JP2006347013A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a midget and less expensive imaging device which has realizations such as improved anti-noise properties, curtailed cost of connector and cable and a miniaturized substrate. <P>SOLUTION: This imaging device is characteristic in that a CPU core of a main body control part and a CPU core of an image processing part are configured on one silicon. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile.

  A prior art example around the control unit will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 shows connections around the control unit of a conventional image forming apparatus.

  Reference numeral 101 denotes an image processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a printer controller), which communicates with an external device such as a computer to receive image data and temporarily stores it in a storage unit (hereinafter referred to as an image memory) 104. At the same time, the received image data is converted into a data format corresponding to the image forming apparatus and is transmitted as an image signal (VDO signal) to a main body control unit (hereinafter referred to as an engine controller) 102. An engine controller 102 controls various operations performed by the image forming unit 103 and performs serial communication with the printer controller 101. Serial communication is performed by transmitting / receiving a command / status signal (SC signal) in synchronization with the serial clock signal (SCLK signal). The engine controller 102 controls a paper transport unit (not shown), and synchronizes (vertical synchronization) between the front end of the paper transported by the paper transport unit and the front end of the toner image on the photosensitive drum (not shown). And a horizontal synchronization signal (BD signal) output in synchronization with a laser beam scanned for each surface of a rotary polygon mirror (not shown) is output to the printer controller 101 (for example, a patent) Reference 1).

  The image forming unit 103 forms an image by employing, for example, an electrophotographic process method. The operation of the image forming apparatus using the conventional electrophotographic process method will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus such as a printer.

  The photosensitive drum 201 configured in the cartridge C is obtained by providing OPC (organic optical semiconductor) as a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface of a conductive base such as aluminum. The photosensitive drum 201 is rotationally driven at a predetermined process speed (circumferential speed) by a driving means (not shown) in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing.

  Around the photosensitive drum 201, a charging roller 203, an exposure unit 204, a developing unit 205, a transfer roller 202, and a cleaner 209 are arranged in this order along the rotation direction. The transfer roller 202 is configured, for example, by adhering an elastic body in which conductive particles such as carbon and zinc oxide are dispersed in foamed EPDM or foamed polyurethane on a conductive core metal such as iron or aluminum. It has the property that the shape becomes uniform as it continues to rotate. The transfer roller 202 is brought into contact with the photosensitive drum 201 from below and forms a transfer nip T with the photosensitive drum 201. A high voltage power supply 207 is connected to the transfer roller 2 described above, and a control unit 214 is connected to the high voltage power supply 207. Further, a current detection unit 208 connected to the control unit 214 is disposed between the transfer roller 202 and the high voltage power source 207.

  When the user instructs printing (image formation), the photosensitive drum 201 is driven to rotate together with the transfer roller 202 by a driving unit. The surface of the photosensitive drum 201 is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential by the charging roller 203. The surface of the photosensitive drum 201 after charging is exposed based on image information by an exposure unit 204 to form an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed as a toner image with the toner attached by the developing unit 205. The toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 201 in this manner is transferred to the recording material P supplied along the transport path 206 to the transfer nip T by applying a transfer bias to the transfer roller 202. The recording material P described above is started to be conveyed from the paper feed tray 210 by the paper feed roller 211. After the toner image is transferred, the toner (residual toner) remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 201 is removed by the cleaner 209, and the next image formation is started. On the other hand, the recording material P after the toner image is transferred is heated by the fixing roller 212 and pressurized by the pressure roller 213, and the toner image is fixed on the surface. The recording material P after the toner image is fixed is discharged to the outside of the main body of the image forming apparatus, whereby printing (image formation) is completed.

