PURPOSE: To increase processing speed by providing a first pattern storeing means and a second pattern storeing means storing pattern information outputted from a pattern generating means as a font cache when code information is present on the outside of a prescribed range.

CONSTITUTION: When the inputted code information is present on the prescribed range, the pattern information which is outputted from the pattern generator 204 is stored as the font cache into a first font cache 205, whereas when the code information is present on the outside of the prescribed range, the pattern information which is outputted from the pattern generator 204 is stored as the font cache into a second font cache 206. By thus storing the pattern information into the font areas 205 and 206, the stored pattern data can be used when the same character code is printed. Hence, without the need of decoding and pattern developing based on the same character data, the printing processing speed can be increased.