JPH0895848A - Device and method for memory rearrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the operability of a memory rearrangement device by erasing data that inputted specification information specifies, from a 1st area of a memory and generating a free area, and adding the free area to a 2nd area of the memory and rearranging the areas of the memory. CONSTITUTION: When the RAM 19 of a printer control unit 1001 is rearranged so as to expand the system area or page buffer area of the RAM 19, an extended free area which is required as a user-usable area of the RAM 19 is allocated to the system area or page buffer area on condition the free area is present, and the RAM 19 is rearranged. When the extended free area which is required as the user-usable area of the RAM 19 is not present, the data registered in the user-usable area are erased to rearrange the RAM 19. Thus, the free area generated by erasing the data that inputted specification information specifies from the 1st area of the memory is added to the 2nd area of the memory and the areas of the memory are rearranged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a memory rearrangement apparatus such as a printer for rearranging a memory area and a memory rearrangement method in the printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional memory relocation device such as a printer, the size of a first area (for example, a download buffer) of the memory is reduced, and the size of a second area (for example, a reception buffer) of the memory is increased accordingly. Then, when the memory is rearranged, the registration data (for example, the download font) previously registered in the download buffer is automatically erased in response to the instruction to enlarge the reception buffer.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, the registration data registered in the first area is automatically erased, and the user knows which registration data has been erased. There was a problem that I could not.

Further, in the conventional apparatus, there is a problem that the user cannot specify the registration data which may be deleted when the memory area is rearranged.

Further, in the conventional apparatus, when automatically deleting the registration data, there is a problem that it is not possible to inquire of the user whether or not the registration data may be deleted.

In view of the above problems, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a memory rearrangement device and a memory rearrangement method for erasing registered data designated by a user and rearranging the memory.

Further, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a memory rearrangement apparatus and a memory rearrangement method for erasing registration data and allocating memory in response to an instruction to permit deletion of registration data. The purpose is to provide.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a memory relocation device for relocating an area of a memory for storing data, which is registered in advance in a first area of the memory. Input means for inputting designation information for designating data to be erased, and data designated by the designation information input by the input means is erased from the first area to leave an empty area. Generating means for generating,
Control means for rearranging the area of the memory by adding the empty area generated by the generating means to the second area of the memory.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a memory relocation device for relocating an area of a memory for storing data, which erases data registered in advance in the first area of the memory. Data is erased from the first area and an empty area is generated in response to an informing means for externally informing whether or not to inquire And a control means for rearranging the area of the memory by adding the empty area generated by the generating means to the second area of the memory.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a memory rearrangement method in a printer for rearranging an area of a memory for storing data, which is registered in advance in a first area of the memory. An input step of inputting designation information designating the data to be erased among the existing data, and erasing the data designated by the designation information input in the input step from the first area to generate an empty area. The method further comprises a generation step and a control step of rearranging the area of the memory by adding the empty area generated in the generation step to the second area of the memory.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a memory rearrangement method in a printer for rearranging an area of a memory for storing data, which is registered in advance in a first area of the memory. The data is erased from the first area in response to an informing step for informing the outside whether or not the existing data may be erased and the input of the permission information for permitting the data to be erased. And a control step of rearranging the area of the memory by adding the empty area generated in the generating step to the second area of the memory.

[0012]

According to the present invention, with the above configuration, the data designated by the input designation information is erased from the first area of the memory to generate a free area, and the generated free area is added to the second area of the memory. This reallocates the memory area.

Further, according to the present invention, with the above configuration, it is notified to the outside that the data registered in the first area of the memory may be deleted, and the deletion of the data is permitted. In response to the input of the permission information, the data is erased from the first area of the memory to create a free area, and the created free area is added to the second area of the memory to reallocate the area of the memory. .

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing the structure of this embodiment, the structures of a laser beam printer and an inkjet printer suitable for applying this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Needless to say, the printer to which the present embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer and the inkjet printer, and may be a printer of another printing method.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied, for example, a case of a laser beam printer (LBP).

