JP2878094B2 - Printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus equipped with a plurality of engines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art High resolution and multi-valued image information have been developed.
The memory required to develop image information such as characters and graphics into bitmap images has increased, and the processing time required for expansion has increased. Therefore, the image information is expanded with a small amount of memory, and the page is divided in order to speed up the processing, and the bitmap image of the area to be printed next is generated using the printing time of the bitmap image expanded from the image information. Is performed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing three areas when a print area of one page is divided into three (hereinafter, the divided one area).
FIG. 8 divides a page in a conventional printing apparatus having only one engine into three bands, generates a bitmap image of each band by the controller, and generates a bitmap image of each band of the engine. It shows a printing process. In the figure, the right direction shows the passage of time, the upper part shows the processing time for developing the image information for each band of the controller into a bitmap image, and the lower part shows the printing time of the engine. As shown in the figure, the bitmap image to be printed next is developed while the engine prints the band developed to the previous bitmap image, so that the bitmap image for one page It is possible to increase the print processing speed as compared with printing after developing.

[0004] In an electrophotographic printing apparatus such as a laser printer, it is difficult to stop the printing section halfway, so when generating a bitmap image by dividing a page, the bitmap of the immediately preceding band is generated. By the time the image is transferred to the engine and the printing of the bitmap image is completed (time t in FIG. 8), it is necessary to complete the generation of the bitmap image of the band to be printed next. Is limited for one band.

[0005]

Therefore, since the conventional image processing apparatus has one engine, in each of the divided bands, the time required to generate a bitmap image from the image information is predicted, and the time is calculated. If the image cannot be expanded within (within t), the page is not divided and a bitmap image for one page is generated and then transferred. There was a problem of falling.

In a printing apparatus that performs the above-described division processing, the image information is developed into a bitmap image by using a secondary storage device such as a hard disk as a memory for temporarily storing the image information and the bitmap image. If you do,
A read error may occur when reading data from the hard disk during generation / transfer of a one-band bitmap image. In this case, there is a problem that the generation of the bitmap image is delayed, and as a result, printing cannot be performed.

[0007] A first object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which can solve the above problems and can improve the printing speed.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which can use a secondary storage device.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus which divides each page into a plurality of printing areas and prints the plurality of engines, and develops a bitmap image from image information for each printing area. Prediction means for predicting the development time required to perform the processing, determination means for determining whether or not the development time of each print area predicted by the prediction means exceeds a predetermined print limit time, and affirmative determination by the determination means. When it is determined, the first distribution unit that distributes the printing of the image information in the corresponding print area to each of the plurality of engines and the image information that is distributed by the first distribution unit have not been developed in time. A first developing unit that develops a print area each time the plurality of engines sequentially prints the print area.

According to the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus which divides each page into a plurality of printing areas and prints each of the divided printing areas based on image information of a secondary storage device. When a read error occurs when reading image information from the storage device, a second distribution unit that distributes printing of the image information related to the read error to the plurality of engines, and the image information distributed by the second distribution unit. And second developing means for developing each time a printing area related to the read error is sequentially printed by the plurality of engines.

[0011]

According to the present invention, by distributing the printing of the bitmap image expanded from the image information to a plurality of engines, it is possible to efficiently perform the printing process by dividing the area of the page. It is possible to execute the page printing process at high speed and efficiently.

According to the present invention, the printing of the bitmap image developed from the image information in which the reading error of the data from the secondary storage device has occurred is distributed to a plurality of engines as described above. The secondary storage device can be used for print processing by division.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a printer 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
, A host computer 101 using a printer, an input buffer 102 for receiving control codes and data transmitted from the host computer, a CPU 103 for controlling the operation of the entire printer, and a CPU 103
A program ROM 104 in which a program for describing the operation of the image processing is built in, a data RAM 105 used as a work memory for control codes, calculations necessary for interpretation and printing of data, and processing of image data, and bits from image information. An image information development time prediction / image information distribution unit 106 for distributing the prediction of the development time to the map image and the printing of the image information to the plurality of engines, respectively, and a bitmap image for actually printing from the data received from the host computer A bitmap image developing unit 107 for developing
An operation panel 108 for operating the printer, and a bitmap image transmission unit 109 for transmitting the developed bitmap image to two laser beam printer engines, namely, a printer engine unit (1) 110 and a printer engine unit (2) 111. And two engines for actually printing the bitmap image on the paper surface, that is, a printer engine unit (1) 110 and a printer engine unit (2) 111, constitute a system.

