JPS6034882A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to print with high quality at high speed, by controlling a printing hammer on the basis of information on the style of type, character information and printing pressure adjustment information. CONSTITUTION:In accordance with depression of a key such as an alpha-numeric key or movement of a printing pressure adjusting sliding switch IMP SW, data of the depressed key or data of the movement of the switch are outputted from a keyboard KBU to a micro-processor MPU1 through a bus DB1. Operation of a type wheel controlling and driving part WLD is started by supplying information on a target rotating position on a type wheel PW from a micro-processor MPU2, whereby the type wheel PW is rotated to the target rotating position, and is stopped there. Simultaneously, the type wheel PW is rotated by one revolution, and the face of the type CH actually fitted is detected and is reported to the micro-processor MPU2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a printing device, and more particularly to a printing device that performs high-quality printing by finely controlling its printing pressure.

[Prior 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 set the printing pressure according to the type of typeface, that is, information representing the font, character information about the characters to be printed, and the quality and number of sheets of printing paper by the operator. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that uses printing pressure adjustment information and controls a printing hammer based on printing pressure information determined based on these various pieces of information to perform high-quality printing.

[Example 1 Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the printing device of the present invention, where KBU is a keyboard unit, DBI and DB2 are system data buses, and MPU 1 and M
PU2 is a microprocessor, ABI and AB2 are system address buses, ^D1 and AD2 are address decoders, RO old and ROM2 are read-only memories, RAMI and RAM2 are random access memories, ITF is an interface, and SEL I l.

5EL12. 5EL21. 5EL22. 5EL2
3 and 5EL24 are device select lines.

Old and M2 are servo motors for carriage and type wheel drive respectively, PTM is programmable timer, CLD is carriage control and drive unit, WLD is type wheel control and drive unit, 4 is type wheel, H
M is the printing hammer, )IMD is the printing hammer drive unit, RB
is a printing ribbon, PAP is a printing paper, and PS is a photo sensor consisting of a light emitting diode, a photodiode, and a photoencoder that extracts 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 the UI side and the liver υ2 side, and both systems are connected by an interface ITF. The microprocessors P and MPU2 respectively form the core of both systems and are equipped with means for performing calculations and control. Further, from P old and MPU2 to these microprocessors, each memory RO old, RANI, ROM2 . The address can be sent to RAM2, and the address information decoded by address decoder ADI and AD2 can be sent to each device (7!, ITF, KBU, PTM, WLDtJ) via device select lines 5ELII to 5EL24.
J: and OLD so that the desired device can be selected.

The memories RO2 and RO2 store instructions and fixed information for sequentially controlling or calculating the microprocessors MP2 and MPU2, respectively.

These memories ROMI and RO112 shown in tjS1
Instructions are stored in the hatched part, and the remaining part stores a fixed set of continuous information, that is, a table.

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 WT 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 HH 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 IM
In response to the movement of PSW, the data of the pressed key or the movement data of the switch is sent to the microprocessor MP via the bus DB+. Note that the key press data can be extracted by positioning the rows and columns of the key matrix at the upper and lower four pinpoints of the eight bits. Address decoders MDI and AD2 are connected to address buses ABI and AB2 consisting of a plurality of address lines.
The only signal line SEL for each device from the information inside
l Activate 1st class. Interface IT
F connects the MPUI side data bus DBI and the MPU2 side data bus DB2, the microprocessor MPUI can be accessed by the select line SEL11, and the microprocessor NPU can be accessed by the select line 5EL21.
2 can be accessed.

The carriage system*t3 and drive unit CLD start operation by receiving carriage position information from the microprocessor MPU2, control and drive the servo motor, and move the carriage to the relevant position and stop there. . The type wheel control and drive unit WLD also starts operating by simultaneously receiving target rotational position information on the type wheel pw from the microprocessor MPU2, controls and drives the servo motor M2, and moves the type wheel 4 to the target rotational position. At the same time, the type wheel control and drive unit WLD can notify the microprocessor MPt12 of the stoppage of the rotational movement. The output line of the timer PTM becomes active when a time constant is written therein by the microprocessor MPt12, and becomes inactive when the written time elapses. Timer PTH
The output line of is connected to the hammer drive unit HND, and supplies a drive current to the hammer HM for a predetermined time determined by a timer PTH. As a result, the hammer HM is energized for a predetermined period of time in the direction of the arrow shown in the first figure, and presses one type character of the type wheel PW against the paper PAP via the printing ribbon RB, thereby causing the type character to be printed on the paper PAP. transcribed. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the type wheel PW is provided with 86 type spokes C6, and a type character CH is disposed at each tip thereof.

