KR19980019748A - How to Use Printer Memory Efficiently - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a definition of a control function requiring a large memory area is selected among emulations of a printer, a first step of calculating a size of a memory area required for storing corresponding control information, and searching for the memory area, exists of an empty space. A second step of determining whether or not, and a third step of storing control information transmitted from the outside by configuring a storage buffer after allocating an area for implementing the definition of the control function in the memory as a result of the determination of the second step. A method for efficiently operating a printer memory, the method comprising: calculating a memory area size required for storage of control information when defining a control function requiring a large memory area during emulation of a printer, and finding an empty space in the memory area. The number and size of the control information are not limited because they are allocated to define the control function. And improves the operational efficiency of the memory, it is possible that more effective securing of memory area for the support of various emulation protocol because the memory area in which the extended memory and the control information is stored is also extended.

Description

How to Use Printer Memory Efficiently

1 is a configuration diagram of a printer memory according to the prior art.

2 is a block diagram of a font download buffer shown in FIG.

3 is a configuration diagram of a macro storage buffer shown in FIG.

4 is a block diagram of a printer memory for the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of efficiently operating a printer memory according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is related to a storage buffer configured for implementing a definition of a macro function according to the present invention.

(a) is a block diagram of one block,

(b) is a block diagram of a block information table;

(c) is a schematic diagram of an information management structure.

7 (a) to 7 (b) are flowcharts illustrating a process of storing macro information according to a macro definition of the present invention.

The present invention relates to an efficient operation method of a printer memory. In particular, when a definition of a control function requiring a large memory area is selected among emulations of a printer, the control information is found by finding an empty space corresponding to the size of the memory area required for the function definition. The present invention relates to an efficient operation method of a printer memory capable of efficiently managing memory by storing the data in a systematic structure.

In general, the emulation of the printer has a control function that requires a large memory area when defining the function, such as the font download function and the macro function.

In the past, areas for defining font download functions and macro functions were pre-allocated in a printer memory having a limited capacity.

That is, the printer memory conventionally comprises an input buffer, a main program buffer, an emulation processing buffer, a line buffer or page buffer, a font download buffer, and a macro storage buffer as shown in FIG.

In the above description, the 'input buffer' is a memory area for storing various data transmitted from the outside (ie, a host), and the 'main program buffer' is a memory area for executing a panel, an interface, or a printer parameter of the printer, and the 'emulation processing buffer'. 'Is the memory area required to implement the function of each emulation mode,' line buffer or page buffer 'is the memory area that stores the data to be printed, and' font download buffer 'receives and stores the font information defined by the user. The macro storage buffer is a memory area for storing control functions or parameter data frequently used by a user.

The font download buffer and the macro storage buffer will be described in more detail as follows.

The font download buffer stores information on various types of fonts as shown in FIG. 2. The information on one font includes a font identification number (font ID), a horizontal dot number and a resolution identification number ( Resolution ID) and corresponding font image information.

The character code of the download information is stored in the 'font ID' area, the actual size of the character according to the resolution is stored in the 'horizontal dot number' area, and the minimum spacing between dots is 1 / inch in the 'resolution ID' area. Stored in inches.

As shown in FIG. 3, the macro storage buffer stores information on various macro functions. The information on one macro function includes a macro identification number (macro ID) and the number of bytes stored. It consists of the macro information.

The macro designation number is stored in the 'macro ID' area, and the number of information stored in the macro identification area by the user is stored in the 'storage byte number' area.

That is, the macro function refers to a function of storing control notation or printing data frequently used by a user in the printer memory and then performing emulation processing based on the stored data according to a user's designation.

However, conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when defining a font download function or a macro function, a memory area in which each download information or macro information is to be stored is allocated to a predetermined size regardless of the number or size of information. Since the number and size of arbitrary download information or macro information are limited by the maximum supported size of the preset storage area, there is a problem that the operation efficiency of the printer memory is deteriorated.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and when the definition of a control function that requires a large memory area is selected among the emulation of the print, the memory area size required for storing the control information is calculated, It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient operation method of a printer memory that enables realization of a control function conforming to an emulation protocol by efficient management of a printer memory by finding an empty space and allocating it for the definition of the control function.

In order to achieve the above object, an efficient operation method of a printer memory according to the present invention calculates the size of a memory area required for storing corresponding control information when a definition of a control function requiring a large memory area is selected among emulations of a printer. A second step of determining whether a free space exists by searching the memory area, and a storage buffer after allocating an area for implementing the definition of the control function in the memory as a result of the determination of the second step. It comprises a third step of storing the control information transmitted from the outside by configuring a.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an efficient operation method of a printer memory according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The printer memory for the present invention is an area in which an input buffer, a main program buffer, an emulation processing buffer, a line buffer or a page buffer, and download information or macro information can be utilized as shown in FIG. It consists of.

