JPH03247164A - Picture repeater - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a control procedure between a picture file device and a printer by providing a magnification/reduction means applying magnification or reduction in a ratio based on size/resolution of a picture data subject to buffering and size/resolution of paper of the printer. CONSTITUTION:A microprocessor 4 sends a command to a printer control circuit 17 via a parallel port 16 to acquire information of paper size/resolution/ recording speed of a printer via a transceiver for printer interface 19. The microprocessor 4 acquires information of size/resolution of a picture data received by a receiver 2 before and after the operation above. The sets of information above are compared to decide the conversion factor of magnification/ reduction and the result is sent to a magnification/reduction control circuit 18 via a parallel port 11. The magnification/reduction control circuit 18 and a reception memory control circuit 5 are interlocked after the circuit 18 outputs a request signal *DREQ and a control signal *CENB and the circuit 5 outputs a control signal *ENBL.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to an image relay device that connects an image file device using an optical disk or the like and a printer that outputs images.

Conventional Technology When an optical disk type image file device and a printer are used in combination, the interface conditions of the image file device that outputs image data and the interface conditions of the printer that receives and receives the image data are usually different. In order to match the two, an image relay device is interposed between them. The image relay device has an interface that matches the image file device and the printer, respectively, and
The receiver has a data processing function that buffers the image data passed between the two interfaces and converts the image data.

Another important thing when printing out image data from an image file device using a printer is whether the size and resolution of the filed image data are compatible with the paper size and resolution of the printer. The size and resolution of filed image data vary depending on the source (original), the maximum paper size and resolution of printers also vary depending on the model, and it is possible to set paper of different sizes on the same printer. can. image data
If the resolution falls within the paper size and resolution range of the printer, you can print without any problems (margins may become large), but if the opposite is true, you will not be able to print the entire image.

Therefore, a function is required to enlarge or reduce the image data and convert the size and resolution. Some of the conventional image file devices are equipped with image data enlargement/reduction processing functions, and information on paper size and resolution from the printer side is received via the image relay device, and images reproduced from optical disks, etc. Scale the data to fit it,
The image is transmitted to the printer via the image relay device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional image file device provided with an image data enlargement/reduction processing function, the burden on the processor of the file device is extremely heavy, and the responsiveness of the file device itself is reduced. do. In addition, image data is buffered within the file device for enlarging/reducing, and then buffered within the image relay device for interface conversion, further reducing responsiveness and reducing hardware efficiency. There is a lot of duplication and it is uneconomical.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to combine an image file device and a printer to provide a rational interface and the size and size of image data.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image relay device that can match resolutions.

Means for Solving the Problems The image relay device of the present invention has an interface A connected to an image file device, an interface B connected to a printer, and buffers image data received through the interface A and performs interface conversion. interface converting means for transmitting the image data from the interface B; and an enlargement/reduction processing means for enlarging or reducing the image data to be buffered at a ratio determined based on the size and resolution of the data and the paper size and resolution of the printer. It is equipped with the following.

Function: The image relay device of the present invention performs necessary interface conversion and enlargement in the process of transmitting image data received at the interface A from the interface B.
Reduction processing is performed.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image relay device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 and 2 are general-purpose interfaces (No. K serial transceiver and parallel receiver) connected to an image file device. A microprocessor that centrally controls each part of this device, 4 is the main memory 1.1 of the microprocessor 3 (including RAM and ROM),
5 is a general-purpose interface reception memory control circuit; 6 and 7 are memories for storing image data received by the receiver 2; 8;
and 9 are parallel/serial converters that convert the image data in memories 6 and 7 into serial data, 10 is a data selector, 11 and 16 are parallel ports, and 12 and 13 are data selectors that sequentially store the serial image data of 10. 14 is an enlargement/reduction circuit; 15 is a data selector; 17 is a printer control circuit; 18 is an enlargement/reduction control circuit; and 19 is a transceiver for a print interface connected to the printer.

The operation of the image relay apparatus configured as shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

Transceiver 1 transmits various control signals (including image data size and resolution information) between the image file device and this device.
The image data from the image file device is received by the receiver 2. The microprocessor 4 controls each section as follows in accordance with control signals from the image file device.

