JPS61221817A - Output processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the high-speed and continuous printing jobs of data by connecting the double port memories provided into plural parts respectively between the 1st and 2nd system buses as well as the 2nd and 3rd system buses for transfer of data among these buses. CONSTITUTION:The double port memories 13 and 14 are connected between the 1st and 2nd buses to transfer data to the 2nd bus from the 1st bus; while the double port memories 15 and 16 are connected between the 2nd and 3rd buses to transfer data to the 3rd bus from the 2nd bus respectively. The memories 13 and 14 has the function of a page memory to store the read data equivalent to a page in addition to the data transfer function. While the memories 15 and 16 double as bit map memories. Thus the processes are carried out in parallel to read data out of a file together with some processing and to deliver the data to a printer 12. Thus the data can be printed continuously and at a high speed with no useless waiting time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Technical Field The present invention relates to an output processing method, and more specifically, to high-speed printing of text data, image data, graph data, etc. stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk, floppy disk, or optical disk. This relates to an output processing method that allows for

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Recently, high-speed printers such as laser printers have come into practical use as printer devices, and hard copies can be obtained extremely quickly through simple print output processing. The data source for printing is when the data stored in the memory is to be printed out as is, and when the input data or the data read from the file is subjected to processing such as compression, playback, enlargement, reduction, vertical and horizontal rotation, etc. After applying this, it may be printed out. The file contains character code data (text data)
Alternatively, when storing the image data as is (image data), or when saving memory capacity by storing the image data after it has been compressed (for example, one-dimensional compression or two-dimensional compression),
In addition, there are cases where the information is stored as a vector.

In conventional printing systems, the third! ! As shown in I, a unit for storing data, e.g.

Hard disk (HD) 2, Floppy disk (
FD)3. An optical disk (○D) 4 and a unit for processing data, such as a text controller 8 and an image controller 9. With graph controller 10.

A unit that prints data, such as a printer controller 11. A printer 12 is connected on the same bus (first bus). In FIG. 3, for example, from reading data from the hard disk 2 to printing it, the following various processes are passed. (a) Data is read from the hard disk 2 and expanded into the memory 6 via the first bus. (b) After the text data on the memory 6 is converted into a bitmap by the text controller 8, it is developed into a designated area of the bitmap memory 7 via the first bus. (C)
The compressed image data on the memory 6 is input to the image controller 9 via the first bus, and after being reproduced and converted into a bitmap, it is expanded to a specified area on the bitmap memory 7 via the first bus. do. (d) The graph data (vector) on the memory 6 is converted into a bit map by the graph controller 10, and expanded into a designated area of the bit map memory 7 via the first bus. (e) Finally, the bitmap data for one page developed on the bitmap memory 7 is transferred to the printer controller 11 via the first bus.
and output to the printer 12 for printing. The processes in (a) to (e) above all use the system bus (first bus) to send and receive data. In this case, there is only one system bus, so the processes in (a) to (e) above The processing is sequential.

Alternatively, you may use the bus through time sharing. In the above method, the print cycle of each page takes time during continuous print output. In other words, in the system shown in Figure 3, the data flow from reading a file to processing it and printing it out passes through the same bus sequentially, so the printer speed is high. However, the actual print output speed will be slower. Therefore, there is a problem in that the high-speed, continuous printing function of the printer 12 is not fully utilized.

Purpose The purpose of the present invention is to solve such conventional problems and to read out text data, image data, graph data, etc. stored in a file, process them, and then print them continuously at high speed. Our goal is to provide a print processing method that can.

Configuration To achieve the above object, the print processing method of the present invention is stored in a storage medium. Alternatively, in an output processing system that outputs data such as text, graphs, or images input from an input means, a first system bus to which the storage medium or means for controlling the input means is connected, and text data.

a second system bus to which a means for converting graph data or image data into a bitmap and developing the data into a bitmap memory, or a means for reproducing compressed image data to convert it into a bitmap and developing the bitmap, and a bitmap memory; a second system bus to which is connected a means for outputting the data expanded to the bitmap memory; and a thirty-sixth system bus to which the means for outputting the data expanded to the bitmap memory is connected; A 2-port memory divided into multiple pieces is connected between the system bus and a second system bus, and between the second system bus and a third system bus, respectively, and data transfer between the buses is performed. There are certain characteristics.

The configuration of the present invention will be explained below using examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1.21 is a data processing device.

2.3.4 are files using a hard disk, floppy disk, and optical disk, 5 is a hard disk controller, 13.14 is a dual port memory connected between the first bus and the second bus, and 15.16 is a second Dual port memory connected to bus and 3rd bus, 8,9
．． 10 is a controller that processes text, images, and graphs (for example, bit mapping, compression, reproduction, rotation, enlargement, reduction, etc.), 11 is a printer controller, and 12 is a printer.

