JPH0755566B2 - Serial printer with bar code printing function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Outline] The present invention relates to a bar code printing method when a bar code is printed by a dot matrix type serial printer, and an optimum black color is obtained by using the dot matrix type serial printer. For the purpose of printing a barcode with a bar width and a white bar width, one line of the barcode is divided into two prints and the print timing fine adjustment timer value is changed at each print. By doing so, it becomes possible to adjust the dot position of the finally printed bar code to a fine value that is not an integral multiple of the dot pitch.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an improvement in a serial printer device having a dot matrix type bar code printing function.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when printing a barcode with a dot printer,
The width of each bar is printed with a 2-dot width, a 3-dot width, or an integer-dot width. For example, a bar having an arbitrary size of 1.7-dot width, 1.8-dot width, or the like can be made by the configuration (dot. It was impossible because the pitch was uniquely determined.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

Therefore, in an impact printer having a slightly thicker pin diameter with respect to the dot pitch, the black bar becomes too thick compared to the white bar, and the reading rate by the bar code reader deteriorates.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a bar code printed by the prior art.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and makes it possible to print a barcode having optimum black bar width and white bar width using a dot matrix type serial printer. It is an object.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention. A serial printer device having a dot matrix type bar code printing function of the present invention includes a printer control means 100 having a bar code print processing means 110 and a print execution means 120,
An edit data storage area 130 in which a pattern is stored, a print timing fine adjustment timer 140, and a printer mechanism unit 200
It has and.

The print execution unit 120 has a carrier operation instruction unit, a print head drive control unit, a determination unit, and a carrier stop instruction unit.

The carrier operation instruction unit sets an initial value in the data pointer, runs the print carrier, and activates the print head drive control unit.

When the print head drive controller detects that the dot pulse is turned on, the print timing fine adjustment timer 140
After the elapse of the time designated by, the print head prints the dot row in the edit data storage area 130 designated by the data pointer, updates the value of the data pointer, and activates the determination unit.

The determination unit checks whether or not the printing is completed. If the printing is completed, the carrier stop instruction unit is activated, and if the printing is not completed, the print head drive control unit is activated.

The carrier stop instruction unit stops the traveling of the print carrier.

The bar code print processing unit 110 has a first bar code print processing section and a second bar code print processing section that is activated after the processing of the first bar code print processing section is completed.

The first barcode printing processing unit clears m dot rows (where m is a natural number) including the left edge (or right edge) dot row of all black bars in the dot pattern of the barcode to be printed. The dot pattern of the code is stored in the edit data storage area 130, and the print execution means 120 is instructed to print the dot pattern of the edit data storage area 130.

The second barcode print processing unit clears the dot pattern of the barcode that clears all but the m dot rows including the left edge (or right edge) dot row of all black bars in the dot pattern of the barcode to be printed. The print execution means 120 stores in the edit data storage area 130 that the value of the print timing fine adjustment timer 140 is + N (or -N) and the dot pattern in the edit data storage area 130 should be printed.
Instruct.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the time from the rise of the dot pulse to the actual printing. At the same time, 1 indicates a dot pulse that gives a trigger for starting the printing process, and 2 indicates a printing position.

The rising of the dot pulse gives an opportunity to start the printing process, and the actual printing is performed after a certain time T has passed. The time T is composed of an adjustment time T1, a pin (hammer / magnet) energization time T, and a mechanical delay time T3 for the pin to print. The printer controller can control the adjustment time T1. The pin energization time T2 and the mechanical delay time T3 are fixedly determined by the specifications of the print head. The adjustment time T1 is determined by the value of the print timing fine adjustment timer, and this value is variable.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the printing of dot patterns in the edit data storage area. In the figure, 3 is an edit data storage area in which the edited dot pattern is stored,
DP indicates a data pointer, respectively.

