JP2005175946A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of obtaining an aggregated image in which a color image and a monochrome image are respectively reduced as the color image and the monochrome image, and also capable of executing clear printing of the monochrome area in the aggregated image. <P>SOLUTION: At first, an attribute discriminating means is provided which discriminates the attribute of whether an original manuscript image is the color image or the monochrome image. Next, an aggregated image forming means is provided which reduces the original manuscript image in a state of maintaining the attribute and forms one aggregated image by allotting the reduced original manuscript image to a plurality of areas. Further, a plurality of the regions are collectively printed for each attribute. Thus, a printing means for each attribute is provided which prints the aggregated image on one sheet of paper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral, a copying machine, or a network printer.

  One of the convenient functions of recent multifunction peripherals, copiers, etc. is an integrated copy function that reduces multiple original images and assigns them to a single page for copying, contributing greatly to saving paper resources. Yes. This collective copying function will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the collective copying function of the conventional image forming apparatus.

  When the user instructs, for example, an aggregation copy of four document images, the reading unit 11 first reads these document images one by one and forms image data on the memory 13. This image data is, for example, two-dimensional orthogonal coordinates (x, y) as shown in FIG. 6 (a), and the additive three primary colors red (R: Red), green (G: Green), blue This is a vector field (R (x, y), G (x, y), B (x, y)) to which the luminance of (B: Blue) is assigned. The image data thus formed is stored in the storage means 14 such as a hard disk.

  When the reading unit 11 reads four documents in this way, the region generation unit 12 generates four regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 for forming a reduced image on the memory 13. As shown in FIG. 6B, this corresponds to four divisions of the two-dimensional coordinates, and is specifically performed as follows.

  That is, if the maximum size of the read original image is (0,0) ≦ (x, y) ≦ (M, N) in the above coordinates, (0,0) ≦ (x, y) ≦ (M / 2, N / 2) region R1, (M / 2,0) ≤ (x, y) ≤ (M, N / 2) region R2, (0, N / 2) ≤ (x, The region of y) ≦ (M / 2, N) is defined as region R3, and the region of (M / 2, N / 2) ≦ (x, y) ≦ (M, N) is defined as region R4.

  Next, the image reduction means 16 generates a reduced image obtained by reducing the original image by half. There are various methods for reducing the image, but the simplest method is to thin out image data in which either x or y coordinates are odd and perform coordinate conversion (x, y) → (x / 2, y / 2). That is. Then, the image reduction means 16 assigns the obtained four reduced images to the four regions R1, R2, R3, R4. Specifically, the first reduced image is assigned to the region R1 by not performing coordinate conversion. The second reduced image is assigned to the region R2 by coordinate transformation (x, y) → (x, y) + (M / 2, 0). The third reduced image is assigned to region R3 by coordinate transformation (x, y) → (x, y) + (0, N / 2), and the fourth reduced image is coordinate transformed (x, y) → ( Assign to region R4 by x, y) + (M / 2, N / 2).

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 6C, the four images A, B, C, and D are reduced to form one aggregated image that is allocated to the regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 and printed. The means 15 prints this aggregated image.

  However, in the above method, even if the document image is a black and white image, all the document images are reduced as color images, so hardware resources such as a memory are used more than necessary, and the processing takes time. The problem was caused.

As a method for solving this, reduction processing as a color image is performed only when a predetermined number or more of the document images are color images, and in all other cases, reduction processing is performed on all the document images as black and white images, and the combined image Techniques for forming the above are disclosed in the following patent documents.
JP 9-138608 A

  However, it is difficult to say that the technique of the above-mentioned patent document completely supports the case where a color image and a black and white image are mixed in an original image. That is, even when the user wants to output a color image as a color and a black and white image as a black and white image, the aggregated image printed as a result of a series of processes becomes a color image or a black and white image as a whole. Either.

  Further, when information that can be identified only by color is included depending on the image, even if the image is only one, it is necessary to output only this image in color. In such a case, if all the images are processed as color images for the time being, in addition to the waste of hardware resources as described above, the following problems also arise.

  In general, color images are printed by converting the three primary colors of red, green, and blue, subtracting the three primary colors of cyan (C: Cyan), magenta (M: Magenta), and yellow (Y: Yellow), and black. This is done by creating (K: blacK) print data and printing each color toner or ink on paper. Due to the calculation error at the time of this conversion, the black printing in the color image is duller in color and the edge of the image is blurred than that in the black and white image. In this sense, it can be said that it is not preferable to process all images as color images.

