JP2001100970A - Printer host, printer system, and storage medium storing operation program of printer host - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the time up to the printing of a drawing command by a printer. SOLUTION: A performance measurement part 51 measures the process time of a color conversion and half-tone process part 46 and the time of transfer from an I/O 48 to a printer 30 as to some of RGB image data regarding one document. A transfer data format judgment part 53 judges, from the measurement results, which of an RGB image data command and a CMYKcm binarized image data command completes a process in a shorter time. When the remaining RGB image data are printed, a switching part 45 performs switching operation so that the data can be transferred in the transfer data form judged by the judgment part 53.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer host which converts a drawing command into a command and sends it to a printer, a printer system having the same, and a storage medium storing a program for operating the printer host.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a color ink jet printer receives CMYK binary image data from a printer host and performs printing based on the data.

[0003]

By the way, in order to reduce the load on the printer host, CMY is used as the printer.
It is conceivable to receive RGB image data before being converted to K-binarized image data and print based on this. In such a case, in consideration of its versatility and the like, the printer performs printing based on the CMYK binarized image data and R before conversion into the CMYK binarized image data.
It is preferable to perform printing based on GB image data. Further, it is preferable that the printer host can arbitrarily output two types of data of CMYK binarized image data and RGB image data.

The present invention presupposes a printer system that handles such two types of data, and stores a printer host capable of shortening the printing time, a printer system including the printer host, and an operation program of the printer host. It is intended to provide a storage medium.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a first printer host converts a drawing command into a command and converts the drawing command into RGB image data in a printer host which sends the command to a printer. Means for performing color conversion processing and halftone processing on the RGB image data to perform CMY
Color conversion / halftone processing means for converting into K binary image data, the RGB image data and the CM
Commanding means for converting the YK binary image data into a command so that the printer can interpret the command; an RGB image data command in which the RGB image data is converted into a command; and a CMYK binary command in which the CMYK binary image data is converted into a command. Output means for outputting a valued image data command to the printer; and, for the drawing command, the drawing command expanding means, the color conversion / halftone processing means, the command conversion means, and the output means. The processing capability of the color conversion / halftone processing means for color conversion / halftone processing with respect to a part of RGB image data (hereinafter referred to as measurement RGB image data) when the drawing command is developed, and the output means RGB image data command and A performance measuring means for measuring a transfer ability of the MYK binary image data command to the printer, the processing capacity measured by the performance measuring means, a transfer ability of the CMYK image data command, RGB image data
The RGB image data command and the CMYK data are converted based on a command transfer capability and a predetermined processing capability for converting the RGB image data command into a CMYK binary image data command in the printer. Transfer data form determining means for determining which of the valued image data and the command is transferred to the printer and which can be processed in a short time before the drawing command is printed; The rendering command expanding means for transferring the remaining RGB image data to the printer in accordance with the data transfer form determined to be able to be processed in a short time by the output data form determining means. The remaining RGB image data developed in Be sent to the color conversion and halftone processing means, or, is characterized in that it comprises a switching means for switching whether sent directly said command means.

In order to achieve the above object, a second printer host is provided in the first printer host.
Of the GB image data, the RGB image data for measurement is the first band expansion or the expansion from the first band to a predetermined band based on the band which is the image expansion width by the drawing command expansion unit. Minutes.

A third printer host for achieving the above object is the first or second printer host, wherein the performance measuring means transmits the RGB image data command in the printer to CMYK.
The printer is inquired about the predetermined processing capability to be converted into a binary image data command, and receives the predetermined processing capability from the printer.

[0008] A printer system for achieving the above object includes any one of the first to fourth printer hosts, the RGB image data command and the CMYK binary image data from the printer host.
A printer for receiving the command, wherein the printer converts the RGB image data command into a CMYK binarized image data command, and the color conversion / halftone processing means of the printer. And a printing mechanism for performing printing based on the CMYK binarized image data command converted by the means and the CMYK binarized image data command from the printer host. Things.

