JPH07125334A - Printer, printing mechanism using the same and font transfer method of printing mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively use respective memories within a printing system by allowing the display of a display device to coincide with the printing result of a printer by providing a font transmission means transmitting the font data stored in a font memory means to a printing data forming device through a circuit. CONSTITUTION:First and second computers 4, 5 as printing data forming means equipped with display devices and first and second printers 6, 7 are mutually connected through a communication circuit 8 to constitute a printing system. In the printers 6, 7 used in the printing system, font memory means having font data such as a character or the like stored therein and font transmission means transmitting the font data stored in the font memory means to the computers 4, 5 through the communication circuit 8 are provided. The stored font data are transmitted to the computers 4, 5 through the circuit 8 and the display of the display devices is performed on the basis of the received font data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises a print data producing device having a display and a print device connected to each other through a line, and the print data producing device transmits print data to the print device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device in a printing system that prints based on received print data, a printing system using the printing device, and a font transfer method of the printing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a general printing system, it is known that a printing data creating device such as a personal computer or a word processor is connected to a printing device such as a page printer through an interface such as Centronics.

Conventionally, the following two methods have been used as methods for printing characters and the like in such a printing system.

The first method is that a personal computer expands print data composed of character codes and the like input by a keyboard or the like into bitmap data using a font equipped in the personal computer. Send the expanded bitmap data to the page printer. At this time, print data is displayed on the display connected to the personal computer by the expanded bitmap data.

Upon receiving the bitmap data transmitted from the personal computer, the page printer prints based on the bitmap data.

However, in the first method, since the expanded bitmap data has to be transmitted, there is a problem that the data amount is large and it takes a long time to transmit the bitmap data.

In the second method, a personal computer sends print data composed of character codes or the like input by a keyboard or the like to a page printer as it is. At this time, on the display connected to the personal computer, the print data is expanded into bitmap data using the display font equipped in the personal computer, and the print data is displayed by this expanded bitmap data. To be done.

When the page printer receives the print data composed of the character code and the like transmitted from the personal computer, it expands the print data into bitmap data using the font equipped in the page printer, Printing is performed based on the expanded bitmap data.

[0009]

In recent years, there is a tendency that a printing system in which a plurality of computers and a plurality of printers are connected via a line is often used. In such cases,
To store the same font as the font installed in each printer for each computer in memory,
There was a problem of inefficient memory.

Further, in the above-mentioned second method, since the font of characters used for display on the display and the font used for printing are different, naturally the font on the display and the font resulting from printing are different. There was a problem that they did not match.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to match the display on the display unit provided in the print data creating apparatus with the printing result by the printing apparatus, and moreover, it is possible to efficiently use each memory in the printing system. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device, a printing system using the printing device, and a font transfer method of the printing system.

[0012]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a printing device used in a printing system in which a printing data creation device having a display and a printing device are connected to each other through a line, a font storage means for storing font data such as characters, And a font transmission unit for transmitting the font data stored in the font storage unit to the print data creation device via the line.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the font storage means is a display in which font data having a resolution suitable for displaying on a display provided in the print data creating device is stored. And a printing font storage means in which font data having a resolution suitable for printing by a printing device is stored.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the font transmitting means reduces the font data stored in the font storing means in accordance with the resolution of the display device of the destination print data creating apparatus. The font data that has been processed and reduced is transmitted to the print data creation device via the line.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in a printing device used in a printing system configured by connecting a printing data creating device having a display and a printing device to each other through a line, an outline of characters and the like is provided. Font storage means for storing font data, bitmap conversion means for converting outline font data into bitmap data at the time of printing, and outline font data stored in this font storage means for producing print data directly through the line. And a font transmitting means for transmitting to the device.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a printing system constituted by a print data generating device having a display and a printing device connected to each other through a line, the printing device is:
A font storage means in which font data such as characters is stored and a font data of a corresponding type stored in the font storage means in response to a font request transmitted from a print data creation device or another printing device via a line. And a font transmission means for transmitting print data to a print source of a font request transmission source or to another printing device via a line.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a print data creating device having a display and a printing device are connected to each other through a line, and the print data creating device transmits print data to the printing device, and the printing device In the font transfer method of the printing system that performs printing based on the received print data, the inquiry step of inquiring from the print data creation apparatus about the types of fonts that can be used for the printing apparatus, and the inquiry in this inquiry step, From the printing device to the inquiring source print data creation device, a reply process that returns information on the type of font that can be used, and a font type specified from the font types answered in the reply process by the print data creation device or The required process that requests the font of the type specified by another printing device to the printing device, and the required process in this required process The main types of font data, and has a requested font transmission step of transmitting from the printing apparatus to the requesting print data creating device, or other printing device.

