JPH02112968A - Page image generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the processing efficiency of image data by selectively executing a writing operation in image memory means according to image data to be written. CONSTITUTION:An image write controller 12 receives character code data 1, etc., transmitted from a host computer, fetches a character pattern 4 from a character pattern memory 3 according to writing format control data stored in advance, and writes in page image buffers 13A-13D. The buffers 13A-13D are so set in parallel as to arbitrarily select one and to write or read it. The controller 12, after the writing operation is finished, transmits read control data 14 to an image read controller 15, reads image data from the buffers 13A-13D, and outputs as black or second color such as read video signals 10, 11 to a printer 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a page image generator that supplies image data page by page to an optical scanning printer, etc. Image record 1
．． The present invention relates to a device that allows selection of write and read operations for the read means.

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an optical scanning two-color printer such as a two-color laser printer is configured to print based on two-color image data supplied from a page image generating device.

A conventional page image generating device is shown in FIG.

Data 1 such as character code data given from the host computer is received by the image writing control section 2 . The image write control unit 2 takes out a character pattern 4 from the character pattern memory 3 according to the given character code data l and format control data stored in advance, and retrieves the character pattern 4 from the page image buffer 5-1.5-2.6-. 1. Write in 6-2. After writing one page of image data, the image read control unit 8 reads the image data from the page image buffers 5-1, 5-2.6-1.6-2 and synchronizes them with the timing signal 9 from the printer 8. video signal 1 of black or a second color, for example red.
It is output to the printer 8 as 0.11.

Page image buffer 5-1.5-2.6-1.6-
2 are memories each having a storage capacity for one page. Page image buffers 5-1 and 6-1 are set to store image data corresponding to black, and page image buffers 5-2 and 6-2 are set to store image data corresponding to a second color (for example, red). is set to accumulate. Further, page image buffers 5-1, 5-2 and 6-116-2 are each set as a pair.

Image data is written and read alternately into pairs of page image buffers to speed up processing. That is, while image data is being read from one pair, image data is being written to the other pair. Further, when reading image data, erasing is also performed at the same time in preparation for writing the next image data.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" However, the conventional configuration described above has the following problems.

1. Since the page image buffers for black and the second color are fixed, when printing only one color, the page image buffers for other colors cannot be used. That is 4
Although it has two page image buffers, it is inefficient because only two page image buffers can be used.

2. Because the image data is automatically erased when reading, even if the image data of the second color is fixed information and does not need to be changed for each page,
Image data must be written each time, which requires extra processing time.

In view of these problems, it is an object of the present invention to effectively utilize page image buffers and improve image data processing efficiency.

"Means for Solving the Problems" A page image generation device according to the present invention includes the following means.

(1) A plurality of image storage means each storing image data in page units.

(2) A writing means for selectively executing a writing operation on the image storage means according to the image data to be written.

(3) Read operation instruction means for outputting a read operation instruction corresponding to the write operation selected and executed by the write means. Here"
The read operation instruction is an instruction on how to read out each image storage means, such as whether or not to read image data, whether to erase image data at the time of reading, and specifying a color.

(4) A readout means for selectively executing a readout operation on the image storage means based on a readout operation instruction.

"Operation" According to the present invention, image data is written in the image storage means by the writing means (at this time, the writing means can select and execute a writing operation suitable for the image data.Reading operation The instruction means transmits a read operation instruction corresponding to the write operation selected and executed by the write means to the read means at the latest when writing is completed.

When writing is completed, the read operation instructing means executes a read operation corresponding to the write operation according to the read operation instruction. Therefore, it is possible to perform write and read operations depending on the image data to be handled.

"Example" Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a page image generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image writing control unit 12 receives data such as character code data 1 transmitted from a host computer (not shown), retrieves a character pattern 5 from the character pattern memory 4 according to format control data stored in advance, and extracts the character pattern 5 from the character pattern memory 4. This is to write to page image buffers 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D. page image buffer 13A,
13B.

13C and 13D can each store one page of image data, and are set in parallel so that one can be arbitrarily selected for writing or reading. The image write control section 12 also transmits read control data 14 to the image read control section 15 after the write operation is completed.

The image read control unit 15 reads the page image buffers y13A, 13B, 13 according to the read control data 14.
Read the image data from C, 13D and send it to printer 8.
black or second in synchronization with the timing signal 9 from
It is output to the printer 8 as a video signal 10.11 of a red color, for example.

Table 1 shows an example of the read control data 14. In the table below, page image buffer y13A.

13B, i3c, and 13D are represented by A, B, C, and D.

(Margins below) Table 1 As shown in the table, the read control data 14 includes, for each page image buffer, read instructions (instructions on whether or not to read), color instructions (instructions to select black or second color), and read instructions (instructions to select black or second color). This is data for post-clear instruction (instruction as to whether to clear when reading).

Prior to writing the image, the image write control unit 12 writes the page image buffer 1 into which the page is written.
3A, 13B, 13C, +3D are selected and image data is written to the selected page image buffer. When one page of image data has been written,
The image write control section 12 transmits read control data 14 corresponding to the write to the image read control section 15.

Image reading side (8 part 15 is this reading side i wholesale data 1
The read operation is performed based on 4.

FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the image reading control section 15 shown in FIG.

The register 16 holds read control data 14. Gate circuits 17A and 17B.

