JP3103313B2 - Color image processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image processing apparatus connected to a scanner unit and a color image forming unit. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a supply means for supplying color image data to, for example, an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus, the image data is output in addition to an interface for outputting the color image data. It is known to provide an interface for receiving a synchronization signal for controlling timing from a color image forming apparatus. [0003] However, conventionally,
Even if the image forming characteristics change due to the influence of aging of the color image forming apparatus or the like, information that objectively represents the change can be exchanged between the color image data transmitting side and the color image data receiving side. Was not considered. Therefore, it has not been possible to efficiently control an image formed in the color image forming apparatus. The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and is independent of an interface for transmitting and receiving color image data and a timing signal relating to color image formation.
The color image formed in the color image forming unit is read by the scanner unit, and a control signal of a plurality of bits for controlling the color image forming conditions of the color image forming unit is generated and transmitted to the color image forming unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a color image processing apparatus capable of efficiently controlling the formation of a color image in a color image forming section. [0005] In order to achieve the above object, a color image processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, a color image processing apparatus connected to a scanner unit and a color image forming unit, wherein a timing signal related to the formation of a color image is input from the color image forming unit, and color image data is converted according to the timing signal. A first interface that outputs to the color image forming unit, and a color image forming condition of the color image forming unit that is read by the scanner unit based on predetermined data. Control signal generating means for generating a control signal of a plurality of bits for controlling the color image forming unit, and a second interface for transmitting the control signal to the color image forming unit, the color image forming unit based on the control signal The color image forming conditions are controlled. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Explanation of Color Copier (FIG. 1)] FIG.
1 is a configuration diagram of a color copying machine according to the present embodiment. In the figure, 1 is a reader unit for reading and inputting a color original, 2 is an image reading unit constituted by a CCD or the like, which photoelectrically reads and inputs the original, and 3 is a reading control for controlling the image reading unit 2. Department. Reference numeral 4 denotes an arithmetic processing unit which performs an arithmetic process on the density data of the original image read by the image reading unit 2 and compares the density data with standard data input in advance. When the difference between the standard data and the calculated data is large, An instruction signal for performing image output adjustment is output to the printer unit 6 through the communication control unit 5. The communication control unit 5 is a communication control unit that transmits an instruction signal from the arithmetic processing unit 4, print image data, and the like to the printer unit 6. Reference numeral 6 denotes a printer unit for printing an image, which in this embodiment is constituted by a laser beam printer.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a communication control unit of the printer unit 6, which receives an instruction signal from the communication control unit 5 of the reader unit 1. Reference numeral 8 denotes a printer control unit that controls a printing unit 9 that performs printing with a laser beam or the like based on various instruction signals received by the communication control unit 7. [Explanation of Reader Unit (FIG. 2)] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the reader unit 1 of the present embodiment. Reference numeral 10 denotes a CCD image sensor, which is filtered by red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively, and is an analog image of an original photoelectrically read by a clock signal from an oscillation circuit 13. The signal is sent to the amplification conversion circuit 11. The amplification and conversion circuit 11 receives R, G, and B analog image signals, respectively, and outputs density signals (yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) signals).
And outputs it to the A / D conversion circuit 12, and outputs the digital Y,
M and C signals are obtained. The CPU 16 outputs a select signal 18, switches and inputs digital density data from each A / D conversion circuit 12 by the data selector 14, and stores the digital density data in the buffer memory 15. Reference numeral 17 denotes a memory controller that controls writing to and reading from the buffer memory 15 under the control of the CPU 16. Reference numeral 19 denotes a ROM storing a control program and data of the CPU 16, and 20 denotes a CPU 1
6 is a RAM used as a work area. Reference numeral 21 denotes an I / O interface for inputting / outputting data from / to a parallel / serial (P / S) conversion circuit 22 and inputting data from a printer interface 23. The P / S conversion circuit 22 transmits and receives signals to and from the printer unit 6 using serial data. On the other hand, the printer interface unit 23 outputs a video signal (VIDEO) to the printer unit 6 and inputs a vertical synchronization signal (TOP) and a horizontal synchronization signal (BD) from the printer unit 6. [Description of Printer Unit (FIG. 3)] FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer unit 6 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 30 denotes a serial / parallel (S / P) conversion circuit for converting a serial signal from the reader unit 1 into a parallel signal, and 31 denotes an I / P for inputting parallel data from the S / P conversion circuit 30 to the CPU 32. / O interface section. The CPU 32 controls the entire printer unit 6, and the ROM 33 stores control programs and data for the CPU 32. RAM 34 is CPU
32 work areas. When a video signal is sent from the reader unit 1 in synchronization with the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, the video signal is compared with a dither pattern from a dither pattern selection circuit 38 by a comparator 37 and converted into a binary signal. Is sent to the laser driver 39. The semiconductor laser 43 is driven by a laser driver 39 and outputs a laser beam corresponding to a video signal. This laser light scans the photosensitive drum 46 by the polygon mirror 44 to form an electrostatic latent image on the drum 46.
