JPH05227419A - Output and input information device and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an information output device which can extract a desired chrominance component from color picture data and output it. CONSTITUTION:A printer 1 fetches color picture data through an input control part 1. A color component extraction part 5 extracts the desired chrominance component from fetched picture data and a luminance modulation part 6 adjusts luminance as for the extracted picture. The color at the time of outputting picture data which is thus generated is newly designated separated from an extracted color. Picture data which are thus generated are recorded on paper by a printing output part 8 to be printed and outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information output device for outputting a color image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an information output device (for example, a color page printer system) which receives a color image and outputs the color image, the input color image is subjected to appropriate color conversion according to output characteristics. , Was doing output.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following drawbacks.

When a user wants to obtain a desired color component image forming a color image, such as a block copy image of a print or a color comp, or an image obtained by subjecting a desired color component image to luminance modulation, an image data source is used. It was necessary to separate the color image into a color component image on the host computer side, perform an appropriate luminance change process if necessary, and then input the image to the output device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and provides an information output device capable of color-separating an input color image to take out a desired color component and outputting the image in a designated color. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the information output device of the present invention has the following configuration.

An information output device for outputting color image data, comprising: an extracting means for extracting a desired color component image of the color image data; a means for newly designating the color of the extracted color component image; and the designated color. And output means for outputting the color component image.

Alternatively, there is provided an information output device for outputting color image data information, which comprises an extracting means for extracting a desired color component image of the color image data, and an adjusting means for adjusting the brightness of the extracted color component image. It is characterized by further comprising a unit for newly designating the color of the extracted color component image and an output unit for outputting the brightness-adjusted color component image in the designated color.

The information output method of the present invention has the following configuration.

An information output method for outputting color image data, comprising: an extracting step of extracting a desired color component image of the color image data; a step of newly specifying a color of the extracted color component image; And an output step of outputting the color component image.

Alternatively, there is provided an information output method for outputting color image data information, which comprises an extracting step of extracting a desired color component image of the color image data, and an adjusting step of adjusting the brightness of the extracted color component image. It is characterized by further comprising a step of newly specifying the color of the extracted color component image and an output step of outputting the brightness-adjusted color component image in the specified color.

[0012]

With the above arrangement, color image data is color-separated to extract a desired color, and an image with appropriate brightness modulation is output.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) A color page printer will be described in detail as a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Description of Configuration (FIG. 1)> FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a color page printer of this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a color page printer body. In the printer 1, 3 is a main control unit, which is composed of a CPU and its peripheral circuits that control the overall printer of this embodiment according to a program shown in FIG.

An input control unit 2 is a control unit for controlling input of color image information and the like sent from a host computer.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a main storage unit, which stores an information output program executed by the main control unit 3 and data therefor, and image information received or output.

Reference numeral 5 is a color component extraction unit, which extracts an arbitrary color component of the input color image data, as will be described later.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a brightness modulator for carrying out brightness modulation of the extracted color components, which performs γ conversion according to the output color. An output color designation unit 7 designates a color so that the luminance-modulated color component image is output in the designated color.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a print output unit, <color component extraction method (FIG. 2)> An example of the color component extraction method performed by the color component extraction unit 5 in the printer 1 having the above configuration is shown in FIG. And will be described below.

As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, color conversion is performed by 3 × 3 primary conversion. In the formula of FIG. 2, (x1, y1, z1) on the left side is the color component to be extracted, the 3 × 3 matrix on the right side is the conversion matrix,
(X2, y2, z2) is the image data before conversion. The data before conversion is, for example, data having RGB components. If the image to be extracted is a yellow image, conversion is performed by setting the values of the 3 × 3 matrix so that the yellow image is extracted from RGB, and if the yellow component is extracted from the result obtained on the left side, The image data becomes the extracted image. Of course, it is not necessary to convert unnecessary data, and the color to be extracted and the color of the original image are not particularly limited.

<Explanation of Processing Procedure (FIG. 3)> Next, the processing in the printer 1 in this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

As described above, the printer 1 includes the main controller 3
Under the control of, the following processing is executed according to the information output program stored in the main storage unit 4.

