JPS63256446A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a color designation function to be provided in a printer itself, by providing a division means dividing the inputted printing information by every predetermined block and a synthesizing means performing a synthetic- printing with a predetermined color by every divided printing information. CONSTITUTION:If a BLACK mode is set by a switch 22 in a printer 2, pattern data, e.g. a character symbol sent from a host computer 1 is stored in a buffer memory 24 ; if a RED mode is set, the character symbol pattern is stored in a buffer memory 25. The stored pattern is outputted by printing from a printer part 26. If a two-color synthetic mode is set, patterns corresponding to the information sent from the computer 1 are separately stored by every page in the memory 24 (in which the information for odd-number pages is to be stored) and the memory 25 (in which the information for even-number pages is to be stored), thereafter being synthesized and printed out in the printer part 26 when the storage of the information amount to two pages.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing device, and particularly to a printing device having a color printing function.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a system equipped with a printer that prints in two or more colors, an output color specification control code that specifies the output color of the character symbol to be printed is input from a host computer, and the output color specification control code is inputted from a host computer. Printing was performed using a predetermined output color based on the output designation control code.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, if the application program being processed on the host computer does not have the color specification function,
The only way to do this was to print in a single color (the default color), and the printer could not benefit from being a color printer.

The present invention has been made in view of such prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that allows the printing device itself to specify colors.

[Means for Solving the Problem] The present invention for solving this problem consists of the following configuration.

That is, a human-powered means for manually inputting print information, a dividing means for dividing the manually-generated print information into predetermined areas, and a combining means for performing composite printing with a predetermined output color for each divided print information. Be prepared.

[Operation] In the configuration of the present invention, the printing information inputted by the input means is divided by the dividing means, and the combining means performs composite printing using each output color.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Note that the types of output colors of the printing device in this embodiment will be explained as two types, "red" and "black", for the sake of simplicity, but there may be three or more types of output colors. It doesn't matter if there is.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a block configuration of a printing apparatus connected to a host computer in this embodiment.

In the figure, l is a host computer that outputs print data and various control codes. Reference numeral 2 denotes a printing device, and therein is a control section 21 that controls the entire printing device 2 . Also,
Inside the control unit 21, there is a ROM 21a that stores the control procedure (program) shown in FIG. 2
It is equipped with a RAM 2lb consisting of two areas.

Further, 22 is a switch for specifying a print color and a combination of print colors in the printing device 2, the details of which will be described later. 2
3 is a page counter that counts the number of pages of pattern data (image data) such as character symbols sent from the postcomputer 1, and this page counter 23 has an initial value of "O". There is.

Reference numerals 24 and 25 designate buffer memories for storing manually generated image data. The buffer memory 24 stores a pattern whose output print color is "black," and the buffer memory 25 stores a pattern whose output print color is "red." will be done. Further, the description will be made assuming that each of the buffer memories 24 and 25 in this embodiment has a capacity equivalent to one sheet of printing paper. 26 is a dot printer section, with "red" and "
Equipped with two color ink ribbons (black) and 24 buffer memories.
Input pattern data from 0.25 and print in black or red according to the input buffer memory.

[Explanation of switch (Figure 2)] FIG. 2 shows the switch 22 in this embodiment.

As shown in the figure, the switch 22 is provided with three print color modes (black, red, and two-color combination).

In the case of this embodiment, the "two-color composition mode" is selected, but if, for example, the "black mode" is set, pattern data such as character symbols sent from the host computer 1 are stored in the buffer memory 24. (black) and will be printed out from the printer section 26.

Furthermore, when the "red mode" is set, the character symbol pattern is stored in the buffer memory 25 (red),
It will be printed out from the printer section 26.

Now, when the "two-color composition mode" is set, the pattern corresponding to the information sent from the host computer 1 is transferred page by page to the buffer memory 24 (where information of odd pages is stored) and to the buffer memory 25 (in which information for even-numbered pages is stored), and when the information for two pages is stored, the printer unit 26 combines and prints it. At this time, the information stored in the buffer memory 24 will be printed in "black" as described above, and the information stored in the buffer memory 25 will be printed in "red".

In addition, regarding the judgment of these even numbered pages and odd numbered pages,
This is determined by the page counter 27, and the criterion for updating the page is whether or not a page break code has been input from the host computer 1.

[Description of Control Processing (FIGS. 3 and 4)] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control section 21 of this embodiment, and the flow of the processing will be explained below in accordance with this flowchart.

First, data is input from the host computer 1 in step S1. Next, check the setting state of the switch 22. When the "black mode" is set, the process moves to step S3, where the input pattern data is developed in a predetermined area in the buffer memory 24, and normal printing processing is performed at step S4.

Further, when the "red mode" is set, the process moves to step S5, the input pattern data is developed in the buffer memory 25, and normal printing is performed in step S6.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the two-color composition mode is selected, the processes from step S are executed.

In step S7, it is determined whether the count value of the page counter 23 is an even number or an odd number (the initial value is an even number of "0"). If it is determined in this judgment that it is an "even number", step S8
Next, it is determined whether the manually generated data is a page break code or pattern data such as character symbols. If it is pattern data, the process moves to step S9, and the input pattern data is expanded into the buffer memory 24. Also, if it is a page break code, the page counter 23
Add ``1'' to the value of .

If it is determined in step S7 that the number is an "odd number" (at this time, the pattern data has already been developed in the buffer memory 24), the process moves to step Stt and the input data is a page break code. Determine whether there is any data or pattern data. If it is pattern data, it is developed in the buffer memory 25 in step S12, and if it is determined that it is a page break code, the process moves to step S13, where 1'' is added to the value of the page counter 23, and in step S14, the buffer memory 24 is expanded. The pattern data developed in .25 will be printed in a composite manner using each color.

In the above processing, the switch 22 is in the state shown in FIG. 2 (two-color composition mode), and 1. On the first page, a document image 40 (stored in the buffer memory 24) shown in FIG.
5), the output image 42 will be formed with the output colors based on the respective buffer memories. Incidentally, since the value of the page counter 23 only serves as a standard for determining whether the number is even or odd, only one pit is actually required.

In the above description, the pattern data sent from the host computer 1 is switched page by page and stored in the buffers 24 and 25, but it is perfectly possible to switch the pattern data every row, for example.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, data sent from the host computer 1 is used as pattern data (image data).
However, the character symbol code (in most cases J■
There is no problem even if the document information consists of S code).

In that case, a character font ROM that generates a pattern based on input character symbol codes may be provided in the printing apparatus.

Further, the printing colors are not limited to two colors, but the same processing may be performed using three or more colors (by increasing the number of selected switches). In this case, the buffer memory may be increased in accordance with the number of printing colors.

As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the application program (for example, a document processing program, etc.) on the host computer 1 side does not have a function for color printing, the operator can print specific data as desired. It can be printed in different colors.

Note that the printer unit in this embodiment only needs to be able to print out in at least two colors, so the present invention is not limited by the type of printer unit.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to print out a desired print color even if information related to color printing is not added to the data sending side.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the block configuration of the printing apparatus of this embodiment, FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining multicolor composite output in an example. In the figure, 1... host computer, 2... printing device, 21-... control unit, 22... switch, 23...
Pattern converter, 24.25... Buffer memory, 2
6... It is a dot printer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An input means for inputting print information, a dividing means for dividing the inputted print information into predetermined areas, and a combining means for performing composite printing with a predetermined output color for each divided print information. A printing device comprising: (2) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing means divides the print information in units of pages or lines.