JPH05130398A - Full color image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply set the adjustment mode in response to a kind of an original even by the unskillful user by providing a diversified picture adjustment function useful for reproduction of full color to the device. CONSTITUTION:A create menu pattern is displayed on a message display device 106 in addition to a basic operation pattern and an adjustment pattern for color balance, sharpness and gamma characteristic or the like is displayed and the adjustment mode is entered on the adjustment pattern. On the other hand, an original selection section 160 is placed on an operation panel 106 and the type of originals is entered by keys 161-164. In response to the type of the original entered by the keys 161-164, the color balance, sharpness and gamma characteristic are set to the prescribed adjustment mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a full-color image forming device,
In particular, it relates to a full-color image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet by an electrophotographic method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, electrophotographic copying machines for reproducing full color have been equipped with various image adjusting functions such as color balance, sharpness, γ characteristics (relationship between the density of an original image and the density of a copied image). ing. In particular, when used for design purposes, a slight color shift is also a problem, so a function that allows very fine adjustment is included.

However, it is extremely difficult for a normal user to make full use of this type of image adjusting function, and the image adjusting function is in the initial setting and is not used at present.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the object of the present invention is to
Equipped with various image adjustment functions useful for full-color reproduction,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a full-color image forming apparatus in which even a normal user can easily set an adjustment mode according to the type of document. In order to achieve the above object, the full-color image forming apparatus according to the present invention inputs a plurality of image adjusting means for adjusting digitized image information for each of various items and an adjusting mode to each of the image adjusting means. A first operation means, a second operation means for inputting a type of image information, a second operation means
Adjustment mode instructing means for instructing each image adjusting means to a predetermined adjustment mode based on an input from the operation means.

The image adjusting means are, for example, a color balance adjusting means, a sharpness adjusting means, and a γ characteristic adjusting means. For users who require strict full color reproducibility, the first operation means is used to finely adjust these image adjustment items. On the other hand, for a normal user, the second operation means is used to easily set the adjustment mode suitable for the type of document. The type of document is a character document, a photographic document, or a map document, and when a character document is selected by the second operation means, a predetermined adjustment mode suitable for the character document, for example, black characters are reproduced in black in color balance. In order to achieve this, the black level is raised slightly above the median value, and in sharpness, the sharpness level is raised slightly above the median value in order to strongly reproduce the character outline. Further, in the γ characteristic, the high density portion is emphasized, and the low density portion is set to a level that does not reproduce.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A full-color image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments described below, the present invention is applied to a digital full color copying machine equipped with an image reading device. In FIG. 1, the full-color copying machine includes an image reading unit 1 and a laser beam scanning optical system 10 in the upper stage, a full-color image forming unit 20 in the middle stage, and a paper feed unit 50 in the lower stage.

The image reading section 1 includes a document scanning unit 2 which is movable in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and an image signal processing unit 7 which processes the image signal read here into an image forming signal.
It consists of and. The document scanning unit 2 exposes a document placed on a document table glass (not shown), an exposure lamp 3, a rod lens array 4 that collects reflected light from the document, and converts the collected light into an electric signal. The contact type CCD color sensor 5 is provided. The document scanning unit 2 stands by at the home position on the right side in FIG. 1, scans the document while moving in the direction of arrow A, and scans the document image in R (red) and G
It is read as color signals of three primary colors of (green) and B (blue). The image signal processing unit 7 converts the R, G, and B color signals photoelectrically converted by the color sensor 5 into C (cyan) and M
(Magenta), Y (yellow), Bk (black) 4
It is converted into an image forming image signal corresponding to the color.

The laser beam scanning optical system 10 comprises a laser output unit 11, a polygon mirror 12, an unillustrated fθ lens system, a mirror 13 and the like. The laser output unit 11 outputs the C, M, Y, and Bk image signals output from the image signal processing unit 7 as laser beams for each color. The polygon mirror 12 rotating at a constant speed scans the laser beam in one plane at an equal angular speed, and irradiates the photosensitive drum 21 rotating in the arrow B direction through the fθ lens system and the mirror 13. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor drum 21.

The full-color image forming unit 20 includes the photosensitive drum 2
1 and the transfer drum 24. Around the photosensitive drum 21, a charging charger 22, a developing unit 23, a transfer drum 24, a cleaner 25 for residual toner, and an eraser lamp 26 for residual charge are arranged. The developing unit 23 has developing units 23M, 23C, 23Y, and 23Bk containing developer containing magenta, cyan, yellow, and black toner sequentially from the top, and is movable in the vertical direction integrally with the photoconductor. Each time an electrostatic latent image of each color is formed on the drum 21, the corresponding developing device is set at the developing position to perform development.

