JPH01139267A - Color recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable continuous recording without stopping a recording operation, if one of recording systems developed an error by causing another normal recording means to record information which otherwise should by a recording means where an error is detected and also record the recording information to the recording apparatus where an error is found, with added prearranged pattern information. CONSTITUTION:If a printing system where an error develops is only one of the printing systems, a specific pattern information generating memory 15 is accessed with respect to a character code in a page memory of printing system where an error develops. Then specific patterns such as halftone patterns are overlapped and developed into a frame memory. In this way, printing is not performed by the printing system where an error develops, but is performed by the printing system which operates normally. Printing data printed in this manner is printed by only the normal printing system. As a result, the print is monochromatic and printing data of the printing system which develops an error in the printing data is modified with a specific pattern such as a halftone pattern. Thus the generation of an error can be confirmed by the printing results.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a color recording device that can print on recording paper in multiple colors.
It is related to.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in single-color printers or printers that can print in multiple colors, if an error occurs and printing becomes impossible, the printing process is stopped and printing from an external device is started. Data entry was prohibited.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] For this reason, conventionally, when an error occurs, the printer operation completely stops.For example, in a printer that has multiple color printing systems, if an error occurs in one printing system, occurs, and even if the other printing system is operable, there is a problem in that the entire lid making system becomes inoperable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and in a printer having separate recording systems for multiple colors, if an error occurs only in the negative printing system and the other recording systems are operational, the input has already been input. An object of the present invention is to provide a color recording device which uses a recording system capable of recording data without erasing recorded data that cannot be recorded. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the color recording apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, in a recording device that performs color recording by inputting recording information from an external device, there are at least two recording devices that record in different colors based on the recording information.
a detection means for detecting an error state for each recording means; and means for causing another normal recording means to record information recorded in the recording means in which the error state has been detected;
and adding means for adding predetermined pattern information to recorded information of the recording means in which the error state has been detected when recording by the normal recording means.

[Function] In the above configuration, when the detection means detects an error state in each of at least two recording means that perform recording in different colors based on recorded information, the recorded information on the recording means in which the error state has been detected is It operates to cause other normal recording means to record, and to record information by adding predetermined pattern information to the information recorded by the normal recording means in the recording device in which the error has occurred.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Description of Color Printer (FIG. 1)] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a color printer according to an embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an input/output interface unit that inputs and outputs data from external equipment such as a host computer.The input/output interface unit 1 transfers image data including input character data to pages corresponding to its color. It is sent to buffers 2 and 2' and stored therein. Page buffer 2
．． 2' are memories each storing at least one page of image data; page buffer 2 stores image data of the first color; page buffer 2' stores image data of the second color; It is.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a font memory that performs pattern development of the image data consisting of the coat information stored in the page buffer 2.2', and the first color code information of the page memory 2 is pattern developed and stored in the frame memory 4. The code information of the second color 2' is developed into a pattern and stored in the frame memory 5 in the form of dot data. 6 is an interface unit that generates a video signal for the first color, and 7 is an interface unit that generates a video signal for the second color.

8 is an error detector for detecting errors in the frame memory 4 for the first color and the interface unit 6; 9 is similarly,
Frame memory 5 and interface section 7 for second color
This is an error detector that detects errors. 10 is a printing unit that prints in a first color, and 11 is a printing unit that prints in a second color. 12 is a printing unit 10 that prints in the first color;
An error detector 13 detects errors in the printing section 11 that prints in the second color.

14 is a control unit that controls the entire printer of the embodiment, and includes a CPU such as a microprocessor, a ROM that stores the CPU control program and various data shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, and a work area of the CPU. It is used as a computer and is equipped with a RAM etc. for temporarily storing various data. 15 is error detector 8.9 and 12.13
This is a specific pattern generation memory that stores a pattern that modifies the printing system data where the error occurred when an error signal is input.

