JPS60125677A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the speed of printing output by a method in which when one letter code constituting a combined letter is inputted in a printer to print combined letters, the movement of a carriage from printing positions is prohibited. CONSTITUTION:In CPU, when printing data containing letter codes are inputted, the data re once stored in data buffer region RAM2 inside RAM6 and then read out one by one. It is judged whether the printing data so read out are exclusive letter codes for combination if the combination letter code is not setting/releasing code for the combination letter setting region RA3, and if they are exclusive letter code for combination, moving pitch O is set up in the carriage drive circuit. If they are not exclusive letter code for combination, the combination letter setting region RA3 is retlieved, and if it is set code, the moving pitch O is set up. The speeds of printing can thus be increased without the needs to set the carriage back to its original printing position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an improvement in a printing device that prints out one combined character by printing two different characters at the same printing position.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Some printing devices are capable of printing out characters corresponding to a character code input from an external control unit by striking the type provided on a printing spatula r mounted on a carriage against a sheet of paper set on a platen. There is something I did.

In such a printing device, it has been difficult to provide typefaces corresponding to all the necessary characters and symbols due to restrictions on the installation location of the typefaces or mechanical constraints. especially,
In a printing device using a print wheel in which type is formed at the tip of each spoke, it is difficult to significantly increase the number of characters that can be arranged on the circumference of the print wheel.

For example, at the tip of each spoke of the print wheel, approximately 100 characters are formed using a seven-digit ASCII code as shown in the table.

Therefore, when printing out non-English characters such as r'aJ-JrJr≧, ``Ko'', ``i'', etc. using the printed characters (character codes) shown in the table, or ``\'', ``ri'', etc. When printing out characters, the character "°°" and l'-aJ are printed out at the same printing position to obtain a silk combination character raJ.

However, in general, in the above-mentioned printing device, when the printing of the character corresponding to the character code input from the external control unit is completed, the carriage motor is driven to automatically move the carriage to the next printing position on the paper. I'm trying to move it. Therefore, when trying to obtain the combination character "°i" mentioned above, the external control unit first outputs a character code that prints out one character "°°" of the characters =) that make up the combination character. Then, a command signal (pax code) for moving the carriage backward by one character is output. Furthermore, a character code for printing out the other character raJ must be output. Therefore, when it is necessary to print a sentence in which the same combination of characters is used frequently, there is a problem in that the printing output speed of the printing apparatus as a whole decreases.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to prevent the printing position of the carriage from moving when one character code constituting a combination of characters is input. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can increase the overall printing output speed without the need to move the carriage backward.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a character code specifying means for specifying one of the character codes indicating a pair of characters constituting a combination character, and the character code specified by the character code 9 specifying means is transmitted to an external control unit. When input from , movement of the print position in the carriage is prohibited.

Further, a designation canceling means is provided for canceling the designation of the character code designated by the character code designation means.

6-1, in another invention, in addition to the above invention, a character code dedicated to a combination character that is not used for anything other than the combination character among the character codes indicating a pair of characters constituting the combination character is controlled by the external control. Movement of the print position in the carriage is always prohibited when an input is made from the print section.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a printing device using a printing wheel. 1 in the figure is a CPU that executes various calculation processes
(central processing unit), and the CPU 1 has a ROM that stores fixed data such as control programs and rotational position data of the print wheel corresponding to each character code via a data bus 2, and a 9° external control unit. An interface control unit 5 connected to a host computer (not shown) via a transmission line 4. Temporarily stores variable data such as character codes input via this interface control unit 5.
AM 6 and timer 7 are controlled. Furthermore, CPU
Reference numeral 1 controls an I10 port 9 connected to an operation panel 8 provided with various control switches such as a power switch, and an I10 port 10 that sends drive control signals to various output devices. This I10 port 10 is connected to the print wheel motor 1.
a print wheel control section 13 that sends drive pulses to the print wheel motor drive circuit 12 of No. 1; Carriage motor 14
Carriage motor drive circuit 15. a paper feed motor drive circuit 17 for the paper feed motor 16 connected to the platen;
The printing wheel motor 11, the ribbon feeding motor 18, the printing hammer drive circuit 2, which drives the printing hammer 20, are connected to the printing hammer drive circuit 2, respectively. 20 and a print wheel (not shown) constitute a print head.

In addition to the rotational position data of the printing wheel mentioned above, the ROM E contains combination-dedicated characters that are not used for anything other than combination characters, such as character codes such as r'Jr'Jr△" and "~". Code is set.

