JP2009292011A - Printing apparatus and control method thereof, program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide printing control technology for reducing printing-wrinkles on the whole ink ribbon by preheating the outside of a printing area during a printing operation. <P>SOLUTION: The printing apparatus for printing an image is configured to transfer the ink carried on the ink ribbon supplied from a supply side bobbin to a paper sheet by driving heat generating bodies arrayed in the main scanning direction of a thermal head while conveying the paper sheet in a sub-scanning direction. The printing apparatus includes: an acquisition means that acquires image data and printing setting information about an image to be printed; and a control means that generates photographic printing data of the printing area where the image is transferred to the paper sheet, the photographic printing data being generated based on the acquired image data and the printing setting information, and generates printing data by adding correction data to an area outside the printing area at both ends of the ink ribbon, and then drives the thermal head based on the generated printing data. The control means is configured to add the correction data in accordance with at least one of an environment temperature, a head temperature, the residual amount of the ink ribbon and the paper sheet size. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that has a thermal head and prints by transferring ink carried on an ink ribbon onto a sheet.

  Conventionally, a line that prints on a dot line by using a heat-sensitive printing paper, selectively driving a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction, and conveying the printing paper in the sub-scanning direction. There are thermal transfer printers. Further, the sublimation type thermal transfer printer is a method in which the ink carried on the ink ribbon is sublimated from a solid to a gas and attached to a sheet. By controlling the thermal energy and the number of times applied to the thermal head and changing the density of one pixel, it is possible to express a smooth and rich gradation image, which is suitable for photographic printout.

  In recent years, with the progress of input devices that handle images such as digital cameras, digital video cameras, and scanners, attention has been focused on thermal transfer printers.

  Inkjet printers can only select binary values, whether or not ink droplets are allowed to fly, so that a small ink droplet is landed on a sheet and an apparent resolution and gradation are obtained using a technique such as error diffusion. Yes.

  On the other hand, in the case of a thermal transfer printer, since it is easy to control the thermal energy for each pixel, more gradations can be reproduced for one pixel, which is smoother than an inkjet printer. A high-quality image can be obtained.

  In addition, the performance of the thermal head and the performance of the recording paper materials have improved, so it is possible to obtain image prints that are as good as silver halide photographs in finished quality, and especially natural images to keep pace with the progress of recent digital cameras. It is attracting attention as a printer for use.

  In view of this, a system in which a printer and a photographing device such as a digital camera are directly connected or integrally configured and a photographed image is printed without using an image processing device such as a PC has appeared.

In a camera direct print system in which a digital camera and a printer are directly connected, the user can perform high-quality printing of captured images by simply operating the operation members of the digital camera several times. For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-10-243327 JP 2006-159505 A JP 05-008430 A

  When printing an image photographed by a digital camera using the thermal transfer printer, the ink ribbon is scanned in the order of Y, M, C, and overcoat to transfer the ink onto the printing paper. As shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the thermal head, printing paper, and ink ribbon is as follows. For almost all sublimation printers, thermal head width A> ink ribbon width B> printing paper width C ≧ printing in the main scanning direction. The relationship of region (print region) D is established.

  Since the print area is smaller than the ink ribbon, an area that is not heated at all is generated as shown in FIG. In this non-heated area (hereinafter, non-transfer portion), no energization pulse is generated, so the thermal head does not generate heat, and the state of the ink ribbon is almost the same as before the energization.

  On the other hand, since a large thermal energy is applied to the heated area (hereinafter referred to as a transfer portion) by energizing the thermal head, the ink ribbon is elongated due to thermal deformation during printing. For this reason, physical distortion occurs in the transfer portion and non-transfer portion of the ink ribbon, and this causes wrinkles in the ink ribbon. Since the wrinkles generated on the ink ribbon cause wrinkle-like printing omission, if printing is performed in a state where the wrinkles are generated, printing wrinkles, ribbon breaks, etc. frequently occur.

