Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha

Ichiro Sasaki

Takemi Yamamoto

Ryohei Komiya

Akira Sago

Jun Sakai

Yumio Matsumoto

Yousuke Ito

Shigeyuki Hayashi

Koji Kobayakawa

Izumi Takagi

Osamu Takagi

Kazuma Aoki

Hiroshi Taira

Kenji Sakakibara

Michitoshi Akao

Hiroyuki Sasaki

Takatoshi Takemoto

Kazuo Sangyoji

Hidenori Hisada

Naoyuki Hatta

Kunihiro Yasui

Takashi Tomizawa

Hiroshi Kawahara

Ryoya Takahashi

Kazunori Tanabe

Yasuo Kimura

Takakuni Sonoda

Ryuta Iijima

Yosuke Ito

Kouji Kobayakawa

Kouzi Nakayama

Salil Pradhan

Mori Takafumi

Gary Marsh

A method for controlling whether or not to display the status monitor of a device. When a certain application program outputs a printing command and the status monitor of the printer is set to be displayed, data indicative of the application program is first obtained and compared with a list of problem application programs. If the name is not in the list, then the printing status monitor is displayed. However, if the name is found in the list, the status monitor is not displayed. This method increases efficiency of work for the user and prevents such problems as the computer hanging up or the programs being forcibly closed.

System for selective display of peripheral I/O device status for each

To increase the efficiency of graphic data print process in a printer, graphic print data such as diagrams and images are compressed in a personal computer according to a special compression/coding format specific of the printer to be used so that the resultant compressed graphic print data can be developed into dot image data in the printer. The resultant compressed graphic print data is transmitted to the printer and is temporarily stored in reception data buffer of the printer. The compressed graphic print data stored in the reception data buffer is developed into dot image print data. Printing is performed on a print sheet by a printing mechanism according to the developed dot image print data.

Printing system and method of printing graphic data

A printer, which prints text or image data sent from external data sources, allows the operator to select through a key operation on its operation panel whether the print data is to be printed and/or stored in the non-volatile memory of the printer. The operator can store frequently used text and image data provided by the external data sources in the non-volatile memory and can retrieve and print intended print data independently of the external data sources.

Printing apparatus and method operative to print and/or store print data

On the basis of a received print data, a control code in the print data is analyzed to determine the print control program of a suitable command system. The print data is subjected to a processing using the print control program. The processed data is converted to dot pattern data that is usable by print control programs of different kinds of command systems and stored in a non-volatile memory. Thereafter, the stored dot pattern data is printed. Through this operation, in a printing apparatus having plural print control programs of different command systems, not only received print data, but also print data stored in the non-volatile memory can be printed using a suitable print control program.

Printing apparatus having data memory and method therefor

A data buffering device having a data buffer permitting data storage in a first storage area A while the area A is advanced over a predetermined number of storage areas of the buffer in a predetermined sequence and permitting data reading from a second storage area B while the area B is advanced in the same sequence; a first device judging whether or not it is permissible to carry out at least one of a simple data storage and a simple data reading; a second device executing, if the judgement of the first device is negative, a return judgement whether or not it is necessary to return a corresponding one, or each, of the areas A and B to a leading storage area of the buffer, and a possibility judgement whether or not the buffer has at least a predetermined number of storage area or areas permitting a corresponding one, or each, of a data storage and a data reading, if the possibility judgement is affirmative the second device placing the first device in a condition in which the first device provides an affirmative judgement, and carrying out the corresponding one or each of the data storage and reading; and a third device carrying out, if the judgement of the first device is affirmative, the at least one of the simple data storage and reading, without the return and possibility judgements of the second device.

Data buffering device having simple data reading and/or storing function

To provide a printer which reduces a waiting time when each character is to be printed with two colors, and hence which can operate highly efficiently for the user. When a command for specifying a first color is received from a host computer, the specified color is stored in a first color storage area. When a command for specifying a second color is received from the host computer, the specified color is stored in a second color storage area. When character data are received, if the drawing method indicates the filling of the character specified by the character data, then the character is filled with the first color, and if the drawing method indicates the outlining of the character, then the character is outlined with the second color.

Printer for printing characters made up of first color outline and

A data processing apparatus for processing a batch of outline data representative of outlines of characters each consisting of at least one stroke, each outline consisting of two or more straight and/or curved segments, the apparatus including an outline data memory storing the outline data. Each segment of the character outline is represented by coordinate data sets representative of coordinate values defining the segment, and attribute flag data indicative of whether the segment is a straight line or a curved line. The outline data memory includes a first storage area storing a plurality of groups of coordinate data sets for respective different outlines (such as regular and boldface outlines) of each character which define respective different stroke widths of the character, and a second storage area storing a common groups of attribute flags which is commonly used for the plurality of groups of coordinate data sets.

