JP5229074B2 - Color printing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a color printing system, and more particularly, to a color printing system having an illegal printing detection function for preventing printing omission due to blank printing and unauthorized printing due to color omission.

  Conventionally, monochrome printers have been the mainstream for high-speed and large-volume printing. However, in recent years, colorization has progressed in the field of high-speed printing, and color printing systems using color printers that perform high-speed and large-volume printing Demand is also increasing.

  On the other hand, printed matter output by a printer that performs high-speed mass printing requires particularly high integrity. Many of such printer products check the interface signal, check the parity of the print data, and check the transmission path of the print data. If an abnormality is detected during printing, printing is often stopped and the operator is notified.

  Furthermore, a technique for detecting an error when a page on which a character or an image should be printed becomes a blank sheet (missing print) as a result of an abnormal printing operation that cannot be detected by the various checks described above (for example, Patent Document 1 (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-50466)).

  It is not easy to find an invalid print result from thousands or tens of thousands of printed matter and to remove it, which is a great amount of work. Therefore, a printer that performs mass printing at high speed is desired to have a function of detecting a factor causing an abnormality in such a print result or an illegal blank sheet.

  In addition, when color printing is performed by a color printer, four-color images of CMYK are superimposed on one page, and in the one-pass method that is often employed in high-speed color printers, there is also a development unit for each color component. The potential for illegal printing due to color loss is higher than that of a monochrome printer. For example, a color printer that outputs by color printing at a speed of 100 pages / minute corresponds to a monochrome printer having 400 pages / minute because the number of image data to be processed, the number of times of development, and transfer are 400 pages / minute. The potential for illegal printing is four times that of a monochrome printer.

  The color printer control device checks the presence or absence of a colored portion for each color of CMYK image data for each page, outputs only the color image data with a colored portion to the printer device, and performs development and transfer operations. Techniques for performing development and transfer operations for colors having no color are disclosed in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-29491) and Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-196281).

  Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-120411) describes that blank paper is detected in color printing.

  Patent Document 1 is a technique for detecting a blank sheet due to missing printing in a monochrome printer, and does not consider the detection of missing colors in a color printer.

  In a color printer, color printing is realized by superposing four color toners (or inks) of normal CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black, etc.). For color components of toner and ink, there are color printers that use light cyan or light magenta in addition to the above four colors to improve color reproducibility, or use special colors such as mica. Describe only.

  There are two main printing methods, one is generally called a one-pass color method (tandem method), and the other is called a four-pass color method. The one-pass method is more advantageous for high-speed color printing, and the one-pass method is generally adopted for high-speed color printers. A one-pass color electrophotographic color printer has a developing unit such as a photoconductor for each color component of CMYK, and performs operations such as laser exposure, charging, development, and transfer for each color component simultaneously in parallel. It becomes.

  At this time, the image data for four colors is simultaneously output to the printer apparatus for printing four colors simultaneously from the color printer control apparatus. Actually, the four colors are not simultaneously transferred to the same portion of the printing paper, but each color is transferred to a different portion of the printing paper, so that the image data from the color printer control device is output to the printer device while being shifted by a certain time. .

  The image data of each color component in color printing does not necessarily have a colored portion, and there are pages of only K (black) and pages of only red of two colors of M (magenta) and Y (yellow). .

  For this reason, assuming that the technique for detecting blank paper due to missing print according to Patent Document 1 is applied to each color of CMYK, CMY is detected as a normal K-only page, and CK is detected as a missing print when a red-only page is printed. It will be. On the other hand, if the image data for all the color components of CMYK is detected as a print defect (blank sheet) only when there is no colored portion at all, the above-described normal printing is not erroneously detected as a color defect. However, it does not detect illegal printing due to color loss unique to a color printer.

