JPH0814810B2 - Printer control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printer control device capable of coping with a plurality of information processing devices having different protocol specifications.

[Conventional technology]

In an information processing system such as a computer, control information and recording information are exchanged between an input / output device, for example, a printer and an information processing device which is a host machine, but a predetermined protocol that can be decoded by both the host machine and the input / output device. It does not work unless information is exchanged according to (communication rules). Therefore, since the protocol specifications of the input / output device, for example, the printer, are also determined according to the protocol specifications of the host machine, even if the printer is developed exclusively for the host machine or has the printer-specific protocol specifications. , Had to be equipped with a dedicated protocol converter to support the host machine.

As a protocol conversion device, a protocol conversion program that converts control information output from the host machine into printer-side control information corresponding to the requested function is operated by the printer-side control processor and output from the host machine. It is common to convert the control information that is generated into the control information that the printer has.

In this case, on the printer side, a process of decoding and converting the converted control information into internal parameters for controlling the operation of the printer is performed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional protocol conversion means, in order to connect the printer to various types of host machines, it is necessary to prepare as many protocol conversion programs as the types of the host machines. This conversion program becomes an enormous program step as the number of host machines that can be connected increases, and moreover, it corresponds only to a specific host machine during actual operation. It is only used and becomes extremely inefficient in terms of program development and program implementation.

It is also possible to store a protocol conversion program corresponding to the type of connectable host machine in ROM, and replace the ROM when a specific host machine to connect is determined and implement a predetermined protocol conversion program. However, the number of steps required to develop a program is the same as in the previous case, and the labor and cost of creating a ROM that stores the program is required. Being able to connect to was inefficient.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems.

First, the concept of the protocol conversion method of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 (b) shows the concept of the protocol conversion method in the conventional printer control device. Since it corresponds to n types of host machines such as the host machine A and the host machine B, the protocol conversion apparatus is different for each host machine. The protocol conversion programs A, B ... N corresponding to the protocol are provided, and these programs are selectively operated by a display switch or the like according to the host machine to which the printer is connected. The control information output from the protocol conversion device is converted into a control code based on the standard protocol specifications of the printer and then output. Then, the control device on the printer side further decodes this control code and converts it into printer function parameters to execute the function operation of the printer.

On the other hand, the protocol conversion method in the printer control device of the present invention, as shown in the concept of FIG. 1 (a), uses a plurality of conversion tables corresponding to different protocol specifications respectively provided in a plurality of host machines. The conversion table of a specific host machine to be selected is selected, the received control information is converted into the function information of the printer using the selected conversion table, and the function operation of the printer is executed.

Therefore, the printer control device of the present invention receives the print information and the control information output from the information processing device, identifies the print information and the control information, and controls the functional operation of the printer based on the control information. In a printer control device of a printer for recording the information on a recording medium, the control information output from the information processing device is converted into printer function information corresponding to a function designated by the control information, and the protocol information corresponding to a plurality of protocol specifications is prepared in advance. Set multiple conversion tables,
Conversion table selecting means for selecting a conversion table corresponding to a protocol specification of a specific information processing apparatus from the plurality of preset conversion tables, and selection by the conversion table selecting means common to the plurality of conversion tables A conversion means for converting the control information output from the information processing device into printer function information using the converted conversion table; and an output means for outputting the print information and the converted printer function information to the printer. It is characterized by that.

[Operation] The conversion table has a function that control information output from an information processing apparatus having different protocol specifications is designated by the control information, such as a print command or a paper feed command, and corresponding function information, such as a print command. It is a reference table for converting into an operation command and a paper feed operation command.

This conversion table is preset by the number corresponding to the types of information processing devices having different protocol specifications to be connected to the printer, and when a specific information processing device is determined, the conversion table corresponding to this is selected by the selection means. To be done.