[0009] A storage medium for achieving the above object is a drawing command expanding procedure for expanding a drawing command into RGB image data, and a color conversion process and a halftone process for the RGB image data to perform CMY.
A color conversion / halftone processing procedure for converting into K binary image data, the RGB image data and the CM
A command conversion procedure for converting the YK binarized image data into a command so that the printer can interpret it; an RGB image data command in which the RGB image data is converted into a command; and a CMYK binary in which the CMYK binarized image data is converted into a command. An output procedure for outputting a valued image data command to the printer, and for the drawing command, the drawing command expansion procedure, the color conversion / halftone processing procedure, the command conversion procedure, and the output procedure. With respect to a part of RGB image data (hereinafter referred to as measurement RGB image data) when the drawing command is developed, the processing capability of the color conversion / halftone processing in the color conversion / halftone processing procedure and the output procedure RGB image data command and A performance measurement procedure for measuring the transfer capability of the MYK binary image data command to the printer, the processing capability measured in the performance measurement procedure, the transfer capability of the CMYK image data command, RGB image data
The RGB image data command and the CMYK data are converted based on a command transfer capability and a predetermined processing capability for converting the RGB image data command into a CMYK binary image data command in the printer. A transfer data form determining procedure for determining which of the valued image data and the command is transferred to the printer and the drawing command can be processed in a short time before printing, and the measurement of the RGB image data For the remaining RGB image data excluding the RGB image data for use, the drawing command development procedure is performed in order to transfer the data to the printer in accordance with the data transfer mode determined to be able to be processed in a short time in the output data mode determination procedure. The remaining RGB image data developed in A switching procedure for switching between processing in the color conversion / halftone processing procedure or processing in the command conversion procedure directly. .

In the above description, the CMYK binarized image data and the CMYK binarized image data / command are respectively CMYKcm binarized image data,
It is assumed that the data includes various color data prepared by the printer, such as CMYKcm binarized image data and commands. Here, “c” is light cyan,
“M” is light magenta.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a printer system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer system according to the present embodiment includes a printer host 10 and a printer 30 for printing based on an image data command output from the printer host 10.

The printer host 10 includes a host body 11
, A display device 12, and a keyboard 13. The host body 11 includes a CPU 20 for executing various programs, a ROM 21 for storing various data and various programs, a RAM 22 for temporarily storing various data and various programs, and a display device 1.
, A keyboard controller 24 for controlling the keyboard 13, a floppy disk drive 25, a hard disk drive 26, a CD-ROM drive 27, a printer interface 28, and a network interface 29.
And

The printer 30 has a monitor 37, a printing mechanism 38, and a print control unit 31 for controlling these. The print control unit 31 executes C to execute various programs.
It has a PU 32, a ROM 33 in which various data and various programs are stored, a RAM 34 in which various data and various programs are temporarily stored, a monitor controller 35 for controlling a monitor 37, and an interface 36. .

As shown in FIG. 2, the host main body 11 has an application 41, a spool file storage unit 42 for storing a bundle of a plurality of drawing commands for each document as a spool file, A rasterizing unit (rendering command developing unit) 44 for developing a command into RGB image data; and a color conversion / processing unit that performs a color conversion process and a halftone process on the RGB image data to convert the RGB image data into CMYKcm binary image data.
Halftone processing unit (color conversion / halftone processing means)
46, a command conversion unit (command conversion means) 47 for converting the RGB image data and the CMYKcm binary image data into commands, and an I / O (output) for outputting the RGB image data command and the CMYKcm binary image data command Means) 48, a performance measuring section (performance measuring means) 51 for measuring the processing capacity of the color conversion / halftone processing section 46 and the transfer capacity of image data / commands in the I / O 48, and the color conversion / halftone processing section A transfer data form determination unit (transfer data form determination means) 53 for determining a data transfer form capable of performing print processing of a drawing command in a short time based on the processing capability of 46;
In order to transfer the data to the printer 30 in accordance with the transfer data form determined by the transfer data form
A switching unit (switching unit) 45 for switching between sending the image data to the color conversion / halftone processing unit and the command conversion unit 47;

