JPH03232069A - Picture recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enrich the power of expression by selecting one of plural color pictures to express the inside of a prescribed close area. CONSTITUTION:A color image pallet 32 to be used in selected by the command from a host computer 1. Thereafter, the close area of a designated character or graphic is painted out with the color image registered in the selected color image pallet 32 by a drawing command of the character or graphic to be painted out to obtain an objective output result. Thus, not only the color of, for example, an actual melon is registered in the color image pallet and is used to realistically reproduce the very abstract color 'color or melon' which is hardly expressed in a conventional device but also a triangular melon can be imaged and outputted, and the power of expression is enriched.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to image recording devices such as various printers, and particularly to an image recording device that can input color image data.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of image recording device, color information that can be used to fill in any closed area is a fixed color information that is registered in advance in a table that stores color information called a color palette. It was only the color.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] For this reason, when a user wants to reproduce or record a desired color tone, it has only been possible to reproduce it approximately using such fixed color combinations.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art and provide an image recording device with rich expressiveness.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] In order to solve the above problems, the image recording device of the present invention includes a storage means for storing a plurality of color image data, and a storage means for selecting one of the plurality of color images. The present invention is characterized by comprising a selection means and a processing means for expressing the inside of a predetermined closed region using the image selected by the selection means.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. l is the host computer,
Print information consisting of print data and a control code is output to the printing device 3. Further, the host computer 1 is equipped with a color image scanner 2 for capturing color images, and it is possible to capture color images into the host computer as color image data. The printing device 3 includes a control unit 31, a color image palette 32. Frame memory 33. It is composed of a color printer section 34, etc., and the control section 31 performs various processes for controlling the color printer section 34, as well as color image processing 31.
Including 1st prize. Color image processing 311 converts color image data scanned by a host computer 1 or color image scanner 2 into a color image palette 3.
Stored in 2.

Perform management. The color image palette 32 has a structure as shown in FIG. 2, with a management table placed at the beginning and a management number assigned to each palette (image registration area). The frame memory 33 is an area in which patterns such as color characters, figures, images, etc. to be printed are developed. The print pattern data developed here is sent to the color printer section 34, so that
A permanent visible image is formed on the recording paper. color printer 34
These include inkjet printers, laser beam printers, dot printers, thermal transfer printers, and other printers that can record color images.

Next, the printing process according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print processing procedure according to the present invention. In addition, 81~
S7 indicates each step.

First, the color image material to be registered in the color image palette is determined (S 1 ), and then the color image is imported into the computer using a color image scanner (S 2 ).

In the computer, necessary image parts are edited from the read color image to match the image size of the color image palette (S3), and are registered in the color image palette using a color image palette registration command (S4). By repeating the above steps, it is possible to register a number of color image palettes in the printer.

Next, the processing procedure for using the color image palette will be described. First, which color image palette to use is selected by a command from the host computer (S5). After that, create a manuscript using text and figure drawing commands that involve filling with the selected color image palette (SS).The closed areas of text and figures specified by these commands are registered in the color image palette. The desired output result can be obtained (
S7).

For example, as shown in Figure 4, by registering and using the color of an actual melon in the color image palette, it is possible to create a very abstract color tone called "the color of a melon," which is difficult to express in the past. Not only can it be reproduced realistically, but it is also possible to output the image of a triangular melon.

As explained above, according to the above embodiments of the present invention, there is a color image input means for inputting a required actual color tone, and a means for storing this color image data in a specific area called a color image palette. By providing a selection means for selecting stored color image data by number, etc., and a drawing means for filling in any closed area using the selected color image, it is possible to reproduce highly realistic color tones, which was previously difficult. This can be done easily within the printing device.

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiments, a host computer and an attached color image scanner were used to register a color image, but the input means is not limited to this, and for example, a still video camera (Canon Q-PIG) may be used. In this case, the desired color image data is stored on a floppy disk, which can be called the film of a still/video camera, so by attaching a device to the printer to read the floppy disk, , it is also possible to further expand the input methods of color image data.

Further, the image data stored in the storage means may include only color data, or may include pattern data.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, an image recording device with rich expressiveness can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a color image palette, FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining an example of a print processing procedure, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an output example in an embodiment of the present invention. l...Host computer 2...Color image scanner 3...Printing device 31...Control unit 32...Color image palette 33...Frame memory 34...Color printer unit 311...Color Image processing section Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Storage means for storing a plurality of color image data; selection means for selecting one of the plurality of color images; and an image selected by the selection means for determining the interior of a predetermined closed area. An image recording device comprising: processing means for expressing.