JP3497197B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer for synthesizing and printing a main image and a title image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in color video printers,
In the case of synthesizing a halftone main image and a title image, in order to specify the color of the title image, the title image memory also uses a multi-bit frame memory in which each pixel is represented by a plurality of bits. .

[0003]

Therefore, a frame memory for a title image needs to have a large capacity of multi-bits, which causes a problem of high product cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer capable of using a 1-bit frame memory for a title image.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is provided for each color of R, G and B, and each pixel of the main image is stored as a plurality of bits of image data. A frame memory, a title memory that stores each pixel of a title image as 1-bit image data, synthesis command data for synthesizing the main image and the title image, title image data from the title memory, Image composition for converting the image data having the title memory bit so that the specified color is produced based on the color designation data of the title image and the bit data for each color of the image data from the frame memory Section and a printing section for printing based on the composite image data from the image composition section ,
Compositing command data, the title image data, the color finger
AND output data of constant data and the frame memory
OR with each bit data for each color of these image data
Obtain the output data, and use this OR output data as the main image.
Image and each bit data of the composite image data of the title image
It is also possible to output as a data and change the data.
Of.

[0006]

Further, in the invention described in claim 2 , an image input section for inputting a main image and a title image, and each of the three colors are provided, and each pixel of the main image is stored as a plurality of bits of image data. Input of a frame memory, a title memory that stores each pixel of the title image as 1-bit image data from the image input unit, synthesis command data for synthesizing the main image and the title image, and color designation data of the title image. Based on the title image data from the title memory, and an image synthesizing unit that synthesizes each bit data of the image data from the frame memory, and a printing unit that prints based on the synthetic image data from the image synthesizing unit, The image synthesizing unit uses the title image data from the title memory, title image color designation data, and synthesizing. AND circuit to which the instruction data is input and the same number are provided corresponding to the number of bits of the image data of each pixel of the frame memory, and the output data of the AND circuit and each bit data of the image data from the frame memory are input. It is composed of an OR circuit. It is preferable to have a monitor display unit for displaying the combined image data from the image combining unit.

[0008]

[Operation] For combining the main image and the title image
Composite command data, title image data from the title memory
Data, color designation data of the title image, and frame
Based on each bit data for each color of image data from memory
The image data with the title memory bit.
Whether to convert the data so that the specified color is displayed
, A composite image can be easily obtained. Then the image
The specific operation of the combining unit will be described. For example, a main image taken by an electronic still camera or a video camera is input to the image input unit. This main image is written in the R, G, and B color memories for each color. In addition, a title image photographed in the same manner is input to the image input unit and written in the 1-bit title memory.
When printing a composite image, the composite image command data and title color designation data are input to the AND circuit. Further, title image data is input to the AND circuit from the title memory. The AND circuit takes the AND of these inputs and outputs the AND to the respective input sides of the OR circuits provided in the same number corresponding to the number of bits of the image data of each pixel of the frame memory. Further, each bit data for one pixel of the frame memory is input to each OR circuit. As a result, the title image and the main image are combined by the OR circuit. This composite image data is sent to the drive data generator. Since the drive data generator drives each heating element of the thermal head according to the image data,
The composite image is printed on the color thermosensitive recording material.

[0009]

2 shows an embodiment of a color thermal printer, a platen drum 10 holds a color thermal recording material 11 on its outer periphery and is rotated by a pulse motor (not shown) during thermal recording. A clamp member 12 is attached to the platen drum 10, and at least one position, for example, the tip of the color thermosensitive recording material 11 is fixed to the platen drum 10. The clamp member 12 has a U-shape, and long holes 12a and 12b provided at both ends are fitted to the platen drum shaft 15 and the guide pin 16, respectively.
The clamp member 12 is pressed against the platen drum 10 by a spring 17, and the color thermosensitive recording material 1
Solenoid 18 at the time of 1 clamp or unclamp
Is moved in a direction away from the platen drum 10.

