JPH02127873A - Multi-color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply print out a colorful picture close to an image of an original by applying printout in a desired background color based on the information of a pattern storage means storing an intermediate tone print pattern to the entire face on recording paper from which a part corresponding to a white level position on an original is excluded by an address storage means. CONSTITUTION:A pattern storage means D storing a print pattern printed out in an intermediate tone and an address storage means E or the like storing the location on an original discriminated to be at a white level from the signal of the read means A are provided to the printer. Then a red level is extracted from an output of an image sensor 5 when a green LED 1 is lighted and an output of the image sensor 5 when a red LED 2 is lighted, a pattern in red and black dots to be printed is decided to apply mixed color print of red and black colors and the background color is printed out on the entire picture in response to the background color and the density designated from a keyboard 55. Thus, a colorful picture close to the image of an original is obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to a multicolor printing device.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in-house printing systems, word processors, and the like are often equipped with a manual image scanner (hereinafter referred to as a device).

However, handling images in full color using two types of devices is difficult to put into practical use because printers and scanners are expensive, image processing is complicated, and the amount of data is enormous.

In the field of word processors, products that come with thermal transfer printers equipped with multicolor printers have also appeared, making it possible to print in multiple colors by specifying the range and color.

However, these are monochrome prints rather than color-separated color documents. On the other hand, there is a printing device that separates only one color, red, for example, and prints in two colors, red and black.

This device alternately illuminates the document with two light sources, a green light source and a red light source. In this case, color separation is performed by taking advantage of the fact that when the red part of the document is illuminated with a red light source, there is almost no signal. Then, it prints in black according to the signal when illuminated with a green light source, and then adds red to the reddish areas. In this way, only the reddish areas on the document are printed with red. is added.

In the above manner, only one color, red, is separated and printed in two colors, red and Megumi, as in the example shown in the example (details will be further explained later in Examples).

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional example, it is possible to
For example, in a photo of a beach, it is mostly blue, and in a photo of a forest, it is mostly green, but in conventional examples, only red is used as shown in the photo. Since the image is extracted, there is a problem in that the landscape photograph in this case ends up being an image that is not much different from a black and white photograph as a whole.

On the other hand, in order to solve this problem, there is a method of separating multiple colors such as blue and green, but this method has the problems of increasing cost and making image processing very complicated.

For this reason, as a conventional example, when a document containing a landscape with a lot of blue color is read, there is a method in which, at the time of printing, a light blue color is printed on the entire surface of the recording paper as specified by the operator.

By adding the base color in this way, the image comes closer to the color of the original, but there is a problem in that the white part is crushed because the base color is applied to the entire surface, making the image darker overall.

This invention was made to solve the problems of the conventional methods as described above, and it prints the base color on the entire surface of the recording paper according to the specified color and density, and also determines the white part of the document. To provide a multicolor printing device capable of easily printing an image close to the original image in a variety of colors by not printing the base color in that part.

[Means to solve the problem]

Therefore, in the present invention, there are provided a reading means (A) for optically reading a document, a color separation means (B) for separating colors based on a signal from the reading means (A), and a color separation means (B) for separating colors based on a signal from the reading means (A). B
) printing means (C) that prints in multiple colors according to signals from
), the multi-color printing device has a pattern storage means (D) storing a print pattern to be printed in halftones, and white and f-
11. Address storage means (E) for storing the cut position on the original document, and the entire surface of the storage paper excluding the part corresponding to the white position on the original document according to the information of the address storage means (E). The above object is achieved by providing a print control means (F) for controlling printing in a desired base color based on the information in the pattern storage means (D).

[Effect]

