JP2009064312A - Image processor, image forming apparatus, image transfer method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce line memories of a write controller required for writing simultaneously a plurality of lines in an optical writer of a multibeam scanning optical system. <P>SOLUTION: DMA controllers 201-204 of an ASIC 112 mounted on a controller part transfer images data stored in a memory 115 to a write control part 104 of an engine part in the order required for write processing by a multibeam. The write control part 104 performs serial/parallel-conversion of the image data from the ASIC 112 into a mode corresponding to the beam number of the multibeam, and outputs the converted image data to the optical writer of a plotter 102. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing device connectable to a writing control device that controls an optical writing device of a multi-beam optical scanning system that performs writing processing by multi-beams according to image data, and the image processing device and writing control device thereof , And image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic laser printers, digital copying machines, facsimile machines, MFPs (digital multifunction peripherals) equipped with optical writing devices, image transfer methods, and computers required to control the image processing apparatuses The present invention relates to a program for realizing a function (function related to the present invention) and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.

Conventionally, in the image forming apparatus as described above, an ASIC (Application Specific IC) for image processing and a controller unit (image processing apparatus) including a CPU are combined with an engine unit (write control device and optical writing device). In many cases, the image data developed using the controller unit is formed as a visible image on a print medium such as paper by an engine unit.
For example, in the case of a digital copying machine, an ASIC having a plurality of image processing hardware elements is mounted on a controller unit, the ASIC and an engine unit are connected by a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) interface, and the same controller. By connecting the CPU and the ASIC arranged in the unit, the copy process can be performed under the control of the CPU (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, the engine unit can record high-quality images at high speed, so an electrophotographic system equipped with an optical writing device that performs writing processing using a laser beam emitted from a laser light source such as a semiconductor laser. As image forming apparatuses become popular, there is a growing demand for higher speed and higher image definition.
In recent years, with the increase in the speed of electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, a single laser beam constituting a scanning optical system has been used, and multi-beam scanning optics using a plurality of laser beams as emission points. There is a tendency to use optical writing devices.

In such an image forming apparatus, a plurality of (n) laser beams are simultaneously scanned on a photosensitive member by a single scan by a polygon mirror of an optical writing device, and a plurality of lines (n) are simultaneously written. A beam system is employed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Therefore, if the rotation speed of the polygon mirror is constant, the image forming speed of the image forming apparatus is simply n times faster than when one laser beam is used.
Japanese Patent No. 3682442 JP 2001-194603 A

However, in order to realize simultaneous writing of a plurality of lines in the optical writing device of the multi-beam scanning optical system, it is necessary to accumulate data transferred from the controller unit once in the writing control device of the engine unit, and at least simultaneous writing Line memory for the number of lines must be installed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is intended to reduce the line memory of a writing control device required for simultaneous writing of a plurality of lines in an optical writing device of a multi-beam scanning optical system. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an image transfer method, a program executed by a computer that controls the image processing apparatus, and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded. provide.

The image processing apparatus according to the present invention can be connected to a write control apparatus that controls an optical writing apparatus that performs a writing process using multi-beams in accordance with image data, and the image control apparatus stores the image data stored in the storage device. Is provided with image transfer means for transferring the image data stored in the storage device to the writing control device in the order required for the writing process.
Further, a beam number setting means for setting the number of beams of the multi-beam is provided, and the image transfer means is necessary for the writing process by the multi-beam of the number of beams set by the beam number setting means for the image data stored in the storage device. The data may be transferred to the writing control device in order.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described image processing apparatus, optical writing apparatus, and writing control apparatus, and the writing control apparatus converts image data from the image processing apparatus to the number of multi-beams. Format conversion means for converting the image data to the optical writing device and outputting the image data converted by the format conversion means to the optical writing device.
An image processing apparatus provided with image writing means for writing image data to the storage device in the order necessary for the writing process may be provided.

Alternatively, the compression processing means for compressing the image data, the image input means for inputting the image data to the compression processing means in the order required for the writing process, and the image data compressed by the compression processing means are written to the storage device. An image processing apparatus provided with image writing means may be provided.
In the image forming apparatus including the image processing apparatus, the optical writing apparatus, and the writing control apparatus, the writing control apparatus decompresses the image data compressed by the compression processing means from the image processing apparatus. And a format conversion unit that converts the image data expanded by the expansion processing unit into a format corresponding to the number of beams of the multi-beam. The image data converted by the format conversion unit is optically converted. It may be output to the writing device.