  Further, in Patent Document 4, when there is a color pixel in the reference color component (for example, K component), it is not possible to determine whether there is a color pixel of another color component.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a color printing system with good operability that eliminates oversight of unauthorized printing results in a color printing system.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a color printing system that can prevent wasteful consumption of toner and the like and is excellent in terms of cost reduction and environmental conservation.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, image processing means for developing print data received from a host device as image data of a plurality of color components, and image data for each of the plurality of color components is stored by the image processing means. A page memory, color data detecting means for detecting, for each color component, whether or not a color portion to be printed is included in the image data stored in the page memory, and an image for each of the plurality of color components stored in the page memory Color printer control apparatus having image output means for outputting data to color printer apparatus, image receiving means for receiving image data for each of a plurality of color components from the color printer control apparatus, and color components corresponding to the received image data Development unit for each color that is developed and transferred by the development process, development and transfer operation by the development process, In a color printing system comprising a color printer device having color loss detection means for detecting whether or not a color portion to be printed is included in the image data, the color printer control device performs printing by the color data detection means. For the color component of the image data that does not include the color portion to be printed, the output of the image data to the color printer apparatus and the control not to perform the development / transfer operation in the color printer apparatus are performed, and the color data detection unit performs printing. The color component of the image data including the colored portion to be controlled is controlled to output the image data to the color printer device and perform development / transfer operations in the color printer device. When image data is output from the control device, a color component developing process corresponding to the received image data is developed. It performs development and transfer operation by Seth, by the color omission detection means, treats the printing when the colored portions detected image data no as an error, the color printer controller, the image processing means The image data to be developed is stored in the page memory with a size larger than the width of the paper to be printed out, and the image data including the colored portion to be printed by the colored data detecting means protrudes from the paper width of the image data. Colored dots are added to all rasters that are not printed on the paper, and the color printer replaces the color loss detection means with color dots in the image data received from the color printer controller. Raster missing detection means for detecting a raster not included, and the raster missing detection means When a raster not included is detected, the printing is treated as an error .

  In addition, the color printer device includes a plurality of paper discharge stackers for printing on cut sheets, and a stacker that discharges normally printed paper and a paper in which an error is detected by the color loss detection unit or the raster loss detection unit. It has discharge stacker setting means for setting each discharge stacker. During normal printing, paper is discharged to the stacker specified for normal printing, and an error is detected by the color loss detection means or the raster loss detection means. The sheet is discharged to a stacker designated for the sheet in which the error is detected, and the occurrence of the error is reported to the color printer control device.

The interface command issued from the color printer control device to the color printer device includes a command for designating “no image data”, “no color loss detection”, and “color loss detection” for each color component, The color printer device analyzes the command received from the color printer control device, and does not receive image data from the color printer control device and performs development and transfer operations for the color component designated “no image data”. First, for the color component for which “no color omission detection” is designated, image data is received from the color printer control device, and development and transfer operations are performed. However, the color omission detection means detects the color omission and the raster omission. without detection of missing raster by detecting means, the color component designated a "color loss detecting", Serial receives the image data from the color printer controller performs development and transfer operation, and performing the detection of the omission raster by decoloration and the raster omission detection means according to the color loss detecting means.

Also, when detecting a missing color by the color omission detection means, or the detection of a missing raster by the raster omission detection means, and display means displays the color components to the display unit of the color printer controller To do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a color printing system capable of detecting illegal printing due to color loss unique to a color printer without erroneously detecting normal printing as color loss.

1 is an example of an apparatus configuring a color printing system of the present invention and a schematic configuration diagram thereof. 6 is a flowchart illustrating development / transfer processing and color loss detection processing of the color printer apparatus. 5 is a flowchart regarding development / transfer processing, color loss detection processing, and color loss detection instructions of the color printer apparatus. It is the schematic which shows an example of preparation of the image data for performing a raster omission detection. 1 is an example of an apparatus constituting a color printing system that detects raster loss and a schematic configuration diagram thereof.

  The present invention relates to a color printing system, and in particular, whether each color component (cyan, magenta, yellow, black, etc.) of color image data to be printed by a printer control device mounted on a color laser printer or color multifunction printer is present. This is a color equipped with an illegal print detection function that detects the page by page and performs only the necessary color components, and also prevents blank prints caused by print data abnormalities and illegal prints caused by color gaps. The present invention relates to a printing system.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an example of an apparatus constituting the color printing system of the present invention.