Next, the operation will be described.

First, a control code and data transmitted from the host computer 101 are input to an input buffer 102.
And stored in the data RAM 105. CPU
Reference numeral 103 denotes an image information development time prediction / image information distribution unit 1 according to a program described in a program ROM 104.
In step 06, the generation time of the bitmap image is predicted from all the image information printed in the area for each band unit to be divided, and if the image information cannot be converted into the bitmap image within the time limit, Information list in which the printer engine (2) 111 develops a bitmap image for printing in the same area so that part of the image information in the area to be printed can be printed using the printer engine (2) 111 And distribute the printing of image information. The bitmap image developing unit 107 processes the image information assigned to the printer engine unit (1) 110 in the band, and performs processing such as graphics, characters, and image data for each band.
A bitmap image is generated for one image information, and a bitmap image in a band is generated. After that, the developed bitmap image is output to the bitmap image sending unit 109 and sent to the printer engine unit (1) 110. The same band of one page is first printed by the printer engine unit (1) 110, and subsequently, the printer engine unit (1) 110 in the image information generation / bitmap image development unit 107 fails to print the same band. The image information allocated to the unit (2) 111 is developed into a bitmap image, and the printer engine unit (2) 1
11 is printed.

FIG. 2 shows the program ROM 104 shown in FIG.
4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in the printer for distributing printing of image information to each engine.

First, if the distribution of the image information to be developed in each area in the page has been completed (S-001), the distribution of the image information to be developed into the bitmap image in each band for each engine is completed (S-001). −005), a bitmap image is developed from the image information of each band, and printing is performed by the printer engine unit (1) 110 and the printer engine unit (2) 111. On the other hand, if the processing has not been completed, the time required to develop a bitmap image from all image information in one band for which distribution has not been completed is calculated (S-002). If the calculation result in S-002 exceeds the expansion limit time, which is the time required to print one band (S-003), image information that cannot be expanded in time is converted into an image in the same band of the second engine. The information is registered in an image information list for developing a bitmap image (S-0).
04), printing corresponding to the image information is performed by the second engine. If it does not exceed the development time, the processing from S-001 is repeated.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, a controller, a printer engine unit (1) 110 and a printer engine unit (2) 11 when one page is divided into three bands.
1 will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 shows a process of generating a bitmap image of each band by the CPU 103 (upper), a printer engine (1) 110 (middle), and a printer engine (2) 11
1 shows a printing process of each band of 1 (lower).
According to the above-described processing, if the development of all the image information of the second band into the bitmap image cannot be processed within the time for printing the first band by the first engine, the image development time prediction / image information distribution unit If the determination is made in 106, while the printer engine unit (1) 110 is printing the first band, the image development time prediction / image information distribution processing unit 10 in the second band
The image information allocated in step 6 is developed (T-10).
1) Printing of the second band is performed (T-102). Subsequently, the third band is printed, and again, the bitmap image of the image information in the second band that cannot be printed by the first engine until the second band is printed by the second engine. (T103), and printing is performed by the printer engine unit (2) 111 (T104). In the figure, the CPU engine 103 does not develop a bitmap image for printing the first band and the second band in the printer engine unit (2) 111 because the bitmap image to be printed there does not actually exist. is there.

By distributing the printing of the bitmap image developed from the image information to a plurality of engines as described above, it is possible to efficiently perform the printing process by dividing the area of the page. It can be executed at high speed and efficiently.

In this embodiment, one page is divided into three regions. However, it is obvious that the present invention can be similarly realized with an arbitrary number of bands. In addition, by using a plurality of engines, it is possible to similarly allocate the development time of each band to the bitmap image so as to be in time for printing the same band of each engine.

