Printer having means for converting received font data in one format into usable font data in another format

Claim 2

A printing apparatus comprising: input means for receiving from an external device printing data including character code data representative of characters to be printed, and font data which define a family of characters that are different from each other, in a predetermined typestyle; font-data converting means for converting said front data received through said input means, into converted font data which define the characters in said predetermined typestyle, in a first format different from a second format in which the font data received through said input means define said family of characters, said first and second formats being respective different manners in which said font data are formulated; printing means for printing the characters represented by said character code data, according to said converted font data in said first format; and at least one of (a) font-data output means for outputting said converted font data to said external device, for storage of said converted font data in said external device, and (b) non-volatile memory means for storing said converted font data even after removal of electric power from said printing apparatus.

Claim 3

A printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising determining means for determining whether an input format in which said font data received through said input means define the characters in said predetermined typestyle is said first format or said second format, and wherein said font-data converting means operates in response to said determining means, to convert the font data received through said input means into said converted font data in said first format, if said input format is said second format.

Claim 4

A printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said printing data further include a font data format code indicative of said input format, and said determining means determines, on the basis of said font data format code, whether said input format is said first format or said second format.

Claim 5

A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means is connected to a host computer constituting said external device, to receive said printing data, said font-data output means sending said converted font data to a non-volatile memory provided in said host computer.

Claim 6

A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory means consists of a disk storage.

Claim 7

A printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input-font-data memory means for temporarily storing the font data received through said input means, and converted-font-data memory means for temporarily storing said converted font data in said first format.

Claim 8

A printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said converted-font-data memory means has a storage capacity for storing a batch of said converted font data which defines a multiplicity of characters in said predetermined typestyle, and said font-data output means outputs at one time said batch of the converted font data to said external device.

Claim 9

A printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said converted-font-data memory means has a storage capacity for storing a batch of said converted font data which defines a multiplicity of characters in said predetermined typestyle, said apparatus further comprising means for storing said batch of the converted font data into said non-volatile memory means.

Claim 10

A printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said input-font-data memory means and said converted-font-data memory means are constituted by a font data memory, said apparatus further comprising means for reading out from said font data memory the font data in said second format received through said input means, commanding said font-data converting means to convert said font data in said second format into said converted font data in said first format, and storing said converted font data in said font data memory.

Claim 11

A printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a storage area of said font data memory in which said font data in said second format are stored is used for storing said converted font data in said first format.

Claim 12

A printing apparatus comprising: input means for receiving from an external device printing data including character code data of representative characters to be printed, and font data which define a family of characters that are different from each other, in a predetermined typestyle; font-data converting means for converting said font data received through said input means, into converted font data which define the characters in said predetermined typestyle, in a first format different from a second format in which the font data received through said input means define said family of characters, said first and second formats being respective different manners in which said font data are defined; printing means for printing the characters represented by said character code data, according to said converted font data in said first format; and font-data output means for outputting said converted font data to said external device, for storage of said converted front data in said external device.

Claim 13

A printing apparatus comprising: input means for receiving from an external device printing data including character code data of representative characters to be printed, and font data which define a family of characters that are different from each other, in a predetermined typestyle; font-data converting means for converting said font data received through said input means, into converted font data which define the characters in said predetermined typestyle, in a first format different from a second format in which the font data received through said input means define said family of characters, said first and second formats being respective different manners in which said font data are defined; printing means for printing the characters represented by said character code data, according to said converted font data in said first format; and font-data output means for outputting said converted font data to said external device, for storage of said converted front data in said external device.

Claim 14

A printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said external device comprises a host computer which has a non-volatile memory for receiving said converted front data from said font-data output means.

Claim 15

A printing apparatus comprising: input means for receiving from an external device printing data including character code data of representative characters to be printed, and font data which define a family of characters that are different form each other, in a predetermined typestyle, said font data representing an outline of each character of said family of characters; font-data converting means for converting said font data received through said input means, into converted font data which define the characters in said predetermined typestyle, in a first format different from a second format in which the font data received through said input means define said family of characters, said first and second formats being respective different manners in which said outline of said each character is defined; printing means for printing the characters represented by said character code data, according to said converted font data in said first format; and one of (a) font-data output means for outputting said converted font data to said external device, for storage of said converted font data in said external device, and (b) non-volatile memory means for storing said converted font data even after removal of electric power from said printing apparatus.

Claim 16

A printing apparatus comprising: input means for receiving from an external device printing data including character code data of representative characters to be printed, and font data which define a family of characters that are different form each other, in a predetermined typestyle, said font data representing an outline of each character of said family of characters; font-data converting means for converting said font data received through said input means, into converted font data which define the characters in said predetermined typestyle, in a first format different from a second format in which the font data received through said input means define said family of characters, said first and second formats being respective different manners in which said outline of said each character is defined; printing means for printing the characters represented by said character code data, according to said converted font data in said first format; and one of (a) font-data output means for outputting said converted font data to said external device, for storage of said converted font data in said external device, and (b) non-volatile memory means for storing said converted font data even after removal of electric power from said printing apparatus.

Claim 17

A printing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said at least one of said font-data output means and said non-volatile memory means consists of said font-data output means.