JPH03169658A - Recording apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform recording in proper density by preliminarily indicating the density of each of two or more kinds of image data and indicating the density of the image data of a discriminated kind corresponding to the discrimination of the kind of the image data related to recording. CONSTITUTION:Three density change-over switches 101A, 101B, 101c are provided and respectively correspond to the figure, kanji and English character of image data. These switches can indicate four densities of '0'-'3'. The density shown by '0' shows usual density performing no density increase and, thereafter, indicated density also increases as the number increases. The density change- over switch 1(switch 101A) is one for indicating the density of a recorded figure and the density change-over switch 2 (switch 101B) and 3 (switch 101C) respectively indicate the densities of a kanji and an English character. It is shown that it is designated that the figure, the kanji and the English character are respectively recorded in densities '3', '1', '2'.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a recording device and a recording method, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a recording device and a recording method.
The present invention relates to a recording device used in printers, facsimile machines, etc., and a recording method used in the device.

[Conventional technology coprinter. This type of recording device used in facsimiles, copying machines, etc. drives the recording elements in the recording head based on recording data such as character fonts and image data, and prints the corresponding image information as a recording medium. It is configured to be formed on a recording sheet.

This type of recording device uses a scanning method of the recording head to record while main scanning in the recording digit direction, and a serial method in which the recording sheet is conveyed line feed (sub-scanning), and a serial method that supports the entire width of the recording paper being conveyed. It can be divided into a full-line type that uses a full-line type print head with arrayed print elements and prints one line at a time only by sub-scanning the print sheet.

In addition, the above-mentioned recording device has different recording head drive methods.
Inkjet method records by ejecting ink droplets. It can be divided into a thermal method, which records by ink transfer or heat sensitivity by heating a heating element, a wire dot method, which records by point pressure of a wire, and a laser method, which records by point irradiation with a light beam.

In such recording apparatuses, the size of the dots themselves and the dot pitch have been becoming finer in recent years, and as a result, the resolution of recorded images is increasing and the recording quality is improving. For example, while the conventional dot density constituting an image was 180 dots/inch, it is now possible to achieve a resolution of 360 to 400 dots/inch, which is more than double the resolution.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, in a recording apparatus, there is a problem in that the quality and density of a recorded image inevitably differ depending on the recording paper used for recording.

This is because the ink transfer properties of the recording paper in a thermal recording apparatus and the ink absorption characteristics of the recording paper in an inkjet recording apparatus differ depending on the recording paper used. For this reason, by using paper with good smoothness and good transfer efficiency and coated paper with good ink absorption as recording paper, it has been possible to always stably obtain a predetermined density in a recorded image.

However, in consideration of the usability of the recording apparatus and the interests of the user, it goes without saying that it is desirable to be able to obtain a predetermined density even when using special recording paper.

In addition, in a thermal type device, as another configuration to solve the problem of the density difference mentioned above, the amount of ink transferred is changed by adjusting the electrical energy applied to the heating element using a density volume, etc. There are some that control the concentration.

However, in this configuration, there is a limit to the range of concentration that can be changed, and this is determined mainly by the durability of the heating element. Therefore, depending on this configuration, it was not always possible to obtain satisfactory recording results. Furthermore, in the thermal method, the amount of ink transferred, that is, the area of the pixel dot, changes relatively depending on the energy applied to the heating element, but in the inkjet method, this is almost impossible.

On the other hand, there is also the problem that the appropriate density differs depending on the type of image information to be recorded.

For example, the appropriate density is different between text image information with many hiragana characters and text image information with many kanji characters, and there is also a difference in the appropriate density between an image image and a text image.

Furthermore, when such different types of image information are mixed in one recorded image, the appropriate density of one of them is generally sacrificed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and
The purpose of this is to develop a recording device and a recording method that can adjust the density of a recorded image depending on the recording paper (recording medium) used and the image being recorded, in a recording device that composes image information using dots. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To this end, the present invention provides a density instruction means for instructing the density of image information for each of a plurality of types of image information in a recording device that records image information using a dot configuration. , an image information discriminating means for discriminating the type of image information, and a density changing means for changing the density of the type of image information discriminated by the image information discriminating means to the density instructed by the density indicating means for the image information. It is characterized by having the following.

Alternatively, in a recording method that records image information based on the structure of dots, the density of the image information is specified for each of multiple types of image information, the type of image information is determined, and the image of the determined type is The present invention is characterized by comprising each process of changing the density of information to the instructed density for the image information.

