JP2003170629A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus having a plurality of image processing parts for converting input data to printing data and having enhanced image processing performance. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus is provided with a control circuit for receiving input data and sending printing data to an engine, a plurality of plotting modules connected to the control circuit in parallel for developing the input data to printing data by an instruction from the control circuit, and a storage means for storing at least one of input data and printing data outside the plotting modules. The control circuit instructs using the storage means so that any of a plurality of plotting control circuits can carry out the developing process of input data to printing data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer,
More specifically, it relates to print data creation in an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a printer,
The print control circuit expands the input print job data into bitmap data (printing) and supplies it to the engine unit. The engine section receives the bitmap data and forms an image on a sheet. Specifically, the drawing (RIP) control circuit in the print control circuit expands to bitmap data.

[0003]

Considering the current development of electronic devices and the spread of network environments, it is considered that a printer is provided with a plurality of drawing control circuits and a plurality of print jobs (input data) are processed in parallel. To be However, at present, parallel processing of a plurality of print jobs using a plurality of drawing modules is not known. In a multi-drawing control circuit including such a plurality of drawing modules, it is desirable to improve the performance of image processing.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus having a plurality of image processing units for converting input data into print data and having improved image processing performance.

[0005]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a control circuit that receives input data and sends print data to an engine, and the control circuit in parallel, and receives the input data according to an instruction from the control circuit. Multiple drawing modules that expand the
A storage unit for storing at least one of input data and print data is provided outside the drawing module. The control circuit commands the use of the storage means so that any one of the plurality of drawing control circuits can expand the input data into the print data.

In the above image processing apparatus, for example,
A bus control circuit for opening and closing the bus is provided in each of the buses connected to the hard disk device and each of the plurality of drawing modules.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned image processing apparatus and a print section for receiving and printing print data developed by a drawing module of the image processing apparatus.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a plurality of drawing (RI
P) shows an overall configuration of a printer using a print control circuit including a module. In this printer, the host interface unit 100 receives job data from the host computer. The print control circuit 200 receives the job data from the host interface unit 100 and rasterizes the job data (input data) into print data (raster data) by rasterizing (RIP) processing. The printing unit 300 includes a print engine 304, and the engine interface 30.
Multi drawing (RIP) control circuit 2 via 2
The print data received from 00 is received, and the print engine 304 forms an image on a sheet.

As shown in FIG. 2, the print control circuit 200 is composed of a main board 210 and a plurality of drawing modules (image processing units) 250 that can be inserted into and removed from the main board. The main board 210 includes a host, a printing unit 300, and each drawing module 2.
CPU212, ASIC214 for communication with 50,
A hard disk device 218 is arranged in addition to the memory 216 and the like. The memory 216 has a small storage capacity necessary for the operation of the CPU 212. In contrast,
The hard disk device 218 has a large capacity for storing print data expanded in a bitmap. For example, the data expanded into a bitmap in page units is stored in the hard disk (about 4 Mbytes / page for one color A4 size). Each drawing module 250 has different contents of image processing. The CPU 212 causes an appropriate RIP controller 250 to perform processing according to the content of the job.

The drawing module 250 has CPUs 252 and A for drawing print data, respectively.
A SIC 254, a memory 256, etc. are arranged. This has the same configuration as a normal drawing module. Multiple drawing modules operate in parallel. The memory 256 is C
It has a small storage capacity necessary for the operation of the PU 252. Each drawing module 250 is connected to the hard disk device 21 arranged on the main board 210 via the bus control circuit 220 arranged on the main board 210. Bus control circuit 22
0 is a gate that opens and closes upon receiving an open or close bus control signal from the CPU 212. CP
The U212 controls the use of the bus between the drawing module 250 and the hard disk device 218 by the bus control signal. Further, each drawing module 250 sends a use request (request) or a use end command of the hard disk device to the CPU 212 of the main board, and
It receives a command of permission of use and address assignment from the CPU 212. Each drawing module 250 shares the hard disk device 218, as will be specifically described below.