Then, the conversion unit common to the plurality of conversion tables having different protocol specifications converts the input control information into the function information of the printer by referring to the conversion table selected by the selection unit. The print information and the converted function information of the printer are output to the printer, the operation of the printer is controlled based on the function information, and the print information is recorded.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The protocol conversion method in the printer control device of the present invention is the first
As described above with reference to FIG. 7A, the conversion means for converting the control information output from the information processing device into the printer function information corresponding to the function designated by the control information is the embodiment. Then, it is composed of a conversion table for converting the control code output from the information processing device into a functional parameter for controlling the operation of the printer, and a microprocessor program for converting the control code into the functional parameter using the conversion table. To be done.

Further, n conversion tables are set so as to correspond to n types of information processing apparatuses to which the printer can be connected, that is, n types such as the host machine A and the host machine B, and correspond to the types of the host machines. The conversion table is selected by a selection means such as a display switch.

An example of the structure of the conversion table is shown in FIGS. The conversion table is incorporated in the printer function parameter conversion program as described later, and the system RO
It is stored in M.

In the conversion table, the start address where the conversion table is stored is determined in correspondence with the host machine. For example, the conversion table corresponding to the host machine A is stored from address 1000, and the conversion table corresponding to the host machine B is stored from address 2000.

Next, details of the structure of the conversion table are shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to (b). The exchange table is composed of a total of 6 bytes including a function code of 2 bytes, a parameter format of 2 bytes, and a default value of 2 bytes.

The function code is a code for designating the function of the printer, and is composed of 1 bit for indicating prohibition of output to the RAM for the printer, 4 bits for the group code, and 8 bits for the intra-group code, and other bits are not used. The group code is a code for identifying the function of the printer as shown in FIG. The in-group code is a code that defines the details of the function specified by the group code.

The parameter format is information on the parameter format, and includes a parameter source 4 bits, a parameter format 4 bits, and a parameter length 8 bits. The parameter source indicates the source of the parameter, and indicates whether the parameter is input from the host machine or is unilaterally determined inside the printer, for example. The parameter format indicates the numerical form of the parameter.
Indicates whether it is expressed in hexadecimal or a character code. The parameter length indicates the number of digits in the parameter and is displayed as a byte value.

The default value is the content of the parameter and is shown by a numerical value. When the parameter has a fixed value, the parameter is specified by the parameter source, and the default value table is specified.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the contents of the conversion table. FIG. 3A shows the report to the host machine. In the function code “4A03”, “4” is P-RAM.
It means prohibition of output to (temporary storage memory of character code, control code converted to intermediate code),
"A" indicates that the group code is A. The meaning of the group code is shown in FIG. "03" is the group code 03, which specifies the decimal mode.
In the parameter format “1000”, the parameter source “1” indicates no parameter, the parameter format is “0”, the parameter length “00” is specified, and this command specifies that there is no parameter. There is. The default value is "0000", which means that no default value is specified.

Similarly, in FIG. 3 (b), the function code "05"
It shows 02 ", parameter format" 3301 ", and default value" 0000 ", which indicates the change of paper size. It outputs the contents of P-RAM, the group code is" 5 ", the engine Parameter source “3” indicates that the parameter is input externally, parameter format “3” indicates that the parameter is a character code, and parameter length “01” is input externally. The parameter length is shown, and the default value is 0 because the parameter is externally input.

The conversion table selection and the conversion table address designation are performed as follows.

Now, when the display switch that can be operated from the outside is operated to select the conversion table of the host machine B as shown in the previous example, for example, the reference address 2000 of the conversion table of the host machine B becomes the reference value of the conversion table processing routine. Is adopted as. Control code n input from host machine B
Is "12", for example, to instruct paper feed, the reference address 2000 of the conversion table of the host machine B is added to this to specify the address 2012. A parameter for causing the printer to execute the paper feeding operation is stored in the address 2012 of the conversion table, and this parameter is read to control the paper feeding operation of the printer. The conversion table itself may be switched by a code from the host machine. For example, when the host machine A prints the data of the host machine B, the host machine A does not need to perform code conversion.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer controller of the bit map type printer embodying the present invention.

