JPH0825717A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid occupying a host device to correct printing data, while eliminating the necessity of waiting for a host device to be ready. CONSTITUTION:A printer which outputs printing based on a printing data received from a host deviate is so constructed as to be equipped with a printing data buffer 1 which holds the received printing data, a display means 2 which displays,an image based on the printing data held with the printing data buffer 1, and a printing data correcting means 8 which corrects the printing data by indicating a correcting content via an image plane of the display means 2. Further, the printer is equipped with a correcting unit-selecting means which is so constructed as to correct by a correcting unit selected with the correcting unit-selecting means in a pixel unit and a character unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer for printing out characters and images based on print data received from a host device, and more particularly to a printer capable of correcting the print data in the printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional printer. As shown in FIG. 10, the printer 21 is connected to a host device 22 such as a personal computer or a word processor, and print data is sent from the host device 22. As the character data or the image data, the print data is output on the recording paper based on the print data. The printer 21 includes a buffer memory 23 and a character generator 24 as shown in the figure. For example, when receiving character data, the character generator 24 generates a font corresponding to the received character code each time one character is received ( It is converted into a bit map) and stored in a predetermined area 25 in the buffer memory 23. When the conversion of the character string for one line into bitmap is completed, the pixel information is sequentially output from the bit string above the bit-mapped character string and printing is performed. When the image data is received, the received image data is stored in the predetermined area 25, pixel information is sequentially output in the order of reception, and printing is performed. Then, when an error or the like is found by looking at the image (including characters) recorded on the recording paper, the host device corrects the print data, transfers the corrected print data to the printer, and the printer prints the print data. Print output based on

[0003]

When a document is created, errors such as improper position of punctuation marks, output of kanji homonyms due to conversion errors, and incomplete part of ruled lines often occur. Such an error is often found only after printing the print data. In such a case, conventionally, the host device had to be corrected each time. However, in the case where the host device is shared by multiple users, if the user of the printout occupies the host device for a long time to correct the data, the result will hinder the use of other users. , Is a problem.

Alternatively, in a case where the printer is installed away from the host device, after the user sends an output request from the host device to the printer, he / she may leave the host device to view the print result. You may notice the error in the data only after moving to the place where the printer is installed and looking at the output result. In such a case, even if the user tries to return to the host device and make a correction immediately, the host device is occupied by another user at that time, and there is a problem that the host device cannot be used until it becomes available. Further, depending on the software used in the host device, there is a problem that it is impossible to perform print output expression desired by the user, such as graphic expression or output of small characters.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and does not occupy a host device for modifying print data, and a host device occupied by another user can be freed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer which does not have to wait until and can perform a print output expression desired by a user regardless of software used in a host device.

[0006]

As a first means, in a printer that prints out based on print data received from a host device, a print data buffer that holds the received print data and a print data buffer that holds the received print data The display means for displaying an image based on the existing print data, and the print data correcting means for correcting the print data by instructing the correction content through the screen of the display means are provided. As a second means,
In the above description, the correction unit selection means is provided, and the correction is performed in the correction unit selected by the correction unit selection means out of the pixel unit and the character unit. As the third means, in the above description, the display means is provided with the enlargement / reduction processing means for enlarging or reducing the image. As a fourth means, in the above, the above-mentioned print re-received by the correction data recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing the data created by the print data correcting means on the storage medium and the correction data reproduced by the correction data recording / reproducing means. The data is modified by the print data modifying means. As a fifth means, in the above description, a modification report creating means for creating a report of the details of modification of print data is provided.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the print data buffer for holding the print data received from the host device, the display means for displaying the image based on the print data held in the print data buffer, and the correction contents are displayed through the screen of the display means. Since the print data correction means for instructing and correcting the print data is provided, the print data can be corrected in the printer. In the above configuration, the correction unit selecting unit is provided and the correction is performed in the correction unit selected by the correction unit selecting unit out of the pixel unit and the character unit. But you can. In the above configuration, in the configuration in which the display means is provided with the enlargement / reduction processing means for enlarging or reducing the image, in the case of character unit correction, the image is reduced and displayed so that the display width can be reduced even with the low resolution display means. A character string corresponding to the width of the printing paper can be displayed, and in the case of pixel unit correction, the correction pointer can be easily positioned at the correction position by enlarging the image.