An image transfer method according to the present invention is an image transfer method for transferring image data stored in a storage device to a write control device that controls an optical writing device that performs multi-beam writing processing according to image data. The image data stored in the apparatus is transferred to the writing control apparatus in the order required for the writing process.
The program according to the present invention can be connected to a writing control device that controls an optical writing device that performs writing processing by multi-beams according to image data, and transfers the image data stored in the storage device to the writing control device. This is a program for realizing an image transfer function for transferring image data stored in a storage device to a writing control device in the order required for the writing process in a computer that controls the image processing device.
The recording medium according to the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.

  According to the present invention, the image processing device transfers the image data stored in the storage device to the writing control device in the order necessary for the writing process by the multi-beam, so that the writing control device sends the data in that order. By converting the received image data into a format corresponding to the number of beams of the multi-beam and outputting it to the optical writing device, the line memory of the writing control device required for simultaneous writing of multiple lines in the optical writing device can be obtained. Can be reduced.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
Here, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking an image forming apparatus equipped with an optical writing apparatus of a multi-beam scanning optical system having eight laser beams as an example.

[Basic configuration of image forming apparatus]
First, a basic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of the image forming apparatus.
This image forming apparatus is an MFP, and includes an engine unit 1 and a controller unit 2 (image processing apparatus). Note that another image forming apparatus such as a laser printer, a digital copying machine, or a facsimile apparatus may be used instead of the MFP.

The engine unit 1 includes a scanner 101, a plotter 102, a reading control unit 103, a writing control unit 104, an engine control CPU 105, and the like.
A scanner 101 is an image reading unit that reads an image of a document.
The plotter 102 is an image forming unit that receives the image data developed in the memory 115 of the controller unit 2 via the ASIC 112 and the writing control unit 104 and prints it as a visible image on a sheet (or other recording medium).

  This plotter 102 is equipped with an optical writing device of a multi-beam scanning optical system capable of outputting eight laser beams. In the case of CMYK color printing, each color has two beams (8 beams are used in four colors × 2 beams). ) Simultaneous writing of 2 lines by a single scan with a polygon mirror, and simultaneous writing of 8 lines by a single scan with a polygon mirror with 8 beams per color (8 beams are used for one color) in the case of grayscale printing. Each shall be done. Note that these multi-beam writing processes are well known and will not be described in detail. In “CMYK”, C represents cyan, M represents magenta, Y represents yellow, and K represents black.

A reading control unit 103 controls reading of a document image by the scanner 101.
The writing control unit 104 controls writing of an optical writing device that performs writing processing using a plurality of laser beams (multi-beams) from a laser diode (or a laser diode array including a plurality of laser diodes) as a plurality of laser light sources. Means (write control device). The writing control unit 104 includes a serial-parallel conversion unit corresponding to a format conversion unit.
The engine control CPU 105 performs overall control of each part of the engine unit 1 by operating according to a program in a ROM (not shown).

The controller unit 2 includes a controller control CPU 111, an ASIC 112, an operation unit 113, an HDD 114, a memory 115, a network interface (hereinafter, “interface” is also referred to as “I / F”) 116, and the like. Note that the operation unit 113 is actually disposed outside the controller unit 2.
The controller control CPU 111 performs overall control of each unit of the controller unit 2 by operating according to a fixed program in a ROM (not shown) and a program developed on a RAM (not shown).

The ASIC 112 is a multi-function device board, which shares devices to be controlled by the engine control CPU 105 and supports high efficiency in development of application programs and the like from the viewpoint of architecture.
The operation unit 113 includes various operation keys (also referred to as operation switches or operation buttons) for inputting data such as operation instructions for the engine unit 1 based on selection of an image processing function provided by the image forming apparatus, and an LCD or CRT. And so on.

