JP2958206B2 - Printing apparatus and control method for the apparatus - 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, and more particularly to a printing apparatus which records an image based on input print data on a predetermined recording medium and outputs the image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a color printing apparatus, after analyzing color data, it is developed in a development memory in units of basic colors (for example, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (Bk)). . When the transfer to the printer engine from the expansion memory is started in units of one page of the basic color (for example, in the order of YMCBk), the sheet as the recording medium is fed, and the sheet is wound around the transfer drum inside the printer. The transfer of one basic color is performed by one rotation of the transfer drum, and the processing for one page is completed by four rotations. When the printing process is interrupted in the middle of the transfer, the printing process is stopped after all the transfer processes for one page are completed.

[0003]

As described above, in the above conventional example, even if transfer of one page is started and then stopped halfway, it is necessary to transfer data of all basic colors. There was a problem that it took time to move to. For example, if a stop instruction is given for the first basic color, the printing will actually stop after about 30 seconds if printing can be performed twice per minute during full-color printing.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such prior art, and in the case where an instruction to cancel is provided.
At this point, the image development for the color component after printing and the printing process for the recording color component are not performed, and by immediately discharging the recording medium, the time until the next printing process can be started is reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a control method for the printing apparatus that can greatly reduce the printing apparatus.

In order to solve this problem, a printing apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is, instruction information for instructing to stop print processing in a printing apparatus that forms a color image by analyzing print data from a host, generating an image of each recording color component, and recording the image on a predetermined storage medium. Receiving means, a developing means for sequentially developing an image of each color component based on the print data into a developing memory for each color component, and each time the developing means develops an image of one color component on the recording medium. Recording means for superimposing and recording an image of a previously recorded color component; and when printing stop is instructed based on the instruction information during superimposition recording with one color component image, the color being recorded is A control unit for controlling to end the printing process by recording the components and immediately discharge the recording medium.

[0006] A method for controlling a printing apparatus according to the present invention includes the following steps. That is, in a control method of a printing apparatus that analyzes print data from a host, generates an image of each recording color component, and records the image on a predetermined storage medium to form a color image, a method of controlling each color component based on the print data Developing the image of each color component in the development memory in order, and each time the image of one color component is developed by the developing process, the image of the color component previously recorded on the recording medium is converted to the image of the color component. If printing stop is instructed during the superimposing recording process and the superimposing recording using one color component image, the printing process is terminated by recording the color component being recorded, and the recording medium is immediately discharged. And a control step of performing control.

[0007]

[0008]

[0009]

In the configuration of the present invention, the developing means develops the image of the color component into the development memory in color component units. At this time, each time an image of one color component is developed, the recording unit repeats superimposing and recording the image of the previously recorded color component on the recording medium. Then, in the case where an instruction to stop printing based on the instruction information is issued during the superimposition printing using the image of one color component, the printing process ends with the recording of the color component being printed, and the recording medium is immediately discharged.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment, a laser beam printer will be described as an example.

[Explanation of Printer Engine] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the printer engine of the color laser beam printer of the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 700 denotes a printer control unit which receives print data, outputs a video signal of each recording color component, and controls the entire apparatus. Hereinafter, each component will be described in order.

Reference numeral 711 denotes a scanner unit, which includes a laser output unit (not shown) such as a semiconductor laser device for converting an image signal from the printer control unit 700 into an optical signal, a polygon mirror 712 (for example, an octahedron), It has a motor (not shown) for rotating the mirror 712, an f / θ lens (imaging lens) 713, etc. 714 is a reflection mirror for changing the optical path of laser light, and 715 is a photosensitive drum.

The laser beam emitted from the laser output unit is reflected by one side of the polygon mirror 712,
The surface of the photosensitive drum 715 rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 13 is linearly scanned (raster scan) via the mirror 13 and the mirror 714. As a result, a two-dimensional electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 715 in the document image.

Reference numeral 717 is a primary charger, 718 is a full-surface exposure lamp, 723 is a cleaner unit for collecting the residual toner not transferred, and 724 is a pre-transfer charger, and these members are disposed around the photosensitive drum 715. It is arranged.

