JP3269525B2 - Color printing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color printing apparatus which performs gradation conversion in conformity with the color characteristics of a printer engine when performing printing processing in accordance with recording data for each color material. The present invention relates to a color printing device capable of achieving a great reduction. Here, the color material is a color material
A certain yellow (hereinafter abbreviated as Y) and a magenta (hereinafter abbreviated as Y)
(Hereinafter abbreviated as M) and cyan (hereinafter abbreviated as C)
And black (hereinafter abbreviated as K), respectively.
I will.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a color printing apparatus of this type, as shown in FIG. 5, a bit plane is independent for each color material, and a drawing memory 20 for recording drawing data for printing is used. , For each color material, Y drawing area 21, M drawing
An image area 22, a C image area 23, and a K image area 24 are provided.

[0005] A memory control unit 11 for controlling writing and reading of recording data to and from the drawing memory 20.
0, the Y memory control circuit 111, the M memory control circuit 112, and the Y memory control circuit 111 correspond to the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 24.
C memory control circuit 113 and K memory control circuit 11
4 are provided.

Under the control of the microprocessor 103, the printing section 4 reads out and prints the drawing data recorded in each of the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 24. However, when printing with a laser printer, the printing unit 4
Since the color characteristics of the printer engine (hereinafter abbreviated as "engine") of each printer differ from engine to engine, each Y, M,
Tone conversion of drawing data for each of C and K is required. Conventional tone conversion of drawing data is performed by reading from each of the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 24 before printing processing by the printing unit 4.

Next, the main operation of the microprocessor 103 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG.

The microprocessor 103 sequentially develops the input print data stored in the reception buffer 2 into each of the Y, M, C, and K color materials, and sequentially stores the Y, M, C, and K memory control circuits 111 to 111. At 114, the Y, M, C, K drawing areas 21 to 24 are recorded as drawing records, respectively, and at the same time, the Y, M, C, K memory control circuits 111 to 1 are recorded.
14, the base address of the recording data is recorded (procedure S100).

[0007] Next, the microprocessor 103 performs Y, M, C, K memory control circuits 111 to 111 for printing.
114, and sequentially draws the drawing data recorded in each of the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 24, and performs gradation conversion (step S101).

Next, the microprocessor 103 drives the printing unit 4 for printing, and the Y memory control circuit 1
In step 11, the base address memory of the Y drawing area 21 is checked (step S102). If there is an address recorded in the base address (YES in step S103), the Y drawing area 2 is checked.
The printing process using the Y color material (step S104) is performed based on the drawing data obtained from Step 1.

Next, the microprocessor 103
The memory control circuit 112 checks the base address memory of the M drawing area 22 (step S105), and if an address is recorded in the base address (YES in step S106), it is based on the drawing data obtained from the M drawing area 22. M
A printing process using a color material (step S107) is performed.

Similarly, a printing process using a C color material,
The printing process is completed by executing the printing process using the color material, and the image printing is completed.

In order to perform the drawing process of each color material at a high speed with respect to such a conventional color printing apparatus, for example, a device which identifies invalid data in print data for each color material and shortens the time of the recording process, or There is disclosed, for example, one in which a plurality of color data is read from a bit plane for each color material for each predetermined number of bits, edited into one print data, and sequentially output.

[0012]

However, in the above-described conventional color printing apparatus, when the dot pattern forming the image of each color material is the same and a single color like character data or graphic data, the processing time of color printing is reduced. However, there is a problem that the shortening is insufficient.

The reason is that even if the dot pattern is the same, the drawing data is sequentially recorded in the drawing area for each color material, and the gradation conversion to match the color material characteristics of the engine is performed by drawing the drawing data. This is because printing is performed after printing.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in a color printing apparatus such as a laser printer, and to solve the problem when the dot patterns forming the images of the respective color materials, such as character data or graphic data, are the same and have a single color. Another object of the present invention is to provide a color printing apparatus capable of high-speed color printing.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A color printing apparatus according to the present invention is adapted to match the color characteristics of a printer engine when performing printing processing in accordance with recording data of each of color materials (Y, M, C, K). When developing input print data in a drawing area in a color printing device
Means for recording the gradation-converted drawing data in the drawing area while converting the gradation of each color material (Y, M, C, K) into a gradation suitable for the printer engine ;
When developing printed data into the drawing area,
(Y, M, C, K)
If a single dot pattern is identified, write the drawing data.
For each drawing area of each color material (Y, M, C, K) to be recorded
Corresponding to the at least two color materials.
A common address is set accordingly. Therefore, according to this configuration, since the gradation conversion processing is included in the drawing processing procedure for recording the drawing data in the drawing area, it can be deleted from the subsequent printing processing procedure and a plurality of color materials can be removed.
(Y, M, C, K)
The same dot pattern data must be
Are simultaneously recorded in the drawing areas corresponding to the two color materials.
To draw the same pattern multiple times.
Can be avoided .

