JPH0825720A - Method and apparatus for outputting image - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten time required for development in a pattern of a character data by a method wherein the character pattern of high frequency in use is preferentially registered in a font cache by outputting a test pattern. CONSTITUTION:A test data is stored in a storage 6, and a test pattern is outputted based on the test data stored in the storage 6. When the test pattern is outputted, a character pattern developed in a pattern is stored in a font cache 8a, and the inputted character data is developed in a pattern by using the character pattern stored in the font cache 8a. An image is thus outputted based on the character pattern developed in the pattern.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image output method and apparatus for inputting character data, developing it into a character pattern and outputting it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printer device inputs character data, develops a character pattern by referring to font data contained therein, and prints the character pattern. In such a printer device, when the pattern-developed character data is registered in a temporary storage device (font cache), and then character data of the same typeface, such as the same character code and the same character size, is input, By performing printing by referring to the pattern data stored in the font cache, the time required for the pattern development of the character code is shortened and the printing speed is improved.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, the character pattern is registered in the font cache by expanding the character data input from the external apparatus and registering it, or by the printer apparatus waiting. This is performed by developing a pattern of character data and registering it in a non-volatile storage device. Therefore, when many character patterns are not registered in the font cache, for example, immediately after the power is turned on, the hit rate of the font cache decreases and the printing speed also decreases.
Further, since the contents of such a font cache are updated by the printing process by the printer device, for example, when a large amount of documents including many special characters are printed and then normal printing is performed, the font cache contents are changed. There were problems such as a decrease in hit rate and a decrease in printing speed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example. By outputting a test pattern, a frequently used character pattern is preferentially registered in the font cache, and the time required for pattern expansion of character data is reduced. An object is to provide an image output method and apparatus that can be shortened.

Another object of the present invention is to create a test data including character data which is frequently used and output the test data to increase the hit ratio of the font cache. To provide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image output method and apparatus capable of updating the contents of the font cache to desired contents by outputting a test pattern at a desired timing.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the image output apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration.
That is, it is an image output device for inputting character data, developing a pattern, and outputting the pattern, and storing means for storing test data, and test pattern outputting means for outputting a test pattern based on the test data stored in the storing means. When,
A font cache unit that stores a character pattern that has undergone pattern expansion when output by the test pattern output unit; and a pattern expansion unit that expands the input character data using the character pattern stored in the font cache unit. Output means for outputting an image based on the character pattern developed by the pattern developing means.

In order to achieve the above object, the image output method of the present invention comprises the following steps. That is, it is an image output method of inputting character data, expanding a pattern, and outputting the pattern, in which a step of outputting a test pattern based on stored test data and a step of storing a character pattern expanded at the time of outputting the test pattern in a memory And a step of determining whether the character pattern of the character data is stored in the memory when the pattern of the character data is developed, and the character pattern is used when stored in the memory. Then, the input character data is subjected to pattern expansion, and the character data corresponding to the character pattern not stored in the memory is subjected to pattern expansion by referring to the font data, and based on the pattern expanded character pattern. Outputting the image.

[0009]

In the above structure, the test data is stored in the storage means, and the test pattern is output based on the test data stored in the storage means. At the time of outputting this test pattern, the expanded character pattern is stored in the font cache, and the input character data is expanded using the character pattern stored in the font cache. It operates so as to output an image based on the character pattern thus developed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, the case of a printer device will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to the case of image development of a display device or a personal computer, for example.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer 1000 (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) applied to this embodiment. This LBP 1000 is for registering character patterns from a data source (not shown) and formal format. You can register (form data) etc.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores character information (character code) supplied from an externally connected host computer (1 in FIG. 2), form information, or a macro command. Along with
A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on a recording paper, which is a storage medium. Reference numeral 1012 is an operation panel on which switches for operation and LBP display are arranged, and 1001 is LBP1.
000 is a printer control unit for controlling the whole and analyzing character information and the like supplied from the host computer.
The control unit 1001 mainly converts the character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern to convert the laser information to the laser driver 1.
Output to 002. The laser driver 1002 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1003, and switches on / off the laser light 1004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1003 according to an input video signal. The laser light 1004 is swung in the left-right direction by the rotating polygon mirror 1005 to scan the electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. The latent image is developed by the developing unit 1007 around the electrostatic drum 1006 and then transferred to the recording paper.
A cut sheet is used as this recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is stored in a sheet cassette 1008 mounted on the LBP 1000, and is fed by a sheet feeding roller 1009 and a conveying roller 1010.
And 1011 are taken into the apparatus and supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram mainly showing a schematic configuration of the control unit 1000 of the laser beam printer shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is an external device, which is an LB.
The print data and the like are transmitted to P1000. 3 is a CPU,
It controls the entire control unit 1001. An input interface 4 inputs various data from the external device 1. A power supply unit 5 supplies necessary power to each unit of the LBP 1000. A storage device 6 is composed of a non-volatile memory (hard disk, floppy disk, etc.) that holds the stored contents in a non-volatile manner, and stores, for example, test data 6a. A ROM 7 stores various control programs executed by the CPU 3 and various data such as character font patterns. Reference numeral 8 denotes a RAM, which includes a reception buffer for storing print data sent from the external device 1, a work area required for the CPU 3 to execute a control program, and the like. Reference numeral 8a is a font cache in which character pattern data which is pattern-developed at the time of printing is registered. An output interface 9 outputs image data to be printed to the printing mechanism unit 10. Reference numeral 10 denotes, for example, an electrophotographic printing mechanism unit shown in FIG. 1, which executes recording on a storage medium (recording paper) based on print image data output from the control unit 1001. It should be noted that the printing mechanism unit 10 in the present embodiment may be of the above-mentioned laser beam system or any printing system such as an inkjet printer or a thermal printer.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing by the control program of the printing apparatus (LBP) of this embodiment stored in the ROM 7 of FIG.

