JP3105935B2 - Recording method and 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 recording apparatus and a recording apparatus.
In particular, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus, such as a facsimile apparatus, having different recording time intervals for each line and having a recording mode of a plurality of linear densities, and a recording method in the apparatus .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a thermal recording apparatus for recording at a plurality of sub-scanning line densities, when recording at a low line density,
Recording was performed by repeatedly recording the same data with the same energy applied to the thermal head. That is, most of the current facsimile sub-scanning line densities have a standard mode of 3.85 lines / mm, a fine mode of 7.7 lines / mm, and a super fine mode of 15.4 lines / mm. . In this case, the length of the heating element of the thermal head in the sub-scanning direction is designed to be 1 / 15.4 mm. In the super fine mode, one line is recorded by one recording operation (one line recording). In the fine mode, two lines of the same data are continuously recorded to record one line at the line density in the fine mode. In the standard mode, the same data is continuously recorded for four lines. One line is recorded at a linear density of. The recording paper is conveyed 1 / 15.4 mm in the sub-scanning direction for each of these recordings.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, in the standard mode or the fine mode, the same energy is applied to the thermal head for each line recording and the same data is recorded a plurality of times. There is a disadvantage that the applied energy becomes excessive due to the heat storage of the thermal head, and the recorded image trails or dots are crushed. In addition, if the energy applied to the thermal head is reduced to prevent the tailing or crushing, there is a disadvantage that the density of the recording start line becomes insufficient or the recording is blurred. Further, when the same line data is recorded a plurality of times and one line is recorded at a line density corresponding to each mode, the energy applied to the thermal head may be reduced by a predetermined amount for each line recording. . However, in this case, the tailing or crushing of the image differs depending on the recording time interval from the previous line in each line recording, and the effect of lowering the energy for each line cannot be sufficiently obtained.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and has a first mode in which recording of one line is performed according to recording data corresponding to one line, and a first mode in which a plurality of lines are recorded according to recording data corresponding to one line. A second mode in which the recording data is repeatedly recorded. In the second mode, when recording data corresponding to one line for a plurality of lines, the same recording data for a plurality of lines is likely to occur. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording method and apparatus capable of reducing tailing, crushing, and the like of a recorded image.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a recording apparatus according to the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, using a thermal head for recording in line units, a recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, the tip of one line
Timer means for measuring a recording time interval from the end of recording by corresponding recording data, and recording corresponding to the one line
A first mode for recording one line according to data;
A plurality of lines according to the recording data corresponding to the one line
And a second mode for repeatedly recording the recording data.
Having, in the second mode, repeatedly recorded
Corresponding to each of the plurality of lines.
While gradually reducing the energy applied to the
The amount of the energy to be sequentially reduced is determined by the timing means.
Control based on the measured recording time interval
Means .

In order to achieve the above object, a recording method in a recording apparatus according to the present invention includes the following steps. That is, a recording method in a recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium using a thermal head that performs recording in line units, wherein one line is recorded according to recording data corresponding to one line.
A first mode for performing recording, and a recording mode corresponding to the one line.
Repeat the recording data for multiple lines according to the recording data
Selection step of selecting any of the second modes for recording and recording
And the end of recording by the recording data corresponding to the previous one line
Time counting step for counting a recording time interval after, the Sir
Apply energy to the mulling head and follow the recorded data
And a recording step of performing recording I, wherein the recording step, before
If the second mode is selected in the selecting step,
Corresponding to each of the plurality of lines to be recorded back
The energy applied to the thermal head is gradually reduced.
The above-mentioned method of applying
The record of the amount of energy timed by the timing step
It is characterized in that it is changed based on a time interval .

[0007]

In the above arrangement, the recording time interval from the end of recording by the recording data corresponding to the previous one line is counted, and the recording data corresponding to one line is repeatedly recorded for a plurality of lines in the second mode. When applying, the energy to be applied to the thermal head is sequentially reduced and applied corresponding to each of the multiple lines that are repeatedly recorded, and the amount of the energy that is sequentially reduced is applied to the timed recording time interval. Act to change based on.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <Description of Facsimile Apparatus (FIG. 1)> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main control unit for controlling the entire apparatus, and 2 denotes an operation / operation unit having an operation panel, a liquid crystal display unit, and the like.
It is a display unit. A reading unit 3 photoelectrically reads a document image and inputs image data. A communication control unit 4 is connected to a communication line via a network control unit (NCU) 5 and performs various controls for facsimile communication. Reference numeral 6 denotes a ROM 61 which stores, for example, a control program of the CPU 60 and pulse width data to be described later, a RAM 62 used as a work area of the CPU 60, and a CPU 60.
1 that has a timer 63 and the like that counts time according to the instruction of
A recording control unit including a chip microcomputer and the like controls energization of a motor 7 for transporting recording paper as a recording medium and a thermal head 8 as a recording device. A thermistor 9 is a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the thermal head 8 and outputs temperature information.

