Importance

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Abstract

A new printer having a memory for storing dot image data to be printed, wherein two modes, that is, a full bit map mode for storing a page of data and a strip map mode for a smaller size of data than a page of data is stored alternately in two memory areas in the memory are provided, and the full bit map mode or the strip map mode is selected according as the size of image data is smaller than or not. In the full bit map mode, the bit data are sent to the printing means after all the bit data of a page has been stored in the bit map memory, while in the strip may mode an image of one page is divided into a plurality of image portions and the bit data is written/read to and from the bit map memory in the unit of image portion. In a new printing method, the size of an image of one page to be printed is obtained first. Then, if the obtained size of image is smaller than the capacity of a bit map memory for storing bit data, the full bit map mode is set; otherwise the strip map mode is set. Next, bit data received from the bit map memory is printed on a sheet of paper.

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First Claim