The HDD 114 is a non-volatile storage unit (storage device) that stores and holds a large amount of data, and can store programs including an OS (operating system) and various data such as image data (digital image signals). Note that data in the memory 115 can be stored in the HDD 114.
The memory 115 is a storage unit used as a program memory for storing various programs, a work memory used when the controller control CPU 111 performs data processing, an image memory for developing image data, and the like.
The network I / F 116 is for communicating with an external device via a network (not shown).

  Here, the image data to be printed (image formation) is various, such as read data from the scanner 101 (RGB image data), input data from the network I / F 116, and accumulated data in the HDD 104. In the case of performing color conversion, the data is converted into CMYK image data in the case of color and grayscale image data in the case of monochrome, and is developed in the memory 115.

  In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, the controller control CPU 111 of the controller unit 2 reads various programs including the OS (operation system) and application software in the HDD 114 according to the boot program in the ROM when the power is turned on, and the RAM. After installation, the system operates according to the various programs (selectively executes the various programs as necessary), and controls the apparatus to realize various functions including the function as the beam number setting means according to the present invention. be able to.

[Internal structure of ASIC]
Next, the internal configuration of the ASIC 112 in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the ASIC 112 in FIG. 1 and the connection relationship with peripheral devices.

The ASIC 112 includes color-specific DMA (Direct Memory Access) controllers 201 to 204 and an arbiter 205.
The DMA controllers 201 to 204 are image transfer means, which issue a read address to the memory 115 via the arbiter 205, thereby reading CMYK image data in the memory 115 and sending it to the write control unit 104 of the engine unit 1. Forward. This is called DMA transfer.
The arbiter 205 is an arbitration circuit that performs arbitration for input / output requests from the DMA controllers 201 to 204 and the engine control CPU 105 and accesses the memory 115 to input / output image data.

[Data transfer using ASIC]
Next, data transfer using the ASIC 112 shown in FIG. 2 in this image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
The controller unit 2 reads the CMYK image data from the DMA controllers 201 to 204 of the ASIC 112 during CMYK color printing, and reads the gray scale image data from the memory 115 using the DMA controller 201 during gray scale (monochrome) printing. Transfer to the write control unit 104.
Control on the controller unit 2 side is performed by the controller control CPU 111, and control on the engine unit 1 side is performed by the engine control CPU 105.

(1) CMYK color print: When writing 2 beams for each color (8 beams are used in 4 colors x 2 beams)
FIG. 3 shows a plotter 102 (actually an optical writing device in FIG. 2) that performs scanning with a polygon mirror for each color with two beams (8 beams are used in four colors × 2 beams) during CMYK color printing. It is explanatory drawing which shows the order of reading of the image data from the memory 115 using ASIC112 of the controller part 2 in the case of performing 2 lines simultaneous writing.

When using 8 beams with 4 colors × 2 beams, the plotter 102 performs writing processing for 2 lines of CMYK simultaneously. Conventionally, the DMA transfer was performed sequentially for the first line, the second line, the third line,... For each color. Therefore, in order to perform the writing process simultaneously for two lines, a line memory for at least one line for each color. Was needed.
Therefore, in this embodiment, DMA transfer is performed on the CMYK image data developed in the memory 115 in the order shown in FIG.

  In this case, since writing processing is performed simultaneously in the main scanning direction for the two lines, the main scanning first pixel on the first line, the main scanning first pixel on the second line, the main scanning second pixel on the first line, and the second line 2nd main scanning pixel, 2nd line main scanning trailing edge pixel, 3rd line main scanning 1st pixel, 4th line main scanning 1st pixel, ... 2y-1 line DMA transfer is performed in the order of the main scan x pixel of the second, the main scan x pixel of the 2y line, the main scan x + 1 pixel of the 2y-1 line, the main scan x + 1 pixel of the 2y line,. x = 1, 2, 3,..., y = 1, 2, 3,.

FIG. 4 shows a plotter from the memory 115 when the plotter 102 of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of two lines by one scanning with a polygon mirror with two beams of each color (8 beams are used in four colors × 2 beams) during CMYK color printing. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of image data to 102.
The DMA controllers 201 to 204 read CMYK image data from the memory 115 in the above order and transfer them to the write control unit 104.

