JP2001277574A - Image recorder and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recorder in which recording operation can be sustained stably without causing voltage drop over the entire recorder even if a continuous recording region, where the load on a recording head increases up to a significant level, is present when an image is recorded line by line. SOLUTION: The image recorder records an image while varying the load on a thermal recording head line by line for a thermal sheet wherein a CPU 10 drives the thermal recording head, before recording an image line by line and after decimating the content of red line data imposing a load of a reference level or above to the thermal recording head, based on the decimated red line data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus suitable for a thermal printer or the like for recording an image composed of recording colors such as red and black two lines at a time, and stores a program for controlling the image recording apparatus. Related to a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A typical facsimile apparatus is:
A monochrome image is recorded line by line on a thermal paper via a thermal recording head.
There is a printer in which the load base level of the thermal print head is switched between high and low even within the recording time for one line, and each line is colored with two recording colors of red and black. Therefore, as the heat-sensitive paper, multi-color heat-sensitive paper having different color-forming layers for red and black is used.For example, when a specific portion is colored red on the multi-color heat-sensitive paper, the heating element of the thermal recording head for that portion is The control is performed based on the line data so that the driving time is somewhat longer than that in the case of black.

[0003]

However, in the above-described apparatus capable of recording two colors of red and black, when a portion to be colored red is a solid region, a red region in one line is compared with a white or black region. It becomes bigger. When recording such a red solid area, the load of the thermal recording head increases to a considerable level, and if the red solid area is continuously recorded based on line data, a voltage drop will occur in the entire apparatus. This may cause adverse effects on other operations.
It can be said that this may occur even when an image is recorded with a black recording color for each line if there are many portions that are colored black.

[0004] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points, and when recording an image line by line, even if there is a continuous recording area in which the load on the recording head increases to a considerable level, the apparatus can be used. An image recording apparatus capable of continuing a stable recording operation without causing a voltage drop on the whole;
And a storage medium storing a program for controlling the image recording apparatus.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an image recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention records an image on a sheet while changing the load of a recording head line by line. In the image recording apparatus, before recording an image for each line, after decimating the content of line data in which the load of the recording head is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level, based on the decimated line data, It has a recording control means for driving a recording head.

According to such an image recording apparatus, when recording an image line by line, even if there is line data whose load on the recording head increases to a predetermined reference level, the contents of the line data are subjected to a thinning process. By driving the recording head based on such line data,
Since the load is reduced as compared with the case where the thinning process is not performed, even if there is a continuous recording area that increases the load on the recording head, a stable recording operation can be continued without causing a voltage drop in the entire apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the content of each line data should be driven for each recording element of the recording head. The recording control means thins out the driving dots from the corresponding line data when there is line data including a predetermined number or more of driving dots as the dot information.

According to such an image recording apparatus, in addition to the effect of the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect, even if there is line data that includes a predetermined number of driving dots or more and increases the load on the recording head, Since some of the driving dots are thinned out from the contents of the line data to become non-driving dots,
By reducing the number of driving dots during actual printing, the load on the printing head can be reduced.

Further, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet of paper while changing the load of the recording head line by line. At the time of recording, it is determined whether or not the content of each line data is a content in which the load of the recording head is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level. It is characterized by having a recording control means for thinning out the contents of line data to be printed and for driving the print head based on the thinned line data.

According to such an image recording apparatus, when recording an image line by line, the line data to be recorded next to the line data whose load on the recording head increases to a predetermined reference level is thinned out, By driving the recording head based on such line data, the load is reduced as compared with a case where the thinning process is not performed. A stable recording operation can be continued without causing any trouble.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image recording apparatus according to the third aspect, wherein the content of each line data should be driven for each recording element of the recording head. In the case where line information including a predetermined number or more of drive dots is included as the dot information, the print control section thins out drive dots from line data to be printed next.

According to such an image recording apparatus, in addition to the effect of the image recording apparatus according to the third aspect, even if there is line data which includes a predetermined number of driving dots or more and increases the load on the recording head, the data can be obtained. Since some of the drive dots are thinned out from the content of the line data to be printed next to be non-drive dots, the load on the print head can be reduced by reducing the number of drive dots during actual printing.

