JP2007036793A - Color image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color image processing system capable of judging whether an image is suited to six-color printing or four-color printing by simple calculation processing and capable of switching the six-color printing and the four-color printing only by software or only by the addition of simple hardware. <P>SOLUTION: The color image processing system provided with an image information output means capable of printing out a color image by using a plurality of toners having respectively different concentrations is also provided with: a switching means for switching whether printing is to be performed by using a plurality of toners having respectively different concentrations in each color component or printing is to be performed by using only a toner of a single concentration; a means for judging whether each pixel of the image is a color pixel or a colorless pixel; a means for judging each pixel of the image is a character or a photograph; and a judgment means for switching the switching means in accordance with whether colorless pixels or character pixels are included in a prescribed rate and less or not. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a color information processing system according to a printing information processing apparatus, a printing apparatus, a printing information processing method, and a printing system, and more specifically, regarding the types of recording agents used for printing such as toner and ink, the number of types using them. The present invention relates to a configuration for performing printing by switching a plurality of different modes.

  Conventionally, in order to perform high-quality color printing, in addition to four colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), for example, cyan and cyan for recording agents such as toner and ink. There is known a printer capable of performing printing using six colors including light cyan (Lc) and light magenta (Lm) having the same hue as magenta and lighter density.

  In such a printing apparatus, as a method of using a plurality of types of recording agents, a mode is known in which the number of types of recording agents to be used is not changed, but printing is performed by switching a plurality of modes in which the respective recording agents are used differently. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  As another mode, for example, a mode using six colors of C, M, Y, K, Lc, and Lm and four colors of C, M, Y, and K are used as modes in which the number of types of recording agents to be used is different. A mode is known in which the mode to be used is switched for printing (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  In the latter form, printing is performed using six color recording agents, which is a larger set of recording agents when printing with high image quality, and fewer recording agents are set when printing that does not require much image quality is performed. Printing is performed using the four color recording agents. This makes it possible to use the recording agent without waste according to the image quality of the image to be printed.

  For example, when printing a character image or the like, print image quality using C, M, Y, and K color recording agents and print image quality using six color recording agents obtained by adding Lc and Lm recording agents to these are used. In many cases, such a large difference does not occur between the two, and therefore, it is possible to suppress unnecessary use of Lc and Lm recording agents by performing four-color printing on such an image.

  When a gradation image such as a photographic image is printed, printing with higher image quality is possible by performing six-color printing.

  As a configuration for switching the set of recording agents to be used, such as 4-color recording and 6-color recording, Patent Document 2 discloses that a user can perform 4-color recording mode and 6-color recording according to an image to be printed. It is described that the mode is set via an operation panel or the like.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 describes that when switching between a plurality of modes in which the recording agent is used, the type of image to be printed is determined and switching is performed based on the determination. As the determination method, this document shows that the image type is determined by checking the density distribution of the image data and the density difference between adjacent dots.
JP 2001-290319 A JP-A-10-044772

  However, the switching configuration described in Patent Document 2 allows the user to set a mode for each print job in consideration of the print contents. For this reason, there exists a problem that operation for a setting is troublesome for a user. Furthermore, with user settings, it is difficult to specify 4 or 6 colors for each page of a printed document, especially for documents with a large number of pages. In a document in which only pages with only character information are mixed, the user convenience is greatly improved by automatically determining each page.

  On the other hand, the discrimination method described in Patent Document 1 is a method of checking the density distribution and the like of image data as described above. Since this method requires a large number of computations, the processing load is high and the processing time is long to execute with software, and special hardware is required to perform automatic discrimination at a practical speed. Become.

  In the case of so-called PDL printing, which interprets, rasterizes, and prints data in a page description language (PDL), an attribute such as a character or a photographic image is attached to each object in the PDL. Therefore, there is also a technique of switching whether to perform 4-color printing or 6-color printing from this attribute information.

  However, since objects can be overlapped in PDL, for example, a character object may be superimposed on a photo image object and the photo image object may be completely hidden. At this time, it is difficult to determine whether or not a photographic image object is actually printed.

  An object of the present invention is to determine whether an image suitable for six-color printing or an image suitable for four-color printing with a simple calculation process, and to perform a six-color printing operation and four colors with only software or simple addition of hardware. Switching the printing operation.

  In the present invention, an image area flag indicating what object each pixel belongs to when a PDL image or a scanned image is input is added. Then, after the input is completed, the image area flag of each pixel is viewed, and if the photographic image pixel is a predetermined ratio or more, a six-color printing operation is performed, and if the photographic image pixel is a predetermined ratio or less, a four-color printing operation is performed.

  That is, the technical contents of the present invention can solve the above-described problems by including the following configuration.