The transfer drum 24 is rotatably driven in the direction of arrow C in synchronism with the photosensitive drum 21, and a suction charger 31 for sucking a sheet on the surface of the transfer drum 24 is provided inside and outside the transfer drum 24. A paper pressing roller 32 that can be brought into contact with and separated from the drum 24, a transfer charger 33 for transferring toner onto the paper, charge removing chargers 34, 35,
Separation claw 3 for separating the paper from the transfer drum 24
6, a cleaner 37 for residual toner, and a sensor 38 for detecting the reference position of the transfer drum 24 are arranged.

At the time of forming a full-color image, M, C, Y, and Bk toner images are sequentially formed on the photosensitive drum 21, and the toner images are sequentially transferred onto the paper wound around the transfer drum 24. Are synthesized. When the four images are combined on the paper, the separation claw 36 operates to separate the paper from the transfer drum 24. Further, the cleaner 37 operates to remove the residual toner on the transfer drum 24.

The paper feed unit 50 has a specific size (for example, A4 size).
It is composed of three-stage paper feed trays 51, 52, 53 for accommodating sheets of landscape, A4 portrait, B3 portrait). The paper is one of the paper feed trays 51, 5 selected by the operator.
Sheets are fed one by one from 2, 53, and are conveyed to a suction portion of the transfer drum 24 by a conveying roller. Further, a manual paper feed tray 54 is installed in this copying machine so that the operator can manually insert the paper into the image forming unit 20.

On the other hand, the sheet separated from the transfer drum 24 is sent to the fixing device 42 by the conveyor belt 41,
After the toner is fixed here, the toner is discharged from the discharge roller 43 onto the paper discharge tray 44. Next, operation means for inputting a mode for editing or adjusting image information for each of various items will be described.

FIG. 2 shows a tablet device 70. The tablet device 70 includes a coordinate detection unit 71 and an input pen 75 for designating a coordinate input position. The coordinate detection unit 71 includes a function setting unit 72, a color registration unit 73, and a character input unit 74. The coordinate detection unit 71 detects the XY coordinates touched by the input pen 75 and determines the content designated by the input pen 75 from the coordinates.

FIG. 3 shows an operation panel 100 on which the following operation means and display means are installed. 101: Copy start key. 102: Panel reset key. Initializes all currently set processing modes.

103: Numeric keypad for setting a numeral. 104: Clear key. Clear the number. 105: Stop key. Stop the copy operation. 106: Message display. A plurality of menu selection screens and guidance screens for setting the image processing / adjustment mode shown in FIGS. 4 to 8 are displayed. Although not shown, the guidance screen is for explaining to the user the functions of various image processing / adjustment modes provided in the copying machine. Even the user who uses the copying machine for the first time can easily understand the contents and setting method of the image processing / adjustment mode from the guidance screen.

107: Cursor movement key. Message display 1
06 Move the cursor that appears on the top, bottom, left and right,
Select the image processing / adjustment mode menu. 108: Enter key. The cursor movement key 107 is used to confirm the processing menu selected or to move to the next menu selection screen. 109: Return key. Instruct to move to the previous screen among the plurality of menu selection screens.

110: Create key. Message display 10
6 is switched to the basic operation screen 120 shown in FIG. 4 and the create menu screen 130 shown in FIG. 111: Guidance key. Message display 10
Switch the display of 6 to the guidance screen.

112: Zoom up / down key for copy magnification. Figure 4
When the basic operation screen 120 shown in is displayed, the copy magnification is set. 113a-113g: Multi-function keys. Figure 4
When the basic operation screen 120 shown in (1) or another screen is displayed, these keys set the corresponding processing / adjustment mode on the screen.

114: Automatic magnification setting mode key When this key is turned on, the optimum copy magnification is automatically set from the document size and copy paper size. 115: Automatic paper selection mode key. When this key is turned on, the most cut paper size is automatically selected from the document size and the copy magnification. 116: Manual mode key. When this key is turned on, the copy magnification and the paper size are selected manually.

FIG. 4 shows a basic operation screen 120, which is initially displayed on the message display 106. This screen is composed of the following display units. 121: A message display section for the user. On the right side, the number of copies (the number of copies) set by the operator is displayed.

122: A display unit for the currently selected paper size. 123: A display unit for the currently set copy magnification. 124: A display unit for displaying the size of the paper stored in the paper feed unit 50. 125a to 125f: Display sections for menu selection items. Multi-function key 113a located under these
~ 113f selected, the selected item is inverted.

There are basic operation screens other than those shown in FIG. 4. By switching to other screens, various items can be set using the multifunction keys 113a to 113g. FIG. 5 shows the create menu screen 130, which is composed of the following display sections.