When the same dot pattern common to a plurality of color materials is identified when the input print data is developed in the drawing area, the base address for the drawing area for each color material for recording the drawing data is set as follows. A common address is set for the plurality of color materials. Therefore, since the same dot pattern data is simultaneously recorded in the drawing area of each color material for each color material, it is possible to avoid drawing the same pattern a plurality of times.

[0017]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the color printing device shown in FIG.
Y, M, and Y for each color material provided in the memory control unit 10
Each of the C and K memory control circuits 11 to 14 includes, in addition to the base address memory, gradation conversion means having a gradation conversion table adapted to the color characteristics of a printer engine (hereinafter, simply referred to as an engine). It is assumed that gradation conversion is performed in real time when the image data is drawn and recorded in the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 24 by the gradation conversion means of the C and K memory control circuits 11 to 14, respectively.

The difference between the present invention and the conventional one is that the above Y,
The microprocessor 3 controls the operation of the M, C, and K memory control circuits 11 to 14 and the color printer.

The drawing memory 20 stores Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 2 for each color material on a memory map, as in the related art.
4, when a natural image such as a landscape is decomposed, dot data indicating a completely different dot pattern and gradation data of a color material required for each dot are represented by Y, M, and
It is recorded as drawing data under the control of the C and K memory control circuits 11 to 14, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 21.
The address for 24 is shown. FIG. 2 (A)
This is a map for image data such as a landscape image, and the base addresses of each of the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas 21 to 24 are “0000 000h” and “1000 000h”.
h "and" 2,000,000 h "and" 3,000,000 "
h ".

That is, in the case of a natural image, since the image data has different dot patterns and various gradations of each color material, the microprocessor 3
Different addresses for the C and K drawing areas 21 to 24 are set as the base addresses of the Y, M, C, and K memory control circuits 11 to 14, and the drawing data is sequentially drawn and recorded for each color material.

When this drawing data is recorded, Y, M,
In each of the C and K memory control circuits 11 to 14, the printing unit 4
The drawing process is performed while performing gradation conversion by reading gradation data corresponding to the gradation of the drawn image from a gradation conversion table having an independent dither pattern for each color material that matches the color characteristics of the engine. The gradation conversion table is a writable memory in which a unique dither pattern for each color material can be written, and the gradation conversion processing is an essential procedure for a printer engine of a laser printer, for example.

On the other hand, FIG. 2B shows a case where the image data of both the Y color material and the M color material have the same dot pattern such as a character image of "red" or "orange". I have. In this case, in the present invention, each of Y, M, C, K
“0000 000h” and “0000 000h” as base addresses of the memory control circuits 11 to 14, respectively.
And "200000h" and "300000h" are set. That is, the Y, M memory control circuits 11, 1
2 has the same common address for the drawing data in the Y and M drawing areas 21 and 22.

Therefore, when the microprocessor 3 draws character data in the Y drawing area, both of the Y and M memory control circuits 11 and 12 simultaneously function and operate.
Drawing data can be simultaneously drawn and recorded in both the Y and M drawing areas 21 and 22.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a description will be given of a procedure of a drawing process in the case of a composite single color of a Y color material and an M color material such as “red”.

First, print data input via the communication interface 1 is temporarily stored in the reception buffer 2 (procedure S
10) is done.

The microprocessor 3 includes the reception buffer 2
(Step S11), the image data of the Y color material and the M color material are developed (Step S12), and the Y & M memory control circuits 11 and 12 are respectively used. The base address “0000 000h” corresponding to the Y drawing area 21 is set in common as the same common address as the base address (step S13).

As a result, when the microprocessor 3 instructs the Y drawing area 21 to perform a character drawing process based on the base address "0000 000h" (step S14), the Y & M memory control circuits 11 and 12 simultaneously function. In operation, drawing data is simultaneously drawn and recorded in each of the Y & M drawing areas 21 and 22 (step S15).
Printing processing (step S16) is performed. At the time of this drawing processing, the gradation is simultaneously converted by the gradation conversion means of each color material as described above. Therefore, the recorded drawing data is converted into a gradation that matches the color characteristics of the engine of the printing unit 4.

As described above, since the same data can be drawn in both the Y & M drawing areas 21 and 22 at one time, even if the drawing processing of the remaining C & K drawing areas 23 and 24 is necessary, it is almost three-quarters. Processing can be performed in about the same time, and the recording time of drawing data can be significantly reduced. Further, since this gradation conversion process is performed in real time by using the dither pattern table, the drawing recording time of the drawing data is not extended.

Next, the printing procedure will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG.

Y, M, C, K memory control circuits 11 to 14
The base address is recorded in each of the Y, M, C, and K memory control circuits 11 to 14, and as described above, each of the drawing data is recorded in each of the Y, M, C, and K drawing areas (step S20). After the drawing process is completed, the microprocessor 3 drives the engine of the printing unit 4 to perform the printing process.

