JPH106576A - Page printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a page printer system being suitable for an ultrahigh speed page printer with a short editing time per page by making editing of letter printing data to printing data in parallel. SOLUTION: A letter printing data editing means 22 edits letter printing data sent from a central processing apparatus 1 and contg. a block of new line starting codes in referring to form controlling data and registers them in a data structure memory 26 and makes a means 23 for distributing letter printing data for a line into operation. The means 23 for distributing letter printing data for a line ensures letter printing data for a line unit from the data structure memory 26 and edits the letter printing data for a plurality of lines into printing data in parallel in editing parts 4 to n for a line. Then, when editing of the printing data for a page is finished, a print control means 24 performs printing by a page printer 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer system which edits text print data into print data and outputs the print data to a page printer, and in particular, prints one block of print data sent from a central processing unit to a printer control unit. The present invention relates to a page printer system suitable for an ultra-high-speed page printer that edits print data in parallel in units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional page printer, editing of print data on a line-by-line basis and the printing of the data are desynchronized to increase the printing throughput. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-297802, a memory for managing the absolute position of print data in the line direction, a memory for storing line feed information following print data for each edited line, and an actual printing operation Means for continuing line editing asynchronously, a plurality of line memories storing print data of the line, means for performing an absolute value conversion of a line feed amount based on line feed command information of the line when starting printing, Means for updating a memory for managing the absolute value in the row direction based on the line feed amount subjected to the absolute value conversion. When line editing and printing operation are asynchronous, printing is stopped in the middle and restarted with a page break.Since the line breaking amount has already been determined by line editing, it is printed from the beginning of the page break. However, there is a problem that the line position of the stamp is disturbed. In order to avoid this, the publication manages the row position by an absolute value.

In the case of an ultra-high speed page printer, printing data may not be edited in time for the paper traveling speed, and printing may be temporarily stopped. At the time of printing, the print data in the input block is read line by line and the print data is edited. Therefore, the editing time for one page increases in proportion to the data amount of the print data. This is because a situation that does not end occurs.

When the number of lines defined in one page is large, or when the number of function codes included in the print data is large, print data editing cannot be performed in time for the paper traveling speed of an ultra-high-speed page printer. Printing may be temporarily stopped.

[0005]

The above-described disturbance of the print line position caused when the above-mentioned editing and imprinting are desynchronized can be avoided by editing in page units. Further, in order to solve the time bottleneck of the print data editing process, a plurality of print data line editing units are operated in parallel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of one-line editing means and a one-line print data distribution means for controlling the same in a page printer system, and print block-wise print data in a line-by-line manner from a central processing unit. An object of the present invention is to perform data editing processing and realize high-speed editing processing. And
It enables continuous printing by an ultra-high-speed page printer and also enables double-sided printing.

[0007]

Therefore, a central processing unit having a format information file for storing format information and a print data file for storing text print data according to the present invention is provided to a printer control device by a printer control unit. In a page printer system that outputs print data, edits the print data into print data based on the format information, and prints the print data to a page printer in page units, the printer control device includes: Format information editing means for editing corresponding format control data, a format control data memory for storing the format control data, and print data received in block units through the central processing unit, and the print data and the pages and line feeds contained therein are received. Code or function code according to the format control data. A print data editing unit that edits the print data in page units, a data structure memory that stores the edited print data in line order, and a print data in line units and a function code included therein by referring to the format control data. A plurality of one-line editing units operating in parallel to edit print data in line units, a one-line editing unit management memory for registering the operating status of each of the one-line editing units, and print data in line units from the data structure memory. By referring to the one-line editing unit memory, assigning to the one-line editing unit in line order, performing parallel editing, and writing back the generated print data to the data structure memory in line order, one-line print data distribution means, Print control means for outputting print data of the body memory to a page printer in page units.

Further, a one-line editing unit group comprising a plurality of one-line editing units operating in parallel, a one-line editing unit group management memory for registering the operating status of each of the one-line editing units, and a plurality of one-line print data Distributing means and one-line print data distributing means management memory for managing the operation status of each one-line print data distributing means are provided, and a plurality of pages and a plurality of lines of print data of each page are used as print data, and pages and lines are arranged in parallel. And print data is output to a page printer in page units.

