JPH06270472A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the load of software, to apply masking to recording data by simple constitution to perform recording and to enhance throughput when an image is stored by applying recording scanning to the same area two or more times. CONSTITUTION:In a recording apparatus wherein recording scanning is performed by a recording head to record an image on a medium to be recorded, mask data masking recording image is set to registers 101-116 and the recording timing signal synchronizing to the scanning of the recording head 6 is counted by a counter 401 and, corresponding to the count value, mask data is selected from the mask data set to the registers 101-116 by selectors 201-216. The OR of the selected mask data of recording data is taken to drive the recording head 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus which scans a recording head to record an image on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Printer devices for recording characters, images, etc. on a sheet material (recording medium) such as recording paper or a plastic thin plate are known, and the image forming process adopted in these printer devices is a wire forming process. There are a dot method, a thermal transfer method, an inkjet method, a laser beam method, and the like.
Further, as such a printer device, a serial type in which a carriage equipped with a recording head is scanned for recording, a line print type in which a line head is used to perform recording in line units, and a page print type in which recording is performed in page units are used. Printer device. Among them, in a serial type inkjet printer, an inkjet head (recording head) is mounted on a carriage that reciprocates left and right using a carriage motor as a drive source along the longitudinal direction of the platen, and the inkjet head is synchronized with scanning of the carriage. Are driven to eject ink from the ink ejection nozzles to form an image on the recording sheet material.

By the way, recently, as the demand for high-quality recording has increased, the density of recording heads has increased, and for example, 360 dots per inch (360 dots / inch (dp
i)) Inkjet printers equipped with inkjet heads (recording heads) having nozzles (recording elements) have become common, and sheet materials such as coated paper are not limited to inkjet-specific paper but plain paper. Can be recorded. In addition, with the increase in the recording density of the recording head, the process of receiving the bit format image data and recording it as a figure has become common.

In order to record such graphic data with high quality, particularly in the case of a serial printer, it is generated in the reciprocating direction of the carriage (main scanning direction) and the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. White streaks or black streaks must be prevented. Further, when the printer device is a color printer device, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of color unevenness in the image to be recorded.

Further, when recording on a recording medium such as plain paper or OHP paper, the absorption of ink is not as good as that of ink jet dedicated paper, so it is necessary to secure a time for the ink to be fixed on the recording medium. I have to. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the density of the ink adhering to the recording medium in a predetermined time. However, in the case of a color printer or the like, since inks of different colors are superposed and recorded at the same position, it is difficult to reduce the ink density below a certain level.

In order to solve the above problems, for example, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzles of the recording head having 64 nozzles are equally divided into L (L = 4, L ≧ 2 in the example of FIG. 16), and these divided nozzle blocks are used as one unit to sub-record the recording medium. Carry in the scanning direction. In this way, so-called multi-pass printing is widely performed in which an image having a width (one band) that can be printed by one scan of the print head is printed by reciprocally scanning the print head L times in the main scanning direction. In FIG.
Reference numeral 800 indicates the time of printing in the first pass, and the print head is located at this position. Reference numeral 801 denotes the second pass, at which time the recording medium is conveyed by a width of 16 nozzles in the sub-scanning direction. Similarly, 802 indicates the third pass, 803 indicates the fourth pass, and 804 indicates the fifth pass.

At this time, since recording is performed at different positions on the recording medium by using different nozzles for each pass, as shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 20, a continuous repeating pattern is prepared in units of M × N dots (16 × 16 in these figures) for each print pass, and print is performed while masking the print data for each print pass. 17 shows the pattern of the first pass, FIG. 16 shows the pattern of the second pass, FIG. 17 shows the pattern of the third pass, and FIG. 20 shows the pattern of the fourth pass. 17 to 20, ink is ejected from the corresponding nozzle when print data is present at the black dot position, and ink is masked at the white dot position even if there is print data, even though there is print data. Not discharged. The optimum values of the size (values of M and N) of the repeating pattern and the mask pattern thereof differ depending on the printer device or the recording mode. Conventionally, all such mask operations have been performed by software. Further, data transfer from the memory storing print data to the print head is also performed by software.

