JPH01251984A - Monitor display device for color video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove weariness in waiting time to a certain degree even when the waiting time is long to some extent by displaying information related to colors under printing according to printing status. CONSTITUTION:A printing start signal and the counted output of a color counter 21 to detect the printing step of color components are given to a switch control circuit 22, and this circuit 22 controls the ON and OFF of switching circuits 15R, 15G and 15B in response to these input signals. Further, the switching circuits 15R, 15G and 15B are controlled according to the displayed status of the printing step of the color components. Consequently, the printing step of the color components in a color video printer is displayed by the change of the colors on a monitor picture. Thus, the weariness in the waiting time can be solved to a certain degree.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a color video printer that prints a color image represented by a color video signal on paper in color. The present invention relates to a monitor display device that displays.

A conventional color video φ printer prints a color image by overlapping a plurality of types of color components for each color component a plurality of times. The monitor display device in such a color video printer simply displays the image to be printed as a still image or simply wipes the image.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Color video printers print one color image multiple times for each color component.
This requires a considerable amount of time, and the operator or user must wait until the printing is finished, and in some cases, this waiting time may seem very long. If you know the progress of printing, even if the waiting time is a little long, it doesn't feel like a big pain. Conventional monitor devices simply display a still image or wipe the image as described above, and do not display the actual printing stage of color components in a printer.

Means for Solving the Problems The monitor display device according to the first invention includes means for detecting the printing stage of nine color components, and means for each color signal for turning on and off color signals for a plurality of types of display to be applied to the monitor. The image forming apparatus is provided with a switching circuit and a switch control means for controlling the switching circuit so as to sequentially change the color of the monitor screen in accordance with the detected printing stage.

In the second invention, the switching circuit is controlled by the switch control means so that the color on the monitor screen corresponds to the color component being printed.

In the third invention, the switching circuit is controlled by the switch control means so that as the color components in the print progress, the color components on the monitor screen are also successively superimposed.

In the fourth invention, the switching circuit is controlled by the switch control means so that the color components on the monitor screen are sequentially removed as the overlapping of color components in the print progresses.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the printing stage of actual color components in a color video printer is displayed in color on the monitor screen.

According to the second invention, the printing stage of one color component is expressed by a color corresponding to the color component being printed.

According to the third invention, the printing stage of one color component is expressed as a superposition of screen colors on a monitor screen in accordance with the progress of superposition of color components at each stage.

According to the fourth invention, the printing stage of one color component is expressed as if the color on the monitor screen was moving toward the printer as the color components are superimposed at each stage.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a video signal processing circuit and a circuit for controlling display on a monitor in a color video printer.

A standard color video human input signal, such as in NTSC format, is applied to an RGB decoder.

It is converted into color signals of the three primary colors R, G, and B. These color signals R, G, and B are sent to A/D conversion circuits 11R and IIG, respectively.
, converted into a digital signal by IIB.

On the one hand, this digital signal is applied to one input terminal a of the memory/through changeover switches 14R, 14G, and 14B. On the other hand, when a write start command is given by a write start switch (path shown) provided in the printer, digital color signals for one frame are stored in the frame memories 12R and 12G.

12B respectively. Frame memory 12R
, 12G, and 12B are transferred and stored in buffer memories 13R, 13G, and 13B, respectively, for printing.

The frame memories 12R, 120, and 12B are for displaying the captured image on the monitor screen when the write start switch is input. is read out to selector switch 1.
It is applied to the other input terminals of 4R, 14G, and 14B, respectively. Buffer 9 memory 13R, 13G, 13
As will be described later, the image data of B is read out in accordance with the printing speed according to the printing method of the printer, and is provided to the printing data processing circuit and the printing mechanism (path shown). If you use a memory that can read out image data in synchronization with monitor display scanning and in accordance with the printing method,
Frame memories and buffer memories can be replaced by such memories.

The changeover switches 14R, 14G, and 14B are used to switch between a main mode (through image mode) in which the image from the input video signal is displayed on the monitor as it is, and a frame memory 12R, 12G,
The mode (memory image mode) in which the image to be printed written on the 12B is displayed on the monitor is switched, and is constructed using a known semiconductor switching circuit. When this switch is connected to the a side, the image data of the through image is selected, and when it is switched to the b side, the image data of the memory image is selected. The output image data of the switches 14R, 14G, and 14B pass through switching circuits 15R, 15G, and 15B, which will be described in detail later, for displaying the printing status, respectively.

After being converted into analog signals by D/A conversion circuits 16R, 16G, and 18B, they are applied to an RGB encoder 17, where they are converted to standard video signals such as NTSC format, and sent to a monitor. Switching circuit 15
R, 15G, and 15B are controlled by a display control circuit 18, which will be described later. This switching circuit 15R, 15G
, 15B can also be realized using known semiconductor switching elements.

Generally, the color signals in a CRT display are the three primary colors R, G, and B, but the three primary colors in a printer are yellow (Y).
, magenta (M), and cyan (C).

Color signals for Y, M, and C printing are obtained by combining color signals R2G and B. That is, Y is R and G
1M can be obtained by adding R and B, and C can be obtained by adding G and B. The printer prints each of the three primary colors of Y, M, and C three times to complete a full-color image.