Next, microprocessor MP[I 1 and IIPU
The operation of the printing device shown in the first diagram will be explained with reference to FIG. When the power is turned on, microprocessor 1 old and MPt 12 are activated independently. First, the type wheel control and drive unit WL port rotates the type wheel 4 once in response to a command from the microprocessor MPU2, detects the typeface of the type character CH mounted, and
For example, when this household is "P[A", the numerical value "2" is given to the microprocessor MPU2 from the type wheel ffJJ control and drive unit wLO.

The microprocessor MPU2 sends the numerical value "2" to the microprocessor HP via the interface summer TF. When microprocessor MP old learns that information is being transferred from microprocessor MPU2,
Interface Typeface data from ITF ″2
”.The PUI in the microprocessor stores this data “2” in the memory RAM as data representing the type of font.
After that, the microprocessor MP old and MPU2 perform a series of processes necessary when the power is turned on.

The keyboard KBtl enters a key press standby state.

Microprocessor MPU from key press standby state
The control flow of No. 1 is as shown in FIG. For example, if key A is pressed, the control sequence will loop 3.
1 and proceeds to step 3.2, the microprocessor MPtll accesses the keyboard KB[I and retrieves the row number and column number in the key matrix of the pressed key, ie.

Get (10)m for A key. The microprocessor MP old evaluates (10) IIEX in the next step 3.3 and learns that the data (10) and (6) are not movement data of the printing pressure adjustment slide switch IMPSW. The control sequence therefore branches at step 3.3 and proceeds in the direction of step 3.5. In step 3.5, data (lO) is temporarily written to KMRX on the memory RAMl. Data written in this way (1
0) +c is stored in the memory RAMI until the next time any key is pressed after the letter "A" is printed.In the next step 3.6, the RX data is used for subsequent processing. In order to convert it into an internal code convenient for
Perform the following calculations. That is, data (10) ix indicating the matrix of key A and code table C on memory ROM l.
Add the starting address of T (, EAFA)TIEX. That is, (EAFA) x + (10) town = (EBOA
) and calculate this addition result (EBOA)lfX,
As shown in step 3.7, the internal code (41
)(6) is obtained. In the next step 3.8, the code-converted value (41) old is written in the area KCOIIE of the memory RAMI. The contents of this KCODE are also KM
Like the RX content, it remains unchanged until the next key press. Note that if step 3.3 determines that the information is slide switch movement information, step 3.
Proceed to step 4. Here, for example, if the slide switch is the slide switch IMPSW for adjusting the printing pressure, the captured information (number "2") is stored in the area IMPB of the memory RA old-hi.
Write in F.

After this 1. The microprocessor MP old performs internal processing related to characters, and only after that 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. Microprocessor MP related to print processing
The control procedure on the IJI side is shown in FIG. In step 4.1, in order to obtain part of the printing pressure information of the corresponding character, the first address (C: 2BA) of one printing pressure table and the KCO
The content of DE (41) is added to 11[X, and the minimum value of the internal code (20) HE:< is subtracted from the addition result. The reason is that the internal code starts from (20)'IIEX. In this way, step 4.1
”+Ha, (C2BA) + (41) −(20) =
C2IIB) is obtained. In step 4.2, the contents of the address (G2DB) utx in the printing pressure table IT are read and the contents (38) HF are taken into the microprocessor MPUI. In this example, the printing pressure table IT also stores data on the amount of carriage movement for proportional spacing type, and the lower 4 bits corresponding to that data are stored in step 4.3.
Discard as shown. Therefore, the data held inside the microprocessor is (30)<x. Note that the contents stored in the printing pressure table IT in this example are shown in FIG. 6 as described above, and include the internal code (20
) ~ (BF) Each corresponds to 1 byte of VEx. Then, in step 4.4, step 4.
Shift the result of 3 to the right four times and change (30)ll[X to (0
3) Convert to HEM (in the next step 4.5,
Step 4. Write the shift result of 4 to the lower 4 bit portion BFI in area BF on memory RAMI. At this stage, half of the information regarding the printing pressure has been obtained.6 Next, in step 4.6, the area KI on the memory RAI is
The content (02) sx of ND and the content (02) ntx of area IMPBF, which will be described later, are added to obtain (04) IIEX. This addition result is added to the area BF in step 4.7.
Write to the upper 4 bits of BF2. Therefore, the contents of BF are (53) (6).