  (1) Image information input means for inputting image information, image information storage means for temporarily storing the input image information, and image information output capable of printing a color image using a plurality of toners having different densities in color components Means, image information storage means for storing at least one or more input image information for a predetermined period, image information input means, image information storage means, image storage means, image information output means, and image information transmission / reception In the color image processing system comprising control means for controlling the means, the image information output means performs printing using a plurality of toners having different densities for each color component, or printing using only a single density toner. Switching means for switching whether to perform, means for determining whether each pixel of the image is chromatic or achromatic, whether each pixel of the image is a character Color image processing system, characterized in that it comprises means for determining whether the true, the switching means, determination means for pixels of achromatic pixels or character is switched by whether a predetermined percentage below the.

  In the present invention, switching between 6-color printing and 4-color printing is automatically performed according to the input source of the image to the printer, so that the optimum number of printing colors can be selected without bothering the user. .

  Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 200 includes a scanner unit 2070 that is an image input device, a printer unit 2095 that is an image output device, a controller unit 2000, and an operation unit 2112 that is a user interface. The scanner unit 2070, the printer unit 2095, and the operation unit 2112 are connected to a controller unit 2000, respectively. The controller unit 2000 is connected to a network transmission means such as a LAN 2011 and a public line. Transmission by G3 and G4 fax including color image transmission is possible from the public line.

  In addition, other image forming apparatuses 220 and 230 having the same device configuration as the image forming apparatus 200 can be connected to the LAN 2011. Further, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC) 240 is connected, and can send and receive files and e-mails using FTP and SMB protocols. The image forming apparatuses 220 and 230 have scanner units 2270 and 2370, printer units 2295 and 2395, and operation units 2212 and 2312, which are connected to the controller unit 2200 and 2300, respectively.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the image forming apparatus. The Controller Unit 2000 is connected to a color scanner 2015 as an image input device and a color printer 2017 as an image output device. On the other hand, the controller unit 2000 is connected to a LAN 2008 or a public line (WAN) 2051 to input / output image information and device information. Controller. A CPU 2001 is a controller that controls the entire system. A RAM 2002 is a system work memory for the operation of the CPU 2001, and is also an image memory for temporarily storing image data. A ROM 2003 is a boot ROM, and stores a system boot program. An HDD 2004 is a hard disk drive that stores system software and image data. An operation unit I / F 2005 is an operation unit (UI) 2006 and an interface unit, and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 2006 to the operation unit 2006.

  Also, it plays a role of transmitting information input by the system user from the operation unit 2006 to the CPU 2001. A network 2007 is connected to the LAN 2008 and inputs / outputs information. A Modem 2050 is connected to the public line 2051 and inputs / outputs image information. Binary image rotation 2052 and binary image compression / decompression 2053 are for converting the direction of an image before transmitting a binary image by Modem 2050, or converting it to a predetermined resolution or a resolution adapted to the partner's ability. It is. Compression and decompression support JBIG, MMR, MR, and MH. A DMAC 2009 is a DMA controller that reads an image stored in the RAM 2002 without using the CPU 2001 and transfers the image to the ImageBus I / F 2011 or writes an image from the image bus into the RAM 2002 without using the CPU 2001.

  The above devices are connected to the system bus 2008. An ImageBus I / F 2011 is an interface for controlling high-speed image input / output via the image bus 2010. A compressor 2012 is a compressor for JPEG compression in units of 32 pixels × 32 pixels before sending an image to the image bus 2010. A decompressor 2013 is a decompressor for decompressing an image sent via the image bus 2010.

  The scanner image processing 2014 performs various appropriate image processing (for example, correction, processing, editing) on the color image and the black and white image from the scanner 2015 and outputs (multi-value). Similarly, the printer image processing 2016 performs binary multi-value conversion by decompression 2013 at the time of printing for performing various kinds of image processing (for example, correction, processing, and editing) appropriate for the printer 2017. Therefore, binary and multi-value output are performed. Is possible.

  The image conversion unit 2030 has various image conversion functions used when converting an image on the RAM and returning it to the RAM 2030 again. A rotator 2019 can rotate an image of 32 pixels × 32 pixels unit at a specified angle, and supports binary and multi-value input / output. The magnification changer 2020 has a function (for example, from 25% to 400%) for converting the resolution of the image (for example, from 600 dpi to 200 dpi) and for changing the magnification. Before scaling, the image of 32 × 32 pixels is rearranged into an image in units of 32 lines.

  The color space conversion 2021 converts, for example, a YUV image on the memory into a Lab image by matrix calculation and LUT, and stores the image on the multi-valued input on the memory. Further, this color space conversion has a 3 × 8 matrix operation and a one-dimensional LUT, and can perform well-known background removal and show-through prevention. The converted image is output in multiple values. A binary multi-value conversion 2022 converts a 1-bit binary image into a multi-value 8-bit, 256 gradation. On the other hand, the multi-value / binary conversion 2026 converts an 8-bit, 256-gradation image on the memory into 1-bit, 2-gradation by a technique such as error diffusion processing, and stores it on the memory. The composition has a function of composing two multi-valued image images on the memory into one multi-valued image.