[0008]

As described above, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the mask operation for controlling the ink ejection from the nozzles of the recording head and the data transfer processing are all performed by software. There was a flaw. (1) Since mask data needs to be manipulated when print data is output, the load on software increases and high-speed printing cannot be performed. (2) Before scanning the carriage for printing, print data for one pass must be created by performing a mask operation, and for this reason, a memory area for storing print data for one line is further provided. It becomes necessary and leads to cost increase. (3) Since the mask process and the data transfer process are performed by software, the processing time by software is increased and the effective recording speed (throughput) is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus capable of masking recording data and recording with a simple structure while reducing software load. To do.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of increasing the throughput when an image is stored by performing recording scanning a plurality of times on the same area.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the recording apparatus of the first invention has the following structure. That is, a printing apparatus that prints an image on a print medium by performing print scan with a print head, and a mask setting unit that sets mask data for masking print data, and print timing in synchronization with the scan of the print head. A signal generating means for generating a signal, a selecting means for selecting the mask data set in the mask setting means by the recording timing signal, and a logical product of the mask data and the recording data selected by the selecting means are obtained. Drive means for driving the recording head.

The recording apparatus of the second invention has the following structure. That is, it has a recording means having a recording element array composed of a plurality of recording elements, divides the plurality of recording elements into a plurality of blocks, and uses a plurality of times by using different blocks for a predetermined area on the recording medium. In a printing apparatus that performs printing scan and prints a thinned image complementary to each other by the plurality of printing scans to perform image printing in the predetermined area, a storage unit that stores print data and a block corresponding to each block are provided. Setting means for setting a read address of the data of the storage means, and control means for DMA transfer of recording data from the storage means to the recording means independently for each block according to the address set by the setting means It is characterized by having.

[0013]

In the structure of the first aspect of the invention, the print timing signal is generated in synchronization with the print scan by the print head, and the print timing signal is set by the mask setting means for setting the mask data for masking the print data. Selected mask data. The logical product of the selected mask data and print data is calculated and the print head is driven to print.

In the second aspect of the invention, the read address of the storage means is set in the setting means for each block of the recording means, and the control means DMAs the recording data to the recording means independently for each block according to the set address. Forward.

[0015]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before describing the operation of this embodiment, the serial inkjet printer of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, in front of a platen 2 for backing up a sheet (recording medium such as a recording sheet or a plastic thin plate) 1, reciprocating left and right along guide shafts 3 and 4 installed in parallel therewith. A carriage 5 is provided. A recording head 6 that records an image on the sheet 1 according to recording data is mounted on the carriage 5. In this embodiment, the recording head 6 is an inkjet head having 64 nozzles. The carriage 5 includes a timing belt 1 wound around a pulley 8 driven by a carriage motor 7 and a driven pulley 9.
The carriage motor 7 is fixed at 0, and is reciprocated in the main scanning direction (F direction indicated by the arrow) by the rotation of the carriage motor 7. Then, the recording operation is performed in each of the forward and backward paths of this reciprocating motion.

The sheet 1 is inserted along the paper pan 11 and is supplied to a recording portion between the recording head 6 and the platen 2 by a sheet feeding roller (not shown) which is rotationally driven by a sheet feeding motor 12. . The sheet 1 fed to the recording unit is brought into close contact with a platen (fixed flat platen) 2 by a sheet pressing plate 13. The sheet 1 that has passed through the recording unit is conveyed and ejected by sheet ejection rollers 14 and 15 that are driven in synchronization with a sheet feeding roller (not shown).

At the home position, which is set outside the recording range of the recording head 6, there is provided a head recovering device 16 including a cap 17 and an ink suction means that closely contact and separate from the orifice surface of the recording head 6. ing. At the time of recording, the ink droplet ejecting means of the recording head 6 is synchronized with a signal output from a rotor linear coder 18 provided in parallel with the guide shaft 4 as the carriage 5 scans in the main scanning direction. The ink droplets ejected from the orifices inside the nozzles are attached to the sheet 1 by driving based on the recording data to form a dot pattern.