Further, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is an image recording apparatus which records an image on a sheet of paper while changing the load of a recording head for each line, wherein the image is recorded for each line. When the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows before printing, when a predetermined number or more of the dot rows in which the load of the print element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level is included. And a print control unit that drives out the print head based on the thinned line data based on a predetermined thinning pattern based on a predetermined thinning pattern.

According to such an image recording apparatus, for example, a dot pattern indicating that all the recording elements included in the recording element group are to be driven, that is, a dot row composed of only driving dots is a predetermined number or more in the line data. Even if the load of the print head increases depending on such line data, some of the drive dots are thinned out from the corresponding dot row of the line data to become non-drive dots. By reducing the number of driving dots during printing, the load on the print head can be reduced.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet while varying the load of a recording head for each line. When printing, when the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows, when the load of the print element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row contains a predetermined number or more of the dot rows that are equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level,
A dot row in the next line data to be printed at the same position as the corresponding dot row, or the entire line data to be printed next, is subjected to a thinning process based on a predetermined thinning pattern. Recording control means for driving the recording head based on the line data.

According to such an image recording apparatus, for example, a dot pattern indicating that all the recording elements included in the recording element group are to be driven, that is, a dot row composed of only driving dots is a predetermined number or more in the line data. Even if the load on the printhead increases depending on such line data, some of the drive dots are thinned out from the dot row of the line data to be printed next, and are made non-drive dots. Therefore, the load on the recording head can be reduced by reducing the number of driving dots during actual recording.

Further, an image recording apparatus according to the invention of claim 7 is the image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the recording control means includes a thinning pattern for each line data. Is changed to perform the thinning process.

According to such an image recording apparatus, in addition to the effect of the image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the thinning pattern differs for each line depending on the line data after the thinning processing. Therefore, in the whole image obtained as a recording result, it is possible to make image defects due to thinning out inconspicuous.

An image recording apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the image recording apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the recording control means comprises: In order to express an image in a recording color, the recording head is driven while the load base level is switched between high and low in accordance with each recording color, while the line data of a predetermined recording color in which the load base level is high, or the next same color A predetermined thinning process is performed only on the line data of.

According to such an image recording apparatus, in addition to the effects of the image recording apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, for example, two-color recording of red and black can be performed, and the red color is more than black. When the load base level of the recording head is increased during recording, only the red line data that increases the load and the next line data that is almost red following the load can be thinned out. Even when there is a red continuous recording area where the image is likely to be unstable, the recording operation can be stably continued.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image recording apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the recording head includes a plurality of heat generating elements for each dot. This is a thermal recording head having recording elements arranged in a line.

According to such an image recording apparatus, in addition to the effect of the image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the multicolor thermal paper is colored by the thermal recording method line by line. For example, an image composed of two colors of red and black can be expressed on thermal paper.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing a program for controlling an image recording apparatus which records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet. A medium, before recording an image for each line, after decimating the content of line data in which the load of the recording head is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level, and then performing recording on the recording head based on the decimated line data. And a program including a recording control program for driving the.

According to such a storage medium, by operating the CPU based on the stored program,
The operation of the image recording apparatus according to claim 1 can be realized.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing a program for controlling an image recording apparatus which records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet. A medium that determines whether or not the content of each line data is a content that causes a load on a print head to be equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level when recording an image for each line; If it is determined that the line data to be printed next is thinned out, a program including a print control program for driving the print head based on the thinned line data is stored. Features.

According to such a storage medium, by operating the CPU based on the stored program,
The operation of the image recording apparatus according to the third aspect can be realized.

A storage medium according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention stores a program for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line of a sheet. The medium, before printing an image for each line, when the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows, the load of the print element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row is not less than a predetermined reference level. When a predetermined number of dot rows are included, the print control for driving the print head based on the thinned line data is performed by thinning out the dots from the corresponding dot row based on a predetermined thinning pattern. A program including a program is stored.

According to such a storage medium, by operating the CPU based on the stored program,
The operation of the image recording apparatus according to claim 5 can be realized.

Further, the storage medium according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention stores a program for controlling an image recording apparatus which records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet. The medium, when an image is recorded for each line, when the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows, the load of the recording element group of the recording head corresponding to each dot row becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level. When a predetermined number or more of the dot rows are included, the dot row in the next line data to be printed at the same position as the corresponding dot row or the entire line data to be printed next is determined based on the predetermined thinning pattern. Including a print control program for driving the print head based on the thinned line data Characterized in that the stored.

