KR100286455B1 - I.D. Type laser printer controller and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an I.D.E. (hereinafter referred to as "IDE") type laser printer control apparatus and method, according to the present invention, between the main board for the PC and the engine mechanism of the laser printer through the IDE port By implementing the interface logic, the mainboard for PC can be used as a printer control device. Whenever the laser printer is changed, it is not necessary to recreate a separate control device like the conventional one. Can reduce the cost.

Description

I.D. type laser printer control device and method

The present invention relates to an I.D. (hereinafter referred to as "IDE") type laser printer control device and method, in particular through the IDE port to implement the interface logic between the main board for PC and the engine mechanism of the laser printer By using the PC main board as a printer control device, each time the laser printer changes, there is no need to recreate a separate control device like the conventional one. The present invention relates to an ID-type laser printer control apparatus and method.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a general laser printer control system. Referring to FIG. 1, a laser printer control system includes an external host computer 10 for transmitting data to be printed to a laser printer and controlling printing of the data; The printer receiving the printer data and the print control data from the host computer and performing the corresponding printer operation has a built-in control device 20 and an engine 30, and the control device 20 and the engine 30 are in a state. And control data are transmitted to each other, and the control apparatus 20 of the laser printer receives the printer data and the printer control data from the host computer 10 to control the laser printer, and prints the data to be printed and the engine control data. Transmits to the engine 30, and the engine 30 of the laser printer controls the print from the controller 20. Depending on the command performs laser printing for the print data.

The conventional control apparatus of the JAZER printer control system is illustrated in FIG. 2, and referring to FIG. 2, a main I / F unit 23 in charge of interfacing with the host computer 10, a hard disk, A hard disk I / F unit 24 for interfacing with the control panel, an operation panel / engine I / F unit 25 for interfacing with the operation panel and the engine, and a boot ROM storing a boot program and data ( 22), booted by the boot program of the boot ROM 22, and receiving the data to be printed and the print control data through the main I / F unit 23 to create image data to be printed, and the operation panel A control unit 21 for controlling printing while transmitting image and font data to be printed to the engine via the engine / I / F unit 25, a program / font memory 26 storing program and font data, and According to the control of the controller 21 Consists of the image data memory 27 for storing image data, DMA logic 28 to directly access the memory without the instruction of the control unit 21 or the like.

In addition, the control unit 21 controls two laser printers at the same time to control the operation of creating image data to be printed in the image data memory 27, that is, the main processor 21a in charge of print control. And a graphics processor 21b for image creation, and a communication memory 21d for data communication between the two processors 21a and 21b, and a control logic section for checking the control state. 21c).

The conventional laser printer controller configured as described above should be intervened between the host computer and the printer engine to control the laser printer. Therefore, if the function is improved or the laser printer is changed, the control unit capable of controlling this new version of the laser printer should be re-fabricated. As a result, enormous research and manufacturing costs had to be invested.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and therefore, an object of the present invention is to implement an interface logic between a main board for a PC and an engine mechanism of a laser printer through an IDE port, thereby controlling a PC main board. By making it possible to use it, it is possible to reduce the research and production costs by reimplementing only the IDE interface logic without having to recreate a separate control device every time the laser printer is changed. IDE) type laser printer control device and method.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a general laser printer control system.

2 is an internal configuration diagram of a control device 20 of a conventional laser printer.

3 is an overall configuration diagram of a laser printer control system according to the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 3.

5 is a flowchart showing a laser printer control method according to the present invention.

6A is a control logic initialization flowchart for the initialization step of FIG. 5,

FIG. 6B is an initialization flowchart of the printer control logic unit for the initialization step of FIG.

FIG. 7A is a control logic initialization flowchart for the engine control and DMA execution process of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7B is a printer control logic side initialization flowchart for the engine control and DMA execution process of FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

220: printer control unit

221 IDE port

250: control logic

251: ESC (Engine Signal Connecter) Port

252: clock generator

253: engine timing logic unit

254: DMA control logic section

255: FIFO control logic section

256: FIFO buffer section

257 video shifter

258: register

259 engine control / status logic section

As a technical means for achieving the above object of the present invention, the apparatus of the present invention controls the initialization by the control logic unit connected to the IDE port, receives the code data to be printed from the host computer, the page A printer control unit implemented as a PC main board equipped with a CPU of 586 CPU level or higher to generate image data to be printed for each page, block image data of each page for transmission, and then transmit the blocked DMA image data on demand; Performs initialization of itself and the engine according to the initialization control of the printer control unit through the IDE port, requests blocked DMA image data according to the engine state, receives it, provides it to the engine, and transmits its own state and engine state signal to the IDE. A control logic unit providing the printer control unit through a port; Characterized in having a.