  For example, a company logo can be easily attached to a document image by combining the image of the company logo in the memory with the document image. The thinning 2024 is a unit that performs resolution conversion by thinning out pixels of a multivalued image, and can output 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 multivalued images. By using it together with the variable magnification 2020, a wider range of enlargement / reduction can be performed. The movement 2025 can be output by adding a margin portion to the input binary image or multi-valued image or deleting the margin portion. The rotation 2019, scaling 2020, color space conversion 2021, binary multi-value 2022, composition 2023, thinning 2024, movement 2025, and multi-value binary 2026 can be connected and operated. When the image is rotated and the resolution is converted, both processes can be performed without using a memory.

  FIG. 3 shows the format of the image. The image format used in the present invention uses the image packet structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-103473. In compression 2012, raster format images are rearranged as packets of 32 × 32 pixel units as shown in FIG. 3, and JPEG compression is performed in packet units. At the same time, information such as an ID indicating the position of the packet, a color space, a Q table ID, and a data length is added to the packet to form a header. The packet header includes input source identification information, which includes an input source device identifier indicating whether the input source of the image is a scanner or PDL, and whether the data is high-quality data or low-quality data. There is an image quality classifier indicating whether it is data, and these can be identified by referring to this header information.

  Further, binary data (image area flag) indicating characters and photographs is similarly compressed and attached after JPEG. FIG. 4 shows packet data. In decompression 2013, JPEG is developed based on this header information and rearranged into a raster image. By making such a packet image, only the image inside the packet is rotated at the time of image rotation, and by changing the position of the packet ID, it can be partially rotated by decompression and compression, so it is very efficient. . All images flowing through ImageBus 2010 are packet images.

  When a raster image is necessary for FAX transmission, binary image rotation 2052, binary image compression, expansion 2053, or the like, conversion from a packet image to a raster image is performed by software.

  The raster image processor (RIP) 2018 receives the PDL code from the host computer via the network 2007, and the CPU 2001 stores it in the RAM 2002 through the system bus 2008. The CPU 2001 converts the PDL into an intermediate code and inputs it again to the RIP 2018 via the system bus 2008.

  FIG. 9 is an internal configuration diagram of the RIP 2018. The RIP 2018 inputs each object included in the intermediate code to the bit operation unit 2901, and the bit operation unit 2901 expands the object into RGB image signal values and character / photo flags. The character / photo flag is generated according to the PDL object. For example, a character object or a line (vector) object is determined as a character, and a bitmap or JPEG image object is determined as a photograph.

  The RGB image signal value generated by the bit operation unit 2901 is input to a chromatic / achromatic color determination unit 2903, and a chromatic / achromatic signal is generated. Then, the bit operation unit 2901 writes the generated RGB image signal value, chromatic / achromatic color flag, and character / photo flag to the corresponding addresses in the frame memory 2902 according to the coordinates of the object. When there is an overlap of objects, the lower object is expanded first and written to the frame memory 2902, and the upper object is expanded later and overwritten on the frame memory 2902, Pixel data to be finally printed is stored on the frame memory 2902. The pixel data stored in the frame memory 2902 is sent to the compressor 2012 after all the objects have been expanded. The compressor 2012 rearranges and compresses the signals of each pixel in the above-described image format, and stores the ImageBus I / F 2011. The image data is stored in the RAM 2002.

  FIG. 5 shows a detailed description of the scanner image processing 2014. The RGB 8-bit luminance signals input from the scanner are converted into standard RGB color signals independent of the filter color of the image sensor by masking 2501. In the filter 2502, for example, a 9 × 9 matrix is used, and an image is blurred or sharpened. A histogram 2503 is a processing unit that samples image signal data in an input image, and is used to determine the background level of the input image. In this module, RGB data in a rectangular area surrounded by the specified start and end points in the main and sub-scan directions is sampled at a constant pitch in the main and sub-scan directions, and a histogram is created. . This histogram is read when background skipping or prevention of show-through is specified, and the background of the original is estimated from the histogram, and is stored and managed in the memory or HDD along with the image as the background skipping level. Used for image processing. In gamma 2504, processing is performed so that the density of the entire image is increased or decreased.

  For example, it is a part that converts the color space of the input image into an arbitrary color space or performs correction processing relating to the color of the input system. In order to determine whether the document is color or black and white, the image signal before scaling is converted into a known Lab by color space conversion 2505. Of these, a and b represent color signal components, and a 1-bit determination signal is output from the comparator 2506 as a chromatic color if it is equal to or higher than a predetermined level in the comparator 2506 and otherwise as an achromatic color. A counter 2507 measures the output from the comparator. Character / photo determination is a function that extracts a character edge from an image and separates the image into characters and a photo. As an output, a character photograph determination signal is obtained. Reference numeral 2509 denotes a specific document determination device. The specific document determination unit can compare the input image signal and the degree to which the pattern held in the determination unit matches, and can read the determination result of matching or mismatching as illustrated. The image is processed according to the determination result to prevent counterfeiting of banknotes and securities.