Character outline processor using relatively small memory storing

A printer adapted to receive from an external device printing data including character code data representative of characters to be printed, and font data defining characters in a predetermined typestyle. A converting device is provided to convert the received font data into converted font data which define the characters in the predetermined typestyle, in a format different from the format of the received font data, so that the characters represented by the character code data are printed according to the converted font data. The converted font data are sent to and stored in the external device, or alternatively the converted font data are stored in a non-volatile memory of the printer for storage therein even after removal of electric power from the printer, so that the converted font data in the external device or the non-volatile memory can be re-used.

Printer having means for converting received font data in one format

A printing system including a printer having at least one interpreter for interpreting print data for performing a printing operation, and a data processor connected to the printing device and having a plurality of printer drivers through which the print data are sent to the printer device. The data processor sends to the printer an inquiry signal asking the printer to send back to the data processor interpreter-identification data representative of the interpreter or interpreters. The data processor selects one of the printer drivers compatible with the interpreter or one of the interpreters, on the basis of the interpreter-identification data. The printer sends the interpreter-identification data to the data processor, in response to the inquiry signal.

Printing system wherein one of printer drivers through which print data

An apparatus including a converting device for converting vector data of an input character into dot data for outputting the input character in a specified mode, a memory for storing the dot data, and a controller operable prior to the data conversion, for determining whether one of a first and a second case is satisfied. The first case is satisfied where the dot data to be prepared from the vector data of the input character are stored in the memory, and the second case is satisfied where basic dot data for outputting the input character in a mode different from the specified mode are stored in said dot data memory means. The converting device omits the data conversion in the first and second cases. A dot data changing device operable in the second case is provided to change the basic dot data according to a predetermined rule depending upon the specified and different modes, so as to obtain the dot data for outputting the input character in the specified mode.

Apparatus for converting vector data of characters into dot data having

A data processing apparatus having a basic figure processing device for preparing basic figure data for reproducing at least one basic figure on a recording medium, a display screen or other output medium, and supplemental figure processing device for determining a supplemental figure attached to the basic flgure or figures and preparing supplemental figure data necessary to output the supplemental figure on the output medium. The supplemental figure processing device is adapted to prepare standard supplement figure data necessary to attach at least one standard supplement figure to the basic figure or figures in a predetermined relationship therewith. Each standard supplement figure is specified by a characteristic of the basic figure or figures and contains the supplemental figure. The supplemental figure processing device selects a portion of the standard supplement figure data which corresponds to a portion of the standard supplement figure or figures which satisfies a predetermined condition, so that the supplemental figure data consists of the selected portion of the standard supplement figure data.

Data processing apparatus and method for preparing data representative

Two thick line segments intersecting at respective ends thereof are drawn with smooth lines at a portion where the ends of the two line segments merge. To this end, the two lines segments are extended in directions to overlap one on the other and an overlapped graphic segment is extracted for use in complementing the intersecting portion.

Graphic image drawing device

A method of converting image outlline data representative of segments defining an outline of an image area to be reproduced, into dot data representative of image dots which collectively represent the image area. In the method, the outline of the image area is superimposed on a coordinated pixel screen wherein a plurality of vertical pixel lines and a plurality of horizontal pixel lines cooperate to provide intersections defining a matrix of dot positions which are selectively used as the image dots. The vertical and horizontal pixel lines form a plurality of sections each having four corners defined by the respective four intersections of the pixel lines. Each one of the plurality of sections is determined as a relevant section if any one of the segments of the outline of the image area passes through the relevant section. The dot data are prepared such that the dot data represents the presence of the image dot at a predetermined one of four corners of each relevant section.

Method for converting image data into dot data

An image recording apparatus having an exposure unit, a pressure developing unit and a thermal fixing unit. The apparatus employs a separate type image recording mediums including a microcapsule sheet and a separate developer sheet. The thermal fixing unit applies heat to the developer sheet carrying an output image thereon. A heat application means of the thermal fixing unit is positioned spaced away from the imaging surface of the developer sheet for avoding direct contact therewith.

Image recording apparatus

A light-and pressure-sensitive recording sheet and an original, overlapping each other, are introduced into an image forming apparatus, and are exposed to radiation on a transparent drum by means of a light source in the drum, whereupon a latent image, based on the contents of the original, is formed on the recording sheet. Then, the recording sheet is separated from the original by means of a separator, and is passed between a pair of pressure rolls. When the recording sheet is exposed, microcapsules thereon change their hardness. These microcapsules are ruptured selectively by pressure applied to the sheet. As a result, a chromogenic material, contained in the microcapsules, and a developer material, on the surface of a substrate of the recording sheet, react with each other, so that the sheet surface changes its color. Thus, the latent image is developed to accomplish copying in accordance with the original.

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Nagoya, Japan

Ichiro Sasaki