A thermal head 20 and an optical fixing device 21 are provided on the outer periphery of the platen drum 10.
The thermal head 20 is provided with a heat generating portion 22 in which a large number of heat generating elements are arranged in a line in the main scanning direction. The heat generating portion 22 has a constant bias heat energy and a gradation expression heat energy corresponding to the color density of a pixel. And generate.

As shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the optical fixing device 21 comprises a rod-shaped ultraviolet lamp 23 having emission peaks at about 365 nm and 420 nm, and a cut filter 24 having a transmission characteristic shown by a dotted line. It is configured. The cut filter 24, when placed in front of the ultraviolet lamp 23 by a solenoid or the like, transmits near ultraviolet rays in the vicinity of 420 nm.

A pair of conveying rollers 28 is arranged in the paper feeding / discharging path 27, and the color thermosensitive recording material 11 is passed therethrough.
Is transported. Further, on the platen drum side of the paper feeding / discharging passage 27, a separating claw 29 for guiding the rear end of the color thermosensitive recording material 11 to the paper feeding / discharging passage 27 at the time of paper discharging is provided. In this embodiment, one passage is used as both the paper feed passage and the paper discharge passage, but they may be provided separately.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a color thermosensitive recording material. On the support 32, a cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 33,
A magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 34, a yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 35, and a protective layer 36 are sequentially formed. These thermosensitive coloring layers 33 to 35 are layered from the surface in the order of thermal recording. For example, in the case of thermal recording in the order of magenta, yellow, and cyan, the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 35 and the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 35 are used. The position of the coloring layer 34 is exchanged. An opaque coated paper or a plastic film is used as the support 32, and a transparent plastic film is used when an OHP sheet is prepared. The cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 33 contains an electron-donating dye precursor and an electron-accepting compound as main components, and develops cyan when heated. As the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 34, a diazonium salt compound having a maximum absorption wavelength of about 365 nm,
It also contains a coupler which reacts with heat to develop a magenta color. When the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays in the vicinity of 365 nm after thermal recording, the diazonium salt compound is photodecomposed and the coloring ability is lost. The yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 35 contains a diazonium salt compound having a maximum absorption wavelength of about 420 nm, and a coupler which thermally reacts with this compound to develop yellow. When this yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 35 is irradiated with near-ultraviolet rays of 420 nm, it is photo-fixed and the coloring ability is lost.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an electric circuit of the color thermal printer. Main image data captured by an electronic still camera, a video camera, or the like is input from the image input unit 40. The main image data from the image input unit 40 is digitized by the A / D converter 41,
This is sent to the frame memory 42. The frame memory 42 is composed of 8 bits provided for each of the three colors, and is capable of expressing 256 gradations. In the frame memory 42, one frame of main image data is written in a separated state for each color according to a control signal from the system controller 43.

Further, the title image data from the image input section 40 is binarized by the comparator 45, and this binary signal is sent to the title memory 46. Comparator 4
A reference voltage generation unit 47 is connected to 5 so that the reference voltage can be changed.

The title memory 46 is composed of a 1-bit frame memory. Then, the title image data from the image input section 40 is written by the control signal from the system controller 43.

The image data from each frame memory 42 and title memory 46 is composed of an image synthesizing section 5 provided for each color.
Input to 0. In addition to these image data, the image synthesis unit 50 also issues color designation data TLCOLOR for the title image from the system controller 43 and synthesis command data TL for instructing whether to synthesize the main image and the title image.
ON is input. The color designation data TLCOLOR has a TLR designating red, a TLG designating green, and a TLB designating blue, which are selectively input from the system controller 43 to the corresponding image compositing unit 50. Accordingly, when the TLR is selectively output, the title image is displayed in red. Also, TLR, T
When LG is output, the title image is displayed in yellow due to the additive color mixture.