  The color printing system includes a host device 101, a color printer control device 103, and a color printer device 111.

  The host apparatus 101 is, for example, a personal computer, and includes a printer driver 102 that generates print data that can be processed by the connected color printer control apparatus 103.

  The color printer control apparatus 103 includes a host I / F 104 that receives print data from the host apparatus 101 and transmits / receives various information, a reception buffer 105 that temporarily stores received print data, and the entire color printer control apparatus 103. CPU 106 that performs control, program memory 107 that stores programs, page memory 108 that stores print data as image data for each color, DMAC 109 that is a DMA controller, and printer I / F 110 that performs data transmission and reception with color printer device 111 Consists of

  The color printer device 111 is a cut paper type one-pass (tandem) color laser printer.

  The color printer device 111 includes a control device I / F 112 that transmits and receives data to and from the color printer control device 103, a DMAC 113 and a CPU 114 of a DMA controller, a program memory 115 for storing programs, and reception buffers 116, 117, 118 for CMYK colors. 119, color loss detection circuits 120, 121, 122, and 123 for each color of CMYK, and development units 124, 125, 126, and 127 for each color of CMYK having a photoreceptor. The color printer apparatus 111 includes a hopper 129 and a hopper control unit 128 that are paper feeding units, and a stacker 131 and a stacker control unit 130 that are paper discharge units.

  In this embodiment, the development units for each color are arranged in the order of CMYK from the upstream side of the sheet conveyance. In the present embodiment, the hopper 129 includes two hoppers A and B, and the stacker 131 includes two stackers A and B.

  The host apparatus 101 outputs print data to the color printer control apparatus 103 via the printer driver 102.

  The color printer control device 103 receives print data via the host I / F 104 and stores it in the reception buffer 105 under the control of the program code stored in the program memory 107 operating on the CPU 106. The print data is read, separated into CMYK color components, developed, and the image data is stored in the page memory 108. The CPU 106 outputs the image data stored in the page memory 108 to the color printer device 111 via the printer I / F 110 for each color component.

  Based on the image data for each color received by the control device I / F 112, the color printer apparatus 111 issues an instruction for an operation for developing and transferring, an instruction for selecting a hopper 129 for feeding paper, an instruction for selecting a stacker 131 for discharging paper, and the like. Do. The output of image data for each color component and instructions for development and transfer are performed in the order of C, M, Y, and K in accordance with the arrangement of the development units.

  Here, the color printer control apparatus 103 checks whether or not there is a colored portion in the image data for each color component stored in the page memory 108, and for the color component in which the colored portion exists, the image data is color-coded. Output to the printer apparatus 111 is instructed to perform development / transfer operations, and for color components having no colored portion, image data is not output to the color printer apparatus 111 and development / transfer operations are not instructed. Note that data access control in the color printer control device 103 is performed by the DMAC 109.

  The color printer device 111 receives and develops image data for each color component from the color printer control device 103 via the control device I / F 112 under the control of a program code stored in a program memory 115 operating on the CPU 114. In response to the transfer instruction, the hopper selection instruction, and the stacker selection instruction, the color printer apparatus 111 is operated.

  Next, the color printer apparatus 111 receives the image data from the color printer control apparatus 103 and starts the development process of the color component for which the development / transfer instruction has been received. That is, the image data received from the color printer control device 103 via the control device I / F 112 is transferred to the corresponding color component buffers of the reception buffers 116 to 119 provided for each component, and color loss detection is performed. Among the circuits 120 to 123 and the developing units 124 to 127, the color loss detection circuit and the developing unit corresponding to the corresponding color component are activated.

  Further, the color printer device 111 selects the hopper A or hopper B of the hopper 129 via the hopper control unit 128 based on the selection instruction from the color printer control device 103, and instructs the paper feeding from the selected hopper. Then, based on the selection instruction from the color printer control device 103, the stacker A or the stacker B is selected via the stacker control unit 130, and the discharge to the selected stacker is instructed.

