JP2007184725A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To acquire a print result in accordance with the intention of a user by suppressing the generation of moire, even if a result of conversion into RGB data or CMYK data shows monochromatic data in an image forming apparatus provided with a color printing mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: A control section 20 performs the control so that it is determined whether input RGB print data are text data or image data, an image processing section 600 converts the image data into color bit map data and an image forming section 100 prints the converted data in color, and further the image processing section 600 converts the text data into monochromatic map bit data and the image forming section 100 prints the converted data in monochrome. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus provided with a color printing mechanism.

  When an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine has a color printing mechanism, the input print data is converted into multi-value RGB data or CMYK data by the image processing unit, and the image forming unit. I try to print in color.

  Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus provided with a color printing mechanism, when input print data is color data, RGB (R: red, G: green, B: blue) data or CMYK (C: cyan, M: magenta). , Y: Yellow, K: Black) Even if the result of conversion to data was monochrome, color processing was performed as color data and color printing was performed.

  When the above-described control is performed, even when the result of conversion to RGB data or CMYK data is monochrome, color processing is performed as color data, and a conventional image forming apparatus that performs color printing converts color data into color data. Since a color screen is applied by color processing in the image processing unit, when the result of the above conversion is monochrome, graphic primitives with thin lines overlap the non-printing area of the color screen, and nothing is printed. The intended print result may not be obtained.

  In particular, when the result of conversion into RGB data or CMYK data is text data such as monochrome character data or ruled line data, for example, a part of the vertical line portion of “+” character data is not printed and “÷” is displayed. In some cases, the characters may not be recognized correctly and the ruled lines of the table may become unclear.

  In order to solve the above problem, in Patent Document 1, a black character area, a color character area, and a pattern area are separated from a color document, and the black character area is processed for black characters. A color image processing apparatus is described in which reproduction processing is performed with the determined character color, and pattern processing is performed with three or four colors for the pattern area.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-48892

  However, in the control method of the color image processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, for example, dark blue or dark green characters are determined to be color characters, and thus color processing is performed and color printing is performed. This problem remains unresolved, and the ruled line is also determined as a picture area, so the above problem is not solved.

  In addition, it is necessary to perform complicated control such that the print data is separated into a black character area, a color character area, and a pattern area and subjected to separate processing.

  In view of the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to perform simple processing by performing monochrome processing using text data such as characters and ruled lines as monochrome data in an image forming apparatus having a color printing mechanism. The purpose is to obtain a printing result intended by the user.

  Other objects of the present invention and specific advantages obtained by the present invention will become more apparent from the description of embodiments described below.

  That is, according to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus having a color printing mechanism, print data discrimination means for discriminating whether input RGB print data is text data or image data; and text data discriminated by the print data discrimination means. Control means for performing monochrome printing and performing color printing of image data is provided.

  According to the present invention, since monochrome processing is performed using text data such as characters and ruled lines as monochrome data, a color screen due to color processing is not applied, and a print result intended by the user can be obtained by simple control.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  The present invention is applied to, for example, an image forming apparatus 1 configured as shown in an external view in FIG.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a main body unit 10 including an image forming unit 100, a document reading unit 200 installed above the main body unit 10, a paper feeding unit 300 installed below the main body unit 10, and the main body unit 10. The copying machine includes an operation display unit 400 and the like installed at the front unit.

  As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 20 centering on a CPU that controls operation of the entire apparatus, and the control unit 20 includes the image forming unit 100, A document reading unit 200, a sheet feeding unit 300, an operation display unit 400, an image storage unit 500, an image processing unit 600, a network I / F unit 700, and the like are connected.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 20 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 21 that stores a control program of the image forming apparatus 1, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 22 that temporarily stores data, and various settings that can be updated. An EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) 23 that stores data and the like, a microcomputer 24 that reads out and executes a control program from the ROM 21 and the like, and predetermined instruction information input on the operation display unit 400 and the like, The entire apparatus is controlled in accordance with detection signals from various sensors provided at various places.

  The image forming unit 100 performs predetermined image formation (printing) on the paper conveyed by the paper supply unit 300, and includes a printer controller, a laser scanning unit, a fixing roller, and the like (not shown).

  The original reading unit 200 reads an original and generates image data corresponding to the original, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor that generates image data from an optically acquired original image and an exposure. The image data obtained by scanning a manuscript placed on the contact glass is output to the control unit 20.

  The paper feeding unit 300 feeds paper to the image forming unit 100.

  The operation display unit 400 inputs a predetermined instruction in response to a user operation. The operation display unit 400 includes a start key for inputting a print execution instruction and a numeric keypad for inputting the number of copies to be printed. A liquid crystal display (LCD) on which various operation buttons and the like for displaying operation guide information for inputting settings of various copying operations and the like is displayed.

  The image storage unit 500 is a memory that temporarily stores image data of a document read by the document reading unit 200 and image data transmitted from an external device via a not-shown abbreviated network I / F unit 700 or the like. is there.

  The image processing unit 600 performs various types of image processing on the print data. For example, the image processing unit 600 converts the print data into RGB data or CMYK data, and performs image processing for consolidating a plurality of document images on one sheet. Enlargement / reduction processing for enlarging or reducing the image size of the document image, layout processing for arranging a plurality of document images on one sheet, and the like are performed.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, the control unit 20 controls the printing process according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  That is, when the control unit 20 receives image data of a document read by the document reading unit 200 or image data transmitted from an external device via the network I / F unit 700 or the like, the control unit 20 converts the received image data into print data. Is temporarily stored in the image storage unit 500 (step S1), and whether the color printing mode is designated by the setting by the operation display unit 400 or the setting from the external device via the network I / F unit 700 or the like. Is determined (step S2).

  If the determination result in step S2 is YES, that is, the color print mode is designated, the print data stored in the image storage unit 500 is separated into text data and image data (step S3), and the image data is Performs color data processing for generating color bitmap data by converting the data into CMYK data by the image processing unit 600 (step S4), and using the generated color bitmap data, the image forming unit 100 outputs an image by color printing. In step S6, the text data is subjected to monochrome data processing for generating monochrome bitmap data of C = 0, M = 0, Y = 0, K = 1 by the image processing unit 600 (step S5). The image forming unit 100 uses the generated monochrome bitmap data. Performing image output by monochrome printing Ri (step S6).

  If the determination result in step S2 is NO, that is, if the color printing mode is not designated, monochrome data processing is performed (step S5), and the image forming unit 100 outputs an image by monochrome printing (step S7). .

  Further, it is determined whether or not it is a data end (step S8), and if the determination result is NO, that is, it is not a data end, the process returns to step S1 to accept a new data input, and from step S1 to step S8. The process is repeated, and if the determination result in step S8 is YES, that is, data end, the printing process is terminated.

1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the control part in the said image forming apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of print processing by a control unit in the image forming apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 image forming apparatus,
10 Main body,
20 control unit,
21 ROM,
22 RAM,
23 EPROM,
24 microcomputer,
100 image forming unit,
200 Document reading unit,
300 paper feeder,
400 operation display section,
500 image storage unit,
600 Image processing unit

Claims (1)

In an image forming apparatus provided with a color printing mechanism,
Print data discrimination means for discriminating whether the input RGB print data is text data or image data;
An image forming apparatus comprising: control means for performing monochrome printing of the text data discriminated by the print data discrimination means and performing color printing of the image data.

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