JPS6352586B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printer control method.
Ruled line printing, line feed spacing in dot printers,
This relates to a method of controlling character spacing, character size, etc.

When printing characters and ruled lines in a dot printer, the following method has conventionally been adopted.
The first method is to use a print head 10 having a dot structure, as shown in FIG. 1a, which has dots exclusively for printing ruled lines and dots for printing characters. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1b, ruled line data 2, character data 3, and print instruction code 4 can be stored together as one line of data in each line of print code buffer 1, and this one line of print data can be stored as one line of data. It is possible to print in one operation. FIG. 1c shows the printing result. For this reason, the line feed interval in one line of data,
This has the advantage that even if there are different character spacings and character sizes, it can be controlled in one go. However, this method requires a print head with dots exclusively used for printing ruled lines, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost.

Next, the second method is to transfer character data 3 including upper ruled line data 5, vertical ruled line data 7, and lower ruled line data 6 to print code buffer 1.
It is created and stored in separate lines, and the ruled lines are printed sequentially using character dots. This method has the advantage of being able to use a print head that does not have a dot dedicated to printing ruled lines, but it requires upper ruled line data 5, lower ruled line data 6, vertical ruled line data 7, etc., so the amount of input input data increases and printing This is disadvantageous in terms of cost and efficiency, such as an increase in the capacity of the code buffer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printer control method in which ruled line printing, character spacing, line feed interval, and character size can be varied using a print head without dots dedicated to ruled line printing without increasing the amount of print data. It's about doing.

In the present invention, character data, ruled line data, and instruction codes (control data) for intercharacter space, line feed interval, and character size are stored together as one line of print data in one line of a print code buffer. Therefore, regarding the contents of the printing code buffer,
This can be done in the same way as the conventional method shown in FIG. However, in the present invention, a data buffer and a ruled line buffer are provided separately in order to temporarily store character data and ruled line data read from the print code buffer. Furthermore, a register group (control register group) for controlling character spacing, line break spacing, and character size is provided. When one line of print data in the print code buffer is read out and printed, if there is ruled line data in one line of print data, input is divided into an upper ruled line buffer and a lower ruled line buffer depending on the contents of the ruled line data. Also, if there are instructions for character spacing, line break spacing, and character size, they are saved in the control register,
The contents of the register are used during dot decomposition. Printing is performed sequentially with ruled lines and characters. Note that if there is ruled line data, one line of data is automatically generated and printed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, numeral 11 is a print code buffer, in which print data for each line is stored. This situation is shown in FIG. 4a. That is, the print data of each line is character data 40, 41, 42,
In addition to 43 and 44, there is a ruled line instruction code 101, a print instruction code (line feed code: NL) 102, a code (SP) 103 that specifies the space between characters, a code (CS) 104 that specifies the size of the characters, and a code (CS) 104 that specifies the size of the line. It includes all or part of the code (LP) 105 indicating the interval. FIG. 4b is an example of printing for the print data of FIG. 4a.

Returning to Figure 3, 13 and 20 are control registers (hereinafter simply referred to as registers) that set the line feed pitch of the print line, 14 and 21 the character size, 15 and 22 the space between characters, and 16 and 23 the print instruction code. It is. 18 and 25 are one-line data buffers, and 17, 19, 24, and 26 are ruled line data buffers. 27 is a buffer selector; data buffers 18, 25; ruled line buffers 17, 1;
One of the buffers 9, 24, and 26 is selected, and its contents are converted into a dot pattern and input into the image buffers 28 and 30. 29,31 is 1
This is a print instruction register set according to the contents of the print instruction code registers 6 and 23 and the ruled line. 1
2 is a printer mechanism, and image buffers 28, 3
The dot pattern within 0 is printed according to the print instructions in the latches 29 and 31.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of FIG. 3. The operation shown in FIG. 3 will be described below, taking as an example the case where the data shown in FIG. 4 is printed.

When printing the first line of data stored in the print code buffer 11, first, in step (1) in FIG. 5, the free space in the data buffers 18 and 25 is checked. Initially, both data buffers 18 and 25 are empty, so the process advances to step (2). In step (2), first, the first ruled line instruction code 101 is input to the keysen buffers 17 and 19, and at the same time, it is also input to the data buffer 18. The next character data 40 is input to the data buffer 18, and at this time, no ruled line data is input to the keysen buffers 17 and 19. Similarly, the next ruled line instruction code 101 of the character data 40 is input to the keypad buffers 17 and 19 and the data buffer 18, and the next NL code 102 is input to the print instruction code register 16 to complete the input of the first line print data. Complete. From FIG. 4a, since this line does not contain the LP, SP, and CS codes, registers 13, 14, and 15 remain empty.

