JPH0343622B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a color image reproducing device that reproduces a color image corresponding to an original color image. In a color copying machine using an electrophotographic method, colors are usually obtained by a combination of several kinds of color separation filters for color-separating a color original and a developer containing several kinds of color pigments. For example, a blue filter, a green filter, and a red filter are used as color separation filters, and yellow (hereinafter referred to as Y), magenta (hereinafter referred to as M), and cyan (hereinafter referred to as C) developers are used as developers.
In order to obtain a copy that reproduces a normal color original as it is, in a color copying machine as shown in FIG.
Using BF, color original 1 is exposed to color separation, and Y
and Y (red and green), develop it with a Y developer 17, and transfer it to paper 6,
Next, in step 2, color separation exposure is performed using a green filter GF to create latent images of M and colors containing M (red and blue),
Developed with M developer 18 and transferred to paper 16, then in step 3 using red filter RF of filter 4,
Colors containing C and C (green and blue) after color separation exposure
A latent image is created, developed by a C developer 19, and transferred onto paper 16. In this way, the Y, M, and C images are successively transferred onto paper, and the images are fixed by the thermal fixing device 11 to obtain a copy. As mentioned above, conventionally, a copy that faithfully reproduces the colors of the original can be obtained in three steps after determining the combination of color separation filters and developer. It is easy to imagine that a color different from the original color will be reproduced by changing the combination of the color separation filter and developer mentioned above or changing the number of steps from the three mentioned above, but it is possible to reproduce a color different from the original color. The combination of the color separation filter and the developer based on the relationship is quite complicated. Furthermore, it takes time to process an original in one or two colors using the above-described steps for faithfully reproducing the original. However, even if the combination of developer and filter can be washed manually, it is unclear whether it will be able to faithfully reproduce the original, or which colors of the original will change, resulting in the hassle of operating while comparing color charts. It takes. An object of the present invention is to simplify the specifying operation for converting any predetermined color of an original color image to any other color, and to provide a storage means for storing a plurality of control data for color image reproduction using different color conversions. An object of the present invention is to provide a color image reproducing device which is equipped with the following and controls color image reproduction using one piece of control data in a storage means. Embodiments of the present invention will be explained below. Color reproduction using the subtractive color method is based on developers Y, M, and C, and by mixing these colors, red (mixture of Y and M), green (mixture of Y and C), and blue (mixture of M and C) are produced. It is well known that black (a mixture of Y, M, and C) can be obtained. It is also well known that the brightness changes depending on the amount of color, and when colors are mixed, the hue changes depending on the mixing ratio of each color. In the case of a color copying machine, the latent image potential corresponds to the brightness of the color of the original, and when this is developed, the resulting copy has a brightness corresponding to the brightness of the original, and in the case of color mixing, the latent image potential corresponds to the color mixing ratio of each color. If these are developed individually, the colors will have the same color mixture ratio. Therefore, when considering color conversion, it is sufficient to consider only the hue. Here, we will consider a standard mixed color, as it is difficult to describe it as colors with various mixing ratios can be considered.Standard red...mixture of equal amounts of Y and M (hereinafter referred to as R or YM)
) Standard green...mixture of equal amounts of Y and C (hereinafter referred to as G or YC
) Standard blue...mixture of equal amounts of C and M (hereinafter referred to as V or CM
) Standard black...mixture of equal amounts of Y, M, and C (hereinafter referred to as Bk or YMC). This is an ideal case, and in reality, due to the light reflection characteristics of the developer, it cannot necessarily be said that the colors are mixed in equal amounts, but even in that case, there will only be a slight shift to one side or the other, so consider this in practical terms. There is no problem. Also, the color that is the addition of Y to the standard red (usually orange) is called RY=
YYM, the color with M added (usually red) is RM=YMM, the color with Y added to the standard green (usually yellow-green) is GY=YYC, the color with C added (usually deep green) is GC=YCC, The color that is the standard blue plus C (usually Gunjiyo color) is called VC=
The color (usually reddish-purple) with MCC and M added is written as VM=MMC. Next, the colors of the original are M, R, Y, C, G, V,
Table 1 below shows the cases in which a latent image is formed on the photosensitive layer when Bk is subjected to color separation exposure using a color separation filter.

[Table] ○: Indicates a case where a latent image is formed.
That is, in Table 1, color conversion is possible by developing the areas where a latent image is formed with a suitable developer, and the areas where a latent image is not formed are in a "no color" state, that is, they are not copied. An example of converting one color of an original is shown in Table 2 below.

