JPS6259048A - Dot pattern generation system of dot printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the substantial reduction in memory capacity possible, by a method wherein the vertical string of dot pattern is divided into many blocks and the enlarged patterns corresponding to various patterns are preliminarily memorized and selectively combined when vertical enlarged printing is carried out. CONSTITUTION:The vertical string of dot pattern is divided into many blocks and the read-only memory (ROM) 2 memorizing enlarged patterns corresponding to various patterns capable of being taken in one block, the random access memory (RAM) 3 temporarily memorizing the received data or the like from the outside, and the microprocessor (CPU) 1 controlling a dot printer are possessed. CPU 1 reads the character to be printed and its enlargement instruction from an outside host computer. THereby, CPU 1 selectively reads the dot pattern of ROM 2 each block. The enlarged patterns read out from ROM 2 are combined by CPU 1 and printed with a printing head to complete the vertical enlarged printing. Thereby, the substantial reduction in memory capacity can be achieved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a dot pattern generation method for a dot printer that prints characters, symbols, etc. using a collection of dots. [Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of method For example, patent application 1986-1236
There is something disclosed in No. 83. Such a conventional example is
When vertically enlarging a character to be printed, the dot matrix pattern of the character is converted into a vertically enlarged dot matrix pattern using an algorithm, and then printed by the print head. This conventional dot printer has a full built-in program memory so that it can print each character, symbol, etc. to be printed, and in recent years, the storage capacity has been increased as dot printers have become higher printing quality and the number of characters that can be accommodated has increased.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Therefore, in such a conventional example, the algorithm for converting to vertical enlargement requires a large amount of program memory, which increases the capacity of the printer's built-in memory, making the dot printer expensive.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an inexpensive dot printer with a small memory capacity for character pattern generation.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention divides a column of dot patterns into a plurality of blocks and generates various patterns that can be formed within one block in a dot pattern generation method for a dot printer that uses a set of all printed dots such as characters and symbols. The dot printer is characterized by being equipped with a read-only memory that stores enlarged patterns corresponding to the dot printer, a random access memory that temporarily stores data received from the outside, and a microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as CPU) that controls the dot printer. shall be.

[Effect]

In the present invention having the above characteristics, first, the CPU reads characters to be printed and instructions for enlarging them from an external host computer via an interface circuit or the like. This allows the CPU
selects and reads out the dot pattern in the pattern data area of the read-only memory for each block. In the read-only memory, the column of dot patterns is divided into a plurality of blocks, and enlarged patterns corresponding to various patterns that can be taken within one block are stored. The enlarged patterns read from the read-only pattern are combined by the CPU and printed by the print head, completing vertical enlarged printing.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6(a) below.

The explanation will be based on (b).

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a dot printer showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example of a read-only memory (hereinafter also referred to as ROM) used in one embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 1, the dot printer has a microb, processor 1, which performs this control, a ROM 2, which stores programs and pattern data such as characters and symbols, as shown in Fig. 2, and a ROM 2, which temporarily stores data received from the outside. Random access memory (hereinafter referred to as RAM) 3 for storing data;
An interface circuit between the I10 driver 4 driven by commands from the CPUI, an external device (not shown) connected to the I10 driver 4, a print head, a line feed motor, and a switch for moving the print head in the printing direction. A pacing motor, and the CPUI, ROM2, RAM3.
The address bus line 5 connecting the I10 driver 4 constitutes a dot printer circuit.

In a circuit with such a configuration, the CPU 1 receives all print data (characters ')'') and control data (control code) from an interface circuit (not shown) based on a program stored in the ROM 2. When the print data is received, normally the data converted based on this print data is stored in the ROM as an address.
The character dot pattern is read from 2 and printed using the print head.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the dot matrix of the letter A, which is composed of a 9 (horizontal) x 7 (vertical) matrix, and Figure 4 shows the letter A shown in Figure 3 with 4 dots and 3 dots vertically in each column. Figure 5 is a vertically enlarged dot pattern diagram of the letter A shown in Figures 3 and 4, Figure 6 (a) is a diagram showing all patterns of vertical 4 dots, Figure 6 (b) ) is a diagram showing an enlarged pattern corresponding to FIG. 6(-).

