JPH0761050A - Multicolor printing data processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase data processing speed in multicolor printing data processing by providing function writing printing data in memory regions at every dye at the same time to a control means writing printing data in the memory regions. CONSTITUTION:When the printing data from a host device become a printable state all together, a CPU 1 outputs the respective dye data of an RAM 3 to a printing control part 6 and also issues a printing command to perform multicolor printing. When the CPU 1 receives a character code from the host device, the CPU 1 performs printing according to the pattern of an FONT-ROM 4. The control program of the CPU 1 is stored in an ROM 2. The RAM 3 has not only yellow, cyan, magenta and black memory regions but also a receiving buffer, a data processing memory region and a printing control memory region.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multicolor print data processing device, and more particularly to a multicolor print data processing device having an improved data processing speed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a multi-color print data processing apparatus of this kind has a receiving means for receiving print data for multi-color printing from a host device, a RAM comprising a storage area for each of a plurality of dyes, and And a CPU for writing the print data received by the receiving means for each dye into the storage area of the RAM.

The print data received from the host device via the receiving means is stored by the CPU in the storage area of the RAM for each dye. Then, the CPU instructs the print control unit to perform printing according to the data in the storage area for each pigment. In this way, the print control unit is configured to perform multicolor printing.

Further, each dye basically has three colors of yellow, cyan, and magenta, and thus multicolor printing can be realized. Also, there is one that realizes multicolor printing by four colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black. further,
Some have multiple dyes for each of yellow, cyan, and magenta to realize multicolor printing.

The operation of the conventional multicolor print data processing apparatus is described below.
A case where multicolor printing is performed with four color dyes will be described with reference to the RAM access timing chart of FIG.

For example, "red" is printed by superposing yellow and magenta. In this case, the print data of "red" sent from the host device via the receiving means is
It must be stored in the yellow storage area and the magenta storage area. That is, when the CPU selects the yellow storage area to write the print data, the selection signal of WE1φ becomes active and the writing is completed. Similarly, when the magenta storage area is selected and the print data is written, the selection signal of WE2φ becomes active and the writing is completed. In this way, "red" can be printed.

[0007]

However, in this conventional multi-color print data processing apparatus, it is often necessary to write twice for each print data of one pixel.
Data processing time becomes long. Alternatively, it is necessary to improve the data processing capacity. Specifically, the time required for printing is lengthened or the cost for improving the CPU performance is increased.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a multicolor print data processing device with an improved data processing speed.

[0009]

A multicolor print data processing apparatus according to the present invention has been made to achieve the above object, and receives print data for performing multicolor printing from a host apparatus. And a control means for writing the print data received by the receiving means into the storage area of the storage means for each pigment. .

The control means has a function of simultaneously writing the print data for each dye into the storage area.

The storage means may be a RAM and the control means may be a CPU. Further, the RAM may be composed of a separate RAM for each dye.

[0012]

The storage means is composed of a storage area for each of a plurality of dyes. When the print data is received by the receiving unit from the host device, the control unit simultaneously writes the print data for each pigment in the storage area.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the receiving means 5 from the upper device
Print data for performing multicolor printing is received via. The print data is temporarily stored in the RAM 3 and the CPU
In order to perform multi-color printing by 1, the data is stored in the storage area divided for each pigment. As shown in FIG. 2, the RAM 3 is composed of four dye storage areas of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black.

The dyes are not necessarily limited to the above four dyes, and may be composed of a plurality of dyes for realizing multicolor printing.

When the print data from the upper-level device are gathered and ready for printing, the CPU 1 outputs each dye data of the RAM 3 to the print control unit 6 and issues a print command to perform multicolor printing. I do. When the character code is received from the host device, the FONT-ROM4
Printing is performed according to the pattern. The program for controlling the CPU 1 described above is stored in the ROM 2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the storage area of the RAM 3. RAM3 is, for example, yellow, cyan,
It has magenta and black storage areas. In addition to this, the RAM 3 has a reception buffer, a data processing storage area, a print control storage area, etc. (none of which are shown).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a configuration example of the RAM 3. First DRAM 7, second DRAM 8, third DRAM
9 and the fourth DRAM 10 are yellow, cyan, and
The storage area is magenta and black. Further, the areas for these dyes are allocated so that the relative addresses of the respective DRAMs and the area sizes are the same. The connection and control of the control lines of the respective DRAMs enable independent DRAM access (data read and data write) and simultaneous operation of two or more DRAMs (data write).

FIG. 4 is an access timing chart showing this embodiment. For example, “red” is printed by overlapping yellow and magenta. In this case, CPU1
Requires data write in multiple areas. That is, CP
U1 simultaneously selects the selection signal WE1φ of the first DRAM 7 having the yellow area and the selection signal WE2φ of the second DRAM 8 having the magenta area,
The print data of "red" can be written.

An example of the program of the CPU 1 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. According to FIG. 5, in order to write "red" data, "red" is selected by the register for selecting a plurality of areas (step 101), and the data is written in the yellow area or the magenta area (step 102). The multi-region data write as shown in FIG. 4 can be executed. Further, according to FIG. 6, by writing in the "red" area assigned to the virtual area (step 103), the same result as in FIG. 5 can be obtained.

In the case of FIG. 3, each independent DRAM serves as a storage area for each of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, and the data bus output from each DRAM corresponds to the bus width of the CPU 1. Can be accessed. However, such a structure is not always possible. In such a case, it is impossible to write to a plurality of areas with one access for one bus access. Therefore, in this case, it is actually possible to execute a plurality of DRAM access cycles with one CPU bus cycle.

In the present embodiment, only the data write is touched, but there are cases where overwriting is necessary in the storage area of each dye. In this case, RAM for multiple times
This is possible by executing the read modify write cycle of.

Further, it may be necessary to overwrite the dither pattern or the halftone pattern as the data for expressing the gradation stored in the FONT-ROM 4, the ROM 2 or the RAM 3. Also in this case, it is possible by executing the read-modify-write cycle of the RAM a plurality of times.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the control unit simultaneously writes the print data for each dye in the storage area, the print data can be written in the plurality of storage areas by one writing operation, so that the data processing time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a RAM in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a RAM in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an access timing diagram of the RAM in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of multiple area data write in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another example of the multiple area data write in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an access timing diagram of a RAM in the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU (control means) 3 RAM (storage means) 5 receiving means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A receiving means for receiving print data for multicolor printing from a higher-level device, a storage means comprising a storage area for each of a plurality of dyes, and the print data received by the receiving means for each dye. In a multicolor print data processing device, comprising: a control unit that writes the data to the storage area of each storage unit, the control unit has a function of simultaneously writing the print data to the storage region for each pigment. A multicolor print data processing device characterized by: 2. The multicolor print data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a RAM and the control unit is a CPU. 3. The multicolor print data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the RAM is composed of a separate RAM for each dye.