The data in the edit data storage area 3 (synonymous with the line buffer) is output for each column.
For the column of P2, the data of the dots of P21, P22, ..., P27 are pin-driven simultaneously. Dot·
When printing in the forward direction at each rising edge of pulse 1,
P1 row, P2 row, ..., P7 row are output.
Column, P6 column, ..., P1 column will be output. The data pointer DP designates the dot row to be read, and when the read dot row is printed, the value of the data pointer DP is incremented by one.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the printing of the barcode according to the present invention. When printing a bar code with a black bar width of 2 dots, a white bar width of 2 dots, and a black bar width of 2 dots, the leftmost dot row of each black bar is deleted at the first time, and the second time is printed. Print the line with the rightmost dot row of each black bar deleted. At the time of the second printing, the value of the print timing fine adjustment timer is increased by, for example, about 1/3 dot or 1/4 dot. By performing such a printing process, a bar code having an optimum black bar / white bar ratio is printed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the first and second printing timings in the present invention. As shown in the figure, the value of the print timing fine adjustment timer is a μs during the first printing, and the value of the print timing fine adjustment timer is b μs during the second printing.

However, b> a.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an electric circuit of the printer device. In the figure, 5 is an interface circuit,
6 is an overall control unit for print processing, 7 is a microprocessor, 8 is a print code buffer composed of, for example, RAM, 9 is a character generator memory composed of, for example, ROM, 11 is a carrier operation control circuit, 12 Is a latch circuit for one line of print data, 13 is a carrier driver, 14 is a pin (hammer magnet) driver,
Reference numeral 15 is a carrier driving motor, 16 is a print timing encoder, 17 is a carrier, and 18 is a print head.

The interface circuit 5 is a part that communicates with the computer main body. The data sent from the computer main body is stored in the print code buffer 8, and the data to be sent to the computer main body is also temporarily stored in the print code buffer 8. When a print command is sent from the computer main body, the interface circuit 5 notifies the overall control unit 6 to that effect. When the overall control unit 6 receives the notification to this effect, it performs a process of printing a dot pattern determined by the contents of the print code buffer 8. The overall control unit 6 includes a microprocessor 7
ROM for program storage (not shown), RAM (not shown)
And so on. The microprocessor 7 has a timer inside, and this timer is used as a timer for fine adjustment of print timing. A character dot pattern or a barcode dot pattern is stored in advance in the CG memory 9. The carrier operation control circuit 11 is for controlling the carrier drive motor 15. The print timing encoder 16 has a disk with slits attached to the shaft of the carrier drive motor 15, and also has a light emitting element and a light receiving element that are arranged so as to sandwich the disk with slits. The signal output from the light receiving element is waveform-shaped and becomes a dod pulse. This dot pulse is input to the overall control unit 6. Note that the dot pulse when the carrier travels at a constant speed may be generated in the overall control unit 6. The dot example read from the edit data storage area 3 is set in the latch circuit 12. The dot row set in the latch circuit 12 is the driver 14
To the print head 18 via.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the barcode printing process.
The bar code printing process is executed by a bar code printing process routine in the program storage ROM. When printing barcodes, first the high resolution or low resolution, the height of the barcode, the type of barcode, the barcode data (representing numbers), etc. are sent from the computer body, and then the print command is issued. Will be sent. When the print command is received, the barcode print processing routine is executed, and the following processing is performed.

The barcode dot pattern is edited in the edit data storage area 3.

Clear the leftmost column (dot row) of all black bars.

Print the barcode in the forward direction. This processing is performed by executing the routine CALL shown in FIG.

The dot pattern of the barcode is edited in the edit data storage area 3.

 Clear all black bars except the leftmost column.

 The value of the print timing fine adjustment timer is incremented by + N.

Print the barcode in the forward direction. This processing is also performed by calling the routine shown in FIG.

Set the count value of the print timing fine adjustment timer to -N
Yes (to undo).

