Printer system and method of controlling operation of the same

A printer comprising:

• a buffer memory possessing a fixed-size image-data storage capacity smaller than a quantity of image data representing one frame of an image, said buffer memory temporarily storing the image data;
• a printing preparation controller for performing printing-related preparation in response to a printing-preparation setting request;
• a storage controller for accepting storage of image data in said buffer memory, the image data being changed in accordance with a constant speed of said printer and the fixed-size image-data storage capacity of said buffer memory such that the image data stored in the buffer memory will not be emptied from said buffer memory upon completion of the printing-related preparations in said printing preparation controller;
• and
• a printing controller for reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory and for printing an image at said constant speed, said image being represented by the image data.

A method of controlling operation of a printer system comprising a printer controller and a printer connected by a bus, wherein said printer controller supplies said printer with image data via the bus and said printer prints an image at a constant speed, the image being represented by the image data supplied from said printer controller, the method comprising:

• providing said printer with a buffer memory possessing a fixed-size image-data storage capacity smaller than a quantity of image data representing one frame of the image;
• temporarily storing the image data supplied from said printer controller in the buffer memory;
• outputting an image-data transfer request from an output device;
• transmitting image data to said printer from the printer controller in packet units in response to the image-data transfer request;
• receiving image data transmitted from said printer controller to the printer and storing the image data in said buffer memory;
• reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory and printing an image at a constant speed;
• and
• controlling an amount of image data included in each of the image data packet units by the image-data transmission controller in accordance with said constant speed of said printer and said fixed-size image-data storage capacity of said buffer memory, said image-data transmission controller transmitting the image data to the printer so that the image data stored in the buffer memory is not emptied from the buffer memory.

A method of controlling operation of a printer controller used in a printer system comprising the printer controller and a printer connected by a bus, wherein said printer controller supplies said printer with image data via the bus and said printer prints the image at a constant speed, the image being represented by the image data supplied from said printer controller, said printer being provided with a buffer memory possessing a fixed-size image data storage capacity smaller than a quantity of image data representing one frame of the image and temporarily storing the image data supplied from said printer controller, and said printer having means for outputting an image-data transfer request, said method comprising:

• transmitting image data to said printer in packet units in response to the image-data transfer request output from said printer;
• and
• changing an amount of image data included in the packet units in accordance with said constant speed of said printer and said fixed-size image-data storage capacity of said buffer memory,
• wherein said transmitting image data to said printer step is performed so that the image data stored in the buffer memory is not emptied from the buffer memory.

A method of controlling operation of a constant speed printer having a buffer memory possessing fixed-size image-data storage capacity smaller than a quantity of image data representing one frame of an image and temporarily storing the image data, comprising the steps of:

• performing printing-related preparations in response to a printing-preparation setting request;
• accepting storage of image data in said buffer memory upon end of the printing-related preparations;
• and
• reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory and printing the image at said constant speed, the image being represented by the image data read out,
• wherein the image data is changed in accordance with said constant speed of said printer and said fixed-size image-data storage capacity of said buffer memory in such a manner that the image data stored in the buffer memory will not be emptied from the buffer memory upon completion of said performing printing-related preparations step.