<Embodiment 2> In Embodiment 1 of the present invention, a method is used to generate a bitmap image from image information using the time difference until the same band is printed for each engine. In this case, the compressed image data is decompressed using this time, and when the decompression is completed, the image data is similarly printed using the engine.

<Embodiment 3> In Embodiment 1 of the present invention, a bitmap image is generated from image information using the time difference until the same band is printed for each engine. Then, when image information is read from a secondary storage device such as a hard disk, the image in which a read error has occurred is used to read out the image information in which the read error has occurred again by using this time to generate a bitmap image. Distribution of image information in which a read error has occurred so as to perform printing.

FIG. 4 shows a printer 20 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of No. 0; In FIG.
1 is a host computer using a printer,
An input buffer 202 for receiving control codes and data transmitted from a host computer, a CPU 203 for controlling the operation of the entire printer, and a program ROM 20 in which a program for describing the operation of the CPU 203 is stored.
4, a control RAM, data RAM 205 used as a work memory for interpretation required for data interpretation and printing, processing of image data, and printing of failed image information read from the secondary storage device for each engine. A read error image information distributing unit 206 for distributing the data received from the host computer 201; a bitmap image developing unit 207 for developing the data received from the host computer into a bitmap image for actual printing; And a hard disk 208 used for storing image information obtained from the expanded data, and a printer engine unit (1) 210 and a printer engine unit (2), which are two laser beam printer engines, using the expanded bitmap image. A bitmap image transmission unit 209 for transmitting the data to the 2 to be actually printed on the paper surface-flops image
Engine, ie, printer engine unit (1) 2
The system is configured by the printer 10 and the printer engine unit (2) 211, and the operation panel 112 for operating the printer.

Next, the operation will be described.

First, the control code and data transmitted from the host computer 201 are input to the input buffer 202.
Stored in the data RAM 205 and the hard disk 20
8 The CPU 203 stores the program ROM 2
In accordance with the program described in FIG.
The image information is read from 8 and developed into a bitmap image. At this time, if the image information cannot be read from the hard disk 208, the read error image information distribution unit 20
6 so that printing of a part of the image information in the area that could not be read out by using the printer engine unit (2) 211 can be performed using the printer engine unit (2) 211.
In step 11, a bitmap image for printing the same area is registered in an image information list to be developed, and the image information is distributed to a printing engine. The image information in which no reading error has occurred is developed as it is, a bitmap image is generated for each image information such as figures, characters, image data, etc. for each band, and a bitmap image in the band is generated. After that, the developed bitmap image is output to the bitmap image sending unit 209 and sent to the printer engine unit (1) 210. The same band on one page first
The printer engine unit (1) 210 prints, and subsequently, the bitmap image developing unit 207 stores the image information assigned to the printer engine unit (2) 211 that could not be printed by the printer engine unit (1) 210 on the hard disk. And develops it into a bitmap image, which is printed by the printer engine unit (2) 211.

Next, the distribution of printing of image information in which a reading error has occurred from the hard disk 208 to the second engine at the time of bitmap image development for each band will be described in detail.

FIG. 5 shows the program ROM 204 shown in FIG.
7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program for allocating, to a second engine, printing of image information in which a reading error has occurred, which is stored in a second engine.

First, if the development of all image information in one band into a bitmap image has been completed (S-101), the development of image information in a band into a bitmap image has been completed (S-101).
−106), the image information of each band is developed into a bitmap image, and printing is performed by the printer engine unit (1) 210 and the printer engine unit (2) 211. On the other hand, if the processing has not been completed, the image information that has not been developed is developed one by one. Read the image information that has not been expanded from the hard disk (S-
102) If the reading of the image information fails (S-10)
3) The image information that could not be read from the hard disk is registered in the image information list developed in the same band of the second engine (S-105), and the image information is printed by the printer engine unit (2) 211. The image information is developed, and the processing from S-101 is repeated. On the other hand, if the reading is successful, the image information is developed into a bitmap image and printed by the printer engine unit (1) 210, and the processing from S-101 is repeated.

Next, the printing process in the CPU 203 and the printer engine units (1) and (2) when one page is divided into three bands as shown in FIG. 6 will be described in detail.

