JPS6034881A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to print with high printing quality at high speed, by providing a controlling means for driving a printing hammer for a period of time corresponding to a selected driving period. CONSTITUTION:A printing pressure table IT as printing pressure information, a code table CT for converting codes and a type wheel table WT as type position information for type wheels are stored in a memory ROM1, while a time table TT as printing hammer driving time information is stored in a memory ROM2. An output line of a timer PTM is made to be active by writing a time constant by a micro-processor MPU2, and is made to be inactive when the written period of time has elapsed. The output line of the timer PTM is connected to a hammer-driving part HMD, and supplies a driving current to a hammer HM for a predetermined period of time set on the timer PTM. By this procedure, the hammer HM is energized for the predetermined period of time, and a character is transferred onto a paper PAP.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] 【Technical field) The present invention relates to a printing device, and particularly to a printing device that performs high-quality printing by finely controlling its printing pressure. [Prior art]

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, with the advancement of electronic technology, it has become popular to control printing devices by applying various electronic technologies. When inputting character information to be printed in the form of binary data, it is conceivable to input data regarding the font and printing pressure of the characters to be printed together with the character information. Regarding the printing pressure, in the past, only a small number of bits in the free space for character information were used, so it was not possible to control the printing pressure finely and precisely. [Object 1] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can perform high-quality printing at high speed by solving the drawbacks of the prior art in this type of printing device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can vary the printing pressure depending on the driving time of the printing hammer.
It is intended that the control range of the driving time can be defined by a multi-digit number such as microsecond order, so that the printing pressure can be precisely controlled. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device in which printing pressure can be controlled reliably by appropriately providing a microprocessor, a read-only memory, and a random access memory in each of the printers. Still another object of the present invention is to provide at least three types of printing hammer drive times, and to express printing pressure information for this purpose as binary information larger than 1 byte.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that can precisely determine a multi-digit drive time, such as a four-digit drive time on the microsecond order.

[Example 1] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the printing device of the present invention, where KBυ is a keyboard unit, DBI and DB2 are system data buses, and NPU 1 and M
PU2 is a microprocessor, ABI and AB2 are system address buses, ADI and AD2 are address decoders, and ROM! and ROM2 are read-only memories, RA and RAM2 are random access memories, ITF is the interface, SEI, 11°5E
L12. 5EL21. 5EL22. 5EL23 and 5EL24 are device select lines. M
l and M2 are the servo motors for driving the carriage and type wheel, respectively, PTM is the programmer pull timer, CL is the carriage control and drive unit, WLD is the type wheel control and drive unit, ■ is the type wheel, H
Old printing hammer, HMD printing hammer drive unit, RB
is a printing ribbon, PAP is a printing paper, and PS is a photosensor consisting of a light emitting diode, a photodiode, and a photoencoder that take out various outputs according to the rotation of the printing wheel PW. The system in Figure 1 can be roughly divided into two systems: MP
It consists of a UI side and an MPU2 side, and both systems are connected by an interface ITF. Microprocessor MPUI
and MPU2 are central to both systems, respectively.
It is equipped with means for performing calculation and control, and
These microprocessors MPUI and MP B2
are connected to each memory ROMI, RAMI, ROM2. through address buses ABI and AB2, respectively. R.A.
The address can be sent to M2, and the address information decoded by address decoder A port 1 and AD2 is sent to each device ITF, KBU, PTM, II via device select lines 5ELII-9EL24.
ILD and CLD so that the desired device can be selected. The memories ROMI and ROM12 store instructions and fixed information for sequentially controlling or calculating the microprocessor and MPU2, respectively. In the memories ROM 1 and ROM 2 shown in FIG. 1, instructions are stored in the hatched portions, and the remaining portions contain a fixed set of continuous information 1. That is, a table is stored. In this example, the memory RO old contains a printing pressure table IT as printing pressure information, a code table CT for code conversion,
A type wheel table IIT is stored as type position information for the type wheel, and a time table TT as print hammer driving time information is stored in the memory ROM2. Note that the printing pressure here means the energy related to printing, and by making the drive time of the hammer HN (7) variable, the printing energy is changed for each character, thereby changing the printing pressure. Memories RAMI and RAM2 are used for temporary storage of information necessary for processing within the system, the specific contents of which will be described later. The keyboard KBU has a slide switch for pressing keys such as alphanumeric keys or adjusting printing pressure I
In response to the movement of the MPSW, the data of the pressed key or the movement data of the switch is sent to the microprocessor NP.
