JPS60139473A - Method for storing printing data in memory - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable operation in the injection timing of each nozzle without using an exclusive microprocessor, by a method wherein, for example, Y, M, C and B are stored in this order at every 8 bits in a sandwich form and 8 bits of data are shifted by adding phase shifts corresponding to 16 bits to an address at every bit by an adder and also stored on memory. CONSTITUTION:Address of lower rank 2 bits on memory are allotted, for example, as ''00'' in Y, as ''01'' in M, as ''10'' in C and as ''11'' in B. By this method, 8 bits of printing data are stored on the memory in sandwich relation to Y, M, C and B and a microprocessor can successively read required printing data only by setting the memory address to +1 while the positional shift between heads can be corrected by setting the memory address to +1 at every T-time. Therefore, by reading this data from the memory, the load of the microprocessor can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a.) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for storing print data in a memory, and in particular to a method for storing print data in a memory for correcting the spacing between print elements of a print head in a dot printer during printing. It relates to a storage method in memory. The invention further relates to a method of storing color information in a memory in a color printer, and more particularly to a method of storing print data in a memory for correcting the position between print heads for printing specific color information.

(b) Prior Art and Problems A color inkjet printer will be explained as an example of a dot printer and a color printer.

Pressure-controlled color inkjet printers can generally produce seven colors using four colors: yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and blank (B).

Each color has eight nozzles for reasons such as printing speed and ease of data processing. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a hemlock having 32 nozzles. In this example, head 9
BaY.

It is configured by horizontally connecting M, , (, , B) in the order, and each has 8 (IU) nozzles 1 to 8 in the horizontal direction.

Further, since the nozzles 1 to 8 for each color are arranged vertically with a predetermined dot spacing, the straight line connecting the nozzles 1 to 8 is slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal line.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the printing operation. The head 9 moves in the horizontal direction as shown by the arrow to apply a nozzle Y to the paper 10, for example.
By overlapping the position where nozzle C 1 jetted, the mixed color green is obtained, and by overlapping the jetting position of nozzle Y 2 and jetting with nozzle C 2, the mixed color green is obtained as above. is f4. In this way, characters and the like are printed in color. Incidentally, the nozzles for each color are spaced apart by 16 dots, and there is a distance of about 500 dots from nozzle Y 1 to nozzle B 1. Therefore, the microprocessor controlling the color inkjet printer must calculate these distances to determine the firing timing of each nozzle.

When data to be printed is sent from a host device to a color inkjet printer, Y, M.

It is sent in blocks of each color, C and B.

If this data is stored as is in the memory, the microprocessor must read the data using the block address for each color and calculate the ejection timing of each nozzle as described above, and a dedicated commercial processor is required. Furthermore, if the processing is performed using hardware, the circuitry becomes complicated and expensive.

(C) Purpose of the invention The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, e.g.

Store 8 hits each in the sand inch in the order of M, C, and B, and also store the data of 8 hints on the memory by adding a phase shift of 16 dots to a constant address by an adder for each bit and shifting the data. A method for storing print data in memory that allows the microprocessor to read it out in order, reducing the burden on the microprocessor, and making it possible to calculate the ejection timing of each nozzle without using a dedicated microprocessor. Our goal is to provide the following.

(d) Structure and object of the invention According to the invention, there is provided a print head in which a plurality of printing elements are arranged at intervals corresponding to n times the dot diameter;
In a tonneau 1 printer comprising a memory for storing print data in the form of a dot matrix, and printing the print data stored in the memory dot by dot by the print head, the print data given to a certain print element is A method for storing print data in a memory, characterized in that the print data is stored at an address shifted by 1] address from the storage address in the memory of print data given to an adjacent print element opposite to the direction of print head movement, and a plurality of colors. A method for storing print data in a memory, in a color printer that performs color printing by overlapping and printing information at the same position, the method comprising storing the color information at successive addresses in the memory in the order in which the color information is overprinted. This is achieved by providing

(e) Examples of the invention FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams explaining the present invention in detail.

As shown in Figure 3 (print data for each color of Y, M, C, and B is expressed by 8 bits per color, and this 8-bit print data has a phase shift of 16 donts between each nozzle. can be,
There will be a time delay when calculating the total. There is a phase shift between each of the Y, M, C, and B heads, and there is a delay of T time. This delay in time t is corrected by shifting the address when storing 8-bit data for each color in the memory. The address of each bit is shifted by 16 bits. In this way, when data is read from the memory, it is read out with a delay of 16 dos I- minutes, so that the phase shift between the nozzles can be corrected. Next, as shown in the fourth circle, set the addresses of the lower two hints on the memory, for example, "OO" for Y, "01" for M, and C
In this case, "10" is assigned, and "11" is assigned in B. By doing this, 8-pint print data Y is assigned as shown in FIG.

