KR100509455B1 - Printer and printing method for supporting automatic emulation switching - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a printer and a printing method that supports automatic emulation switching that automatically prints an emulation of a printer even if the user does not arbitrarily adjust the printing. Analyzing the control code and selecting an emulation to connect automatically; Moving to the position of the automatically connected emulation in the process to perform text or image processing; And transmitting the bit image data to the printer header at a resolution suitable for printing, and since the input data conforms to a specific code system, the control code / ESC sequence is precisely lined or lined. Analyze and print on the printer itself regardless of user's choice

Description

Printer and printing method for supporting automatic emulation switching}

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a printer and a printing method, and more particularly, to a printer and a printing method that support automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) for automatically matching and printing an emulation of a printer even if the user does not arbitrarily adjust the printing.

For the printing of data having different types of code systems, a general printer has respective functions for processing each printer code system, which is called emulation.

1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a conventional emulation. As shown, the user selects the printer driver in the driver selection unit of the PC unit and sends a print command to the printer unit, and the printer unit knows what printer driver is selected in the personal computer (PC) unit, and the emulation selection unit of the printer unit Choose the same or compatible print emulation.

2 is a view for explaining a printing process using a conventional emulation. As shown, a conventional printer can print data accurately only by forcing the user to change the emulation of the printer to print according to the data format of the input document mechanically or by using a RAM resident driver. there was. In other words, the user must select an emulation that matches the format of the input data among the emulations previously stored in the printer (eg, KS MODE, KSSM, EPSON, PCL, etc.).

Referring to FIG. 2, referring to a process of printing a KS document format, first, a document to be printed with a KS code is converted into a KS driver driving code, transmitted to a printer through a Centronics Interface, and the transmitted data is transferred. To print, use the user or RAM resident driver to select the emulation mode as KS mode to perform printing.

However, the following problems exist when printing using a printer equipped with such a conventional emulation.

First of all, by selecting a printer driver desired by the user first in the personal computer and manually selecting the same printer emulation as the printer driver selected in the personal computer, it is difficult to use the personal computer and the printer and install various options. There was a ham.

In addition, due to software changes or frequent user changes, printing fails, or functions are complicated to be implemented without considering the situation of a novice user of a personal computer and a printer.

In addition, there is a problem in that various printing techniques cannot be used completely because it cannot be newly updated except for printer emulation stored in a program ROM.

As such, most conventional printers are difficult to install various options for using the printer for users who are inexperienced in using personal computer application software or for most general users who do not understand the functions of complex printers. Even if you failed to print, you couldn't tell if something went wrong, not the expert, or even the cause, so you couldn't tell whether the print emulation was a bug or a user mistake.

An object of the present invention is to analyze the control code / ESC sequence of the print data line by line or page by page so that the printer can analyze and print itself regardless of the user's selection.

Another object of the present invention is to expand the limited emulation function due to the installation of the Auto Emulation Switching (AES) function and to print documents using the function of decoding the international printer driver, which is basically common. By greatly reducing the options for the user, the user's uncomfortable operation is minimized and simplified so that even a beginner can use it without inconvenience.

 Still another object of the present invention is to use a printer router, so that when users use different software and printer drivers, they can print regardless of the software printer driver of another user who wants to print (using the router), It also adds the required emulation so that it can be used.

In order to achieve the above object, a print method having print data having a predetermined print format received from a host system and printing using a printer emulation corresponding to the print data, wherein the print data is analyzed in units of a predetermined size. And automatically selecting a printer emulation corresponding to the print data so that the printer emulation processes the print data and transmits the print data to a printing unit for printing.

The printing process may include: a first step of temporarily storing data input from the host system in a storage means, and sequentially reading the data one by one; Resetting the emulation selection flag to redo the printer emulation selection if the read data is the beginning of a page, and storing data if the printer emulation is selected within the page to be processed and not at the beginning of the page; A third step of storing and reading data if the printer emulation is not currently selected in the page to be processed and there is no control code; A fourth step of setting an emulation selection flag and storing data when the control code is input and the printer emulation is selected, and reading data when the printer emulation is not selected and a sub control code is present; And a fifth step if the end-of-page command has been entered, printing the currently stored page data, emptying the storage means, and then resetting the emulation selection flag to prepare for emulation selection again, otherwise storing and reading the data. Characterized in that.