According to such a storage medium, by operating the CPU based on the stored program,
The operation of the image recording apparatus according to claim 6 can be realized.

[0031]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a facsimile apparatus as one embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. This facsimile apparatus has various functions such as a scanner function, a printer function (recording function), and a copying function in addition to a facsimile transmission / reception function. The description focuses on the copy function including the printer function.

As shown in FIG. 1, the facsimile apparatus has a C
PU10, NCU11, RAM12, modem 13, RO
M14, an EEPROM 15, a gate array 16, a codec 17, a DMAC 18, a reading unit 21, a recording unit 22, an operation unit 23, a display unit 24, and the like. The CPU 10, the NCU 11, the RAM 12, the modem 13, the ROM 14, the EEPROM 15, the gate array 16, the codec 17, and the DMAC 18 are interconnected by a bus line 26. The bus line 26 includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control signal line. The gate array 16 includes a reading unit 21, a recording unit 22,
The operation unit 23 and the display unit 24 are connected. NC
A public telephone line 27 is connected to U11.

The CPU 10 controls the operation of the entire facsimile machine. The NCU 11 is connected to the public telephone line 27 and performs network control. The RAM 12 is used as a work area of the CPU 10, a storage area for various data, and the like, and has a power backup. The modem 13 modulates and demodulates facsimile data. ROM 14 is stored in C
The PU 10 stores data such as programs to be executed and setting values. The EEPROM 15 stores various flags, setting data, and the like. The gate array 16 has a CP
It functions as an interface between U10 and each of the units 21 to 24. The codec 17 performs encoding and decoding of facsimile data. The DMAC 18 mainly writes and reads data to and from the RAM 12.

The reading section 21 includes an image sensor for reading an image from a document or the like, an LED (not shown) as a light source, and the like, and mainly implements a scanner function. Recording section 22
Is provided with a thermal recording head (not shown) for recording an image on thermal paper by a thermal recording method, and mainly implements a printer function. The thermal recording head has
Heating elements (printing elements) are provided at equal pitch intervals in a line shape. The operation unit 23 is for transmitting an operation signal corresponding to a key operation or the like of the user to the CPU 10.
The display unit 24 includes an LCD or the like, and displays status information of the facsimile machine.

To explain the gist of the present invention, a facsimile apparatus is slightly different from a facsimile apparatus which performs copying by a general thermal recording method. It has a copying function of recording on thermal paper in color. In order to realize such a copying function, the reading unit 21 is provided with, for example, yellow and red LEDs having different emission colors, and when reading an image line by line from a document via an image scanner, one line is read. During reading, yellow and red LEDs are exclusively turned on / off. When the yellow LED emits light, the red and black pixels are recognized equally by the light receiving element of the image scanner without distinction, while when the red LED emits light, only the black pixel is recognized. The read pixel information for one line obtained for each of the light emission colors is
Red line data is generated by performing predetermined arithmetic processing on 0. The black line data of the same line is generated based on the amount of reflected light obtained when only the red LED emits light. Such line data of each color of red and black is data used for printing described later, and includes, as a driving dot and a non-driving dot, whether to drive each heating element of the thermal print head. Dot information is included. Specifically, the dot information is configured in bit units with the driving dot being “1” and the non-driving dot being “0”. In order to further reduce the calculation processing load on the CPU 10, the dot information can be handled every 8 bits, for example. Have been.

On the other hand, in the recording section 22, the heating elements of the thermal recording head are individually driven and controlled based on the line data of the respective red and black colors, and the heat applied to the thermosensitive paper from the respective heating elements differs for each of the red and black recording colors. Is controlled for each line. Specifically, when each heating element of the thermal recording head is controlled by the CPU 10 based on the black line data, the element corresponding to the drive dot “1” is driven under a load base level with a predetermined energization time. At the same time, the one corresponding to the non-drive dot “0” is not driven. On the other hand, when controlled based on the red line data, each heating element of the thermal print head corresponds to the drive dot “1” under the load base level where the energization time is set to be about three times longer than in the case of black. While the object is driven, the one corresponding to the non-drive dot “0” is not driven. As the thermal paper for recording, a multi-color thermal paper in which a coloring layer is formed for each color of red and black is used. On this multi-color thermal paper, 1 mm is set according to the amount of heat given from each heating element of the thermal recording head. A red-black image is formed for each line. In other words, the contents of the line data for one line
When a large number of red driving dots are included compared to black driving dots and non-driving dots corresponding to blanks, the load on the thermal print head is increased to a considerably higher level than during normal black and white line recording without red. Can be