17c and 17D open and close based on the read instruction and post-read clear instruction of the read control data 14, and output the read address, read control signal, and write pulse 18 to the page image buffers 13Δ, 13B, 113c, and 13D. That is, if there is a read instruction, a read address and a read control signal are output, and if there is a post-read clear instruction in addition to the read instruction, a read address, a read control signal, and a write pulse are output. The write pulse includes page image buffers 13A, 138113c,
This is a pulse written to clear 13D.

The address timing control section 19 generates a read address, a read control signal, and a write pulse 18 based on a timing signal 9 from the printer 8 .

The gate circuits 2OA, 20B, 20C, and 20D perform a switching operation based on the color instruction of the read control data 14, and transfer the image data read from the page image buffers 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D to any of the OR circuits 21 and 22. It outputs data selectively.

OR circuits 21.22 are gate circuits 20A120B, 2
The image data output from 0C and 20D is output to the blink as a video signal 10.11.

Next, various application examples of the device according to this embodiment will be explained.

First, a case where normal two-color printing is performed will be explained.

In this case, the image write control unit 12 writes black image data and second color image data for the first page to the page image buffer 13A113B. When the writing is completed, the image reading control unit 1
At the same time, image data for the second page is written to the page image buffer 13C113D in the same way. onwards,
Page image Vanofa 13Δ, 13B and 13C113
D and D are used alternately to write image data for each page.

Read control data 14 for the first page and the second page
are shown in Table 2. This process is repeated for the subsequent read control data 14. In response to the first page read control data 14, the image read control i11 unit 15 reads image data from the page image buffers 13A and 13B and outputs it as a video signal 1O111. At this time, in preparation for writing the image data of the next page, that is, the third page, the page image buffers 13Δ, 1
Clear 3B. The read operation is similarly performed for the second and subsequent pages.

(Margin below) Table 2 Next, a case where black is variable data and the second color is fixed data will be described. Here, variable data refers to image data whose contents change from page to page, and fixed data refers to image data that is the same regardless of the page. In this case, the image write control unit 12 writes the second color image data to the page image buffer 13Δ, and writes the black image data of the first page to the page image buffer 13B. When this writing is completed, the read control data 14 is output to the image write control section 15. Then, the black image data of the second page is converted into a page image.

The data is written to the file 13C and the read control data 14 is output. Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and variable data is written using the page image buffers 13B, 13C, and 13D in sequence.

Table 3 shows the read control data 14 for the first page, second page, and third page. Subsequent read control data 1
4 is a repetition of this. Upon receiving the first page read control data 14, the image read control unit 15 reads the image data from the page image buffers 13A and 13B and outputs it as a video signal 10.11. At this time, in preparation for writing the next image data, the page image buffer 13B is cleared during reading. The read operation is similarly performed for the second and subsequent pages.

In this example, the fixed data is not cleared for each page, but the first written data is used repeatedly. Therefore, there is an advantage that the image writing time is short and the writing efficiency is improved. Furthermore, since the three page image buffers 13B, 13c, and 13[) are sequentially used to write variable data, it is possible to secure page image buffers for one page of three pages. Therefore, even if some data out of a series of image data requires processing time, there is an advantage that there is a high possibility that printing can be continued smoothly.

(Margins below) Table 3 Next, we will explain the case where black fixed data and the same (black variable data) are handled. In this example, the fixed data is different for odd-numbered pages and even-numbered pages. case,
The image write control unit 12 writes fixed data of odd pages to the page image buffer 13A, and writes fixed data of even pages to the page image buffer 13C.

Then, the fluctuation data of the first page is written to the page image buffer 13B, and the reading side (wholesale data 14 is outputted. When this is completed, the fluctuation data of the second vane is written to the page image buffer 13D, and the read control data 14 is output. By repeating the same operation, the page image buffers 13B and 13D are used alternately to write the variable data.

Read control data 14 for the first page and the second page
are shown in Table 4. This process is repeated for the subsequent read control data 14. Upon receiving the first page read control data 14, the image read control unit 15 reads image data from the page image buffers 13AX to 13B. At this time, in preparation for writing the next image data, the page image buffer 13B is cleared during reading.

The OR circuit 21 performs an OR operation on the read image data and outputs the result as a video signal 10. Similarly for the second and subsequent pages, the page image buffers 13C and 13
A video signal lO is output based on the image data read out from D.

In this example as well, since the fixed data is not cleared page by page and the first written data is used repeatedly, there is an advantage that the writing efficiency is improved.

Table 4 "Effects of the Invention" As explained above, according to the present invention, the writing means selectively executes a write operation according to image data, and according to a read operation instruction corresponding to the selectively executed write operation, The reading means can select and execute a predetermined reading operation.

That is, since it is possible to select and execute a write operation and a read operation suitable for the image data to be handled, there is an advantage that the image storage means can be effectively utilized and the processing efficiency of image data can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a page image generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the image reading control section of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image generation device. 12... Image writing control section, 13A, 13B
, 13C113D...Page image buffer, 14...Write control data, 15...
Image read control unit. Applicant Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Umeo Yamauchi Figure 1, Ko 2

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A plurality of image storage means each storing page-by-page image data; a writing means for selectively executing a writing operation on the image storage means according to the image data to be written; and by the writing means. It is characterized by comprising: a read operation instruction means for outputting a read operation instruction corresponding to a write operation to be selectively executed; and a read operation means for selectively executing a read operation for the image storage means based on the read operation instruction. Page image generator.