[0018]

In the invention according to claim 1, the printing device is provided with a font transmission means, and by this font transmission means, the font data stored in the font storage means provided in the printing device is transmitted via a line. It is sent to the print data creation device.

Therefore, the display of the display device provided in the print data creating apparatus is performed based on the received font data.

In the invention according to claim 2, the printing of the printing device is performed based on the font data stored in the printing font storage means provided in the font storage means.

The font data stored in the display font storage means provided in the font storage means is transmitted by the font transmission means to the print data creation device via the line.

Therefore, the display on the display of the print data creating apparatus is performed based on the received font data.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the font data stored in the font storage means is reduced by the font transmission means in accordance with the resolution of the display device of the print data creation apparatus of the transmission destination, and this reduction processing is performed. The font data is transmitted to the print data creation device via the line.

Therefore, the display of the display device provided in the print data creating apparatus is performed based on the received font data.

In the invention according to claim 4, the outline font data stored in the font storage means is
The font transmission means transmits the data as it is to the print data creation device via the line.

Therefore, the display on the display device provided in the print data creating apparatus converts the received outline font data into bitmap data and performs the display based on the converted bitmap data.

At the time of printing by the printing device, the outline font data stored in the font storage means is converted into bitmap data by the bitmap data conversion means provided in the printing device.

Therefore, the printing by the printing device is performed based on the converted bitmap data.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, in response to a font request transmitted from the print data creating device or another printing device via the line, the corresponding font stored in the font storing means by the font transmitting means. The data is transmitted via the line to the print data generating device or another printing device which is the source of the font request.

Therefore, the display of the sender and the display provided in the print data creating device or the printing of another printing device is performed based on the received font data.

In the invention according to claim 6, when the print data creating device inquires of the font type available to the printing device, the printing device sends the available font type to the print data creating device as the inquiry source. To answer. In the print data creation device, a required type of font is selected from the returned font types.

When a font of a required type is requested from the print data creating device or another printing device to the printing device, the printing device sends the font data of the requested required type to the print data creating device or the request source. Send to another printing device.

[0033]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, a personal computer 1 as a print data creating device and a printer 2 as a printing device are connected via a bidirectional interface 3. Has been done. In FIG. 2, a first computer 4 and a second computer 5 as print data generating devices, and a first printer 6 and a second printer 7 as printing devices respectively have communication lines (Ethernet) 8 with each other. Connected through. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention relates to a printing system in which a print data creating device and a printing device are connected in a one-to-one relationship, and a plurality of print data creating devices and a plurality of printing devices are mutually connected via a line. Connected printing system, and further, although not shown, a printing system in which one print data creating device and a plurality of printing devices are connected to each other, and a printing in which a plurality of print data creating devices and one printing device are connected to each other It is also applicable to the system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic circuit configuration of the first computer 4 (second computer 5 or personal computer 1).

Reference numeral 11 is a CP on the PC side which constitutes the main body of the control unit.
U (central processing unit).

A PC-side ROM (read only memo) in which program data for processing performed by the PC-side CPU 11 is stored
ry) 12, PC side RAM 1 in which areas of various memories used when the PC side CPU 13 performs processing are formed
3. FDD (floppy disk drive) for controlling data transmission with the floppy disk device 14 for writing and reading data to and from a floppy disk (not shown)
) An HDD (ha) that controls data transmission with the interface 15 and a hard disk device 16 that writes and reads data to and from a hard disk (not shown).
An rd disk drive) interface 17 and a PC side communication interface 18 connected to the communication line 8 (or the personal computer 1 via the bidirectional interface 3) are respectively connected to a PC side system bus 19
It is connected to the PC side CPU 11 via the.

A display controller 2 for controlling a keyboard interface 21 for controlling data transmission with the keyboard 20 and a display 22 as a display.
3. I / O (input / output) to which various external devices are connected
The ports 24 are also connected to the PC-side CPU 11 via the PC-side system bus 19, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic circuit configuration of the first printer 6 (second printer 7 or printer 2).