  The paper fed from the hopper 129 is transported to a paper transport path facing each of the CMYK development units 124 to 127, and the color component instructed from the color printer control device 103 is developed and transferred to the paper. Printed and discharged to the stacker 131. The color loss detection circuits 120 to 123 operate during development / transfer by the corresponding development unit, and determine the presence or absence of a colored portion in the image data received from the color printer control device 103. If there is no colored portion at all, an error occurs as “color loss”. Note that data access control in the color printer device 111 is performed by the DMAC 113.

  The development / transfer processing and color loss detection processing of the color printer apparatus 111 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing development / transfer processing and color loss detection processing of the color printer apparatus.

  The color printer apparatus 111 that has received the output of image data and the instruction for development / transfer from the color printer control apparatus 103 starts the printing process (step 201: S201, and so on).

  As processing for the C component installed upstream in the paper transport direction, the presence / absence of a C component development / transfer instruction is checked (S202).

If there is an instruction to develop / transfer the C component, reception of the C component image data is started by activating the DMAC 113 (S203), the C component color loss detection circuit 120 is activated (S204), and the C component developing unit is started. A development / transfer instruction is issued to 124 (S205).
On the other hand, when there is no instruction for developing / transferring the C component, the process proceeds to the developing / transferring process for the M component in the next stage.

  In the same manner as the C component development / transfer activation process (S202 to S205), the M component, Y component, and K component development / transfer activation processes are performed in S206 to S209, S210 to S213, and S214 to S217, respectively. Do.

  When the development / transfer activation process for all the color components (CMYK) is started, the error code (EC) is initialized and EC is set to “0x0000” (S218).

  After error code initialization, C component color loss detection processing is performed. The process waits until the C component development / transfer processing is completed (S219). After the completion, the C component color loss detection circuit 120 checks whether or not C component color loss is detected (S220). If there is color loss detection of the C component, the fact that there is color loss of the C component is recorded on the EC. Specifically, the “2 to the 0” bit of EC is set to “1” (“0x0001” is added) (S221). On the other hand, if there is no C component color loss detection, the process proceeds to the next M component color loss detection processing without performing anything.

  If there is no C component development / transfer instruction from the color printer control apparatus 103, it becomes “None” in the presence or absence of the C component development instruction in S202, and the activation of the C component color loss detection circuit 120 in S204 and S205 are performed. There is no instruction for development / transfer of the C component to the development unit. Therefore, in S219, the condition during the development / transfer of the C component is not satisfied, and the process proceeds to the presence / absence of color loss detection of the C component in S220. Naturally, the color loss detection circuit 120 is not activated in S220. Without detecting, the process proceeds to the M-component color loss detection process in the next stage.

  As with the C component development / transfer waiting (S219), color loss detection processing (S220) and error code setting (S221), the development, transfer waiting, color loss detection processing and Error code setting processing is performed in steps S222 to S224, S225 to S227, and S228 to S230, respectively. However, the bit indicating that there is a color loss of each color component is the M component “2 to the 1st” bit, the Y component to the “2 2” bit, and the K component to the “2 3” bit. When there is color loss, “0x0002”, “0x0004”, and “0x0008” are added to the error code (EC), respectively.

  When the development / transfer of all the color components and the color loss detection processing are completed, whether or not there is color loss in one or more color components is checked by checking the value of the error code (EC) (S231). . When the error code (EC) is other than the initial value of “0x0000”, it indicates that one or more color components have color loss. When EC = “0x0000”, that is, when no color loss is detected, a discharge instruction to a stacker (for example, stacker A) discharged during normal printing is issued to the stacker control unit 130 (S232), and printing is performed. The process ends normally (S233). On the other hand, in the color loss detection check (S231), when the error code EC is other than “0x0000”, that is, when color loss is detected, an error code for color loss check completed (in this embodiment, “0x5A00”). ]) Is added to generate a color loss error code. Thereafter, the absence of color loss and an error code are reported to the color printer control device 103 (S235), and a discharge instruction to a stacker (for example, stacker B) discharged during error printing is given to the stacker control unit 130 (S236). ), And the printing is terminated (S237).

  It is assumed that the stacker discharged during normal printing and the stacker discharged during error printing are instructed in advance from the color printer control device 103 and set in the color printer device 111.