  Patent Documents 2 and 3 describe countermeasures such as printing wrinkles and ribbon breakage caused by the thermal non-equilibrium state. As shown in FIG. 6, Patent Document 2 is a control method in which a thermal head is energized during standby of a “mimi” portion or a mechanism portion of a printing paper, and it is possible to prevent wrinkling of the leading portion of the printing paper. As shown in FIG. 7, Patent Document 3 is a control method for preventing wrinkles in the vicinity of an edge where the rise of the density is steep by applying heat that does not transfer the ink to the printing paper even when the gradation value is 0. is there. In both cases, a preheating area is provided, and wrinkles in the printing area are made difficult to occur by reducing as much as possible the density difference between the printing area and the area where no heat is applied.

  The present invention realizes a printing control technique that reduces printing wrinkles generated on the entire ink ribbon by preheating outside the printing area during the printing operation.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a printing apparatus of the present invention includes an ink ribbon winding unit for winding an ink ribbon supplied from a supply-side bobbin onto a winding-side bobbin, and a thermal head, and the supply The ink carried on the ink ribbon supplied from the side bobbin is transferred to the paper by driving the heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction of the thermal head while transporting the paper in the sub-scanning direction. A printing apparatus that performs printing, an acquisition unit that acquires image data and print setting information of an image to be printed, and an image transferred to the paper that is generated based on the image data and the print setting information Print data is generated by adding correction data to the print data of the print area to be printed and the areas outside the print area at both ends of the ink ribbon. Control means for driving the thermal head based on the data, and the control means corrects according to at least one of environmental temperature, head temperature, remaining amount of ink ribbon, or paper size. Append data.

  Further, the control method of the printing apparatus of the present invention includes an ink ribbon winding means for winding the ink ribbon supplied from the supply-side bobbin around the winding-side bobbin, and a thermal head, from the supply-side bobbin. Printing in which the ink carried on the supplied ink ribbon is transferred to the paper by driving the heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction of the thermal head while the paper is transported in the sub-scanning direction, thereby printing an image A method for controlling an apparatus, wherein an acquisition process for acquiring image data and print setting information of an image to be printed is generated, and an image is transferred to the paper generated based on the image data and the print setting information. Print data is generated by adding correction data to the print data of the print area to be printed and the areas outside the print area at both ends of the ink ribbon. A control step of driving the thermal head based on the data, and in the control step, the correction is performed according to at least one of the environmental temperature, the head temperature, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon, or the paper size. Append data.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce printing wrinkles generated on the entire ink ribbon by preheating outside the printing area during the printing operation.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The embodiment described below is an example as means for realizing the present invention, and should be appropriately modified or changed according to the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is not limited to the embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a print control method for reducing printing wrinkles by a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the camera direct printing system (a) and the configuration of the camera rear surface (b) according to the embodiment to which the printing system of the present invention is applied.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention is realized by a sublimation type thermal transfer printer (hereinafter referred to as a thermal printer) that prints by transferring ink carried on an ink ribbon onto a sheet.

  1 and 2, a JPEG compressed image captured by a digital camera (hereinafter referred to as a camera) 21 and a JPEG compressed image stored in a memory medium or the like after being captured are transferred to a thermal printer (hereinafter referred to as a JPEG file) via a dedicated cable 22. Printer) 23. The printer 23 performs image processing such as JPEG file decompression, resizing, and print data creation, and forms and outputs a color image on the print paper 26. Reference numeral 24 denotes an operation member provided in the camera 21, and the user can select a print pattern, a print target image, a print designation frame, a paper size, and the like by operating the operation member 24. Further, the user can confirm the operation content on the liquid crystal screen 25 mounted on the camera 21.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration for creating print data inside the camera 21.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes a CCD as an image sensor for converting a subject image formed through a lens into an electric signal. Reference numeral 31 denotes a CPU that controls system control and arithmetic processing of the camera 21. An image processing unit 32 includes an image processing circuit that processes an electrical signal output from the CCD 30. The image processing unit 32 performs various image processing such as compression on the captured image data. A communication control unit 33 controls communication with the printer 23 that is communicably connected to the camera 21. Reference numeral 34 denotes an operation unit including buttons and the like, and accepts an input operation by the user.

