolution () of the printer device can be set according to the type of print data () to be printed, the resolution () specified for print data in page units, and the resolution in print media units (). A printer device comprising switching means (20, 21, 21a) for switching and printing. 3. A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions () of the printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions (), wherein the print data is specified in units of pages specified for print data. Whether to perform density conversion of print data based on the resolution (), the resolution () for each print medium, the print density resolution () of the printer device, and the type of print data () that determines whether density conversion is possible. A printer device comprising a density converting means (20, 21, 21b) for controlling the above. 4. A printer device having a plurality of print density resolutions () of a printer device and being capable of freely switching the print density resolutions (), and designed on the premise of a specific print density resolution (). The print data having a predetermined resolution is printed at that resolution, and the print data designed at a resolution different from the above resolution is density-converted and printed. A selection unit (20, 21, 21c) for selecting according to the resolution () in units of media, the print density resolution () included in the printer device, and the type () of print data. Printer device.