When the process of step (2) is completed, the process returns to step (1), but since the data buffer 25 is empty, the process proceeds to step (2) again to input the print data for the second line. In other words, the beginning of the print data on the second line is SP.
code 103, which enters register 22,
The next ruled line instruction code 101 is Keisen Batsufu 2
4, 26 and data buffer 25. The next character data 41 is input only to the data buffer 25. The next ruled line data 101 is similarly input to the keysen buffers 24, 26 and the data buffer 25, and the next NL code 102 is input to the register 23, completing the processing of the second line.

Next, the process returns to step (1) again, but since the data buffers 18 and 25 contain the data of the first and second lines, respectively, the process proceeds to step (3). step
In (3), the free space in the image buffers 28 and 30 is checked. Here, both image buffers 28,3
Since both 0 and 0 are empty, proceed to step (4). In step (4), the buffer selector 27 is set to 17, 18,
It is determined which buffers 19, 24, 25, and 26 are to be decomposed into image buffers 28 and 30. This is Batsuhua 17 → 18 → 19 → 24 → 2
Repeat 5 → 26 → 17. Here, the buffer 17 is first selected, and its contents are decomposed into dot patterns and put into the image buffer 28.
That is, the upper ruled line dot pattern of the first row is entered into the image buffer 28. Also, register 29 has 16
NL code is input.

Next, proceed to step (5) and image buffer 2.
Check whether either 8 or 30 is being printed.
At this point, nothing is being printed, so go to step (6).
Then, the printer mechanism 12 registers the print instruction register 2.
9, printing of the contents of the image buffer 28 is started (40'' in FIG. 4b).

In the next step (7), it is checked whether printing of one line has been completed. Since it is not completed here,
After step (7), proceed to step (1). Step(1)
Now, since the data buffers 18 and 25 have been input, the process proceeds to step (3), and since the image buffer 30 is empty, the process proceeds to step (4). In step (4),
The contents of the data buffer 18 are decomposed into dots,
It is placed in the image buffer 30. That is, the vertical ruled lines and character dot pattern of the first row are stored in the image buffer 30. Additionally, 16 NL codes are input to the register 31.

In the next step (5), it is checked whether printing of the image buffer 28 is completed. If it is not completed, steps (5) → (7) → (1) → (3) → (5) will occur. When printing in the image buffer 28 is completed, the empty space in the image buffer 28 is set in step (8), and the process proceeds from steps (5) to (6). In step (6), the image buffer 30, that is, the vertical ruled line data and the characters A, B, and C are printed (40' in FIG. 4b).

Next, the process proceeds from step (7) → (1) → (3), and since the image buffer 28 is empty at step (3), the process goes to step (4).
Proceed to. In this step (4), the Keisen buffer 19 is selected, and its contents are decomposed into dot patterns and input into the image buffer 28. That is, the image buffer 28 contains the lower ruled line dot pattern of the first row. Next, Keisenbatshua 24
Check if there is ruled line data and register 14
and 21, and if the font sizes are the same, successively select the Keisen Buffer 24, decompose its contents into dot patterns, and transfer them to the Image Buffer 28 in a format that is ORed with the data of the Keisen Buffer 19. input. As a result, the lower scale data of the first row and the upper scale data of the second row are combined and input to the image buffer 28.

Next, the process proceeds from step (5) → (7) → (1) → (3) → (5), and when the printing of the image buffer 30 is completed, step
The process proceeds in the order of (7)→(8)→(5)→(6), and the contents of the image buffer 28, that is, the composite pattern of the lower ruled line of the first line and the upper ruled line of the second line are printed. (40 in Figure 4b,
41″). Then, step (6) → (7) → (1) → (3) → (4)
Then, input the data into the data buffer 30.
Here, the data buffer 25 contains character data A, B, and C on the second line, but at the same time, the SP code is set in the register 22, so the buffer selector 27 selects the character data A, B, and so on. , C are separated by one character, and the image buffer 30 is obtained by decomposing them into dots.