  When an error occurs, the color printer control apparatus 103 receives an error code (EC) from the color printer apparatus 111 and displays the error code (EC) and a message corresponding to the error code on a panel (not shown) or the like. Then, the operator is informed and the subsequent printing control is stopped. As described above, the error code (EC) includes an information bit indicating a color component in which color loss is detected.

  Thus, when printing with the color printer apparatus 111, normal printing is not erroneously detected as color loss, and unauthorized printing due to color loss unique to the color printer can be detected appropriately.

  Also, normal printing paper is discharged to the stacker specified for normal printing, and paper that has detected color loss is discharged to the stacker specified for error, and an error is reported. As a result, it is possible to easily remove an illegal printing result that has lost color.

  Further, the color printer control device 103 displays which color component is used as a report of the occurrence of an error as a result of color loss. For this reason, it becomes easy to specify a failure site.

  Next, a second embodiment that is a modification of the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.

  In the color printer control device 103, commands that specify “no image data”, “no color loss detection”, and “color loss detection” are associated with the CMYK color components in the interface command issued to the color printer device 111. Add

  In the color printer device 111, (1) no image data is received and no development / transfer operation is performed for a color component designated as “no image data”, and (2) “no color omission detection” is designated. The developed color component receives image data and performs development / transfer operations, but does not detect color loss or raster loss. (3) Image data for color components designated as “color loss detection” Is received, development and transfer operations are performed, and color loss and raster loss are detected.

  In normal printing, the color printer control device 103 checks the presence or absence of a colored portion in the image data of each color component of each page CMYK, and outputs only the image data of the color having the colored portion to the color printer device 111. Specify "Detect color loss" to perform development / transfer operations, do not output image data of colors with no colored parts, and specify "No image data" to prevent development / transfer operations from being performed. By instructing, the color printer apparatus 111 detects color loss only for colors having a colored portion.

  On the other hand, when printing a print test pattern or when the print data received from the host apparatus 101 includes a blank page and printing the page as a blank page, the image data has no colored portion at all. In addition, when the color printer control device 103 outputs the image data to the color printer device 111 and designates “no color loss detection”, the color printer device 111 can perform color loss even if the image data has no colored portion. Development / transfer operations can be performed without detection.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart regarding development / transfer processing, color loss detection processing, and color loss detection instructions of the color printer apparatus.

  In response to the output of the image data and the development / transfer instruction from the color printer control apparatus 103, the color printer apparatus 111 starts the printing process (S201).

  As a process for the C component installed upstream in the paper transport direction, it is determined whether or not “no image data” is instructed from the color printer control device 103 for the C component (S302). If “no image data” is not instructed for the C component, reception of the C component image data is started by starting the DMAC 113 (S203). On the other hand, if “no image data” is instructed for the C component, the process proceeds to the next-stage M component development / transfer processing and the start-up processing of the color loss detection circuit (S306).

  After the reception of the C component image data is started (S203), it is determined whether or not “color loss detection” is instructed from the color printer control apparatus 103 (S304). If “detect color loss detection” is instructed for the C component, the C component color loss detection circuit 120 is activated (S204), and a development / transfer instruction is issued to the C component development unit 124 (S205). On the other hand, if “detect color loss detection” is not instructed for the C component, the color loss detection circuit 120 is not activated, and instructs the development and transfer of the C component development unit 124 (S205).

  In the same manner as the C component development / transfer activation process and the color loss detection circuit activation process (S302 to S205), the M component, Y component, and K component development / transfer activation processes and the color loss detection circuit activation are continued. Processing is performed in S306 to S209, S310 to S213, and S314 to S217, respectively.

  When the development / transfer activation process for all the color components (CMYK) is started, the error code (EC) is initialized and EC is set to “0x0000” (S218).

  After error code initialization, C component color loss detection processing is performed. The process waits until the C component development / transfer processing is completed (S219). After the completion, the C component color loss detection circuit 120 checks whether or not C component color loss is detected (S220). If there is color loss detection of the C component, the fact that there is color loss of the C component is recorded on the EC. Specifically, the “2 to the 0” bit of EC is set to “1” (“0x0001” is added) (S221). On the other hand, if there is no C component color loss detection, the process proceeds to the next M component color loss detection processing without performing anything.

