JPS63231957A - Controller for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a wide variety of printers and information processors to be kept up with, by a method wherein a controller for a printer is equipped with a program processing means capable of execution of an external program by time sharing. CONSTITUTION:A host process 65 for writing a data in a packet buffer 308 and a packet process 64 for sending a data via a print engine interface 311 are contained in ROM 305. Then, a scheduler 62 written in the system ROM 305 switches each process by a timer interrupt 61 from a timer 302. Further, a user process 66 is loaded on a system ROM 307 and processed by time sharing in the same way as for other process by the scheduler 62. By taking such a structure, data of other protocol can be optionally kept up with by changing the user process 66.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides a printer that can be broadly compatible with a plurality of information processing devices having different protocol specifications. :Qi [Prior Art] In an information processing system such as a combiator, control information and recorded information are exchanged between an input/output device, such as a printer, and an information processing device that is a host machine, but both the host machine and the input/output device It will not work unless information is exchanged according to a predetermined protocol (communication protocol) that can be decoded by the computer.For this reason, the protocol specifications for input/output devices, such as printers, are also determined according to the protocol specifications for the host machine. Therefore, the printer should be used exclusively for the host machine*
*Also, even if the printer has its own protocol specifications, it is necessary to have a dedicated protocol conversion device to support the host machine.

As a protocol conversion device, a protocol conversion program that converts control information output from the host machine side into control information on the printer side corresponding to the requested function is run on the VI processor on the printer side, and is output from the host machine. It was common to convert the control information provided by printers into control information possessed by the printer.

In this case, the printer side performs a process of decoding and converting the converted control information into internal parameters that further control the operation of the printer.

However, when using the conventional protocol conversion means described above, in order to connect the printer to many types of host machines, it is necessary to prepare as many protocol conversion programs as there are types of host machines. As the number of types of host machines that can be connected increases, this conversion program becomes a huge number of program steps.Moreover, at the time of operation, it only supports a specific host machine, so one part of the conversion program is This results in extremely inefficient program development and program implementation.

In addition, a protocol conversion program corresponding to the type of host machine that can be connected is stored in the ROM, and once a specific host machine to be connected has been determined! One possibility is to replace the ROM and implement a predetermined protocol conversion program, but the effort required to develop the program will be the same as in the previous case, and the effort and expense of creating a ROM that stores the program will be required. However, it has been inefficient to connect one type of input/output car equipment such as a printer to many types of host machines.

How to configure the conversion means to address these issues? ! ! In order to keep the information clean, the applicant first filed the patent application No. 61-19168.
No. 3 is a conversion means for converting control information output from an information processing device having different protocol specifications into printer function information corresponding to a function specified by the control information;
A printer control device has been proposed that includes printer function control means as a plurality of conversion tables, which controls printer function means corresponding to the converted printer function information based on the converted printer function information.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, since there are a wide variety of protocol specifications currently adopted by printers on the market, some of them, for example, differ in the method of embedding 7 tons of W, resulting in conversions such as the invention of the applicant mentioned above. There are also protocol specifications that cannot be supported by tables alone.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a printer control device that can be broadly adapted to a wide variety of printers and information processing devices.

First, the concept of the protocol conversion method of the present invention will be explained. Figure 27 (b) shows the data flow of the protocol conversion method in the applicant's prior printer control device. Each process has multiple WLgA conversion tables A...n that are referred to when analyzing A...n. Therefore, if the user changes the conversion table A...n of the desired protocol using a DIP switch or a command from the host device A...n, the user can change the conversion table A...n of the protocol specified by the user using the DIP switch or a command from the host device A...n. jlA・
...Connection with n becomes possible. Any proto user? If you want to correspond to the file format, all you have to do is rewrite the conversion table A...n.

28, the protocol conversion method in the printer control device of the present invention includes a protocol analysis section having a protocol conversion program 2 and its conversion table B, as shown in Section 27 (a) IXI. is fixed,
Arbitrary protocol specification A before the protocol analysis section...
- A plurality of or rewritable user processes A...n are provided to convert from n to the protocol specifications (host protocol) adopted by the printer control device, and the programs are run.

Therefore, the printer control device of the present invention includes a storage means capable of storing at least programs other than the control program of the main body of the printer control device, an input means for inputting an external program to the storage means, and a time-sharing method for storing the control program and the external program. The invention is characterized by comprising a program processing means that can be executed by.