The print data is stored in the memory in M, C, and B positions, and the microprocessor can simply change the memory address by -1 without reading out the required print data in order.
Furthermore, by incrementing the memory address by 1,000 each time, the phase shift between each head can be corrected. Therefore, by reading this data from memory, it is possible to reduce the burden on the microprocessor.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention. From terminal A, the address of data to be written into memory 13 from the dynamic memory access circuit is input to multiplexer 12 and adder 11.

The address is applied to the memory 13 via the multiplexer 12, and data is written therein. microprocessor 1
5 sends an address to the multiplexer 12 via the buffer 14, sends the address to the memory 13 via the multiplexer 12, reads the data, and sends the data to the printer 17 via the buffer 14 and the interface control unit 16. Send and print.

Figure 6 shows the adder 11, multiplexer 12, and memory 13.
FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of FIG. From the dynamic memory access circuit to the address A of memory 25 via the terminal (hl)
O to A13 enter the multiplexer 21. The memory 25 is an area for storing data of the nozzle 8, for example, and has a capacity of 16 bits. And when Y, the lowest 2 bits AO, AI
is set to "00", when it is M, the tenth place 2 pips 1 to AO, AI are set to 01", when it is C, AO and Al are set to "10", and when it is B, AO and AI are set to "11". (gl contains an address for reading data from the microprocessor 15 via the buffer 14.

6111 children from the dynamic memory access circuit (
Addresses A2 to A of the memory 26 are sent to the adder 18 via al.
13 enters. An addition number 16 is input to the terminal fb) and added to the addresses Δ2 to Δ13. Multiplexer 22
The address to which the addition number 16 has been added is stored in memory 2.
given to 6. The memory 26 is also 16 in the same way as the memory 25.
This area has a capacity of 1.5 mm and stores the data of the nozzle 7. Therefore, the data of the nozzle 7 stored in the memory 2G is shifted by the phase difference between the nozzles of 16 dos 1-. The address at which data is not read from the microprocessor 15 is input to the terminal (il).

Addresses A2 to A13 of the memory 27 are input from the dynamic memory access circuit to the terminal (C1, and the terminal fd+
The addition number 32 is entered from. The addresses A2 to A13 to which the addition μ32 has been added by the adder 19 are sent to the multiplexer 2.
The data of the nozzle 6 which is applied to the memory 27 through the nozzle 3 and stored in the memory 27 is shifted by 1- by a phase difference of 32 dots between the nozzles and then stored. The terminal (jl receives the address when data is not read from the microprocessor 15.

Addresses A2 to A13 of the memory 28 are input from the dynamic memory access circuit to the terminal (el), and the terminal (f
The addition number 112 is entered from l. The adder 20 adds 11
The addresses A2 to A13 with 2 added thereto are given to the memory 28 via the multiplexer 24, and the data of the nozzle 1 stored in the memory 28 is based on the phase difference between the nozzles (112).
``7+-minute shift 1- is recorded 1,1.醋）子(k
The address at which data is not read from the microprocessor 15 is entered in l.

When the microprocessor 15 accesses the contents of the memory 13 that have been shifted in this way, the data of nozzles 8 and 7 can be set to 16 by setting the address pointer once and incrementing the value of the address pointer one by one. Since the data is read out with a deviation of a certain amount, the interval between each nozzle can be corrected.

(f) As described in detail, since the present invention corrects the nozzle spacing based on the data readout time itself, it is possible to correct the printing position using a microprogram by devising the data storage address in the memory. There is no need to perform calculations, and the performance associated with Blink is not impaired due to the processing speed of the microprogram. There is also no need to use a dedicated circuit for division.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a head having 32 nozzles, FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining the printing operation, FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams explaining the present invention in detail, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a detailed block diagram of the adder 11, multiplexer 12, and memory 13, which is a block diagram of a circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention. 11.18, 19.20 are adders, 12.21°22.
23.24 Mad Maruna Prexa, 13.25°26.27
．． 28 is a memory, 14 is a buffer, 15 is a microprocessor, 16 is an interface control unit, and 17 is a printer. Side 3 Seki No. 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A print head having a plurality of print elements arranged at intervals corresponding to ton 1 to n times the diameter, and a memory storing print data in the form of l-so 1-7 trix. , in a doso I printer that prints print data stored in the memory dot by dot by the print head, a print take given to a certain print element is given to an adjacent print element opposite to the print head movement direction; A method for storing print data in a memory, characterized in that the print data is stored at an address n addresses away from the storage address of the print data in the memory. 2) In a color printer that performs color printing by printing a plurality of pieces of color information in an overlapping manner at the same position, the print data is stored at successive addresses in a memory in the order in which the color information is overprinted. How to store it in memory.