In the multicolor printing device of the present invention, the pattern storage means (D) stores a print pattern to be printed in halftones, and the address storage means (E) separates white and ↑ from the signal of the reading means (A). The pattern storage means (D) memorizes the position on the document and prints the pattern on the entire surface of the recording paper excluding the part corresponding to the white position on the document according to the information of the address storage means (E) by the print control means (F). control to print in the desired base color based on this information.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a handy scanner that manually inputs printing signals to a multicolor printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a characteristic curve diagram showing the wavelength characteristics of green and red LEDs, and Fig. 3 The figure is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing circuit, and FIG.
The figure is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the comparison calculation circuit, and Figure 6 is a 4X4
A correspondence diagram of print density data with respect to a print dot matrix, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a dot is placed at 0.1 in FIG. 6, and FIG. ~D6 is 1 and a black dot is injected, FIG. 9 is DI5. DI4
+ Figure with DI3 set to 1 and a red dot inserted, Figure 10 is a mixed color representation of black and red dots, Figure 11 is a beam, 5. D...
Schematic diagram of continuous data printing with 1, 'fJlZ
The figure is a schematic diagram showing the density distribution of a part of the original, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the address memory corresponding to FIG. 12, and FIG.
The figure shows the area where the base color is printed, and in Figure 1, 1 is the first illumination light source with a peak wavelength of 560n.
2 is a green LED with a peak wavelength of 660 nm (Figure 2), which is the second illumination light source.
, 3 is a document, 4 is a short focus lens array, and 5 is a reading means (A) for photoelectrically reading the document, which is configured in a line shape.
An image sensor that reads two-dimensional images by scanning in the line direction and scanning in a direction perpendicular to the line; 8 is a roller that rotates as the housing 9 moves and rotates the encoder plate 10; Encoder board 1
0 is provided with a slit along the circumference, and as the slit rotates, the photosensor 11 is intermittently shielded from light. The timing of this light blocking is determined by the movement of the housing 9.
It is set so that one pulse signal is generated for m+n. Next, in FIG. 3, (A) is a reading means that photoelectrically reads the original, (B) is a color separation means that separates colors based on the signal of the reading means (A), and (C) is a color separation means (B). ) printing means for printing in multiple colors in response to a signal; (D)
(E) is a pattern storage means that stores a print pattern to be printed in halftones; (E) is an address storage means that stores the position of the document judged to be white based on the signal from the reading means (A); (F) is an address. Based on the information in the pattern memory (D), print on the entire surface of the recording paper (H) excluding the portion corresponding to the white position of the original document (F) using the information in the storage means (E), in a desired base color based on the information in the first stage of pattern memory (D). 43 is a control circuit that controls the entire electrical system of this embodiment; 50 is a print control means that controls the green LED 1 and red LED 2 alternately in synchronization with the pulse signal of the phytosensor 11 (FIG. 1); A switching circuit 51 sends image information read by the image sensor 5 in synchronization with the pulse signal of the photosensor 11, and a color separation means (B) that performs color separation based on this signal, and the print control. The signal processing circuit constituting the means (F), 36 is a printing means (c) that prints in multiple colors according to the signal from the color separation means (B), and the document F according to the vi information of the address storage means (E). This is a printer that prints the information of the pattern storage means (D) on the entire surface of the recording paper excluding the part corresponding to the white position in a desired base color.The printer 36 has a dot pitch of 0.1 m+n and is red This is a thermal transfer dot printer that can print in four colors: green, blue, and black.

54 is a dot pattern memory that is a pattern storage means (D) that stores print patterns to be printed in halftones, that is, several types of dot patterns with different densities that are printed with uniform density over the entire image; 55 is a keyboard; When the operator specifies the desired base color and density by operating the keys, the control circuit 43
Accordingly, one dot pattern is selected from the dot pattern memory 54.

Next, 56 is address storage means (E) for storing the position on the document determined to be the signal from the reading means (A);
The information read by the image sensor 5 is sent to the A3 processing circuit 5.
It is an address memory that stores 0 when one pixel is processed as white and 711, and stores 1 when there is density, and stores 0 or 1 for all pixels on the document.

Next, in Fig. 4, 31 is an A/D converter, S is LED 1
S2 is information when LED 2 is lit; 52 is a memory for storing information S1; 53 is information when LED 2 is lit;
is the information S, and the memory 52 of the information S2 or the comparison calculation circuit 3
This is a selector for selecting transmission to 3. In addition, the comparison calculation circuit 33 processes the manually input data, converts it into print data, and stores the data in the RAM 34 and the RAM 3.
5 (details later).

Next, in Fig. 5, 41 is R with a 9-bit address bus from 80 to Ao and a 16-bit data bus from ops to Do.
OM, 42 RAs the 16-bit output data of ROM41
This is a selector for selecting whether to output to M34 or RAM35.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained by the pattern storage means (D),
The address storage means (E), the print means (C), and the print control means (F) will be mainly explained using FIGS. 1 to 14.