That is, first, the microprocessor 3
Is the base address “0000 000” of the Y drawing area.
The record of "h" is checked (step S21). If there is this address (YES in step S22), the same address “000” in the Y, M, and C memory control circuits 11 to 13 is used.
"0000h" is instructed to the memory control circuit having the base address, and the printing process (step S23) is performed using the drawing data of the target drawing region.

Next, the microprocessor 3 checks the recording of the base address "100000h" of the M drawing area (step S24). If there is this address (YES in step S25), the M, C memory control circuits 12, 1
Instructing the memory control circuit having the same address "100000h" in the base address among the three, the printing process (step S26) is performed using the drawing data of the target drawing region.

Similarly, respective printing processes are performed according to the base addresses of the C drawing area and the K drawing area.

As described in the procedure of FIG. 3, in the present invention, the gradation conversion is completed when recording the drawing data in the drawing area. Therefore, in the printing procedure shown in FIG. 4, the printing procedure shown in FIG. Compared with the conventional procedure, there is no need for a gradation conversion process after drawing and recording drawing data in a drawing area.

In the above description, the tone conversion means is provided for each memory control circuit. However, the tone conversion means only needs to input and output image data recorded in the drawing area by the memory control circuit. It may be provided as a gradation conversion circuit different from the circuit. As described above, changes to the functional block configuration described and illustrated in the above description can be freely made as long as the above functions are satisfied, and the above description does not limit the present invention. Similarly, the processing order of the color materials in the drawing processing procedure and the printing processing procedure is the order of Y, M, C, and K, but may be another order.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a color printing apparatus which performs tone conversion in conformity with the color characteristics of a printer engine when performing printing processing in accordance with recording data for each color material. The effect that the processing time can be significantly reduced can be obtained.

The reason is that, when the same image data is recorded in a plurality of color material drawing areas, the memory control circuit for each color material sets the same common address to each base address. This is because a plurality of color materials are simultaneously subjected to drawing processing in the drawing area, and furthermore, the gradation conversion performed to match the color characteristics of the printer engine is performed using the gradation conversion table at the time of the drawing processing. This is because processing is performed in real time, so that the processing time for gradation conversion processing can be eliminated in the printing processing procedure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram of a memory map showing an example of a case where a drawing area for each color material is defined for normal drawing in FIG. 1; FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram of a memory map showing an example of a case where a drawing area for each color material for simultaneous drawing in FIG. 1 is defined.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a composite monochrome drawing process according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a printing process according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the related art.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a conventional printing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 communication interface 2 reception buffer 3 microprocessor 4 printing unit 10 memory control unit 11 Y memory control circuit 12 M memory control circuit 13 C memory control circuit 14 K memory control circuit 20 drawing memory 21 Y drawing area 22 M drawing area 23 C Drawing area 24K drawing area

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI H04N 1/60 H04N 1/46 Z (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/52 B41J 2 / 44 B41J 2/525 G06T 5/00 H04N 1/46 H04N 1/60

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] When a printing process is performed in accordance with print data of each of color materials (Y, M, C, and K) , an input is performed in a color printing apparatus that performs gradation conversion in conformity with the color characteristics of a printer engine. When the print data is developed in the drawing area, the gradation of each color material (Y, M, C, K) is converted into the gradation suitable for the printer engine, and the gradation converted into the drawing area is converted. Means for recording data, when the same dot pattern common to at least two of a plurality of color materials (Y, M, C, K) is identified when developing the input print data in the drawing area. Is to set a common address for at least two color materials in a base address for each of the color materials (Y, M, C, K) for recording the drawing data. apparatus. 2. A color printing apparatus which performs tone conversion in conformity with the color characteristics of a printer engine when performing a printing process in accordance with print data of each color material (Y, M, C, K). (Y, M, C, K) a drawing memory having a drawing area provided for each , a memory control circuit provided corresponding to the drawing area and controlling writing and reading of drawing data to and from the drawing area; Input image data which is provided for each material (Y, M, C, K) and which is written in the drawing area by the memory control circuit, and converts the gradation of the input image data to a gradation suitable for the printer engine in real time. Tone conversion means for outputting the drawing data to the drawing area, and developing the input print data for each of the color materials (Y, M, C, K). When recording image data, each color material
(Y, M, C, K) setting an address corresponding to each drawing area as a base address of the memory control circuit;
A microprocessor for controlling the memory control circuit to draw and record drawing data in the drawing area via each of the gradation converting means. A color printing apparatus characterized in that the gradation conversion processing of (1) is deleted. 3. The microprocessor according to claim 2 , wherein the microprocessor includes a plurality of color materials (Y, M, C, K).
When the two dot patterns are the same, a common address for a plurality of drawing areas corresponding to these color materials is set as a base address of the memory control circuit, and the memory control circuit is controlled to control the memory control circuit. A color printing apparatus for simultaneously drawing and recording drawing data in at least two drawing areas for a common address. 4. A drawing conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the gradation conversion means has a dither pattern table optimal for a printer engine mounted corresponding to each color material (Y, M, C, K). A color printing apparatus, which converts a gradation of data by the dither pattern table and outputs the converted data.