  If there is no C component development / transfer instruction from the color printer control apparatus 103, it becomes “None” in the presence or absence of the C component development instruction in S202, and the activation of the C component color loss detection circuit 120 in S204 and S205 are performed. There is no instruction for development / transfer of the C component to the development unit. Therefore, in S219, the condition during the development / transfer of the C component is not satisfied, and the process proceeds to the presence / absence of color loss detection of the C component in S220. Naturally, the color loss detection circuit 120 is not activated in S220. Without detecting, the process proceeds to the M-component color loss detection process in the next stage.

  As with the C component development / transfer waiting (S219), color loss detection processing (S220) and error code setting (S221), the development, transfer waiting, color loss detection processing and Error code setting processing is performed in steps S222 to S224, S225 to S227, and S228 to S230, respectively. However, the bit indicating that there is a color loss of each color component is the M component “2 to the 1st” bit, the Y component to the “2 2” bit, and the K component to the “2 3” bit. When there is color loss, “0x0002”, “0x0004”, and “0x0008” are added to the error code (EC), respectively.

  When the development / transfer of all the color components and the color loss detection processing are completed, whether or not there is color loss in one or more color components is checked by checking the value of the error code (EC) (S231). . When the error code (EC) is other than the initial value of “0x0000”, it indicates that one or more color components have color loss. When EC = “0x0000”, that is, when color loss is detected, a discharge instruction to a stacker (for example, stacker A) discharged during normal printing is issued to the stacker control unit 130 (S232), and normal printing is performed. The process ends (S233). On the other hand, in the color loss detection check (S231), when the error code EC is other than “0x0000”, that is, when color loss is detected, an error code for color loss check completed (in this embodiment, “0x5A00”). ]) Is added to generate a color loss error code. Thereafter, the absence of color loss and an error code are reported to the color printer control device 103 (S235), and a discharge instruction to a stacker (for example, stacker B) discharged during error printing is given to the stacker control unit 130 (S236). ), And the printing is terminated (S237).

  It is assumed that the stacker discharged during normal printing and the stacker discharged during error printing are instructed in advance from the color printer control device 103 and set in the color printer device 111.

  When an error occurs, the color printer control apparatus 103 receives an error code (EC) from the color printer apparatus 111 and displays the error code (EC) and a message corresponding to the error code on a panel (not shown) or the like. Then, the operator is informed and the subsequent printing control is stopped. As described above, the error code (EC) includes an information bit indicating a color component in which color loss is detected.

  Thus, when printing with the color printer apparatus 111, normal printing is not erroneously detected as color loss, and unauthorized printing due to color loss unique to the color printer can be detected appropriately.

  Also, normal printing paper is discharged to the stacker specified for normal printing, and paper that has detected color loss is discharged to the stacker specified for error, and an error is reported. As a result, it is possible to easily remove an illegal printing result that has lost color.

  Further, the color printer control device 103 displays which color component is used as a report of the occurrence of an error as a result of color loss. For this reason, it becomes easy to specify a failure site.

  As described above, for the color component instructed by the color printer control device 103 as “no image data”, the color printer device 111 receives the image data, activates the color loss detection circuit, and develops / transfers the image to the developing unit. No instructions are given. For the color component instructed to “detect color loss”, it receives image data, activates the color loss detection circuit, and instructs development / transfer to the development unit.

  For the color component for which “no color loss detection” is instructed, the image data is received and the development / transfer instruction to the development unit is given, but the color loss detection circuit for the corresponding color component is not activated.

  For the color component instructed to “not detect color loss”, the color loss detection circuit is not activated, so color loss is not detected in S220, S223, S226, and S229.

  As a result, when printing a print test pattern, printing is performed by operating the development process of each color component of the color printer device 111 regardless of the presence or absence of a colored portion. The status can be checked. Further, when the print data received by the host apparatus 101 includes a blank sheet, that is, a page having no colored portion in the image data of all the color components, the page can be printed as a blank sheet.