The image synthesizing sections 50a, 50b and 50c are
As shown in FIG. 1, an AND circuit 51 and OR circuits 52 to 5
It is composed of 9 and 9. In the AND circuit 51, the title image data TLBIT from the title memory 46,
Title image color designation data TLCOLOR (TLR,
Either TLG or TLB) and combined command data TLO
N and have been entered. The AND circuit 51 takes the AND of these input data and outputs this AND output to each OR circuit 5
Send to each input side of 2 to 59.

The OR circuits 52 to 59 are provided in the frame memory 4
Eight pieces are provided corresponding to the two 8-bit data.
Each bit data of the frame memory 42 is input to the OR circuits 52 to 59 in addition to the output of the AND circuit 51. Each of the OR circuits 52 to 59 outputs the OR output to the D / A converter 6
Output to 0. Thus, when the title image data TLBIT, the title image color designation data TLCOLOR, and the synthesis command data TLON are input to the AND circuit 51, the color-designated title image data is output to the D / A converter 60. Also, if any of these data is not input to the AND circuit 51, the main image data is output as it is. Thereby, the main image data and the title image data can be easily image-synthesized.

The composite image data of the main image and the title image is converted to analog by the D / A converter 60 and sent to the monitor drive circuit 61. The monitor drive circuit 61 drives the color monitor CRT 62 to display a composite image on the color monitor CRT 62 by additive color mixing. For example, when color designation data of TLR and TLG is input to the image synthesizing unit 50, these colors are added to the title image and the title image is displayed on the color monitor CRT 62 in yellow. Also, T
In the case of LR only color designation data, the title image is displayed in red.

The image synthesizing section 65 for printing is also constructed similarly to the image synthesizing section 50 for monitor. The composite image data from the image composition unit 65 is sent to the line memory 66. Image data for one line of the composite image is written in the line memory 66. The system controller 43 is
The image data for one line is sent to the drive data generator 67. The drive data generator 67 generates a drive pulse for driving each heating element of the thermal head 20. As is well known, the drive pulse is composed of a bias pulse for bias heating and a gradation pulse for gradation expression.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First,
The system controller 43 inputs the main image from the image input section 40, and writes this into the frame memory 42. Next, input a title image from the image input section 40,
This is converted into a binary signal by the comparator 45 and written in the title memory 46. Image synthesis command data TLON is input to the AND circuit 51 of the image synthesis unit 50 by inputting an image synthesis command from a keyboard (not shown). Further, the color designation data TLCOLOR of the title image is input to the AND circuit 51 by the color designation of the title image from the keyboard. This color designation data TLC
In the case of red, OLOR is set to the red image synthesizing unit 50a.
Only the LR is output, and if it is blue, the blue image combining unit 5
Only TLB is output to 0c. When a yellow title image is desired, the red and green image combining unit 50
TLR and TLG are output to a and 50b.

In each pixel of the composite image, in the pixel whose title image data is "1", the OR circuit 52 to
The pixel data of the designated color is output via 59. Also,
In each pixel of the composite image, the main image data is output as it is through the OR circuits 52 to 59 in the pixel whose title image data is “0”. As a result, the colors are added to the color monitor CRT 62 so that the selected color is displayed, and the composite image is displayed.

If the monitor image is confirmed and this is satisfactory, the print key is operated. 2, the platen drum 10 is stopped in a state where the clamp member 12 is vertical in FIG. 2, so that when the solenoid 18 is energized by operating the print key, the clamp member 12 is set to the unclamped position. To be done. Conveyor roller pair 28
Conveys the color thermosensitive recording material 11 supplied from a cassette (not shown) toward the platen drum 10 by nipping. The conveying roller pair 28 is temporarily stopped when the front end of the color thermosensitive recording material 11 enters between the platen drum 10 and the clamp member 12. Then, when the solenoid 18 is turned off, the clamp member 12 is returned by the spring 17 to clamp the front end of the color thermosensitive recording material 11. After this clamping, the platen drum 10 and the conveying roller pair 28 rotate, so that the color thermosensitive recording material 11 is wound around the platen drum 10.