In this way, the present invention requires three steps: (a) processing to read data from a file, (b) processing to process (convert into bitmap) data read from the file, and (c) processing to print bitmap data. Separate the two buses and transfer data between each bus.

It uses a plurality of (two or more) blocked dual-port memories. That is, the first bus includes media 2.3, 4. for storing data such as text, graphs, images, etc. and a controller 5 for controlling reading and writing thereof, and the scanner 1 as necessary.
A data input device such as 8 may also be connected. Also,
The second bus includes a text controller 8. which converts text data into a bitmap and expands it into bitmap memories 15 and 16. An image controller 9 that reproduces compressed image data and develops the reproduced image data into bitmap memories 15 and 16. A graph controller 10 that converts graph data into a bitmap and expands it into bitmap memories 15 and 16 is connected. Further, the third bus is connected to a printer controller 11 that outputs data developed in the bitmap memory 15 and 16 to the printer 12.
is connected. Furthermore, between the first bus and the second bus,
A two-port memory 13°I4 divided into a plurality of pieces for transferring data from the first bus to the second bus is connected between the second bus and the third bus.

Connected are two-port memories 15 and 16 divided into a plurality of pieces for transferring data from the second bus to the third bus. 13.14 of the above 2-port memories 13 to 16
along with the data transfer function.

It also has a page memory function to store one page worth of read data from a file, and 15.16 has a data transfer function and a bitmap memory function to expand into a bitmap. And in Figure 1,
Read data from a file and perform some processing,
Since the processing up to output to the printer 12 is not performed sequentially but in parallel, unnecessary waiting time is eliminated and printing can be performed continuously at high speed.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the first @ printing operation.

First, in [Phase A] the cycle in which the nth page is output from the two-port memory 15 to the printer 12 via the third bus, data processing of the (n+1)th page is simultaneously carried out via the second bus. This is performed between the 2-port memory 14 and the 2-port memory 16. Also, at the same time, (n+
2) Transfer the first page data from hard disk 2 to the first
It is transferred to the 2-port memory 13 via the bus. These simultaneous parallel operations are all performed in the first . Second. It is represented by a solid line on each third bus. Also, 2 port memory 1
When transferring data from 4 to 2 port memory 16,
Processing units (text, images.

(or graph) 19 and then transferred to the memory 16.

[Phase 83 In the next cycle, that is, the cycle following the cycle of Phase A, the (n+1)th page data (which was input to the 2-port memory 16 in Phase A) is transferred to the 2-port memory 1°6. from there to the printer 12 via the third bus. At the same time, process the (n+2)th page data.

It is performed between the 2-port memory 13 and the 2-port memory 15 via the second bus. In this case, as in phase A, after the processing by the processing unit (text, image, graph) 19 is completed, , are transferred to the two-port memory 15 via the second bus.

At the same time, the (n+3)th page data is read from the hard disk 2 and transferred to the 2-port memory 14 via the first bus. These simultaneous parallel operations are as follows.
Second. and on each third bus.

This is indicated by a dotted line.

As a result, data can be transferred between each bus in a pipeline manner, and two-board memories 13, 14 and 15
．． 16 is used as a toggle buffer type, so there is no simultaneous access to the same memory block from the buses on both sides.
Read/write operations eliminate latency. In other words, the (n+1)th bitmap data can be prepared during the nth printout. Note that n is any integer.

Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been described with respect to print output processing, it is of course applicable to other output processing, such as display output processing on a display.

Effects As explained above, according to the present invention, two-port memories are connected between multiple buses to perform simultaneous and parallel data transfer, which improves the printing performance of the entire system up to the continuous printing capability of the printer. can be improved.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a print processing system showing an embodiment of the present invention, 2TB is an explanatory diagram of the simultaneous and parallel transfer operation of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a conventional print processing system. FIG. 1.21: Data processing unit (CPU), 2 Hard disk, 3: Floppy disk, 4: Optical disk, 5
Nihard disk controller, 13 to 16: Dual port memory (2 port memory), 8: Text controller, 9: Image controller, 10 Nigelaf controller, 11: Printer controller, 12: Printer. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an output processing system that outputs data such as text, graphs, or images stored in a storage medium or inputted from an input means, a first The system bus is connected to a means for converting text data, graph data, or image data into a bitmap and expanding the data into a bitmap memory, or a means for reproducing compressed image data, converting it into a bitmap, and expanding the bitmap. It has a second system bus and a third system bus to which means for outputting data developed in the bitmap memory is connected, and between the first system bus and the second system bus, and between the first system bus and the second system bus. An output processing method characterized in that a two-port memory divided into a plurality of pieces is connected between a second system bus and a third system bus, respectively, and data is transferred between the buses.