[0009]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, a page printer system includes a central processing unit 1
, A printer control device 2, a page printer 3, a format file 11 of a data file 10, and a print data file 12. The format information file 11 stores format information. The print data file 12 stores text print data including a line feed code and a function code. The printer control device 2 includes a format information editing unit 21
A print data editing unit 22, a one-line print data distribution unit 23, a print control unit 24, a format control data memory 25, a data structure memory 26, a one-line editing unit management memory 27, a plurality of one-line editing units 4 to n.

The format information editing means 21 is a central processing unit 1
Format information of the format information file 11 sent from
The format information editing means 22 edits the format control data corresponding to the printer, and registers the format control data in the format control data memory 25. The print data editing means 22 edits the print data sent from the print data file 12 of the central processing unit 1 in units of blocks in accordance with the printer based on the format control data of the format control data memory 25, and edits the data structure. The data is registered in the memory 26 in line order, and an edit request and an edit block designation are sent to the one-line print data distribution means 23. Print data editing means 22
In response to the completion of the print data editing for the block from the one-line print data distribution unit 23, if the editing of the print data for each page is completed, the page information of the print command is sent to the print control unit 24.

The one-line print data distribution means 23 is started by the print data editing means 22 and is operated by the print data editing means 22.
The print data in the data structure memory 26 is searched based on the edit block designation sent from the server. The one-letter print data distribution unit 23 searches the operating status of the one-line editing units 4 to n in the one-line editing unit management memory 27, and sends the print data in line units to the one-line editing units 4 to n. One character print data distribution means 23
Changes the one-line editing unit management memory 27 corresponding to the one-line editing units 4 to n to the assigned state, and when the one-line editing units 4 to N complete the editing process, the one-line editing units 4 to n are unallocated. Change to state. The one-line editing units 4 to n are activated by the one-line print data distribution means 23 and edit the line-by-line print data sent from the data structure memory 26 into print data using the format control data in the format control data memory 25. Then, the data is written back to the data structure memory 26 in line order. The print control unit 24 includes a print data editing unit 22
, And searches the print data in the data structure memory 26 based on the page instruction sent from the print data editing means 22, and outputs one page of print data to the page printer 3.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 showing the flow of data. The format information is loaded from the format information file 11, edited into format control data, and referring to FIG. 2 showing the flow of data stored in the format control data memory 25.
From the format information file 11 to the print data file 12
Is sent to the format information editing means 21 including the line feed, the print area, and the line edit corresponding to. The format information editing means 21
The format information in the format information file 11 is edited into format control data corresponding to the printer, and registered in the format control data memory 25.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of data from editing one block of print data to distributing the print data to the one-line editing units 4 to n and writing back the edited print data to the data structure memory. 3, the central processing unit 1 sends the print data of the print data file 12 to the print data editing means 22 in block units. The print data editing means 22 stores the print data sent from the print data file 12 in block units in the format control data memory 25.
The format control data is edited with reference to the printer, registered in the data structure memory 26 together with the start position and the data length of the print data, and the format control data in the format control data memory 25 is referred to for one page. Search for print data. When one block of print data is insufficient for one page, the start position and data length of one block of print data and line feed data are registered in the data structure memory 26, and an edit request and the data structure memory 2 are stored.
And the edit block in 6 is sent to the one-line print data distribution means 23. Upon receiving the edit request from the print data editing unit 22, the one-line print data distribution unit 23 searches the data structure memory 26 for the start position of the print data to be edited in the data structure memory 26 based on the edit block of the edit request. When the search for print data in the data structure memory 26 is completed, the one-line print data distribution unit 23
The one-line editing units 4 to n to be assigned to editing are searched, and when the one-line editing units 4 to n are secured, the one-line editing management memory 27
Is changed to the assigned state, and the print data of each line in the data structure memory 26 is edited by one-line editing units 4 to n.
Start by assigning to. One-line print data distribution means 2
3 changes the corresponding memory in the one-line edit management memory 27 to the unallocated state when the one-line editing units 4 to n finish editing the print data into the print data, and When the print data editing of all the print data for the blocks is completed, the print data