This process is started by turning on the power of the printing apparatus, and when the printing becomes possible in step S1, the test printing is started. The start of the test print is started by, for example, pressing the test print instruction switch on the operation panel 1012 or turning on the power of the apparatus while pressing a predetermined key. When the test printing is started in this way, the reading of the test data 6a stored in the storage device 6 is started, the font data stored in the ROM 7 is referred to, and the character code included in the test data is converted into a pattern. Be expanded. The character pattern thus developed is once registered in the font cache 8a (step S3). By using the developed character pattern data registered in the font cache 8a in this way, R
The output image (test pattern image) is bit-mapped in the image memory of AM8. The image data expanded in the image memory is output to the printing mechanism unit 10 via the output interface 9 and printed (step S4). Thus, in step S5,
For example, when the printing of the test pattern for one page is completed, the test printing is completed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of printing such a test pattern.

Next, in step S6, it is checked whether or not the data from the external device 1 is received. When the data is received, the received data is stored in the reception buffer of the RAM 8. In step S7, the received data is analyzed, and if it is a paper discharge command, the process proceeds to step S7, paper discharge processing is performed, and the process returns to step S6.

On the other hand, if it is print data in step S7, the process proceeds to step S8, and the corresponding pattern data of the character code in the print data (the same character code has the same character size and the same typeface has been developed into a pattern), It is determined whether or not it is already registered in the font cache 8a. When the same character pattern has already been registered, the process proceeds to step S9, the received print data is pattern-developed using the character pattern data registered in the font cache 8a, and is expanded into a bitmap in the image memory of the RAM 8. . Then, the bitmap-developed data is output to the printing mechanism unit 10 for printing.

On the other hand, in step S8, if the character code is not expanded and registered in the font cache 8a, the process proceeds to step S10, and the received character code is expanded in the specified character size and typeface. . The character data thus pattern-developed is registered in the font cache 8a. Then step S
In step 9, the character image data stored in the font cache 8a is used to develop a print image and perform print processing.

As described above, in this embodiment, the character pattern developed at the time of test printing is used as the font cache 8a.
Save the time to expand the character code included in the received print data into a bitmap by registering the print data in the print data and printing it by expanding the print image using that character pattern when receiving the actual print data. Can print at high speed.

Further, by using the test pattern as pattern data including a character pattern that is frequently used for actual printing, the probability of hitting during actual printing increases, and more efficient printing can be performed. .

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiments, the description has been given of the case of the printing apparatus which prints a test pattern using frequently used characters as soon as printing is possible after the power is turned on. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is not limited to this, and after initializing the printing apparatus, a test print using frequently used characters may be executed as soon as printing becomes possible.

In the above embodiment, the printing apparatus that uses a predetermined character which is considered to be frequently used for the test print has been described, but it is included in the print data sent from the external apparatus (host computer) 1. Calculate the frequency of use of the character codes, etc., and based on this frequency of use,
Create a test pattern that contains the most frequently used character codes and patterns. Then, when the power is turned on again, or after the initialization process is performed, a test print based on the updated test pattern is executed to more effectively use the character pattern of the font cache 8a for printing. It can be carried out.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the process of updating the test data by obtaining the frequency of use, and the control program for executing this process is stored in the ROM 7.