  The present invention has been proposed based on the above-described conventional circumstances, and an aggregated image obtained by reducing a color image and a monochrome image as a color image and a monochrome image, respectively, is obtained, and the monochrome area of the aggregated image is obtained. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which printing is performed clearly.

  The present invention employs the following means in order to achieve the above object.

  First, the present invention is premised on an image forming apparatus including an image reducing unit that reduces a plurality of document images and assigns them to a plurality of areas to form one aggregated image. In the image forming apparatus, an attribute discriminating unit that discriminates whether the original image is a color image or a monochrome image is provided. Thus, the subsequent processing is performed separately for the color image and the monochrome image.

  Next, aggregated image forming means is provided for reducing the original image while maintaining its attributes and allocating it to a plurality of areas to form one aggregated image. That is, the color image is reduced in color and the black and white image is reduced in black and white, and an aggregated image in which the color area and the monochrome area are mixed is formed.

  Also, an attribute-specific printing unit is provided for printing the aggregated image on one sheet of paper by printing the plurality of areas together by the attribute. That is, the color area and the monochrome area of the aggregated image are divided, and color printing is performed for the color area and monochrome printing is performed for the monochrome area at once. As a result, an aggregate image in which a color area and a monochrome area are mixed can be printed on one sheet of paper.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an aggregate image obtained by reducing a color image and a monochrome image as a color image and a monochrome image can be obtained at high speed, hardware resources can be saved, and the monochrome area of the aggregate image can be saved. Printing can be performed clearly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the integrated copying function of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the integrated copying of the present invention.

  For example, when the user gives an instruction to collect and copy four original images, the reading means 11 first reads these original images one by one, and forms image data on the memory 13 (FIG. 2). Step S201).

  When the reading unit 11 reads four documents in this way, the region generation unit 12 generates four regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 for forming a reduced image on the memory 13 (step S202 in FIG. 2). ). Since this process is the same as that of the background art, the description thereof is omitted (see FIG. 6B).

  Then, the attribute discriminating unit 17 discriminates the attribute of whether each original image is a color image or a black and white image (step S203 in FIG. 2). There are various methods for determining this, but the simplest method is as follows.

  The image data read by the reading unit 11 is, for example, red (R: Red), which is an additive primary color of two colors, in two-dimensional orthogonal coordinates (x, y) as shown in FIG. It is a vector field (R (x, y), G (x, y), B (x, y)) assigned with luminances of green (G: Green) and blue (B: Blue). When R (x, y) = G (x, y) = B (x, y) holds at all coordinates (x, y) at the stage of reading one original image, it is determined that the image is a monochrome image To do. Otherwise, it is determined as a color image.

  When the image data is color, the image data is stored in the storage means 14 such as a hard disk as in the background art (step S203 No. → S204 in FIG. 2). On the other hand, when it is determined that the image data is black and white, the attribute determination unit 17 stores only one color data, for example, G (x, y), in the storage unit 14 (step S203 Yes → S206 in FIG. 2). In this way, hardware resources can be saved.

  Next, the image reducing means 16 in the aggregated image forming means 18 generates a reduced image obtained by reducing the original image by half (steps S205 and S207 in FIG. 2), and the obtained four reduced images are converted into the above-mentioned reduced images. An aggregated image is formed by allocating to the four regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 (step S208 in FIG. 2). This reduction and allocation process is the same as in the background art, but the monochrome image has only G (x, y) 1 color data as described above, so the processing speed is improved. At this time, the aggregated image forming unit 18 stores attribute information indicating whether each of the regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 is a color region or a monochrome region.

  Thus, for example, when four original images A, B, C, and D are read, and A and D are color images and B and C are black and white images, as shown in FIG. A consolidated image can be obtained while maintaining the attributes of the original image such that the regions R1 and R4 are color and the regions R2 and R3 are black and white (step S209 in FIG. 2).

  Next, a procedure for printing the aggregated image thus obtained will be described.

  First, the aggregate image forming unit 18 transfers the attribute information to the attribute-specific printing unit 19 (step S210 in FIG. 2). Here, it is assumed that the regions R1 and R4 are color and the regions R2 and R3 are black and white as in the example of FIG. Then, the attribute-specific printing unit 19 first converts the image data R (x, y), G (x, y), B (x, y) with the additive three primary colors of the regions R1 and R4 into cyan (C: Cyan), Magenta (M: Magenta), yellow (Y: Yellow) subtractive three primary colors and black (K: blacK) print data C (x, y), M (x, y), Y (x, y), K Conversion into (x, y) (step S211 in FIG. 2). And for the remaining area, C (x, y) = M (x, y) = Y (x, y) = K (x, y) = (0,0), and the obtained print data Perform image formation.