The “left end” in the flowchart of FIG. 7 can be set as the “right end”. In this case, “+ N to” is “−N to”, and “−N to (undo)” is “+ N to (undo)”. Also, after printing the barcode dot pattern that clears multiple columns including the leftmost (or rightmost) columns of all black bars in the barcode dot pattern you want to print for the first time, The dot pattern of the barcode may be printed for the second time by clearing a plurality of columns except the leftmost (or rightmost) column of all the black bars in the dot pattern.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the dot pattern printing process in the edit data storage area.

 The data pointer DP is set to the initial value.

Give a carrier operation instruction. In the case of forward printing, the carrier is initially located at the left end.

 Check to see if dot pulse is on.

If Yes, go to.

Wait for the adjustment time specified by the count value of the print timing fine adjustment timer.

The data (dot string) pointed to by the data pointer DP is set in the latch circuit 12.

Turn on pin drive current. Note that the pin drive current is automatically turned off by the hardware circuit after a certain time has elapsed.

 Advance the data pointer DP by one.

Check if printing is completed.If Yes, go to and No
When returns to.

Give a carrier stop instruction. When printing in the forward direction, the carrier stops at the left end.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to adjust the dot position (column position) of the bar code to be printed to a fine value that is not an integral multiple of the dot pitch. It is possible to obtain a bar code with a black bar width and a white bar width.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the time from the rise of a dot pulse to printing, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining printing of a dot pattern in an edit data storage area. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the printing of a bar code according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the first and second printing timings in the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a configuration example of an electric circuit of a printer device. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a barcode printing process according to the present invention, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a dot pattern printing process in an edit data storage area, and FIG. 9 is a bar printed by a conventional technique. It is a figure which shows the example of a code. 1 ... Dot pulse, 2 ... Print position, 3 ... Edit data storage area, DP ... Data pointer, 5 ... Interface circuit, 6 ... Overall control unit, 7 ... Microprocessor, 8 ... Print code buffer, 9 ... Character generator memory, 11 ... Carrier operation control circuit, 12 ... Latch circuit, 13 ... Carrier drive driver, 14 ... Pin drive driver, 15 ... Carrier drive motor, 16 …… Print timing encoder, 17 …… Carrier, 18 …… Print head.

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location B41J 3/10 101 F

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer control means (100) having a bar code print processing means (110) and a print executing means (120).
And a dot-matrix bar code printing function that includes an edit data storage area (130) for storing dot patterns, a print timing fine adjustment timer (140), and a printer mechanism section (200). In the serial printer device, the print executing means (120) has a carrier operation instructing section, a print head drive control section, a judging section, and a carrier stop instructing section. The initial value is set in the pointer, the print carrier is run, the print head drive control unit is started, and when the print head drive control unit detects that the dot pulse is turned on, the print timing fine adjustment timer (14
After the time specified in (0) has elapsed, the print head prints the dot row in the edit data storage area (130) specified by the data pointer, updates the value of the data pointer, and activates the judgment unit. The judgment unit checks whether or not the printing is completed.If the printing is completed, the carrier stop instructing unit is activated.If the printing is not completed, the print head drive control unit is activated. The bar code printing processing means (110) stops the bar code printing processing unit for the first time and the bar code printing processing unit for the second time which is started after the processing of the bar code printing processing unit for the first time is completed. The first barcode printing processing unit has m dot rows (where m is a natural number) including the left edge (or right edge) dot rows of all black bars in the dot pattern of the barcode to be printed. The dot pattern of the rear barcode is stored in the edit data storage area (130) and the print execution means (120) is instructed that the dot pattern of the edit data storage area (130) should be printed. The bar code print processing unit stores the dot pattern of the bar code in which the dot pattern of the bar code to be printed is cleared except for the m dot rows including the left end (or right end) dot row of all the black bars, and stores the edited data. The print execution means (120) stores in the area (130), increments the value of the print timing fine adjustment timer (140) by + N (or -N), and prints the dot pattern in the edit data storage area (130). ) Serial number with a bar code printing function.
Printer device.