The writing control unit 104 performs serial-parallel conversion (conversion from serial data to parallel data) by the serial-parallel conversion unit 104 a on the image data from the DMA controllers 201 to 204, and sends image data corresponding to each beam to the plotter 102. Output.
For each color, by performing DMA transfer of image data from the memory 115 of the controller unit 2 to the write control unit 104 of the engine unit 1 in the order necessary for the writing process, two colors of each color (eight beams are converted into four colors × 8) during CMYK color printing. When two lines are simultaneously written by a single scan with a polygon mirror (used with two beams), the line memory (one line for each color × 4 = total of four lines) previously installed in the write controller should be reduced. Can do.

(2) Gray scale printing: In case of writing 8 beams for one color (8 beams are used for one color)
Here, a case where gray scale image data is transferred using one DMA controller 201 will be described. Any of the other DMA controllers 202 to 204 may be used.
FIG. 5 shows the ASIC 112 of the controller unit 2 when the plotter 102 of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of 8 lines by one scan with a polygon mirror with 8 beams of one color (8 beams are used in one color) at the time of gray scale printing. It is explanatory drawing which shows the order of reading of the image data from the used memory.

When using eight beams with one color, the plotter 102 performs writing processing for eight lines simultaneously. Conventionally, DMA transfer is performed sequentially for the first line, the second line, the third line,..., And therefore a line memory for at least 7 lines is required to perform writing processing simultaneously for 8 lines. It was.
Therefore, in this embodiment, DMA transfer is performed in the order shown in FIG. 5 on the grayscale image data developed in the memory 115.

  In this case, since writing processing is performed simultaneously in the main scanning direction for eight lines, the first main scanning pixel for the first line, the first main scanning pixel for the second line,..., The main scanning one pixel for the seventh line. First pixel of main scan on the 8th line, 1st line of main scan 2nd pixel, 2nd line of main scan 2nd pixel, ..., 8th line of main scan rear end pixel, 9th line Main scan first pixel, 10th line main scan first pixel,..., 8y-7 line main scan x pixel, 8y-6 line main scan x pixel,. DMA in the order of main scanning x pixel on the first line, main scanning x pixel on the 8y line, main scanning x + 1 pixel on the 8y-7 line, main scanning x + 1 pixel on the 8y-6 line, and so on. Transfer is performed (x = 1, 2, 3,..., Y = 1, 2, 3,...).

FIG. 6 shows the plotter 102 of FIG. 2 from the memory 115 to the plotter 102 when 8 lines are simultaneously written by one scanning with a polygon mirror with 8 beams of one color (8 beams are used for one color) at the time of gray scale printing. It is a figure which shows the flow of image data.
The DMA controller 201 reads the image data from the memory 115 in the above order and transfers it to the write control unit 104.

The writing control unit 104 performs serial-parallel conversion on the image data from the DMA controller 201 by the serial-parallel conversion unit 104 a and outputs image data corresponding to each beam to the plotter 102.
By performing DMA transfer of image data from the memory 115 of the controller unit 2 to the write control unit 104 of the engine unit 1 in the order required for the writing process, 8 beams per color (8 beams are used for one color) at the time of gray scale printing. Thus, when 8 lines are simultaneously written by a single scan by the polygon mirror, the line memory (for 7 lines) conventionally mounted in the write controller can be reduced.

In the above, DMA transfer of image data has been described by taking CMYK color printing and gray scale printing by a plotter 102 equipped with an optical writing device of a multi-beam scanning optical system having eight laser beams as an example. The invention does not depend on the number of beams.
Therefore, a brief description will be given by taking an example of printing by a plotter equipped with an optical writing device of a multi-beam scanning optical system having n laser beams per color. For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the ASIC 112 of the controller unit 2, the plotter 102 of the engine unit 1, and the writing control unit 108 can handle n laser beams for each color.

(3) 1 color n-beam writing (n-beam is used in 1 color)
Here, a case will be described in which image data is DMA-transferred from the memory 115 of the controller unit 2 to the write control unit 104 by one DMA controller per color, and writing is performed with n beams.
FIG. 7 shows the order of reading image data from the memory 115 using the ASIC 112 of the controller unit 2 when the plotter 102 of FIG. 2 performs n-line simultaneous writing by scanning with a polygon mirror with n beams per color. It is explanatory drawing which shows.