[Effect]

The storage means stores external programs other than the control program of the main body of the printer control device, such as a protocol conversion program.

The input means downloads the protocol conversion program from an external cartridge such as a 7-on-trick or an internal JIROM, or from the host to the storage means of the main body of the control device.

The program processing means executes the protocol conversion program and the control program in a time-sharing manner.

Since the protocol conversion process itself is treated as an independent program, the conversion process becomes a simple program called data conversion.

〔Example〕

Examples of the present invention will be described below.

[Configuration of Electrophotographic Printer] First, the schematic configuration of the printer and printer controller will be described.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a processing system using a printer system 10 capable of graphic drawing, which is an embodiment of the present invention. Data from a general-purpose data processing device 1 is stored in a file buffer 2 and then output to a printer processing system 10 in order to improve the throughput of the data processing device 1.

The printer system 10 includes a bitmap type data processing unit BMU3, an electrophotographic process, a print engine 4 using a laser, and accessory devices such as an external paper feed unit 5 and a sorter 6.

FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the printer system.

Printennon 4 is equipped with 8MU3, and accessories include external paper feed unit (PFU5) and sorter 6.
can be connected. *Furthermore, the print controller 4 is equipped with a display panel 44 that displays the status of the system and has keys arranged to perform simple operations.

FIG. 3 shows details of the display panel 44. 9
01 to 903 are input keys, and 910 to 918 are display elements. A key 901 is a Bose key for temporarily interrupting the printing operation, a test key 902 is for starting a test print, and a cancel key 903 is for interrupting printing when pressed at the same time as the shift key.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the control system 10/). The bitmap type data processing device 3 includes a BM-RAM 32 for bitmaps, and a BM-RA for bitmaps.
It consists of a bitmap writing section 31 (see FIG. 9) which performs drawing on M32, and a 7t plot section 3.3. Connection with the print encoder 4 is performed through a path B3 for control data (number of sheets, accessories, etc.) and a path B4 for image data.

The flint engine 4 is mainly composed of 1.3 controllers. *Ink 7 process control unit (IFC)
40 processes control data from the bitmap control unit 30, controls the display panel, and controls the overall timing of the print engine 4 through the internal bus B5. The electrophotographic processing section 45 is controlled in accordance with data sent from the electronic photo processing section 45.

The print head control section 42 controls the light emission of the semiconductor laser of the print head section 43 and the rotation of the polygon motor according to information sent from the bitmap writing section 31 through the internal bus B4. *In addition, the external paper feed unit 5 and the sorter 6 are also controlled by the interface control unit 40 via the internal bus 5.

“Configuration of control unit” No. 51! I shows the configuration of the bitmap W* section 30 according to the present invention. The overall configuration consists of data input/output interfaces (301, 309, 310, 3
11), CPU 303 which is the center of the control unit, its system ROM, RAM (305°307), CPU 303
A timer 302 that periodically interrupts. And a pa for data storage? 7t memory (304, 306, 308
).

Next, the operation of each part will be explained. First, data taken in from the data processing device interface 301 through the path B2 is stored in the R-buffer y304. System RO
In M305, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a host process 6 that temporarily edits the data sent from the host and writes the data as a packet to the packet buffer y308.
5, a packet process that analyzes the packet and sends data from the bitmap writing unit interface 310 to the bitmap writing unit 31, or to the 7ont unit through the 7ont Inter 7Ace 309, and further to the interface control unit 40 through the print engine interface 311; It contains an independent program called 64.

A scheduler 62, which is also stored in the system ROM 305, switches each process according to the state using a timer interrupt 61 from the timer 3.02. System RAM30 here? Inside is the 7th
(a) There is a second area called the current process status (CP S ) block as shown in the figure, and r) When each process is replaced, the contents of the CPU register are stored in the C2S, so each process is independent. You can perform the following actions. Further, when the printer is started, there is an initialization process 63 called a start process, which is directly started by the host process 65. System RAM30
The memory configuration of 7 is shown in FIG. 7(b), and the system RAM
The grand load segment 307 is provided with a user process header.