The spool file storage unit 42 stores a bundle of a plurality of drawing commands for each document, and also stores printing conditions for each document.
The printing conditions include the paper size, the printing area,
The resolution of GB image data, the resolution of CMYKcm binarized image data, the halftone processing mode, and the like are also stored. The resolution of RGB image data or CMYK binarized image data is automatically set when a user selects fine printing (high resolution), high-speed printing (low resolution), or the like when setting printing conditions. Also, the halftone processing mode is a type of halftone processing when the user sets the printing conditions, the error diffusion mode,
When a dithering mode or the like is selected, these modes are set.

The printer 30 includes an I / O 61 to which an image data command from the host body 11 is input, and an RG
A color conversion / halftone processing unit (color conversion / halftone processing means) 62 for converting the B image data / command into a CMYKcm binary image data / command;
A printing mechanism 38 for actually performing printing based on the YKcm binary image data command.

Note that, among the functional components of the host body 11, a rasterizing unit (drawing command expanding means) 44,
Switching unit (switching unit) 45, color conversion / halftone processing unit (color conversion / halftone processing unit) 46, command conversion unit (command conversion unit) 47, performance measurement unit (performance measurement unit) 51, transfer data form determination Each of the sections (transfer data form determination means) 53 includes a RAM 22 in which various programs are stored, and a CPU 20 that executes the programs stored in the RAM 22. That is, each of the above functional components is
CD storing programs related to the above functions
The ROM 17 (shown in FIG. 1) in the CD-ROM drive 2
7, the program is loaded into the RAM 22 and then executed by the CPU 20 to function. The I / O (output means) 48 includes the RAM 22 in which various programs are stored, the CPU 20 that executes the programs stored in the RAM 22, and the printer interface 28. The unit 42 includes the RAM 22 and / or the hard disk drive 26.

Among the functional components of the printer 30, the I / O 61 is an R / O in which various programs are stored.
OM33 or RAM34 and this ROM33 or RAM
CPU 32 that executes the program stored in 34
And an interface 36 for color conversion and
The halftone processing unit 62 includes a ROM 33 or a RAM 34 in which various programs are stored, and a C that executes the programs stored in the ROM 33 or the RAM 34.
And a PU 32.

Next, the operation of the printer system according to the present embodiment will be described. When the “print execution” is instructed to the host main body 11, the performance measuring unit 51 is activated. First, the performance measuring unit 51
The printer 30 is inquired about the processing capability of the color conversion / halftone processing unit 62 of
Received from O61. In this embodiment, the color conversion / halftone processing unit 62 of the printer 30 is configured as a hardware independent color conversion / halftone module and has a fixed processing capability. Can recognize the processing ability. In addition, the relationship between the model of the printer 30 and the color conversion / halftone processing capability of the printer of the model is stored in advance, and when the model of the printer is set, the model is automatically set.
If the processing capacity is set, it is not necessary to make an inquiry to the printer 30. Here, it is assumed that the processing capability of the color conversion / halftone processing unit 62 of the printer 30 recognized by the performance measurement unit 51 is 3 Mbyte / sec.

When printing is actually performed based on the drawing command for one document stored in the spool file storage unit 42, first, the rasterizing unit 44 sequentially prints the drawing command for one document for each band. RGB
Expand to image data. Of the RGB image data, RGB image data for a predetermined number of bands from the beginning (hereinafter referred to as measurement RGB image data).
Is subjected to color conversion processing and halftone processing in a color conversion / halftone processing unit 46, and is converted into CMYKcm binary image data. The CMYKcm binarized image data is converted into a command that can be interpreted by the printer 30 by the command conversion unit 47 and then sent from the I / O 48 to the printer 30.

