JP2966143B2 - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a video printer which stores and prints an image data by a simple operation. CONSTITUTION:An automatic printing button 22 is provided. When this button 22 is in an on state, a system control 24 indicates a frame memory 12 to read an image data. When write of the image data is ended, the system control reads the image data from the frame memory 12 and makes a printing part 14 print the image. Otherwise such an action may be performed by successive two operations of the memory button 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video printer and, more particularly, to a printing control system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional video printers for printing an image represented by a video signal as a visible image on a recording medium include:
Usually, a memory button and a print button are provided. The video printer has a frame memory for storing video signals as digital data, and when a memory button is pressed, image data is taken into the frame memory. Also,
When the print button is pressed, the print unit prints the image data in the frame memory as an image on a recording medium such as recording paper.

[0003]

As will be understood from the above description, in a conventional video printer, two button operations of pressing a memory button and a print button were required to print an image. By the way, a normal copying apparatus can copy just by pressing a copy button. Accordingly, there has been a demand for a video printer to print an image with a simple operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a video printer which can solve such disadvantages of the prior art and can print an image by a simple button operation.

[0005]

According to the present invention, storage means for storing image data, printing means for printing an image represented by the image data on a recording medium as a visible image, and instructing storage of the image data. A video printer having first operation means for inputting a first instruction, and control means for controlling a storage means in response to the first instruction and for storing image data in the storage means, performs printing by the printing means. A second operation means for inputting a second instruction for proceeding, wherein the control means responds to the first instruction and outputs the second instruction when the storage of the image data in the storage means is completed. If entered,
The image data is read from the storage means to the printing means, and the printing means prints an image represented by the image data.

According to the present invention, there is also provided storage means for storing image data, printing means for printing an image represented by the image data as a visible image on a recording medium, and a second means for inputting an instruction for storing the image data. 1. A video printer comprising: a first operating means; and a control means for controlling a storage means in response to the instruction and storing the image data in the storage means, wherein the control means inputs the instruction a plurality of times within a predetermined period. Then, when the storage of the image data in the storage means is completed, the image data is read from the storage means to the printing means, and the printing means prints an image represented by the image data.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a video printer having first operation means for instructing storage of image data is provided with second operation means. When the first instruction is input, the control means instructs the storage means to read the image data, and when the writing of the image data is completed, if the second instruction is given at that time, the control means The image data is read, and the printing unit is instructed to print the image. Alternatively, when the first operation means is operated a plurality of times within a predetermined period, the control means instructs the storage means to read the image data, and when the writing of the image data is completed, reads the image data from the storage means. And causes the printing means to print the image.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a video printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a video printer according to the present invention. A video printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a printer of a sublimation dye thermal transfer system, in which an NTSC video signal is input to an input port 50 in the form of digital image data and stored in a frame memory 12. The image data in the memory 12 is later read out to the printing unit 14, and the thermal head (not shown) uses the dye sheet (not shown) according to the image data.
The visible image is printed by transferring the sublimable dye to an image recording medium 16 such as recording paper. The present apparatus has a memory control 28, and the writing of image data to the frame memory 12 and the reading thereof from the frame memory 12 are performed by the memory control 28.
Is controlled by

The video printer 10 has a memory button 18 which, when pressed, transfers image data to the frame memory 12.
And an instruction button for displaying the stored image on the monitor 20. The apparatus also has an auto print button 22, which is an instruction button for automatically proceeding the above-described image storage and printing in response to the memory button 18 when turned on.

The video printer 10 of the embodiment has a system controller or syscon 24, which has a memory button
Video printer in response to 18 and auto print button 22
This is a circuit that controls each of the ten circuits and executes processes from reading of image data to display and printing. When the memory button 18 is pressed, the system controller 24 responds to this by instructing the memory control 28 via the path 26 to write image data. Frame memory
12 receives the control of the memory control 28 from the path 30, accumulates the image data arriving at the input 50, and outputs the signal indicating the end of the storage from the path 32 when the accumulation of the image data of one frame or field is completed. This is notified to the system controller 24 from the path 33 via the memory control 28.

At this time, the syscon 24 is set to the auto print button 22
Check the status of. When the auto print button 22 is in an ON state, for example, the system controller 24 instructs the memory control 28 to read out image data and instructs the print unit 14 to print. In response, the memory control 28 reads out the image data from the frame memory 12 and sends it to the printing unit 14,
14 prints an image represented by the image data on a recording paper 16. Note that if the auto print button 22 is in the off state, the system controller 24 does not issue such an instruction to read out image data to the memory control 28 and an instruction to print out to the print unit 14.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, there is no button corresponding to the auto print button 22 in the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and the memory button 18 is pressed a plurality of times, for example, twice, within a predetermined period, that is, within an allowable range of a predetermined time interval. When the button is pressed, writing of image data to the frame memory 48 and printing by the printing unit 14 proceed in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. More specifically,
In response to the depression of the memory button 18 twice, the system controller 44 instructs the memory control 46 to read and read the image data into and from the frame memory 48, and instructs the print unit 14 to print. The frame memory 42 stores the image data arriving at the input 50, and outputs a signal indicating the end of the storage from the path 52 when the storage of one frame or field of image data is completed. In response, the memory control 46
The image data is read from the frame memory 48 and sent to the print unit 14, whereby the image is printed on the recording paper in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. This embodiment is easier to operate.

According to these embodiments, one frame or field of image data is stored in the frame memory 12 by operating the auto print button 22 or operating the memory button 18 twice.
And automatically shift to the recording operation when the reading is completed. For example, in an application example in which one frame is applied to image data composed of two fields by a skip operation, a recording operation is started when image data of one field is taken into one field of the frame memory 12. May be configured. In such a configuration, if one frame of image data is newly rewritten while one frame of image data is already stored in the frame memory 12, the other field of image data is left as it is and newly rewritten. The printing operation can be started for the image of the field that has been used.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, by pressing the memory button once in the embodiment provided with the auto print button, and by pressing the memory button twice in the embodiment using only the memory button, The process from reading of image data to printing automatically proceeds. Therefore, the operation is simpler than the conventional video printer. This applies effectively, for example, in the medical field.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a video printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a video printer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Video printer 12 Frame memory 14 Print section 18 Memory button 22 Auto print button 24 Syscon 28 Memory control

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (1)First operation means for inputting image data
Is operated when is operated, and when the second operation means is operated.
Read out the stored image data, and
In a video printer that prints a corresponding image,
Is Said Image dataStored in readableStorage means for performingInputting image data read from the storage means, The picture
Image dataAccording toPrint images as visible images on recording media
Printing means;Detecting the states of the first and second operating means,
Writing and reading the image data according to the result;
Controlling the printing means Control means andHaving theControl hand
The steps areDetecting a first instruction corresponding to a state of the first operation means;
First detecting means, Detecting a second instruction corresponding to a state of the second operation means;
Second detecting means, The image data is stored in the storage unit in response to the first instruction.
Storage control means for writing data, Detecting the end of accumulation of the image data in the storage unit
End detection means; When the storage end of the image data is detected, the second
Determining means for determining whether or not the instruction has been detected; The determination means determines that the second instruction has been detected.
The image data is printed by the storage means.
Means to read the image represented by the image data.
Print control means for outputting an instruction for printing to the printing means
Including A video printer.