On the other hand, the position of the type on type wheel 4 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 type position information is stored is found in the type wheel table WT. That is, the start address of the type wheel table WT (EC4
A) Add lfX and KCO[lE contents (41) old,
The minimum internal code value (20) WEx is subtracted from the addition result. As a result, (EC4^) + (41) - (20
) = (EC8B) is obtained. In step 5.2,
This result (ECII B) Address of type wheel table WT (ECBB) H using HEX as address information
The contents of EX are read and the contents (45) IIEX are taken into the microprocessor MP old. Next step 5.3
Now, the contents thus fetched into the microprocessor MPUI are written to the area O8 of the memory RAMI.

It should be noted that the type wheel table WT stores information on the position of type in the form shown in FIG. 7, as described above.

Next, the area IMPBF in the old memory RA will be described.

As mentioned above, in loop 3.1 of 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 K
Knowing from the row number and column number of the key matrix that the slide switch IMPs- on the BU is being moved, the memory RAM
Write the printing pressure data instructed by the switch IMPSW in the area IMPBF of I.0 For example, when moving one step to the weaker side from the position where the maximum printing pressure is specified, (02) (6) are written in the area IMPHF. It will be done.

As described above, the memory RAMI area BF and wpo
(43)m and (45)m are respectively stored in s.

Subsequently, the old microprocessor 1 sends the contents of the areas BFtJ and wpos of the old memory RA to the microprocessor IjPU via the interface ITF in this order.
Transfer to 2. As shown in FIG. 8, the microprocessor llPt12 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 the old area BF of the memory RA, and is written as is into the area BF of the memory RAN2. 2 After the data held in the interface ITF is taken into the microprocessor MPU2 in this way, the following 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 MPU2 in step 8.2, and is stored in the area O8 of the memory RAM2.
write to.

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 LD to rotate the type wheel PW to the desired type position. After receiving this instruction, the type wheel control and drive unit wt,n starts controlling the type wheel servo motor M2, and in loop 8.4, detects the rotation and stop of the type wheel, and when the target position is reached, In this example, when the type character "A" is positioned just before the hammer H, the microprocessor MPU2 is informed that the type wheel PilI has stopped. In this loop 8.4, the microprocessor MPυ2, which learns that the type wheel Pw has stopped, is in a standby state without performing any processing for a margin time of 5 m5EC in preparation for slight vibrations of the type wheel PW. After this standby state, the process proceeds to step 8.5, where the time table TT is accessed using BFI and BF2 in the BF area of the memory RA142 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 l.
? It shows the data of the BF1 part of the information taken in from the area BF of AM2, and H shows the data of the same < BF2 part. The numbers in the second row of each square are written in lO base, and the numbers in the lower row are written in hexadecimal. Each of these numbers is 2 bytes of data. Memory RQM2 has the first
This memory RO is stored in the format shown in Figure 0.
To get the necessary data from M2, add (2) to the BFI content.
Add the result of multiplying by HEX and the result of multiplying BF2 content by (10)z, and add the result of addition to the time table T.
Read the ↑T contents of the address obtained by adding the top address of T (3GF1)... Regarding the previous example, B
F = (43) w and A'J, (03) donation X (02) (
6) + (04) 謹X (OA) [X + (30Fl)
...= (H)x + (28)IIEX + (3CF
l) z = (3DIF)+, time table TT
(OE) ■ is stored in the address (3DIF) IEX, and (D8) is stored in the address (3020) IIlX.

As a result, the microprocessor MPU2 obtains a 2-byte time constant (OED8) [X = 3800 hours from the timer TT and sets the timer PTH in step 8.6 of FIG.
to write or program.

On the other hand, a signal with a period of IILsec is applied as a reference clock to the 12 ties N programmed with constants, and as a result, the hammer HM is driven in the direction of the arrow shown in the first figure for 3800 p, see. Completes printing corresponding to one key press. Then, microprocessor M
PUI is a carrier for microprocessor MPU2.
the carriage to move and prepare for the next print.