For this reason, if an original containing a large amount of a solid red area is read and recorded, a high load on the thermal recording head may cause a voltage drop in the entire apparatus. Therefore, in the present embodiment, before recording an image for each line, a predetermined thinning process is performed on the red line data.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of the thinning processing for the red line data. Referring to FIG. 2, 8 dots are included in the entire dot information of the red line data corresponding to the recording of each row. When a predetermined number or more of the dot rows indicated as “FF (H)” in hexadecimal notation in which all bits are drive dots “1”, the CPU 10 determines that the red line data is a part of the red solid area. To perform the thinning process. For example, as shown in the figure, “FF (H)” in the red line data of the nth row is changed to “77 (H)” based on a predetermined thinning pattern. Then, originally 8
Since the heating elements are driven by setting two non-driving dots “0” among the driving dots “1” in which all the dots are red, in actual printing, the number of driving dots is reduced and thermal printing is performed. The overall head load is somewhat reduced. Subsequently, the CPU 10 also executes the (n + 1) th line.
Performs a thinning process by making a similar determination.
The thinning process is performed based on a thinning pattern different from the previous row (nth row). As a result, “FF (H)” in the red line data of the (n + 1) th row is changed to “DD (H)”. Further, thinning processing is performed on the red line data of the (n + 2) and (n + 3) th rows based on different thinning patterns. By performing such a series of thinning processing, even if the red line data has the same content before the thinning processing, the red line data may have different contents after the thinning processing.
In addition, it is assumed that the number of driving dots is reduced, and even if recording of each line is continued based on these, image defects due to thinning-out do not become conspicuous.

That is, before recording an image for each line, when the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows, the CPU 10 prints a recording element group (a heating element for eight dots) of the recording head corresponding to each dot row. ) Includes a predetermined number or more of dot rows (dot patterns in which all the dots are drive dots “1”) in which the load is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level, the dots are extracted from the corresponding dot rows based on a predetermined thinning pattern. A print control unit that performs the thinning process and then drives the print head based on the thinned line data is realized.

The ROM 14 is a storage medium that stores a program for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image while varying the load on the recording head for each line on a sheet. Before recording an image, when line data is divided into multiple dot rows,
When a predetermined number or more of dot rows in which the load of the printing element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level are included, dots are thinned out from the corresponding dot row based on a predetermined thinning pattern. Thereafter, a storage medium that stores a program including a print control program for driving the print head based on the thinned line data is realized.

Next, the operation when copying is performed by the facsimile apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of red and black copy processing in the facsimile machine. As shown in this figure, first, the CPU 10 operates the reading unit 21 at the start of copying to acquire red and black line data for each line (S1). Normally, the user instructs the start of copying after a document or the like is set at a predetermined position of the reading unit 21. When the copying is instructed, the image scanner reads the image line by line. Starting, the red and black line data are sequentially written to the RAM 12. The line data has a data amount of, for example, 208 bytes as data for one line for each color of red and black, and the contents include dot information as shown in FIG.

Subsequently, the CPU 10 transmits only the red line data to the R while reading the image scanner.
While reading from the AM12, "FF (H)" in hexadecimal notation with all 8 bits as the driving dot "1" from the content
It is determined whether or not a predetermined number of dot rows (all red dot rows) are included (S2).

If the predetermined number of all red dot rows is set to “FF (H)” (S2: YES), the CPU 1
0 performs the thinning process on the corresponding red line data (S3). This thinning process is performed for each line in FIG.
The thinning pattern stored in advance in the ROM 14 or the EEPROM 15 is used. Note that a plurality of types of thinning patterns are prepared.

Immediately thereafter, the CPU 10 changes the pattern designation information for designating the type of the thinning pattern (S
4). The thinning pattern is determined based on the contents of the pattern specification information. However, during the thinning processing of the next line, since the contents of the pattern specification information have been changed,
The same thinning result cannot be obtained even between adjacent line data having the same contents. The pattern specification information is
It is held in a register of the CPU 10 or the like.