First, in FIG. 1, reflected light from a document 3 illuminated by an LED 1 or an LED 2 is imaged onto an image sensor 5 by a short focus lens array 4. The image sensor 5 converts the received light into an electrical signal. Next, the roller 8 rotates as the housing 9 moves, causing the encoder plate 10 to rotate. Along with the rotation, the photo sensor 11
Intermittently block light.

Next, in FIG. 3, the switching circuit 50 connects the photosensor 1
LED 1 and LED 2 are turned on alternately in synchronization with the pulse signal 1. In synchronization with this, the image sensor 5 reads the image, the read information is sent to the signal processing circuit 51, and the printer 36 prints according to the signal. At this time, when the color and density of the base color are specified from the keyboard 55, the control circuit 43 selects one dot pattern from the dot pattern memory 54, which is the pattern storage means (D), based on the signal.

On the other hand, an address memory 56 which is an address storage means (E)
is the information read by the image sensor 5 or processed by the signal processing circuit 51, and if one pixel is determined to be white, 0;
Otherwise, 1 is stored when there is density, and 0 or 1 is stored sequentially for all pixels. Further, the control circuit 43 prints the base color by one dot pattern in the dot pattern memory 54 at a certain density on the document in the address memory 56 . Control according to no information.

Next, the printing operation of the signal processing circuit 51 in FIG. 3 will be explained in detail using FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, the analog image signal read by the image sensor 5 as described above is converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter 31, and the information S is temporarily stored in the memory 52 and the information selected by the selector 53. It is sent to the comparison calculation circuit 33 together with S2. The data manually entered into the comparison calculation circuit 33 is processed, converted into print data, and sent to and stored in the RAM 34 and RAM 35.

After the reading is completed, a signal is sent from the control circuit 43 to the keyboard 55, and a buzzer provided on the keyboard 55, for example, notifies the end of reading.

Then, when the keyboard is operated and the base color and density are entered manually as described above, the control circuit 43 (Fig. 3) selects the corresponding pattern from the dot pattern memory 54, which is the pattern storage means (D). be done. When a print command is issued from the keyboard 55, the control circuit 43
operates each circuit to perform a printing operation. That is,
First, the data stored in the RAM 34 is sent to the printer 36, and the first printing is performed in black. Next, the data stored in the RAM 35 is sent to the printer 36, and a second print is performed in red overlapping the previously printed screen. The data stored in the dot pattern memory 54 is then sent to the printer 36, and a third print is performed in the desired color.

Next, data processing for printing black and red dots based on the output of the image sensor 5 will be explained.

In FIG. 4, as described above, the analog image data of the image sensor 5 is transmitted by the A/D converter 31,
Each pixel is converted into digital data and sent to the comparison calculation circuit 3.
3 is input. In this case, the pixel pitch of the image sensor 5 is 0.4 ma+, and the tod pitch of the printer 36 is 0.
．． 1 mm, that is, one pixel of the image sensor 5 corresponds to 4×4 dots of the printer 36. Therefore, the comparison calculation circuit 33 manually inputs the pixel data of one pixel of the image sensor 5 and outputs the data of the black dot and red dot to be printed in the 4×4 dots of the printer 36.

Here, the data processing algorithm of the comparison calculation circuit 33 will be explained.

This algorithm uses red L for colors that include red components.
Taking advantage of the fact that the output of the image sensor 5 when illuminated with ED 2 is larger than when illuminated with green LED 1, the output of the image sensor 5 when illuminated with LED 2 is the same as that when illuminated with LED 1 and that when illuminated with LED 2. The red level included in the image is extracted from the difference in light levels.

Next, this algorithm will be explained with an example.

First, the image information read by the image sensor 5 is
A is applied to the pixel signal '+S, which is the density information of t, and S2, respectively.
/ D f conversion. Then, reference print density data P is generated in accordance with the pixel signal S1 when illuminated with LED 1.

is calculated as above.