The bit map type printer prints characters and figures to be printed by displaying a set of dots. The characters and figures to be printed are edited on one page of the bit map memory, and printed on the memory according to the print command. Information is sequentially output to the printer, and printing is completed when the memory contents for one page are output.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 11 is an information processing apparatus to which a printer is connected, that is, a host machine. 12 is a control data output from the information processing device, a file buffer memory for character data transmission, 13 is an interface connecting the information processing device and the control microprocessor 14 of the printer, and 14 is a control microprocessor ( MPU) and 15 are buffer memories for asynchronous communication with the information processing apparatus, which will be referred to as R-buffers hereinafter. Reference numeral 16 is a memory for temporarily storing drawing data such as characters and figures and control codes converted into intermediate codes by the control microprocessor 14, and is hereinafter referred to as P-RAM. 17
Is a display switch that specifies the offset address of the address of the protocol conversion table corresponding to the host machine, and 18 is the system RA used by the control microprocessor 14.
M and 19 are system ROMs that store control programs, conversion tables, etc., 20 is a bit map writing section interface that connects the control microprocessor 14 and the bit map writing section, and 21 is a bit map writing section. Character image data is read from the font unit 22 for a character based on image data such as a character code and a figure input from the microprocessor 14 for use, and the figure image data is edited on the bit map memory 23 for the figure. twenty two
Is a memory that stores character image data in the font part, and 23 is a bit map memory (hereinafter referred to as BM-RAM).
This is a memory for editing and storing characters and figures to be printed page by page.

Reference numeral 24 is a printer interface, and 25 is a printer interface controller, which is composed of a microprocessor and receives the function control commands of various printers output from the control microprocessor 14 via the printer interface 24. , The print head control unit 26, the electrophotographic control unit 28, the sorter 31, the paper feeding unit 32, and the like, start up and control various functional means constituting the printer.

26 is a print head controller, 27 is a print head,
In this embodiment, a laser beam scanner or the like is assumed, but a printer interface controller from the control microprocessor 14 through the printer interface 24.
In accordance with the print start command output to 25, the print data is read from the bit map memory 23 via the bit map writing section 21 and the print head 27 is operated to form a latent image of the image to be printed on the photosensitive drum. . 28 is an electrophotographic control unit, 29 is an electrophotographic process unit,
An image latent image formed on the photoconductor is recorded on a recording medium by electrophotography.

A display panel 30 displays various control information such as mode information set in the printer. Reference numeral 31 is a sorter, and 32 is a paper feed unit, which sorts and feeds a recording medium based on a control signal output from the printer interface controller 25.

Next, an outline of the operation of the above-mentioned printer control device will be described. First, the display switch 17 is operated according to the model of the host machine connected to the printer so that information regarding the model can be input. When the power is turned on, the control microprocessor 14 loads the control program and the conversion table from the system ROM 19 into the system RAM 18, and performs a series of preparations such as setting initial values and reading font attributes.

The character code, control code, etc. output from the information processing device 11 which is the host machine is received via the file buffer 12 and the information processing device interface 13, and once stored in the R-buffer 15 for processing efficiency, these Analyzes and processes received data. As a result, in the case of the character code, the R-RAM 16 is output in accordance with the font portion output to the bit map writing section 21 through the bit map writing section interface 20.
Temporarily edit the image to be printed above. The same applies to graphic data.

In the case of the control code as a result of the analysis of the received data, since this control code is the control code according to the protocol of the host machine, it is used as a parameter for printer control having the same function as the received control code by using the conversion table. If it is directly converted to R-RAM and not output to R-RAM, the function operation of the printer is performed. The other control codes are stored in the P-RAM in the intermediate code format.

That is, if the received control code is a print command, it is converted into a parameter corresponding to the print command, stored in the P-RAM once, and called and executed in a subroutine for performing the print operation in synchronization with the print data.