The rendering module 250 uses raster processing (R
When the hard disk device 218 is required for IP), a request for using the hard disk device 218 is sent to the CPU 212 mounted on the main board. The CPU 212 uses the other drawing module 2 at the same time.
If there is no request for hard disk drive from 50,
An address is assigned to the requested drawing module 250 and the use of the hard disk device 218 is permitted. At the same time as this address allocation, the CPU 212 opens the bus control circuit 220.
Of the bus control signal from the drawing module 250 to enable use of the bus. Drawing module 250 permitted to use the hard disk device 218
Performs the process using the assigned address, and when the process is completed, sends a command to complete the request of the hard disk device 218 to the CPU 212 on the main board. The CPU 212 uses the drawing module 25.
When receiving a command to terminate the use of the hard disk device 218 from 0, a close bus control signal is issued to the bus control circuit 220 to disconnect the bus connection to the hard disk device 218.

FIG. 3 shows the CPU 2 of the drawing module 250.
The flowchart of the process of 52 is shown. When the job is received (YES in S100), the hard disk device 21
It is determined whether 8 is required (S102). When it is determined that the hard disk device 218 is necessary (YES in S102), the CPU 212 mounted on the main board
A hard disk device 218 use request command is transmitted to the server (S104). Hard disk device 218
Is permitted (YES in S106), processing is performed using the assigned address (S108 to S1).
10). When processing is completed, CP on the main board
A command for ending the use of the hard disk device 218 is sent to U212 (S112).

FIG. 4 shows the CPU 21 of the main board 210.
The flowchart of the process of 2 is shown. When the hard disk device 218 is not in use (NO in S200) and the use request (request) of the hard disk device 218 is received (YES in S202), the drawing module 2 requested
Addresses are assigned to 50 (S204). Further, an open bus control signal is issued to the bus control circuit 220 (S206) to enable use of the bus from the drawing module 250. When the hard disk device 218 is in use (S
When the end of use of the hard disk device 218 is notified (YES in S208), a close bus control signal is issued to the bus control circuit 220 (S210) to disconnect the bus connection to the hard disk device 218. To do.

In the printer provided with the plurality of drawing modules, since the large capacity hard disk device 218 is shared, the performance of the image processing can be improved by using the large storage capacity. That is, the processing speed can be increased, and a large-capacity job can be processed.

In general, since the hard disk device 218 has a larger capacity than the memory of each drawing module, it can be used for overflow data (before and after expansion) even if the memory of the drawing module 250 is used. Therefore, the processing speed can be increased and a large job can be handled.

A shared hard disk device 218
Can also be used to receive data from other devices (eg job data from the host). That is, if the processing priority and the use area in the hard disk device 218 are defined in advance, it can be used for purposes other than drawing processing.

In this embodiment, the data processed by each drawing module 250 is printed by the printing unit 300.
Is printed with. However, different drawing units may be connected to the respective drawing modules.

Further, in this embodiment, the hard disk device is provided on the main board. However, the shared hard disk device may be located anywhere and may be provided outside the printer.

[0019]

Since a plurality of drawing modules share a large-capacity storage device, a large storage capacity can be used and performance can be improved. That is, it is possible to increase the processing speed and process a large-capacity job.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer including a plurality of image processing units (RIP units).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printer that shares a hard disk device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the processing of the CPU of the drawing module.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing of the CPU of the main board.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 100 host interface unit, 200 print control circuit, 200 print unit, 210
Main board, 212 CPU, 218 hard disk drive, 220 bus control circuit,
250 multiple drawing modules (image processing unit), 2
52 CPU, 300 printing section.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A control circuit that receives input data and sends print data to an engine; a plurality of drawing modules that are connected in parallel to the control circuit and expand the input data into print data according to an instruction from the control circuit; A storage unit for storing at least one of input data and print data is provided outside the drawing module, and the control circuit is configured to perform a process of expanding the input data into print data by any one of the plurality of drawing control circuits. An image processing apparatus, characterized by instructing the use of the storage means so that it can be performed. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bus control circuit for opening and closing the bus is provided in each of the buses connected to the hard disk device and each of the plurality of drawing modules. 3. An image forming apparatus comprising: the image processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 2; and a print unit that receives and prints print data developed by a drawing module of the image processing apparatus.