As mentioned above, the pixel signal S1 is 4 bits, that is, 16 gradations, and 16 bits of 4 x 4 are printed for this one pixel, so for example, if sl is gradation 7, 7 tots are printed. Density can be expressed by the dots placed in the print area. This means that the calculation constant changes depending on the size of one printer dot, and if the dot is large, it is better to reduce the total number of dots to be printed. In this way, J, t4 print density data P.

is expressed by the calculated number of printed dots.

Next, a red color α is determined from the pixel signal Sl and 82.

In this calculation, the more reddish the original image is, the more pixels there will be.
Since the difference between No. 3 S1 and S2 becomes large, it is possible to calculate the red level α from the pixel signal S+ and the difference between the pixel signals S1 and S. In actual use, correction is performed based on experimentally determined data so as to obtain a red level that matches the redness of the original. This red level α represents the ratio of redness to density, and is the reference print density data P obtained above. is multiplied by the red level α and the red print density data P2 is set to 1i. Next, reference print density data P. and red print density data P.

The difference between the two is taken as the black print density theta P1.

By the above algorithm, pixel signals S1 and 3
2, black print density data P1 and red print density data P2, which are the numbers of black and red print dots, can be calculated.

In this embodiment, the following arithmetic processing is performed in the ROM (
(Fig. 5). That is, a table is created according to the calculated results in advance, and the pixel signals Sl, S2 are
Print data p, , p2 can be obtained immediately according to the human power value.

Next, data processing by the comparison calculation circuit 33 will be explained using FIG.

First, the configuration and operation of the comparison arithmetic circuit 33 will be explained. In FIG. 5, the ROM41 has 9 bits from AA to Ao.
It has an address bus of t and a 16-bit data bus of D15 to Do. 4-bit digital pixel signal S,
are sequentially connected to addresses 80 to A of the ROM 41 from the upper bit, and the 4-bit digital pixel signal S2 is also connected to addresses A4 to A of the ROM 41 from the upper bit.
are connected sequentially. Address A of ROM41. is connected to the control circuit 43. Selector 42 is ROM4
Whether to output 16-bit output data of 1 to RAM34
Select whether to output to AM35.

Next, data processing by the comparison calculation circuit 33 will be explained.

In FIG. 5, the ROM 41 stores the results of arithmetic processing by the data processing algorithm described above, black print density data P is stored at even addresses, and red print density data P2 is stored at odd addresses. It is. To read these, the control circuit 43 reads the address A of the ROM 41. Ao is set low to read even addresses, and Ao is set high to read odd addresses. Control circuit 4
3, when the selector 42 reads the black print density data P3, that is, the even address, the data is sent to the RAM 34;
Control is performed to send the data to the RAM 35 when reading the red print density data P2, that is, the odd address.

As described above, print density data P and 22 are output in accordance with the respective input values of the pixel signals Sl and S2, and are stored in the RAM 34 and the RAM 35, respectively.

This print density data p,, p2. - D15 (FIG. 5), which corresponds to the 4×4 print dot matrix shown in FIG. 6, and when the data is 1, it is controlled to implant a dot at the corresponding position.

Hereinafter, when this data is 1, the control for injecting a dot at the corresponding position will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 14 as examples.

For example, when Do and Dl in FIG. 5 are 1, as shown in FIG. 7, a dot is implanted at a position corresponding to position 0°1 in FIG. 6 (mark 9 in FIG. 7). Further, the black print density data P1 corresponds to the density level. from D
D2 is set to 1 in order.For example, if the density level is 7 in 16 gradation expression, from Do to D
o becomes 1, and as shown in FIG. 8, a black dot a is placed corresponding to FIG. On the other hand, the print density data P2 that controls the red dots is set to 1 in order from [)+s to DI4+DI3 depending on the density level.For example, when the density level is 3, yD
I! ++DI4+DI3 becomes 1, and a red dot b is implanted as shown in FIG. FIG. 10 shows a state in which the black dots shown in FIG. 8 and the red dots shown in FIG. 9 are printed one over the other. Visually, the print in Figure 10 is perceived as a single color in which the colors black and red are mixed together, creating a color mixture expression.

Based on the above print operation and its control, the operation by the print control means (F) of this embodiment will be illustrated and explained using FIGS. 11 to 14.

First, FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram schematically showing printing according to the print density data stored in the dot pattern mesh 54, which is the pattern storage means (D). In this case, the dot pattern memory 54 stores each pattern in 8 steps from 0 to 67 of 16 gradations for red density level, and FIG. This shows continuous data printing performed in response to continuous data with Dl4 set to 1. In other words, the specified base color is printed in a light color overall. However, the printing area of this base color is limited according to the information in the address memory 56, which is address storage means (E). That is, when the information stored in the address memory 56 is 1, the base color is printed at the corresponding position, and when it is 0, the base color printing is controlled so that the base color is not printed. The print control means (F) does not print the base color on the portion of the recording paper that corresponds to the white area on the document.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, a case where the density distribution of the original document is different will be described as an example.

First, the document shown in FIG. 12 is read by the image sensor 5,
The contents of the address memory 56, which is an address storage means (E), in which 1 or O is stored according to the read information are stored in the 12th
It is marked in FIG. 13 corresponding to the figure.

In FIG. 13, regardless of the density level of the original shown in FIG. 12, 1 is stored if it is out of white, and 0 is stored if it is white. FIG. 14 shows the area where the base color is printed according to the contents of the address memory 56. In other words, the base color is not printed on the white portion of the document shown in Figure 'fJ12.

As explained above, a red dot pattern is extracted from the output of the image sensor 5 when illuminated with green LED 1 and the output of the image sensor 5 when illuminated with red LED 2, and a pattern of red dots and black dots is printed. is determined, a mixed color of red and black is printed, and the base color is printed over the entire image according to the base color and density specified from the keyboard 55. As a result, for example, if the manuscript is a photograph of the sea, if you specify 17 colors as the haze color, the sea and sky parts will be printed red, and the red beach umbrella on the sandy beach will be printed red, and the colors will be different. Is the image close to the image of the original?Furthermore, by controlling the print control means (F) that controls not to print the haze color on the part that is separated from white from the output of the image sensor 5,
[11 colors are not printed on the white clouds in the sky, and white is expressed as white, resulting in a more beautiful image.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the pattern storage means stores the print pattern to be printed in halftones, and the position of the document paper determined to be white based on the signal of the reading means is stored. It is equipped with an address storage means and prints a desired haze color on the entire surface of the recording paper excluding the part corresponding to the white position of the document J= by the address storage means based on the information of the pattern storage means. By providing a control means, a reddish color is printed in the area from which the reddish color has been extracted, a haze color is printed according to the specified color and density, and the white part of the original paper is cut off by the PIJ. Is this a multi-color printing device that can print an image close to the image of the original in the cylinder using only two colors without printing the haze color? There is an effect that can be done.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a multicolor printing device that is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a characteristic curve diagram showing the wavelength characteristics of the edge and red LEDs, and Fig. 3 is the configuration of an embodiment of the invention. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the signal processing circuit, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the comparison calculation circuit, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the correspondence of print density data to the 4×4 print dot matrix, Fig. 7 shows the state in which dots or J [are inserted into 0 and 1 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 beams. ~D6 is 1
Figure 9 shows the state in which black dots have been inserted.
5. DI4. Figure 10 is a mixed color representation of black and red dots, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of continuous data printing with DI1 and DI4 set to 1, Figure 12 is a diagram of a continuous data print with DI3 set to 1 and a red dot. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an address memory corresponding to FIG. 12, and FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an area where a haze color is printed. (A)...Reading means (B)...Color separation means (C)...Printing means (D)...Pattern storage means (E) ... Address storage means (F) ... Print control means 1 2 ... LED 3 ... Original 5 ... Image sensor 11 ... ... Photo sensor 36 ... Printer 43 ... Control circuit 50 ... Switching circuit 51 ... Signal processing circuit 54 ... Dot pattern Memory 55...
-Keyboard 56...address memory In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A multi-color printing device comprising a reading means for photoelectrically reading a document, a color separation means for separating colors based on a signal from the reading means, and a printing means for printing in multiple colors according to a signal from the color separation means. , comprising a pattern storage means for storing a print pattern to be printed in halftones, and an address storage means for storing a position on the document determined to be white based on the signal from the reading means, The multifunction printer is characterized in that it is equipped with a print control means for controlling the entire surface of the recording paper excluding the portion corresponding to the white position on the document to be printed in a desired base color based on the information in the pattern storage means. Color printing equipment.