JPH0732673A - Program switching system for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve operability of a printer by switching to other program to which memory capacity large enough for processing data is allotted when a memory capacity of a memory means is short. CONSTITUTION:When an emulation program is selected by an input section (S1), a controller checks memory capacity allotted to the emulation program in various buffers and raster memories and determines whether the memory capacity suffices or not in relation with quantity of data from a host computer to be processed (S2). When the memory capacity is short, the controller displays a command 'change of memory capacity' on a display section for a user (S3). Looking at the indication, the user operates an input section by operating a keyboard so as to switch to other emulation program in which memory capacity suffices (S4). The selected and switched emulation program is controlled so as to expand a printing image in the raster memory.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an emulation program switching method used for ensuring compatibility between a printer and a host device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, printers equipped with a plurality of emulation programs have been used in order to be compatible with host devices such as office computers, personal computers, and word processors, and to support application software on computers. .
Since such a printer has different functions and performances for each emulation program, data required for printing operation is different, and a memory area for storing print data is assigned to each emulation program. The data processing procedure and the speed are different for each emulation program, and the memory capacity occupied by the memory area is also different for each emulation program.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional printer, as shown in FIG. 5, when the emulation program is switched and changed (step S1), the printer is assigned to the emulation program. If the memory capacity of the memory area is sufficient in relation to the amount of data to be processed (YES in step S2), data processing is performed by the emulation program and the printer operates (step S3), but if it is insufficient. In (NO in step S2), data processing by the emulation program is not performed (step S4), and the printer does not operate. In such a case, there is a problem that the user does not know why the printer does not operate, and often has a hard time dealing with it without distinguishing it from the failure.

In order to solve such a problem, according to the present invention, when the emulation program is selected and switched, the memory capacity of the memory area assigned to the emulation program is equal to the amount of data to be processed. If the relationship is insufficient, we provide a program switching method that improves the operability of the printer by not only simply stopping the operation of the printer, but also by displaying an instruction to the user to operate the printer smoothly. The task is to do so.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, a printer program switching system according to the present invention is
Multiple programs to control the operation of the printer,
The program includes a storage unit to which different memory capacities are allocated, a selection / switching unit to be operated when selecting / switching the program, and a display unit to display information necessary for operation of the printer to a user. In the printer, when the program is selected / switched, if the memory capacity of the storage means assigned to the program after the selection / switching is insufficient and data processing cannot be performed, a memory large enough to perform the data processing. It is characterized in that the display means gives a display for instructing to switch to another program to which the capacity is allocated.

[0006]

According to such a program switching system of the printer, when the program is selected / switched by the selection / switching means, the memory capacity of the storage means assigned to the program after the selection / switching is to be processed. If data processing cannot be performed due to lack of relation with the amount of data to be stored, not only do not operate the printer,
Since the display means gives a display for instructing to switch to another program allocated with a sufficiently large capacity for data processing, the user can select and switch such another program by the selecting / switching means. You can Therefore, the program after the switching can process data, and the printer can be operated smoothly.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of a program switching system of a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a laser printer system. This laser printer system is composed of a host computer 1, a controller 2 forming a laser printer, a print engine 3, an input unit 4 and a display unit 5.

As the host computer 1, a higher-level device such as a word processor, an office computer or a personal computer for sending character information or image information is used. The controller 2 receives character information and image information from the host computer 1 and generates image image information (video data) by an image processing operation.

More specifically, in the controller 2, reference numeral 21 is a host interface for receiving print data sent from the host computer 1,
Reference numeral 22 is an input buffer for temporarily storing the print data received by the host interface 21.

Reference numerals 23 to 25 are emulation programs that analyze print data sent via the input buffer 22 and generate image information.
Although these control the operation of the printer, a plurality of controllers are provided in the controller 2 in order to be compatible with various host computers 1 and to correspond to application software on the computers, and the number thereof is not particularly limited.

Any one of the emulation programs 23 to 25 is controlled by a control signal from the control unit 28.
Only one is selected for operation. 26
Is a memory (storage means) for storing the image image information generated by any one of the emulation programs 23 to 25 and includes a raster memory.

Reference numeral 27 is an engine interface for sending the image image information generated in the memory 26 to the print engine 3. 28 is memory management,
A control unit that controls the entire controller 2 such as input control, and is configured by a microcomputer.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the internal configuration when the memory 26 is used by a certain emulation program. Reference numeral 261 is a page buffer that stores page layout information for expanding font data and image data in the raster memory 265 in page units.