【table】

[Table] In Table 2, Examples 1 to 4 show the conversion from R to G. As can be seen from Table 2, the conversion is the same even if the combination of filter and developing color changes. Example 5 is a conversion from R to V, Example 6 is a conversion from R to C, Example 7 is a conversion from R to MR, and Example 8 is a conversion from Bk to R. Next, when a conversion from R to G is examined to see how the colors of other documents change when a specific color of the document is converted to a certain color, the results are as shown in Table 3 below. X is no color.

【table】

[Table] The purpose of R→G conversion has been achieved with only the first and second steps mentioned above, but even if the third step is color separation exposure and development with a red filter, the R→G conversion still remains. Since it is not related to , by adding this, more various conversion color combinations can be obtained as shown in Table 4 below.

[Table] From the above examples, the following can be said. (1) The combination of the color separation filter that converts one of the colors of the original, color A, into color B and the developing color is not limited to one type. Therefore, when specifying only the conversion from color A to color B, an appropriate combination may be selected from among these combinations. (2) When the first designation is to convert one of the colors A to B in the original, there are restrictions on the colors that other colors in the original can change; It is possible to specify 2. (3) By determining the combination of color separation filter and developing color, the color of the original will be determined. (4) By selecting a color separation filter, it is possible to remove certain colors from the original. In this embodiment, the display means for color conversion is constructed as shown in FIG. 2 in view of the above points. (A) Original color specification buttons ORGK (M, R, Y,
G, C, V, Bk selection buttons) and conversion color specification buttons COPYK (M, MMY, R,
MYY, Y, G, YCC, C, V, CMM, Bk selection buttons) and the "NON" button, which means "remove color" or "no color", are arranged in a matrix and displayed at their intersections. (B) To convert one color of the original to a certain color, press the corresponding specification button ORGK of the original and the corresponding specification button COPYK of the conversion color. The display means at the intersection lights up, and all the conversion colors that can be converted to the color of the document other than the specified one are displayed.At this time, if there is a case where "color does not appear", the NON part also lights up. Figures 2 and 3 are display examples of the display. For example, if R→G conversion is specified first, the second
R _r in the figure is displayed, and colors other than R are converted by combinations of various color separation filters and development colors that can convert from R to G. For example, [M→
G, C, Y, X,] [Y → G, X, Y, C,] [G
→G, X, Y, C, YYC, Bk, YCC, M,
R, V,] [C→X, Y, M, C] [V→X, G,
C, Y, M, YCC, Bk, YYC, V, R〕 [Bk
→G, YYC, Bk, YCC] are all displayed. (C) If you specify the first color conversion (state (B)) and further specify the second color conversion within the displayed conversion color range, the first and second specified 1
For other unspecified original colors, all conversion colors that satisfy the first and second conversions and that can be converted by the combination of color separation filter and developing color are displayed. . For example, if you specify R→G as the first conversion and G→Y as the second conversion, the display shown in Figure 2 will be displayed first when specifying the conversion R→G, and then when specifying G→Y, the display as shown in Figure 2 will be displayed.
Only the display of G5 in the figure remains, and the remaining displays of G1 to G14 (Figure 3) disappear.
G] [Y → Y, X] [C → X, Y] [V → C,
YYC, G] [Bk→G, YYC] is displayed. (D) Conversion specifications are performed in the same way one after another, and when one display is finally made for each “row” (each original color), the conversion specification ends and the combination of color separation filter and developed color is determined. The displayed or combined signals automatically control the copying machine process. FIGS. 4 and 8 show a combination display of a filter and a developing device. In FIG. 8, the indicators for the 1st stroke, 2nd stroke, and 3rd stroke from the left are each composed of 16 light emitting diodes 81 arranged in a matrix shape as shown in FIG. 4. (E) For each conversion specification, a command to end the specification (Fig. 27)
DPY165), the combination of color separation filter and developing color that satisfies the conversion color specifications up to that point is arbitrarily selected and displayed, and the copying machine process is automatically controlled by that signal. I'll do what I do. This function is extremely useful when there are only a few colors in the document, such as one or two colors, or when it is only necessary to convert one color. In the color conversion display and control system configured as described above, when the user specifies the first color conversion, the user can immediately understand what other colors will change to, and the second and third It is very easy to convert and specify colors, and if you only need to convert the desired color, you can give a command to end the specification midway through the conversion specification, making it extremely convenient to use, such as eliminating wasteful selection. It is good and has high utility value. Also, “NON” in the conversion color specification button