After the recording is completed, the recording head 6 is stopped at the home position, and the orifice surface of the recording head 6 is sealed by the cap 17 of the ink recovery device 16.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the ink jet printer device of FIG.

In FIG. 3, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21 of the printer device is connected to a host computer 20 via a recording data receiving section 22, and exchanges command data and character data from the host computer 20. . The CPU 21 includes a timer 25 that regulates the timing of processing operations, a font ROM (CG / ROM) 26 that stores fonts of characters and symbols, a control ROM 27 that stores control programs and various data for the CPU 21, and a reception ROM. A RAM 28 including a buffer and used as a work area of the CPU 21 is connected.

As a result, the CPU 21 is based on various command data and recording data transferred from the host computer 20, and various command signals input from the various switches 30 provided on the operation panel through the input port 29. Control the rotation of the carriage motor 7, the sheet feeding motor 12 and the like via the output port 31 and the motor drive circuit 32, and to the recording head (inkjet head) 6 via the head control unit 23 and the head drive unit 24. The recording data is output and the recording operation is controlled.

Further, the timer 25 is the carriage motor 7
Also, various time timings used for switching the excitation phase of the sheet feeding motor 12 are generated. Recording head 6
The output signal of the rotary encoder 18 used to determine the scanning position of the recording head 6 and to determine the drive timing of the recording head 6 is passed through the detection circuit 34 and the direction signal a and the count pulse signal as shown by a and b in FIG. molded into b. The method signal a and the count pulse b are input to the position counter 35, which is an up / down counter, and the CPU 21 outputs the position information of the recording head 6 via the register 36.
And is input to the head controller 23 and used as an up / down signal of an up / down counter (401: described later with reference to FIG. 1) described later. Further, the count pulse b is used as an interrupt signal of the CPU 21, and the CPU 21 receives the interrupt and the recording data register (40) provided in the head controller 23.
(2: See FIG. 1).

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the head control unit 23 of the printer apparatus of this embodiment. The parts common to those in the above drawings are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Reference numerals 101 to 116 are 16 as shown in FIG.
This register is composed of 16-bit flip-flops. 16-bit data is set to each of these flip-flops 101 to 116 from the CPU 21 via the data bus. Each of 201 to 216 is a 1-bit selector (16 to 1), which is a 4-bit selection signal output from a 4-bit up / down counter 401 out of 16-bit data input from each flip-flop. 1-bit data designated by 410 is selected and output as output signals 301 to 316.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the selection signal 410, which is the output value of the counter 401, and one bit selected by the registers 101 to 116, and the positional relationship with the nozzles of the recording head 6. Also, this up / down counter 40
1, a direction signal a and a count pulse b, which are output signals of the encoder detection circuit 34 described above, as shown in FIG.
And have been entered. With the movement of the carriage 5, the counter 401 is incremented by 1 with the count pulse b when the polarity of the direction signal a is high level, and is incremented by 1 with the count pulse b when the direction signal a is low level.

This count pulse b has a one-to-one correspondence with the drive timing of the recording head 9, and the timer 403
With the pulse width T set to, the enable signal 4 is synchronized with the falling edge of the count pulse b as shown in FIG.
04 is output. At this time, the data to be recorded is written from the CPU 21 to the 64-bit recording data register 402 composed of a flip-flop or the like via the data bus. The recording data register 402 has a two-stage latch structure, and is configured so that even if the next data is written while the recording head 6 is being driven, the current driving of the recording head 6 is not affected at all. . The 64-bit output signal from the recording data register 402 is input to the AND circuits 501 to 564 for each bit, and the output signal 30 of the data selectors 201 to 216 is output.
1 to 316 and a drive enable signal 404
Is input to each AND circuit. As a result, the enable signal 404 becomes high level, and the data selector 2
Only the nozzles selected from 01 to 216 can output a pulse signal for head drive to the head drive unit 24 according to the print data from the print data register 402.