It is sent to U1 via bus port Bl. Note that key press data can be extracted by positioning the rows and columns of the key matrix to the upper and lower 4 bits of the 8 bits. Address decoders ADI and AD2 convert information in address buses ABI and AB2 consisting of a plurality of address lines into a single signal line 5 for each device.
Activate ELII etc. Interface I
TF connects the MPtll side data bus DBJ and the MPU2 side data bus DB2, and connects the select line 5ELII.
The microprocessor MP old can be accessed by the microprocessor MP old, and the microprocessor NPU can be accessed by the select line 5EL21.
2 can be accessed. The carriage control and drive unit OLD starts operation by receiving carriage position information from the microprocessor MPU2, controls and drives the servo motor, and moves the carriage to the relevant position and stops there. At the same time, the type wheel control and drive unit Wt port starts operating by giving target rotation position information on the type wheel 2w from the microprocessor MPU2, controls and drives the servo motor M2, and controls the target rotation of the type wheel 4. This type wheel control and drive section 111L rotates into position and stops there.
D can notify the microprocessor MPU2 that the rotational movement has stopped. The output line of the timer PTN becomes active when a time constant is written therein by the microprocessor MPU2, and becomes inactive when the written time elapses. Timer PT
The H output line is connected to the hammer drive unit HMD, and supplies a drive current to the hammer HM for a predetermined time determined by a timer PTH. As a result, it is energized for a predetermined time in the direction of the arrow shown in the first figure, and presses one of the four characters of the character wheel against the paper PAP via the printing ribbon RB, thereby pressing the character on the paper. The type is transferred to the PAP.The type wheel Pw is provided with, for example, 86 type spokes C5 as shown in FIG. The operation of the printing device shown in the first figure will be explained with a focus on the former and MPU2.When the power is turned on, the microprocessors MPUI and MPU2 are activated independently.First, type wheel control and drive 1!1A
In response to a command from the microprocessor MPU2, the WLD rotates the type wheel 4 once, detects the typeface of the mounted type CH, and then
For example, when this household is nPICA, the number "2" is given to the microprocessor MPU2 from the type wheel control and drive unit ML port. Sends out the MPU.The microprocessor is the microprocessor MP.
When it learns that information is being transferred from U2, it obtains font-related data "2" from the interface ITF. Microprocessor MPU 1 uses this data “2”
is written into the memory portion KIN on the memory RAMl as data representing the type of font. Thereafter, the microprocessors MP old and 1PU2 perform a series of processes necessary when the power is turned on, and the keyboard KBU enters a key press standby state. The flow of control of the microprocessor MP from the standby state for pressing a key is as shown in FIG.
When a press is made, the control sequence exits loop 3.1 and proceeds to step 3.2, and the microprocessor MP accesses the keyboard KBU and determines the row number and column in the key matrix of the pressed key. Take in the number, that is, get (10) for the A key. Microprocessor MP old (10) in next step 3.3
It is found that this data (lO) is not the movement data of the printing pressure adjustment slide switch I MPSW. The control sequence therefore branches at step 3.3 and proceeds in the direction of step 3.5. In this step 3.5, the KMRX data (lO
) The data (lO) written in this way is stored in the memory RAMI until the character #A'' is printed and any key is pressed next. In the next step 3.6, the following calculation is performed in order to convert the KMRX data into an internal code convenient for subsequent processing.In other words, the data representing the matrix of key A (
10) and code table CT on memory ROI'll
Add the starting address (EAFA). That is, (
EAFA) + (10) = (EBOA), and use this addition result (EBOA) as the address of the internal code corresponding to key A, as shown in step 3.7, and access the address in the code table CT. In step 3.8 of the 0th order, the internal code (41) is obtained by
41) to the memory RAMI area KCODE,
This KCODE content, like the KMRX content, remains unchanged until the next key press. Note that if it is determined in step 3.3 that the information is slide switch movement information, the process proceeds to step 3.4. Here, for example, if the slide switch is the printing pressure adjustment slide switch IM
If it is PSW, the captured information (numerical value "2") is written to the area IMPBF of the memory RAM1-L. Thereafter, the microprocessor performs internal processing related to characters, and only after this is completed is processing related to printing performed. The information necessary for printing is the position of the relevant character on the character wheel Pw and the strength of printing pressure against the relevant character. FIG. 4 shows the control procedure of the microprocessor MPU regarding printing processing. Step, Pu4. ] In order to obtain part of the printing pressure information of the corresponding character, add the start address (C2BA) of the printing pressure table IT and the contents of KGODE (41), and calculate the minimum value of the internal code ( 20). The reason is that the internal code starts from (20). In this way, from step 4.1, (02B^) + (41) - (
20)=02DB) is obtained. In step 4.2,
Address in printing pressure table IT (C2IIB)
In this example, the contents of the printing pressure table I are read out and the contents (36) are imported into the microprocessor MPUI.