In addition, as another technical means for achieving the object of the present invention, the method of the present invention is an i.e. (IDE) type laser printer control method, in which the printer control unit is connected to the IDE port at the start of operation. A first step of performing initialization of the engine and the logic controller of the laser printer through the control logic unit; A second step of receiving code data to be printed from a host computer and creating image data to be printed for each page; A third step of determining whether image data of one page is completed and proceeding to a second step if it is not yet created; A fourth step of preparing a DMA by dividing the created one page image data into block units for transmission when the image data of one page is completed; A fifth step of controlling the engine for printing image data through a control logic unit connected to the IDE port, and performing DMA for one page of image data in cooperation with the control logic unit; A sixth step of preparing for creating image data of a new page to determine whether the operation is stopped, and if not, proceeding to the second step; Characterized in that made.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the I.D. (IDE) type laser printer control apparatus which concerns on this invention is demonstrated in detail with reference to attached drawing.

3 is an overall configuration diagram of a laser printer control system according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, a laser printer control apparatus 200 for controlling a high speed laser printer such as 400 DPI or 600 DPI may be initialized and a host computer 10 may be used. Receive code data (including character code, image code, etc.) to be printed from the printer, and control the creation operation of the data to be printed (hereinafter referred to as "image data") such as character data and image data, and the DMA operation. According to the state of the engine mechanism 300 (hereinafter, referred to as an "engine"), a function of controlling the engine operation for printing the image data, which receives the code data to be printed from the host computer 10 to print The printer control unit 220 which controls the image data creation operation and the DMA operation, and the printer control unit 220 are connected to the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221 to control the printer control unit 220. In response to a control logic unit 250 to perform the DMA operation according to the setup operation, a check-engine state.

The printer control unit 220 controls initialization by a control logic unit connected to the IDE port 221, receives code data to be printed from a host computer, creates image data to be printed for each page, and It is implemented as a PC main board equipped with a CPU of 586CPU or higher to block the image data of the page for transmission and transfer the blocked DMA image data on demand.

The control logic unit 250 initializes itself and the engine according to the initialization control of the printer controller 220 through the IDE port 221, requests the blocked DMA image data according to the engine state, and receives the engine. It provides the state and the engine state signal to the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221, the internal configuration of the control logic unit 250 is as follows.

4 is an internal configuration diagram of the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 4, the control logic unit 250 according to the present invention includes a clock generator 252 for generating a clock signal for synchronization. And an engine timing logic unit 253 which provides a synchronization signal according to the clock signal of the clock generator 252 and transmits and receives a transmission state of image data to be printed to and from the engine through the ESC port 251, and the IDE port. Initializing is performed in response to the initialization control of the printer control unit 220 through 221, and requests and receives blocked DMA image data according to the FIFO buffer check state, and receives the blocked DMA image data according to the engine state. Is a DMA control logic unit 254 for controlling transmission to the engine, a push signal from the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221, and a pop of the DMA control logic unit 254. FIFO that controls the operation of the FIFO buffer section according to the signal Parallel data of the FIFO buffer unit 256 and the FIFO buffer unit 256 for receiving image data under the control of the logic unit 255, the FIFO control logic unit 255 and transmitting the image data to the video shifter 257. Converts the data into serial data and transmits it to the engine through the ESC port, a register 258 for temporarily storing the initialization signal and the control signal and the engine status signal through the IDE port, and the register 258. Engine control signal from the control unit through the ESC port 251, and the engine control / status logic unit 259 for providing an engine state signal through the ESC port 251 to the register 258 do.

5 is a flowchart showing a laser printer control method according to the present invention. 6A is a control logic initialization flowchart for the initialization step of FIG. 5, 6B is an initialization flowchart of the printer control logic unit for the initialization step of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7A is an engine control and DMA execution process of FIG. 5. The control logic initialization flowchart for FIG. 7B is a printer control logic unit side initialization flowchart for the engine control and DMA execution process of FIG. 5.

