Printer controller with addressable buffer memory

Claim 2

A printer controller for a serial printer in which a recording head is scanned for recording in forward and backward directions, said recording head being adapted to produce an image in a dot matrix, said controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for driving and scanning said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; a first register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region; and a second register unit for setting into said drive control means an initial value to adjust print start timing relating to a scanning position of said recording head in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time.

Claim 3

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said addressable buffer memory stores print data in print form.

Claim 4

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second register unit sets a time interval between a change point of a drive signal of a carriage motor and a change point of a print signal of said recording head within a print time period of one dot.

Claim 5

A printer controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second register unit performs the setting of the time interval by changing a set value of a print timing register.

Claim 6

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising distributing means for providing at least one of said first register unit and said second register unit with a correction amount of print misregistration distributed to the forward printing and backward printing.

Claim 7

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting an environmental temperature around said printer; and indication means for providing at least one of said first register unit and said second register unit with a correction amount to correct print misregistration in response to a detected value of said temperature detecting means.

Claim 8

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising data setting means for setting an amount of adjustment to correct print misregistration to said first register unit and said second register unit.

Claim 9

A printer controller as claimed in claim 7, wherein said data setting means comprises a DIP switch.

Claim 10

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive control means is adapted to move said recording head in a full scan within a print range throughout printing.

Claim 11

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recording head comprises an electrothermal transducer, and thermal energy generated by said electrothermal transducer producing film boiling of ink so that growth of bubbles caused by the film boiling ejects the ink.

Claim 12

A printer controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said address counter comprises an updown counter.

Claim 13

A printer controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein said address counter performs upcounting or downcounting in response to a print direction signal.

Claim 14

A printer controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said carriage motor is a stepping motor and the drive signal is an excitation phase signal.

Claim 15

A printer controller for a serial printer in which a recording head is scanned for recording in forward and backward directions, said recording head being adapted to produce an image in a dot matrix, said controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for driving and scanning said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; and a register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means due to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region.

Claim 16

A printer controller for a serial printer in which a recording head is scanned for recording in forward and backward directions, said recording head being adapted to produce an image in a dot matrix, said controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for driving and scanning said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; and a register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means due to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region.

Claim 17

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, wherein said addressable buffer memory stores print data in print form.

Claim 18

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, further comprising distributing means for providing said register unit with a correction amount of print misregistration distributed to the forward printing and backward printing.

Claim 19

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting an environmental temperature around said printer; and indication means for providing said register unit with a correction amount to correct print misregistration in response to the detected value of said temperature detecting means.

Claim 20

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, further comprising data setting means for setting an amount of adjustment to correct print misregistration to said register unit.

Claim 21

A printer controller as claimed in claim 18, wherein said data setting means comprises a DIP switch.

Claim 22

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, wherein said drive control means is adapted to move said recording head in a full scan within a print range throughout printing.

Claim 23

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, wherein said recording head comprises an electrothermal transducer, and thermal energy generated by said electrothermal transducer producing film boiling of ink so that growth of bubbles caused by the film boiling ejects the ink.

Claim 24

A printer controller as claimed in claim 14, wherein said address counter comprises an updown counter.

Claim 25

A printer controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein said address counter performs upcounting or downcounting in response to a print direction signal.

Claim 26

A serial printer comprising: recording head means for recording an image in a dot matrix; scanning means for scanning said recording head; driving means for driving said recording head; and a printer controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for controlling the driving and scanning of said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; a first register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region; and a second register unit for setting into said drive control means an initial value to adjust print start timing relating to a scanning position of said recording head in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time.

Claim 27

A serial printer comprising: recording head means for recording an image in a dot matrix; scanning means for scanning said recording head; driving means for driving said recording head; and a printer controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for controlling the driving and scanning of said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; a first register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region; and a second register unit for setting into said drive control means an initial value to adjust print start timing relating to a scanning position of said recording head in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time.

Claim 28

A serial printer as claimed in claim 24 being applied to a copying machine.

Claim 29

A serial printer as claimed in claim 24 being applied to a facsimile.

Claim 30

A serial printer as claimed in claim 24 being applied to a data processor.

Claim 31

A serial printer as claimed in claim 24, further comprising transferring means for transferring a recording medium.

Claim 32

A serial printer as claimed in claim 24, further comprising recovery means for recovering said recording head.

Claim 33

A serial printer comprising: recording head means for recording an image in a dot matrix; scanning means for scanning said recording head; driving means for driving said recording head; and a printer controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for controlling the driving and scanning of said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; and a register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means due to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region.

Claim 34

A serial printer comprising: recording head means for recording an image in a dot matrix; scanning means for scanning said recording head; driving means for driving said recording head; and a printer controller comprising: an addressable buffer memory for storing print data, said addressable buffer memory including a print region capable of storing the print data and a non-print region having a space data corresponding to predetermined dots, wherein the print region corresponds to a recording region of one line on a recording medium, and wherein the non-print region in said addressable buffer memory is allocated on an address preceding the print region; transferring means for transferring the print data from said addressable buffer memory to said recording head according to an address outputted from an address counter; setting means for setting said recording head to be scanned in a forward or backward direction; drive control means for controlling the driving and scanning of said recording head according to the direction set by said setting means; and a register unit for setting a starting address into said address counter of said transferring means due to adjust a print start dot position in response to the direction set by said setting means immediately before at least one of a forward or backward printing start time, the starting address indicating an address in the non-print region.

Claim 35

A serial printer as claimed in claim 30 being applied to a copying machine.

Claim 36

A serial printer as claimed in claim 30 being applied to a facsimile.

Claim 37

A serial printer as claimed in claim 30 being applied to a data processor.

Claim 38

A serial printer as claimed in claim 30, further comprising transferring means for transferring a recording medium.

Claim 39

A serial printer as claimed in claim 30, further comprising recovery means for recovering said recording head.