A printer for realizing the printing method of the present invention comprises: a printer interface for interfacing data input from a host system; A temporary buffer for temporarily storing the print data transmitted through the interface; An emulation control unit for selecting and automatically connecting a printer emulation according to the control code of the print data; A printer controller for generating image data by processing data stored in the temporary buffer according to a resolution selected by the emulation controller; And a printer header driver configured to receive the image data generated by the printer controller and to send the image data to a printer header for printing.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Auto Emulation Switching (A.E.S.) function according to the present invention described below allows to automatically switch the printer emulation.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an emulation configuration in which an automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) of the present invention is mounted, and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a printing process using the automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, look at the printing process using the automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) of the present invention.

 First, even if the printer driver is not selected or selected in the driver selection unit of the personal computer unit, the control code of the data input from the A.E.S unit in the printer unit is analyzed and automatically connected to the emulation selection unit.

The emulation processor then moves to the location of the automatically connected emulation, performs text or image processing, and sends the bit image data to the printer header according to the resolution for printing. Of course, it can be manually operated to solve the bug state of A.E.S.

5 is a diagram showing the structure of a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the printer interface 51 receives data for printing on a FAX or interfaces data input from a peripheral device of the multifunction apparatus. The MPU 52 controls a printer controller 53, a driving IC, a paper sensor, etc. for operating a printer, and performs a function similar to that of an MPU of a fax machine. The printer controller 53 performs a data processing operation for processing data with the MPU 52 and controls the printer driver 57 to control the printer header driver to send substantial image data to the printer header for printing. EPROM 54 is a ROM in which a system / emulation program is stored, and a flow related to the actual operation of A.E.S is programmed. DRAM 55 is a temporary memory that holds various buffers (e.g., input / page / line buffers, etc.) of the printer. ROM and RAM 56 are buffers that hold the printer's default font and the printer's initial data.

Hereinafter, a data structure of various buffers existing in the DRAM 55 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. First, FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the configuration of an input buffer. The input buffer is configured as a ring buffer as a primary buffer of a printer to temporarily store data inputted from a host system of a printer such as a host computer before processing. In addition, the input point is composed of an input point and an output point, and the input point increases by one point after storing the output data of the peripheral device in byte units, and the output point increases by one point after reading to process the data. On the other hand, when the input point and the output point are the same, it cannot be read.

The page buffer is similar to the input buffer, but it must be able to store one page of data, not the structure of the ring buffer. The page buffer reads data from the input buffer and temporarily stores the data after the data analysis process.

6B is a diagram showing the configuration of an emulation flag, and the state of the flag is as follows.

International emulation flags: 01H, 02H, 04H, 08H

01H: PCL mode

02H: IBM Proprinter Mode

04H: EPSON Mode

08H: Local mode

10H, 20H, 40H, 80H: extended emulation flags

6C is a diagram showing the configuration of a composite flag, and the state of the flag is as follows.

01H: Page Start Flag

02H: Emulation Selection Flag

04H: Sub-control code flag

08H: Emulation Error Flag

10H: Extended Resolution Flag

20H: Compression emulation selection flag

7A, 7B and 7C illustrate control codes, FIG. 7A shows a KS control code, FIG. 7B shows a KSSM control code, and FIG. 7C shows a PCL3 control code.

According to the present invention described with reference to FIG. 3, the control code as shown in FIGS. 7A, B, and C is inputted by the printer unit to classify / analyze / link the emulation to automatically classify the emulation, thereby switching the emulation without a user's manual operation. Improve the performance of your printer.

On the other hand, other emulations (EPSON / PCL / IBM, etc.) have their own special codes so that they can be correctly categorized and analyzed to properly link the printer's emulation.

8A and 8B are flowcharts showing the flow of automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) according to the present invention.

First, in step 61, data input from the host system is stored in a temporary buffer existing in the DRAM 55 of FIG. 5, and in step 62, one-byte data is read sequentially from the temporary buffer. In this case, the host system may be a computer or a FAX.

In step 63, the page start flag (O1H) shown in FIG. 6 is checked, and the emulation selection flag 02H is reset in step 64 so as to resume the emulation selection when the page starts.

If it is not the start of the page, it is checked in step 65 that the emulation selection flag 02H is set to see if the emulation is currently selected within the page to be processed.

If so, save the data in step 66 then go to step 74; if not, check in step 67 if the control code has been entered.

