JPH01115653A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a satisfactory output image having correlativity in hue, lightness, etc., by a method wherein, identification information added to a heat- sensitive material is detected by a detection means, and according to the detection result a control means reads and outputs applied energy information stored in a look-up table. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 18 reads full color image data of R, G, H stored in a RAM 20 and a density pattern stored in a ROM 19 and issues them to an image processing part 21. The image processing part 21 converts the inputted image data respectively to image data of Y, M, C, Bk and issues it to an LUT part 22 and issues the inputted density pattern to the LUT part 22. An LUT selection circuit 23 issues selectively predetermined applied energy information and the density pattern to a thermal head drive part 24. The thermal head drive part 24 supplies an applied energy to a predetermined heating resistor according to the image data issued from the image processing part 21, while regulating the applied energy to be supplied to the heating resistor to a predetermined applied energy according to the applied energy information to record an image with a density gradation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, and particularly to correlation control of output images using different types of heat-sensitive materials.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional thermal transfer recording devices use a thermal head consisting of a predetermined number of heating resistors arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, and selectively generate heat by passing current through the heating resistors according to image information. There is also a method that prints on recording paper by selectively heating a heat-sensitive material that is in sliding contact with a thermal head. In addition,
The heat-sensitive material has a structure in which color ink layers, for example, black (Bk), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), are applied in this order on a film.

The above thermal transfer recording device has red (R), green (G), and blue (B)
(7) Convert each input image signal to each image signal of Bk, Y, M, and C, and cause a predetermined heating resistor to generate heat based on the data stored in the lookup table, and further convert the above The ink in a predetermined ink layer of the heat-sensitive material is melted based on the image signal.

Note that the lookup table stores applied energy information for setting the applied energy to the heating resistor.

The thermal transfer recording device has the above-mentioned Bk, Y, and M.

Image information is recorded by transferring the ink of the color ink layer of the heat-sensitive material, which is melted based on each image signal of C, onto the recording paper.

Note that in the thermal transfer recording device, the color ink layer is Bk,
In addition to the four types of heat-sensitive materials Y, M, and C, for example, three types of Y, M, and C, or Bk, light Y, dark (1Y, light M, fi
Different types of heat-sensitive materials can also be used, such as a heat-sensitive material formed with seven types of color ink layers: light M, light C9, and dark C.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned thermal transfer recording device, a predetermined applied energy is applied to the heating resistor based on one type of applied energy information stored in a look-up table, and three types, four types, and seven types of color ink layers are formed. In addition, for the above-mentioned different types of heat-sensitive materials, the temperature at which the ink of the color ink layer is melted differs depending on the type of heat-sensitive material mentioned above, so the same printing processing energy is required. If the heating resistor is made to generate heat, differences in density will occur in images recorded on recording paper for each type of heat-sensitive material. Therefore, when images are recorded on recording paper using different types of heat-sensitive keys, the tone, brightness, etc. of the recorded images vary depending on the type of heat-sensitive material, making it difficult to obtain a good output image. There was a problem.

The present invention eliminates the problems mentioned above, and even when images are recorded on recording paper using different types of heat-sensitive materials, the hue, brightness, etc. of the output images are correlated, regardless of the type of heat-sensitive material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording device that can obtain good output images.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] The thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention includes identification information for identifying a heat-sensitive material, and a detection means for detecting the identification information immediately before recording image information.
The look-up table stores applied energy information corresponding to the identification information so as to set the applied energy to the heating resistor that generates heat in accordance with the image information, and the look-up table stores the applied energy information in correspondence with the identification information. control means for reading and outputting applied energy information stored in the lookup table, the control means reading out and outputting applied energy information corresponding to the identification information from the lookup table, and controlling the applied energy to the heating resistor. Since the energy is applied to a predetermined value, the heating resistor can be heated to a predetermined heating temperature depending on the type of heat-sensitive material.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, a heat-sensitive material (ink donor film) 1 has a structure in which a color ink layer 3 is coated on a strip-shaped film 2 with a predetermined width l relative to the width of the strip. On the widthwise m side of the strip-shaped film 2, a cue marker 4 is formed, and on the widthwise n side, a type-specific barcode 5 is formed as identification information. Note that the color ink layer 3 is not applied to the m side and n side of the film 2.

” Among the components described in 1, the color ink layer 3 is composed of the heat-sensitive material 1
Black (Bk
)6. Yellow (Y)7. Magenta (M) 8, Cyan (C) 9
Each ink layer is sequentially applied. On the other hand, the cue marker 4 and type barcode 5 are Bk
The ink layer is arranged at a position corresponding to the position where it is applied on the film 2, and furthermore, a plurality of cue markers 4 are arranged at a predetermined pitch P1 on the m side of the film 2, and the type barcode 5 is The film 2 has a predetermined pitch P2.
A plurality of them are arranged on the n side. The type-specific barcode 5 as identification information includes information indicating the manufacturer and information indicating the type of color ink in the color ink layer, for example, Y.
, M, 3 types of C, 4 types of Bk, Y, M, C, Bk,
Light Y, Dark Y, Light M, Dark M, Light C9 Dark C 7
Contains information indicating each type of heat-sensitive material.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the main parts of the thermal transfer recording device 10 that detects the cue marker 4 and the type-specific barcode 5. ), the heat-sensitive material 1 is passed between the thermal head 11 and the drum 12 with a recording paper (not shown) sandwiched between the heat-sensitive material 1 and the heat-sensitive material 1 due to the heat generated by the thermal head 11. melt.