When the n-beam is used for one color, the plotter 102 performs writing processing simultaneously for n lines. Conventionally, DMA transfer was sequentially performed for the first line, the second line, the third line,..., So that at least n-1 lines of line memory are required to perform write processing simultaneously with n lines. It was.
Therefore, in this embodiment, DMA transfer is performed on the image data developed in the memory 115 in the order shown in FIG.

  In this case, since writing processing is performed in the main scanning direction simultaneously with n lines, the main scanning first pixel on the first line, the first main scanning pixel on the second line,. 1st pixel, nth line main scan 1st pixel, 1st line main scan 2nd pixel, 2nd line main scan 2nd pixel,..., Nth line main scan rear end pixel, n + 1 line Main scanning first pixel of eye, main scanning first pixel of n + 2 line,..., Main scanning x pixel of yn + 1 line, main scanning x pixel of yn + 2 line,..., Yn + (n− 2) The main scanning x pixel of the line, the main scanning x pixel of the yn + (n−1) line, the main scanning x pixel of the yn + n line, the main scanning x + 1 pixel of the yn + 1 line,. DMA transfer is performed in order (x = 1, 2, 3,..., Y = 1, 2, 3,...).

The DMA controllers 201 to 204 (or any of them) are set in the order shown in FIG. 7 because the number of beams n is set by the controller control CPU 111 (the setting is performed when the apparatus is shipped from the factory). The image data is read from 115 and transferred to the write control unit 104.
The writing control unit 104 performs serial-parallel conversion corresponding to the number of beams n by the serial-parallel conversion unit 104a on the image data from the DMA controllers 201 to 204 (or any of them), and plots image data corresponding to each beam. To 102.
When performing write processing with n beams per color by performing DMA transfer of image data from the memory 115 of the controller unit 2 to the write control unit 104 of the engine unit 1 in the order necessary for the write processing, The installed line memory can be reduced by n-1 lines per color.

In the embodiment described above, the DMA transfer of the image data is performed from the memory 115 to the write control unit 104 in the order necessary for the writing process. However, the image data is written to the memory 115 in the order necessary for the writing process. The same effect can be obtained by performing DMA transfer of image data from the memory 115 to the write control unit 104 of the engine unit 1 as it is. In this case, the controller control CPU 111 operates according to various programs installed in the RAM and controls the apparatus, thereby realizing the function as the image writing means according to the present invention.
In consideration of the throughput of data transfer to the engine unit 1 side, a data transfer method in which compressed image data is expanded in the memory 115 and decompression processing is performed on the engine unit 1 side can be considered. The image data will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

[When transferring compressed image data]
In this case, the CMYK image data is compressed for each plane in the same order as the data transfer order in FIG. 7, the compressed image data is transferred to the engine unit 1, and the decompression process is performed on the engine unit 1 side. I do. Since the decompressed image data is data in the order required for the writing process, the line memory can be reduced in the same manner.
At this time, the algorithm of the compression process is an algorithm of a coding method based on the raster scanning order. For example, a run length method is used. The decompression processing algorithm corresponds to the compression processing algorithm.

  FIG. 8 shows a plotter from the memory 115 when the plotter 102 of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of two lines by one scanning with a polygon mirror with two beams of each color (8 beams are used in four colors × 2 beams) during CMYK color printing. 2 is a diagram illustrating a flow of compressed image data (compressed image data) to 102. FIG. In this example, two beams are used for each color, but three or more beams for each color may be used.

As a compression method of the image data developed in the memory 115, a method of mounting the compression processing unit (compression processing means) 206 on the ASIC 112 and compressing the same by the compression processing unit 206 or a method of performing the compression processing by the controller control CPU 111 can be considered.
Here, the controller control CPU 111 of the controller unit 2 operates according to various programs installed in the RAM and controls the apparatus, thereby realizing functions as compression processing means, image input means, and image writing means according to the present invention. be able to.