Thereafter, the CPU 10 reads the black line data taken into the RAM 12, and outputs the data as it is to the thermal print head (S5).
At this time, the load base level of the thermal recording head suitable for black recording, that is, a strobe signal for black corresponding to the energizing time of the heating element for producing black is also output to the thermal recording head. Black one-line recording is performed via the thermal recording head.

Subsequently, the CPU 10 outputs the red line data thinned out on the same line as the black line data immediately after S5 to the thermal recording head (S6). At this time, a strobe signal for red corresponding to a load base level of the thermal recording head suitable for red recording, that is, an energization time that is about three times longer than when the color is made black, is also output to the thermal recording head. As a result, red one-line recording is performed via the thermal recording head switched to a high load state, but the driving load becomes so high because some drive dots are thinned out from the red line data. There is no.

When the recording process for one line is completed as described above, the CPU 10 conveys one line of the multicolor thermal paper (recording paper) using a recording motor or the like (S7).

Thereafter, the CPU 10 determines whether or not to terminate the recording process in accordance with the remaining state of the line data in the RAM 12 (S8). If the recording process is to be terminated (S8: YES), the entire copying process is performed. The operation of is ended.

At S8, the line data is stored in the RAM 12
(S8: N)
O), the CPU 10 returns to S2 again.

In step S2, if all the red dot rows designated as "FF (H)" are not included in a predetermined number or more (S2: N
O), the CPU 10 does not perform the thinning process on the corresponding red line data,
Is output to the thermal print head as it is (S9).

Immediately after S9, the CPU 10 reads out the red line data of the same line as the black line data from the RAM 12, outputs the data as it is to the thermal print head (S10), and then proceeds to S7. In other words, with respect to red line data that does not include a large number of all red dot rows set as “FF (H)”, it is not necessary to perform the thinning process, and the recording is performed in a state where a high load is applied but a certain load is not applied.

Therefore, according to the facsimile apparatus having the above-described configuration and operation, when recording an image for each line, even if there is red line data for which the recording head should be in a high load state, the red line data is By driving the thermal recording head based on such red line data, a certain number of driving dots are thinned out from the content,
The load is reduced as compared with the case where recording is performed without performing the thinning processing. That is, even if there is a continuous solid red area that increases the load on the recording head, a stable recording operation without causing a voltage drop in the entire apparatus, and a reading operation associated therewith can be continued.

As a modification of the above-described embodiment, the line data to be recorded at the present time is not subjected to the thinning process, but is recorded next according to the number of “FF (H)” at the current time. A configuration in which thinning processing is performed on power line data may be used. That is, in order to speed up data processing, the line data is read from the reading unit 21 to the RAM 1.
2 is temporarily stored in a read storage area, and then transferred from the storage area to the recording buffer in units of lines. During the transfer, the transfer timing is set via a logic circuit or the like. May be configured to determine the number of “FF (H)” included in the line data every time. In such a case, the line data once stored in the recording buffer is directly sent to the recording unit 22 without being thinned out, and the number of “FF (H)” included in the line data is equal to or more than a predetermined number. If it is determined by the logic circuit that the line data to be printed next is thinned out before being transferred to the recording buffer. This makes it possible to transfer the line data at high speed and smoothly. For example, when the red solid area is considerably large, it is possible to thin out most red lines except the first one line, Accordingly, the load on the thermal recording head can be reduced.

As the thinning-out processing, all the dot rows included in one line data may be subjected to the same kind of thinning-out pattern. Such a thinning process can be applied to a thinning process for line data to be recorded at the present time regardless of whether or not the thinning process is for the next line data.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, the recording colors are not limited to two colors of red and black, but may be three or more colors. In addition, when the recording color is red rather than black, the load on the thermal recording head is increased. Therefore, the thinning process is performed only on red. Processing may be performed. Furthermore, the same thinning-out processing may be performed even when monochromatic recording of only black is performed.