With such a configuration, the flip-flop 10 is provided each time a signal from the encoder 18 is input, that is, each time the recording position of the recording head 6 is switched.
The output of the mask data stored in 1 to 116 is switched, and it becomes possible to develop and record a mask pattern of 16 bits × 16 bits on the recording paper surface.

6 and 7 are flow charts showing the control procedure in the ink jet printer apparatus of this embodiment, and the operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to this drawing.

The mask patterns set in the registers 101 to 116 of this embodiment are the same as the patterns shown in FIGS. Recording with a width of 64 nozzles by the recording head 6 is completed by four main scans using these mask patterns. In the patterns of FIGS. 17 to 20, when there is print data at the position of a black dot, the nozzle is driven by the print data, and at the position where there is no black dot, regardless of the presence or absence of the print data, that nozzle Is not driven. That is, the drive of the recording head 6 is masked. In this way, after one scan by the recording head 6 is completed, the recording paper is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by 16 nozzles.

In the flowchart of FIG. 6, after the power of the device is turned on, the device is initialized in step S101. At this time, when the carriage, that is, the recording head 6 is at the home position, the position counter 35 and the up / down counter 401 are cleared to "0". After that, the position counter 35 updates the count value (position of the recording head 6) each time the rising edge of the count pulse output signal b of the rotary encoder 18 is input,
The absolute position is shown. The count pulse signal b is input to the up / down counter 401, and by switching the count value, the selection bit position of the data selectors 201 to 216 is changed to obtain the logical product with the recording data. Change the mask pattern. Further, in this initial setting, the time value for determining the drive pulse width of the recording head 6 is set in the timer 403.

When a recording start command is input in step S102, the process proceeds to step S103 and registers 101 to 11 are entered.
The mask pattern for the first pass shown in FIG. 17 is set in FIG. That is, 000 FH in registers 101 to 104, F000 H in registers 105 to 108, and registers 109 to 109
0F00H to 112, 00F to registers 113 to 116
Set the 0H pattern. Here, "H" is 1
It shows a hexadecimal number. Next, in step S104, the carriage motor 7 is accelerated to a predetermined speed at which recording is possible, then switched to a constant speed, and when the value of the position counter 35 reaches the recording start position, the CPU 21 is enabled to interrupt the recording operation. To start. As a result, an interrupt occurs at the recording dot interval, and the interrupt process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 is executed.

In the interrupt processing routine of FIG. 7, the recording data for 64 nozzles, that is, for 4 words, is written in the recording data register 402 in step S201. Every time the recording position is switched, the up / down counter 401
Of the recording data register 40 and the mask data selected corresponding to this count value.
The logical product of the output value of 2 and the output value of 2 is obtained, and this value is output to the head drive unit 24 as an actual head drive pulse. In this way, the data obtained by taking the logical product of the print data and the mask pattern is output to the print head 6 for printing.
After the recording of one scan by the recording head 6 is completed, the process proceeds to step S105, the interrupt is disabled, and the recording paper is conveyed by the length corresponding to the recording width of 16 nozzles.

Thereafter, steps S103 to S1 of the first pass
Similar to 05, in steps S106 to S114, mask patterns corresponding to the respective paths (FIGS. 18 to 20).
Is set in the registers 101 to 116 to perform the recording operation. In this way, when the printing for four passes is completed and the printing for the width of 64 nozzles is completed, the process returns to step S102 and waits for the input of the next print start instruction.

By the control described above, it is possible to reduce the load on the software and to print by masking the print data with a mask pattern of 16 × 16 bits for each scan of the print head 6 with a simple structure. The following advantages can be obtained. (1) High-quality recording with no visible white or black streaks is possible. (2) Since the transfer density of ink in one scan can be reduced, the fixability of ink on plain paper is improved. (3) Since the mask registers 101 to 116 are rewritten each time the print head scans, it is possible to easily perform print position deviation correction during bidirectional printing.