  In this image formation, in particular, as shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, the photosensitive drum D and the intermediate transfer member in which C, M, Y, and K color developing devices CG, MG, YG, and KG are arranged around In the case of using a printing apparatus provided with T, it is performed as follows.

  First, the attribute-specific printing unit 19 places cyan toner corresponding to the print data C (x, y) on the surface of the photosensitive drum D, and then a toner image consisting only of cyan on the intermediate transfer member T. Transfer. Next, the attribute-specific printing unit 19 places magenta toner corresponding to the print data M (x, y) on the surface of the photosensitive drum D, and then a toner image composed only of magenta color on the intermediate transfer member T. The toner image is transferred so as to be superimposed on the cyan toner image. Similarly, the yellow and black toners corresponding to the print data Y (x, y) and K (x, y) are also sequentially placed on the surface of the photosensitive drum D, and are then placed on the intermediate transfer member T. The toner image is transferred so as to be superimposed on the transferred toner image. In this way, a toner image having four colors of CMYK is formed on the intermediate transfer member T (step S212 in FIG. 2). The order of image formation on the color intermediate transfer member T is not necessarily performed in the order of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and may be any order.

  Next, the attribute-specific printing unit 19 generates a monochrome image based on the image data G (x, y) of the regions R2 and R3 and the image data G (x, y) = (0, 0) for the remaining regions. Formation is performed (step S213 in FIG. 2). In this process, the image data is not converted, and the black toner is placed on the photosensitive drum D and then transferred onto the intermediate transfer member T in the normal monochrome printing procedure. Since image data is not converted in this way, in this monochrome image formation, a clearer image can be obtained than a black image in color image formation.

  As a result, for all the regions R1, R2, R3, and R4, images having the original image attributes maintained are generated. The attribute-specific printing unit 19 rotates the intermediate transfer member T and prints an image on the intermediate transfer member T on one sheet (step S214 in FIG. 2).

  As described above, an aggregated image obtained by reducing a color image and a monochrome image as a color image and a monochrome image, respectively, is obtained, and the monochrome area of the aggregated image can be clearly printed.

  In the above description, the number of document images is four, which is an example, and may be an arbitrary number. In this case, the area generation unit 12 generates areas corresponding to the number on the memory 13, and the image reduction unit 16 in the aggregated image formation unit 18 reduces the document image according to the size of each area.

  In addition, it is not essential to generate black when converting color image data. In principle, it is possible to print with only three colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow. As an image printing method, the case of generating black has been described as an example.

  Furthermore, the image data G (x, y) is used for the processing of the monochrome image. This is also an example, and any of R (x, y), G (x, y), and B (x, y) is used. One color may be used. In the above description, the order of image formation on the intermediate transfer member is the order of color and black and white, but of course the order may be black and white and color.

  In addition, in the above description, the configuration including one photoconductor drum and the intermediate transfer member T has been described, but it is needless to say that the configuration using four photoconductor drums may be used.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, an aggregated image obtained by reducing a color image and a monochrome image as a color image and a monochrome image can be obtained at high speed, hardware resources can be saved, and the monochrome area of the aggregated image can be saved. Printing can be performed clearly, and it is useful as a multifunction machine, a copying machine, a printer, or the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an integrated copying function of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the processing procedure of the integrated copy of this invention Explanatory drawing of the aggregate image of this invention Schematic sectional view of a general image forming apparatus Block diagram showing the consolidated copying function of a conventional image forming apparatus Explanation of area generation and conventional aggregated image

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Reading means 12 Area | region production | generation means 13 Memory 14 Storage means 15 Printing means 16 Image reduction means 17 Attribute discrimination means 18 Aggregated image formation means 19 Attribute-specific printing means

Claims (2)

In an image forming apparatus that reduces a plurality of document images and assigns them to a plurality of areas to form one aggregated image.
Attribute discriminating means for discriminating an attribute of whether the original image is a color image or a monochrome image;
An aggregated image forming unit that reduces the original image while maintaining the attribute and allocates the original image to a plurality of areas to form one aggregated image;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an attribute-specific printing unit that prints the aggregated image on a sheet of paper by printing the plurality of areas together by the attribute.

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