[Function] According to the above configuration, the density of each of the plurality of types of image information is specified in advance, and in accordance with the determination of the type of image information to be recorded, the density of the determined type of image information is determined. This image information can be changed to the density specified above.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a thermal transfer recording apparatus equipped with a thermal head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This recording device is a word processor. Electronic tie writer. Used as a recording unit for various devices such as facsimile machines.

In FIG. 1, 100 is a control unit that controls the entire printer. The control unit 100 includes, for example, a RAM in the form of a microprocessor or the like that stores control procedures, font data, etc., which will be described later in MPUIOOA and MPtllOOA.
It is composed of IOOB, RAMIOOC as a work area, etc., and receives recording data from the data human power section 102 and controls operations such as recording operations based on this data. Reference numeral 101 denotes a recording density changeover switch and a detection unit, which includes three recording density changeover switches 1 (IOIA) and 2 (IOIA).
A predetermined switch detection signal is output depending on the states of IB) and 3 (IOIC).

A carriage 103 carries a thermal head 104, an ink ribbon 105, etc., and scans and moves along the recording surface of the recording paper. A carriage motor drive section 106 drives a carriage motor 107, which is a motor for scanning the carriage 103. The motor drive unit 101i controls the rotation of the carriage motor 107 according to a control signal sent from the control unit l00. 10B is a feed motor drive unit that drives a feed motor 109 that feeds the recording paper according to a control signal sent from the control unit 100.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of a recording section in the thermal transfer recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. Components common to those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 2, a thermal head 104 includes a heating element, heats it according to image recording data, and transfers ink from an ink ribbon 105 to a recording sheet 21 backed up by a platen 20.

The carriage 103 is mounted so as to be movable along a guide shaft 22 installed parallel to the platen 20. A carriage motor 107 composed of a stepping motor, a driving boolean 23. A drive system consisting of a driven pulley 24 and a belt 25 wound around these pulleys and coupled to the carriage 103 moves the arrow R.
A reciprocating movement is performed for scanning in the direction. As the carriage 103 moves, the thermal head 104
When one line of recording is performed by scanning, the paper feed motor l09 (see FIG. 1) rotates the platen 20 to convey the recording sheet 21 by one line in the direction of arrow P.

As described above, the thermal head 104 includes, for example, 16 electrothermal conversion elements as heat generating elements arranged in one vertical row. Further, the thermal head 104 is mounted so as to be oscillated between a down position in which it is in pressure contact with the recording sheet 21 via an ink ribbon 105 and an up position in which it is separated from the recording sheet 21 . These drive controls are performed by a control unit l00.

A ribbon cassette 26 is removably set on the carriage 103 for supplying the ink ribbon 105 to a portion of the thermal head 104 facing the electrothermal conversion element. During recording, the ink ribbon 105 wound around the supply @ 27 in the ribbon cassette 26 is transported for the above-mentioned supply in synchronization with the movement of the thermal head by a ribbon drive shaft (not shown) provided on the carriage 103. It is sequentially wound up on the winding shaft 28.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 200 denotes an upper cover of the apparatus, which is provided so that it can be opened and closed as necessary, such as when replacing an ink ribbon. Reference numeral 201 denotes a paper ejection 21} lay, which stacks the recording sheets 21 that are ejected after recording has been completed. Reference numeral 202 denotes an operation panel, in addition to switches for instructing start and stop of recording operations, three density changeover switches IOIA. IOIB
, IOIC are provided, each with a numerical value of image information. Supports kanji and alphabetic characters. Each of these switches is
Four concentrations from "0" to "3" can be specified.

By operating this switch, the user can instruct the density of the recorded image for each image information. A dial 203 is provided on the side surface of the apparatus cover and is used to manually rotate the platen 20 and feed the recording sheet 21.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing details of the concentration changeover switch shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the switch IOIA. IOIB.
101C is a rotary switch configuration, and this switch can indicate four levels of concentration. Incidentally, the concentration indicated by "O" indicates the normal concentration without increasing the concentration, and thereafter, as the number increases, the indicated concentration also increases.

Density selector switch 1 (switch IOIA) is a switch for instructing the density of numbers to be recorded, and density selector switches 2 (switch IOIB) and 3 (switch tolG) are for instructing the density of kanji and alphabetic characters, respectively. It is something to do. In the wood example, the number is density “3”,
This indicates that the instruction is to record kanji characters at a density of "1" and alphabetical characters at a density of "2".

FIGS. 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams of dot patterns when numbers, Chinese characters, and alphabetic characters are recorded, respectively, based on the density instructions explained in FIG. 4.