  The RGB signal output from the gamma 2504, the achromatic signal output from the comparator 2506, and the character / photo determination signal output from the character / photo determination 2508 are sent to the compressor 2012. The compressor 2012 outputs the image format described above. Each pixel signal is rearranged and compressed, and the image data is stored in the RAM 2002 via the ImageBus I / F 2011.

  FIG. 10 shows the configuration of the compressor 2012. The RGB image signal, the character / photo determination signal, and the chromatic / achromatic signal input from the scanner image processing unit 2014 or the RIP 2018 to the compressor 2012 are stored in the line memory 3002 for 32 lines to be divided into 32 × 32 pixel tiles. The

  The data format on the 32-line memory 3002 is a format in which RGB and image area flags are arranged by 8 bits for each pixel, as indicated by 3001. The image area flag is also composed of 8 bits. The most significant bit is a character / photo flag, and the next bit is a chromatic / achromatic flag. When 32 lines of image data are accumulated in the 32-line memory 3002, the RGB data is sent to the JPEG compressor 3003 after being divided into tiles of 32 × 32 pixels. The JPEG compressor 3003 stores the JPEG compressed data in the JPEG compressed data memory 3005.

  At the same time, the image area data is also divided into tiles of 32 × 32 pixels, sent to the run length compressor 3004, subjected to run length compression, and stored in the run length compressed data memory 3006. When JPEG compression and run-length compression are completed, the packetizing circuit 3007 reads data from the JPEG-compressed data memory 3006 and the run-length compressed data memory 3007, forms the packet format shown in FIG. 4, and sends it out to the Image Bus I / F.

  FIG. 6 shows a detailed description of the printer image processing 2016.

  In 2601, the background color of the image data is skipped and unnecessary background fogging is removed. For example, the background removal is performed by a 3 × 8 matrix operation or a one-dimensional LUT. This is a function included in 2032 as described above, and is a completely equivalent circuit. Reference numeral 2602 denotes a monochrome generation unit that converts color image data, for example, RGB data into Gray single color when converting color image data into monochrome data and printing it as a single color. For example, it is composed of a 1 × 3 matrix operation that multiplies RGB by an arbitrary constant to obtain a Gray signal. An output color correction unit 2603 performs color correction in accordance with the characteristics of the printer unit that outputs image data. For example, the image processing is configured by processing by 4 × 8 matrix calculation, direct mapping, or the like, and image signals of 6 colors of CMYKLcLm or 4 colors of CMYK are generated from input RGB image signals.

  In this embodiment, the six toner colors of the printer unit 2017 are cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), light cyan (Lc), and light magenta (Lm). A corresponding image signal or an image signal corresponding to four colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) is output at 600 dpi (dots per inch) and 8 bits each. . The output of the 6-color and 4-color image signals is switched by a process described in detail later.

  A filter processing unit 2604 arbitrarily corrects the spatial frequency of the image data, and includes, for example, processing for performing a 9 × 9 matrix operation. Reference numeral 2605 denotes a process for performing gamma correction in accordance with the characteristics of the printer unit to be output, and is usually composed of a one-dimensional LUT. A processing unit 2606 performs arbitrary halftone processing in accordance with the number of gradations of the output printer unit, and is a halftone processing unit that performs arbitrary screen processing such as binarization and binarization and error diffusion processing. is there. Each process can be switched by a character / photo determination signal (not shown).

  The inter-drum delay memory 2607 is a memory for superimposing CMYKLcLm images by shifting the print timing of CMYKLcLm by the distance between the drums in a color printer having CMYKLcLm color drums. In a color printer having 6 drums for each color of CMYKLcLm, it is possible to delay in order to align the positions of images for 6 colors for each color. Of course, even when the output of the output color correction unit 2603 has four colors of CMYK, the inter-drum delay unit 2607 can adjust the delay.

  An overview of the image input / output device is shown in FIG.

  The scanner unit 2015 that is an image input device includes an image sensor. There are various types of image pickup devices, and CCD and CIS are known as representative ones. Both CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and CIS (Contact Image Sensor) receive light and convert it into an electrical signal and output it as image data. In general, CCD is more expensive than CIS and is output instead. The quality of image data is high. For this reason, CCDs are often mounted on expensive scanners that require high image quality, and CISs are often mounted on inexpensive scanners that require cost performance.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a plurality of scanner units constituting the system include different image sensors. Assume that the scanner units 2070 and 2270 of the image forming apparatuses 200 and 220 include a CCD, and the scanner unit 2370 of the image forming apparatus 230 includes a CIS.

  The scanner unit 2015 illuminates an image on paper serving as a document and scans an image sensor (not shown), thereby converting it into an electrical signal as raster image data. The manuscript paper is set on the tray 2702 of the manuscript feeder 2701, and when the user gives an instruction to start reading from the operation unit 2006, the controller CPU 2001 gives an instruction to the scanner 2015 and feeds manuscript paper one by one from the tray 2702 of the feeder 2071. Read the original image.