A developing unit 726 develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 715 by laser exposure, and has the following configuration. 731Y, 7
31M, 731C and 731Bk are developing sleeves for directly developing in contact with the photosensitive drum 715, 730Y and 730
M, 730C, and 730Bk denote toner hoppers that hold reserve toner, and 732 denotes a screw that transfers developer. These sleeves 731Y to 731Bk,
Toner hopper 730Y to 730Bk and screw 7
The developing sleeve 32 is disposed around the rotation axis P of the developing unit. The symbols Y, M, C, and Bk of the components described above indicate colors. That is, "Y" is yellow, "M" is magenta, "C" is cyan, and "Bk" is black. When a yellow toner image is formed, a yellow toner developing process is performed at the position shown in FIG. When a magenta toner image is formed, the developing unit 726 is rotated about the axis P in FIG.
Make sure that 31M contacts. The development of cyan and black operates similarly.

Reference numeral 716 denotes a transfer drum for transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 715 onto paper.
Reference numeral 19 denotes an actuator plate for detecting the movement position of the transfer drum 716, and reference numeral 720 denotes the actuator plate 71.
9, a position sensor that detects that the transfer drum 716 has moved to the home position position by approaching the transfer drum 716.
725 is a transfer drum cleaner, 727 is a paper press roller,
Reference numeral 728 denotes a charger, and 729 denotes a transfer charger. These members 719, 720, 725, 727, and 729 are arranged around the transfer roller 716.

On the other hand, reference numerals 735 and 736 denote paper cassettes for storing sheets (sheets).
35, for example, A4 size paper, paper feed cassette 736
Is assumed to store A3 size paper. 7
Reference numerals 37 and 738 denote paper feed rollers for feeding paper from the cassettes 735 and 736, and reference numerals 739, 740 and 741 denote timing rollers for timing of paper feed and conveyance. Guided by a guide 749, the leading end is wound around the transfer drum 716 while being held by a gripper described later, and the process proceeds to an image forming process. Which one of the paper feed cassettes 735 and 736 is to be selected is determined by an instruction from the main control unit 31, and only the selected paper feed roller rotates.

550 is a drum rotation motor;
The photosensitive drum 715 and the transfer drum 716 are rotated synchronously.
Reference numeral 750 denotes a peeling claw 742 for removing the sheet stuck by the action of static electricity from the transfer drum 716 after the image forming process is completed.
Is a transport belt for transporting the removed paper, 743 is an image fixing unit for fixing the paper transported by the transport belt 742, and the image fixing unit 743 is a pair of the heat and pressure rollers 7.
44 and 745.

In the above configuration, the sheet conveyed from the sheet cassette is wound around the transfer drum 716. Then, after the development process is performed for each color component, the developed image is transferred onto the paper wound around the transfer drum 716. When the development and transfer processing of the four color components is completed, the sheet is separated from the transfer drum 716, is fixed on the transport belt 742 by the image fixing unit 743, and is discharged to the outside.

[Description of Printer Control Unit] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the printer control unit 700 in the embodiment.
In the figure, a host computer 101 for outputting print data sends color print data (print information) including at least a character code and a control code for editing or controlling the character code to the printer. doing. An input buffer memory 102 receives print data sent from the host computer 101 and temporarily stores the print data. A data analysis function unit 103 inputs and analyzes the color print data stored in the input buffer memory 102. A page buffer memory 104 stores the color print data analyzed by the data analysis function unit 103 in page units. Reference numeral 105 denotes an output processing function unit which converts the color print data of the page buffer memory 104 into a pattern corresponding to a basic color unit and outputs the pattern, and also outputs an instruction of an instruction unit 109 for instructing stop of image data transfer to the printer interface unit 107. Output to 1
Reference numeral 06 denotes an image buffer memory which stores print data obtained by unit pattern conversion of basic colors (yellow Y, magenta M, cyan C, black Bk). Reference numeral 107 denotes a printer interface which transfers the pattern information in the image buffer memory 106 to the printer engine 108 and outputs an instruction to stop the transfer to the printer engine 108. The printer engine unit 108 is a printer unit that performs color printing by electrophotography as described above. 11
Reference numeral 9 denotes an operation unit capable of giving an instruction to stop printing from outside the printing apparatus. The data analysis function unit 1 described above
03, the instruction unit 109, the output processing function unit 105, etc.
The ROM 112 stores a control program based on a flowchart shown in FIG.