  A flash ROM 35 stores a system control program for the camera 21. An SDRAM 36 temporarily stores image data or is used for data processing work. Reference numeral 37 denotes a CF (Compact Flash (registered trademark)) memory as a memory medium for storing data files. Reference numeral 38 denotes a CF connector for attaching the CF 37 to the camera 21. Reference numeral 39 denotes an LCD for displaying images taken by the camera 21 and operation menus. Reference numeral 40 denotes an LCD driver for driving the LCD 39.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration for printing the print data inside the printer 23.

  In FIG. 4, a CPU 44 performs system control and calculation processing of the printer 23. An image processing unit 45 includes an image processing circuit that processes image data sent from the camera 21 and image data acquired from the CF 51. In the image processing unit 45, various image processing such as decompression is performed on the image data sent from the camera 21 and the image data acquired from the CF 51, and image data for printing is created.

  A flash ROM 49 stores a program for system control of the printer 23. An SDRAM 50 temporarily stores image data and is used for data processing work. Reference numeral 51 denotes a CF (compact flash) memory as a memory medium for storing data files. Reference numeral 52 denotes a CF connector for attaching the CF 51 to the printer 23. An LCD 53 displays images and operation menus on the printer 23. An LCD driver 54 drives the LCD 53.

  A communication control unit 46 controls communication with the camera 21 that is communicably connected to the printer 23. An operation unit 47 receives an operation instruction from the user. Reference numeral 42 denotes a thermal head, and 43 denotes a thermal head control unit. The image data converted by the image processing unit 45 is converted into an electrical signal by the thermal head control unit 43 and output to the thermal head 42. The thermal head 42 converts electrical signals into thermal energy, and drives the heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction of the thermal head according to the print data while conveying the printing paper in the sub-scanning direction, thereby printing on the printing paper. I do.

  Reference numeral 41 denotes a head temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the thermal head 42, and 48 denotes an environmental temperature sensor that measures the environmental temperature around the printer. In practice, the temperature inside the printer is measured. 55 is a ribbon remaining amount meter for detecting the remaining amount of the ink ribbon.

  Next, the printing operation by the direct printing system shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 will be described with reference to the flow of FIG. It is assumed that a plurality of photographed image data is stored as JPEG files in a memory medium (image storage device) inside the camera 21. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the printer according to the present embodiment has a relationship of the head width A> the ink ribbon width B> the printing paper width C ≧ the printing area (printing area) D with respect to the main scanning direction. To do.

  In FIG. 9, the user first selects an image to be printed (hereinafter referred to as a print target image) and sets printing conditions by using the operation unit 34 of the camera 21, for example, a print execution button (not shown) (S101), and starts printing. Instruct. Then, the camera 21 transmits a print request to the printer 23 together with the print setting information (S102).

  Upon receiving the print request, the printer 23 requests the camera 21 for information such as the size of the image file necessary for printing, and transmits file information from the camera 21 to the printer 23 accordingly. The printer 23 requests actual image data based on the received file information, and the image data is transmitted from the camera 21 in response to the request.

  Next, before starting the printing operation, the printer 23 acquires the ink ribbon remaining amount by the ribbon remaining amount meter 55 as device information (S103), acquires the environmental temperature by the environmental temperature sensor 41 (S104), and stores it in the SDRAM 50. Hold. Thereafter, the printer 23 determines whether the temperature of the thermal head exceeds a predetermined temperature by the head temperature sensor 48 (S105).

  The acquisition of the remaining amount of ink ribbon in S103 is performed for the following purpose. When the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is extremely small or when it is fully loaded (when the ribbon is not used), the difference between the diameter of the ink ribbon take-up bobbin and the diameter of the supply side bobbin becomes the largest. As described above, when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is extremely small or when the ink ribbon is fully loaded (when the ribbon is not used), the stress applied to the ink ribbon is different from the normal time, so that printing wrinkles are likely to occur. Therefore, in the present invention, information on the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is acquired, and it is determined whether or not to apply the correction filter according to the remaining amount of the ink ribbon, and what kind of filter is applied. If it is determined that the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is extremely small or full (ribbon not used), it is determined that wrinkles are likely to occur, and subsequent processing is performed.