When the image buffer 28 being printed, that is, the printing of the combined ruled line data is completed, the buffer 1
Since printing of data 7, 18, and 19 has been completed, the free space in the data buffer 18 is set in step (8). Next, proceed from step (5) to (6), instruct printing on the image buffer 30 (vertical ruled lines and letters A and BC on the second line: 41' in Fig. 4b), and proceed to step (5) → (6).
Proceed to (7)→(1). Since the data buffer 18 is now empty, the process goes to step (2) to input the print data for the third line. From FIG. 4a, the beginning of the print data on the third line is CS code 104, which is input to the register 14, and the next ruled line instruction code 10
1 is input into buffers 17, 18, and 19, and the next character data 42 is input only into buffer 18. Similarly, the next ruled line instruction code 101 is buffer 1.
Enter 7, 18, 19, and finally NL code 10
2 into register 16.

Next, proceeding to steps (1)→(3)→(4), the contents of the keysen buffer 26 are transferred to the image buffer 28, that is,
Enter the bottom ruled line pattern for the second line. Even here,
Check whether it is possible to combine with the upper ruled line of the next third row. In this case, the Keisen buffer 17 has ruled line data on the third line, but CS2 in the register 21 that specifies the character size on the second line (standard character size in the example) and the character size on the third line are specified. Since the CS1 (reduced character size) of the register 14 does not match, the ruled line data of the Keysen buffer 17 is not input to the image buffer 28. Next, a CR (carriage return: instructs printing but does not perform line feed) code is set in the register 29, and when printing the next contents of the keysen buffer 17,
Send NL code. That is, if the character sizes are different, they are combined by overlapping printing (41, 42'' in FIG. 4b).

Contents of buffer 26, i.e. image buffer 3
When the printing of the contents of 0 is completed, the buffer space of the data buffer 25 is set in step (8), and then, in step (6), printing instructions are given for the image buffer 28, that is, the buffer 17 which is the upper ruled line data of the third line. Then, the process advances to steps (7)→(1)→(2), and the data on the fourth line is input into buffers 24, 25, and 26. Of the data on the 4th line, LP code 105 instructs the line feed pitch and is input into register 20, and the next
The CS code 104 is input to the register 21. There is no ruled line code in this 4th line data, and the next character data 43 is set to buffer 25 and NL code 10.
2 is input into the register 23 and the process ends. To switch the LP code, when inputting buffer 17 or 24 to the image buffer, input it to register 29 or 31, and when printing, send it to 12 printer mechanisms.

The above operations are repeated until the buffer 11 runs out of data. Note that the processing procedure shown in FIG. 5 can be easily realized by using, for example, a microcomputer. In this case, the configuration shown in FIG. 3 can be considered to constitute part of a microcomputer.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, character data, ruled line data, line spacing instructions, character size instructions, and other control data are grouped together as print data for each character data subject to the same control. The amount of data is significantly reduced, and the line spacing, character size, etc. of individual character data can be freely controlled.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the contents of the first lower ruled line buffer and the contents of the second upper ruled line buffer are combined and printed simultaneously as an upper and lower ruled line dot pattern.
Printing speed is improved. Furthermore, by combining the contents of the first lower ruled line buffer and the contents of the second upper ruled line buffer and printing them at once, the lower ruled line of one row and the upper ruled line of the next row can be made to coincide with one ruled line. If you want to do that, you can easily do it, and the ruled lines will not become darker or thicker (2).
(Because the lines are not pressed repeatedly), ruled lines with the same density and thickness can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 a to c and Figure 2 are diagrams for explaining a conventional printer control system, Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 4 a and b are print data and their printing. A diagram showing an example, FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of FIG. 3. 11... Print code buffer, 12... Printer mechanism, 13, 20... Line feed pitch register, 1
4, 21...Character size register, 15, 22...
... Character space register, 16, 23 ... Print instruction code register, 17, 19, 24, 26,
...Keysen Batsuhua, 18,25...Data Batsuhua, 27...Batsufua Selector, 28,30
...Image buffer, 29, 31...Print instruction register.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a dot printer using a print head that does not have a dot dedicated to printing ruled lines, character data, ruled line data, and control data such as line spacing instructions and character size instructions are stored as print data for each line in a print code buffer, When printing,
Reading the print data line by line from the print code buffer, taking the character data of a certain line into a first data buffer and the ruled line data into a first upper ruled line buffer and a first lower ruled line buffer depending on the contents,
And, the control data is set in the first control register, the character data of the next line is taken into the second data buffer, the ruled line data is taken into the second upper ruled line buffer and the second lower ruled line buffer depending on the contents, and ,
The control data is set in the second control register, and the control data is set in the second control register.
The contents of the first data buffer are printed as a character dot pattern according to the instructions of the control data in the control register, and then the contents of the first lower ruled line buffer and the contents of the second upper ruled line buffer are combined to print the upper and lower lines. A printer control method characterized by printing as a ruled line dot pattern.