In the above embodiment, the number of nozzles of the recording head 6 is 64 vertical nozzles, and the mask registers 101 to 1 are used.
16 x 16 bit mask pattern configuration,
Further, although the number of scans for printing the nozzle width of the print head 6 has been described as "4", it is obvious that a numerical value other than the above can be used.

In the above embodiment, the mask register 10 is used.
The signals for switching the mask data output from 1 to 116 are set to the count value of the up / down counter 401 that is updated based on the signal output from the rotary encoder 18. The count value may be updated by a signal from a linear encoder arranged in the main scanning direction instead of the signal of No.
You may output a trigger signal to 1.

The CPU 21 sets the recording data in the recording data register 402, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the recording data stored in the RAM 28 using the DMA function can be used. It may be directly transferred to the recording data register 402. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing a control example of the ink jet printer apparatus of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an inkjet printer device capable of color recording is used, and the recording head 6a is composed of four color heads of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.

In this embodiment, a mask register of 16 bits × 16 bits for storing a mask pattern is provided for each color, and the mask pattern used in one scan can be changed for each color. Although this configuration is not particularly shown, the description will be made based on the configuration of the head control unit 23 in FIG. 1. The up / down counter 401 that selects the corresponding bit of the mask pattern has four colors in common and the other mask selection selectors 201 to 201. 216, a recording data register 402, and a timer 403 for determining the head drive pulse width are provided for each color. That is, black mask registers 101 to 116, cyan mask registers 121 to 136, and magenta mask registers 14
1-156, 160-1 mask register for yellow
The following is described as 76. The configuration of the mask register for each color is the same as that of FIG. 5 shown in the above-described embodiment. Further, since the configuration other than the configuration of the head control unit 23 is common to the above-described embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

In the flowchart of FIG. 8, after the power of the device is turned on, the device is initialized in step S301. At this time, similarly to the above-described embodiment, when the recording head 6 is at the home position, the position counter 35 and the up / down counter 401 are cleared. At this time, the time value for determining the drive pulse width of the recording head 6 is set in the timer (403) provided for each color. Next, in step S302, when a recording start command is input, the process advances to step S303 to register 101
116, 121-136, 141-156, 160-1
A mask pattern (not shown) for the first pass, which is different for each color, is set in 76. Next, in step S304, the carriage motor 7 is accelerated to a predetermined printable speed, and when the value of the position counter 35 reaches the printing position, the driving is switched to constant speed driving, and the CPU 21 is interrupt-enabled to perform the printing operation.

In the interrupt routine of FIG. 9, step S4
01 recording data register (40
The recording data for 64 nozzles, that is, a total of 4 words × 4 colors is written in 2). Each time the recording position is switched in this way, the count value of the up / down counter 401 is updated, and the logical product of the mask data for each color indicated by this count value and the output value of the recording data register (402) corresponding to each color is obtained. It is taken and output to the head drive unit 24 as a head drive pulse for each color. When the recording for one scan is completed in this way, the process proceeds to step S305, the interrupt is disabled, and the recording paper is conveyed by the length corresponding to the recording width of 16 nozzles.

Thereafter, as in the first pass printing operation of steps S303 to S305, steps S306 to S314 are performed.
Before starting the scanning of each pass, a mask pattern (not shown) that is different for each pass and different for each color is registered in the registers 101 to 116, 121 to 136, 141 to 1.
56, 160 to 176, and the recording operation is performed.
When the printing for four passes is completed in this way and a color image for each nozzle width of 64 nozzles is printed, the process returns to step S302 and waits for a printing start instruction for the next line.

