JPH1024635A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To synthesize an image formed by the applications different in form. SOLUTION: Setting function capable of setting image preservation indicating function, image synthesizing printing indication function and synthesized image recognizing function is provided to the printer driver 7 in a host apparatus H outputting an image to a printer 2 and the image inputted to a printer driver 7 from an application 6 and the image stored in the printer 2 are synthesized. The form registering function of the printer 2 is used in the preservation of this image and the form overlay function of the printer 2 is used in image synthesis.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer system and, more particularly, to a printer system for synthesizing image data in page units and printing a visible image on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As such a method of synthesizing and printing an image, for example, a method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-168680 is known.

In this print processing method, an image instructed to be printed by an application program is first image data that can be analyzed by a printer device, second image data for registering the image in the printer device, and the first and second images. Setting whether to convert to the third image data for overlay printing in the printer device based on the data, determining the setting state, selectively starting one of the first to third conversion steps, The user can set to perform an overlay process on the image data registered in the printer device and the image data output from the general-purpose application program.

[0004] A print processing method of allocating necessary image data in a fixed format and printing the image data is known. In this case, the image data is combined in one application, and the completed image is passed to a printer driver. Perform printing.

[0005] Further, there is also a type in which a specific application has a dedicated form overlay print control function, and a printer can register a form and execute a form overlay in a closed world of the application to synthesize images.

[0006]

However, in the print processing method described in JP-A-7-168680, the printer driver does not have a setting function for registering image data as a form and executing an overlay. If the application corresponds to the corresponding printer driver and there is no setting function for using the form, the image data generated by the application cannot be synthesized. In other words, there is a problem in that existing applications that do not support the printer driver cannot use the form registered in the printer device, and the common use of form data between different applications is not guaranteed.

Further, in a print processing method of allocating necessary data in a fixed format and printing, in a case where image data of another application is combined with a fixed form created by a certain application and printed, the mutual application is performed. Data compatibility and the need to move image data between applications using a graphical user interface (GUI), which makes operation difficult and has a large overhead when the operating system manages files. There is a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to enable composite printing of images generated by different applications. In particular, the present invention aims to improve the clarity of processing and the processing performance of operability in fixed form printing applications in which images generated by a plurality of applications and a specific logo or signature are combined and printed.

It is another object of the present invention to cause the form registration function and the form overlay function of the printer device to perform operations relating to image synthesis and image storage, respectively, to reduce the load on the host side.

Also, in consideration of the possibility of losing information supposed to be in the printer without the host's knowledge, the existence of an image stored in the printer can be confirmed using a bidirectional communication function. The purpose is to do.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 has a first instruction mode having a first instruction format.
Application, a second application having a second instruction format different from the first instruction format, first image data received from the first application, and data processing according to the first instruction format The combination of the instruction and the first image according to the corresponding image data and the third instruction format
And converts the second image data received from the second application to a data processing instruction in accordance with the second instruction format. A printer driver configured to convert the image data into a second data comprising a combination of image data to be printed and a second print processing instruction according to the third instruction format, A printer controller that processes according to a processing instruction to provide first print data, processes image data in the second data according to a second print processing instruction, and provides second print data; A printer engine configured to process print data to form a print image, wherein the first data is identifiable as form overlayable data. The printer driver manages an identification number for reading the first data stored in the storage means, and receives an instruction to combine the first data and the second data. And outputs the identification number of the first data in combination with the second data, and the printer controller outputs the image data in the first data and the image data in the second data read by the identification number. It is characterized by combining with image data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host device including the printer driver, the storage means, a printer device including the printer engine, and the printer controller. It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host device including the printer driver, a printer device including the printer engine, the printer controller, and the storage unit. It is characterized by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the printer driver and the printer controller are connected by a bidirectional interface.

[0015]

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

This printing system comprises a host device H, a main processing device 1, a printer device 2, a display device 3, a main storage device 4, and an input device 5, and the host device H, the printer device 2, Are connected by a communication interface 11.

FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram of the printer system shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the software in the host device H comprises an application 6 and a printer driver 7, and the printer device 2 comprises a printer engine 8 and a storage unit 9.
And a printer controller 10. The printer driver 7 and the printer controller 10 are connected via a bidirectional communication interface 11.

The operation from the printing instruction on the application software to the normal printing performed by the printer will be described below.

When the user gives an image printing instruction to the application 6 running on the host device H,
The application 6 outputs the image stored therein to the printer driver 7 for each image element through a common procedure independent of the software.

The printer driver 7 converts an instruction and an image input from the application 6 into a code format that can be understood by the printer device 2, and outputs this to the printer controller 10 in the printer device 2 through the communication interface 11.

The printer controller 10 sequentially interprets the data input from the printer driver 7, forms a bitmap image corresponding to the data, outputs the image to the printer engine 8, and forms a print image.

Next, composition of an image and printing of the composite image will be described. The composition of the image and the printing of the composite image are set using the setting function of the printer driver 7.

Here, the functions of the printer driver 7 will be described with reference to FIG. In this figure, a double frame portion is an extended function of the printer driver 7.

The printer driver 7 has a setting function 12 for setting composition and printing of an image. The setting function 12 includes a save instruction function 1 for saving an input image.
3 and an image synthesis print instruction function 14 for synthesizing and printing the input image and the image registered in the printer device.

The printer driver 7 includes a composite image confirmation function 15 for confirming an image registered in the printer device 2, a printer code generation function 16, a printer output function 17, and a reception information input function 18, Having.