Reference numeral 31 is a printer side CPU which constitutes the main body of the control unit.

A program ROM 32 in which program data for processing performed by the printer CPU 31 is stored, a printer RAM 33 in which various memory areas used when the printer CPU 31 performs processing are formed, and a character code as an internal font for each character code Character font ROM that stores data to be expanded into bitmap data
34. Like the character font ROM 34, an option font ROM 3 added as an option font for expanding each character code into bitmap data
5, an optional font slot 36 as an expansion slot into which the printer 5 is mounted, and a printer-side communication interface 37 connected to the communication line 8 (or the personal computer 1 via the bidirectional interface 3).
Are connected to the printer-side CPU 31 via the printer-side system bus 38, respectively.

A print head driver 40 for driving the print head 39 and a paper feed motor 4 for carrying the paper.
The paper feed motor driver 42 for driving 1 and the carriage feed motor driver 43 for driving a carriage feed motor 43 that conveys a carriage (not shown) on which the print head 39 is mounted are also fed via the printer side system bus 38. It is connected.

The character font ROM 34 and the option font ROM 35 constitute a font storage means, and the character font ROM 34 stores a font for printing in which font data having a resolution suitable for printing by the first printer 6 is stored. If the option font ROM storing the font data of a resolution suitable for displaying on the display 22 of the first computer 4 or the like is installed in the option font slot 36, the option font ROM 35 becomes A display font storage means is configured.

The printing system shown in FIG. 2 will be described below.

FIG. 5 shows the flow of display processing by the external CPU performed by the CPU 11 on the PC side. It is assumed here that the printer that transmits the font request is set to the first printer 6 in advance.

First, to the requested first printer 6, the font name of the font that can be used in the first printer 6, that is, the font of the font registered as the built-in font of the first printer 6 and the option font. Send a command to request the first name (inquiry step)
The printer 6 is in a standby state until the data of the usable font name is received.

When the usable font name data is received from the first printer 6, a list of usable font names is displayed on the display 22 based on the received usable font name data.

Next, one of the available font names displayed on the display 22 is in a standby state until one of the font names is selected and input by the keyboard 20.

When one font name is selected and input by the keyboard 20, as a process of step 1 (ST1), a standby state is entered until character data (character code) is input from the keyboard 20.

When character data is input from the keyboard 20, a command for requesting font data (font request command for display) is transmitted to the first printer 6 (request step), and the font from the first printer 6 is sent. It will be in a standby state until data is received.

When the font data is received from the first printer 6, it is determined whether the received font data is character bitmap data or outline font data (hereinafter referred to as outline data).

If the received font data is character bit map data, as the process of step 2 (ST2),
Based on the character bitmap data, the display 22
Display characters on.

If the received font data is outline data, bitmap processing (rasterization processing) for expanding the character data into character bitmap data is performed by the outline data, and the process proceeds to step 2 described above. .

Furthermore, if the received font data is neither character bitmap data nor outline font, the received font data is used to perform other processing of expanding the character data into character bitmap data, and the above-mentioned steps are performed. The process shifts to 2.

When the process of step 2 is completed, it is determined whether the character input from the keyboard 20 is completed. If the character input is not finished yet, the process returns to the above-mentioned step 1 again, and if the character input is finished, the display process by the external font is finished.

In FIG. 6, when the command for requesting the font name transmitted from the print data creating device such as the first computer 4 and the second computer 5 is received, the font name request command executed by the printer side CPU 31. The flow of processing is shown.

From the built-in character font ROM 34 and the option font ROM 35 mounted in the option font slot 35, a list of font name data of usable fonts is sent to the request source (response step). When this transmission is completed, this font name request command processing is completed.

FIG. 7 shows a flow of command receiving processing performed by the printer CPU 31 when a command transmitted from the first computer 4 or the second computer 5 is received.

First, it is judged whether or not the received command is a display font request command.

Here, if the received command is not a display font request command, it is judged as a printing command, and a font (character font) is determined by this printing command.
Select and set the size of the character font (character size) and select the character code.

Next, for the selected character code, the character data is retrieved from the memory (the character font ROM 34 or the option font ROM 35) in which the selected character font is stored, and the corresponding character data (font data) is searched. The character bitmap data is expanded in the printer side RAM 33.

Printing is performed based on the character bit map data developed in the printer side RAM 33, and this command receiving process is ended.