As shown in the same figure (A), the number "1" indicates the indicated concentration r3.
”, three dots are added in the horizontal direction of the dot pattern. Similarly, as shown in (B) and (C) of the same figure, the kanji character "日" and the alphabetic character rH are added by 1 dot and 2 dots according to the indicated density "1" and "2", respectively. .

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for the above-mentioned density control.

This processing procedure is started by power supply, and step Fl
Each part is initialized, and then it is ready to receive human data. When the data is received, the received data is judged in step F2, and if it is not record data but record command data, the process proceeds to step F3, and the RAMIOOC
Recording for one line is performed based on the recording data stored in the image line buffer. Thereafter, in step F3A, it is determined whether recording has ended or not. If the determination is affirmative, the process ends, and if the determination is negative, the process returns to step F2.

When it is determined in step F2 that the received data is record data, in step F4 the character font corresponding to the character code that is the content of the record data is read from ROMIOOB and stored in RAM1OOB. ~^. The data is stored in the defined area. Here, n represents the number of rows of a character font composed of dot rows, and A represents the recorded content of that one dot row.

Next, in step F5, the type of this character is determined based on the previously received character code.

In this determination, if it is a numeric character, the process advances to step F6, and if it is a kanji character or an alphabetic character, the process advances to steps F7 and F8, respectively. If the character is a character other than these three types, the process advances to step Fl3, which will be described later.

In step F6, concentration changeover switch 1 (IOIA
) to know the specified concentration. Similarly, in steps F7 and F8, the concentration changeover switch 2
(101B). ．． and concentration selector switch 3
Read the status of (IOIC). These read states are stored in the memory M of RAMIOOC, and the contents are the density instructions of the density changeover switch "0", "1", r2.
, r3,.

Note that the density instruction "4" shown on the density changeover switch is not used in this example.

Next, in step F9, the memory M is referred to and it is determined which of the density instructions the contents correspond to.

If these judgments are respectively "0", 'IJ, r2', r3', step F13, FIO, Fi
l, Proceed to F12.

In step FIO, 1 in the horizontal direction of the character dot pattern.
Perform density increase processing to add dots, and step Fi
Similarly, processing for adding 2 dots and 3 dots is performed for l and F12, respectively. When these processes are completed, the process advances to step F13, and the character fonts after these processes are written into the image line buffer of RAMIOOC. Note that if the process proceeds directly to step F13 as a result of the determination in step F5 or F9, a character font for which no density increase process is performed is written.

Although the above embodiment does not describe the case of recording an image, it is possible to perform the same processing as when recording dots constituting a character font. That is, after inputting all the recorded data of the image, the value of n is made to correspond to the number of columns of the inputted recorded data in the process of step F4 of the above flowchart, and the determination in step F5 is changed to the classification of the image. If it is performed accordingly, similar processing can be performed thereafter.

Further, in the above example, three density changeover switches are set, but the number may be any number depending on the image information to be classified. Furthermore, this switch is configured such that the input data is
The information may be information stored in RAMIOOC as a result of analysis using 00, etc., and there is no limitation on the method of specifying the information.

Further, in the above embodiment, the density changeover switch attached to the recording apparatus is used as the density instruction means, but it is naturally possible to control the density by commands from the host device.

Further, in the above embodiment, the density change is performed by adding one dot at a time, but it is of course possible to add a plurality of dots at a time if the resolution is improved.

Furthermore, although the dots are added uniformly in the horizontal and vertical directions, for example, the dots may be thinned out and added every other dot, and by doing this, the density that can be specified can be increased. You can increase the steps.

In addition, it is also within the scope of the present invention to reduce the density by reducing the number of dots compared to the case of normal recording.

(Others) In the above embodiments, the recording head is of a thermal type, but the present invention can be applied to any recording apparatus as long as it is a recording type that forms an image using dots, and is particularly applicable to an inkjet recording type. The recording device is valid. Among them, bubble jet recording heads and recording apparatuses provide excellent recording results. This is because such a system can achieve higher recording density and higher definition.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an example of a bubble jet recording head.

In the figure, reference numeral 52 denotes ejection ports for forming ejected ink droplets, and a plurality of ejection ports are provided in this recording head. These ejection ports 52 are arranged in the sub-scanning direction during printing, and by ejecting ink droplets as the print head moves in the main-scanning direction, it is possible to print image information in the dot configuration described above.

53 is an ink liquid path formed in communication with each of the ejection ports 52, and the ink liquid path 53 is provided with an electrothermal conversion element 54 that generates thermal energy used for ejecting ink droplets. be done. 55 is a common liquid chamber for supplying ink to each ink liquid path 53.