Further, FIG. 5 shows detailed connections around the control unit of the conventional image forming apparatus. In a conventional image forming apparatus, a printer controller and an engine controller perform image formation using separate CPUs, and signal lines such as cables and print wiring are used for transmission and reception of data between the printer controller, engine controller, and image memory. Most of them use. In many cases, the printer controller and the engine controller are designed on different substrates.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-117916 (Claim 2-5, FIG. 3)

  However, the conventional example has a problem that an image may be distorted when noise enters a communication line between the CPUs of the printer controller and the engine controller.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. By configuring the CPU core of the main body control unit and the CPU core of the image processing unit on the same silicon, communication can be performed without using a cable, a printed wiring, or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a small and inexpensive image forming apparatus that improves noise resistance and realizes downsizing of the substrate and cost reduction by reducing the number of cables.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 is directed to a storage unit that temporarily stores image data input from an external device, and the image that is input from the external device and stored in the storage unit. Image processing means for analyzing the data to form print data of the image, image forming means for performing an image forming operation based on the print data, control means for controlling the image forming operation performed by the image forming means, In the image forming apparatus, the image processing unit and the control unit are formed on the same silicon.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage means for temporarily storing image data input from an external device, and the image data input from the external device and stored in the storage means to analyze the image data. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that forms print data; an image forming unit that performs an image forming operation based on the print data; and a control unit that controls an image forming operation performed by the image forming unit. The image processing means, the control means, and the storage means are formed on the same silicon.

  According to the present invention, by configuring the CPU core of the main body control unit and the CPU core of the image processing unit on the same silicon, communication is performed without using a cable or a printed wiring, and noise resistance is improved. It is possible to provide a small and inexpensive image forming apparatus that realizes downsizing of the substrate and reduction in cost by not using a cable.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  A first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration around a controller of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to an external device 5 such as a host computer via a general-purpose interface 2 (Centronics (parallel communication interface), RS232C (serial communication interface), USB (serial communication interface), etc.). Then, image formation based on image data transferred from the external device 5 (control information such as code data based on a predetermined printer language) is performed.

  In the first exemplary embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a printer controller (not shown) and an engine controller (not shown), and the CPU core 6 of the printer controller and the CPU core 7 of the engine controller are configured on the same silicon 8. 3 is an image forming unit, and 5 is an external device such as a computer.

  The printer controller is connected to the external device 5 such as a personal computer through the general-purpose interface 2, receives code data transferred from the external device 5 through the general-purpose interface 2, and temporarily stores it in an image memory (not shown). Then, page information including dot data based on the code data is generated, and an image signal is transmitted to the engine controller via the video interface 9. The engine controller controls the image forming unit 3 based on the image signal transferred from the printer controller, forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum using the electrophotographic process method, and transfers the latent image onto the sheet supplied by the transport mechanism.・ Fix and print.

  The CPU core 6 of the printer controller and the CPU core 7 of the engine controller, which are conventionally connected by a cable or printed wiring, are configured on the same silicon 8, and the CPUs are connected inside the silicon. As a result, the printer controller receives from the external device 5, performs predetermined image processing, and transmits the image signal to the engine controller via the video interface 9 such as a command and a status signal. It is possible to improve the resistance to external noise of communication, and further, by using a configuration that does not use a cable or a printed wiring, it is possible to realize cost reduction and downsizing of the board.

  A second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration around the controller of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, in addition to the first embodiment, the image memory 4 for temporarily storing the image data received from the host is configured on the same silicon 8. Data exchange among the image memory 4, the printer controller CPU 6, and the engine controller CPU 7 can be performed inside the silicon, so that noise resistance can be improved and the substrate can be downsized.

1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the 2nd Example of the image forming apparatus which concerns on this invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration around an image processing unit of a conventional image forming apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows the connection structure of the periphery of the control part of the conventional image forming apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 General-purpose interface 3 Image forming part 4 Image memory 5 External apparatus 6 Printer controller CPU
7 Engine controller CPU
8 Silicon 9 video interface with at least two CPU cores

Claims (2)

Storage means for temporarily storing image data input from an external device;
Image processing means for analyzing the image data input from the external device and stored in the storage means to form print data of the image;
Image forming means for performing an image forming operation based on the print data;
Control means for controlling an image forming operation performed by the image forming means;
In an image forming apparatus comprising:
An image forming apparatus, wherein the image processing means and the control means are formed on the same silicon. Storage means for temporarily storing image data input from an external device;
Image processing means for analyzing the image data input from the external device and stored in the storage means to form print data of the image;
Image forming means for performing an image forming operation based on the print data;
Control means for controlling an image forming operation performed by the image forming means;
In an image forming apparatus comprising:
An image forming apparatus comprising the image processing unit, the control unit, and the storage unit on the same silicon.