In the figure, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores print information (character code, etc.) supplied from an externally connected host computer, form information, macro commands, and the like. A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created in accordance with the above, and an image is formed on a recording medium such as recording paper.
Reference numeral 1012 is an operation panel on which switches for operation and LED indicators are arranged, and 1001 is an LBP main body 10.
00 is a printer control unit for controlling the whole and analyzing character information and the like supplied from the host computer.
The printer control unit 1001 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1002. 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 the input video signal. The laser beam 1004 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotating polygon mirror 1005 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1007 arranged around the electrostatic drum 1006, and then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is LBP10.
The paper is stored in a paper cassette 1008 attached to paper No. 00, is taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 1009, a carry roller 1010, and a carry roller 1011 and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006. In addition, the LBP main body 1000,
At least one cart slot (not shown) is provided,
In addition to the built-in font, an optional font card and a control card with different language (emulation card) are configured to be connected.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the printer control system showing the embodiment of the present invention. Here, a laser beam printer (FIG. 1) will be described as an example. As long as the functions of the present invention are executed, the present invention can be applied to a single device, a system including a plurality of devices, or a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN. It goes without saying that the invention can be applied.

In the figure, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer, which executes a document process in which graphics, images, tables (including spreadsheets) and the like are mixed based on a document processing program stored in a program ROM of the ROM 3 and the like.
The CPU 1 comprehensively controls each device connected to the system device 4.

The program ROM of the ROM 3
The ROM 3 stores a control program of the CPU 1 and the like.
The font ROM of 1 stores the font data and the like used in the document processing, and the data ROM of the ROM 3 stores various data used in the document processing. A RAM 2 functions as a main memory and a work area of the CPU 1. 5 is a keyboard controller (KB
In C), key input from the keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown) is controlled. A CRT controller (CRTC) 6 controls the display of a CRT display (CRT) 10. 7 is a memory controller (MC),
It controls access to the external memory 11 such as a hard disk (HD) and a floppy disk (FD) that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, and the like. A printer controller (PRTC) 8 includes a printer 15 through a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 21.
00 to execute communication control processing with the printer 1000. The CPU 1 executes, for example, a process (rasterize) of the outline font to the display information RAM set on the RAM 2, and the W on the CRT 10 is executed.
It enables YSIWYG. Further, the CPU 1 is C
Open various windows registered based on commands designated by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the RT10,
Performs various data processing.

In the printer 1000, a printer CPU 12 includes various devices connected to the system bus 15 based on a control program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program stored in the external memory 14. Control access to
An image signal as output information is output to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected via the printing unit interface 16. In addition, the program ROM of this ROM 13
The CP as shown in the flow charts of FIGS.
The U12 control program and the like are stored. The font ROM of the ROM 13 stores font data and the like used when generating the output information, and the data R of the ROM 13
In the case of a printer that does not have an external memory 14 such as a hard disk, the OM stores information and the like used on the host computer. The CPU 12 can perform communication processing with the host computer via the input unit 18,
The host computer 3000 is configured to be able to notify the result of memory rearrangement in the printer. 19 is a CPU
RAM that functions as 12 main memories, work area, etc.
Option RA connected to an expansion port not shown
The memory capacity can be expanded by M.

The RAM 19 is, as shown in FIG. 6, a system area used by the print control program (used for a reception buffer and a work memory), a page buffer area for expanding print data, a user and a printer driver. It is composed of a user usable area (used for the external character registration memory etc.).

The external memory 14 such as the above-mentioned hard disk (HD) or IC card is a memory controller (M
C) Access is controlled by 20. External memory 14
Is optionally connected to store font data, emulation programs, form data, etc. Further, 1102 is an LC for displaying switches for operation, an LED display, and a message on the operation panel described above.
D display etc. are arranged.

Further, the above-mentioned external memory is not limited to one, but at least one external memory is provided, and in addition to the built-in font, an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages of different languages are provided. It may be configured to be connectable. Further, an NVRAM (not shown) may be provided to store the printer mode setting information from the operation panel 1012.

In the printer control system configured as described above, instruction information for changing the printable paper size from A4 size to LEGAL size and 300 DPI, for example.
When the CPU 12 determines that the instruction information to reserve the page buffer secured as 600 DPI is input from the host computer 3000 or the operation unit 1012, the CPU 12 increases the size of the page buffer as shown in FIG. The size of the feasible area is reduced accordingly and the memory (RAM 19) is rearranged.