The outline of the operation in the above-described configuration is as follows.

When the color print data created by the host computer 101 is sent to the input buffer memory 102, the data analysis function unit 103 analyzes the color print data from the buffer memory 102 and stores the information in page units in the page buffer memory 104. To build. When data analysis and creation of page information for one page are completed,
The output processing function unit 105 starts reading data stored in the page buffer memory 104, and develops a pattern based on the data into a memory for each recording color component in the image buffer memory 106. When the pattern development for one page is completed, the image data of the recording color components Y, M, C, and Bk in the image buffer memory 106 are converted into video signals in the order of M → C → Y → Bk.
Printer engine unit 1 via printer I / F unit 107
08.

Here, an interface for transferring a video signal to the printer engine unit 108 will be described with reference to FIG. The / PRINT signal is sent to the printer I / F 10
Reference numeral 7 denotes a signal for instructing the printer engine unit 108 to start or continue a printing operation. The / BD signal is a synchronization signal in the horizontal scanning direction (main scanning), and is a signal indicating that the laser beam is the starting point of horizontal scanning. The printer I / F unit 107 synchronizes with / BD to output one horizontal scan.
A VDO signal must be sent. The / TOP signal is a synchronization signal in the vertical direction (sub-scan), and is a signal for synchronizing the / VDO signal with the paper in the printer engine unit 108. The printer I / F unit 107 synchronizes the / TOP signal with the / BD signal after the true, and outputs the / page signal for one page.
A VDO signal is sent to the printer engine unit 108. /
The VDO signal is a signal indicating image information to be printed. The printer engine unit 108 prints with the developing toner color during the true period of the / VDO signal, and does not print during the false period. The printer I / F unit 107 converts the / VDO signal according to the paper size into the / BD signal (horizontal scanning direction), / TOP
Output in synchronization with a signal (vertical scanning direction).

A series of operations will be described.
The unit 107 sets the / PRINT signal to true to start the printing operation. The printer engine 108 is / PR
After confirming the true of the INT signal, the / TOP signal is set to true.
e. The printer I / F unit 107 outputs the / TOP signal at t
The / VDO signal for one page of the image data of the first color component magenta M is sent to the printer engine unit 108 in synchronization with the / BD signal after the rue. It is confirmed whether or not an instruction to stop the transfer is issued from the instruction unit 109 during the / VDO signal transfer. Unless instructed, / PRINT signal is tru
e after the next / TOP signal is true.
A / VDO signal for one page of the image data of the second color component cyan C is transmitted to the printer engine unit 108 in synchronization with the BD signal. By repeating this operation, the remaining Y, B
By transferring the image data of k, a color image is recorded by superimposing images of a plurality of color components.

Next, a case in which a transfer stop instruction is given by the instruction unit 109 during the transfer of the / VDO signal will be described. Magenta M
After the transfer of the / VDO signal is started, an instruction to stop the transfer is issued from the instruction unit 109, and the instruction to stop the transfer is sent to the output processing function unit 105 and the printer I / F unit 107. The printer I / F unit 107 sets the / PRINT signal to false so as to prevent the subsequent transfer of cyan C, yellow Y and black Bk. With this operation, when the / VDO signal for one page of magenta M ends, the printer engine unit 108 sets the / TOP signal for synchronizing the next image data to tr.
The processing of peeling and discharging the paper wound around the transfer drum 716 is performed instead of using ue. The output processing function unit 10
5 indicates that after transfer of magenta M is completed, cyan C and yellow Y
And black Bk are not transferred.

A processing procedure for realizing the above-described processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, at step S1, data from the host computer 101 is received and stored in the input buffer memory 102. Next, the process proceeds to step S2, where the data analysis function unit 103 determines whether the reception has been completed. If the reception has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S3 to execute the data analysis process. Next, in step S4, the analyzed print data is written to the page buffer memory 104, and in step S5, it is determined whether the writing of one page of data has been completed. If the writing for one page has not been completed, the process returns to step S1 to execute the above-described processing.