Reference numeral 41 denotes a high-voltage power supply controller that adjusts the voltage of the charger 49 to set the latent image condition, and reference numeral 42 denotes a developing bias controller that adjusts the bias of the developing device 48 for each color (Y, M, C). Reference numeral 45 denotes a beam detector for detecting the start of laser beam scanning, and uses this beam detect signal (BD) as a horizontal synchronizing signal. A photo interrupter 47 detects the rotational position of the photosensitive drum 46 by a sensor provided at a predetermined position on the photosensitive drum 46. This signal (TOP) is sent to the reader unit 1 as a vertical synchronization signal. [Explanation of Color Balance Processing (FIGS. 2 to 5)] The color balance processing of the present embodiment will be described below. First, three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) and three colors of blue (B), green (G), and red (R) are supplied from an internal pattern generator 40 of the printer unit 6. The color chart composed of the superimposed black is output to the printing unit 9 to obtain the color chart as shown in FIG. The color chart shown in FIG. 4 shows that a pattern of 16 gradations has a three-color superimposition BK with each of Y, M, C, B, G, and R colors.
(Black), the density level changes below the upper row, and the upper row is a high density section. 16
Not all the density levels of the gradation are read, and for each color, for example, four points (for a total of 28
Point) is input and compared with the previously input density data. Incidentally, such a color chart shows the initially set primary high voltage, laser light amount, developing bias,
It is created by a dither pattern. Next, the color chart is read by the image reading section 2 of the reader section 1 and the difference between each color of the color chart and the density of the standard color chart stored in the ROM 19 of the reader section 1 is calculated. On the basis of the density difference obtained by this calculation, items relating to charging, exposure, and development, that is, instructions for selecting and adjusting primary high voltage, laser exposure amount, developing bias, dither pattern, etc., are given to the printer unit 6. . FIG. 5 shows an adjustment instruction command sent from the reader unit 1 to the printer unit 6. As described above, the adjustment instruction command is transmitted to the reader unit 1.
Is converted into an 8-bit serial signal by the P / S conversion circuit 22 and sent to the printer unit 6. The printer unit 6 converts the serial signal into a parallel signal by the S / P conversion circuit 30 and inputs the signal, and performs the adjustment specified by the command. As shown in FIG. 5, 1 to 3 bits of 8-bit serial data indicate an adjustment item, and 4 to 7 bits indicate an adjustment width. [Description of Processing of Reader Unit 1 and Printer Unit 6]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a color chart reading program by the CPU 16 stored in the ROM 19. First, a color chart is read by the image reading section 2 in step S1, and stored in the buffer memory 15 in step S2. Next, in step S3, a difference from the density of the standard color chart based on a preset initial value is calculated. In step S4, it is checked whether or not the difference is within the standard. If the difference is within the standard, the process ends without any processing. If the difference is not within the standard, the process proceeds to step S5, where the adjustment items and The adjustment width is determined and transmitted to the printer unit 6 in step S6. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an adjustment processing program by the CPU 32 stored in the ROM 33 of the printer unit 6. When an instruction command is input from the reader unit 1 in step S10, an adjustment instruction command is input via the S / P conversion circuit 30 and the I / O interface 31. In step S11, after confirming that there is no error in the command,
Decode the adjustment item and adjustment range of the instruction command. When the adjustment of the laser light quantity is instructed, the process proceeds to step S12, and the laser light quantity is changed by the laser driver 39. When the adjustment of the primary high voltage of the charger 49 is instructed, the process proceeds to step S13, and the primary high voltage of the charger 49 is changed by the high voltage power supply controller 41 to change the latent image condition. When the change of the developing bias is instructed, step S14 is performed.
To the developing device 4 by the developing bias controller 42.
8 is changed. When the change of the dither pattern is instructed, the process proceeds to step S15, and the dither pattern selection circuit 40 changes the dither pattern to be compared with the video data (VIDEO). According to the present embodiment as described above,
The color chart printed by the printer unit 6 is read and input by the reader unit 1, a difference from the standard density value is calculated, and an image forming element is selected and adjusted in accordance with the difference, thereby enabling the image forming apparatus to operate. There is an effect that the color balance can be kept constant. As described above, according to the present invention, a color image formed in a color image forming section can be formed independently of an interface for transmitting and receiving color image data and a timing signal relating to color image formation. By generating a multi-bit control signal for controlling the color image forming conditions of the color image forming unit by reading with the scanner unit and transmitting it to the color image forming unit, the control signal causes the color image forming unit to form a color image. There is an effect that a color image suitable for image data can be formed by controlling efficiently. [0033]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a color image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a reader unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a printer unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an output example of a color chart. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an instruction command sent from a reader unit to a printer unit. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a reading process of a color chart in a reader unit. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an adjustment process based on an instruction command in a printing unit. [Description of Signs] 1 reader unit 2 image reading unit 3 reading control unit 4 arithmetic processing units 5, 7 communication control unit 8 printer control unit 9 printing unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108 H04N 1/40-1/409 H04N 1/46 H04N 1/60 G03G 13 / 01 G03G 15/01 G03G 21/00 370-540 G06F 3/09-3/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A color image processing apparatus connected to a scanner unit and a color image forming unit, wherein a timing signal related to formation of a color image is input from the color image forming unit, and the color image data is converted to the color image data according to the timing signal. A first interface for outputting to the image forming unit, and a color image forming condition of the color image forming unit controlled by reading the reference color image formed by the color image forming unit based on predetermined data by the scanner unit. Control signal generating means for generating a control signal of a plurality of bits to be transmitted, and a second interface for transmitting the control signal to the color image forming unit, wherein the color image forming unit performs the color based on the control signal A color image processing apparatus for controlling image forming conditions.