JPS58214978A - Page editing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the layout processing speed and to decrease the editing time, by reading a master data out of a mask memory when necessary in the data conveying routine of each class and therefore deleting the mask production processing step from a raster data transfer routine of a high traveling frequency. CONSTITUTION:A main control circuit 4 of a printer controller 2 obtains the character pattern addresses corresponding to the character codes equivalent to a page from a central processor 1. Then the circuit 4 delivers a layout parameter to a character layout circuit 5 for each character, and the circuit 5 gives the layout parameter to a mask production control circuit 9 to produce a mask data. This mask data is stored in a mask memory 10. Then the memory 10 is read out by a mask processing control circuit 11 to perform the mask processing when the bit address processing is carried out for layout of both the first and last words of each raster.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention The present invention provides a method for converting character pattern data for one page into a paper image in a printer control device or the like. Regarding the page editing method that edits in memory.

Conventional technology A printer control device accesses the character pattern memory to find the character pattern address corresponding to the character code sent from the central processing unit, reads out the corresponding character pattern, and outputs it to the printer. There are two main types.

One is to read the character pattern memory and sequentially send it to the printer while converting it into raster data. The other method is a so-called page buffer method, in which a page image of one page's worth of character pattern data is once edited (page edited) in a memory, and then the contents of this memory are sent to a printer.

The former can be expected to be fast, but can only provide simple printing functions.

On the other hand, the latter page buffer method, although slow in speed, allows character patterns to be allocated in memory as desired, making it possible to print with a variety of functions.

By the way, in a page buffer type printer control device, character patterns must be assigned to memory addresses in bit units when editing a page. However, memory is generally divided into access units, and memory writing and reading must be performed using this data width.

It can be said that memory addresses are also assigned to this access unit. This access unit is at least 1 byte. Therefore, if you want to access bit by bit, bit address processing is required. Bit address processing is achieved by ORing the contents of the page buffer and character pattern data, but it is necessary to guarantee the data with a mask so that unnecessary data is not ORed.

This will be explained with reference to FIG. Note that the memory access unit is 2 bytes.

Now, copy the character pattern 101 indicated by the CG address from the character pattern memory to the page
) The illustrated allocation of los is assumed to be allocated from the address. First, read the character no (turn) in memory access units and set it in the CG work A register 106.C
The G work A register 106 is shifted by the bit address shown in PB and set in the CG work B register 107. The contents of PH are read in memory access units and set in the PB work A register 108. The PB work A register 108 and the mask register 104 are ANDed and set in the PB work B register 105. C
G work B register 107 and PB work B register 10
5 and set it in the PB work C register 108. The PH work C register 108 is stored in the page buffer 9. Although the above description has been made for the first word of the mask, such processing is also required for the last word of each mask.

In a conventional page buffer type printer control device, mask data 2 as described above is created for each mask and bit address processing is performed.

For this reason, when dealing with character patterns that have a large number of vertical dots, that is, a large number of masks, such as kanji patterns, the mask creation time increases, the layout process is delayed, and the page editing process and, ultimately, the printing speed decreases. I'm there.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a page editing method for performing page editing at high speed in a page buffer type printer control device as described above.

Character patterns are allocated from a new address increased by the width of the page buffer memory for each mask, so bit address processing must be performed for each mask each time. Bit address processing requires mask data to indicate the boundaries of bit addresses. This mask data is created based on the address and the number of data transfers, but if the address changes for each raster as in the past, mask data must be created every time raster data is transferred. The number of masks is large because it is the number of bits in the vertical direction of the character pattern, and if you create a mask using a program, the number of steps will increase by the number of masks, and the processing time for allocation will increase. I end up.

In the present invention, the width of the page buffer is made an integral multiple of the data width of memory access. By doing this, the mask start address within the word will be the same for each mask, and since the mask length is common to each mask, the end address will also be the same. Therefore, the bit address processing for each mask may also be common. Mask data used for bit address processing also no longer needs to be created for each raster.

From this point of view, the present invention creates mask data and stores it in the mask memory when the character size and layout address are known prior to the layout processing, and then starts the layout processing. .

In the allocation processing, the mask data is read out from the mask memory as needed in the data transfer routine for each mask and used, thereby eliminating the mask creation processing step from the raster data transfer routine that is frequently run. Improve speed and reduce page editing time.

Embodiment of the Invention An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a page buffer type printer control device to which the page editing method of the present invention is applied. The main control circuit board of the printer control device 2 receives the character code for one page from the central processing unit 1, and determines a character pattern address corresponding to the character code. When the character pattern address corresponding to the character code for one page is obtained, the main control circuit 4 passes a parameter for character allocation to the character allocation circuit 5 for each character and starts the circuit.