The performance measuring unit 51 measures the processing capability of the color conversion / halftone processing unit 46 and the transfer capability of the I / O 48 in a series of processing steps for the above-described drawing command for measurement.

For example, a color conversion / halftone processing unit 46 set as a printing condition for this document
Input / output resolution is 360dpi / 360dpi, and the measurement RGB image data is 2048 (horizontal) x 2560 (vertical) dot (3
60dpi). The performance measurement unit 51
The color conversion / halftone processing unit 46 converts this to a 360 dpi CM
The processing time when converting to YKcm binarized image data is measured. At this time, assuming that the processing time is 20 seconds, the processing capacity of the color conversion / halftone processing unit 46 is (2048 × 2560 × 3) bytes ÷ 20 seconds = 15728640 bytes ÷ 20 seconds
= 786432 bytes / sec.

The CMYKcm binarized image data is converted into a CMYKcm binarized image data command by the command conversion unit 47 and then output from the I / O 48. The performance measuring unit 51 measures the transfer time of the image data / command to the printer 30. At this time, if the transfer time is 30 seconds, the transfer capability is:
RGB 8bit: CMYKcm 1bit = 24bit: 6bit
Therefore, 15728640 bytes x 24/6 30 seconds = 2097152 bytes / sec.

Further, the performance measuring section 51
I for MYKcm binary image data command
The transfer capacity of 2,071,152 bytes / sec of / O48 is converted into the transfer capacity related to the RGB image data command.

The transfer capability for the RGB image data command is the above-mentioned RGB 8 bit: CMYKcm 1
From the relation of bit = 24bit: 6bit, it becomes 2097152byte / sec × 6/24 = 524288byte / sec.

The transfer capability for the RGB image data command is determined by the R
The GB image data is commanded by the command conversion unit 47, and the commanded RGB image data is converted into I / O data.
The data may be output from O48 and acquired by measuring the output time. In this case, the CMYKcm binarized image data command may be obtained from the transfer capability of the acquired RGB image data command, contrary to the case described above.

Here, the various capabilities acquired by the performance measurement unit 51 are summarized as follows: Host color conversion / halftone processing capability: 786432 bytes / sec (A) CMYKcm binarized image data / command (2) Transfer capacity for RGB image data and commands: 524288 bytes / sec (C) Color conversion and halftone processing capacity of printer: 3 Mbyte / sec ... (D).

The data transfer mode determination unit 53 determines the RGB image data command and the CMYKcm binarized image data command relating to the RGB image data for measurement from the above values (A), (B), (C), and (D). Which is transferred to the printer 30, it is determined whether the measurement drawing command could be processed in a short time before printing.

In this case, first, a case where the CMYKcm binarized image data command is transferred to the printer 30 is considered, and the processing capability (A) of the color conversion / halfton processing unit 46 of the host and the CMYKcm binarized image data / command are transferred. The transfer capability (B) relating to the command is compared, and the lower one (B> A = 786432 bytes / sec) is defined as the capability in this system.

Next, consider a case in which the RGB image data command is transferred to the printer 30, and the transfer capability (C) for the RGB image data and the processing capability (D) of the color conversion / halftone processing unit 62 of the printer are considered. By comparison, the one with the lower capacity (D> C = 524288 bytes / sec) is regarded as the processing capacity in this system.

In determining the processing capability of the system according to the type of transfer data, at least one of the processing capability and the transfer capability of the color conversion / halftone processing unit is weighted, and the sum of the two is determined. This result may be used as the capability of the system. Specifically, when the CMYKcm binary image data command is transferred to the printer 30, for example, the processing capability (A) of the host color conversion / halftone processing unit 46 and the CMYKcm binary image data After weighting both the transfer capability (B) related to the command, the sum (= α (A) + β (B)) is obtained, and this value is used as a value indicating the capability of the system.