  If the print data received from the host apparatus 101 includes a blank page, and the page is printed as a blank page, “no color loss detection” is instructed for all color components of CMYK. It is not necessary to perform development / transfer, and from the viewpoint of resource saving, it is preferable to output a blank sheet by instructing only one color, for example, K only, to “not detect color loss” and performing development / transfer. The reason is that even if there is no colored portion, a small amount of toner is consumed when developing / transferring, and deterioration of the photoreceptor or the like proceeds.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention that performs raster loss detection instead of color loss detection will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 focusing on the difference from color loss detection.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of creation of image data for performing raster omission detection. FIG. 5 is an example of an apparatus constituting a color printing system for detecting a missing raster and a schematic configuration diagram thereof.

  The size 402 of the image data for developing the print data received from the host device 101 by the color printer control apparatus 103 is stored in the page memory 108 having a size larger than the width of the paper size 401 to be printed for each color component.

  The filled portion 403 of the image data size 402 is a portion that is actually printed on the paper, and the white portion 404 of the image data size 402 is a portion that protrudes from the paper and is not printed. It is checked whether there is a colored portion in the image data for each color component stored in the page memory 108. For the color component having the colored portion, a portion of the portion 404 of the image data that is not printed out of the image data is colored. Dot 405 is written in all rasters. By adding the colored dots 405, the colored dots are included in all rasters of the image data output to the color printer apparatus 111.

  The color printer control device 103 outputs image data to the color printer device 111 and performs development / transfer operations for color components having a colored portion in which the colored dots 405 are all raster-written in the portion 404 that is not printed out of the paper. For a color component having no colored portion, the image data is not output to the color printer apparatus 111, and the development / transfer operation is not instructed.

  The color printer apparatus 111 has a configuration in which the color loss detection circuits 120 to 123 are replaced with raster loss detection circuits 520 to 523 in the third embodiment, in contrast to the configuration in which color loss is detected in the first and second embodiments. . The raster missing detection circuits 520 to 523 check whether or not there is a colored dot for each raster, and detect an error as “raster missing” if there is no colored dot at all.

  As a result, it is possible to provide a printing result with higher completeness than the color loss detection method. For example, when the color printer control device 103 cannot output image data in the middle of a page due to some abnormality, an error cannot be found by the color loss detection method, but has “raster loss detection” as in this embodiment. In the case of configuration, errors can be found.

  As described above, according to the present invention, (1) a large amount of high-speed color printers detect color loss that occurs when the color printer apparatus detects an abnormality in image data received from the color printer control apparatus. It is possible to provide an easy-to-use color printing system that can prevent an unauthorized printing result due to color loss from being mixed into an output printed matter and can be used with confidence.

  (2) By using a color printing system having a raster loss detection function instead of a color loss detection function, it is possible to provide a more complete print result than color loss detection. For example, when the color printer control device cannot output image data in the middle of a page due to some abnormality, an error cannot be found by detecting a missing color, but an error can be found by detecting a missing raster.

  (3) Since the stacker that discharges normally printed paper and paper that has been illegally printed can be separated and discharged, a color printing system with good operability that can easily remove illegally printed results. Can be provided.

  (4) Since color omission detection and raster omission detection can be made to function for each color component or not, there is no problem in using a print test pattern for maintenance, and print data received from a host device In this case, there is no problem even if a blank page is output, and it is possible to provide a color printing system suitable for the purpose and usage.

  (5) It is possible to provide a color printing system with good maintainability that makes it easy to identify a faulty part by displaying which color component is the result of an illegal printing result.