Operation according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings.

3 to 7, the printer controller 220 of the laser printer controller 200 of FIG. 3 according to the present invention is a main board equipped with a CPU of 586 CPU or higher for a PC. It is implemented as, which controls the printer as follows.

Referring to FIG. 5, first, in the first steps 510 and 520, when the operation is started, the printer controller 220 and the engine of the laser printer 250 and the engine of the laser printer are controlled through the control logic unit 250 connected to the IDE port 221. Initialize 300.

The first steps 510 and 520 for performing this initialization will be described in detail as follows.

In the first step (510, 520) of performing the initialization, the control logic initialization step constituting the control logic by setting the image resolution (DPI), the DMA operation mode, etc. necessary for image printing, and setting details of the image data of the page. The engine control logic initialization step is performed.

The control logic initialization step of the first step 520 will be described in detail as follows.

First, the control logic initialization step will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. In step 621 and 622 of FIG. 6A, the printer control unit 220 of FIG. 3 sets an initialization signal and then sets the control logic initialization data (8 bits). When outputting through the IDE port 221, in step 641 and 642 of FIG. 6B, when the control logic initialization signal of the control logic unit 250 of FIGS. 3 and 4 is set through the IDE port 221, the control logic initialization signal is set. The control logic initialization data is input through the IDE port 221 to configure the control logic.

Referring to the process of configuring the control logic, the 8-bit control logic initialization data received first is stored in the register 258 in the control logic section 250 of FIG. 4, and the information included in the control logic initialization data. Includes the setting information of Dot Per Inch (DPI), the setting information of DMA operation mode, etc. This image resolution includes 240,300 DPI and 400,600 DPI, which are emerging recently. There are DMA operation modes such as PIO mode, standard mode and ultra mode, which are program control modes according to the data transfer rate per hour (data transfer rate). The control logic initialization data stored in the register 258 is referred to while the DMA control logic section 254 performs DMA control.

Next, in step 644 of FIG. 6B, when the register 258 in the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 4 provides an 8-bit initialization state signal to the printer controller 220 through the IDE port 221, In step 623, 624, 625 of FIG. 6A, the printer controller 220 determines whether the initialization is completed by receiving the initialization state signal. When the initialization is not completed, the printer control unit 220 proceeds to step 622 of FIG. 6A. In step 645 and 646 of FIG. 6B, the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 4 re-monitors the initialization signal through the IDE port 221 to reset the initialization signal. If so, proceed to the next engine control logic initialization step.

The engine control logic initialization step of the first step will be described in detail as follows.

First, in step 647 of FIG. 6B, the register 258 transmits the engine state signal confirmed by the engine command / state logic unit 259 in the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 4 through the IDE port 221. When provided to the printer control unit 220, in step 626, 627, 628 of Figure 6a, the printer control unit 220 receives the engine state signal through the IDE port 221 and then checks whether the engine is in an operational state possible state Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 626, and if possible, the engine control logic initialization data is output to the control logic unit 250 through the IDE port 221.

In this regard, in steps 648 and 649 of FIG. 6B, when the engine command / state logic unit 259 of FIG. 4 checks the engine state through the ESC port 251 and stores this check state in the register 258, the DMA If the control logic unit 254 checks whether the engine is in an operational state by referring to the engine state stored in the register 258, the control logic unit 254 proceeds to step 647, and if it is possible, the engine state signal stored in the register 258. Is provided to the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221, and the printer control unit 220 checks the engine state signal in step 627 and 628 of FIG. ) Provides the engine control logic initialization data to the control logic unit 250. In this case, the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 4 performs engine control logic initialization after receiving engine control logic initialization data through the IDE port 221. The engine control logic initialization data includes setting information for one page such as the number of lines of one page of image data to be printed. The engine control logic initialization data is also temporarily stored in the register 258, which is the DMA control logic section. 254 is referenced during DMA performance.

After the initialization step of the first step described above is performed, the second steps 530 and 540 receive code data to be printed from the host computer 10 to create image data to be printed for each page. 220 is a process of creating image data to be printed on the internal image memory based on the received code data, which is the same process as in the prior art, and thus detailed description of the operation is omitted, and the code data includes a character code and an image code. For the character code, the font data is retrieved from the font memory for printing, and for the image code, the image corresponding to the image code is created in the image memory for printing. The following description of the character code will be omitted focusing on the image code.