The image data received by the receiver 2 is stored in the memory 6.7, sent to the parallel/serial converter 8.9 according to the control signals *MISEL and *M2SELK, and converted into serial image data according to the control signal *PSCNT. Ru. The data selector 10 operates according to the control signal *MSEL, and alternately switches the output of the parallel/serial converter 8.9 to assemble the entire image data into time-series serial data *D SER. The control up to this point is executed by the reception memory control circuit 5 in accordance with the signals from the receiver 2 and the parallel port 11.

Handshake control between the receiver 2 and the reception memory control circuit 5 is performed using control signals *ENBLE, *C sent from the image file device in response to the output of the control signal *READY.
LOCK, by receiving the data signal *DPAR.

The serial image data *DSER output from the data selector 10 is the data selector 15 and the memo January 2.13.
is supplied to The enlargement/reduction control circuit 18 includes the reception memory control circuit 5, the parallel port 11, and the printer control circuit 17.
It sends and receives control signals to and executes the following control.

The microprocessor 4 sends commands to the printer control circuit 17 via the parallel port 16 and transmits instructions to the transceiver 19.
Obtain information on the printer's paper size, resolution, and recording speed through . Before and after this operation, the microprocessor 4 obtains information on the size and resolution of the image data received by the receiver 2. These pieces of information are compared to determine the conversion magnification for enlargement/reduction, and the result is transmitted to the enlargement/reduction control circuit 18 via the parallel port 11. Based on this information, the enlargement/reduction control circuit 18 operates to generate a control signal *M3SELXM4.
Generate SEL, *BCNT, *LCNT, and *DSEL. Writing and reading of the memory 12.13 is controlled by control signals *M3SEL, *M4SEL.

The enlargement/reduction circuit 14 outputs a control signal *BCNT which controls the image data bit by bit, a control signal *LCNT which controls the image data line by line, serial image data *D SER, The image data *D S E 3 is delayed in memory 12, and it is transferred to memory 13.
The delayed image data *DSE4 is manipulated to assemble and output enlarged/reduced serial image data *DSEO. The data selector 15 operates according to the control signal 15 and supplies either the unenlarged/reduced image data *DSER or the enlarged/reduced image data *DSEO to the printer control circuit 17.

The connection between the enlargement/reduction control circuit 18 and the reception memory control circuit 5 is such that the circuit 18 receives the request signal *DREQ and the control signal *CE.
This is accomplished by having the circuit 5 output the control signal *ENBL after outputting the signal NB. Enlargement/reduction control circuit 18
The communication between the data selector 15 and the printer control circuit 17 is such that the circuit 17 outputs the request signal *REQ, and then the data selector 15
This is done by the circuit 18 outputting a control signal *LENB for each line of image data and a control signal *BENB for each bit in synchronization with the output *DPRI.

The printer is controlled by a control circuit 17, which is controlled by the microprocessor 4 via the parallel port 16. Data output to the printer is controlled by the control circuit 17 by the microprocessor 4 and by the enlargement/reduction control circuit 18.
This is done while monitoring the status of the printer via the transceiver 19.

The above relay control is performed for each page of image data taken out from the image file device, and after one page is printed by the printer, the size and resolution of the next image data to be printed is different. If so, enlargement/reduction processing is performed in accordance with the printer side each time. Furthermore, even when the paper size of the printer is changed, the microprocessor 4 collects the size information and the enlargement/reduction processing is performed appropriately. Furthermore, even if you change the model of printer connected to transceiver 19 and the paper size and resolution change,
The relay device of the present invention automatically accommodates this.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, if the image relay device according to the present invention is used to combine the image file device and print,
The interface conditions between the two are matched, and image data is not only received and passed, but also the size and resolution of the image data retrieved from the image file device is matched with the paper size and resolution of the printer that prints it. Enlarging/reducing processing for this purpose is also performed at the same time. Therefore, compared to the case where the image file device is provided with an enlargement/reduction processing function, the responsiveness of the image file device is improved, the control procedure between the image file device and the printer is simplified, and the entire control system for printing out images is improved. It improves responsiveness and avoids hardware duplication.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image relay device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Serial transceiver for image file device interface, 2... Parallel receiver for image file device interface, 19... Transceiver for printer interface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] an interface A connected to an image file device, an interface B connected to a printer, an interface conversion means for buffering and converting image data received at the interface A, and transmitting the image data from the interface B; and the buffering unit. 1. An image relay apparatus comprising: an enlargement/reduction processing means for enlarging or reducing image data to be printed at a ratio determined based on the size/resolution of the data and the paper size/resolution of the printer.