The correction data recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing the data created by the print data correcting means on the storage medium and the correction data reproduced by the correction data recording / reproducing means automatically correct the print data received again. In the configuration in which the correction is performed by the means, since the data in the host device remains erroneous and is not corrected, even if the print data that needs to be corrected each time the print output is received, if the previous correction data exists in the printer, , You can use this to fix it automatically. In the above, in the configuration including the correction report creating means for creating the report of the correction contents of the print data,
By looking at the correction report, it is possible to easily find the correction point of the print data in the host device.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a print data buffer for holding print data received from the host device via the data receiving unit 9, 2 is display means for displaying an image based on the print data held in the print data buffer 1, Reference numeral 3 is a plotter for forming an image based on print data on recording paper, 5 is a CPU for controlling the entire printer and data processing according to a program stored in a ROM 6, and 7 is a RAM used for data processing.
Is. Reference numeral 8 denotes print data correction means for instructing the correction contents on the screen of the display means 2 to correct the print data, which is a part of the operation unit 4, the CPU 5 (not dedicated), a partial program area of the ROM 6, and the RAM 7. It is composed of a partial area of. Further, 10 is print data received from the host device is character data (code data)
At this time, it is a character generator for generating a character image corresponding to character data. The operation when the printer having such a configuration performs print output based on the print data will be described first when the print data is character data.

First, the print data received from the host device via the data receiving unit 9 is stored in the first area A of the print data buffer 1. This is print data for one document, and consists of one page or a plurality of pages. The print data buffer 1 is composed of a RAM, or a RAM and an external storage device (for example, a hard disk device), and the first area A and the second area B are R.
Provided on AM. In the configuration including the external storage device, when the print data has a large data amount and all of the print data cannot be stored in the first area A, the portion that cannot be stored is stored in the external storage device.

After storing all the received print data in the first area A of the print data buffer 1 or the like, the CPU
5 reads the character code from the first address of the first area A,
The font information (character image information) is read from the address corresponding to the code of the character generator 10,
Bitmap the first character area of the second area B of the print data buffer 1. Next, the character codes are sequentially read from the first area A and are similarly bit-mapped to the second area B. In this way, all the character codes for one document are converted into bitmaps. At this time, if the amount of data is too large to be stored in the second area B, the portion that cannot be stored is stored in the external storage device in the external storage. Store in the device. In addition,
With a configuration without an external storage device, when a print request is received from the host device prior to receiving print data,
The CPU 5 controls the print data flow by notifying the host device of the number of pages that can be received in one print request.

Next, a case where the print data is image data will be described. When the print request indicates that the print data is image data, the CPU 5 sends the received data to the first area A of the print data buffer 1.
The data is directly stored in a continuous area from the start address of the second area B without going through. Others are the same as the case of character data. When the printout is instructed immediately after receiving the print data by the setting by the operation unit 4, the printout to the plotter 3 is started before the storage in the second area B of the print data buffer 1 is completed. It On the other hand, if display of received data is instructed,
The first page of the print data stored in the second area B of the print data buffer 1 is displayed on the display means 2.

Since the resolution of the display data is the resolution of the bit map image of the print data output to the recording paper, when the display means 2 does not have a sufficient resolution, the display width of the display means 2 corresponds to the paper width. Cannot display data. In such a case, the bitmap image of the print data is reduced to a desired resolution through the enlargement / reduction processing means 11 as shown in the modified embodiment of FIG.
The reduced display data may be stored in M7. In that case, the display data in the RAM 7 is the display means 2.
Will be output to. The enlargement / reduction processing means 11
May be implemented by a software method that is configured by the CPU 5 (not dedicated), a partial program area of the ROM 6, and a partial area of the RAM 7. For example, the software method is sufficient when simply reducing the size to one half or expanding the size two times.

FIG. 3 is a processing flow chart when the print data is corrected through the image (including characters) displayed on the display means 2 as described above. Note that this process may be executed before printing out the received data,
It may be executed after print output. As a method of modifying print data, it is possible to modify character by character and pixel by pixel. As shown in FIG. 3, after the user presses the correction key in the operation unit 4 (S1), the correction unit selection means 12 selects whether to correct the character unit or the pixel unit (S2). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the correction unit selection means 12 includes keys in the operation unit 4, a CPU 5 (not dedicated), a partial program area of the ROM 6, and a portion of the display means (not dedicated) 2. It is composed by. As a result, the CPU 5 displays a display as shown in FIG. 4 on a part (for example, the lowermost part) of the display means 2 according to a program stored in the ROM 6, and gives an instruction with a pointing device such as a mouse constituting the operation unit 4. This allows the user to select the correction unit. Alternatively, as a function of the correction unit selection means 12 in the operation unit 4, a'character unit correction 'key and a'pixel unit correction' key may be provided and desired keys may be pressed (in this case, S1 is unnecessary). become).