As another method of the thinning process, the following method may be used. For example, the driving dot “1” is set for every dot included in each line data.
It is determined whether or not the drive dot is “0”. For line data including a predetermined number or more of drive dots, drive dots are thinned out from the entire line data based on a predetermined thinning pattern. Subsequently, when performing the thinning process on the next line data, the thinning process is performed based on a thinning pattern different from the previous line data. According to such a method, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the facsimile apparatus, the operation at the time of executing the copying function has been described. However, not only the copying but also the recording of a received image and the recording of an image in response to an output request from a personal computer are performed as described above. The processing is performed in the same procedure as described above.

As the reading means, a contact type image scanner or the like is preferably used. However, the reading means is not limited to the contact type, and a linear CCD (Charge Coupled Device) employing a reduction optical system is used.
: Charge-coupled device) or a CCD having a light-receiving surface composed of a plurality of pixels vertically and horizontally.

As a reading method, a method of switching light sources of different light emission colors is used. A method of switching light emission colors by a color filter using one light source, or a method of receiving light of different wavelength colors by a spectral prism corresponding to each color. A method leading to a device may be used. Furthermore, color C that can be directly separated
A method of reading a color image using a CD or the like may be used.

The apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a facsimile apparatus, but can be applied to, for example, an electronic bulletin board.

In addition, items other than the above-described characteristic features of the present invention, particularly, numerical values and data formats, are merely examples, and can be appropriately designed and modified as long as the functions and effects of the present invention are not impaired. It is.

[0065]

As described above, according to the image recording apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, when recording an image line by line, the line data whose load on the recording head increases to a predetermined reference level is obtained. Even if there is, the content of the line data is decimated, and by driving the recording head based on such line data, the load is reduced as compared with the case where the decimating process is not performed. Even if there is a continuous recording area to be increased, a stable recording operation can be continued without causing a voltage drop in the entire apparatus.

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the image recording apparatus of the first aspect, a line which includes a predetermined number or more of drive dots and increases the load on the recording head is provided. Even if there is data, some of the drive dots are thinned out from the contents of the line data to be non-drive dots, so the load on the print head can be reduced by reducing the number of drive dots during actual printing. it can.

Further, according to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, when recording an image line by line, the image should be recorded next to the line data whose load on the recording head increases to a predetermined reference level. Line data is thinned out, and by driving the recording head based on such line data, the load is reduced as compared with the case where no thinning processing is performed. Thus, a stable recording operation can be continued without causing a voltage drop in the entire apparatus.

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the image recording apparatus of the third aspect, a line which includes a predetermined number or more of drive dots and increases the load on the recording head is provided. Even if there is data, some of the drive dots are thinned out from the content of the line data to be printed next and become non-drive dots, so the reduction in the number of drive dots during actual printing causes The load can be reduced.

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, for example, a dot pattern indicating that all the recording elements included in the recording element group should be driven, that is, a dot row consisting of only driving dots, Even if a predetermined number or more is included in the line data, and even if the load on the recording head increases depending on such line data, some of the driving dots are thinned out from the corresponding dot row of the line data and the non-driving is performed. Since the dots are used, the load on the recording head can be reduced by reducing the number of driving dots during actual recording.

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, for example, a dot pattern indicating that all the recording elements included in the recording element group should be driven, that is, a dot row composed of only driving dots, Even if a predetermined number or more is included in the line data and the load on the recording head increases depending on such line data, some of the drive dots are thinned out from the dot row of the line data to be recorded next. Therefore, the load on the print head can be reduced by reducing the number of drive dots during actual printing.

Further, according to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the image recording apparatus of any one of the first to sixth aspects, the image recording apparatus can also use the line data after the thinning processing. Since the thinning pattern is different for each line, in the whole image obtained as a printing result, the image defect due to the thinning can be made inconspicuous.

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the image recording apparatus of any one of the first to seventh aspects, for example, red-black 2
If color recording is possible, and the recording head's load base level is increased when recording red rather than black, the red line data that increases the load and the next line data that is almost red after that Since only the thinning process can be performed, the recording operation can be stably continued even when there is a red continuous recording area where the recording operation is likely to be unstable.

Further, according to the image recording apparatus of the ninth aspect, in addition to the effects of the image recording apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, a multi-line thermal recording method is used for each line. The color thermal paper can be colored, for example, an image composed of two colors of red and black can be expressed on the thermal paper.

According to the storage medium of the present invention, by operating the CPU based on the stored program, the operation of the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be realized. .

Further, according to the storage medium of the present invention, the CPU is executed based on the stored program.
The operation of the image recording apparatus according to the third aspect can be realized by operating.