First, in step S21, it is checked whether or not print data is received from the external device 1. When the data is received, the process proceeds to step S22, and the data received via the input interface 4 is stored in the reception buffer of the RAM 8. Next, in step S23, the frequency of use of the character code for which printing is instructed and the character pattern corresponding to the typeface is calculated based on the character code or typeface data, and is stored in the storage device 6 in a nonvolatile manner.

Next, in step S24, it is checked whether or not the print start is instructed. When the print start is instructed, the process advances to step S25, and the character code included in the received print data is set to the specified character. Expand the pattern to the size and typeface. In this case, if the corresponding character pattern is stored in the font cache 8a, it is used. Then, in step S26, the print image is developed into a bitmap based on the developed character pattern, and in step S27, printing is actually executed.

Next, in step S28, it is determined whether or not an instruction to update the test data has been issued. This instruction may be given by, for example, providing a dedicated instruction switch or the like and pressing the switch, or may be determined by whether or not the power-off switch is pressed. When the update of the test data is instructed in this way, step S29
Proceeding to step S23, test data including the character data with the highest frequency of use is created based on the frequency of use of the character data obtained in step S23. The created or updated test data is sent to the storage device 6 and stored therein.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. The present invention can also be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or an apparatus.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the printing apparatus capable of executing the test print, the test print using frequently used character data is performed after the power is turned on or the initialization process is executed. By storing the character pattern that has undergone pattern expansion at that time as a font cache, it is possible to increase the hit rate of the cached font data and improve the printing efficiency.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the test data containing the frequently used characters is created and printed to store the frequently used character patterns in the font cache. When printing, the font cache can be used more efficiently and the printing speed can be improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the test pattern can be output at an arbitrary timing, so that the user can update the contents of the font cache to the desired contents at a desired timing.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, by outputting a test pattern, a frequently used character pattern is preferentially registered in the font cache,
This has the effect of reducing the time required to develop the pattern of character data.

Further, according to the present invention, the hit rate of the font cache can be increased by creating test data including character data that is frequently used and outputting the test data.

Further, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the contents of the font cache can be updated to the desired contents by outputting the test pattern at the desired timing.

[0036]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram mainly showing a configuration of a control unit of the laser beam printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control process in the printer control unit of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a test print in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a test data update process in another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 External Device (Host Computer) 3 CPU 4 Input Interface 5 Power Supply Unit 6a Test Data 6 Storage Device 7 ROM 8 RAM 8a Font Cache 9 Output Interface 10 Printing Mechanism Unit (Printer Engine) 1000 Laser Beam Printer Main Body (hereinafter LBP) 1001 Printer Control unit 1012 Operation panel

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image output apparatus for inputting character data, developing a pattern, and outputting the pattern, the storage means storing test data, and a test outputting a test pattern based on the test data stored in the storage means. A pattern output unit, a font cache unit that stores a character pattern that has been expanded when output by the test pattern output unit, and a character pattern that is stored in the font cache unit are used to expand the input character data. An image output device comprising: a pattern expanding unit; and an output unit outputting an image based on the character pattern expanded by the pattern expanding unit. 2. The pattern developing means judges whether or not a character pattern corresponding to the character data to be subjected to pattern development is stored in the font cache means, and if there is a stored character pattern, it is determined. The image output device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is expanded by using the character pattern and an unstored character pattern is added to the font cache. 3. The image output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the test pattern output means outputs the test pattern after the power is turned on and before the actual image output is performed. 4. The method further comprises: a measuring means for measuring the frequency of use of the character data pattern-developed by the pattern developing means; and an updating means for updating the test data according to the frequency of use measured by the measuring means. The image output device according to claim 1. 5. An image output method for inputting character data, expanding a pattern, and outputting the pattern, the step of outputting the test pattern based on the stored test data, and the character expanded in the pattern when the test pattern is output. A step of storing the pattern in a memory; a step of determining whether or not a character pattern of the character data is stored in the memory when the pattern of the character data is developed; and a step of determining whether or not the character pattern of the character data is stored in the memory. Using the pattern to expand the input character data, and to expand the character data corresponding to the character pattern not stored in the memory by referring to the font data, and the expanded character pattern. And an image output step based on the above. 6. The image output method according to claim 5, wherein the test pattern is output after power is turned on and before actual image output is performed. 7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of measuring a frequency of use of the character data to be subjected to pattern expansion, and a step of updating the test data according to the measured frequency of use. Image output method.