Lexmark International, Inc.

International Business Machines Corporation

Lynn M Oliver

Carl P Cole

James L Beck

James Ronald Booth

James Francis Webb

John K Brown, Iii

James C Buchanan

Stephen R Troyer

Joseph P Kolb

Timothy J Louie

Alan F Neel, Ii

Warren J Spina

Margaret E Claffey-Cohen

Wallace L Holloway, Ii

James P, Ward

A parallel interface connects a data processor and a printer so that each may transmit information to the other or receive information from the other. The transmitted information from the data processor can be data or status signals. The data or status signals are transmitted over the same eight information lines between the data processor and the printer with a predetermined signal being sent over another line from the data processor to the printer prior to transmission over the eight lines to identify whether the transmitted information is data or status signals. The printer sends status signals to the data processor over the same eight information lines after sending a predetermined signal to the data processor over a further line that it is going to transmit.

Bi-directional parallel printer interface

Flash memory (12) is added to a printer and fonts and macros received at connector (14) are stored under operator control. All data received is first processed under by the printer data processor controller (8) using dynamic memory (10). Printers which respond to more than one language store the downloaded information before termination of a language mode erases the DRAM.

Printer with flash memory

A memory management system for a page printer controller (11) which includes random access memory (17) allocated among bit map memory (30), page buffer memory (29), and user memory (28). The memory management system allocates the random access memory to provide either a large bit map memory or, responsive to needs of the controller (11) for increased memory for other uses, for allocating the random access memory (17) to provide a small bit map memory and place more memory in the page buffer memory (29) and user memory (28).

Page printer memory allocation

A page printer (101) which rasterizes a page utilizing partial page bit map swaths. Received data to be printed is stored in packets (12-17) in a page buffer in random access memory (105). Data within each packet is arranged in printing order down the page to be printed, but the packets themselves are arranged in the order received, and are not indexed or linked. As each swath (11) is rasterized, each packet is examined, and packets containing data falling at least in part within the active swath are processed. The printer is controlled by a programmed microprocessor, and logic hardware assistance is provided for translating data addresses from logical addresses (54) to physical addresses (52). Logic hardware assistance is also provided for making the determination of whether or not a given data address lies within the active swath.

Printer buffer and rasterization arrangement

A printer receives and stores coded text character data (22, 23) and also receives graphic image commands in the same datastream. The printer creates a raster image (24) of the graphic image commands and stores the resultant raster image. When rasterizing a page (21), the printer rasterizes the text character data utilizing stored raster fonts and rasterizes the graphic image data from the stored raster image.

Merging plotter graphics within a text environment on a page printer

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Lynn M Oliver