That is, unlike the related art, an area in which download information and macro information are stored is not previously allocated in the printer memory.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, when a control function that requires a large memory area, that is, a font download function or a macro function, is selected among emulations of a printer, corresponding control information, that is, download information or The size of the memory area for storing the macro information is calculated.

An example of calculating the memory area size required for storing the download information is shown in the table below.

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t-1

On the other hand, if the definition of the font download function or the macro function is not selected in the above, the normal character code or other control function is processed.

After the first step, the memory area is searched to determine whether an empty space exists. At this time, by searching not only the original memory area but also the extended memory area, support scalability of the present invention according to memory expansion can be secured. (Step 2)

As a result of the determination of the second step, if there is an empty space in the memory, an area for implementing the definition of the selected control function, that is, the font download function or the macro function is allocated, and then the corresponding storage buffer is configured and the control information transmitted from the outside is downloaded. Store information or macro information.

For example, the storage buffer configured to implement the definition of the macro function may include at least one block (shown in (a) of FIG. 6) in which control information transmitted from the outside, that is, macro information, is stored, and a start address of the block. The block information table (shown in (b) of FIG. 6) on which information is to be recorded, the start address of the block information table, the number of blocks and the identification number of the control function, that is, the macro identification number (macro ID) are recorded. Information management structure (shown in FIG. 6C).

Since the maximum number of information that can be stored in one block is limited to 512 bytes, when the number of macro information input from the outside exceeds 512 bytes, the macro information is stored after finding an empty space in the memory area and allocating another block. do.

Each block also includes an area for recording the number of information stored in its block and an area for storing macro information.

On the other hand, if the empty space does not exist in the memory as a result of the determination of the second step, the control information (font information) transmitted from the outside is deleted.

After the third and fourth steps, emulation processing is performed.

In order to facilitate understanding of an embodiment of the present invention, a process of storing macro information according to a macro definition will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7B.

First, as shown in FIG. 7A, when the macro definition is selected, the memory area of the block information table is calculated and it is determined whether an empty space exists in the memory area.

As a result of the above determination, if an empty space exists in the memory area, the start address of the block information table is recorded in the information management structure, the macro definition flag is turned on, and the information retrieval routine shown in FIG.

The information retrieval routine first determines whether there is 514 bytes of free space in the memory area. If there is 514 bytes of free space, macro information transmitted from the outside is transmitted until the end condition of the macro definition is transmitted. One byte is stored in the space, and when the macro information of 512 bytes is completed, 512 bytes of macro information stored in the current block are recorded in the corresponding block.

If the number of macro information transmitted from the outside is larger than 512 bytes and cannot be stored in one block, the memory area is searched again to find another 514 bytes of empty space, that is, another block is allocated, and In the same way, the process of storing macro information is repeated.

When the end condition of the macro definition is transmitted from the outside, the number of macro information stored in the current block is recorded in the corresponding block, the number of blocks in which the entire macro information is stored is counted and recorded in the information management structure, and the macro definition flag is turned off. Then return to the emulation processing unit.

On the other hand, it is determined whether there is 514 bytes of free space in the memory area, and if there is no 514 bytes of free space, the macro information stored up to now is deleted, the macro definition flag is turned off, and then the emulation processing unit returns. .

As described above, when the user calls the macro number in the state where the macro function is defined, macro information stored in at least one or more blocks included in the macro number is emulated.

As described above, the present invention calculates the size of a memory area required for storing corresponding control information when defining a control function requiring a large memory area during emulation of a printer, and then finds an empty space in the memory area and allocates it for the definition of the control function. Since the number and size of the control information are not limited, the operation efficiency of the printer memory is improved, and when the memory is expanded, the memory area for storing the control information is also expanded, thereby securing an additional memory area for supporting various emulation protocols. Has the possible effect.

Claims (4)

If a definition of a control function requiring a large memory area is selected among emulations of the printer, a first step of calculating a size of a memory area required for storing the control information; and searching the memory area to determine whether an empty space exists. And a third step of configuring a storage buffer and storing control information transmitted from the outside after allocating an area for implementing the definition of the control function in the memory as a result of the determination of the second step. Efficient operation of printer memory. The method of claim 1, The control function requiring a large memory area of the printer emulation is one of a font download function and a macro function. The method of claim 1, And a fourth step of deleting control information transmitted from the outside if there is no empty space in the memory as a result of the determination of the second step. The method of claim 1, In the third step, the storage buffer includes at least one block in which control information transmitted from the outside is to be stored, a block information table in which start address information of the block is to be recorded, a start address of the block information table, and the number of blocks. And an information management structure in which the identification number of the control function is recorded.