51 is a substrate formed of Si or the like;
The electrothermal transducer element 54 is formed by laminating a heat generating resistor layer, etc. on the 1, and the liquid path wall 53A is formed by laminating a resin layer. Furthermore, by joining a top plate 56 made of glass or the like on top of these layers,
The ejection port 52, the ink liquid path 53, and the common liquid chamber are configured.

As for the typical configuration and principle of the bubble jet recording head, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129 and US Pat. No. 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type, but in the case of special C, on-demand type, it is necessary to By applying at least one drive signal to the disposed electrothermal transducer that corresponds to recorded information and that causes a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, the electrothermal transducer is caused to generate thermal energy, and the recording is performed. This is effective because it causes film boiling on the heat-active surface of the head, resulting in the formation of bubbles in the liquid (ink) that correspond one-to-one with this drive signal.The growth and contraction of these bubbles causes the ejection opening to open. A liquid (ink) is ejected through the ink to form at least one droplet.If this drive signal is in the form of a pulse, the growth and contraction of bubbles is performed immediately and appropriately. Ink) can be ejected, which is more preferable.As this pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. No. 4,463,359 and US Pat. No. 4,345,262 are used. Even better recording can be achieved by employing the conditions described in U.S. Pat.

The configuration of the recording head includes ejection ports and liquid channels. US Pat. No. 4,558,333 discloses a combination configuration of electrothermal converters (straight liquid flow path or right angle liquid flow path) as well as a configuration in which a heat acting part is arranged in a bending region. US Patent No. 4
A configuration using the specification of No. 459800 is also included in the present invention. In addition, JP-A-59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge part for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and a hole that absorbs pressure waves of thermal energy is disclosed. The effects of the present invention are also effective even as a structure based on Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 138461/1985 which discloses a configuration corresponding to the discharge section. In other words, regardless of the form of the recording head, recording can be performed reliably and efficiently.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium that can be recorded by a recording apparatus/device.

Such a recording head may have either a configuration in which the length is satisfied by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration in which a single recording head is formed integrally. In addition, even if it is a serial type, it may be a replaceable chip type print head that can be attached to the main body of the device to enable electrical connection with the main body of the device or supply of ink from the main body of the device, or the print head itself. The present invention is also effective when using a cartridge type recording head that is integrally provided with the recording head.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a configuration of the recording apparatus, to the present invention, because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specifically, these include capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressure or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element, or a combination thereof; It is also effective to perform a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing in order to perform stable printing.

In addition, regarding the type and number of recording heads installed, for example, in addition to one type that corresponds to single-color ink, there is also a plurality of recording heads that correspond to multiple inks with different recording colors and densities. It may be something that can be done.

In addition, the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention may be used as an image output terminal for information processing equipment such as a computer, or as a copying device combined with a reader or the like, or as a facsimile device having transmitting and receiving functions. It may be something that you collect.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the density of each of a plurality of types of image information is specified in advance, and the density is determined in accordance with the type of image information to be recorded. The density of the type of image information specified can be changed to the density specified above for this image information/information.

As a result, hiragana and katakana. It is possible to record at an appropriate density depending on the type of characters such as kanji and the type of image.

Further, it is also possible to set the above-mentioned density in consideration of the type of recording paper used for recording, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a thermal transfer recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the main structure of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. , an external perspective view of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing details of the concentration changeover switch shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the density control processing procedure shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is an example of a bubble jet recording head according to the embodiment of the present invention. 100...control unit, 100A...MPU, 100B...ROM. iooc...RAM, 101...Density selection switch, 102...Data manual section, 103...Carriage, 104...Thermal head, 105...Ink ribbon, 106...Motor drive section , 107... Carriage motor, 108... Motor drive unit, 109... Paper feed motor. ○ ○ Q 107 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 7

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A recording device that records image information using a structure of dots, comprising: a density indicating means for indicating the density of the image information for each of a plurality of types of image information; and a density changing means for changing the density of the type of image information determined by the image information determining means to a density instructed by the density indicating means for the image information. Characteristic recording device. 2) In a recording method that records image information using a dot configuration, the density of the image information is specified for each of multiple types of image information, the type of image information is determined, and the image information of the determined type is A recording method comprising: changing the density to the instructed density for the image information. 3) The density of the image information is changed by changing the number of dots constituting the image information in a predetermined direction of the image information.
or 2. The recording device and recording method according to 2. 4) The recording apparatus or method according to claim 1, wherein the dots are formed by transferring ink onto a recording medium using heat generated by a heating element. 5) The recording apparatus or method according to claim 1, wherein the dots are formed by ink droplets ejected using heat generated by an electrothermal transducer.