The receive buffer size is, for example, 50K.
When the CPU 12 determines that the instruction information for changing from B to 100 KB is input from the host computer 3000 or the operation unit 1012, as shown in FIG.
Relocates the memory (RAM 19) by increasing the size of the system area including the reception buffer and decreasing the size of the user usable area.

The memory relocation processing of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

As described above, when the instruction information for expanding the system area or the page buffer area of the RAM 19 is input from the host computer 3000 or the operation unit 1012, the user-usable area of the RAM 19 is shaded in FIG. 7 or 8. It is judged whether or not there is a free space for the expansion (step S1). If it is judged at step S1, the free space for the expansion is allocated to the system area or the page buffer area and the memory is relocated. Perform (step S2).

Further, in step S1, if the CPU 12 determines that the user-usable area of the RAM 19 does not have a free area corresponding to the extension indicated by the diagonal lines in FIG. 7 or 8, the memory rearrangement processing by data erasing shown in FIG. Is performed (step S3).

The step 3 of FIG. 3 will be described below with reference to the flow chart of the memory rearrangement process by the data erasing shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In step S1 of FIG. 3, when the CPU 12 determines that there is no free space for expansion, the CPU 12
Indicates that it is necessary to erase the data registered in the user usable area of the RAM 19 by the LC of the operation unit 1012.
D display or CRT on the host computer 3000 side
The CPU 12 executes the control program shown in FIG. 10 and showing the memory relocation processing by erasing the data in FIG. In step S4, the CPU 12 erases the designated data among the data registered in the user usable area of the RAM 19 based on the command instruction from the host computer 3000 or the input instruction from the operation unit 1012, and S
It is determined whether the data designated in 2 has been erased. If the deletion in step S4 is successful, the message "DATA DELETED" in which the data specified in step S6 has been deleted is displayed on the LCD display unit of the operation unit 1012. If the erasing fails in any case, a message “Data could not be erased” indicating that the data specified in step S7 has not been erased is displayed on the LCD display unit of the operation unit 1012.

Then, the processing of FIG. 3 is repeated until the free memory required for the rearrangement is secured.

The identification information (registration number, etc.) of the designated data may be displayed on the LCD display section of the operation section 1012 together with the above-mentioned message. Further, instead of displaying a message on the LCD display unit, it is printed out by the printing unit 17 as a status sheet, or a CR of the host computer 3000 via the bidirectional interface 21.
It may be displayed at T10.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing another memory rearrangement process by erasing data, which will be described below. When the CPU 12 determines in step S1 of FIG. 3 that there is no free space for expansion, the control program of FIG. 5 is executed. The CPU 12 selects the data having the largest storage capacity out of the data registered in the user usable area of the RAM 19 and displays a message "Are you sure you want to delete the data?" Operation unit 101
The identification information (registration number, etc.) of the erasure candidate data is displayed on the LCD display section of No. 2, and it is judged whether or not the data erasure permission instruction is input from the command from the host computer 3000 or from the panel operation section 1012 (step. S8). Then, when the permission instruction is input in step S8, the selected data is erased (step S8).
9), the message "Data has been erased" in which the data has been erased is displayed on the LCD display unit of the operation unit 1012 together with the erased identification information (Step S10), and the data in the user usable area in Step S10 is displayed. The message "Memory relocation succeeded" that the memory relocation was successful as shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 was displayed on the operation unit 1
It is displayed on the LCD display unit 012 (step S12).

If the CPU 12 determines in step S8 that the data erasure permission instruction has not been input (determines that the data erasure non-permission instruction has been input), the RAM1
It is determined whether or not the memory can be rearranged without erasing the data in the user usable area 9 (step S11),
If the relocation is possible, the process of step S12 described above is performed, and if it is determined in step S11 that the memory relocation is impossible, the message "Memory relocation is not possible" is displayed. It is displayed on the LCD of the operation unit 1012 (step S13). Instead of displaying a message on the LCD display unit, a status sheet is printed out by the printing unit 17 or the host computer 3000 is operated via the bidirectional interface 21.
It may be displayed on the CRT 10.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the RA
When the RAM 19 is rearranged in order to expand the system area or page buffer area of M19, if the user-usable area of RAM 19 has a free area for expansion, the free area is set as the system area or page buffer area. Allocate and relocate RAM19, RAM1
If there is no required expansion free area in the user usable area of 9, the RAM 19 can be rearranged by deleting the data registered in the user usable area.