  The acquisition of the environmental temperature in S104 is performed for the following purpose. When the environmental temperature is high or low, the inside of the printer becomes hot or cold, and the ink ribbon itself is in a state of being easily transferred or in a state of being difficult to transfer. For this reason, it is necessary to set the filter coefficient with a weight different from that when the environmental temperature is normal (when the temperature is the same as the room temperature).

  The determination of the thermal head temperature in S105 is performed to prevent the thermal head from being destroyed. If printing is performed in a state where the temperature of the thermal head is extremely high, an excessive amount of heat is applied to the thermal head, leading to head destruction. Therefore, when the temperature detected by the head temperature sensor 48 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature close to the thermal head destruction temperature, printing is temporarily stopped, a message is displayed on the LCDs 39 and 53 of the camera 21 or the printer 23, and the process returns to S103. .

In S106 and S107, the coefficient of the end face thermal correction filter and the application position information of the filter are read from the table shown in FIG. 10 from the values acquired in S101 and 103 to S104. In the table of FIG. 10, information on paper size, environmental temperature, ink ribbon remaining amount, filter application position (pixel position), and filter type (correction coefficient) is associated and held in the flash ROM 49 of the printer 23. . It is assumed that a plurality of types of filters can be possessed, and not only the filters prepared for each paper size and environmental temperature are used, but also various types of filters can be applied according to the combination of the above information. It has become. An example of the filter is shown in FIG. For example, when both the environmental temperature and the head temperature are sufficiently high, it is determined that the non-transfer portion of the ink ribbon is also sufficiently warm, and a filter that does not heat as much as possible is applied, such as Pattern2.
In S108 and S109, complement processing and filter processing are executed based on the coefficient of the end face thermal correction filter and the applied position information of the filter. FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of the complementing process in S108. “Line data (for 1H)” at the top of the figure is data after expansion, and “Line data (for 1H)” at the bottom is data before expansion. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing area is usually shorter than the main scanning width of the thermal head. For this reason, the CPU 31 sends and prints line data shorter than the main scanning width of the thermal head. In this sequence, focusing on the pixels at both ends of the line data, data having the same number of gradations as the pixels at both ends is added, and the data is expanded up to the main scanning width of the thermal head. FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of the thermal correction process in S109. The correction data is obtained by multiplying the complementary data L and R pixels at both ends expanded in S108 by the filter coefficients determined in S106 and S107. Thereafter, the printer 23 generates print data including correction data and starts actual printing (S110, S111).

  When printing is completed, a message is displayed on the LCDs 39 and 53 of the camera 21 or printer 23, and the user is notified of the completion of printing (S112).

  The printing operation described above is performed not only on the camera 21 but also on the image data stored in the CF 51 of the printer 23. That is, in the direct print system shown in FIG. 2, it is assumed that a plurality of image data is stored as JPEG files in the memory medium of the printer 23, respectively. In this case, after the user performs the same operation as S101 by the operation unit 47 of the printer 23, the same processing as S102 to S112 is executed.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, correction data is added to a range corresponding to the paper size, and the end face portion (outside the printing area) of the ink ribbon is printed with a heat amount equal to or less than the heat amount to which ink is transferred during the printing operation. By preheating, printing wrinkles generated on the entire ink ribbon can be reduced.

  Needless to say, the object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a storage medium (or recording medium) storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to the camera. In this case, this is achieved by the camera computer (or CPU or MPU) reading the program code from the storage medium and executing it.