As shown in FIG. 2, the RAM 6i has a system data area RA1.
A data buffer area RA, which temporarily stores print data including the character code r and various control command signals inputted from the interface control section 5; In addition, for example, r=Jrl
Character codes such as J can be combined with other character codes such as rYJ and "C" to form combination characters such as "¥" and "ri", and also can be used to form a single character "-" without combination. ”
A combination character setting area RA, 9 is formed for storing character codes that can be combined to form "1".

When the CPU 1 receives print data including a character code from the host computer via the transmission path 4 and the interface control section 5, the CPU 1 stores the print data once in the RAM.
It is stored in the data buffer area Rk2 in B. after that,
The CPU 1 is configured to read out the print data stored in the data buffer area Rk2 and print it out according to the flowchart in FIG. That is, before - in Pl
9 = Read one piece of print data stored in the data buffer area Rk2 as described above. At P2, it is determined whether the read print data includes a setting/cancellation code indicating that a combination character code is to be set or canceled in the combination character setting area RAJ in the RAM 6. In other words, the above settings/
The M exclusion code is indicated using the extended key code ESC. For example, when setting "=" and "1", ESC8[=
l] is indicated by the code. On the other hand, "=" and "
1", it is indicated by the code ESCR (-1). In addition, the next "S" and rRJ after ESC
The ``P'' in ``P'' means setting and unsetting, respectively.

If the print data indicates an ESC code at P2, it is determined that a setting/cancellation code has been input, and the next code of ESC is read.

Then, at P3, the next code of ESC indicates the setting rSJ
If it is a code, it is determined that new combination character data is to be set in the combination character setting area Rk3, and the code 10- following the above S[ is read at Pl. After confirming that the code following S is not the code that indicates termination, write this character code to RAM 6.
Set in the combination character setting area RA,9. and P
1, read the next code, and set this character code in the area RA, 9.

Next, if the code read at P5 is ] code, then [
] All character codes in the combination character setting area RA, 9
It is determined that it is set within. Then, the process for this print data is completed and the process returns to Pl to read out the next print data in the data buffer area R input 2.

If the print data is not a setting/f@exclusion code at P2, it is checked at P6 whether or not the print data is a combination-specific character code set in the ROM 3. If it is not a combination-specific character code, the combination character setting area Rk3 is searched using the above print data. P
If the above print data is not the character code set in the combination character setting area RA, 9, it is determined that it is a normal character code, and a fixed pitch corresponding to the pre-selected and set pie force or elite is printed. The amount of movement is set in the carriage motor drive circuit 15. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the print output processing routine at P8.

In this print output processing routine, the print wheel rotation position data corresponding to the character code is read from the ROM 3, the difference between the read rotation position data and the current print wheel stop position data is calculated, and the print wheel is Calculate the amount of movement. Then, a step signal indicating the number of rotational steps of the print wheel motor 1 corresponding to this amount of movement is set in the print wheel motor control section 13. Then, the print wheel motor 11 rotates and moves the print wheel to the position designated by the character code. At the same time? The ribbon feed motor 18 is driven to feed the ribbon. Thereafter, the printing hammer 20 is driven to strike the printed characters formed at the tips of the spokes of the printing wheel. As a result, characters corresponding to the character code are printed out on the paper. Next, when a drive signal is sent to the carriage motor drive circuit 15, the carriage motor 14 rotates and moves the carriage by the amount of movement set in the carriage motor drive circuit 15, and then the carriage reaches the next printing position.

When the print output processing routine ends, the process returns to Pl and the data buffer area RA, ? Read the next print data within.

Next, if the print data read in P6 is a combination-specific character code, the process unconditionally moves to P9, and the zero pitch movement amount is set in the carriage motor drive circuit 15. Thereafter, in P8, a printout processing routine corresponding to the combination-specific character code is executed. That is, in this print output processing routine, the characters corresponding to the combination-specific character codes are printed out in the same way as the processing for the normal character codes described above. However, since the carriage motor drive circuit 15 is set to have a movement amount of zero, the carriage does not move to the next printing position after printing, but remains at the same printing position. After that, return to Pl.

13- Also, the print data read at Pl is in the combination character setting area RA, ? If one of the character codes set in P9. Execute the process of P8.

Furthermore, if the print data read at P2 is a setting/cancellation code, and the next code of ESC at P3 is an "R" code indicating setting cancellation, it has already been set in the combination character setting area RA, 9. After determining that the setting of the completed character code is to be canceled, R
Clears the character code set in the combination character setting area RAS that corresponds to the character code in [ ].