Various commands relating to the printing operation output from the subroutine are output to the printer interface controller 25 via the printer interface 24. The printer interface control unit 25 controls the printer according to the received command relating to the printing operation. For example, in the case of a print start command, the print head controller 26 operates to read print data from the BM-RAM 23, drive the print head 27, and form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum. Following this, the electrophotographic control unit 28 operates,
The electrophotographic process unit 29 is driven to process steps such as an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, transfer onto a recording medium, and fixing.

Next, the details of the control operation of the printer control apparatus embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 6 to 11.

Before the control operation of the printer is started, the display switch 17 is operated corresponding to the model of the host machine (information processing apparatus) 11 connected to the printer, and the information about the model of the host machine is used for the control microprocessor 14 It is assumed that input is set to.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an outline of printer control operation. When the power is turned on and the operation starts, the control target is initialized (step S1), P-RAM16, BM-RAM23.
Clear (step S2). Then, the font attributes corresponding to the host machine are read from the font unit 22 into the control microprocessor 14 (step S3). Further, the information about the model of the host machine is read from the display switch 17, and the necessary initial values such as the correction of the address of the protocol conversion table, the paper feed mode to the printer, and the switching of the cassette are set (step S4). This will be described in detail later.

Moving to the processing of the received data input from the host machine, it is first checked whether or not there is data in the P-RAM 16 (step S5), and if there is no data, it is checked whether or not there is data in the R-buffer 15 (step S6 ). If the R-buffer 15 contains data, read that data (step S7),
Then, the received data is analyzed (step S
8). This will be described in detail later. Step S5
If the P-RAM 16 is not empty and there is no data in the R-buffer 15 at step S6, the process proceeds to step S9 without any special processing.

In step S9, it is checked whether or not the contents of BM-RAM23 are being printed. If not, it is checked by the flag JOBACT whether or not multiple sheets of the same data are being printed (step S1.
0), JOBACT ≠ 1, that is, when printing is not in progress, the process proceeds to step S11.

In step S11, it is checked whether or not the data is being written to the BM-RAM23. If the data is not being written, the presence or absence of data in the P-RAM16 is checked (step S12). The data is read from the RAM 16 (step S13). Then, the read data is analyzed (step S1).
Four). This will be described in detail later. Step S11
During writing to BM-RAM23 at, and at step S12
-If there is no data in RAM16, move to step S5.

In step S15, it is checked whether or not the control code indicates a page change as a result of the read data analysis process, and if it indicates a page change, step S15 is executed.
The process proceeds to S16, the flag JOBACT is set to 1, and if it does not mean page change, the process returns to step S5.

In step S17, it is checked whether the paper advance operation mode is set. This mode is to feed paper from the paper feed cassette to the printer when the top data of the page to be printed is received from the host machine.
When not in the first-out operation mode, one page of print data is completely edited on the BM-RAM 23, and when the print operation is started, the paper is fed. If it is not in the first-out operation mode, the paper feed command is set and the paper is fed (step S18). Step S when in paper advance mode
18 is omitted. Then, the process proceeds to step S21 to start the printing operation.

When the flag JOBACT = 1 in step S10, that is, it means that the printing operation is being performed, the process proceeds to step S19, and the end of exposure is checked. When the exposure is completed, check the end of printing for the set number of prints (step S2
0). When printing is not completed, the print mode is set in the print head control unit 26 to enable printing, the print command is set and the print operation is performed (steps S21 and S22), and step S5 is entered to move to the next operation. Return. If the exposure is not completed in step S19, the process returns to step S5. When it is determined in step S20 that the printing is completed, the process proceeds to step S23,
The flag JOBACT is reset to 0, the BM-RAM 23 is cleared, and the process returns to step S5 to move to the next operation.