Based on the above figures 3 to 6 (a) and (b), the letter A
Vertical enlargement will be explained using as an example. First, the CP shown in Figure 1
The UI reads the letter A and its enlargement instruction from an external host computer through an interface circuit (not shown), an I10 driver 4, and an address path line 5. As a result, the CPU 1 selects the dot pattern (see FIG. 3) in the pattern data area of the ROM 2.

The ROM 2 divides the column of dot patterns into a plurality of blocks as shown in FIG.
) is stored.

Then, the upper 4 bits (bo
-b) to the A register. Here, the pattern data of 4 vertical dots is 2=16 squares, and in this case becomes the pattern data of C shown in FIG. Furthermore, since there is a one-to-one correspondence between the enlarged data and the pattern data, there are 16 types, and in this case, the enlarged data is C shown in FIG. 6(b). Therefore, the enlarged data of C shown in FIG.
Read it to the A register of 1 and save it to the B register.

Next, the lower three pits (b, ~
b6) Read to the A register of lcPUl. in this case,
If we consider that there is no 4th bit, this corresponds to any pattern of vertical 4 bits. In other words, in this case, Figure 6 (,)
Therefore, 7 in FIG. 6(b) corresponding to 7 in FIG. 6(a) is read from the enlarged data area of the ROM 2 to the A register.

When the above-mentioned two enlarged data are prepared, these enlarged data 1cPU1 are sent to the print head via the address bus line 5 and I10 driver 4, and vertical enlarged printing is performed.

Then, as mentioned above, column 02, column C,
・・・・・・・・・When C, columns are processed sequentially,
Printing of the vertically enlarged characters shown in FIG. 5 is completed.

In this embodiment, the upper 4 bits and the lower 3 pits are processed separately, but the same printing result can be obtained even if the upper 3 pits and the lower 4 bits are processed separately. therefore,
If it has 16 types of enlarged data as mentioned above,
Enlarged data can be created by selecting and combining any of these enlarged data.

The above description has been made assuming that the dot pattern of one character is expanded upon the reception of one character, but the effect is the same even if the expansion is performed after the reception of one line is completed. Also,
In this example, in order to simplify the explanation, 9 (horizontal) x 7
(vertical) dot matrix has been explained, but a matrix for obtaining high print quality, such as 24 (horizontal) x 24
It can also be applied to cases such as a matrix of (vertical) dots. In this case, it is only necessary to divide the dots vertically into six dots each having four dots each, and the amount of program memory for the algorithm for vertical enlargement can be considerably reduced compared to the conventional example.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the dot pattern generation method of the dot printer according to the present invention, a column of dot patterns is divided into a plurality of blocks, (1) enlarged patterns are stored in advance in correspondence with various patterns that can be formed within a block, and Since vertically enlarged characters are generated by selecting and combining enlarged patterns when performing all vertically enlarged printing, the memory capacity can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional example, which has the effect of providing an inexpensive dot printer.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a dot printer showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an example of a ROM, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a dot matrix of the letter A, and Fig. 4 is shown in Fig. 3. Letter Af! :Divided diagram, Figure 5 is the letter A shown in Figure 3.
Figure 6 (,) is a diagram showing all patterns of vertical 4 dots, and Figure 6 (b) is a vertically enlarged dot pattern diagram of Figure 6 (,).
) is a diagram showing an enlarged pattern corresponding to the pattern. 1...CPU 2...ROM 3...RAM
4...■10 Driver 5...Address bus line Flock 9 of a dot printer showing an embodiment of the present invention 1 Figure ROM Example 1 Configuration Diagram @2 [i11 Vertical enlargement of the letter A shown in Figure 3 Dot pattern diagram @ 5
Kunisuke 6 l

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a dot pattern generation method for a dot printer that prints characters, symbols, etc. using a set of dots, a column of dot patterns is divided into a plurality of blocks to correspond to various patterns that can be formed within one block. A dot pattern generation method for a dot printer, characterized in that enlarged patterns are stored in advance, and the enlarged patterns are selected and combined when vertically enlarged printing is performed to generate vertically enlarged characters.