When "character unit" is selected as the correction unit (S2 character), the CPU 5 causes the display means 2 to display a cursor. The user moves the cursor to the character position to be corrected displayed on the screen by using the cursor movement key in the operation unit 4 or the pointing device (S).
3). That is, the horizontal (x direction) cursor movement amount and the vertical direction (y direction) cursor movement amount designated by the cursor movement key or the pointing device are given to the display means 2, and the display means 2 controls the cursor accordingly.

When the cursor is positioned at a desired character position, the user deletes the character at the cursor position by a method known to those skilled in the art, inserts (adds) the character input from the operation unit 4 at that time, and inputs it. An instruction to replace (change) the selected character is made (S4). Then, the CPU 5 obtains the data about the current cursor position from the display means 2 and the revision contents instructed by the user, and produces revision data as shown in FIG. 5A (S5). In the figure, 'C'
Means change, '3' is 3 lines, '5' is 5 digits, 'na'
Means the changed character. In other words, it means to change the character of 3 rows and 5 digits to'na '. The CPU 5 stores the correction data in a predetermined area in the RAM 7, further corrects the print data in the print data buffer 1 received from the host device according to the correction data, and the display data in the RAM 7 is also corrected accordingly. Modify (S
6). Thus, the character string on the display screen is corrected as instructed by the user, but if the correction is not completed (No in S7), the cursor is moved to the next correction position. (S3). Hereinafter, this operation is repeated.

FIG. 5B shows the final correction data when the correction is completed (S7 Yes). This changes the characters in 3 lines and 5 digits to'na ', deletes the characters in 7 lines and 16 digits, and changes to 12 lines.
It means to insert'is' in 28 digit. The print data and the display data in the RAM 7 are also corrected in this way. Subsequently, the CPU 5 creates a correction report as shown in FIG. 6 based on the correction data (S13) and prints it out (S14).

If necessary, the correction data recording / reproducing means 13 stores the correction data in the storage medium 14 shown in FIG. 2 (S15). The correction data recording / reproducing means 13 includes a CPU 5 (not dedicated) and a ROM, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a part of the program area 6 and a part of the RAM 7. The storage medium 14 shown in FIG. 2 is a semiconductor memory that is powered by the battery 15 when the printer is not powered on. However, the print data buffer 1 is an external storage device such as a hard disk device. If provided, the storage medium 14 can be used as a storage medium and the correction data can be stored in the external storage device, so that the storage medium 14 in FIG. 2 is unnecessary.

On the other hand, when the pixel unit is selected by the correction unit selection (S2 pixel), the user moves the correction pointer displayed by the pointing device in the operation unit 4 (S8). At this time, according to the present invention, by pressing the enlargement key in the operation unit 4, the displayed image can be enlarged as shown in FIG. 7 (S
8). In the figure, c is a correction pointer which is moved by a pointing device. The enlarged display is C
The PU 5 recognizes that the enlargement key in the operation unit 4 is pressed and gives an enlargement instruction to the enlargement / reduction processing means 11 (FIG. 2). If this magnification is an integer,
Similar to the simple reduction described above, it can be realized on the RAM 7 by the CPU 5 according to a program stored in the ROM 6.

In FIG. 7, it is assumed that the points a in the dotted line frame are not currently displayed. By inserting (adding) the pixels at each point of the part a into such print data "5"
^When correcting to the print data of ² ', the correction pointer c is sequentially positioned to each point forming the' 2 ',
Each time, a key in the operation unit 4 (for example, a key provided on the pointing device) is used to instruct the insertion (S
9). At this time, each time insertion of one point is instructed, the process shown in FIG.
The correction data as shown in (a) is stored in the RAM 7 (S10). Further, FIG. 8B shows the final correction data. In the figure, I (56, 28) means that a black dot is inserted at 56 lines and 28 digits, and D (60, 26) means that a black dot at 60 lines and 26 digits (b in FIG. 7) is deleted. . By the series of modified data shown in FIG. 8B, “2” in FIG. 7 is added and point b is deleted. The user deleted point b because it is unbalanced to place '5' and '2' further apart, and in the arrangement shown in the figure, there is a gap between point b and '2'. This is because I felt it was too small. According to the present invention, it is possible to make a subtle correction according to the user's preference in this way.

By the above correction, the print data in the second area B of the print data buffer 1 is corrected,
The display data in the RAM 7 is also corrected (S11). When the correction is completed (S12 Yes), the correction report is created (S13) and output (S14) as described above, and the correction data is stored as necessary. According to the present invention, the correction data recording / reproducing means 13 causes the recording medium as described above.
When the correction data recorded in 14 is reproduced and then the corresponding print data is received again from the host device, the print data can be corrected with the correction data. FIG. 9 shows the processing flow.