Next, the initial value setting process shown as step S4 in the flow chart of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

The initial value required for printer control can be set by the control code output from the host machine, but it is basically used until the control code is output from the host machine and when the control code is not output from the host machine. Therefore, it is necessary to set the control value, which is the number of prints, the size of the paper margin, the font cartridge to be used, and the like (step S31). Next, information about the model of the host machine and other information set by the external input switch are read from the display switch 17 (step S32), and the print mode such as the number of prints is set (step S33). It is determined whether or not the download cartridge is used (step S34), and if it is used, the download process is performed (step S35). Then the date switch 1
Based on the information about the type of host machine set in 7, set the offset value for address correction in the protocol conversion table.

If the host machine has a special protocol specification and the conversion table is not prepared in advance, select the download using the external switch and use the cartridge for controlling the conversion table from the cartridge storing the conversion table corresponding to the protocol. Processor 14 system
Read into RAM18. In this case, the downloaded system RAM1 is used as the offset value of the conversion table address.
Create a program so that the start address of 8 is set.

Next, the analysis processing of the received data shown as step S8 in the flow chart of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 8 (a).

In step S41, it is checked whether the received data is a character code or a control code. For character code, print data (font address corresponding to the character, BM-RAM
The address used when writing to 23 and the write mode) is output to the P-RAM 16 (step S47). If the received data is a control code, the flow proceeds to step S42 to check whether the control code itself is an extension code having further control contents. In the case of the extension code, the next data is read (step S43), and the detailed information of the control code previously read is obtained.
If it is not an extension code, step S43 is omitted.

In step S44, the address of the conversion table is calculated by multiplying the control code by 6 bytes (step S44). The conversion table is shown in FIG.
As described in (b), it is configured in 6-byte units, and if the input control code is 1, the address of the conversion table is determined as 1 × 6 = 6 and 2 × 2 = 6 = 12. In addition, the offset value depending on the type of the host machine, for example, 2000 in the host B is added to this, and when the input control code is 1, the address 2006 is calculated, and when it is 2, the address 2012 is calculated.

In step S45, the parameter consisting of the function code, parameter format and default value corresponding to the control code is read from the conversion table and analyzed. This will be described in detail later. As a result of the parameter analysis, it is checked whether or not the flag that requires P-RAM16 output (see function code in FIG. 2 (b)) is set (step S46), and if it is set, step S49 is executed. Then, the control data and the parameters are output to the P-RAM 16. If the flag is not set, the process proceeds to step S48, and a subroutine of a predetermined function (for example, paper feeding) based on the parameters on the conversion table is called and executed. This will be described in detail later.

Next, in the flow chart shown in FIG.
The reading and analysis of the parameter corresponding to the control code from the conversion table shown as step S45 will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. 8 (b).

First, of the parameters, the function code is analyzed (step S51). It is checked whether or not it is a defined function code (step S52), and if it is defined, it is judged that it corresponds to the protocol, and the parameter format is analyzed (step S53). Then, the presence or absence of the parameter is checked (step S54), and if the parameter is present, the presence or absence of the default value is checked (step S55),
If there is a default value, that value is read into the control register as control information (step S59).

If there is no default value in step S55, step S56
Then, it is checked whether the parameter length is 4 bytes or less. If it is 4 bytes or less, format analysis of the parameter is performed (step S57), and it is checked whether the parameter format is decimal code, hexadecimal code or character code, and the parameter source (supply destination) is internally set as a constant. It is determined whether it has been decided or is input as control information from the outside. Based on this result, when input from the outside, it is read from the R-buffer 15 as control information into the control register (step S58).

If there is no definition in step S52, if there is no parameter in step S54, or if the parameter length exceeds 4 bytes in step S46, no special processing is performed and processing ends.

Next, in the flow chart of FIG. 8 (a), the calling and execution of the function subroutine shown as step S48 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 8 (c).

First, the group code of the function codes is analyzed (step S61). A function call routine for each group is searched based on the analyzed group code (step S62). Further, the code in each group is analyzed (step S63), and based on the result, a function subroutine having a predetermined function is searched (step S63).
S64), the detected function subroutine is executed (step S65). As a result, the specified function (for example, paper feeding,
Printing, etc.) is executed.