The setting function 12 is set on the setting screen of the printer driver 7 displayed on the display device 3. This setting is shown in FIG. The setting screen includes a setting 20 for printing an image normally, a setting 21 for writing a file, a setting 22 for saving an image alone or as a combined image, and a setting 24 for combining and printing the saved image. Space 23 for writing the name and space 2 for specifying the image to be combined
5, an execution command 26, and a cancel command 27. These inputs are performed using the input device 5 of FIG.

First, the image storage function 13, which is one of the setting functions of the printer driver 7, will be described.

After selecting the setting 22 shown in FIG.
The image input from the application 6 to the printer driver 7 is converted into a format that can be understood by the printer controller 10 and output to the printer controller 10 as form data with a form registration command. FIG. 5 shows an example of the form data with the form registration command.
(A).

When the printer controller 10 receives the data in this format, the registration data section is stored as it is as form data in the storage section 9 in the printer.

Next, the image composition printing function 14, which is one of the setting functions of the printer driver 7, will be described.

The setting 24 shown in FIG. 4 is selected before an image is output to the printer driver 7. The candidate of the stored image selected by the user is a synthesized image confirmation function 15 which is a procedure for inquiring stored image information described later.
Has been confirmed to be stored in the printer device.

In the state where the setting 24 is selected, the printer driver 7 converts the input image into a format that can be understood by the printer device 2 and outputs the converted image before registering the image corresponding to the stored image to be synthesized and printed. A form overlay execution command using the form identification code as an argument is output to the printer controller 10. This form overlay execution command is shown in FIG.

Next, the printer controller 10 executes an operation corresponding to the input form overlay execution command, and expands the stored image in the page buffer. Thereafter, the image input from the printer driver 7 to the printer controller 10 is also developed in the same page buffer, so that the print result is output as a composite image.
Here, the page buffer is a page-based bitmap memory for directly outputting an image in page units to the engine 8 in the page printer.

Next, the composite image checking function 15 will be described.

The printer driver 7 outputs a command 30 for inquiring registration form information shown in FIG. 6 to the printer controller 10 by using the composite image confirmation function 15 and the reception information input function 19.

The printer controller 10 which has received the command 30 for the registered form information inquiry outputs the registered form data information 31 to the printer driver 7. The reply information 31 may have, for example, a content in which all registered form data identification codes specified by the form data registration instruction at the time of registration are enumerated.

According to the present embodiment, the image storage function 13,
Since the printer driver 7 has the image composite print function 14 and the composite image check function 15, it is possible to combine and print images created by different applications into one simply by selecting the settings of the printer driver 7. It is. Once the composition is set, it is possible to automatically compose the same image in all subsequent prints.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a registered image (1) registered in the printer device and a print image (2) can be combined to create a combined image (3).

As a modification of the above embodiment, a storage unit for storing an image may be provided in the host device H. In this case, the synthesizing process is a continuous transfer of the image stored in the printer code format and the image in which the image specified by the application is converted into the printer code to the printer device. That is, a composition method that does not depend on the form overlay function of the printer device may be used.

[0040]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, any application suitable for the system environment in which the printer driver operates can use the image synthesizing function without changing the application. In addition, since the image information is exchanged through a common interface that can be understood by the printer driver, all differences in the expression format of the image for each application can be absorbed by the driver.

Since the form control function of the printer device is conventionally used for storing images and synthesizing images, there is little change in software. Further, when the registered image is repeatedly used, the time for retransmitting the same image to the host device can be omitted, the processing performance can be improved, and the memory resources of the host device can be saved.

Further, since the communication medium is a bidirectional interface capable of transmitting and receiving data and the printer driver has a reception information input function, the printer driver inquires whether there is form data registered in the printer device. This makes it possible to prevent inconsistency in information between the host device and the printer device, such as deletion of form data due to non-intervention of the host device due to panel operation, power shutdown, or removal of a storage medium.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram of the printer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a printer driver of the printer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a setting screen of the printer driver of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a form registration command of the printer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of communication between a printer driver and a printer of the printer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an example of image composition of the printer system of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main processing device 2 Printer device 3 Display device 4 Main storage device 5 Input device 6 Application 7 Printer driver 8 Printer engine 9 Storage unit 10 Printer controller 11 Communication interface 12 Setting function 13 Image storage function 14 Image composition printing function 15 Composite image confirmation Function 16 Printer code generation function 17 Printer output function 18 Reception information input function H Host device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first application having a first instruction mode, and a second application having a second instruction mode different from the first instruction mode.
And a combination of the first image data received from the first application and the data processing instruction according to the first instruction format, the image data corresponding to the combination of the first image data and the data processing instruction according to the third instruction format. The data is converted into first data composed of a combination with a print processing instruction, and the combination of the second image data received from the second application and the data processing instruction according to the second instruction format is corresponded. A printer driver that converts the image data into a second data consisting of a combination of image data and a second print processing instruction according to the third instruction format; and a first print processing of the image data in the first data. A printer controller that processes according to an instruction to provide first print data, and processes image data in the second data according to a second print processing instruction to provide second print data And a printer engine for processing the first and second print data to form a print image, further comprising: a storage unit that stores the first data as data that can be overlaid on a form so as to be identifiable. The printer driver is a first driver stored in the storage unit.
Manages an identification number for reading out the first data, and when receiving an instruction to combine the first data and the second data, outputs the identification number of the first data in combination with the second data The printer controller combines the image data in the first data and the image data in the second data read by the identification number. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, further comprising: a host device including the printer driver and the storage unit; and a printer device including the printer engine and the printer controller. 3. The printer system according to claim 1, further comprising a host device including the printer driver, a printer device including the printer engine, the printer controller, and the storage unit. 4. The printer system according to claim 3, wherein the printer driver and the printer controller are connected by a bidirectional interface.