The DMA controllers 201 to 204 read CMYK compressed image data compressed in the above order and written to the memory 115, and transfer them to the write control unit 104.
The writing control unit 104 performs decompression processing and serial-parallel conversion on the image data from the DMA controllers 201 to 204, and outputs image data corresponding to each beam to the plotter 102.
As a decompression method of the compressed image data, a method of decompressing the writing control unit 104 by installing the decompression processing unit 104b and a method of decompressing by the engine control CPU 105 are conceivable.

  The image data compressed in the order required for the writing process is DMA-transferred from the memory 115 on the controller unit 2 side to the writing control unit 104 on the engine unit 1 side, and the writing control unit 104 performs an expansion process. Since the decompressed image data is in the order required for the writing process, when transferring the compressed image data, the line memory conventionally mounted in the writing control unit (one line for each color × 4 = total) 4 lines) can be reduced.

  As described above, the ASIC DMA controller mounted on the controller unit transfers the image data stored in the memory (storage device) to the write control unit (write control device) of the engine unit in the order required for the multi-beam writing process. By transferring the data, it is possible to reduce the line memory required for the multi-beam writing process that has been conventionally installed in the writing control unit. In addition, a DMA controller can be shared in an image forming apparatus that uses one color n (for example, “2”) beam for color printing and one color n × 4 (for example, “8”) beam for monochrome printing.

Further, the ASIC DMA controller mounted on the controller unit transfers the image data stored in the memory to the write control unit of the engine unit in the order required for the multi-beam write process with a preset number of beams. A single controller unit can handle optical systems with various numbers of beams.
Further, the writing control unit of the engine unit serially converts the image data from the controller unit into a format corresponding to the number of beams of the multi-beam, and outputs the converted image data to the optical writing device of the plotter. The image data from the part can be printed on the print medium as a visualized image.

Alternatively, the controller control CPU of the controller unit compresses the image data in the order required for the multi-beam writing process and expands the compressed image data in the memory to the ASIC DMA controller as it is. Since it only needs to be transferred to the write control unit of the engine unit, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the same effects as described above. That is, the data transfer throughput can be improved. Further, the compression processing means can be shared in an image forming apparatus that uses one color n beam for color printing and one color n × 4 beam for monochrome printing.
In addition, the writing control unit of the engine unit decompresses the compressed image data from the controller unit, serially converts the decompressed image data into a format corresponding to the number of multi-beams, and converts the converted image data to a plotter. The image data from the controller unit can be printed on the print medium as a visualized image.

In the conventional image forming apparatus, the controller unit is provided with an ASIC for image processing, and the engine unit is provided with an ASIC for write processing. However, each ASIC is separated from the viewpoint of development efficiency. It was common to develop each ASIC in separate departments.
In recent years, however, ASIC miniaturization has progressed and it is advantageous in terms of cost. Therefore, an image forming apparatus has been developed in which the ASICs used in the controller unit and the engine unit are combined into one and mounted on the controller unit side. It came to be.
In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to such an image forming apparatus.

In the above embodiment, the DMA controller performs the process of reading the image data stored in the memory in the order required for the multi-beam writing process and transferring it to the write control unit of the engine unit. Alternatively, a part of the reading may be performed by a computer (CPU) that controls the controller unit (image processing apparatus).
In that case, the program relating to the present invention provides each function including functions as image transfer means, beam number setting means, compression processing means, image input means, and image writing means relating to the present invention to the computer that controls the controller unit. The above-described effects can be obtained by causing the computer to execute such a program.

Such a program may be stored in a storage means such as a ROM or HDD (hard disk device) from the beginning, but is a CD-ROM or flexible disk as a recording medium, MO, CD-R, CD-RW, It can also be provided by being recorded on a non-volatile recording medium (memory) such as DVD + R, DVD + RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, EEPROM, memory card or the like. The program recorded in the non-volatile recording medium can be installed in the controller unit and executed by the CPU, or the CPU can read out and execute the program from the non-volatile recording medium to execute the above-described procedures. it can.
Furthermore, it is also possible to download and execute an external device that is connected to a network and includes a recording medium that records the program, or an external device that stores the program in the storage unit.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the line memory of the writing control device required for simultaneous writing of a plurality of lines in the optical writing device of the multi-beam scanning optical system. Therefore, a low cost image forming apparatus can be provided.