T also stores data on the amount of carriage movement relative to the proboscisal J null spacing typeface, and the lower 4 bits of data corresponding to this data are discarded as shown in step 4.3. Therefore, the data held inside the microprocessor is (30). The contents stored in the printing pressure table IT in this example are as shown in FIG. 8, as described above, and include internal codes (20) to
0 corresponding to (BF) by one byte each. Then, in step 4.4, the result of step 4.3 is shifted to the right four times to convert (30) into (03). In the next step 4.5, the shift result of step 4.4 is written to the lower 4 bits part BFI in the area BF on the memory RAM l.At this stage, half of the information regarding the printing pressure has been obtained. . Next, in step 4.8,
By adding the contents (02) of the area mtMo on the memory RAMI and the contents (02) of the area IMPHF, which will be described later, (
Get 00. The result of this addition is written to the upper 4 bits portion BF2 of area BF in step 4.7. Therefore, the content of BF becomes (53). On the other hand, the position of the type on the type wheel pw is obtained by the procedure shown in FIG. In step 5.1, the same process as step 4.1 is performed, and the address where the relevant print position information is stored in the print wheel table 111T is determined. In other words, the first address of type wheel table w (E
C4A) ,! -KCO[lF contents (41), and subtract the minimum internal code value (20) from the addition result. This allows (ECdA)+ (al) −(
20) = (EGEIII) is obtained. Step 5
．． 2, the address of the type wheel table WT (EGEIB) is set using this result (ECEIB) as address information.
) and import the content (45) into the microprocessor υl In the next step 5.3, the content thus imported into the microprocessor MP is written to the area wpos of the memory RAMI. ,・
As mentioned above, the type wheel table WT has the seventh
Information on character positions is stored in the format shown. Next, the area IMPBF of the memory RAMI will be described. As mentioned above, in loop 3.1 in Fig. 3, the loop is exited only when a key is pressed.
Even in response to the movement of SW, the extraction exits from loop 3.1 in the same way, passes through step 3.2, further 3.3, and then step 3.4.
Control progresses. In step 3.4 the keyboard KB
Knowing that the slide switch IMPSW on II is to be moved from the row number and column number of the key matrix,
Write the printing pressure data instructed by switch IMPSW to area IMPBF of l. For example, when moving one step toward the weaker side from the position where the maximum printing pressure is specified, (02) is written in the area IMPBF. As described above, memory RA old area BF,! -WP
(43) and (45) are respectively stored in O9. Subsequently, the old microprocessor 1 transfers the contents of areas BF and wpos of memory RAM 1 to the microprocessor MPI via the interface ITF in this order.
Transfer to j2. As shown in FIG. 8, the microprocessor IIPU2 learns that the data from the microprocessor MPUI is held in the interface ITF, and reads the data held in the interface ITF in step 8.1. This captured data is the same as the content of area BF of memory RAMI, and is written as is into area BF of memory RAM2. After the data held in the interface ITF is taken into the microprocessor MPU2 in this way, the next information, ie, the contents of the old area wpos of the memory RA, is held in the interface ITF. This wpos data is also taken into the microprocessor NPU2 in step 8.2, and is stored in the area 111 of the memory RAM2.