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 explanation will be omitted. In this example, the printing pressure table is provided not only in the memory ROMI but also in the ROM2, with the former being ITI and the latter being IT2. In the memory RA old, 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,
After writing the font type data to INII,
As control of the old MP, printing pressure data corresponding to the printing order of the printing wheel pw is obtained from the printing pressure table ITI (see Fig. 6) and the printing wheel table WT (see Fig. 7) in the memory RoNl arranged in internal code order. is finally selected, and the printing pressure data for 88 characters is arranged in the area of the PU2 side memory RAM 2 character pressure table IT2 via the interface ITF. Therefore, memory RAM2
In the address (0080) (6), the print number “0” is added.
The printing pressure data of ''' is written and the address (OOOF)
Printing pressure data for character number "85" is written to IB.

In the printing pressure table ITJ, for example, for character A in Fig. 8, the upper code of the internal codes is 4 and the lower code is 1, so the internal code is (41)EX.
In the stored contents of table ITI (3B) IIEX at this address, -3 indicates printing pressure and 6 indicates pitch (proportional spacing). In addition.

The starting address of table ITI in old RO is (C2BA) [
It is X. Even in one type wheel table,
Similarly, as shown in FIG. 7, the rotational position of the internal code type on the type wheel 2w is stored corresponding to the address specified by the upper and lower code of the internal code. MPU 1 and MPU 2 perform a series of necessary processes when the power is turned on, and reach a standby state for key presses on the keyboard KBU.

The flow of control from the key press then follows the procedure described above with respect to FIG. However, in performing the processing necessary for printing, the printing pressure is processed first, and then, as shown in FIG. 12, in step 14.1, the contents of fiiKINO in memory RAMI and
The contents of
Similarly, the data is written to the area BF2 of the memory RAMI.

The selection of the position of the type on the type wheel 1 is then carried out in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG. Then, from the microprocessor HP old through the interface ITF, the memory RA
MI BF contents and WPOS contents are microprocessor M
After being transferred to the PU2, the microprocessor MPU2 writes the wpos contents to the type wheel control and drive unit WLD and controls the motor M2 to rotate the type wheel 4 to the 1st character position using the procedure shown in FIG. . When the stoppage of rotation of the type wheel pw is detected in loop 8.4, the microprocessor MPU2 waits for 5m5ec and then moves 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, the contents of WPO9 and the start address (0080) of the printing pressure table IT2 are
Add IP and
write in the 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 8.8, 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 explained with reference to FIG. is driven to complete printing corresponding to one key press. Subsequently, the microprocessor NPU 1 instructs the MPLI 2 to move the carriage, and once the carriage has been moved, it prepares for the next printing.

[Effect J] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, the type of typeface, that is, the information representing the font, the character information about the characters to be printed, and the operator Since the printing hammer is controlled by the printing pressure information determined based on the various information, it is possible to easily perform detailed and precise control of the printing pressure. You can expect reliable operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

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. 6, 7, 9 and 1θ are diagrams showing specific examples of the various tables shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 12 and 13 are flowcharts for explaining the operation. KBU...Keyboard unit, IMPSW...Slide switch for adjusting printing pressure, DB
I, [lB2...System data bus, MPUI, M
PU2...Microprocessor, ABI, AB2...
- System address bus, AIII, Al12 address decoder, ROM1. RO1'+2...Read only memory, RAM l, RAM2... Random access memory, ITF... Interface, SEL 11. SEL 12,5EL21.5EL22
, 5EL23, 5EL24...Device select line. Old, M2... Servo motor, PTM... Programmable timer, CLD... Carriage control and drive unit, WLD...
・Type wheel control and drive unit, 4...Type wheel, l...Print hammer, HMD...Print hammer drive unit, RB...Print ribbon, PAP...Print paper, PS...
...Photo sensor. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Representative Patent attorney Yoshi Tani - Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A typeface having a plurality of 4111 typefaces, a first information generating means provided on the typeface and generating first information representing the type of the typeface, and characters to be printed. a second information generating means for generating second information representing the type of the character to be printed, a third information generating means for generating third information representing the type of printing pressure of the character to be printed, and storing a plurality of pieces of printing pressure information. and a control means for selectively reading one of the printing pressure information from the storage means in response to information from the first, second and third information generating means. Characteristic printing device. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second information generation means includes key power means for manually inputting information about the S character to be printed. 3) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the third information generating means includes a manual switch means for selecting the printing pressure of the characters to be printed.