131: Title display section. 132: Basic copy mode display section. Basic operation screen 1
The copy mode (paper size, magnification, number of sheets) set in 20 is displayed. 133: A display section for menu selection items. "Full color",
A plurality of adjustment items such as “color balance” are displayed, and necessary items are selected by moving the cursor. The cursor is moved up, down, left and right by the cursor moving key 107 shown in FIG. 3, and the selected item is highlighted. When the enter key 108 is turned on, the screen is switched to the screen for setting the detailed adjustment mode of the selected item (see FIGS. 6 and 7). When the setting of the adjustment mode for one item is completed and the enter key 108 is turned on again, the screen returns to the create menu screen 130, and the diamond mark 135 is displayed on the set item.

134: Cancel display section. It is displayed that the multifunction key 113g located on the right side has a cancel function. Specifically, to cancel the adjustment mode of an item that has already been set, the cursor may be moved to that item and the multifunction key 113g may be turned on. FIG. 6 shows a color balance adjustment screen 140 selected from the create menu screen 130, which is composed of the following display units.

141: Title display section. 142: Color selection display section. The selected color item is highlighted by moving the cursor. 143: Level display section. The density level is displayed in 9 levels for each color. In the initial state, each color is set to a median value (indicated by hatching in FIG. 6), and is set to an arbitrary level by moving the cursor.

144: Clear display section. Multi-function key 11
It is displayed that 3 g has a function of clearing the color balance setting to the initial state. FIG. 7 shows a sharpness adjustment screen 150 selected from the create menu screen 130, which is composed of the following display sections. 151: Title display section.

152: Level display section. The sharpness is displayed in seven levels and the strength level is displayed. In the initial state, the median value (Fig. 7
It is set to the middle shaded line) and is set to an arbitrary level by moving the cursor. 153: Clear display section. Multi-function key 11
It is displayed that 3 g has a function of clearing the sharpness setting to the initial state.

Although there are screens relating to "γ characteristic", "copy density", etc. in the adjustment screen, their explanation is omitted. Create menu screen 1 described above
Although it is important for those involved in designing to adjust various items of full-color reproducibility by using 30, some skill is required. On the other hand, it is preferable for a normal user to be able to adjust the reproducibility of full color with the simplest operation possible. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a document selection operation unit 160 for easily adjusting the image reproducibility according to the type of document is provided on the left side of the operation panel 100 shown in FIG. The types of manuscripts include a character manuscript containing only characters, a photo / character manuscript in which photographs and characters are mixed, a photo manuscript containing only photographs, and a map manuscript. On the operation unit 160, keys 161, 162, 163, 164 for selecting them and display LEDs 165, 166, 167,
168 is installed. It should be noted that the selection of the original by the keys 161 to 164 is alternative, and only one type can be selected.

Table 1 below shows the contents of the automatic adjustment mode depending on the type of original.

[0031]

[Table 1]

By the way, the present copying machine can form an image not only in the full color copy mode but also in the mono color copy mode. Therefore, a method of selecting a monocolor copy mode and newly registering a desired monocolor will be described. To select and register a mono color, the item "mono color" is selected on the create menu screen 130 shown in FIG. 5, and the enter key 104 is turned on.
As a result, a monocolor selection / registration screen 170 shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the message display 106. On the screen 170, six registered mono-color display parts 171 and three user-registered mono-color display parts 172 are arranged. Red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, and cyan are registered in advance in each segment of the display unit 171. Therefore, to select one of these mono colors, the cursor moving key 107 is operated to invert the desired mono color display segment, and the enter key 104 is used to confirm it.

On the other hand, each display segment of the display unit 172 is blank, and the user can register any color. For example, to newly register in the upper display segment, move the cursor to the upper display segment and
The portion corresponding to the desired color of the color registration portion 73 of the tablet device 70 shown in FIG. With this,
The upper display segment blinks to indicate that color registration has started. Next, input the color name to be registered in the character input section 74 of the tablet device 70 with the input pen 75.
Press one character at a time. When the character input is completed, the part of the character input section 74 displayed as “End” (not shown in FIG. 2) is pushed by the input pen 75. This completes the mono-color registration, and as shown in FIG. 8B, for example, "pink" is registered in the upper display segment.

Further, the cancel display section 173 displays that the multifunction key 113g on the operation panel 100 has a cancel function. Here key 1
By turning on 13g, the registration of the display segment in which the cursor is moved in the user registration mono-color display portion 172 is canceled. As described above, in this copying machine, by providing the mono-color selection / registration screen 170, an arbitrary mono-color image forming mode can be registered and displayed as a color name. Others can easily check the currently registered mono-color.

