Printer Controller Font Data Format Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers require users to be aware of the type of print data when preparing font data, which is not user-friendly, as different types of print data support different font data formats, leading to complexity in font data management.
Innovation Solution
A printer with a controller that acquires print data and generates new font data in a compatible format when the type of print data changes, allowing it to process any type of print data without user intervention by converting font data between different formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users prepare font data in different formats for different types of print data, then the printer can support multiple print data types, but the complexity of font data management increases and user-friendliness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The printer is designed with the capability to process multiple types of print data (PDL and non-PDL formats) using a single unified font data structure. The font data stored in the printer contains both PDL font information and non-PDL font information, allowing the same font data to serve multiple purposes across different print data types, thereby eliminating the need for separate font data preparations for each print data type.
2Reliability
If users must be aware of print data types when preparing font data, then font data can be optimized for specific formats, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The printer automatically determines the type of print data received and autonomously selects or converts the appropriate font information from its stored font data. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for users to manually configure or prepare different font data for different print data types, as the printer handles the entire process automatically based on its ability to identify and process the print data type.
3Device complexity
If the printer stores font data in a single format, then storage is simplified, but the ability to process different types of print data is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The font data stored in the printer采用 a composite structure that integrates both PDL font information and non-PDL font information into a single unified data set. This composite font data structure allows the printer to maintain storage simplicity while simultaneously supporting multiple print data types, as the unified structure contains all necessary font information for different formats without requiring separate storage systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes a memory, a print engine, and a controller. The controller performs an acquisition process to acquire print data. When the print data is of a second type different from a first type, the controller performs a generation process to generate a new set of font data in the second format based on the set of font data in the first format stored in the memory. The first type of print data supports a set of font data in a first format. The second type of print data support a set of font data in a second format different from the first format. When the generation process is performed, the controller performs a drawing process to draw an image of a character designated in the print data using the new set of font data generated in the generation process.