The character allocation circuit 5 activated by the main control circuit 4 gives allocation parameters to the mask creation control circuit 9 to create mask data, and stores it in the mask memo IJIO. When the mask creation is completed, the character allocation circuit 5 reads out the corresponding character pattern from the character pattern memory 6 in accordance with the character pattern address determined by the main control circuit 4 and allocates it to the page buffer memory 7. At this time, when performing bit address processing for allocation of the first word and last word of each mask, the mask processing control circuit 11 reads out the mask memory 10 and performs mask processing.

When the main control circuit 4 finishes allocating one page,
Activate the printer output circuit 8 and read the page buffer memory? The content of is outputted to the printer device 8.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the character allocation method and parameters will be explained. Character patterns are stored in the character pattern memory 6 in rask order starting from the position of the character pattern memory address 22. The character size 28 defines the number of mask data and the number of masks. The character pattern stored as described above is allocated to the page buffer address z5 of the page buffer memory 7 as shown in FIG.

The page buffer addresses for the second and subsequent rasts are calculated based on the page buffer horizontal size 26.

Next, for character assignment, the details of the operation of circuit 4 are shown in Figures 8 and 4.
As shown in the figure. However, for ease of understanding, the page buffer allocation is based on the bit address within the word of the address.
2 bits, mask length 5 bytes, CG address 2 byte boundary.

As shown in the layout process flowchart of FIG. 8, when the character layout circuit 4 is activated from the main control circuit 4, it first receives parameters from the main control circuit 4.

Next, mask data is created from the parameters and stored in the mask memory. The mask data to be created is sent to MA8-
There are four types: A, MASK-B, MASK-C, and MASK-D. MASK-A is the PB mask of the first word of the raster, and the allocation is to guarantee the contents of page buffer memo 1λ7 before the start address. To MA8-
B is the second PB mask from the end of the masks, and the allocation is such that the contents of the page buffer memory 7 after the end address are guaranteed. MASK-C is MA
This is the same shot as SK-B, and the PB allocation is a mask for when the final mask shifts to the next word due to the relationship between address and mask length. MA8-D is the last CG of the mask
This mask is used to cut off the data of the next mask from the end of the raster during CG processing. When the creation of the mask data is completed, one word of page number 7a is stored through path and path of ■. The details of this first word storage process will be explained with reference to FIG.

Read out the ■ and @ portions of the character pattern memo IJ (CG) 6, and perform a 12-bit shift while filling in zeros from the left, leaving only ■. Read out the first word of sofa memory (PB) 7, set the 0 part after shifting to 0,
The allocation of the first word is completed by performing an AND with -A in MA8 that leaves the shaded area in FIG.

Processing of the next 2 bytes is performed through the route ◯ in Figure 8,
The data of @ and θ of the second figure are stored in the sofa memory.

The processing of the CG ■ and O data is performed along the route ◎ in FIG. When the data of CG ■ and 6 is read, the MASK-D of the next raster indicated by the hatched area in FIG. 4 is set to all 0s. Read out the part of PB that speaks to O and ■, and press M
Take the AND with ASK-B. In this case, MASK
-8 is all 0. The result of ANDing and CG @
OR and ■ and store PBK. Next, read the 6 part of PB and AND it with -C in MA8, set the θ part to 0, guarantee the shaded part, and OR the 6 of CG.
Store the final word in PB. The above process is repeated for each rask to assign one character.

Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of how to create mask data, and (a) is M
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the creation of ASK-A, and (b) the creation of MASK-B, C, and D. MASK-A is shown in Figure 5 (()K
As shown, it is created by adding 1 from the left and shifting by the number of fractional bits in the PB address word. MARK-B,
As shown in FIG. 5(B), C and D are created by shifting the number of fractional bits in the remaining 2 bytes of CG and the number of fractional pits in the PB address word.

Effects of the Invention The present invention has been described in detail above, and layout can shorten processing time and speed up page editing processing. Therefore, if the present invention is applied to a printer control device, the printing speed can be increased compared to the conventional page buffer type device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a printer control device implementing the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of character allocation method and parameters,
FIG. 8 is a circuit operation flowchart showing character assignment, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of how to use a mask, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of how to make a mask, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of bit address processing. l...Central processing unit, 2...Printer control device, 8
...Printer device, 4...Main control circuit, 5...Character assignment circuit, 6...Character pattern memory, 7...
・Page back memory, 8...Printer output circuit,
9...Mask creation control circuit, lO...Mask memory, ll...Mask processing control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a page editing method in which one page of character pattern data is edited as a paper image on page back memory, the width of the page buffer memory is an integral multiple of the memory access data width, and the page of character pattern data is To start allocation of character pattern data to the buffer memory, mask data necessary for bit address processing accompanying processing is created and stored in the mask memory, and then the character pattern data is A page editing method characterized in that allocation to a page buffer memory executes processing, and mask data necessary for executing bit address processing at that time is read from the mask memory.