If the received command is a display font request command, a font (character font) is selected and set by this display font request command, and the size (character size) of the used font is selected. Set,
Select the character code.

Next, for the selected character code, the character data is retrieved from the memory (the character font ROM 34 or the option font ROM 35) in which the selected used font is stored, and the character data (font data) is searched for. The character bitmap data is expanded in the printer side RAM 33.

The character bitmap data expanded on the printer side RAM 33 is transmitted to the source of the font request command, for example, the first computer 4 (font transmitting means, request font transmitting step), and this command receiving process is executed. It is supposed to end.

In the present embodiment having such a configuration, for example, the print data created by the first computer 4 is first printed.
A case will be described in which printing is performed by the printer 6 and printing data created by the second computer 5 is printed by the second printer 7.

First, a command for requesting a font name of a usable font is transmitted from the first computer 4 to the first printer 6 and from the second computer 5 to the second printer 7.

A list of font names of fonts that can be used from the first printer 6 to the first computer 4 and from the second printer 7 to the second computer 5 in response to the respective font name request commands. Data is sent.

The list data of each font name is displayed on each display of the first computer 4 and the second computer. The operator of each computer
Select a font with the keyboard and enter it, then
The necessary print data is input.

When the print data is input, a font data request command (display font request command) is sent from the first computer 4 to the first printer 6 and from the second computer 5 to the second printer 7. ) Is sent.

In response to the font request command for each display, the first printer 6 transfers to the first computer 4.
Font data corresponding to each print data is transmitted from the second printer 7 to the second computer 5.
At this time, if the received font data is bitmap data, the print data is displayed on the display provided in each computer 4, 5 based on the bitmap data as it is, and the received font data is If it is outline data, it is converted into bitmap data, and the print data is displayed on the display based on this bitmap data.

Therefore, for example, when the first printer 6 is equipped with a Gothic alphabetic font and the second printer 7 is equipped with a cursive English font, as shown in FIG. The input data can be displayed in the Gothic alphabet on the display of the computer 4.
The input data can be displayed on the computer 5 in the cursive alphabet.

As a result, the fonts of the print data created by the computers 4 and 5 and displayed on the display and the fonts of the print data printed by the printers 6 and 7 can be image-wise matched.

Also, when the first computer 4 and the second computer 5 want to display cursive English characters on the display, the font request command for sequential display from the first computer 4 and the second computer 5 is also used. Is transmitted to the second printer 7 having a cursive English font, the print data can be displayed in cursive English characters on the display of each computer 4, 5 as shown in FIG. In accordance with the display, the print data can be printed by the second printer in cursive English letters.

As described above, according to this embodiment, by sending a request command for a font name of a usable font from the computers 4 and 5 to the printers 6 and 7, the printers 6 and 7 can send to the computers 4 and 5. List data of font names of usable fonts is transmitted and displayed on the display provided in the computers 4 and 5.

When the required font name is selected from the list of font names displayed on this display and the print data is input, the computer 4, 5 to the printer 6, 7 is selected.
The display font request command is transmitted to the printers 6, 7 and the corresponding font data is transmitted from the printers 6, 7 to the computers 4, 5.

In the computers 4 and 5, if the received font data is bitmap data, it is displayed on the display as it is, and if it is outline data, it is converted to bitmap data and displayed on the display.

By doing so, in the computer and the printer for printing the print data created by the computer, the font displayed on the display of the computer and the font printed by the printer can be matched. The font data does not need to be duplicated with the font data provided in the printer that prints for each computer, as long as the printer has the minimum font data, the memory of each device as a whole printing system. Can be used effectively.

In another embodiment described below, the printing system has the same structure as that shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 as in the first embodiment described above, and the same structure is used. The reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted. Also,
Since the processing shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is also performed in the same manner, the description thereof will be omitted.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the printer 6,
In the character font ROM 34 provided in FIG. 7, bitmap data is stored as font data for each character code.

FIG. 10 shows the first computer 4 and the second computer 4.
7 shows a flow of command receiving processing performed by the printer side CPU 31 when a command transmitted from the computer 5 or the like is received.

First, it is determined whether or not the received command is a display font request command.

Here, if the received command is not a display font request command, it is determined to be a printing command, and a font (character font) is determined by this printing command.
Select and set the size (character size) of the font used, and select the character code.