With the above configuration, when print data is input in the form of code information from an external device through the human output interface section 1, after analyzing commands such as print color, the page buffer 2 or 2'. When print data for one page is stored in the page buffer 2 or 2', the print data is developed into pattern data by referring to the font memory 3, and is stored in the frame memory 4 or 2' according to the specified color. 5
is stored in

The pattern data developed in each frame memory in this way is converted into a video signal through parallel/serial conversion by the interface section 6 or 7 for each printing color, and is sent to the corresponding printing section for printing.

[Description of error processing (Figs. 1 to 2)] Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the error processing of the embodiment, and this program inputs an error signal from either error detector 8.9 or 12.13. This is, for example, an interrupt routine that is started by

When an error signal is input, the process proceeds to step S1, and it is checked whether paper is being conveyed in the printing unit of the printing system where the error occurred. For example, when an error signal from the error detector 8 or 12 is input, it is checked whether or not the recording paper is being conveyed (printing) in the printing section 10. If the recording paper is being conveyed in the corresponding printing section, the process advances to step S2, and the recording paper is ejected from the printing section.

In step S3, the printing system in which the error occurred is determined, and
Stop the printing system. In step S4, if only one of the printing systems has caused the error, the print data in the page memory of the printing system in which the error has occurred is developed into the frame memory of the normal printing system.

At this time, in step S5, the specific pattern generation memory 15 is accessed for the character code of the page memory of the printing system in which the error has occurred, and a specific pattern such as a shaded pattern is superimposed and developed in the frame memory.

In this way, printing is not performed using the printing system where the error occurred, and
Printing continues using a normally operating printing system.

The print data printed in this way is printed only with a normal printing system, resulting in a single-color print result, and the printing data of the printing system that caused the error in the print data is corrected by a specific pattern such as shading. Since the printed image has been printed with nij, it is possible to confirm that an error has occurred from the printed result.

[Second Embodiment (FIG. 3)] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer according to a second embodiment.

In the figure, the same parts as those in the block diagram of FIG. 1 are indicated by the same symbols, and their explanation will be omitted.

The specific pattern memory 15 shown in FIG. 1 contains dot pattern data such as hatching patterns, while the specific pattern memory 20 shown in FIG. 3 stores instructions such as ropes in a specific command format. Therefore, when an error occurs, the character in the printing page buffer where the error occurred is modified as a command.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, in a printer having at least two printing systems, when an error is detected, the printing system that has not caused the error is used to print, and the data of the printing system that has caused the error is modified. (1) Even if one printing system fails, printing can be continued using the other printing system.

(2) By correcting the printed characters of the printing system that caused the error using a specific pattern, it is possible to confirm the faulty printing system.

(3) By enabling the control unit to control the contents of the specific pattern generation memory, various modifications become possible. For example, by using a command-based modification method, if hatching is used in a printing system that does not cause errors, it is possible to modify it with other specific patterns such as underlining or double height, instead of shading.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, even if an error occurs in one of the recording systems, continuous recording is possible without stopping the recording operation.

In addition, in the recorded content recorded with a normal recording system, there is a specific pattern to distinguish it from data of a normal recording system.
Since it is added to the recorded data of the recording system in which the error occurred, there is an effect that the recorded data in the recording system in which the error occurred can be easily determined.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a color printer according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing error processing according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a color printer according to a second embodiment. In the figure, 1... input/output interface section, 2゜2'.
...Page buffer, 3...Font memory, 4.5
... Frame memory, 6.7... Interface section, 8, 9, 12.13... Error detector, 14...
- Control unit, 15.20...Specific pattern memory. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A recording device that performs color recording by inputting recording information from an external device, comprising: at least two recording devices that record in different colors based on the recording information;
a detection means for detecting an error state for each recording means; and means for causing another normal recording means to record information recorded in the recording means in which the error state has been detected;
A color recording apparatus comprising: an addition means for adding predetermined pattern information to recorded information of the recording means in which the error state has been detected when recording by the normal recording means.