Next, in the third step 550, it is determined whether the creation of the image data of one page is completed. If not, the process proceeds to the second steps 530 and 540 until the completion of the creation of the image data of one page. Continue writing.

When the writing of one page of image data is completed in the third step 550, the printer control unit 220 of FIG. 3 has an image data capacity of the one page written in the image memory in the fourth step 560. Since it is too large, such as 1M or 2M, or more, the image memory is partitioned into a capacity unit (e.g., 64 KB) suitable for transfer, and image data is divided, and the block information is connected with the blocked image data to prepare a DMA.

Next, in the fifth step 570, the engine is controlled to print image data through the control logic unit 250 connected to the IDE port 221, and the DMA for one page of image data is controlled. In cooperation with the logic unit 250 is performed.

The fifth step 570 will be described in detail as follows.

First, in step 5-1, when the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 4 receives the engine start control signal from the printer controller 220 of FIG. 3, the control logic unit 250 resets the interrupt request signal, and then sets the DMA request signal. The DMA image data is blocked. Specifically, in operation 721 of FIG. 7A, the printer controller 220 of FIG. 3 transmits an engine start control signal to the control logic unit 250 through the IDE port 221. In step 741, 742, 743 of FIG. 7B, the control logic unit 250 of FIGS. 3 and 4 detects the engine start control signal through the IDE port 221 and then inputs the engine start control signal. After the interrupt request signal is reset (221), the DMA request signal is set.

In this case, in step 722, 723, and 724 of FIG. 7A, when the DMA request signal is set from the control logic unit 250 through the IDE port 221, the printer controller 220 of FIG. 3 stores the blocked DMA image data in the IDE port ( 221 is provided to the control logic unit 250, and in step 744 of FIG. 7B, the control logic unit 250 of FIGS. 3 and 4 stores the 16-bit DMA image data blocked by the FIFO buffer unit 256. ) Is input.

In the operation of receiving image data into the FIFO buffer unit 256, the FIFO control logic unit 255 controls the FIFO buffer unit 256 to receive the image data according to a push signal through the IDE port 221. When the image data is input to the FIFO buffer unit 256 in this manner, the DMA control logic unit 254 of FIG. 4 is synchronized by the engine timing logic unit 253 to refer to the engine state stored in the register 258. When a pop signal is output to the FIFO control logic unit 255 to output the image data of the FIFO buffer unit 256 to the video shifter 257, the FIFO buffer is controlled according to the control of the FIFO control logic unit 255. After the image data of the unit 256 is provided to the video shifter 257, the 16-bit image data is converted into serial data in the video shifter 257 and transmitted to the engine through the ESC port 251.

Second, in step 5-2, the FIFO buffer unit 256 is checked to reset the DMA request signal in the case of full, and proceeds to the next step in the case of not full.

Third, in step 5-3, in step 747 of FIG. 7B, after step 5-2, the block DMA image data is received, and one block of the image data is received by the DMA control logic unit 254 of FIG. If it is determined that the reception is completed, if the reception is completed, a block interrupt request signal is set through the IDE port 221. If the reception is not completed, the processing proceeds to the next step. Accordingly, in steps 725 and 726 of FIG. 7A, when the printer control unit 220 of FIG. 3 checks one block reception interrupt request signal and determines that one block reception is completed, the controller proceeds to the next step.

Fourth, in step 5-4, after step 5-3, upon reception of image data of one page, the reception of image data of a new page is prepared.

First, in step 748 of FIG. 7B, the DMA control logic unit 254 in the control logic unit 250 of FIG. 4 checks a line of a page for received image data and sets the line set in the register 258 during initialization. If it is determined that the number of received lines is the same as the number of received lines, and then transmits them to the printer controller 220 through the IDE port 221 and prepares for a new page at the same time. In operation 727 and 728, when a reception completion signal of one page is input through the IDE port 221, the printer controller 220 of FIG. 3 prepares for creating a new page.

As described above, after the fifth step, the sixth step, which is the last step, prepares to create image data of a new page, determines whether the operation is stopped, and proceeds to the second step if it is not stopped.