  The printer unit 2017, which is an image output device, is a part that converts raster image data into an image on paper. In this embodiment, a color LBP that employs an electrophotographic system using a photosensitive drum, toner, and the like is used. In addition to the electrophotographic method, the printing method includes an ink jet method in which ink is ejected from a minute nozzle array and an image is directly printed on a sheet. However, any method may be used. The print resolution is 600 dpi (dots per inch). The printer unit 2017 employs a six-tandem tandem system in which a photosensitive drum is prepared for each color. As described above, the basic colors C, M, Y, K, Lc, and Lm are combined with them. It is configured to enable various color printing.

  Here, the dark and light color developers are prepared by changing the amount of the pigment having the same spectral characteristics. Accordingly, the light magenta toner has the same spectral characteristics as the magenta pigment but has a small content, and the light cyan toner has the same spectral characteristics as the cyan but has a small content. By using dark and light colors for magenta and cyan, it is possible to reduce graininess in a light image such as human skin and improve reproducibility. Activation of the printing operation is started by an instruction from the controller CPU 2001. The printer unit 2095 has a plurality of paper feed stages so that different paper sizes or different paper orientations can be selected, and there are paper cassettes 2703, 2704, and 2705 corresponding thereto. A paper discharge tray 2706 is a paper discharge tray for receiving the printed paper.

  The configuration of the operation unit 2006 is shown in FIG. The LCD display unit 2801 has a touch panel sheet 2802 pasted on the LCD, displays a system operation screen and soft keys, and transmits the position information to the controller CPU 2001 when the displayed keys are pressed. A start key 2804 is used when starting a document image reading operation. There is a green and red two-color LED 2804 in the center of the start key 2803, and indicates whether or not the start key 2803 can be used depending on the color. A stop key 2805 functions to stop an operation in operation. An ID key 2806 is used when inputting the user ID of the user. A reset key 2807 is used when initializing settings from the operation unit.

  FIG. 11 is an initial screen in the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment, and is also a standard screen that is returned after setting each image forming function. 3101 performs screen switching for performing copy settings. 3102 performs screen switching for setting to send the scanned image by fax or electronic mail. A screen 3103 stores a scan image and a PDL image in the built-in HDD, or performs screen switching for setting the print, transmission, or editing of the stored scan image and PDL image. Reference numeral 3104 denotes a window for displaying the image reading settings set in 3105. In 3105, resolution, density, and the like at the time of image reading are set. Reference numeral 3106 denotes a timer setting at the time of timer transmission and a setting for printing on the HDD or printer. 3107 displays the transmission destination designated by 3108. 3109 displays detailed information of one destination displayed in 3107. 3110 deletes one destination displayed in 3107.

  FIG. 12 shows a pop-up window displayed when 3105 is pressed. In 3201, the read original size is selected and input from the pop-up, and the set read size is displayed in 3202. Reference numeral 3203 denotes a selection of a document reading mode. When pressed, three types of color / black / automatic (ACS) can be selected. The color mode can be selected in the same way for copy and box. If the measurement result of the counter 2507 is smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined as a black and white document, and if it is larger, it is determined as a color document. If it is color, a color image is displayed, if it is black, a monochrome image is displayed. Accumulate the result of determining whether it is color or black and white. 3204 is a selection input from a pop-up for designating the resolution of reading. Reference numeral 3205 denotes a slider for adjusting the reading density of the original, and can be adjusted in nine steps. 3206 is for automatically determining the density when reading an image with a background such as a newspaper. For 3206, the same setting can be made by copying.

  FIG. 13 shows a screen when the copy tab 3101 is pressed. Reference numeral 3301 denotes whether or not copying is possible, and the number of copies set at the same time is also displayed. A function 3302 is equivalent to the function 3206, and is a button for selecting whether to automatically remove the background. Reference numeral 3303 denotes a slider having a function equivalent to that of 3205 and capable of nine levels of density adjustment. In 3304, the type of the original is selected, and a character / photo / map, text, a photographic paper photo, and a printed photo can be selected. Reference numeral 3305 denotes an application mode button which can set a reduced layout (a function for reducing and printing a plurality of originals on one sheet), a color balance (CMYK color fine adjustment), and the like. Reference numeral 3306 denotes a button for performing settings relating to various finishings, and shift sort, staple sort, and group sort can be set. Reference numeral 3307 denotes a button for performing settings relating to duplex reading and duplex printing.

  FIG. 14 shows a screen when the box tab 3103 is pressed. Reference numeral 3401 denotes each folder logically divided into HDDs. Folder numbers are assigned to the folders in advance, and 3401 becomes the 0th folder. Next to the folder number, the percentage of disk space used by the folder is displayed. Folders can be given any name, and the name is displayed here. 3402 displays the usage amount of the entire HDD.