In the flow chart of FIG. 8 (c), step S65
As an example of the function processing shown as, the flow chart of the print number designation processing subroutine
It is shown in FIG.

First, the flag indicating the print operation is checked to determine whether or not printing is in progress (step S71). If printing is in progress, the process ends without processing, but if printing is not in progress, the process proceeds to step S72 and is input as a parameter. Check whether the set number CX is 1 or larger than 1. If it is smaller than 1, it is set to 1 (step S73). If it is 1 or larger than 1, it is checked whether it is 99 or smaller than 99 (step S74). 99
When it is larger, it is set to 99 (step S75), and when the set number is in the range of 1 to 99, the value is set to the print counter (step S76). 16 for displaying the number of prints
The set number represented by a decimal number is converted into a binary coded decimal number (step S77), this is output to the interface control unit 25 (step S78), and the process ends.

Next, in the flow chart of FIG. 6, step S14
The analysis and processing of the data read from the P-RAM 16 shown as will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

First, it is determined whether or not the data read from the P-RAM 16 is a character code (step S81). If it is not a character code, this means a control code.
Read-out of the function subroutine described above from the RAM 16 to the read-out and execution subroutine (step S48 in FIG. 8 (a)) is performed (step S82), and the processing is terminated.

If it is a character code as a result of the judgment in step S81, it is judged whether or not the print data exists in the bit map memory.
The write flag is checked (step S83). If the flag is 0, that is, there is no print data, the BM write flag is set to 1 (step S84), and if the paper advance mode is set, the paper feed command is set. (Step S85,
S86), when the paper first-out mode is not set, these processes are omitted and the process proceeds to step S87 to output the character code to the bit map writing section to edit the data to be printed on the bit map. If the BM write flag is not 0 as a result of the determination in step S83, that is, if the print data is in the bit map memory, the process is immediately terminated.

10 (a) and 10 (b) are flow charts showing the control operation of the interface control unit 25 on the printer side.

When the operation is started by turning on the power, internal initialization (step S101), initialization of each parameter (step S102)
Perform. Next, various interrupts (which will be described later) input from the control microprocessor 14 and timer interrupts, if any, are enabled (step S10).
3), an activation signal is output to the control target, that is, the print head control unit 26, the paper feeding unit 32, the sorter 31, etc. to activate (Step S104).

After completing the above preparation process and entering the control operation, first,
Whether or not the print operation is in progress is checked by the print start flag (step S105). When the flag is 0, that is, when the print operation is not in progress, the mode information such as the print number setting and sorter is read from the temporary area in the memory and updated (step
Along with S106), the cancel flag is reset (step S107).

When the paper feed command issued from the control microprocessor 14 is received and the paper feed flag is checked (step S108), the process returns to step S105 to wait until the paper is fed, and when the paper feed flag becomes 1, that is, When feeding is started, step
In step S109, the paper feed flag is reset, the print start flag is set to 1 (steps S109 and S110), and the print operation is started.

The paper feed advance permission flag defined by the editing time on the previous page is checked (step S111), 1, if yes, the process proceeds to step S112 to output a paper feed request signal to the electrophotographic controller 28. If the flag is not 1 in step S111, step S112 is omitted.

In step S113, the first-out permission flag on the next page is set to 1, and the timer T is started to count time (step S11).
3).

The process proceeds to step S114 to check the timer T's time end, but the print start flag set by the print command output from the control microprocessor 14 is 1
If the time count ends before being set to, it means that the print image editing time has exceeded, so a standby signal is output to the electrophotographic control unit 28 (step S115), and the advance permission flag on the next page is set. Reset (step S116). If the timer T has not finished counting, check the print start flag, and step 1 until the print start is instructed.
The process returns to S114 and waits until the print start flag is set to 1 (step S117).

When the print start flag is 1, step S118
In step S119, the print start flag is reset and the paper feed-out permission flag is checked (step S119). When the flag is 0, it means that the paper is not fed, so the paper feed request signal is output (step S120), and when the flag is not 0, the process immediately proceeds to step S121.