FIG. 9 shows a control circuit of the copying machine, which is the first CPU 2 for controlling the image forming section 20 and the sheet feeding section 50.
01 and the second CPU 211 for controlling the image reading unit 1
And a third CPU 221 that controls the operation panel 100. Signals are input to the first CPU 201 from the sensor group 202 installed at various places of the image forming unit 20 and the paper feeding unit 50 and detecting a paper passing state or the like via the IC 203. In addition, the first CPU 201 is the IC 20
4, various motors of the image forming unit 20 and the paper feeding unit 50,
A control signal is output to a drive circuit group 205 that drives solenoids and the like. Further, the first CPU 201 also outputs a control signal to the image signal processing circuit 215.

Signals from a sensor group 213 for detecting various states of the image reading section 1 are input to the second CPU 211. The second CPU 211 also controls the motor drive circuit 212 of the scanning unit 2, the reading circuit 214 of the CCD color sensor 5, and the image signal processing circuit 215. CCD
The image data from the color sensor 5 is input to the image signal processing circuit 215, and the processed image signal is output from the image signal processing circuit 215 to the laser diode drive circuit 216 via the data bus 217.

The third CPU 221 has an operation panel 100.
Various input signals from the tablet device 70 are input via the parallel I / O 223, and coordinate signals from the tablet device 70 are input via the A / D conversion I / O 224. Also, the third CPU
A liquid crystal display type message display 106 is connected to the 221 via an LCD controller 225, and various kinds of display described above are performed on the message display 106 by controlling ON / OFF for each dot.

Further, the third CPU 221 is the ROM 20.
6, RAM207 is provided. The ROM 206 stores a control program for the operation panel 100 and display data for the message display 106. RAM20
Reference numeral 7 temporarily stores various parameters in the control program. Furthermore, the third CPU 221 uses the serial I / O 22
Serial communication is performed with the CPUs 201 and 211 via the port 2.

FIG. 10 shows the image signal processing circuit 215,
It consists of the following sections: 231: a correcting part for the shooting. CCD color sensor 5
The image data is received from and the sensitivity unevenness of each pixel is corrected. 232: Color conversion / color correction unit. A color conversion process for converting a designated color into another color, a color erasing process, a mono-colorization process, etc. are executed.

233: MTF correction unit. Edge enhancement processing and smoothing processing that is the reverse of this are executed. 234: Magnification / movement processing unit. 235: γ correction unit. Adjust the γ characteristic curve. 236: Masking correction unit. The R, G, B image data output from the CCD color sensor 5 is converted into image data of Y, M, C, Bk which are toner colors.

237: Density adjusting unit. Adjust each Y, M, C, Bk color balance. After the image adjustment is performed in each of the above sections, the image data is sent to the laser diode drive circuit 216 to control the laser emission. In addition, the image signal processing circuit 215
An operation instruction is issued from the CPU 201 or 211.
Therefore, the processing / adjustment mode set on the operation panel 100 is transmitted from the CPU 221 to the processing circuit 215 via the CPUs 201 and 211.

The full-color image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified within the scope of the gist. For example, it may be a full-color printer in which the image signal from the host computer is input to the image signal processing circuit 215 instead of the image reading unit 1.

[0043]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a plurality of image adjusting means for adjusting the digitized image information for each of various items are provided, and the image adjusting is performed by the first operating means. Since the adjustment mode is input to each of the means, the reproducibility of the full-color image can be finely adjusted. On the other hand, the type of image information (for example,
Provide a second operation means for inputting characters, photos, maps,
Since the predetermined adjustment mode is instructed to each image adjustment means by the second operation means, even a user who is not accustomed to fine image adjustment can very easily find an appropriate adjustment mode according to the type of image information. Can be set to.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of a full-color image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a full-color copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tablet device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a basic operation screen displayed on the display.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a create menu screen displayed on the display.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a color balance adjustment screen displayed on the display.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a sharpness adjustment screen displayed on the display.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a mono-color selection / registration screen displayed on the display.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a control circuit.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an image signal processing circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image reading unit 10 ... Laser beam scanning optical system 20 ... Full color image forming unit 100 ... Operation panel 130 ... Create menu screen 140 ... Color balance adjustment screen 150 ... Sharpness adjustment screen 201, 211, 221 ... CPU 215 ... Image signal Processing circuit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoichi Kawabuchi, 2-13-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Minato Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Yamashita Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 2-13-3 Azuchi-cho, Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toru Okaya 2-3-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Incorporated Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaya Hirota 2-3-13 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshihiko Hirota 2-3-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image adjusting means for adjusting digitized image information for each of various items, a first operating means for inputting an adjustment mode to each of the image adjusting means, and a type of image information. A full-color image forming apparatus comprising: a second operation unit for inputting; and an adjustment mode instructing unit for instructing each image adjusting unit to a predetermined adjustment mode based on an input from the second operating unit. Imaging device.