In addition, the process (user process 66) is sent from the host (host) through the data processor interface 301 or sent from within the 7 ont car (ridge) through the 7 tnt interface 309 to the system RA.
It can be loaded into M and perform time-sharing processing using the schedule 262 in the same way as other processed objects. This user process 66 is a program that converts data sent using a protocol compatible with another printer into the protocol of this printer (host protocol). As shown in FIG. 8, the data flow at this time is that the user process 66 takes out the received data (other protocols) accumulated in the R-buffer 304, converts it into this protocol, and then converts it into the UR-buffer 304. 306. Therefore, the host process 65 that temporarily edits data only needs to retrieve the data in the UR-puff 7r 306 when the user process 66 is started, and the data in the R-buffer 7304 when the user process 66 is not started, and there is no need to make any other changes.

After all, by adopting such a configuration, data of different protocols can be handled arbitrarily by changing the user process 66 that performs the download. Furthermore, since there is no need to change other processes that control printer operations, the user process 66 is simple and only performs data conversion, making development easier.

FIG. 9 shows a detailed block diagram of the bitmap writing section 31. The functions of the bitmap writing section can be roughly divided into BM-R
Draw I1 function to AM32 and BM-RA when printing
It is divided into a function to output the data of M32 to the print engine 4.

The drawing function to the BM-RAM 32 is further divided into two parts: drawing of lines and circles performed by the graphic image writing section 316, and drawing of lines and circles performed by the 7r image writing section 311. Both are logic units that operate on the intermediate code sent from the bitmap control unit 30 through the bitmap control unit interface 317, but most of the processing of the graphic image writing unit 316 is based on the parameters in the intermediate code. Most of the processing in the 7-onto image writing section 311 is based on the 7-onto image writing section 311 that analyzes the 7-onto image writing section 311 based on the 7-onto image writing section 311 that reads 7. Ontoinono is drawn on the BM-RAM 30.

On the other hand, the function of outputting data during printing is performed by the print head control unit interface 315. That is, from the bitmap control section to the interface 31
Upon receiving the print start code sent via path B4, the print head control section 42 of the print head controller 4 receives the print start code sent via path B4.
Data in M-RAM is output to the print head control section.

Next, the concept of image area will be explained.

An example is shown in Fig. 10. In Fig. 10, the entire area (A
The part indicated by 1) corresponds to the size of the vapor. The margin area (A2) is a blank space when printing is actually performed on vapor, and the print data is drawn in the remaining image area (A3). Printing starts from the upper left of the image area, and characters are printed sequentially in the printing direction A10. If a line feed code is input during the process, the next printing position is moved by the line feed width A12 in the line feed direction All. Also, when the go-around code is input, the left end of the image area, the go-around position A1
The next printing position moves to 3. Note that the margin area A2 can be changed on a bake-by-bake basis as specified by the host.

〔motion〕

From this, the operation of this system will be explained with reference to flowcharts.The program of this system is divided into the following three parts.

Host process parses the data in the receive buffer and
Generates packet data to control the drawing section and print engine section.

Packet process Actual drawing to BM-RAM and engine control are performed using packet data generated by the host process.

User process In response to input of different protocols, the host process converts it into a protocol that can be analyzed and passes it to the host process. It is supplied by a stock cartridge or internal ROM as well as a down port from the host machine.

No protocol conversion required If so, there is no *rt.

These processes are independent programs.
They operate side by side through time-sharing processing with priorities. The priority is the order of packet process, host process, and user process.

In addition, there is a scheduler that manages these processes using timer interrupts, and a start process that is activated at startup.

Next, each process will be explained.

"Start Process" tIS11 is a 70-chart showing the start process. This process is launched only once at startup. First, when the power is turned on (step #1), internal initialization is not performed (step #2), R-buffer, UR
- Clear buffer y and packet buffer (FIFO) (Step #3. #41$5>, then, as a preparatory action to start the host process after this, clear the request vector and current vector. Set the bit indicating the host process and enter the number indicating the host process in CRTPR8 (Step #6. #7. $8) Here, the request vector is the vector whose execution is interrupted when the scheduler is started by a timer interrupt. The current vector is used to convey to the scheduler a request to abandon execution and start another process, and sets or resets the bit corresponding to each process. When the scheduler is started, the bit corresponding to the process whose execution has been suspended is set.Furthermore, CRTPR8 contains the number of the process indicated by the current vector. The number of a process with a higher priority becomes larger. Using this request vector, current vector, and CRTPR8, the scheduler determines the execution destination of the next process (details will be described in "Scheduler" below).