  FIG. 15 shows a screen when 3401 is pressed. Reference numerals 3501 and 3502 denote documents stored in folders. A document is composed of a plurality of pages. Reference numeral 3501 denotes a scanned document, which displays an icon display indicating a scanned document, an HDD usage amount, and a document name display that can be arbitrarily set by the user. An icon 3502 is a PDL document stored from the PDL. By depressing the icon, it is shown in reverse video that the document has been selected. Reference numeral 3503 denotes a button for transmitting the selected document. Reference numeral 3504 denotes a button for reading a document from the scanner and generating a document. Reference numeral 3505 denotes a button for selecting all the documents in the folder. Reference numeral 3506 denotes a button for deleting the selected document. Reference numeral 3507 denotes a button for printing the selected document. Reference numeral 3508 denotes a button for editing the selected document. For example, it has a function of selecting and combining two documents, saving them as one document, and deleting a specific page. Reference numeral 3509 denotes a button for displaying detailed information of the last selected document. In addition to the document name, information such as resolution, document size, and color can be viewed.

  FIG. 16 shows a software configuration diagram. Reference numeral 4010 denotes a UI control unit that controls the display operation unit, a copy application unit 4020 that receives a command from the UI control unit, a copy operation, a transmission operation, a scan from the box screen, and a print, a transmission application unit 4021, and a BOX application unit. 4022. There is also a PDL application unit 4023 that receives PDL print data from the network application 4120 and inputs a PDL print job. Reference numeral 4030 denotes a common interface part for absorbing a device-dependent part of the device control part, and 4040 denotes a job manager that organizes job information received from the common interface and transmits the job information to a lower-level document processing unit. If the document processing unit is a local copy, the scan manager 4050 and the print manager 4090, a remote copy transmission job or a transmission job, the scan manager 4050 and the file store manager 4100, and a remote copy reception job, the file read manager 4060. And a print manager 4090, and PDL manager 4070 and print manager 4090 for PDL printing such as LIPS and PostScript. An image processing request to the image manager 4110 that performs synchronization between the document managers and performs various image processing is performed via the sync manager 4080. The image manager 4110 performs image processing and image file storage during scanning and printing.

  First, local copy software processing will be described. A copy setting is transmitted from the UI control unit 4010 together with a copy instruction to the copy application unit 4020 according to a user instruction. The copy application unit 4020 transmits information from the UI control unit 4010 to the job manager 4040 that performs device control via the common interface 4030. The job manager 4040 transmits job information to the scan manager 4050 and the print manager 4090.

  The scan manager 4050 issues a scan request to the scanner 2070 via a device I / F (not shown) (the device I / F is a serial I / F connecting the controller 2000 and the scanner 2015 and the controller 2000 and the printer 2017). At the same time, an image processing request for scanning is issued to the image manager 4110 via the sync manager 4080. The image manager 4110 sets the scanner image processing unit 2014 in accordance with an instruction from the scan manager 4050. When the setting is completed, a scan preparation completion is notified via the sync manager 4080.

  Thereafter, the scan manager 4050 instructs the scanner 2070 to scan. The completion of scan image transfer is transmitted to the image manager 4110 by an interrupt signal from hardware (not shown). Upon receiving the scan completion from the image manager 4110, the sync manager 4080 notifies the scan manager 4050 and the print manager 4090 of the scan completion. At the same time, the sync manager 4080 instructs the image manager 4110 to file the compressed image stored in the RAM 2002 into the HDD 2004.

  The image manager 4110 stores the image (including the character / photo determination signal) on the memory in the HDD 2004 according to the instruction. A color determination / monochrome determination result, a background skip level for performing background skip, a scanned image, and a color space RGB as an image input source are also stored in an SRAM (not shown) as accompanying information of the image. When the storage in the HDD 2004 is completed and the scan completion from the scanner 2070 is received, the scan manager 4050 is notified of the completion of file formation via the sync manager 4080. The scan manager 4050 returns an end notification to the job manager 4040, and the job manager 4040 returns it to the copy application unit 4020 via the common interface 4030.

  The print manager 4090 issues a print request to the printer 2095 via the device I / F when an image is stored in the memory. At the same time, a print image processing request is sent to the sync manager 4080. Upon receiving a request from the print manager 4090, the sync manager 4080 requests the image manager 4110 for image processing settings. The image manager 4110 sets the printer image processing unit 2016 according to the accompanying information of the image, and notifies the print manager 4090 of completion of print preparation via the sync manager 4080. The print manager 4090 issues a print instruction to the printer.

  The completion of print image transfer is transmitted to the image manager 4110 by an interrupt signal from hardware (not shown). In response to the print completion from the image manager 4110, the sync manager 4080 notifies the print manager 4090 of the print completion. The print manager 4090 receives the completion of paper discharge from the printer unit, returns an end notification to the job manager 4040, and the job manager 4040 returns it to the copy application unit 4020 via the common interface 4030. The copy application unit 4020 notifies the UI control unit of the end of the job when scanning and printing are completed.

  In the case of a remote copy scan job or transmission job, the store manager 4100 receives a request from the job manager 4040 instead of the print manager 4090. When the scan image has been stored in the HDD, a storage completion notification is received from the sync manager 4080, and this is notified via the common interface 4030 to the copy application unit 4020 for remote copying and to the transmission application unit 4021 for transmission jobs. After this notification, the copy application unit 4020 and the transmission application 4021 request the network application 4420 to transmit the file stored in the HDD. The network application 4420 that has received the request transmits the file.