Write to PO3. In this way, the microprocessor MPU2, which has obtained the information indicating the type position of the type wheel 4, performs the type wheel control and drive unit w in step 8.3 immediately after this.
An instruction is given to the L mouth to rotate the type wheel PW to the desired type position. Upon receiving this instruction, the type wheel control and drive unit - LD starts controlling the type wheel servo motor N2, and in loop 8.4, detects the rotation and stop of the type wheel, and when it reaches the mouth frame position, In this example, when the type character "^" is located just in front of the hammer HM, the microprocessor MPU2 is informed that the type wheel pw has stopped. In this loop 8.4, the microprocessor MP learns that the type wheel pw has stopped.
U2 is a margin time in preparation for slight vibration of the type wheel pw! During o+sEc, it is in a standby state without performing any processing. After this waiting state, the process proceeds to step 8.5, where the time table TT is accessed using BFI and BF2 in the OF area of the memory RAM2 to obtain a time constant to be programmed into the timer PTH. The access method at this time is as follows. FIG. 9 shows the contents of the time table TT, where L is the memory R.
It shows the data of the BF1 part of the information taken in from the area OF of AM2, and H indicates the data of the BF2 part. The numbers in the upper row of each square are written in lθ base, and the numbers in the lower row are written in hexadecimal. Each of these numbers is 2 bytes of data. The first θ is stored in memory ROM2.
This memory ROM is stored in the format shown in the figure.
To obtain the necessary data from 2, add the result of multiplying the BFI contents by (2) and the result of multiplying the BF2 contents by (10), and then add the start address (30Fl) of the time table TT to the addition result. ) ↑T of the address obtained by adding
Read the contents. For the previous example, BF-(43
), (03) X (02) + (04)
X (OA) + (30Fl) = (08) + (
28) + (3CF1) = (3DIF),
Time table head address (3DIF) (OE)
, (D8) is stored at address (3020). As a result, the microprocessor MPLI2 obtains a 2-byte time constant (OEDll) = 3800 from the time table TT and enters the type PT in step 8.8 of FIG.
Write or program M. On the other hand, a signal with a period of 1 psec is applied as a reference clock to the timer PTH, which is programmed with a constant.As a result, the hammer HM is driven for 3800 g sec in the direction of the arrow shown in the first figure, and thus one Completing the printing corresponding to the key press (6) Next, the microprocessor 1 instructs the microprocessor MPU2 to move the carriage, so that the carriage moves and prepares for the next printing. Next, still another practical example of the present invention is shown in FIG. Here, the same components as in FIG. 1 will be given the same reference numerals and their explanations will be omitted. In this example, the printing pressure table is provided not only in the memory ROMI but also in the ROM2, and the former is ITI, The latter will be referred to as IT2. In the memory RAMI, only BF2 is accommodated in area BF. In this example, as in the case of FIG. 1, after turning on the power to the device, as described above, the
After writing the font type data to IND, then MP
To control the tll, the printing pressure corresponding to the printing order of the printing wheel Pw is determined from the printing pressure table ITI (see Fig. 6) and the printing wheel table w (see Fig. 71) in the memory ROM 1 arranged in the order of internal codes. The data is finally selected and the printing pressure data is sent to the printing pressure table IT2 in the MPU2 side memory RAM2 via the interface ITF.
Arrange 88 characters in the area. Therefore, memory R
At AM2, print number at address (oo80)
The printing pressure data of 0'' is written and the address (GOOF)
The printing pressure data of the type number "95" is written in. In the printing pressure table rtt, for example, for character A in Figure 6, the upper code of the internal codes is 4 and the lower code is 1, so the internal code is (4])
In the stored contents (36) of the table ITI at this address, 3 indicates the printing pressure and 6 indicates the pitch (proportional spacing). Furthermore, table I
The starting address of TI's old RO is (02BA). Similarly, in the type wheel table WT, as shown in FIG. 7, the rotational position of the internal code type on the type wheel Pw is activated in accordance with the addresses specified by the upper and lower codes of the internal code. 0 then the microprocessors MPU 1 and MPU2 are
Performs a series of necessary processes when the power is turned on, and displays the keyboard KB.