is not necessarily required (in this case, it can be represented by not displaying "line"), but the meaning of providing it is as follows. That is, when "NON" is specified, the original is copied with "no color". In other words, since that part is normally left as a white background, you can paint it with a different color. For example, when R→G is specified as the first priority, C can only be converted into Y, M, and C as a color. However, there may be cases where you want to use R or G. At this time, by specifying C → NON, it is possible to copy the C part in a "uncolored" state and apply the desired color later, which can be used in fields such as graphic design. It expands the range by one layer and is extremely useful. Further, as shown in Tables 3 and 4, in the embodiments of the present invention, there are cases in which three steps are required for a designated conversion, and cases in which two steps are required. Further, in the case of a certain kind of conversion specification, the conversion may be realized in only one step. In such a case, control is performed so that the process with the least number of steps is selected and executed. The above description has been made regarding color conversion using electrophotography; however, in the field of color printing, colors are created by a subtractive color method, and this color conversion apparatus is extremely effective. A control circuit for realizing the above display will be specifically described below. FIG. 5 shows an example of a color conversion setting device using a 4-bit parallel processing microcomputer. The part inside the dotted line in the figure is a well-known CPU (μ-COM4 manufactured by Nichiden).
ROM-1 is a read-only memory that stores programs for executing processes from key input to selection display, and ROM-2 stores combinations of original colors and converted colors and corresponding combinations of developers and filters. Figure 6a
The RAM shown in FIG. 6B is a read/write memory that temporarily stores key input data and data in ROM-2 during execution of the program, and is shown in FIG. 6B. The input/output devices I/O3 to I/O8 operate the color display shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the subsequent display circuit is shown in detail in FIG. Also, the address table in RAM is the 11th address table.
It is shown in the figure. Input/output devices I/O9 to I/OB operate the developing device and filter combination display shown in Figure 4, and the subsequent circuit is shown in detail in Figure 8. Shown in Figure c.
The key input input/output device I/O1 accepts the key inputs shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and is shown in FIG. 6d. In FIG. 6d, the key input signal line and the input timing signal line are 9 Key switch 9 as shown in figure
Connected to 1. These timing signals T ₀ -T ₇ are given as time-series pulses as shown in FIG.
Note that φ in FIG. 6d is a clock pulse for operating the CPU, and the clock pulse φROM,
It is also input to RAM, input/output device I/O, etc. Registers X and Y are for temporarily storing key input data. In FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, SW is a gate whose opening and closing are controlled by a control signal α etc. from the CPU. ROM-2 uses a well-known programmable memory (P-ROM). 7
1 and 81 are light emitting diodes, 72 and 82 are inverters, 73 is a Darlington amplifier, 83 is a decoder, and Vcc is a +5V power supply. To explain the general operation, the CPU first specifies the address of ROM-1 where the processing steps are programmed, the contents of the specified address are read into the CPU through the data signal line DB, and the CPU decodes it. According to the contents, ROM-2 data is processed within the CPU in chronological order from power-on, and ROM-2 data in the CPU is processed at other times.
Store it at a specified address in RAM,
Inputs data at a specified address in RAM into the CPU, sometimes outputs data in the CPU to the output signal line DB of the input/output section and displays it, or displays it on the input signal line DB of the input/output section. It inputs the key input contents into the CPU and performs color conversion processing. The detailed operation of this CPU is detailed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 51-36614, and the instructions in ROM-1 are detailed in the μ-COM4 user manual. The program of the flow chart shown in FIG. 12 for reading and displaying keys is stored in the ROM-1 in the form of sequential codes. The code is shown in Figure 13~
Follow the program flow shown in Figure 22. ROM-2
is the number of filter and developer combination in Figure 4.
It is a 4bit2 evolution code, and stores all combinations of 3 out of 16 types (3 steps) from O to F, and also encodes the color conversion results obtained when these combinations are executed. This has been done
It is stored in ROM-2. If we put this in a table,
It will look like Table 5. Start address X'600'
(X'' represents hexadecimal).Let the original color and the converted color be the codes in Table 6.

【table】

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A developing image that can reproduce a predetermined color of an original color image by converting it into another color, separates the original color image, and reproduces the color image using recording materials of a plurality of primary colors. an input means for manually inputting a combination of a pre-conversion color and a post-conversion color by specifying the two colors; Correspondingly, a display means for displaying in a recognizable manner the type of converted color that can be specified by the input means, an end instruction means for manually instructing the end of the input of the input means, and a color that is input before the instruction of the end instruction means. calculation means for generating control data for the developing means that enables color conversion of the combination; a first storage means having a recording area corresponding to control data generated from the means; in response to a second designation subsequent to a first designation of color conversion based on instructions from the input means and the end instruction means; a second storage means having a storage area corresponding to the control data generated from the calculation means; and the developing means based on one of the plurality of control data in the first and second storage means. 1. A color image reproducing device comprising a reproduction control means for controlling.