  When the present invention is applied to the above-mentioned storage medium, the storage medium stores a control program and various tables for executing the processes of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. These program codes can be provided as firmware that can be updated, for example.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a print control method for reducing print wrinkles by a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera direct print system according to an embodiment to which a printing system of the present invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of a camera. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a printer. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the subject which this invention tends to solve. FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a printing wrinkle reduction method according to Patent Document 2. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a printing wrinkle reduction method according to Patent Document 3. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the printing wrinkle reduction method by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the printing operation by the direct print system of this embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the table used for the correction process in this embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram of the complementation process in S108 of FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of the correction process in S109 of FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of the filter process in S109 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

21 Digital camera 22 Dedicated cable 23 Printer 24 Camera operation member 25 LCD screen 30 CCD
31 CPU
32 Image processing unit 33 Communication control unit 34 Operation unit 35 Flash ROM
36 SDRAM
37 CF memory 38 CF connector 39 LCD
40 LCD Driver 41 Environmental Temperature Sensor 42 Thermal Head 43 Thermal Head Control Unit 44 CPU
45 Image processing unit 46 Communication control unit 47 Operation unit 48 Head temperature sensor 49 Flash ROM
50 SDRAM
51 CF memory 52 CF connector 53 LCD
54 LCD Driver 55 Ribbon Fuel Gauge

Claims (12)

Ink ribbon winding means for winding the ink ribbon supplied from the supply side bobbin onto the winding side bobbin, and a thermal head, and the ink carried on the ink ribbon supplied from the supply side bobbin, A printing device that prints an image by transferring the paper onto the paper by driving the heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction of the thermal head while transporting the paper in the sub-scanning direction,
Acquisition means for acquiring image data and print setting information of an image to be printed;
Print data of the print area where the image is transferred to the paper, generated based on the image data and the print setting information, and correction data are added to both ends of the ink ribbon and outside the print area Control data for generating print data and driving the thermal head based on the generated print data,
The control device adds correction data according to at least one of an environmental temperature, a head temperature, a remaining amount of ink ribbon, and a paper size.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit adds correction data to a range corresponding to the paper size.   The control means prints correction data generated by using a filter corresponding to at least one of environmental temperature, head temperature, remaining amount of ink ribbon, or paper size at both ends of the ink ribbon. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is added to an area outside the area.   The control unit adds data based on image data at both ends of the print area, and the added data corresponds to at least one of environmental temperature, head temperature, ink ribbon remaining amount, and paper size. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein correction data is generated by applying a filter.   When the width of the thermal head in the main scanning direction is A, the width of the ink ribbon is B, the width of the paper is C, and the width of the printing area is D, the relationship of A> B> C ≧ D is established. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is a printer. Ink ribbon take-up means for taking up the ink ribbon supplied from the supply-side bobbin to the take-up bobbin, and a thermal head, and the ink carried on the ink ribbon supplied from the supply-side bobbin to the paper A method of controlling a printing apparatus that prints an image by driving the heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction of the thermal head while transferring them in the sub-scanning direction, and transferring them to the paper.
An acquisition step of acquiring image data and print setting information of an image to be printed;
Print data of the print area where the image is transferred to the paper, generated based on the image data and the print setting information, and correction data are added to both ends of the ink ribbon and outside the print area Generating print data and driving the thermal head based on the generated print data,
In the control step, correction data is added according to at least one of an environmental temperature, a head temperature, a remaining amount of ink ribbon, and a paper size.   The method according to claim 6, wherein in the control step, correction data is added to a range corresponding to the paper size.   In the control step, correction data generated using a filter corresponding to at least one of the environmental temperature, the head temperature, the remaining amount of ink ribbon, and the paper size is printed at both ends of the ink ribbon and the printing is performed. 8. The method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the printing apparatus is added to an area outside the area.   In the control step, data based on image data at both ends of the print area is added, and the added data is in accordance with at least one of environmental temperature, head temperature, ink ribbon remaining amount, and paper size. The method according to claim 8, wherein the correction data is generated by applying a filter.   When the width of the thermal head in the main scanning direction is A, the width of the ink ribbon is B, the width of the paper is C, and the width of the printing area is D, the relationship of A> B> C ≧ D is established. The method for controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the printing apparatus has a control method.   A program for causing a computer of a printing apparatus to execute the control method according to any one of claims 6 to 10.   A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer of a printing apparatus to execute the control method according to claim 6.

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