The printing stages of each color component in a full-color printer that prints each of the three primary colors Y, M, and C three times are indicated by the colors displayed on the monitor. This allows the operator or user of the printer to know the progress of printing, particularly which color component is being printed.

This color expression has the following aspects.

(1) The colors being printed are represented by the colors on the monitor screen.

(2) To represent the process of creating a color image by printing each color three times, the colors on the monitor screen are added for each color print.

(3) Reduce the colors on the screen. This gives the impression that the colors on the monitor display screen are moving to the paper on which the image is printed as color printing progresses.

In the above embodiments (2) and (3), the printing color is Y.

M and C are displayed in one-to-one correspondence with nine display colors R, G, and B. For example, in the mode (2) above, the screen is represented by R while Y is being printed.

The next time M is printed, the screen is represented by R and G, and when the final C is printed, the screen becomes full color.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the display control circuit 18 for performing the above-mentioned monitor display.

The color counter 21 detects the printing stage of a color component, and is reset by a printing start signal. The color counter 21 is supplied with an end clock E generated when printing for one color is completed.

Assuming that Y, M, and C are printed in the order, the count value of the color counter 21 is 0. While printing M, the count value is 1. During printing of C, the count value becomes 2.

The switch control circuit 22 is supplied with a printing start signal and the count output of the color counter 21 . This circuit 22 responds to these input signals by switching switching circuits 15R and 15.
Controls the on/off of G and 15B.

Control of switching circuits 15R, 15G, and 15B.

The process is carried out as follows depending on the display mode of the above-mentioned color component printing stage.

In the mode (1) above, that is, the mode in which the colors on the monitor screen correspond to the colors being printed, the following control is performed.

During Y color printing from the time when the print start signal is input to the time when the first end clock E is input (the count value of the color counter 21 is 0), the switching circuits 15R, 15
G is turned on and the switching circuit 15B is turned off. As a result, the image on the monitor screen is displayed in Y color.

During printing of M colors from the input of the first end clock E to the manual input of the second end clock E (the count value of the color counter 21 is 1), the switching circuits 15R, 1
5B is turned on and the switching circuit 15G is turned off. As a result, the color of the monitor screen becomes M color. the second end,
During printing of 0 colors from the manual power of the end clock E to the manual power of the third end clock E (the count value of the color counter 21 is 2), the switching circuits 15G and 15B are turned on and the switching circuit 15R is turned off. Display a 0-color monitor screen.

While printing Y, M, and C, change the colors on the monitor screen to R and G, respectively.
, B may also be used.

In the mode (2) above, that is, the mode in which the colors on the monitor screen are added for each print of each color, the following control is performed.

During Y color printing, only the switching circuit 15R is turned on, and the monitor screen becomes R color. Next, during printing of M color, switching circuits 15R and 15G are turned on, and R
A monitor screen with colors and G colors is displayed, and during printing of the final 0 color, all switching circuits 15R, 15G, 1
5B is turned on, resulting in a full color monitor screen.

In the mode (3) above, that is, the mode in which the colors on the monitor screen are reduced for each print of each color.

The control opposite to the mode (2) above is performed. That is,
During Y color printing, switching circuit 15R115G, 1
5B are turned on, the monitor screen is displayed in full Φ color, the switching circuit 15R is turned off during printing of 1M colors, and the switching circuits 15R and 15G are turned off during printing of 0 colors.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the first invention, color video
Since the printing stages of color components in the printer are represented by color changes on the monitor screen, the actual printing stages in the color video printer are clearly expressed, and the operator or user can know the printing stages in detail. This eliminates the boredom of waiting time to some extent.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the color on the monitor screen corresponds to the color being printed, the printing stage can be clearly identified as the color being printed.

According to the third invention, since the colors on the monitor screen are expressed as a superposition of color components as printing progresses, the operator or user can clearly understand the coloring process.

According to the fourth invention, the user gets the impression that the colors on the monitor screen are shifting towards the printer, so the progress of printing can be clearly understood intuitively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a video signal processing circuit and a circuit for controlling display on a monitor in a color video printer. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the display control circuit in FIG. 1. 15R, 15G, 15B...Switching circuit. 21...Color counter. 22...Switch control circuit. Patent applicant: NEC Home Electronics Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a color video printer that prints multiple types of color components included in a color image by overlapping each color component multiple times, means for detecting the printing stage of color components, Turn on color signal for display,
A switching circuit is provided for each color signal to be turned off.
and a switch control means for controlling the switching circuit so as to sequentially change the color of the monitor screen according to the detected printing stage. (2) The switch control means controls the switching circuit so that the color of the monitor screen corresponds to the color component of the printed image. A monitor display device for a color video printer described in Section 1. (3) The switch control means controls the switching circuit so that the color components on the monitor screen are also sequentially superimposed as the color components in the print proceed to be superimposed. Range number (1)
A monitor display device for a color video printer described in Section 1. (4) The switch control means controls the switching circuit so that the color components on the monitor screen are sequentially removed as the superposition of color components in the print progresses. Range No. 1
) A monitor display device for the color video printer described in item 2.