According to the present invention as described above, by implementing the interface logic between the main board for the PC and the engine mechanism of the laser printer through the IDE port to enable the PC main board as a printer control device, whenever the laser printer changes There is no special effect to reduce the research and manufacturing costs because only the interface logic needs to be re-implemented without the need to re-create a separate control device as in the prior art.

The above description is only a description of one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is capable of various changes and modifications within the scope of the configuration.

Claims (5)

In the ID type laser printer controller, The initialization is controlled by a control logic unit connected to the IDE port 221, receiving code data to be printed from a host computer, creating image data to be printed for each page, and transmitting image data of each page. A printer control unit 220 implemented as a PC main board equipped with a CPU of 586CPU or higher to block the DMA image data on demand after blocking the block; Performs initialization of itself and the engine according to the initialization control of the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221, requests the blocked DMA image data according to the engine state and receives it, provides it to the engine, and provides its own state and A control logic unit 250 providing an engine status signal to the printer controller 220 through the IDE port 221; (IDE) type laser printer control device characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, wherein the control logic section 250 comprises a clock generator for generating a clock signal for synchronization (252); An engine timing logic unit 253 which provides a synchronization signal according to the clock signal of the clock generator 252 and transmits and receives a transmission state of image data to be printed to and from the engine through the ESC port 251; Initialization is performed in response to the initialization control of the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221, and received and received DMA image data blocked according to the FIFO buffer check state, and received according to the engine state. DMA control logic section 254 for controlling the transfer of DMA image data to the engine; FIFO control logic unit 255 for controlling the operation of the FIFO buffer unit in accordance with the push signal from the printer control unit 220 through the IDE port 221 and the pop signal of the DMA control logic unit 254 ); A FIFO buffer unit 256 for receiving image data and transmitting the image data to the video shifter 257 under the control of the FIFO control logic unit 255; A video shifter 257 for converting parallel data of the FIFO buffer unit 256 into serial data and transmitting the serial data to the engine through the ESC port; A register 258 for temporarily storing an initialization signal, a control signal, and an engine state signal through the IDE port; An engine control / status logic unit that controls the engine through the ESC port 251 with the engine control signal from the register 258 and provides an engine state signal through the ESC port 251 to the register 258. 259); (IDE) type laser printer control device characterized in that it comprises a. In the method of controlling the ID type laser printer, A first step in which the printer controller 220 initializes the logic controller and the engine of the laser printer through the control logic unit 250 connected to the IDE port 221 at the start of operation; A second step of receiving code data to be printed from a host computer and creating image data to be printed for each page; A third step of determining whether image data of one page is completed and proceeding to a second step if it is not yet created; A fourth step of preparing a DMA by dividing the created one page image data into block units for transmission when the image data of one page is completed; The control logic unit 250 connected to the IDE port 221 controls the engine for printing image data, and performs DMA for one page of image data in cooperation with the control logic unit 250. Step 5; A sixth step of preparing for creating image data of a new page to determine whether the operation is stopped, and if not, proceeding to the second step; The IDE type laser printer control method characterized by consisting of. The method of claim 3, wherein the first step of performing the initialization When the initialization signal is detected and set, the controller receives the initialization data (8 bits) and configures the control logic with settings such as image resolution (DPI) and DMA operation mode for print control according to the initialization data. Performing a control logic initialization step; An engine control logic initialization step of checking an engine state and outputting an engine state signal when the control logic initialization is completed, and performing engine control logic initialization to set details of image data of a page if the engine is in an operational state; The IDE type laser printer control method characterized by consisting of. The method of claim 3, wherein the fifth step of controlling the engine and performing DMA is A fifth step of, if the engine start control signal, resets the interrupt request signal, sets the DMA request signal, and receives blocked DMA image data; Step 5-2 of checking the FIFO buffer unit to reset the DMA request signal in case of FULL and proceeding to the next step in case of FULL; Step 5-3, after the step 5-2, sets an interrupt request signal indicating the reception of the blocked DMA image data and proceeds to the next step if the reception of the blocked DMA image data is not completed; 5-5, after the step 5-3, when the reception of the image data of one page is completed, the step 5-4 of preparing to receive image data of a new page; The IDE type laser printer control method characterized by consisting of.