It is assumed here that a font composed of bitmap data stored in the character font ROM 34 is selected as a font.

Next, for the selected character code, the character data is retrieved from the memory (the character font ROM 34 or the option font ROM 35) in which the selected used font is stored, and the corresponding character data (font data) is used. The character bitmap data is expanded in the printer side RAM 33.

Printing is performed based on the character bit map data developed in the printer side RAM 33, and the command receiving process is ended.

If the received command is a display font request command, a font (character font) is selected and set by this display font request command, and the size (character size) of the used font is selected. Set,
Select the character code.

Here, it is assumed that a font composed of bitmap data stored in the character font ROM 34 is selected and set as a font.

Next, a character font ROM that stores the selected character font for the selected character code
The character data is retrieved from 34, the corresponding character data (font data, bitmap data) is read, and this bitmap data is reduced according to the resolution of the display provided at the transmission source. RAM on the printer side by the reduced bitmap data
The character bitmap data is expanded to 33.

The character bitmap data expanded on the printer side RAM 33 is transmitted to the source of the font request command, for example, the first computer 4 (claim 3).
The corresponding font transmitting means, the requested font transmitting step), and the command receiving process are ended.

In this embodiment having such a configuration, in response to the font request command for display, the printers 6 and 7 request the requested font data (bitmap data).
After the reduction processing is performed according to the resolution of the display included in the request source computer, the reduced bitmap data is transmitted to the request source computer.

By the way, the font composed of bitmap data used for printing is, for example, 300 to 600.
Although it has a high resolution of dpi, the resolution of the display equipped in a normal computer is about 72 dpi. Therefore, the bitmap data of the font for printing cannot be used as it is as the bitmap data of the display.

Therefore, as described above, if the bitmap data obtained from the font is transmitted as it is from the font provided in the printer for printing to the computer, the bitmap data received by the computer must be reduced. It is necessary to reduce the bitmap data with the printers 6 and 7 and use the computers 4 and 5
Therefore, the received bitmap data can be displayed on the display as it is in the computers 6 and 7.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the first
Since the same effect as that of the embodiment can be obtained, and further, the bitmap data reduced in accordance with the resolution of the display can be transmitted from the printers 6, 7 to the computers 4, 5 to the computers 6, 7. The computers 6 and 7 can use the received bitmap data as they are to display the print data on the display, and the effect of reducing the load on the computers 6 and 7 can be obtained.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the printer 6,
The character font ROM 34 provided in 7 stores outline data as font data for each character code.

FIG. 11 shows the first computer 4 and the second computer.
7 shows a flow of command receiving processing performed by the printer side CPU 31 when a command transmitted from the computer 5 or the like is received.

First, it is determined whether or not the received command is a display font request command.

If the received command is not a display font request command, it is determined as a printing command, and a font (character font) is determined by this printing command.
Select and set and select the character code (take up).

Here, it is assumed that a font composed of outline data stored in the character font ROM 34 is selected and set as a font.

Next, a character font ROM that stores the selected character font for the selected character code
The character data is retrieved from 34 and the corresponding character data (font data, outline data) is read.

Here, the size (character size) is selected and set by a printing command, the read outline data is converted into bitmap data with the set character size (bitmap conversion means), and the data is stored in the printer side RAM 33. Expand character bitmap data.

Printing is performed based on the character bit map data developed in the printer side RAM 33, and this command receiving process is ended.

If the received command is a display font request command, a font (character font) is selected and set by this display font request command, and a character code is selected (taken up).

Here, it is assumed that a font composed of outline data stored in the character font ROM 34 is selected and set as a font.

Next, a character font ROM in which the selected character font is stored for the selected character code
The character data is retrieved from 34, and the outline data is expanded in the printer-side RAM 33 by the corresponding character data (font data, outline data).

The outline data expanded on the printer side RAM 33 is transmitted to the source of the font request command, for example, the first computer 4 (font transmitting means, request font transmitting step), and this command receiving process is terminated. It is like this.

In the present embodiment having such a configuration, in response to the font request command for display, the printers 6, 7 request the requested font data (outline data).
Is sent to the requesting computer.

At the requesting computer, the received outline font is converted into bitmap data, and the converted bitmap data causes the print data to be displayed on the display.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the first
The same effect as that of the embodiment can be obtained.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. It should be noted that, also in this embodiment, the printing system has the same configuration as that shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 similarly to the first embodiment, and the same components are designated by the same reference numerals. The description is omitted. Further, since the processing shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is also performed in the same manner, the description thereof will be omitted here. Further, the character font ROM 34 provided in the printers 6 and 7 stores outline data as font data for each character code.