When the input image information is sent from a host computer (not shown) and the input control unit 2 detects the image information, the process of step S1 is started.

In step S1, it is first checked whether or not the color component is extracted from the image data. The basis for this determination is an instruction relating to the extraction of the color component sent together with the image information or in advance of the image information.

If the color components are not extracted, the process proceeds to step S5, where the input image is subjected to necessary processing and output. For example, if the input image is a natural image of the output image, in this case, the process for the input image is not particularly necessary.

If the color component is to be extracted, the color component designated in step S2 is extracted, and then the process of step S3 is performed. The processing in step S2 is the matrix calculation as described above, and the luminance modulation processing in step S3 is the γ conversion performed in the same manner as the matrix calculation shown in FIG.

After that, the process of step S4 is performed. In step S4, the color of the extracted image data is converted into the designated color. Normally, the designated color in step S4 is black.
Therefore, the image obtained in step S3 may be output as it is. The color designation may be performed simultaneously with the designation of the color to be extracted before step S1. Also, since it is normally black, it is specified to output in black unless otherwise specified. When the image data to be output is created in this way, the image is recorded on a sheet and output in step S5. The recording method may be any method as long as it can record a color image, and can be realized by, for example, an inkjet method or an electrophotographic method.

The ink jet system shown in FIG. 5 will be described as an output system for realizing the apparatus of this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 809 is a head cartridge having a color ink jet recording head, and 811 is a carriage for mounting the head cartridge for scanning in the S direction in the figure. 813 is a carriage 8 with a head cartridge 809.
Numeral 815 is a hook for attaching to the hook 11, and lever 815 is a lever for operating the hook 813. This lever 815 has
A marker 817 is provided for indicating a scale provided on a cover, which will be described later, so that the print position, the set position, etc. of the recording head of the head cartridge can be read.
Reference numeral 819 is a support plate that supports an electrical connection portion for the head cartridge 809. Reference numeral 821 is a flexible cable for connecting the electric connection part and the main body control part.

Reference numeral 823 denotes a guide shaft for guiding the carriage 811 in the S direction, which is inserted through a bearing 825 of the carriage 811. Reference numeral 827 denotes a timing belt to which a carriage 811 is fixed and which transmits power for moving the carriage 811 in the S direction, and is stretched around pulleys 829A and 829B arranged on both sides of the device. The driving force is transmitted from the carriage motor 831 to one pulley 829B via a transmission mechanism such as a gear.

Reference numeral 833 denotes a platen roller that regulates a recording surface of a recording medium such as paper (hereinafter also referred to as recording paper) and conveys the recording medium at the time of recording, which is driven by a conveying motor 835. Reference numeral 837 denotes a paper pan for guiding the recording medium from the paper feed tray side to the recording position, and 839.
Is a feed roller which is arranged in the middle of the feeding path of the recording medium to press the recording medium toward the platen roller 833 and convey the same. Reference numeral 841 denotes a paper discharge roller which is arranged on the downstream side of the recording position in the recording medium conveyance direction and discharges the recording medium toward a paper discharge port (not shown). 8
Reference numeral 42 is a spur provided corresponding to the paper discharge roller 841 and presses the roller 841 via the recording medium to generate a conveyance force of the recording medium by the paper discharge roller 841. 843
Is a feed roller 839 for setting the recording medium, etc.
A release lever for releasing the urging force of the pressing plate 845 and the spur 842.

Reference numeral 845 is a pressing plate for suppressing the floating of the recording medium in the vicinity of the recording position and for ensuring a close contact with the platen roller 833. In this embodiment, an ink jet recording head is used as a recording head for recording by ejecting ink. Therefore, the distance between the ink ejection port forming surface of the recording head and the recording surface of the recording medium is relatively small, and the distance must be strictly controlled to avoid contact between the recording medium and the ejection port forming surface. Therefore, it is effective to dispose the pressing plate 845. Reference numeral 847 is a scale provided on the pressing plate 845, and reference numeral 849 is a marker provided on the carriage 811 corresponding to the scale, by which the print position and the set position of the recording head can be read.