  The network application 4420 receives setting information related to copying from the copy application unit 4020 at the start of the job, and also notifies the remote device of the setting information. In the case of remote copy, the network application 4420 performs transmission using a device-specific communication protocol. In the case of a transmission job, a standard file transfer protocol such as FTP or SMB is used.

  In the case of fax transmission, after the file is stored, the transmission application 4021 instructs the FAX manager 4041 to transmit via the common interface 4030 and the job manager 4040. The FAX manager 4041 negotiates with the other device via the Modem 2050, requests the image manager 4110 to perform necessary image processing (color-> black and white conversion, multi-value binary conversion, rotation, scaling), and converts the converted image. Send using Modem.

  If there is a printer at the transmission destination, the transmission application issues a print instruction as a print job via the common interface 4000. The operation at that time is the same as that of the remote copy print job described below. When the transmission destination is a box destination in the device, the file store manager 4100 stores it in the file system in the device.

  At the time of FAX reception, the FAX manager receives an image using Modem and stores it in the HDD 2004 as an image file. When the box application 4021 is notified after the HDD 2004 is stored, a reception print instruction is issued from the box application 4021 to the job manager 4040 via the common interface 4030. Thereafter, the operation is the same as that of a normal box print job, and the description is omitted.

  In the case of a remote copy print job, the network application 4420 saves an image from the transmission side in the HDD and issues a job to the copy application unit 4020. The copy application unit 4020 submits a print job to the job manager 4040 via the common interface 4030. Unlike local copy, the file read manager 4060 receives a request from the job manager 4040 instead of the scan manager 4050. A request for expanding the received image from the HDD to the memory is sent to the image manager 4110 via the sync manager 4080.

  The image manager 4110 expands the image in the memory. When the development is completed, the image manager 4110 notifies the file read manager 4060 and the print manager 4090 of the completion of the development via the sync manager 4080. When an image is stored in the memory, the print manager 4090 selects a paper feed stage instructed by the job manager or a stage having the paper size via the device I / F, and issues a print request. In the case of automatic paper, the paper feed stage is determined from the image size and a print request is issued. At the same time, a print image processing request is sent to the sync manager 4080.

  Upon receiving a request from the print manager 4090, the sync manager 4080 requests the image manager 4110 to set print image processing. (At this time, for example, if the optimum size paper runs out and rotation is necessary, a rotation instruction is also requested. If there is a rotation instruction, the image manager uses the image rotation 2019 to rotate the image.) Image manager 4110 The printer image processing unit 2016 is set, and a print preparation completion is notified to the print manager 4090 via the sync manager 4080. The print manager 4090 issues a print instruction to the printer. The completion of print image transfer is transmitted to the image manager 4110 by an interrupt signal from hardware (not shown). Upon receiving the print completion from the image manager 4110, the sync manager 4080 notifies the file read manager 4060 and the print manager 4090 of the print completion. The file read manager 4060 returns an end notification to the job manager 4040.

  In response to the completion of paper discharge from the printer unit, the print manager 4090 returns an end notification to the job manager 4040. The job manager 4040 returns an end notification to the copy application unit 4020 via the common interface 4030. The copy application unit 4020 notifies the UI control unit of the end of the job when scanning and printing are completed.

  In the case of a PDL data development storage job, a request from the host PC that has input the PDL print is transmitted to the PDL application 4023 via the network application 4120. The PDL application instructs the job manager 4040 via the common interface 4030 for a PDL data development storage job. At this time, the PDL manager 4070 and the store manager 4100 receive a request from the job manager 4040. An image input portion after completion of RIP of the image is the same as that of the above-described scan job. The image on the memory (including the character / photo determination signal) is stored in the HDD 2004. Color / monochrome information is stored in an SRAM (not shown) as accompanying information of an image, and a PDL image, a color space CMYK or RGB is also stored as an image input source. When the storage of the PDL image in the HDD 2004 is completed, a storage completion notification is received from the sync manager 4080 and is notified to the PDL application 4023 via the common interface 4030. After this notification, the PDL application 4023 notifies the network application 4420 of completion of storage in the HDD, and this information is transmitted to the host PC that has entered the PDL print. In the case of a PDL print job, an image developed on the memory is printed by the PDL manager 4070 and the print manager.

  To print an image stored in the PDL format, a stored document instructed to be printed by the UI is issued as a print job to the BOX application. The BOX application unit 4022 inputs a print job to the job manager 4040 via the common interface 4030. Unlike local copy, the file read manager 4060 receives a request from the job manager 4040 instead of the scan manager 4050. A request for expanding an image instructed to be printed from the HDD to the memory is made to the image manager 4110 via the sync manager 4080. The subsequent operation is the same as that described in the remote copy print job, and is therefore omitted.

  Hereinafter, switching control between 4-color printing and 6-color printing according to the image area flag, which is characteristic in the present invention, will be described.