If the printing device is configured in this way, r1jrJr
If a combination-specific character code for combination characters that is not used for anything other than combination characters, such as character codes such as △, "~", etc., is input as print data, after printing out the characters corresponding to this combination-specific character code, The carriage stops at the same printing position without moving to the next printing position.

Thereafter, when a character code corresponding to a normal character such as [abreJrOJreJ] combined with the above-mentioned combination-only character is input, it is printed out overlappingly on the combination-only character that has already been printed out. As a result, “λJ
Combination characters such as "fJr◇" and ";" are obtained.

In addition, if combinations of characters such as "¥" and "ri" are frequently used, a setting/cancellation code of 8C8 (= 1) is sent from the host computer as print data in advance to the interface control of the printing device via the transmission path 4. When input to section 5, the character codes of the "=" and "1" characters in brackets in the setting/cancellation code are set in the combination character setting area RA& of RAM 6. Therefore, from now on, when the character code "=" or rlJ is input as print data, the carriage stops at the position where the "=" or "1" character is printed. Therefore, if the character code rYJ or "C" is input immediately after inputting these character codes, the combination of characters "\" or "ri" will be obtained.

Furthermore, when the use of the above-mentioned combination characters "¥" or "ri" is finished, or when r=J and rlJ are used as independent characters, ESCR [=1] is set as print data from the host computer. /Enter the release code. As a result, the "=" in [] and the character code of rlJ are the combination character setting area RA, ? Cleared from within. Therefore, from now on, when a character code of "=" or "1" is input as print data, it is printed out as a normal character code, and after the printout, the carriage moves to the next printing position.

In a printing device having such a configuration, when one character code constituting a combination of characters is input, the carriage does not move to the next printing position after printing is completed. Therefore, unlike the conventional apparatus, there is no need to retreat the carriage to the original printing position, so the printing output speed of the entire printing apparatus can be improved.

In addition, for character codes such as r=jrlJ, which are printed out as a combination of characters and also printed out as a single character, the printing position of the carriage is moved only when necessary as a combination character code. It is possible to prohibit and use it. As a result, "="
Printed characters such as "1" can be used effectively and the printing output speed can be improved.

Furthermore, unlike the conventional apparatus, there is no need to send command data for retracting the carriage (print space data) from the host computer, so it is possible to improve the transmission efficiency between the host computer and the printing device.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. In the embodiment, character codes dedicated to combination characters that are not used for anything other than combination character codes are stored in advance in ROM 3.
When this character code is entered, carriage movement is prohibited unconditionally by setting Grodaram to ``Grodalum''. However, the character code dedicated to this combination of characters can be set using the setting/cancellation code from the host computer in the same way as other combinations of characters. R
It may be set in the combination character setting area RA, 9 of AM6.

17- Furthermore, the type of combination-only characters and the type of combination characters can be set as appropriate depending on the type of type of the print wheel used and the set number of type.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, when one character code constituting a combination of characters is input from the host computer as an external control unit, the carriage moves to the next character after the character corresponding to this character code has been printed. It does not move to the printing position. Therefore, since there is no need to retreat the carriage to the original printing position, the printing output speed of the entire printing device can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the Glock, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the main memory structure of RAM, and Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation. @ 1...CPU, 2...Data path, 3...ROM
14... Transmission path, 5... Interface control unit,
6...RAM. 18- 9.10... I10 port, 1... Print wheel motor, 14... Carriage motor, 2θ... Print no. 1 marker, RA, l! ...Data buffer area, R
AJ: Combination character setting area.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) While sequentially moving a carriage equipped with a print head using type, print out characters one by one using the type of the print head based on print data including character codes input from an external control unit, and simultaneously print out the same characters. In a printing device that prints out a combination of characters by printing a pair of characters in different positions, a character code designation means for designating one of the character codes indicating a pair of characters constituting the combination of characters; , prohibition means for prohibiting movement of the printing position on the carriage when the character code specified by the character code designation means is input from the external control unit; and designation of the character code specified by the character code designation means. 1. A printing device comprising: means for canceling a designation. (2) While sequentially moving a carriage equipped with a print head using type, sequentially print out characters using the type of the print head based on print data including a character code input from an external control unit; In a printing device that prints out a combination of characters by printing a pair of different characters at the same printing position, a character code specification that specifies one of the character codes indicating the pair of characters that make up the combination character. means, inhibiting means for prohibiting movement of the printing position on the carriage when the character code specified by the character code specifying means is input from the external control unit, and a character code specified by the character code specifying means. a designation canceling means for canceling the designation of the combination character, and a designation canceling means for canceling the designation of the combination character; 1. A printing device comprising: prohibition means for prohibiting movement of a printing position.