  101: High-level device 102: Printer driver 103: Color printer control device 104: High-level I / F 105: Color printer control device reception buffer 106: Color printer control device CPU 107: Color printer control device Program memory 108: Color printer controller page memory 109: Color printer controller DMAC 110: Color printer controller printer I / F 111: Color printer device 112: Color printer controller I / F F, 113: DMAC of the color printer apparatus, 114: CPU of the color printer apparatus, 115: Program memory of the color printer apparatus, 116: Image data reception buffer for C, 117: Image data reception buffer for M, 118: Image for Y Data reception buffer 119: K image data reception buffer, 120: C color loss detection circuit, 121: M color loss detection circuit, 122: Y color loss detection circuit, 123: K color loss detection circuit, 124: C development Unit: 125: development unit for M, 126: development unit for Y, 127: development unit for K, 128: hopper control unit, 129: hopper, 130: stacker control unit, 131: stacker, 401: paper size to be printed, 402: Size of image data to be developed, 403: Portion printed on paper, 404: Portion protruding from paper, not printed, 405: Colored dot added by color printer controller, 520: Raster missing detection circuit for C, 521: C raster missing detection circuit, 522: C raster missing detection circuit, 523: C raster missing detection circuit.

JP 2004-50466 A JP 2003-29491 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-196281 JP 2002-120411 A

Claims (4)

Image processing means for developing the print data received from the host device as image data of a plurality of color components, a page memory for storing image data for each of the plurality of color components by the image processing means, and an image stored in the page memory Colored data detecting means for detecting for each color component whether or not a colored part to be printed is included in the data, and image output means for outputting image data for each of the plurality of color components stored in the page memory to the color printer device A color printer control device having image data, image receiving means for receiving image data for each of a plurality of color components from the color printer control device, and for each color to be developed and transferred by a development process of color components corresponding to the received image data Development unit, and development and transfer operations by the development process, and a colored portion to be printed on the image data In color printing system including a color printer having a color loss detecting means for detecting whether or not rare,
The color printer control device outputs the image data to the color printer device and develops / transfers the color printer device for the color component of the image data that does not include the colored portion to be printed by the colored data detection unit. For the color component of the image data including the colored portion to be printed by the colored data detecting means, the output of the image data to the color printer device and the development / transfer operation in the color printer device are performed. Do the control to do,
When the image data is output from the color printer control device, the color printer device performs a development / transfer operation by a development process of a color component corresponding to the received image data, and a color missing portion is detected by the color loss detection unit. There is the case of detecting image data no treats the print as an error,
The color printer control device stores the image data developed by the image processing means in the page memory in a size larger than the width of the paper to be printed, and includes image data including a colored portion to be printed by the colored data detecting means. Is added to all rasters with colored dots on the part of the image data that is not printed on the paper that protrudes from the paper width.
The color printer apparatus includes, in place of the color omission detection means, raster omission detection means for detecting a raster that does not include any colored dots in the image data received from the color printer control apparatus. A color printing system characterized in that when a raster that does not contain any colored dots is detected by the means, the printing is treated as an error . The color printer apparatus has a plurality of paper discharge stackers for printing on cut paper, and discharges a paper in which an error is detected by the stacker that discharges normally printed paper and the color loss detection unit or the raster loss detection unit. A stacker setting unit for setting each stacker;
During normal printing, the paper is discharged to the stacker designated for normal printing, and the paper for which an error has been detected by the color loss detection means or the raster loss detection means is the stacker designated for the paper from which the error has been detected. claim 1 Symbol placement color printing system is discharged, and characterized in that it reports the error generated in the color printer controller to. In the interface command issued from the color printer control device to the color printer device, there are provided commands for specifying “no image data”, “no color loss detection”, and “color loss detection” for each color component,
The color printer apparatus analyzes the command received from the color printer control apparatus, and does not receive image data from the color printer control apparatus for color components designated as “no image data” and performs development and transfer operations. Not
For color components for which “no color loss detection” is designated, image data is received from the color printer control device, and development and transfer operations are performed. However, color loss detection by the color loss detection means and raster loss detection means are performed. Does not detect the missing raster by
For the color component designated as “detect color loss”, the image data is received from the color printer control device, and development and transfer operations are performed, and color loss by the color loss detection unit and raster loss detection unit are performed . claim 1 Symbol placement color printing system, characterized in that to detect the raster omission. If it detects a missing color by the color omission detection means, or the detection of a missing raster by the raster omission detection means, claims and displaying the color components to the display unit of the color printer controller claim 1 Symbol placement color printing system.

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