The CMYKcm binarized image data command is transferred to the printer 30 by the system capability and the RGB image data command is transferred to the printer 3.
Compared with the system capability when transferring to 0, the one with the higher capability, that is, the one that can execute processing up to printing in a short time, here, CMYKcm binary image data
The command is in a data transfer mode.

Of the RGB image data for one document, the remaining RGs except the RGB image data for measurement are used.
For the B image data, the processing destination is the switching unit 45.
Is switched by

The switching unit 45 includes a transfer data type determination unit 53
If the transfer data format determined in step (1) is a CMYKcm binary image data command, the remaining RGB image data developed by the rasterizing unit 44 is sent to the color conversion / halftone processing unit 46. The color conversion / halftone processing unit 46 converts the RGB image data into CMYKc
The image data is converted to m-binarized image data and sent to the command conversion unit 47 to be converted into a command. And I / O48
Outputs the CMYKcm binarized image data command output from the command conversion section 47 to the printer 30.

When the transfer data form determined by the transfer data form determination section 53 is an RGB image data command, the remaining RGB image data developed by the rasterizing section 44 is converted into a color conversion / halftone processing section. Instead of sending the command to 46, the command is directly sent to the command conversion unit 47 to be commanded. Then, the I / O 48 is a command conversion unit 47
And outputs the RGB image data command output from the printer 30 to the printer 30.

When the CMYKcm binarized image data command is sent from the printer host 10, the I / O 61 of the printer 30 sends this to the printing mechanism 38, and the RGB image data command is sent from the printer host 10. If it is sent, it is sent to the color conversion / halftone processing unit 62 of the printer 30 and is sent to the CMYKc
After being converted into the m-binary image data command, it is sent to the printing mechanism 38. In the printing mechanism 38, the transmitted C
The printing is executed based on the MYKcm binarized image data command.

The switching operation in the switching unit 45 is executed every time a new document is processed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the transfer data format that can be processed in a short time is determined based on the processing result of a part of the RGB image data among the RGB image data constituting one document, and the remaining data is determined. RGB
As for the image data, since the image data command is output to the printer 30 in the transfer data form, the drawing command can be printed in a short time.

In the above embodiment, the transfer data format is determined for each document, and the switching unit 45 performs the switching operation. The transfer data form may be determined every minute, and the switching unit 45 may perform the switching operation. Further, a transfer data form may be determined at a portion where image data such as a photograph or drawing data such as a drawing and text data such as a character are switched, and a switching operation may be performed. This is because the amount of data differs greatly between image data such as photographs and text data such as characters.
This is because this has a great effect on the processing performance and the like in the halftone processing unit 46.

[0041]

According to the present invention, a transfer data form which can be processed in a short time is determined based on the processing result of a part of the RGB image data among the RGB image data, and the transfer is performed for the remaining RGB image data. Since the image data command is output to the printer in the data form, the drawing command can be printed in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer host 11 ... Host body 17 ... CD-ROM 20 ... CPU 21 ... ROM 22 ... RAM 30 ... Printer 38 ... Printing mechanism 44 ... Rasterizing unit 45 ... Switching units 46 and 62 ... Color conversion / halftone processing unit 47 ... Commanding sections 48, 61 I / O 51 Performance measuring section 53 Transfer data form determining section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme coat ゛ (reference) 9A001 F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AR01 HH07 HJ06 HK21 HK22 HN05 HN15 2C087 AA15 AB05 BC02 BC05 BD35 BD42 BD46 CB03 DA02 5B021 AA01 AA02 BB01 BB02 CC06 EE01 LG07 LL05 5C077 LL18 NN02 PP32 PP33 PP37 TT02 5C079 HB01 HB02 HB12 LA31 NA11 PA03 9A001 BB04 EE02 HH31 JJ35 KK37