Thermal recording is started when the platen drum 10 rotates intermittently at regular steps and the leading end of the recording area of the color thermosensitive recording material 11 reaches the thermal head 20. At the time of this thermal recording, first, of the combined image data that has been subjected to image composition by the print image composition section 65, a yellow image is written to the line memory 66 for each line. The drive data generator 67 drives each heating element of the thermal head 20 based on each pixel data of the line memory 66. As a result, each heating element is energized in accordance with the image data, the gradation expressing heat energy is applied to the color thermosensitive recording material 11 and the color is developed to a desired density.

When the first line of the yellow image is recorded, the platen roller 10 is step-rotated by one pixel, and at the same time, the image combining section 65 writes the image data of the second line of the yellow image in the line memory 66. .
The second line is thermally recorded on the color thermosensitive recording material 11 based on the image data of the second line of the yellow image. When the portion on which the yellow image is thermally recorded reaches the optical fixing device 21, the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 35 is optically fixed here. Since the cut filter 24 of this optical fixing device 21 is set in front of the ultraviolet lamp 23, the color thermosensitive recording material 11 is irradiated with near ultraviolet light having a wavelength of about 420 nm.
As a result, the diazonium salt compound contained in the yellow thermosensitive recording material 11 is decomposed and the coloring ability is lost. In this way, each line is thermally recorded in sequence.

When the platen drum 10 makes one revolution and the recording area comes to the position of the thermal head 20 again, the image data of the magenta image is sent line by line from the image synthesizing section 65, and the line memory 66 is written thereby. .
Then, in the image data generating section 67, the line memory 66
Since each heating element is driven by each pixel data from, a magenta image is recorded on the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 34 of the color thermosensitive recording material 11. Although the coloring heat energy of the magenta image is larger than that of the yellow image, since the yellow heat-sensitive coloring layer 35 has already been fixed by light, the yellow heat-sensitive coloring layer 35 does not develop color again. Color thermosensitive recording material 1 on which magenta image is recorded
1 is optically fixed by the fixing device 21 as described above. In this case, since the cut filter 24 is retracted from the front of the ultraviolet lamp 23, all the electromagnetic waves emitted from the ultraviolet lamp 23 are applied to the color thermosensitive recording material 11. Of the electromagnetic waves, the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is photo-fixed by the ultraviolet rays around 365 nm.

When the platen drum 10 makes one further rotation and the recording area again reaches the position of the thermal head 20, the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 33 of the cyan image of the composite image is line by line.
Recorded in. The cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 33 has a value such that the coloring heat energy does not develop in a normal storage state, and therefore the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 33 is not provided with optical fixing property. Therefore, in the thermal recording of the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 33, the optical fixing device 21 is in the OFF state.

After the thermal recording of the yellow image, the magenta image, and the cyan image is completed, the platen drum 10 and the conveying roller pair 28 are reversed. By reversing the platen drum 10, the rear end of the color thermosensitive recording material 11 is separated by the separating claw 29.
The sheet is guided to the sheet feeding / discharging path 27 and nipped by the pair of conveying rollers 28. After that, when the platen drum 10 reaches the sheet feeding position, the solenoid 18 is energized and the platen drum 10 is stopped. Solenoid 18
The energization causes the clamp member 12 to move against the spring 17, so that the clamping of the tip of the color thermosensitive recording material 11 is released. As a result, the thermally recorded color thermosensitive recording material 11 is discharged to the tray via the paper supply / discharge path 27.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a main image 70, a title image 71, and a combined image 72 obtained by combining these by the image combining units 50 and 65.

In the above embodiment, when the title image is red, for example, each pixel in the title image area is converted by the image synthesizing section 50 so that the maximum density of red is obtained. For, each pixel of the main image is displayed. Therefore, the title image is affected by the main image that is the background, and the title image does not have a uniform color. On the other hand, a selector is provided after each image synthesizing unit, and a color designating circuit is connected to this selector so that the output of the image synthesizing unit and the output of the color designating circuit are the title image data TLBIT and the synthesizing command data. When both TLON are "1", the color designation circuit may be connected to send the color designation data output from the color designation circuit to the D / A converter or the line memory. In this case, in order to output the same 8-bit color designation data as the main image data,
By configuring the color designating circuit, the title image can be displayed in various colors.