Note that the heat-sensitive material 1 before being melted, that is, before recording, is wound around a roller 13, and the heat-sensitive material 1 that has finished recording is sequentially wound up by a roller 14. Further, the marker detection sensor 15 and the barcode detection sensor 16 as detection means are each composed of an optical sensor, and are arranged to detect the cue marker 4 and the type-specific barcode 5 immediately before recording image information. There is. In other words, thermal head 1
1 and the roller 13 at a predetermined position.

Further, the marker detection sensor 15 detects the cue marker 4
(Fig. 1), and the barcode detection sensor 16 detects the type-specific barcode 5 (Fig. 1). Furthermore, the barcode detection section 17 converts the respective detection signals sent from the marker detection sensor 15 and the barcode detection sensor 16 into digital signals.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the thermal transfer recording apparatus 10. The thermal transfer recording apparatus 10 includes a microprocessor (CPU) 18 that controls the entire recording operation, a control program, a density pattern, various parameters, etc. a read-only memory ('ROM) 19 that stores therein, a random access memory (RAM) 20 that temporarily stores image data to be recorded, full-color image data of red (R), green (G), blue (B), etc.; The image processing unit 21 converts R, G, and B image data into Y, M, C, and Bk image data, and the applied energy information is divided by type in order to set the applied energy to the heating resistor of the thermal head. Based on the detection signal sent from the look-up table (hereinafter referred to as LUT) section 22 and the barcode detection section 17, only the type bone of the barcode 4 is stored in the LUT section corresponding to the type-specific barcode 4. LUT selection circuit 23 for selecting applied energy information stored in LUT 22;
The thermal head driving section 24 drives the thermal head based on the applied energy information sent from the thermal head driving section 24. The LUT section 22 is composed of LUTs 22a, 22b, 22c, etc. corresponding to each type of barcode 4, and these are LUTs.
22a.

The applied energy information is set such that the applied energy to the heat generating resistor increases in the order of LUT 22b and LUT 22c, that is, the temperature value of the heat generation temperature of the heat generating resistor increases.

Next, the operation of the thermal transfer recording apparatus 1o will be explained.

Marker detection sensor 15 and barcode detection sensor 1
6 sends a detection signal that detects the cue marker 4 and the type-specific barcode 5 to the barcode detection section 17 .

The barcode detection section 17 converts the input detection signal into a digital signal, sends the digital signal to the LUT selection circuit 23, and also detects that the detection signal has been input.
Send to PU18. The LUT selection circuit 23 selects the LUT based on the signal sent from the barcode detection section 17.
Select a predetermined table in the UT section 22, for example, LUT22
Select a.

On the other hand, full color image data of R, G, B and R stored in CPU 18 Lt, RAM 20
The density pattern stored in the OM 19 is read out and sent to the image processing section 21. The image processing unit 21 receives the input R
, G, B image data as Y, M.

The image data is converted into C and Bk image data and sent to the LUT section 22, and the input density pattern is sent to the LUT section 22. Then, the LUT selection circuit 23 sends the selected predetermined table, in this case the applied energy information stored in the UT 22a and the density pattern sent to the LUT section 22, to the thermal head drive section 24. The thermal head driving section 24 supplies applied energy to a predetermined heating resistor based on the image data sent from the image processing section 21, and also supplies applied energy to a predetermined heating resistor based on applied energy information. to the applied energy. Further, the thermal head driving section 24 causes a thermal head (not shown) to reproduce density gradation based on the density pattern. For example, the thermal head transfers two layers of predetermined ink in the color ink layer onto the recording paper. In the thermal head, a predetermined heating resistor generates heat in response to a signal sent from the thermal head drive section 24, melts a predetermined ink in the color ink layer on the heat-sensitive material 1, and prints an image with density gradation on the recording paper. Let it be recorded.

As explained in Section 1, according to this embodiment, the energy applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is changed depending on the type of different heat-sensitive materials (ink donor films), so There will be no difference in concentration.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the identification information added to the heat-sensitive material is detected by the detection means, and based on the detection result, the control means reads and outputs the applied energy information stored in the look-up table. This eliminates the difference in density due to the heat-sensitive material, and it is possible to provide a thermal transfer recording device that can obtain a good output image that is correlated with the hue, brightness, etc. of the output image.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the main parts showing one embodiment of the heat-sensitive material in the thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the thermal transfer recording device of the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a thermal transfer recording device of FIG. ]...Thermal material (ink donor film), 4...Cue marker, 5...Barcode by type, 11...
Thermal head, 15... Marker detection sensor, 16... Barcode detection sensor, 17... Barcode detection section, 22... Lookup table section, 22a, 22b, 22c---look up table, 23... lookup table selection circuit, 24... thermal head drive section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a thermal transfer recording device that records image information by sliding a heat-sensitive material into contact with a thermal head provided with a heat-generating resistor that generates heat in accordance with image information, there is provided an identification for identifying the heat-sensitive material. information; a detection means for detecting the identification information immediately before recording the image information; and a lookup table storing applied energy information corresponding to the identification information to set the energy applied to the heating resistor. A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising: a control means for reading and outputting applied energy information stored in the look-up table based on the identification information detected by the detection means.