According to the storage medium of the present invention, by operating the CPU based on the stored program, the operation of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention can be realized. .

Further, according to the storage medium of the present invention, the CPU is executed based on the stored program.
The operation of the image recording apparatus according to claim 6 can be realized by operating.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a facsimile apparatus as an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the details of a thinning process for red line data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a red-black copying process in the facsimile machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 CPU 11 NCU 12 RAM 13 Modem 14 ROM 15 EEPROM 16 Gate array 17 Codec 18 DMAC 21 Reading part 22 Recording part 23 Operation part 24 Display part

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus for recording an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet, wherein the recording head has a predetermined load before recording an image for each line. An image recording apparatus, comprising: recording control means for driving the recording head based on the thinned line data after thinning out the content of line data having a reference level or higher. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the content of each line data includes dot information indicating whether or not to drive each printing element of the printing head. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when there is line data included, drive dots are thinned out from the corresponding line data. 3. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet while varying the load of a recording head for each line, wherein the content of each line data is determined by the load of the recording head when recording an image for each line. Is determined to be a content that is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level, and if it is determined that the line data is equal to or higher than the predetermined reference level, the content of the line data to be recorded next is thinned out. An image recording apparatus, comprising: recording control means for driving the recording head based on line data after pulling. 4. The content of each line data includes dot information indicating whether or not to drive each recording element of the recording head, and the recording control means includes a predetermined number of driving dots as the dot information. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when there is line data included, drive dots are thinned out from the line data to be recorded next. 5. An image recording apparatus for recording an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet, wherein the line data is converted into a plurality of dot rows before the image is recorded for each line. At the time of division, if the load of the print element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row includes a predetermined number or more of the dot rows at which the load is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level, based on a predetermined thinning pattern from the corresponding dot row. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a recording control unit that performs dot thinning processing and then drives the print head based on the thinned line data. 6. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet while varying the load of a recording head for each line, wherein the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows when recording an image for each line. At this time, when a predetermined number or more of dot rows in which the load of the recording element group of the recording head corresponding to each dot row is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level are included, the next recording at the same position as the corresponding dot row is performed. A thinning process is performed on a dot row in the line data to be printed or the entire line data to be printed next based on a predetermined thinning pattern, and thereafter, the print head is driven based on the thinned line data. An image recording apparatus comprising a control unit. 7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording control means performs a thinning process by changing a thinning pattern for each line data. 8. The printing control means drives the printing head while switching the load base level between high and low in accordance with each printing color so as to represent an image with a plurality of printing colors for each line, while driving the printing head. 8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined thinning-out process is performed only on line data of a predetermined recording color whose base level is high or on line data of the next same color. 9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is a thermal recording head having a large number of recording elements that generate heat for each dot in a line. 10. A storage medium storing a program for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet, wherein the image is recorded for each line. Before performing a thinning process on the content of the line data in which the load of the printhead is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level, and a program including a print control program for driving the printhead based on the thinned line data. A storage medium characterized by being stored. 11. A storage medium storing a program for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet. It is determined whether or not the content of each line data is such that the load on the recording head is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference level. If it is determined that the line data is equal to or higher than the predetermined reference level, the next recording is performed. A storage medium storing a program including a print control program for driving the printhead based on the thinned line data after thinning the contents of the line data to be processed. 12. A storage medium storing a program for controlling an image recording apparatus for recording an image while varying the load of a recording head on a sheet for each line, wherein the image is recorded for each line. Before performing the above, when the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows, and when the load of the print element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row includes a predetermined number of dot rows or more, the corresponding A program including a print control program for driving the print head based on the thinned-out line data based on a thinned-out pattern based on a predetermined thinned-out pattern. Storage medium. 13. A storage medium storing a program for controlling an image recording apparatus which records an image while varying the load of a recording head for each line on a sheet. When the line data is divided into a plurality of dot rows, if the load of the print element group of the print head corresponding to each dot row includes a predetermined number or more of the dot rows, the corresponding case is included. A dot row in the next line data to be printed at the same position as the dot row to be printed, or the entire line data to be printed next, is subjected to a thinning processing based on a predetermined thinning pattern, and then the thinned line is processed. A storage medium storing a program including a print control program for driving the print head based on data.