Although the above embodiment is a color thermal printer, the present invention is a color thermal transfer printer or a CRT.
Thus, it can be applied to a photosensitive type video printer or the like which prints a composite image on a color photosensitive material.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A 1-bit title memory for printing an image in which a title image is combined with image information is provided, and the image data having the title memory bit is converted by the color instruction signal so that the designated predetermined color is produced when printing. Therefore, the title memory does not need to be composed of a multi-bit frame memory as in the conventional case, and the one-bit type is sufficient , the capacity of the frame memory can be made small, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. .

Compositing command data for composing the main image and the title image, title image data from the title memory, color designation data of the title image,
And, based on the bit data for each color of the image data from the frame memory, the image data having the title memory bit is converted into the specified predetermined color, so that a composite image can be easily obtained. Like Particularly, since the data conversion is performed based on each bit data for each color of the image data from the frame memory, the data conversion can be easily performed. Moreover, composition command data, title
AND output data of image data and color designation data, and
Bit data for each color of image data from the frame memory
The OR output data is obtained from the
Data is a composite image data of the main image and the title image.
Output as each bit data of the data, and change the data
Therefore, one AND circuit and an OR circuit for the number of bits are used.
Can be configured by using a simple circuit.
Wear. In addition, in the monitor display, the title image can be displayed in the designated color easily by adding the color to the predetermined color so that the color display is instructed by the system controller.

Further, the image synthesizing section is provided with an AND circuit to which 1-bit title image data from the title memory, color designation data of the title image, and synthesizing command data are inputted, and a bit of image data of each pixel of the frame memory. The same number of them are provided corresponding to the number, and the output data of the AND circuit and the OR circuits to which each bit data of the image data from the frame memory is input are configured, so that an image combining unit having a simple configuration can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an image composition section of a color thermal printer.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a color thermal printer.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing characteristics of an ultraviolet lamp and a cut filter of the optical fixing device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a layer structure of a color thermosensitive recording material.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of the color thermal printer.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a main image, a title image, and a composite image thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Color thermal recording material 20 thermal head 40 Image input section 42 frame memory 43 System controller 45 comparator 46 title memory 50,65 Image composition section 51 AND circuit 52-59 OR circuit 60 D / A converter 66 line memory 67 Drive data generator

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A frame memory which is provided for each color of R, G and B and stores each pixel of a main image as a plurality of bits of image data, and a title which stores each pixel of a title image as one bit of image data. Memory, combination command data for combining the main image and the title image, title image data from the title memory, color designation data of the title image, and image data from the frame memory for each color An image synthesizing unit for converting the image data having the title memory bit based on the bit data so as to obtain a specified predetermined color, and a printing unit for printing based on the synthetic image data from the image synthesizing unit. The combination command data, the title image data, the color
AND output data of specified data and the frame memory
O with the bit data for each color of the image data from
After obtaining R output data, this OR output data is used as the main
Each bit of the composite image data of the image and the title image
A printer which outputs as data and changes the data . 2. An image input unit for inputting a main image and a title image, a frame memory provided for each of the three colors and storing each pixel of the main image as a plurality of bits of image data, and an image input unit Based on the input of the title memory that stores each pixel of the title image as 1-bit image data, the synthesis command data for synthesizing the main image and the title image, and the color designation data of the title image, the title image from the title memory The image synthesizing unit that synthesizes the data and each bit data of the image data from the frame memory, and the printing unit that prints based on the synthetic image data from the image synthesizing unit, AND circuit to which the title image data of, the color designation data of the title image, and the combination command data are input And the same number are provided corresponding to the number of bits of the image data of each pixel of the frame memory.
A printer comprising an OR circuit to which the output data of the circuit and each bit data of the image data from the frame memory are input. 3. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a monitor display unit for displaying the combined image data from the image combining unit.