1 is a diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of the ASIC of FIG. 1 and a connection relationship with peripheral devices. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an order of reading image data from a memory using an ASIC of a controller unit when the plotter of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of two lines by one scanning with a polygon mirror with two beams for each color during CMYK color printing. is there. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of image data from a memory to a plotter when the plotter of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of two lines by one scanning with a polygon mirror with two beams of each color during CMYK color printing.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the order of reading image data from the memory using the ASIC of the controller unit when the plotter of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of 8 lines by one scan with a polygon mirror with 8 beams per color during gray scale printing. It is. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of image data from a memory to a plotter when the plotter of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of 8 lines by one scan with a polygon mirror with 8 beams of one color during gray scale printing. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an order of reading image data from a memory using an ASIC of a controller unit when the plotter of FIG. 2 performs n-line simultaneous writing by scanning with a polygon mirror with n beams per color. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of compressed image data from a memory to a plotter when the plotter of FIG. 2 performs simultaneous writing of two lines by one scanning with a polygon mirror with two beams of each color during CMYK color printing.

Explanation of symbols

1: Engine unit 2: Controller unit 101: Scanner 102: Plotter 103: Reading control unit 104: Write control unit 104a: Serial-parallel conversion unit 104b: Decompression processing unit 105: Engine control CPU
111: Controller control CPU 112: ASIC 113: Operation unit 114: HDD 115: Memory 116: Network I / F
201-204: DMA controller 205: Arbiter
206: Compression processing unit

Claims (9)

An image processing apparatus that can be connected to a writing control apparatus that controls an optical writing apparatus that performs writing processing using multi-beams according to image data, and that transfers image data stored in a storage apparatus to the writing control apparatus. There,
An image processing apparatus comprising image transfer means for transferring image data stored in the storage device to the write control apparatus in an order necessary for the writing process. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
Providing a beam number setting means for setting the number of beams of the multi-beam,
The image transfer means transfers the image data stored in the storage device to the write control device in an order necessary for a writing process using multi-beams having the number of beams set by the beam number setting means. An image processing apparatus. 3. An image forming apparatus comprising: the image processing apparatus according to claim 1; an optical writing apparatus that performs multi-beam writing processing according to image data; and a writing control apparatus that controls the optical writing apparatus. ,
The writing control device comprises:
Format conversion means for converting image data from the image processing apparatus into a format corresponding to the number of beams of the multi-beam, and outputting the image data converted by the format conversion means to the optical writing device; An image forming apparatus. An image processing apparatus that can be connected to a writing control apparatus that controls an optical writing apparatus that performs writing processing using multi-beams according to image data, and that transfers image data stored in a storage apparatus to the writing control apparatus. There,
An image processing apparatus comprising image writing means for writing image data to the storage device in an order necessary for the writing process. An image processing apparatus that can be connected to a writing control apparatus that controls an optical writing apparatus that performs writing processing using multi-beams according to image data, and that transfers image data stored in a storage apparatus to the writing control apparatus. There,
Compression processing means for compressing image data, image input means for inputting image data to the compression processing means in the order required for the writing process, and image data compressed by the compression processing means in the storage device An image processing apparatus comprising an image writing unit for writing. An image forming apparatus comprising: the image processing apparatus according to claim 5; an optical writing apparatus that performs multi-beam writing processing according to image data; and a writing control apparatus that controls the optical writing apparatus.
The writing control device comprises:
Decompression processing means for decompressing image data compressed by the compression processing means from the image processing device, and converting the image data decompressed by the decompression processing means into a format corresponding to the number of beams of the multi-beam And an image forming apparatus for outputting the image data converted by the format converting means to the optical writing device. In an image transfer method for transferring image data stored in a storage device to a writing control device that controls an optical writing device that performs writing processing by multi-beams according to image data,
An image transfer method comprising transferring image data stored in the storage device to the write control device in an order required for the writing process. An image processing apparatus that can be connected to a writing control apparatus that controls an optical writing apparatus that performs writing processing using multi-beams according to image data, and that transfers image data stored in a storage apparatus to the writing control apparatus. To the controlling computer,
A program for realizing an image transfer function for transferring image data stored in the storage device to the write control device in an order necessary for the writing process.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 8 is recorded.

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