With such a configuration, during the copying operation, the thermal head 8 is driven to generate heat based on the image data read by the reading unit 3 and recorded. In the case of receiving a facsimile image, image data received from the communication line via the NCU 5 and demodulated by the communication control unit 4 is converted by the main control unit 1 into a form recordable by the thermal head 8. Each time one line of the converted image data is transferred to the thermal head 8, the main control unit 1
Send a print command to Upon receiving this, the recording control unit 6 starts the movement of the recording paper and, at the same time, drives the thermal head 8 according to the temperature of the thermal head 8 so as to perform recording for one line.

In order to reduce the number of heating elements that are energized at the same time and to reduce the size of the power supply of the apparatus during the recording of one line, the heating elements for one line of the thermal head 8 are usually arranged in a plurality of blocks of about 2 to 8 blocks. And one-line data is recorded by sequentially energizing each block.
The energization time (application time) to each block at this time is called an energization pulse width.

In such recording for each line,
One line of data can be recorded according to the line conditions, the capacity of the modem (modulator / demodulator), the complexity of the received facsimile image data (the number of black and white dot inversions), the encoding format, and the sub-scanning line density. The time to become different,
Intermittent recording with a random recording cycle. The timer of the recording controller 6 measures the recording interval until the next line data is prepared.

When the sub-scanning line density is low, that is, when the mode is not the super fine mode, one line of print data is transferred from the main control unit 1 to the thermal head 8, and then the sub-scanning line density is printed. At the same time, it is output to the recording control unit 6. Thereby, the recording control unit 6
In the standard mode, the recording paper is set to 1/15.
The same print data is recorded for 4 lines while being transported by 4 (mm). In the fine mode, the same print data is transported by 1 / 15.4 (mm) for each line, and the same print data is printed for 2 lines. It records for the line. <Explanation of Recording Timing in Standard Mode (FIG. 2)> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing recording operation timing in the standard mode performed by the recording control unit 6 of the present embodiment.

When one line of print data is transferred from the main control unit 1 to the thermal head 8 and the print control unit 6 receives a print command, it outputs a motor excitation signal to the print paper feed motor 7 to feed the print paper. And one line is recorded. Here, the heating elements of the thermal head 8 are
Each heating element is divided into blocks and the length in the sub-scanning direction is 1
A case will be described in which recording is performed with the thermal head 8 for the super fine mode of /15.4 mm.

At the time of this recording, one line in the super fine mode is recorded in about 2.4 ms (time t5) by moving writing which starts recording simultaneously with the conveyance of the recording paper. Therefore, a time frame of about 0.6 ms is prepared as the pulse width t ₀ that defines the energization time for each block of the thermal head 8. The energization time is determined within 0.6 ms according to the temperature of the thermal head 8 detected by the thermistor 9 and the control of this embodiment, and recording is performed. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, at the time of the first line recording is in standard mode pulse width t _1, 2 line pulse width t _2, 3 line is the pulse width t _3, 4 line pulse width t ₄ is energized respectively. Here, t ₀ >
It is assumed that t ₁ > t ₂ > t ₃ > t ₄ .

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of pulse width reduction and the time interval from the previous line recording.

The data for determining the pulse width is stored in the ROM 61 of the recording controller 6, and the second line is F ₂ (first line) with respect to the first line according to the time interval from the end of the recording of the previous line. = T ₁ −t ₂ ), the third line is F ₃ (= t ₂ −t ₃ ) for the _second line, the fourth line is F ₄ (= t ₃ −t ₄ ) for the _third line, Each is subtracted from the previous pulse width to determine the energizing pulse width of each line. Here, F ₁ = 0, and when the recording time interval is “0” ms, F ₂ is 0.1 ms and F ₄ is “0.0” ms.
5 ms ", and the values of F ₂ , F ₃ , and F ₄ become constant when the recording time interval becomes 40 ms or more.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a recording operation executed by the CPU of the recording control unit 6 of the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.
1 is stored.

First, in step S1, I = 100 ms is set as an initial value of the time interval of each line at the top of the page so that the decrease in pulse width when recording the same line continuously is minimized. When a print command is input from the main controller 1 in step S2, the process proceeds to step S3, in which the operation of the timer for measuring the time interval of each line is stopped, and the time interval I is determined. As a result, at the top of the page, 100 ms (I) determined in step S1 is selected, and thereafter, the value (time interval) of the timer 63 that has started measuring time in step S15 is set.

Next, the flow advances to step S4 to determine the mode of the sub-scanning line density, that is, the facsimile reception mode. If the mode is the super fine mode, the flow advances to step S5 to set "1" to N, and if the mode is the fine mode. Step S
Proceed to 6 to set "2" in N. If the mode is the standard mode, the process proceeds to step S7, and N is set to "4". The value of N represents the number of times a line is repeatedly recorded with the same recording data.