Send an edit completion report to. The one-line editing units 4 to n secure the line-by-line print data in the data structure memory 26 activated and sent by the one-line print data distribution unit 23, and refer to the format control data in the format control data memory 25. Then, the data is edited into print data corresponding to the printer, and the edited result is written back to the data structure memory 26 in line order. When the completion of editing is sent from the one-line print data distribution unit 23, the print data editing unit 22 sends an edit completion report to the central processing unit 1.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, which shows the flow of data up to printing after editing of print data for one page is completed.
The print data editing means 22 edits the print data sent from the print data file 12 in units of blocks by referring to the format control data of the format control data memory 25 in units of lines in accordance with the printer, and stores the data in the data structure memory 26. Register with the start position and data length of print data. The print data editing unit 22 refers to the format control data in the format control data memory 25 and searches for the completion of editing for one page.
The print data editing means 22 stores the format control data memory 25
When one page of print data is detected from the format control data, an edit request and an edit block in the data structure memory 26 are sent to the one-line print data distribution means 23. Upon receiving an editing request from the print data editing unit 22, the one-line print data distribution unit 23 secures a plurality of one-line editing units 4 to n, allocates line-by-line print data, activates the line-by-line print data, and transmits the line-by-line print data. When the print data is edited and the editing of one page of print data sent from the data structure memory 26 is completed, an edit completion report is sent to the print data editing means 22. When the edit completion report is sent from the one-line print data distribution unit 23, the print data editing unit 22 sends a print command and a page instruction to the print control unit 24, and sends the edit completion report to the central processing unit 1. Do. The print control unit 24 includes a print data editing unit 22
When receiving a print command, the print data in the data structure memory 26 is output to the page printer 3 and printed based on the page command.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 5 showing the configuration of the second embodiment, a one-line editing unit group 30 composed of a set of a central processing unit 1, a printer control unit 2, a page printer 3, and one-line editing units 4 to n. And. The central processing unit 1 has a format information file 11 and a print data file 12 in the data file 10. The format information file 11 has format information used at the time of printing. The print data file 12
It has text print data including line feed code and function code. The printer control device 2 includes a format information editing unit 2
1, a print data editing unit 22, a plurality of one-line print data distribution units 23, a print control unit 24, a format control data memory 25, a data structure memory 26, a one-line editing unit group management memory 29, It has a print data distribution unit management memory 28 and a one-line editing unit group 30 composed of a set of one-line editing units 4 to n. The format information editing means 21
The format information of the format information file 11 sent through the central processing unit 1 is edited into format control data corresponding to the printer, and registered in the format control data memory 25. The print data editing means 22 converts the line feed code of the print data sent from the print data file 12 into blocks based on the format control data registered in the format control data memory 25 and the line feed and print area corresponding to the printer. Edit to
The print data editing unit 22 sends an edit completion report to the central processing unit 1 when the print data for one block has been edited.
When the editing for one page is completed, the print data for one page is registered in the data structure memory 26, the one-line print data distribution unit management memory 28 is searched, and the unallocated one-line print data distribution unit 23 is selected. To send an edit request and an edit block instruction. When the one-line print data distribution unit 23 finishes editing the print data in page units into print data, it issues a print command to the print control unit 24 and sends page information, and the edit is completed to the central processing unit 1. Send report.

The one-line print data distribution unit 23 is activated by the print data editing unit 22, searches the print data in the data structure memory 26 based on the sent edit block, and searches the unassigned one-line edit units 4 to n, the print data is sent, and the one-line editing unit group management memory 29 corresponding to the one-line editing units 4 to n is changed to the assigned state. When the one-line editing units 4 to n complete the editing process, , The one-line editing unit 4-
The one-line editing unit group management memory 29 corresponding to n is changed to an unallocated state. The one-line editing units 4 to n started by the one-line print data distribution unit 23 convert the line-by-line print data into the print data corresponding to the printer by referring to the format control data in the format control data memory 25. And the data is registered in the data structure memory 26. The print control unit 24 is activated by the print data editing unit 22 and, based on the page information sent from the print data editing unit 22,
The print data in the data structure memory 26 is searched, and one page of data is output to the page printer 3 for printing.