After this, the CPS block is initialized (step #9).In PC terms, the start address value of each Flow Process program is put into the area where the data of the CPU's execution address pointer is stored in each CPS, and the stack Enter a predetermined 7 dress value in the area for storing the pointer. Initial values of other pointers are also entered as necessary.

After completing these initial settings, enable interrupts (step #10) and wait for timer interrupts (step #11).
enters the loop.

"Scheduler" FIG. 12 is a 70-chart showing a scheduler activated by a timer interrupt. First, when an interrupt is generated by the timer (step #30), the values of each renostar of the CPU are saved to the save area in the CPS block (step $31). REQPR priority process number
8 (step $32). Since CRTPR8 contains the process number immediately before interrupt handling, by comparing this with REQPR8,
It is determined whether there is a request to start a process with a higher priority (step $33).

If there is no startup request for the upper process (step #
33 (N), check whether the process that was being processed (indicated by CRT PH1) resets the bit in the query F vector and abandons the previous execution (Step #42), if it has not. If (step #
Step 42: Y) Set the data of each ν star in the save area of the CPS block in the CPU and return. In this case, the process interrupted by the timer interrupt continues running. If abandoned (N in step #42), C
Put the highest process number lower than the process indicated by RTPR8 into REQPR3 (Step #41)
, if there is a request to start a higher-level process (step #3
Perform the same process as in step 3 (Y).

Here, the value of the save area is transferred to the CPS of the process whose execution is interrupted as indicated by CRTPR8 (Step #35),
The cpS value of the process indicated by REQPR8 is transferred to the save area (step $36).

Furthermore, the value of REQPR8 is put into CRTPR8 (step #37), only the bit of the current vector of the process indicated by REQPR8 is set, and the others are reset (step $38). Through these processes, the value indicated by REQPR8 is stored in the save area. Since the process renostar value is included, the return destination is the process indicated by REQPR8.

"Host Process" FIG. 13 is a 70-chart showing the behavior of the host process. The initial activation of the host process is performed by the start process using a request vector to request the scheduler to start the host process, and the scheduler activated by the timer entry switching to the host process. At this time, the start address of the host process is set in the program counter of the CPU (303) of the control unit, so the first startup starts from step #50.

To explain the process flow, first, the flags used for the host process are initialized (step $51). Specifically, the USER flag that indicates whether a user process is being executed is initialized.
F7 lag is set to 0, and LPWRITE, which indicates that a temporary image is being edited, is set to 0 in the received data processing routine.

Then, in preparation for creating the intermediate code, we created the 7th section (33
) to read the 7nant attribute (step #52), it is checked whether there is a user process in the 7ontcarFrits (step #53), and if there is, it is stored in a predetermined area of the system RAM (307). Load the user process (step #54), wait for the loading to finish (step #55), and then display the US
Set ERF to 1 (step $56) and set the user process bit in the request vector (step $57). This is to ensure that they do not give up. After performing these initialization operations (steps #51 to #57), the main loop (steps #58 to #63) is entered.

In the main loop, if there is no FIFO empty area or USE
When RF=1 (Y in step #59), UR-buffer, USERF=O! (N in step #59) is
Received data processing (step #62) is performed except when the R-buffer becomes empty, *or when no data processing is performed (step #58, step #60, step #
61, N) executes JOBOUT processing 111 (step $63). The contents of JOBOUT processing 1 are shown in FIG. Update the request vector to request a switch. Specifically, the packet process bit of the request vector should be set (step $72), and if there is a user process (Y in step #73), the host process bit of the request vector should be set because the host process is not the lowest process. Reset and abandon your own execution. *
If there is no user process (N in step #73)
Since the host process becomes the lowest process, leave the host process bit in the request vector set. Furthermore, during these processes, timer interrupts are disabled (steps $71 and $75) to prevent malfunctions. I'm trying to prevent it.

As is clear from these flows, certain conditions (FIF
No empty area in O or R-buffer.