  When an image from a scanner is stored in a memory in a scan job, or when an RIP image is stored in a memory in a PDL job, whether the image is printed in four colors or six colors is used by using an image area flag. judge. A flowchart of the processing at this time is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 17, when the determination is started in S4101, the process proceeds to S4102 to acquire the address of the head packet data, and the process proceeds to S4103 to calculate the head address of the image area flag from the information in the packet header of the packet data. Since the image area flag is run-length-compressed, the number of data and the repetition of the data value are arranged. Therefore, the process proceeds to S4104, and first the number of data of the image area flag is acquired. The process advances to step S4105 to acquire the data value of the next image area flag for the number of data.

  In S4106, it is determined whether the character / photo flag of the data value is 1. If not 1, the process proceeds to S4107, and if it is 1, the process proceeds to S4108. In S4107, it is determined whether or not the chromatic / achromatic flag of the data value is 1. If 1, the process proceeds to S4108, and if not 1, the process proceeds to S4109.

  In S4108, if either S4106 or S4107 is Yes, that is, since the pixel is character data or achromatic data, the number of four-color print pixels is acquired in S4105. Add the number of image area flags. In step S4109, the number of image area flags acquired in step S4105 is added to the number of acquired pixels, and the process advances to step S4110 to determine whether all 32 × 32 pixel tile data, that is, image area flags for 128 pixels have been acquired. If the acquisition has not been completed, the process returns to S4104 to determine the next data.

  If YES in step S4110, the process advances to step S4111 to determine whether all packet data has been processed. If NO in S4111, the process returns to S4102 to acquire the address of the next packet data, and the above-described processing is repeated. If YES in step S4111, the process proceeds to step S4112 to calculate the ratio of the number of four-color print pixels added in step S4108 to the total number of pixels. In step S4113, it is determined whether the ratio is equal to or less than a predetermined value. .

  If S4113 is Yes, it proceeds to S4114 and determines that 6-color printing is to be performed. If S4113 is No, it proceeds to S4115 and determines that 4-color printing is to be performed, and proceeds to S4116 and ends. This determination result is stored as an image attribute in an unillustrated SRAM or HDD in the same manner as the background level and color / monochrome determination results described above. When printing the determined image, whether or not 4-color printing or 6-color printing is acquired from the image attribute when the above-described print instruction is given to the printer, and the printer is instructed.

  By controlling as described above, the four-color / 6-color printing switching is performed for each page, in which a page composed only of characters and lines is printed in four colors, and a page containing a photographic image is printed in six colors. Can do.

Diagram showing the overall configuration of the image forming system The figure which shows the whole structure of an image forming apparatus Relationship between packet image and whole image Diagram showing structure of packet image Block diagram of scanner image processing of the present invention Block diagram of printer image processing of the present invention External view of input / output device of image forming apparatus External view of the operation unit of the image forming apparatus Internal configuration diagram of RIP processing unit Internal structure of compressor Explanatory drawing of the transmission screen of the operation part of this invention Detailed explanatory diagram of the transmission screen of the operation unit of the present invention Explanatory drawing of the copy screen of the operation unit of the present invention Explanatory drawing of the box screen of the operation unit of the present invention Detailed explanatory diagram of the box screen of the operation unit of the present invention Software configuration diagram showing the software configuration of the present invention Flowchart diagram of 4-color / 6-color printing determination

Explanation of symbols

200, 220, 230 Image forming apparatus 240 PC
2000, 2200, 2300 Controller Unit
2070, 2270, 2370 Scanner unit 2095, 2295, 2395 Printer unit 2112, 2212, 2312 Operation unit 2001 CPU
2002 RAM
2003 ROM
2004 HDD
2005 Operation unit I / F
2006 Operation unit (UI)
2007 Network
2008 LAN (system bus)
2009 DMAC
2010 Image Bus 2011 ImageBusI / F (LAN)
2012 Compressor 2013 Expander 2014 Scanner image processing 2015 Color scanner 2016 Printer image processing 2017 Color printer 2018 RIP
2019 rotation 2020 scaling 2021 color space conversion 2022 binary multi-value 2023 composition 2024 decimation 2025 movement 2026 multi-value binary 2030 RAM
2050 Modem
2051 Public line 2052 Binary image rotation 2053 Binary image compression / decompression

Claims (1)

Image information input means for inputting image information;
Image information storage means for temporarily storing the input image information;
Image information output means capable of printing a color image using a plurality of toners having different densities in each color component;
Image information storage means for storing at least one or more input image information for a certain period;
Control means for controlling the image information input means, the image information storage means, the image storage means, the image information output means, and the image information transmission / reception means;
In a color image processing system comprising:
In the image information output means, a switching means for switching between printing using a plurality of toners having different densities for each color component or printing using only a single density toner,
Means for determining whether each pixel of the image is chromatic or achromatic,
Means for determining whether each pixel of the image is a character or a photograph;
Determining means for switching the switching means depending on whether the achromatic pixel or the character pixel is equal to or less than a predetermined ratio;
A color image processing system comprising:

Images