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer host which converts a drawing command into a command and sends the command to a printer, a drawing command expanding means for expanding the drawing command into RGB image data, a color conversion process for the RGB image data, and a halftone A color conversion / halftone processing unit for performing processing and converting into CMYK binary image data; a command conversion unit for converting the RGB image data and the CMYK binary image data into commands so that a printer can interpret the RGB data; Output means for outputting, to the printer, an RGB image data command in which image data is converted into a command, and a CMYK binary image data command in which the CMYK binary image data is converted into a command; Drawing command A part of the RGB image data (hereinafter referred to as measurement RGB image data) when the drawing command is developed in the process of the opening unit, the color conversion / halftone processing unit, the command conversion unit, and the output unit. With respect to the processing capability of the color conversion / halftone processing means in the color conversion / halftone processing means, the transfer capability of RGB image data commands and CMYK binary image data commands in the output means to the printer, Measuring means for measuring the performance, the processing capacity measured by the performance measuring means, the transfer ability of the CMYK image data command, the transfer ability of the RGB image data command, and the RGB in the printer. CMY image data command When any of an RGB image data command and a CMYK binarized image data command is transferred to the printer based on a predetermined processing capability for converting into a binarized image data command, the drawing Transfer data form determining means for determining whether a command can be processed in a short time before printing; and output data form determining means for remaining RGB image data of the RGB image data excluding the measurement RGB image data. The remaining RGB image data expanded by the drawing command expanding means is subjected to the color conversion and
A switching unit for switching between sending to the halftone processing unit or sending directly to the commanding unit. 2. The printer host according to claim 1, wherein, among the RGB image data, the measurement RGB image data is a first band based on a band which is an image development width by the drawing command development means. A printer host, wherein the printer host is an expansion or an expansion from a first band to a predetermined band. 3. The printer host according to claim 1, wherein the performance measuring unit converts the RGB image data command into a CMYK binarized image data command in the printer. A printer host for inquiring the printer of the predetermined processing capacity and receiving the predetermined processing capacity from the printer. 4. The printer host according to claim 1, wherein said RGB image data and said RGB image data from said printer host are received from said printer host.
And a printer for receiving the CMYK binary image data command and a CMYK binary image data command. The printer comprises: a color conversion / halftone processing unit for converting the RGB image data command into a CMYK binary image data command; A printing mechanism for performing printing based on the CMYK binarized image data command converted by the color conversion / halftone processing means of the printer and the CMYK binarized image data command from the printer host. A printer system, comprising: 5. A storage medium storing a program for converting a drawing command into a command and sending the drawing command to a printer, a drawing command expansion procedure for expanding the drawing command into RGB image data, and a color conversion for the RGB image data. A color conversion / halftone processing procedure for performing processing and halftone processing to convert to CMYK binary image data; and a command for converting the RGB image data and the CMYK binary image data into commands so that a printer can interpret the data. An output procedure for outputting, to the printer, an RGB image data command in which the RGB image data is converted into a command, and a CMYK binary image data command in which the CMYK binary image data is converted into a command. To the drawing command In the rendering command development procedure, the color conversion / halftone processing procedure, the command conversion procedure, and the output procedure, part of the RGB image data (hereinafter referred to as measurement RGB image) when the rendering command is developed. Data), the processing capacity of the color conversion / halftone processing in the color conversion / halftone processing procedure, and the RGB image data command and the CMYK binary image data command in the output procedure to the printer. A transfer capability, a performance measurement procedure for measuring, the processing capability measured in the performance measurement procedure, a transfer capability of the CMYK image data command, a transfer capability of the RGB image data command, and The RGB image data in a printer -Converts a command into a CMYK binarized image data command, and transfers any of an RGB image data command and a CMYK binarized image data command to the printer based on a predetermined processing capability. Then, a transfer data form determination procedure for determining whether or not the drawing command can be processed in a short time before printing, and, for the RGB image data other than the measurement RGB image data, the output of the RGB image data The remaining RGB image data expanded in the rendering command expansion procedure is subjected to the color conversion /
And a switching procedure for switching between processing in the halftone processing procedure and processing in the commanding procedure directly.