Until JOBOUT processing 1 is executed and the request bladder is updated due to the UR-buffer 7 being empty or other settings made in the received data processing, the timer W4' is
) Even if the scheduler is activated by the input, the process returns to the host process and the received data processing is repeated.

“Received data processing” Received data processing 70- is shown in Figure 15 (a)! #15 (
b) Show the figure.

In order to process the received data, it is necessary to extract the data from the receive buffer. As shown in FIG. 18, the received data is fetched from the data processing interface 301 by a data reception interrupt and stored in the R-buffer 304.

If there is a user process 66 in 22, R-buffer r3
04 data is stored in the UR-buffer 306 after protocol conversion, so when USERF is 1 (Y in step #101), it is stored in the UR-buffer, and when USERF is 0 (N in step #101), it is stored in the UR-buffer 306. Data is fetched from the buffer (step @102. step $107).

Here, the received data is classified into the following five types.

・IFC related code (Print fist engine related code)
(Step #103 to Step #105) - JOB control near)' (JOBSTART, PAGEEJECT)
(Step #108 ~ Step Stir 1/Format control code (
Step #113 to Step $114) - Print data (character code, graphic code) (Step @12B, Step $133) - User process control code (Step #118 to Step $122) In the case of print data, the corresponding 7 In the case of a 0-character code that is converted into an automatic intermediate code and output to the FIFO, the address of the 7-onto pattern (step 129
), BM-R corresponding to the print position on the image area
In the case of a graphic code, the graphic image writing unit 316 consists of a write address to AM (step $130) and a write mode (step @131).
It is output in the same 7 format as the command to (step $134). At this time, in the case of a character code, the next character printing position is updated (step $132).

The IFC-related code (step #103) is output to the interface control unit 40, but in order to synchronize with the print data, it is output to the FIFO as a funxitane type intermediate code that has a different format from the print data. (Step #104), the JOB control code includes PAGE EJECT, which is used to separate pages.
There are two types: code (step #110) and JOBSTART (Y in step #108), which is used to separate page groups. Both are FIFO as well as IFC related code.
(Step $109. Step $152).

Format control code (step #113, step #114
) controls the printing format. If the code specifies the number of copies of the same image (Y in step #115)
, 7 that supports FIFO to synchronize with print data
7 and outputs a (step $116).

"Format Control and PAGE EJECT Processing" FIG. 17 shows the processing sequence of format control codes. In the case of a return code (Y in step #161), the next print position is moved to the left end (step #162), and in the case of a line feed code, the next print position is moved down one line (step 16).
5), *Random specified! (Y in step 166)
) updates the next printing position after adding the offset value (step #167).

FIG. 16 shows 70- of the PAGE EJECT process. This PAGE EJECT process is performed using FIF
This is a virtual process when temporary editing is performed as an intermediate code onto O, and it is different from the actual ejection of paper in intermediate data processing (FIG. 22(b)). PAGE EJ
The ECT process outputs an intermediate code indicating PAGE EJECT to the insect FIFO (step #152). Here, the actual paper ejecting operation is performed when the packet process receives this intermediate code. After that, 'iR' is performed on the aSS of the next page to return the next printing position to the beginning (step $153). These series of operations are determined by the LPWRITE7 lag indicating temporary image editing (step l51, Step #154) Prevent empty bake output,
As shown in Figure 15(b), in the case of a user process load request code (Y in step #117), after checking the presence or absence of a user process (step $118) 7
The program of the user process is loaded from the storage cartridge (step 119, step 1).
20), USERF7? Step #1
21), and further sets the user process bit of the request vector (step [22).

Also, in the case of user process release code (step #12
3 (Y) on the contrary, reset USERF in step [2
4) Reset the user process bit of the request vector (step @125).

In this embodiment, the user process is loaded either when the power is turned on or when a load request code is received from the host if the cartridge is inserted later, but the loading method and timing are different. It doesn't matter if you decide.

Furthermore, although it is conceivable that a plurality of user processes exist in the cartridge, this is not considered in this embodiment.

"Packet Process" FIG. 19 is a chart 7a showing the processing of the packet process.

First, when the power is turned on (step $200), the BM-
Clear the RAM image area Step $202
), initialize the control flag (step #203),
Specifically, JOB A CT indicating the printing status
e ri177 Clear BMWRITE indicating y>8m status to L, BM-RAM, set C0PY which indicates the number of copies of the same number to 1, and set CC0UNT which calculates the number of copies of the same number to 1. .