In step S8, "1" is set to the pointer n so that the first pulse width is selected. still,
The pointer n and the recording area of N described above are stored in the RAM 6
2 is provided. Next, the process proceeds to step S9, in which the recording paper transport motor 7 is driven, and
The thermal head 8 has a pulse width tn corresponding to the temperature of the thermal head 8 at that time and the time interval I from the previous line.
To record. That is, first at the time of recording to the pulse width energization to the thermal head 8 is (t ₁₎ becomes for recording the same line, the pulse width during the second recording (t ₁
−F ₂ ) and the pulse width is (t ₂ −F ₃ ) at the time of the third recording.
, The fourth time at the time of recording becomes pulse width and (t ₃ -F _4), recording is performed by energizing pulse width corresponding to the recording time interval is required.

In step S11, the thermal head 8
When the current is supplied to the block and one line is recorded, step S1 is performed.
2 to determine whether recording of one-line data according to the current sub-scanning line density has been completed, that is, once in the super fine mode, twice in the fine mode, and four times in the standard mode. It is checked whether or not the recording has been performed. If the recording of one line has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S13, n is incremented by 1, and the process returns to step S9 to execute the above-described processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S12 that the recording of one line has been completed, the flow advances to step S14 to check whether the recording of one page has been completed. When the recording of one page is completed, cutting and discharging of the recording paper in page units are performed, and the recording process of one page is completed.

However, if the recording operation of one page has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S15, in order to measure the recording time interval I with the next line, the timer 63 starts counting, and the process returns to step S2. repeat. Thus, in the next step S3, the time value I of the timer 63 is calculated.
The (recording time interval) is read, and the pulse width for energizing the thermal head 8 is determined in step S10 according to this value.

In this embodiment, the recording control unit 6 controls the energization of the thermal head 8, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the main control unit 1 may directly control the thermal head 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the amount by which the width of the energizing pulse to the thermal head 8 is reduced is made a function of the recording time interval I. The higher the temperature of the thermal head 8 is, the larger the reduced energization pulse width is. In particular, when tailing in the standard mode becomes a problem, the pulse width for recording the fourth line is greatly reduced from the second line or the third line. May be controlled by the amount by which the pulse width is reduced.

In this embodiment, the energy applied to the thermal head 8 at the time of recording is controlled by controlling the energizing pulse width. However, the applied voltage, energizing current, energizing pulse number and the like to the thermal head 8 are controlled. It goes without saying that the control may be performed.

Further, in image processing such as smoothing, even when recording data (line data) to be continuously recorded is not completely the same data, if it can be regarded as substantially the same data, the energy applied to the thermal head according to this embodiment can be considered. Control becomes effective. Further, the present invention is also effective for a printer or the like that continuously records the same data regardless of the sub-scanning line density.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Needless to say, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a system or an apparatus with a program for executing the processing specified by the present invention.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the same data is printed a plurality of times with a low sub-scanning line density, each line is printed gradually in accordance with the printing interval from the previous line. By reducing the applied energy, it is possible to reduce tailing or crushing of the recorded image.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, 1
There is an effect that it is possible to reduce tailing, crushing, and the like of a recorded image which is likely to occur when recording data corresponding to a line for a plurality of lines.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing recording timing in a standard mode in the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an amount of reducing a pulse width to a thermal head and a recording time interval in the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a recording operation of a received image in the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.

[Description of Signs] 1 Main control unit 2 Operation / display unit 3 Reading control unit 4 Communication control unit 5 NCU 6 Recording control unit 7 Recording paper transport motor 8 Thermal head 9 Thermistor 60 CPU 61 ROM 63 Timer

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording apparatus for performing recording on a recording medium by using a thermal head that performs recording in line units, wherein the recording apparatus is configured to perform recording after completion of recording by recording data corresponding to the previous one line.
A counting means for counting a recording time interval al, one line according to recording data corresponding to said one line
A first mode for performing recording, and a recording mode corresponding to the one line.
Repeat the recording data for multiple lines according to the recording data
And a second mode of recording and recording.
Each line of the plurality of lines that is repeatedly recorded
Energy applied to the thermal head
And the energy is sequentially reduced.
The recording time obtained by measuring the amount of energy by the timing means
Control means for changing based on the interval . 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store information related to energy applied to the thermal head in correspondence with the recording time interval, wherein the control unit is configured to control the information in accordance with the recording time interval measured by the timing unit. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information applied to the thermal head is controlled by referring to the information stored in the storage unit. 3. A recording method in a recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium using a thermal head for recording on a line basis, wherein one line is recorded in accordance with recording data corresponding to one line.
And a recording mode corresponding to the one line.
Record data for multiple lines repeatedly according to data
A selection step of selecting any one of the second modes for recording, and a state after completion of recording by the recording data corresponding to the previous one line.
Time counting step for counting a recording time interval al, energy is applied to said thermal head, said recording de
A recording step of performing recording according to data, wherein the recording mode is such that the second mode is selected in the selecting step.
If selected, the multiple lines recorded repeatedly
The energy applied to the thermal head corresponding to each line
Energy is gradually reduced and applied.
The amount of energy to be applied
A recording method , wherein the recording time is changed based on the measured recording time interval .