Reference numeral 851 denotes a cap made of an elastic material such as rubber which faces the ink ejection port forming surface of the recording head at the home position, and is supported so as to be able to contact / disengage from the recording head. The cap 851 is used for protection of the recording head at the time of non-recording, and for ejection recovery processing of the recording head. The ejection recovery process is to eject the ink from all the ejection ports by driving the energy generating element that is provided inside the ink ejection port and is used for ejecting the ink, whereby bubbles, dust, and viscosity increase. Processing for removing ejection failure factors such as ink that has become unsuitable for recording (preliminary ejection), or processing for removing ejection failure factors by forcibly ejecting ink separately from the ejection ports.

The cap 853 acts as a suction force for the forced discharge of ink, and the cap 853 is used for the discharge recovery process by the forced discharge and the discharge recovery process by the preliminary discharge.
1 is a pump used for sucking the ink demanded. Reference numeral 855 is a waste ink tank for storing the waste ink sucked by the pump 853, and 857 is a tube for connecting the pump 853 and the waste ink tank 855.

Reference numeral 859 denotes a blade for wiping the ejection port forming surface of the recording head, and a position for projecting to the recording head side for wiping in the course of moving the head and a retreat not engaging with the ejection port forming surface. It is movably supported in position and. Reference numeral 861 is a recovery system motor, and 863 is a cam device for receiving power from the recovery system motor 861 to drive the pump 853 and move the cap 851 and the blade 859, respectively. Note that this example is an example of a bubble jet, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to an aerodetic system in which ink is ejected by using an air flow.

According to the apparatus having the configuration and processing procedure as described above, it is possible to extract a component image of a desired color based on the received color image data and print out the image in the desired color.

[0038]

Other Embodiment (Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 1 described above, a color comp can be obtained by replacing the γ conversion processing in step S3 in the flowchart of FIG. 3 with color inversion processing.

(Embodiment 3) As shown in FIG. 4, the input panel 9 is added to the configuration of FIG. 1 so that an instruction for extracting a component color image and an instruction for coloring an extracted image can be issued from the host. It is also possible to cause the operator to make an input from panel 9 instead of the remote instruction.

Further, even when the image data itself is not received from the host but is obtained by an input from an image scanner or an input from a portable storage medium such as a flexible disk, the same as in the above embodiment. Can be processed.

Although the output section is limited to print output, it can be applied to display output.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0043]

As described above, according to the information output apparatus of the present invention, the input color image is color-separated to extract the desired color component, and the image is output in the designated color. There is an effect that you can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an information output device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a luminance modulation method in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing information output in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram of an information output device in another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a mechanism diagram of a print output unit according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 information output device, 2 input control unit, 3 main control unit, 4 main storage unit, 5 color component extraction unit, 6 luminance modulation unit, 7 output color designation unit.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G06F 15/72 310 9192-5L H04N 1/46 9068-5C

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An information output device for outputting color image data, comprising: an extracting unit for extracting a desired color component image of the color image data; a unit for newly specifying a color of the extracted color component image; An information output device, comprising: an output unit that outputs the color component image in a designated color. 2. An information output device for outputting color image data information, comprising: extracting means for extracting a desired color component image of the color image data; and adjusting means for adjusting the brightness of the extracted color component image. An information output device comprising: a unit that newly designates a color of the extracted color component image; and an output unit that outputs the luminance-adjusted color component image in the designated color. 3. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein said output means is a print output. 4. An information output method for outputting color image data, comprising: an extracting step of extracting a desired color component image of the color image data; a step of newly specifying a color of the extracted color component image; An output step of outputting the color component image in a designated color, the information output method comprising: 5. An information output method for outputting color image data information, comprising an extracting step of extracting a desired color component image of the color image data, and an adjusting step of adjusting the brightness of the extracted color component image. An information output method comprising: a step of newly specifying a color of the extracted color component image; and an output step of outputting the brightness-adjusted color component image in the specified color.