After this, the main loop enters, and the processing performed by the main loop is: - Analysis with intermediate code and writing to BM-RAM i[1 (step #212 to step $215), - Print session sequence control (step #205~Step @211)
There is. The data flow is as follows. *First, when the paper ejection condition flag JOBACT is 1, print/
The sequence (step #208, step @211) is entered.

Also, if JOBACT is not 1, check that there is an intermediate code from the FIFO (step #213).
Intermediate code processing is performed.

When entering the print sequence here (step $20
5) and there is no packet data in the FIFO (11
(Step $215) executes JOBOUT processing 2 in Figure 21 in order to transfer execution to a lower process (Step $230), the processing content is to set the host process (lower process) bit of the request vector. The next step is to reset the bit of the packet process (step #231) and reset the bit of the packet process (step $232).As the packet process has the highest priority, the program is in a waiting state (in the case of step #205). ), the process is transferred to the lower process only when it becomes unexecutable (in the case of step #215).

[Intermediate code processing and print sequence control] Next,
FIFOl: Processing 70- of the stored intermediate code,
$ 22 Shown in (a) and (b) figures.

Here, sequence control such as drawing to the BM-RAM according to the intermediate code and command output to the print engine section is mainly performed.

First, in the case of print data (Y in step #303),
Transfer the intermediate code 7 to the image writing section (step $
304), in the case of graphics (N in step #310)
) is output to the graphic image writing section (step #
311) Do.

If you are writing data for the first time (BM-WRITE7
Lag = 0) (Y in step #305), BM-WRIT
The E7 lag is set to 1 (step #306), and a paper advance command PFCMD is output to the interface control unit 40 (step $308) to allow the print engine 4 to prepare for paper feeding in advance (step #308). Data processing equipment! ! When the printing preparation in step 3 is completed, the photoreceptor can be immediately exposed to laser light, and the throughput is improved corresponding to opening when feeding paper.

IFCIII continuous code and JOBSTART code are
Output to IFC (step #312 to step $3
13).

If the number of copies is set (step #319), the number of copies C0PY is updated (step #320).

FIFO (305) + Rapi) vy7' write 1 (31)
Output to is performed sequentially as long as there is intermediate code data, but when a PAGE EJECT code is detected (Y at step #315), signal conversion for one page has been completed and printing operation begins. First, the number of copies set in the CC0UNT7 puffer for counting the number of copies is set, and print startup processing is started. (Step $317) (Figure 123) In the print startup process, set the JOBACT7 lag indicating that print processing has started.Step $401) Set the print head control unit interface to a printable state.Step #40
2) Output the print command PRNCMD to the interface control unit (40) (step $403)
.

This allows the printhead control interface (
315), print VtIf1111 copies (42
) The data in the BM-RAM is output through the path B4 in synchronization with the pulses sent from the control circuit (426) of the BM-RAM.

When printing is finished, is it still JOBACT7? Since the setting has not yet been set, the process advances from step #204 to step #205 in FIG.
Waiting for an interrupt.

As shown in FIG. 24, the EXPEND reception interrupt processing sets the EPEND7 lag and resets the packet process bit of the request vector. EXPEND
When detected, the EPEND7 puffer becomes 1, exits the loop, and performs copy control of the same image (step #20
8~Step agitation 211), First, one copy loss counter C
Subtract C0UNT (step $208) and check whether the predetermined number of copies have been completed (step bar 209)
.

(If finished, print) Enter END processing (Figure 20)
, here, clear the BM-RAM to draw the next image, step #241, and reset the JOBACT7 lag to cancel the printing state (step $242).
, clears BMWRITE indicating the state of drawing to BM-RAM (step $243). If copying is not completed, printing starts again with the same image (step #211).

"User process" FIG. 25 shows an example of processing by a user process.

5. - The process itself may have several programs depending on the corresponding protocol, but the basic form is as follows. *, (step #501~
$503. Unless the step shown in bar 507° ($510) is shared by each user process, it will not be possible to correspond with other processes.

First, check that there is data in the R-buffer (step $501), then check for free space in the UR-buffer (step #502), and if there is no free space in the UR-buffer (step #502) ), the host process startup request is fulfilled by the request vector (
Step $510), make space available in the UR-buffer.