FIG. 6 shows a process of generating a bitmap image of each band by the CPU 203 (upper stage) and a printing process of each band of the printer engine unit (1) (middle stage) and the printer engine unit (2) (lower stage). is there. By the above-described processing, a part of the image information of the second band is
If a read error occurs from 08 and it cannot be developed into a bitmap image, the printer engine unit (1)
While the first band is being printed, the image information that has been successfully read from the hard disk 208 in the second band is developed in the second band (T-201), and the second band is printed (T-2).
02). Subsequently, the printing of the third band is performed, and the printing in the second band that cannot be performed by the printer engine unit (1) 210 before the printing of the second band by the printer engine unit (2) 211 is performed again. The image information is read from the hard disk 208 again, developed into a bitmap image (T203), and printed by the printer engine unit (2) 211 (T204). In the figure, the development of the bitmap image for printing the first band and the second band in the printer engine unit (2) 211 is not in the controller unit because the bitmap image to be printed there does not actually exist. That is, the image information in the band was successfully read from the hard disk and printed by the printer engine unit (1) 210.

As described above, by developing the bitmap image from the image information in which an error has occurred in reading data from the secondary storage device to a plurality of engines, the secondary storage is performed in the printing process based on page area division. The device can be used.

In this embodiment, one page is divided into three regions. However, it is apparent that the same can be realized with an arbitrary number of bands. In addition, by using a plurality of engines, similarly, the development time of the image information in which reading failure from the hard disk has failed to the bitmap image of each band is allocated so as to be in time for printing the same band of each engine. It is also possible. Further, the developed bitmap image is temporarily stored in the secondary storage device, and when a reading error occurs when transferring the image to the engine, the band is allocated to another engine in the same manner. It is possible to perform a division process.

In combination with the first and second embodiments, it is also possible to perform processing by allocating image information in a band to each engine.

In the first and second embodiments, one controller is considered as the CPU. However, it is also possible to use a plurality of CPUs.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With the above configuration, the printing of the bitmap image developed from the image information is distributed to a plurality of engines, so that the printing process can be efficiently performed by dividing the area of the page. By distributing the printing of the bitmap image developed from the image information in which the data read error has occurred to a plurality of engines, it is possible to use the secondary storage device for the printing process by dividing the area of the page.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a control program stored in a program ROM 104 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining processing of a CPU and printer engine units (1) and (2) in a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of a printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a control program stored in a program ROM 204 shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing of a CPU and printer engine units (1) and (2) in a printing apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a band obtained by dividing one page into three regions.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing of a controller and an engine in a conventional printing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 printing apparatus main body 101 host computer 102 input buffer 103 CPU 104 program ROM 105 data RAM 106 image information expansion prediction / image information distribution unit 107 bitmap image expansion unit 108 operation panel 109 bitmap image transmission unit 110 printer engine unit (1) 111 Printer Engine Unit (2) 200 Printer Main Unit 201 Host Computer 202 Input Buffer 203 CPU 204 Program ROM 205 Data RAM 206 Read Error Image Information Distribution Unit 207 Bitmap Image Expansion Unit 208 Hard Disk 209 Bitmap Image Transmission Unit 210 Printer Engine Unit (1) 211 Printer engine unit (2) 212 Operation panel

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A printing apparatus that divides each page into a plurality of print areas and prints the plurality of engines, predicts a plurality of engines, and a development time required to develop a bitmap image from image information for each print area. Predicting means for determining whether or not the development time of each print area predicted by the predicting means exceeds a predetermined printing time limit. First distributing means for distributing the printing of the image information of the area to each of the plurality of engines; and image information distributed by the first distributing means.
First, each time a printing area that is not developed in time is sequentially printed by the plurality of engines, the first area is developed.
A printing apparatus comprising: a developing unit. 2. A printing apparatus that divides each page into a plurality of printing areas and prints each of the divided printing areas based on image information of a secondary storage device, comprising: a plurality of engines; If a read error occurs when reading image information from the second, a second distribution unit that distributes printing of the image information related to the read error to the plurality of engines, and the image information distributed by the second distribution unit is:
And a second developing means for developing each time a printing area related to the read error is sequentially printed by the plurality of engines.