Further, when erasing the data registered in the user usable area of the RAM 19, by erasing the registered data designated based on the command from the host computer 3000 or the instruction from the operation unit 1012, It is possible to prevent the necessary registration data from being erased. Further, the rearrangement processing of the RAM 19 is interactively performed based on the user's instruction, and the rearrangement result or the intermediate result is displayed on the CRT 10 on the host computer 3000 side or the operation unit 1012 on the printer 1000 side.
Operability is improved.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, the data designated by the input designation information is erased from the first area of the memory to generate a free area, and the generated free area is stored in the first area of the memory. By rearranging the memory area in addition to the area of No. 2, the operability of the device is improved.

Further, as described above, according to the present invention, it is notified to the outside that an inquiry is made as to whether or not the data previously registered in the first area of the memory can be erased.
The data is erased from the first area of the memory in response to the input of the permission information for permitting the erasing of the data, a free area is generated, and the generated free area is added to the second area of the memory. By rearranging the regions, an excellent effect that the operability of the device is improved is exhibited.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a printer to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a memory rearrangement process in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a memory rearrangement process by erasing data in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a memory rearrangement process by another data erasing in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an area configuration diagram of a memory to which a memory rearrangement process is applied.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a memory relocation processing result.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a memory relocation processing result.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 ROM 4 System Bus 12 CPU 13 ROM 19 RAM 21 Interface Cable 3000 Host Computer 1000 Printer

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A memory relocation device for relocating an area of a memory for storing data, comprising designation information for designating data to be erased among data preregistered in a first area of the memory. An input unit for inputting, a generation unit that erases the data designated by the designation information input by the input unit from the first region to generate a free region, and a free region generated by the generation unit. And a control unit for rearranging the memory area by adding the memory area to the second area of the memory. 2. The memory relocation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory relocation apparatus notifies the outside that the designated data has been erased. 3. The memory relocation device according to claim 2, wherein the memory relocation device is a printer, and notifies the host computer that the designated data has been erased. 4. The memory relocation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory relocation apparatus notifies the identification information of the erased data to the outside. 5. The memory relocation device according to claim 4, wherein the memory relocation device is a printer, and notifies the host computer of identification information of the erased data. 6. A memory relocation device for relocating an area of a memory for storing data, inquiring whether or not data registered in advance in a first area of the memory may be erased. Informing means for notifying the outside to the outside, and in response to the input of the permission information permitting the deletion of the data,
A generating unit that deletes the data from the first area to generate a free area, and a free area generated by the generating unit is added to a second area of the memory to rearrange the area of the memory. And a control unit for controlling the memory relocation device. 7. The memory rearrangement apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the notification means notifies the host computer of an inquiry as to whether or not the data may be erased. 8. The memory relocation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the permission information is input from a host computer. 9. The memory relocation device according to claim 6, wherein the memory relocation device is a printer. 10. A memory rearrangement method in a printer for rearranging an area of a memory for storing data, wherein data to be erased is designated among data registered in advance in a first area of the memory. An input step of inputting designation information, a generation step of erasing data designated by the designation information input in the input step from the first area to generate a free area, and a free area generated in the generation step Relocating the area of the memory by adding to the second area of the memory. 11. The memory relocation method according to claim 10, wherein the memory relocation method notifies a host computer that the designated data has been erased. 12. The memory reallocation method according to claim 10, wherein the memory reallocation method notifies the host computer of identification information of the erased data. 13. A memory rearrangement method in a printer for rearranging an area of a memory for storing data, comprising: deciding whether or not to delete data registered in advance in the first area of the memory. In response to an informing step of informing the outside of the inquiry, and in response to the input of permission information for permitting deletion of the data,
A generation step of erasing the data from the first area to generate a free area, and a rearrangement of the memory area by adding the free area generated in the generation step to the second area of the memory A memory rearrangement method, comprising: 14. The memory rearrangement method according to claim 13, wherein the notifying step notifies the host computer of an inquiry as to whether or not the data may be erased. 15. The memory relocation method according to claim 13, wherein the permission information is input from a host computer.