If there is free space in the UR-buffer (step #502
(Y), imports data from R-buffer 7 (step $503), and performs protocol conversion processing (steps #504~
$508. $508. . It does not matter if the bamboo is placed at any position considering the form of the protocol to be changed and processing efficiency.

FIG. 26 shows an example of switching timing of these processes. In this way, the scheduler is activated by periodic timer interrupts, but the process is switched when the execution abandonment condition for each process is satisfied.

〔effect〕

As described above, the present invention includes a storage means capable of storing at least a program other than the control program of the main body of the printer control device, an input means for inputting an external program to the storage means, and a time-sharing method for storing the control program and the external program. Since it is equipped with executable program processing means, external programs such as protocol conversion programs are supplied in the form of external cartridges or internal ROMs, and are also downloaded from the host machine, and these external programs can be stored in external cartridges or internal ROMs. By downloading the protocol conversion program to the storage means, it is possible to support various host machines without changing the software inside the printer control device. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to connect a printer control device with a host machine of a different protocol at low cost, and the data protocol format can be easily changed by simply replacing the cartridge. Furthermore, in the present invention, since the protocol conversion program itself is treated as an independent program, it becomes a simple program for data conversion, and development is easy.

Therefore, since even a user can create a user process for any protocol format, there are many excellent effects such as versatility and wide range of support.

4. f in the drawing! ! 1. IIL Explanation FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention,
Fig. 2 is an optical illusion diagram showing the external appearance of the printer system, Fig. 3 is a front view showing details of the display panel, Fig. 4 is a schematic control block diagram of the printer system, and Fig. 5 is the configuration of the pishimatsubu control section according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the software configuration, FIG. 7(a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the current process/status block in the system RAM, and FIG. 7(b) is a block diagram showing the system software configuration. RAM
8 is a block diagram showing the flow of received data, FIG. 9 is a detailed block diagram of the bitmap writing section, FIG. 10 is a front view explaining the concept of the image area, and FIG. Figure 11 shows the start process 70-
Figure 12 is a 70-chart showing the scheduler activated by a timer interrupt, Figure 13 is a 70-chart showing the behavior of the host process, and Figure 14 is a J
70-Chart showing the contents of OBOUT processing, No. 15 (
1), FIG. 15(b) is a flowchart showing the received data processing 70-, FIG. 16 is a 70-chart showing the PAGEEJECT processing 70-, and FIG. 17 is a 70-chart showing the format control code processing sequence. 18 is a 70-chart showing received data interrupt processing, FIG. 19 is a 70-chart showing packet process processing, and FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing print startup processing.
Figure 21 is a 70-chart showing JOBOUT processing, and Figure 22 (a)l (b) is a 70-chart showing intermediate code processing.
-Chart, $23 Figure is a flowchart showing the print startup process, Figure 24 is a flowchart showing the EXPEND reception interrupt reception ring, Figure 25 is a 70-chart showing the user process, Figure 26 is an example of process switching timing. Time chart showing 27th (a) = (
b) The figure is a conceptual explanatory diagram showing the data flow of the protocol conversion method.

61...Timer interrupt, 62...Scheduler, 63...Start process, 64...Packet process, 65...Host process, 66...User process, 6th Leap Software Course Figure 7 Ca) Drawing of the current process status (OPS) block (b) Fig. 10♀ <f Fig. 11 Fig. 14 #70 Fig. 16 Fig. 20 Fig. 21 $240
#230 Figure 22 (b) Procedural amendment (voluntary) October 21, 1988 1, Indication of the case 1988 Patent Application No. 67041 2, Name of the invention Printer control device 3, Person making the amendment Case and Relationship Patent Applicant Address Osaka Kokusai Building, 2-30 Azuchi-cho, Higashi-ku, Osaka Name (Name) (607) Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. 4, Agent 460 Address 12-10 Shimome, Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya No. Fushimi First Building 1002 6. Subject of amendment

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A storage means capable of storing at least a program other than the control program of the printer control device main body, an input means for inputting an external program to the storage means, and a program processing means capable of executing the control program and the external program in a time-sharing manner. A printer control device comprising: (2) The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a second storage device that is detachable from the main body of the printer control device.