JP2661159B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a color image recording apparatus capable of arbitrarily setting a background color in a print area.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image recording apparatus of this type, by designating a background color, even if image data that does not print on the background is received or input, the background color is automatically set. In some cases, printing is performed by adding a specified color to a print job.

According to this type of apparatus, by specifying a color with low lightness as a background color, it is possible to record an image in which a foreground image is raised brightly.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional apparatus, since only a single background color can be designated, an image becomes flat and a color required for high-quality expression (presentation) is not obtained. It has been difficult to realize background printing with a change (gradation).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that can arbitrarily change a background color according to a position in a print area and that enables high-quality expression.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a data processing means for processing input data and controlling the whole, and an image storage means for storing a color image for printing. A color image recording means for printing the color image stored in the storage means on a print medium, wherein a background color is printed which fills an area in the print area where there is no data to be printed. A background color storage unit for storing a color corresponding to a printing position based on the data stored in the background color storage unit and storing the calculated color in the image storage unit; It is something to do.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, while the input image data is stored in the image storage means, each address in the image storage means corresponds to the color designation function stored in the background color storage means. The coordinate value of the print position on the medium is input as a parameter, the background color is calculated by the calculation means, and the bit turn data corresponding to the color obtained by this calculation is stored in the address. If the background data is stored first, the background data is rewritten.

In this way, the image data and
An image in which the background color is synthesized is formed in an area where there is no image data, and by printing the data on the image storage means by the color image storage means, an image having a gradually changing color as the background can be obtained. .

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the present apparatus has an interface means 1 for receiving image data from the outside, and a CPU (data calculating means) for processing the data and controlling the whole apparatus.
2, a ROM 3 in which programs and the like are stored, a work area 4 made up of a RAM and the like, which stores data during work,
Video RAM for storing color images for printing
(Image storage means) 5, Background color storage means 6 which is a part of a memory area storing a background color as a function of a printing position, and Color image storage for printing a color image on a print medium (paper) Means 7 and a panel switch 8 for inputting commands such as support instructions
And a detector 9 for detecting the paper size.

Then, the background color designation data and the foreground color designation data are stored in the background color storage means 6 from the input from the interface means 1.
In this device, the background color is set to the brightness of R, G, B (0 to 0).
It is specified in 1). There are two ways to specify the background color: a method in which the user inputs directly with a function,
Two types of patterns using the color change curve built into the apparatus main body by default set in the program can be selected by a command.

In the mode in which the user directly inputs a function using a function, the coordinate system for designating the function is, as shown in FIG. 2, the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the paper size detected by the paper size detector 9 with the upper left of the printing paper 10 as the origin. Is 1 in length. By doing so, the same color change can be obtained even if the paper size changes.

Here, as an example, G = 0, R = 0, 0 ≦ y ≦ 0.3 B = 0.2, 0,3 <y ≦ 1.0 When the setting is transmitted, the setting is stored in the background color storage unit 6.

When the background composition is instructed by the panel switch 8, the CPU 2 calculates the print position from the address of the video RAM 5 (hereinafter, referred to as VRAM) for storing the image data corresponding to one page, and then calculates the print position. Is calculated based on the background color information registered in the background color storage unit 6 and the color of the point corresponding to the address of the VRAM 5 is calculated by normalizing the paper size stored in the
The data of this color is stored in VRAM5. Before or after this, the background color is written in an area where there is no data to be printed of the foreground image input from the interface means 1, or the foreground image is written on the VRAM5 on the background color, so that the color is changed according to the printing position on the VRAM5. An image obtained by combining the background and the foreground image, which are different from each other, can be obtained.

Next, the CPU 2 issues a print command to the color image recording means 7 and outputs the data of the VRAM 5 in synchronization with the operation of the color image recording means 7, thereby recording the image data on the VRAM 5.

FIG. 3 shows an example of image recording obtained by performing the above operation. As shown in FIG.
Foreground image 11, which is input data, is printed,
In addition, the area 12 having no data to be printed is filled with a background color, and the background color gradually changes to a brighter color from the top to the bottom.

Hereinafter, a specific example of a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the present apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. First, after the operation of the apparatus is started, formatting such as the number of lines of one page for printing and other initial settings are performed (step S1), data is input (S2), and if this is background color designation data (YES in S3) ), And store it in the background color storage means 6 (S4). This color designation data is a function depending on the printing position. Next, if the input from the panel switch 8 is a background composition command, a background composition mode (flag) is set (S5, S6).

If the input data is foreground image data, the data is stored in a predetermined address of the VRAM 5, and the loop of S2, S3, S5, S7, and S8 is executed until the page end. At the page end, next, it is checked whether the background composition mode is turned on (S9). If it is turned on, the CPU 2 calculates the printing position from the address of the VRAM 5 (S10) and stores it in advance. The background color of the corresponding address is calculated based on the specified color designation data (S11), and V
Write data to the background part of RAM5 (S1
2). Next, a print command is output to the color image recording means 7 (S13).

If the background composition mode is not turned on, the process proceeds from S9 to S13 without executing S10 to S12.

With the print command output in S13, the data in VRAM5 is printed out until the page end is reached (S14, S15), and when the page end is reached, VRAM5 is cleared (S16), and the process returns to S2. Repeat the same steps.

In the above flowchart, the foreground image is stored in the VRAM 5 first, and then the background color is written.However, the present invention is not limited to this. The background color is written first, and the foreground image is written from above. May be overwritten.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the background color is stored as a function based on the printing position, and the foreground printing data and the background color are combined to form an image. The background color can be changed, and an effective image with high quality expression can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between printing paper and coordinates, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of print output, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example. 2 ... CPU (arithmetic means), 5 ... video RAM (image storage means), 6 ... background color storage means, 7 ... color image recording means.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data processing means for processing input data and controlling the whole, an image storage means for storing a color image for printing, and a color image stored in the storage means on a print medium. An image recording apparatus comprising: a color image recording unit for printing; and a background color storage unit for storing a background color that fills an area in a printing area where there is no data to be printed as a function of a printing position. An image recording apparatus, wherein the calculating means calculates a color corresponding to a printing position based on data stored in the background color storing means and stores the calculated color in the image storing means.