Reference numeral 262 is a font buffer for storing font data such as downloaded fonts from the host computer 1 and built-in fonts. An image buffer 263 temporarily stores the image data from the host computer 1. Reference numeral 264 is a macro buffer for storing macro instructions from the host computer 1.

Reference numeral 265 is a raster memory for expanding the image image information, and the contents of the font buffer 262 and the image buffer 263 are expanded on the basis of the page layout information stored in the page buffer 261. Here, it is assumed that it has a capacity to store image image information for one page of printing paper.

The internal structure of the memory 26 and the memory capacity required for the constituent elements differ depending on the emulation program and are assigned when the emulation program is initialized.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, when the memory capacity allocated to the emulation program 23 is expressed by a coefficient, the memory capacity of A4 size image image information is 100, the memory capacity of A3 size image image information is 150, The memory capacity of color image information is 200. The memory capacity assigned to the emulation program 24 is 100 for A4 size image image information, 200 for A3 size image image information, and 250 for color image image information. Although not shown, the emulation program 25 is also assigned a memory capacity different from that of the emulation programs 23 and 24.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the input section 4 is provided with various keys having various functions, and also functions as a selection / switching means to be operated when selecting / switching any one of the emulation programs 23 to 25. I also have. The display unit 5 is arranged on the panel portion of the apparatus or at other positions, and is composed of a liquid crystal display, a CRT display, or the like. The display unit 5 is the input unit 4
When operating the printer by operating the various keys, the printer has a function as a display unit for displaying information necessary for the printer operation to the user.

Next, the operation of the printer according to such an embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. For example, if the emulation program 23 is selected by the input unit 4 (step S1), the control unit 28 causes the various buffers 261-264 and the raster memory 2 to operate.
At 65, the memory capacity assigned to the emulation program 23 is checked to determine whether the memory capacity is sufficient in relation to the data amount from the host computer 1 to be processed (step S2).

If it is determined in step S2 that the memory capacity is insufficient (NO), the control unit 28 causes the display unit 5 to operate.
A display for giving a command to the user to change the memory capacity, as shown in FIG. 4 (step S
3). The user who uses the printer sees this display and operates the input unit 4 by key operation to switch to another emulation program 24 or 25 that satisfies the memory capacity (step S4). After switching in this way, the control unit 28 again determines whether the memory capacity is sufficient (step S5). If it is determined that the memory capacity is still insufficient (NO), the operations of steps S3 and S4 are repeated.

When it is determined in steps S2 and S5 that the memory capacity is sufficient (YES), the control unit 28
Controls the selected / switched emulation program to develop a print image in the raster memory 265 of the memory 26 (step S6), and causes the print engine 3 to perform a print operation via the engine interface 27.

In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the laser printer has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other printers such as an LED printer and a liquid crystal shutter printer, as well as a digital printer. It can also be applied to a printer unit such as a copying machine or a facsimile machine. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the raster memory 265 is used as the memory 26 has been described, but other memory such as a bit map buffer may be used instead of the raster memory 265.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a program is selected / switched by the selection / switching means, the memory capacity of the storage means assigned to the program after the selection / switching will be processed. If data processing cannot be performed due to lack of data capacity, a display notifying not to operate the printer, but also to switch to another program that has sufficient capacity allocated for data processing Is performed by the display means, the user can select and switch such another program by the selecting / switching means.
Therefore, the program after the switching can process data, and the printer can be operated smoothly.
As described above, according to the present invention, the operability of the printer can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a laser printer system showing an embodiment of a printer program switching system according to the present invention.

2 is an emulation program 23 shown in FIG.
It is a conceptual diagram which shows the memory capacity allocated to 24.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a program switching system in the laser printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display by a display unit 5 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional laser printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host Computer 2 Controller 3 Print Engine 4 Input Section 5 Display Section 21 Host Interface 22 Input Buffer 23-25 Emulation Program 26 Memory 27 Engine Interface 28 Control Section 261 Page Buffer 262 Font Buffer 263 Image Buffer 264 Macro Buffer 265 Raster Memory

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of programs for controlling the operation of a printer, a storage unit to which different memory capacities are allocated by the programs, a selection / switching unit operated when selecting / switching the program, and the printer. In a printer provided with a display unit for displaying information necessary for the operation of the above to the user, when the program is selected / switched, the memory capacity of the storage unit allocated to the program after the selection / switching is insufficient. If the data processing cannot be performed by the above, the display means gives a display for instructing to switch to another program to which a sufficiently large memory capacity is allocated for performing the data processing. method.