FIG. 12 shows the first computer 4 and the second computer 4.
7 shows a flow of command receiving processing performed by the printer side CPU 31 when a command transmitted from the computer 5 or the like is received.

First, it is determined whether or not the received command is a display font request command.

Here, if the received command is not a display font request command, it is determined to be a printing command, and a font (character font) is determined by this printing command.
Select and set and select the character code (take up).

Here, it is assumed that a font composed of outline data stored in the character font ROM 34 is selected and set as a font.

Next, a character font ROM in which the selected character font is stored for the selected character code
The character data is retrieved from 34 and the corresponding character data (font data, outline data) is read.

Here, the size (character size) is selected and set by the printing command, the read outline data is converted into bitmap data with the set character size, and the character bitmap data is expanded in the printer side RAM 33. To do.

Printing is performed based on the character bit map data developed in the printer side RAM 33, and this command receiving process is ended.

If the received command is a display font request command, a font (character font) is selected and set by this display font request command, and a character code is selected (taken up).

Here, it is assumed that the font constituted by the outline data stored in the character font ROM 34 is selected and set as the font.

Next, a character font ROM that stores the selected character font for the selected character code
The character data is retrieved from 34 and the corresponding character data (font data, outline data) is read.

Here, the size (character size) is selected and set by the printing command, the read outline data is converted into bitmap data with the set character size, and the character bitmap data is expanded in the printer side RAM 33. To do.

The character bitmap data expanded on the printer side RAM 33 is transmitted to the source of the font request command, for example, the first computer 4 (font transmitting means, request font transmitting step), and this command receiving process is executed. It is supposed to end.

In this embodiment having such a configuration, in response to the font request command for display, the printers 6 and 7 request the requested font data (outline data).
Is converted into bitmap data, and the converted bitmap data is transmitted to the requesting computer.

In the requesting computer, the print data is displayed on the display by the received bitmap data.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the first
Since the same effect as that of the embodiment can be obtained, further, even if the font is composed of outline data from the printer 6, 7 to the computer 4, 5, it can be converted into bitmap data and transmitted. The computers 6 and 7 can use the bitmap data as they are to display the print data on the display, and the effect of reducing the load on the computers 6 and 7 can be obtained.

The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 13 shows the first computer 4 and the second computer.
7 shows a flow of a print command reception process performed by the printer side CPU 31 when a print command transmitted from the computer 5 or the like is received.

First, a font (character font) is selected and set by this print command, and the size (character size) is set.
Select.

Next, the character font corresponding to the specified character (selected font) and size is the character font ROM 3
4 or in the option font ROM 35.

If there is a corresponding character font,
A character code is selected by a print command, and for the selected character code, character data is searched from a memory (character font ROM 34 or option font ROM 35) in which the selected character font is stored, and the corresponding character data is searched. The character bitmap data is expanded in the printer-side RAM 33 by (font data).

Printing is performed based on the character bit map data developed in the printer side RAM 33, and the printing command receiving process is ended.

If there is no corresponding character font,
A character code is selected by a print command, and a command (request for character information) for inquiring and requesting the character font (character) corresponding to the selected character code on the communication line (Ethernet, network) 8. To send.

Next, in response to the inquiry and request commands, a process of receiving font data transmitted from another printer or computer via the communication line 8 (character information acquisition process) is performed, and this reception process is performed. The character bitmap data is expanded in the printer-side RAM 33 by the font data obtained by.

Printing is performed based on the character bit map data developed in the printer side RAM 33, and this printing command receiving process is ended.

In this embodiment having such a configuration, for example, when predetermined print data is printed by the first printer 6 by the print command from the first computer 4,
If the font specified by the print command is not installed in the first printer 6, the first printer 6
The other printers or computers on the communication line 8 are sequentially inquired whether or not the designated font exists, and the device having the designated font is inquired.
A font request command is transmitted, and font data (character data) of the designated font is received from the device. With the received font data, printing according to the printing command from the first computer 4 is performed.