In step S121, the paper feed-out permission flag is updated with the next-page feed-out permission flag, the standby signal output to the electrophotographic control unit 28 is turned off (step S122), and the electrophotographic control unit 28 becomes operable. Wait for (step S12
3). An exposure permission signal is output to the print head controller 26 (step S124), the exposure is started, the end of the exposure is checked with a flag, and the end of the exposure is waited (step S125).

At the end of exposure, check the cancel flag (step
If the flag is 1, that is, the print is canceled, the print counter, which is a print number management parameter, is returned to the initial setting value 1 and the cancel flag is reset to 0 (step S127). If the cancel flag is not set, skip step S127. Step S1
Proceeding to 28, 1 is subtracted from the print counter, it is checked whether or not the print counter is 0 (step S129), and the print counter is forcibly set to 1 by subtraction accompanying normal print operation or detection of the cancel flag. When the result of the subsequent subtraction becomes 0, the print counter is temporarily set to 1, the print start flag is reset, the JOB end flag is set to 1 (step S130), and the exposure end signal is output (step S130). S132) Return to step S105 for processing the next cycle.

If the print counter is not 0 in step S129, it means that the printing of the corresponding page has not been completed. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S131, the JOB end flag is reset to 0, and the process proceeds to step S132.

Next, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 10 (a), the processing of the interrupt from the control microprocessor 14 to the interface controller 25 shown in step S103 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

The interrupt command input from the control microprocessor 14 is analyzed (step S141). As a result, if it is a JOB start request, the print counter for counting the number of prints is set to 1 and the mode information is initialized (step S143).

If the request is to update the mode information such as the number of prints and the sorter, the update information is stored in the temporary area of the memory. (The actual processing is performed in step S106 in the preceding flow chart.) If a paper feed request is made, the paper feed flag is set to 1. If it is a print start request, the print start flag is set to 1. If a cancel request is made, the cancel flag is set to 1. If it is a pause request, that is, a pause request, the pause flag is set to 1 (process S144 to S153).
These set flags are shown in FIG. 10 (a),
It is used and reset in the actual process described by the flow chart of (b).

The pause flag is shown in FIG.
Not used in the float chart of (b). Although it is used in other processing, it is not directly related to the present invention, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the printer control device of the present invention has a plurality of protocol specifications for converting the control information output from the information processing device into printer function information corresponding to the function designated by the control information. When a specific information processing device is determined, the conversion table corresponding to the protocol specification is selected, and the conversion means commonly provided for the plurality of conversion tables is selected. Since the control information of the determined information processing device is converted into the printer function information by referring to the conversion table described above, the structure of the conversion means can be simplified.

Then, even when increasing the number of types of information processing devices with different protocol specifications and dealing with special protocol specifications,
The conversion table can be easily handled by switching the conversion table or adding and changing a desired conversion table as a library.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of a protocol conversion method, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a conversion table, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of the conversion table, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a group code, and FIG. Block diagrams showing the configuration of the printer control device, FIGS. 6 to 9 are flow charts for explaining the processing by the control microprocessor, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are explanations for the processing by the printer interface controller. It is a flow chart. 11: information processing device, 14: control microprocessor, 17:
Display switch, 25: Printer interface controller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording information and a control information output from an information processing device are received, the recording information and the control information are identified, a functional operation of a printer is controlled based on the control information, and the recording information is recorded on a recording medium. In a printer control device of a printer for recording, control information output from an information processing device is converted into printer function information corresponding to a function designated by the control information,
A plurality of conversion tables preset corresponding to a plurality of protocol specifications, and a conversion table selecting means for selecting a conversion table corresponding to a protocol specification of a specific information processing device from the plurality of preset conversion tables, A conversion unit that is common to the plurality of conversion tables and that converts the control information output from the information processing apparatus into printer function information using the conversion table selected by the conversion table selection unit; A printer control apparatus comprising: an output unit that outputs the converted function information of the printer to the printer.