In the second embodiment, the print data editing means 22 collects print data sent from the central processing unit 1 in block units in page units, assigns each page to the one-line editing unit group 30, Are assigned in parallel to each line in each page to the one-line editing units 4 to n, and a plurality of lines are edited in parallel for print data.

[0020]

As described above, the first effect of the present invention is that the data editing time of the entire one page is shortened. As a result, continuous printing can be performed at the time of an ultra-high-speed page printer or double-sided printing in which the time allowed for editing one page is short. The reason is that, by processing a plurality of lines or a plurality of pages of print data in parallel, it is possible to shorten the entire print data editing time regardless of the amount of print data of one line, the number of function codes, and the number of lines in one page. It is.

A second effect of the present invention is that parallel processing can be easily performed irrespective of the number of attached one-line editing units. The reason is that the print data editing means for editing print data is provided with a one-line print data distribution means for distributing print data in units of lines to a plurality of one-line editing units, so that the number of parallel line edits is not considered. This is because editing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data flow for editing format information into format control data in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data flow from the completion of editing of one block of print data to distribution to a one-line editing unit in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the flow of data from when the editing of one page of print data in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is completed to when printing is performed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Central processing unit 2 Printer control device 3 Page printer 4 to n one line editing part 10 Data file 11 Format information file 12 Print data file 21 Format information editing means 22 Print data editing means 23 One line print data distribution means 24 Print control means 25 Format Control data memory 26 Data structure memory 27 One-line editing unit management memory 28 One-line print data distribution unit management memory 29 One-line editing unit group management memory 30 One-line editing unit group

Claims (4)

[Claims] A central processing unit having a format information file for storing format information and a print data file for storing text print data outputs the format information and the print data to a printer control device. In the page printer system which causes the page printer to edit the print data line by line based on the format information and print the print data to the page printer in page units, the printer control device prints the print data in a plurality of lines in parallel. A page printer system wherein data is edited. 2. A printer control device comprising: a format information editing unit configured to edit the format information into format control data corresponding to a printer; a format control data memory storing the format control data; and print data through the central processing unit. A print data editing unit that edits the print data and the page, line feed code, and function code included in the print data in page units by the format control data, and stores the edited print data in line order. A data structure memory, a plurality of one-line editing units operating in parallel, which edits line-by-line print data and function codes contained therein into print data by line with reference to the format control data; and A one-line editing unit management memory for registering the operation status of each unit, and a line from the data structure memory One-line print data distribution means, referring to the one-line editing unit memory, assigning the one-line editing unit in line order to the one-line editing unit, editing the data in parallel, and writing back the generated print data in the data structure memory in line order; 2. The page printer system according to claim 1, further comprising: a print control unit that outputs print data of the data structure memory to a page printer in page units. 3. A central processing unit having a format information file for storing format information and a print data file for storing text print data outputs the format information and the print data to a printer control device. Based on the, in the page printer system to edit the print data into print data line by line, and to print the print data to a page printer page by page, the printer control device, the print data, a plurality of pages in parallel A page printer system for editing and editing the print data of each page into print data in a plurality of lines in parallel. 4. A printer control apparatus comprising: a format information editing unit configured to edit the format information into format control data corresponding to a printer; a format control data memory storing the format control data; and print data through the central processing unit. A print data editing unit for receiving the print data and a page, a line feed code and a function code included therein in the form control data in page units, and a data structure for storing the edited print data in line order. Body memory, and a plurality of parallel-operating one-line editing units for editing the edited print data in units of lines and the function codes included therein into print data in units of lines with reference to the format control data. An editing unit group, and a one-line editing unit that registers the operation status of each of the one-line editing units in the one-line editing unit group A group management memory, the print data generated in units of pages from the data structure memory is assigned to the one-line editing units in the one-line editing unit in the line order by referring to the one-line editing unit group management memory, and is subjected to parallel editing to generate print data. A plurality of one-line print data distribution means for writing data back to the data structure memory in the order of lines in page units; a one-line print data distribution means management memory for managing the operation status of each of the one-line print data distribution means; 4. The page printer system according to claim 3, further comprising: print control means for outputting print data in the memory to the page printer in page units.