A standby state is reached when the U key is pressed. Next, the flow of control from the key press is performed in the same manner as described above in FIG. However, in performing the processing necessary for printing, the printing pressure is processed first, and then, as shown in FIG. are added, and the addition result is written in the area BF2 of the memory RAMI in step 14.2. Next, the selection of the position of the type on the type wheel PW is carried out in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG. After the contents of BF and -PO8 of the memory RAMI are transferred from the microprocessor MPUI to the microprocessor MPU2 via the interface ITF, the contents are transferred to the type wheel control and drive unit 111LD by the microprocessor MPU2 in the procedure shown in FIG. The motor M rotates the type wheel Pw to write the wpos content and reach the target type position.
Control 2. When the stoppage of rotation of the type wheel Pw is detected in loops 8 and 4, the microprocessor MPU2
After waiting for m5ec, proceed to step 15.1. Note that in FIG. 13, the flow of control is basically the same as that in FIG. 8, and similar steps are given the same step numbers and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. In step 15.1,
wpos contents and the start address of the printing pressure table IT2 (
0080) and use the addition result as an address to transfer the contents of the printing pressure table IT2 to the BF of the memory RAM2.
Write in one section. Furthermore, in the next step 8.5, area B of memory RAM2 is
Time table TT using parts BFI and BF2 of F
In step 8.6, the time constant given to the timer PTM is read into the microprocessor MPU2.
This captured time constant is programmed into the timer PTM. The access embodiment at this time is the same as that already described with reference to FIG. Based on the output of the timer PTH whose time constant is programmed as described above, the hammer HM is driven in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. The old processor 1 instructs the MPU 2 to move the carriage, and once the carriage has been moved, it prepares for the next printing. [Effect 1] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, two microprocessors, a read-only memory, and a random access memory are provided in the key manual section and the printing section, so that fine and precise control of printing pressure can be performed. It is easy to execute and can be expected to work reliably. Further, according to the present invention, by defining at least three types of printing hammer driving times and expressing the printing pressure information therefor using binary information larger than 1 byte, the driving time can be expressed in, for example, 4 digits and on the order of microseconds. such as determining
Multi-digit drive times can be precisely determined.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the type wheel; Figure 3;
4, 5, and 8 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in the first figure, and FIGS. 6, 7, 9, and 1θ show specific examples of the various tables shown in the first figure. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 are flowcharts for explaining the operation. KBυ...Keyboard unit, IMPSIII...Slide switch for adjusting printing pressure,
DBI, DB2...system data bus, MP old, M
PU2...Microprocessor, ABI, Ag3...
- System address, MDI, AD2...Address decoder, Roll, ROM2-...Read only memory, RAMI, RAM2...Random access memory. ITF...Interface. 5EL11, 5EL12, 5EL21, 5EL22, 5
EL23, 5EL24...Device select line, Nl, M2...Servo motor, PTM...Programmable timer, CLD...Carriage control and drive unit, WLD...
・Type wheel control and drive section, PW...Type wheel, )IN...Print hammer, )IMI]...Print hammer drive section. RB...Printing ribbon, PAP...Printing paper, PS/
...Photo sensor. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Representative Patent attorney Yoshi Tani - Figure 9 Figure 10

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] l) A type body having a plurality of type faces, a print hammer for pressing the type face, a print hammer drive section for driving the print hammer, and the print hammer drive. a programmable timer coupled to the programmable timer; a first table for selectively storing driving times of the printing hammer in the programmable timer, at least three types of driving times are stored; A first table in which each of the drive times is expressed as binary information larger than at least 1 byte; address information for selecting each drive time in the first table; and annotation information regarding printing are stored. a second table; and the address information of the second table is read in response to input of character information to be printed, and one of the drive times of the first table is selected and set in the programmable timer. A printing apparatus comprising: a control means for driving the printing hammer by the printing hammer driving section for a time corresponding to the driving time. 2. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the annotation information includes information related to the amount of movement of the carriage. 3) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the annotation information includes information related to the feeding amount of the ink ribbon. 4) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the first table is configured so that after the rotation of the type body stops, the first table is accessed to select one of the driving times. . 5) A printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the type body is constructed in the form of a type wheel.