In step 67, if it is not the control code, jump to step 63 after data storage and reading, and if it is the control code, control to select emulation in step 68 is started. In step 69 it is checked whether emulation has been selected, in which case emulation selection flag 02H is set in step 70 and the data is stored and then returned to step 74. If it is not selected in step 69, it is again checked in step 71 if there is a sub-control code. At this time, the value of 04H in the bit stream representing the composite flag of FIG. 6C is determined.

If there is a sub-control code in step 71, in step 73 it reads one more byte data and then jumps to step 68; otherwise, in step 72 it jumps to the extended emulation selection routine to perform the second search. Try.

In step 79 it is checked if extended emulation is selected, otherwise in step 80 the message is printed and terminated.

Check that the Page End Command has been entered in step 74. If so, print the page data currently stored in step 75, empty the data storage memory, and reset the emulation selection flag (02H) in step 76 again. Be prepared to choose an emulation.

If it is not the end-of-page command in step 74, the process branches to step 77 to store and read the data and then returns to step 63 again.

In step 78, when the printing of one page is completed, the page start flag (02H) is set and ready for emulation selection again.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the print data input to the printer follows a specific code system, the control code / ESC sequence is analyzed exactly on a line or page basis so that the printer can be used regardless of the user's selection. Analyze and print on your own.

Therefore, if a personal computer user sends only a print command without any setting in the software, the printer automatically connects the printer emulation to AES, thereby eliminating inconveniences for inexperienced personal computer users or printer users. Allows multiple users to run a printer without changing the printer's options, even if they use different personal computer drivers.

In addition, the Auto Emulation Switching (AES) feature greatly expands the limited emulation and decodes the common international printer driver to provide options for printing documents. By greatly reducing the user's uncomfortable operation to minimize and simplify, even beginners can use without inconvenience.

1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a conventional emulation.

2 is a view for explaining a printing process using a conventional emulation.

3 is a diagram illustrating an emulation configuration in which automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) of the present invention is mounted.

4 is a view for explaining a printing process using the automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) of the present invention.

5 shows the structure of a system according to the invention.

6 is a diagram showing the configuration of main flags of a memory;

6A is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an input buffer,

6B is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an emulation flag.

6C is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a composite flag.

7 is a diagram for explaining a control code.

7a shows a KS control code,

7b shows a KSSM control code,

7C shows a PCL3 control code.

8A and 8B are flowcharts showing the flow of automatic emulation switching (A.E.S) according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols used in the main parts of the drawing>

51: printer interface 52: MPU

53: printer controller 54: EPROM

55: DRAM 56: storage unit

57: printer driver

Claims (5)

A printing method for receiving print data having a predetermined print format from a host system and printing using a printer emulation corresponding to the print data. And analyzing the print data on a line basis or page basis and automatically selecting a printer emulation corresponding to the print data so that the printer emulation processes the print data and transmits the print data to a printing unit for printing. How to print on a printer that supports automatic emulation switching. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing process, (a) temporarily storing data input from the host system in a storage means, and sequentially reading the data one by one; (b) resetting the emulation selection flag to redo the printer emulation selection if the read data is the beginning of a page, and storing data if the printer emulation is selected within the page to be processed and not at the beginning of the page; (c) storing and reading data if the printer emulation is not currently selected in the page to be processed and there is no control code; (d) setting an emulation selection flag and storing data if the control code is input and the printer emulation is selected, and reading data if the printer emulation is not selected and a sub control code exists; And (e) if the end-of-page command has been entered, printing the currently stored page data, emptying the storage means and resetting the emulation selection flag to prepare to select emulation again, otherwise storing and reading the data. A printing method of a printer that supports automatic emulation switching, characterized in that. The method of claim 2, If the printer emulation is not selected and the sub_control code does not exist, performing a second search to select the extended emulation, and outputting an error message if the extended emulation is not selected. How to print on a printer that supports automatic emulation switching. In a printer receiving print data having a predetermined print format from a host system and printing using a printer emulation corresponding to the print data, A printer interface for interfacing data input from the host system; A temporary buffer for temporarily storing the print data transmitted through the interface; An emulation control unit for selecting and automatically connecting the printer emulation according to the control code of the print data; A printer controller for generating image data by processing data stored in the temporary buffer according to a resolution selected by the emulation controller; A printer header driver configured to receive image data generated by the printer controller and to send the image data to a printer header to print the image data; And And a buffer for storing the image data processed by the printer control unit in line units or page units. The method of claim 4, wherein the input buffer, And a ring buffer for storing input data from the host system in units of bytes.

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