If it is determined in step S5 that data writing for one page has been completed, the process proceeds to step S6.
Then, the print data of the page buffer memory 104 is developed in the image buffer memory 106 in units of basic colors. Then, in step S7, the image buffer memory 1
Instructs the printer interface unit 107 to transfer the pattern information for one basic color 06, and sends the pattern information to the printer unit 108. Next, after transmitting pattern information for one basic color, the process proceeds to step S8, and a stop instruction is issued by the instruction unit 109.
It is determined whether or not it has been instructed. If the stop instruction has been turned on, the image buffer memory 106 is cleared, and the process proceeds to step S1 to move to the processing of the next page.
If the stop instruction is in the off state, the process proceeds to step S9, and it is determined whether the transfer of the basic color (Y, M, C, Bk) is completed. If not, the process returns to step S6 to process the next color. If completed, the process returns to step S1 to process the next page.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the reception of the print data has ended, that is, if it is determined that the print data has ended, the process proceeds to step S10, where one page of print data is being created. Is determined. If it is determined that print data for one page is being created, the data must be printed, and the process from step S6 is performed. If the creation of data for one page is completed and it is determined that there is no data to be printed, the process ends. The printing process is performed by repeating the series of procedures described above.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, 1
If a stop instruction is given by the instruction means when the transfer of a page is started and then stopped halfway, the printing operation is stopped at the same time as the transfer of the basic color being transferred is completed, and the processing of the next page can be started. This has the effect of shortening the waiting time for the cancellation process.

[Other Embodiments] In the above description, the CPU 11
1 is one, but a separate CPU is provided and this CP
U may execute the process of the output processing function unit 105.

The source of the print data is the host computer 101, but may be an external storage device such as a magnetic tape or a disk device.

An instruction to stop the printing process is given by the operation unit 119.
, But may also be instructed from the host computer 101 that is the data source. In this case, an interrupt signal is generated each time individual data is received from the host computer 101. During the interrupt processing, a process of storing the received data in the input buffer, and a process of instructing a print stop instruction Make sure to judge. If it is a print stop instruction, it is stored in the input buffer 102 and a stop process is performed. The stop processing ends with the recording of the color component currently being developed, and the development processing of the remaining color component is not performed.

The stop instruction data is input to the input buffer 10.
2, since at least the data up to the position where the stop instruction data is present becomes unnecessary, the data is deleted.

In the present embodiment, a color laser beam printer is used as the printing apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of page printers may be used. . The case where a color image is recorded by superimposing images of a plurality of color components has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where a plurality of images of the same color are superimposed and recorded. not.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a stop instruction is issued, the image development and the recording process for the recording color component are not performed for the color components currently being recorded at that time. Therefore, the time until the next printing process can be started can be greatly reduced.

[0038]

[0039]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a print output control procedure in the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a printer engine unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing signal transfer between a printer I / F unit 107 and a printer engine unit 108 according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Host Computer 102 Input Buffer Memory 103 Data Analysis Function Unit 104 Page Buffer Memory 105 Output Processing Function Unit 106 Image Buffer Memory 107 Printer Interface Unit 108 Printer Engine Unit 109 Instruction Unit 111 CPU 112 ROM 119 Operation Unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 2/525 B41J 5/30

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing apparatus which analyzes print data from a host, generates an image of each recording color component, and records the image on a predetermined storage medium to form a color image. Means for receiving instruction information to perform the operation; developing means for sequentially developing an image of each color component based on the print data in a developing memory in color component units; each time the developing means develops one color component image, Recording means for superimposing and recording on a previously recorded color component image on a recording medium; and recording when printing stop is instructed based on the instruction information during superimposition recording with one color component image. A printing apparatus, comprising: control means for controlling printing so as to end printing processing by recording a color component in the printing medium and immediately eject the printing medium. 2. A method for controlling a printing apparatus which analyzes print data from a host, generates an image of each recording color component, and records the image on a predetermined storage medium to form a color image. A developing step of sequentially developing an image of each color component based on each color component into a developing memory; and each time an image of one color component is developed by the developing step, a color component previously recorded on the recording medium. The recording process of superimposing and recording on the image of the above. If the printing stop instruction is given during the superimposing recording of the image of one color component, the printing process is completed with the recording of the color component being recorded, and the recording is performed immediately. A control step of controlling the ejection of the medium.