As shown in the figure, when print data is received from the host device (S21) and stored in the print data buffer 1, if there is correction data that was previously corrected, the correction data is recorded on the recording medium 14 Play from (S2
2). In general, since the correction data of a plurality of documents are recorded on the recording medium 14 with the registration numbers, the user inputs the registration numbers from the operation unit 4 to specify the reproduction data when reproducing the correction data. Alternatively, when the host device issues a print request to the printer, if the registration number is designated as a parameter of the print request, print data automatic correction processing is performed. The printer has a correction data management table having a registration number as an entry in the RAM 7, and when a print request is received, the correction data management table is referred to, and when the designated registration number is detected,
The process proceeds to the next process without requiring the user's instruction from the operation unit 4. The next process is print data correction using the correction data. In the above, the print data is corrected by the reproduced correction data in the same manner as when the print data and the display data are corrected by the correction data instructed by the user from the operation unit 4 (S23). Then, print output is performed (S24).

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A print data buffer for holding print data received from the host device, a display unit for displaying an image based on the print data held in the print data buffer, and an instruction for correction content via a screen of the display unit. Since the print data correction means for correcting the print data is provided, the print data can be corrected in the printer, so that the host device is not occupied for the correction of the print data and the print data can be used for other users. It is not necessary to wait until the host device being used is free, and the print output representation desired by the user is possible regardless of the software used in the host device. In the above,
In the configuration including the correction unit selection unit and performing the correction in the correction unit selected by the correction unit selection unit among the pixel unit and the character unit, the correction can be performed in the pixel unit or the character unit as necessary. When a character is simply deleted, inserted, or changed, the correction can be efficiently performed by the character unit correction, and when the image correction or the subtle correction is performed, the pixel unit correction can be used.

Further, in the configuration in which the display means is provided with the enlargement / reduction processing means for enlarging or reducing the image, in the case of correction in character units, the image is reduced and displayed by the display means with a low resolution. A character string corresponding to the width of the printing paper can be displayed in the width, and in the case of pixel unit correction, the correction pointer can be easily positioned at the correction position by displaying the image in an enlarged manner, which improves workability. Further, a correction data recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing data created by the print data correcting means on / from a storage medium,
In the configuration in which the re-received print data is corrected by the print data automatic correction means by the correction data reproduced by the correction data recording / reproducing means, the data in the host device remains erroneous and is not corrected. Even if print data that needs to be corrected each time is received, if there is previous correction data in the printer, it will be automatically corrected using this, so even if it is repeatedly printed out, it will be printed in the host device. It is not necessary to modify the data. Further, in the configuration provided with the correction report creating means for creating the report of the correction contents of the print data, since the correction portion can be easily found by looking at the correction report, the correction of the data in the host device and the non-volatile storage medium can be performed. When the printer does not have it, the correction work at the time of repeated print output becomes easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a printer showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a processing flowchart of a printer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a processing explanatory diagram of a printer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

5A and 5B are explanatory views of another process of the printer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another processing explanatory diagram of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a process explanatory diagram of a printer showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are other processing explanatory views of the printer showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a process flow chart of a printer showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration block diagram of a printer showing an example of a conventional technique.

[Object of the invention]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Print data buffer, 2 ... Display means, 3 ... Plotter, 4 ... Operation part, 5 ... CPU, 6 ... ROM, 7 ... RA
M, 8 ... Print data correcting means, 9 ... Data receiving section,
10 ... Character generator, 11 ... Enlargement / reduction processing means, 12 ... Correction unit selecting means, 13 ... Correction data recording / reproducing means, 14 ... Storage medium, 15 ... Battery.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer, which prints out based on print data received from a host device, displays a print data buffer for holding the received print data and an image based on the print data held in the print data buffer. A printer comprising: a display unit for controlling the print data and a print data correction unit for correcting the print data by instructing the correction content via the screen of the display unit. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit selection unit, wherein the correction unit is selected from the pixel unit and the character unit by the correction unit selected by the correction unit selection unit. 3. The printer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising enlargement / reduction processing means for enlarging or reducing an image on the display means. 4. The correction data recording / reproducing device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 for recording / reproducing data created by the print data modifying device on a storage medium, and the correction reproduced by the correction data recording / reproducing device. A printer characterized in that the print data re-received by data is corrected by the print data automatic correction means. 5. A printer according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a correction report creating unit for creating a report of correction details of print data.