Therefore, for example, the first printer 6 and the second printer 6
, The first computer 4 has a Gothic English font and a cursive English font, and the first computer 4 has a Gothic English font and a cursive English font. In order to create print data by using, and display it on the display, the first printer 6 transmits a Gothic alphabetic font, and the second printer 7 transmits a cursive alphabetic font. .

In order to print the print data displayed on the display by the Gothic alphabetic font and the cursive alphabetic font, a print command is transmitted from the first computer 4 to the first printer 6. .

In the first printer 6 which has received this print command, regarding the print data in the Gothic alphabetic font, the bitmap data is expanded in the printer side RAM 33 by the installed font. Since there is no corresponding font for the print data in the English font, the inquiry for the cursive English font is made on the communication line 8, and the second printer 7 is equipped with that font. 7, the font is transmitted, and the bitmap data of the print data in the cursive alphabetic font is expanded in the printer side RAM 33 by the transmitted font.

If printing is performed using the bitmap data expanded in the printer side RAM 33, printing is performed in a font that matches the font displayed on the display of the first computer 4, as shown in FIG. Be seen.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the first
It is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the embodiment of the present invention, and further, even if the printer does not have the font designated by the printing command from the computer, inquires and requests the designated font through the communication line 8 to perform communication. Since the designated font can be obtained through the line 8, it is not necessary for one printer to be equipped with all the necessary fonts, and it is not necessary to have fonts duplicated among the printers. It is possible to obtain the effect of being effectively used as the memory of the printing system.

Although the first to fifth embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to this.
Modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0141]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention,
Use of a printing device and a printing device capable of matching the display of the display device provided in the printing data creation device with the printing result of the printing device and efficiently using each memory in the printing system And a font transfer method for the printing system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a computer of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of display processing by an external font which is performed by the computer of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of font name request command processing performed by the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the flow of command reception processing performed by the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display display of a computer and printing by a printer of the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the display display of the computer and the printing by the printer of the same embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the flow of command reception processing performed by the printer of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the flow of command reception processing performed by the printer of the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the flow of command reception processing performed by the printer of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the flow of print command reception processing performed by the printer of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of display display on the computer and printing on the printer according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

4, 5 ... Computer, 6, 7 ... Printer, 8 ... Communication line, 11 ... PC side CPU, 31 ... Printer side CPU, 3
3 ... printer side RAM, 34 ... character font ROM, 3
6 ... Optional font ROM.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A font in which font data such as characters is stored in a printing device used in a printing system configured by connecting a printing data creation device having a display and a printing device to each other through a line. A printing apparatus comprising a storage means and a font transmission means for transmitting the font data stored in the font storage means to the print data creation apparatus via the line. 2. The font storage means includes a display font storage means in which font data having a resolution suitable for displaying on a display provided in the print data creation device is stored.
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a printing font storage unit in which font data having a resolution suitable for printing by the printing apparatus is stored. 3. The font transmission means reduces the font data stored in the font storage means in accordance with the resolution of the display device of the destination print data creation device, and the reduced font data is passed through the line. And transmitting the print data to the print data creating device.
The printing device described. 4. An outline font data such as characters is stored in a printing device used in a printing system configured by connecting a printing data creation device having a display and a printing device to each other through a line. Font storage means, bitmap conversion means for converting outline font data into bitmap data at the time of printing, and outline font data stored in this font storage means are sent as they are to the print data creation device via the line. A printing device comprising a font transmitting means. 5. A printing system in which a printing data creation device having a display and a printing device are connected to each other through a line, wherein the printing device stores font data such as characters. And a font request transmitted from the print data generating device or another printing device via the line, the font request of the corresponding type stored in the font storage means is transmitted via the line. A printing system, comprising: a font transmission unit for creating the original print data or transmitting the print data to another printing apparatus. 6. A print data creation device having a display and a printing device are connected to each other via a line, print data is transmitted from the print data creation device to the printing device, and the printing device receives the print data. In a font transfer method for a printing system that performs printing based on data, an inquiry step for inquiring from the print data creation apparatus which font type can be used for the printing apparatus, and the printing for the inquiry in this inquiry step A reply step of replying information on the type of fonts that can be used from the device to the print data creation device as the inquiry source, and a font type specified from the font types answered in the reply step by the print data creation device. A step of requesting a font or a font of a type specified by another printer to the printer, A font for a printing system, comprising: a required font transmitting step of transmitting, from the printer, the required type of font data requested by the printer to the request-source print data creating device or the other printer. Transfer method.