With the above control, the load on the software is reduced, and 16 × 1 which is different for each color for each scan.
It is possible to perform recording with a mask of 6 bits. As a result, (1) the fixing order of the respective colors on the recording paper can be changed, so that the hue can be optimized. (2) Since the density of the ink adhering to the recording paper can be reduced by one scanning, which is a problem particularly in color recording, the fixability of the ink on the recording medium such as plain paper is improved. (3) Color unevenness is improved. It is possible to provide a printer device which has the advantage of being capable of recording at high density and high speed. (Embodiment 2) Next, still another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, an inkjet printer capable of color recording sets print data from a RAM to a print data register independently for each color and for each block using a DMA function. Further description will be made.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the structure of the color ink jet printer of this embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 denote the same components, and 60 denotes recording heads 60K, 60C and 60M of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y). ，
A recording head unit 60Y is integrated, and each recording head has a nozzle row composed of 64 nozzles in the sub-scanning direction. Each color recording heads relates F ₁ direction, K,
The ink droplets are arranged in the order of C, M, and Y. In the forward path of the reciprocating movement of the carriage, ink droplets land on the recording material (recording medium) in the order of K, C, M, and Y, and in the backward path, In the reverse order, the ink droplets land on the recording material in the order of Y, M, C, and K.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the electrical construction of the color ink jet printer shown in FIG. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 are similar component block diagrams. Reference numeral 230 denotes a head DMA control unit having a function of directly transferring the print data from the RAM 280 storing the print data of each color using the DMA function to the print data register via the 16-bit data bus 250, and 240 denotes the head DMA control unit 230. Is a head driving unit that drives the recording heads of the respective colors in the recording head unit 60 according to the recording data of the respective colors set by the driving unit 240K,
It has 240C, 240M and 240Y.

FIG. 10 is a block circuit diagram showing details of the head DMA controller 230. In this embodiment, since the recording heads of four colors of K, C, M, and Y are provided as described above, the head DMA control unit 230 has the same configuration as the head control unit 23 shown in FIG. 1 for each color. Control unit 23K, 2
It has 3C, 23M, and 23Y. Further data DMA
It has a DAM control unit 231 for controlling transfer.

11 and 12 are block circuit diagrams showing the details of the DMA controller 231. Reference numerals 701 to 704 denote registers for dividing 64 nozzles of the black head into 4 blocks and setting the DMA start address of the print buffer in the RAM 280 corresponding to each block as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 701 denotes 1 nozzle to 16 nozzles (hereinafter referred to as head block 1), 702 denotes 17 nozzles to 32 nozzles (hereinafter referred to as head block 2), 70
3 to 33 nozzles (hereinafter referred to as head block 3)
, 704 corresponds to 49 to 64 nozzles (hereinafter referred to as the head block 4). Similarly, 705-
Reference numeral 708 is a cyan head, 709 to 712 are magenta heads, and 713 to 716 are registers for setting DMA start addresses corresponding to the head blocks 1 to 4 of the yellow head, respectively.

Reference numeral 117 corresponds to any one block of the DMA start addresses corresponding to the four blocks of the black head set in the registers 701 to 704, according to the selection signals (HSEL1 to 4) input to the SEL terminal. Similarly, 118 is a selector for outputting a DMA start address, and 118 is a selector for outputting one address of the DMA start addresses corresponding to the four cyan head blocks set in the registers 705 to 708. Reference numeral 119 is a register 709 to 712. A selector that outputs an address corresponding to one block of the DMA start addresses corresponding to the four magenta blocks set to No. 120 is a DMA start address corresponding to the four blocks of yellow head set in the registers 713 to 716. Out of A selector for outputting an address corresponding to one block.

Reference numeral 121 designates selectors 117-120.
Of the DMA start address of each color output from
It is a selector that outputs a DMA start address of any one color in accordance with the color selection signals (CSEL1 to 4) input to the SEL terminal.

Reference numeral 123 denotes the DMA start address output from the selector 121, which is +8 at the time of forward printing.
An address generation circuit that increments by -8 at the time of return printing, 124 is a register that latches the address data generated from the address generation circuit 123 according to the input of the latch signal 356, 125 is the address data that is set in the registers 701 to 716, A selector that selects in response to a selection signal input to the SEL terminal, outputs the address data stored in the register 124 during DMA transfer, and outputs the address data from the data bus of the CPU 21 during other than DMA transfer.

A selector 126 selects data to be output to the address bus of the RAM 280 according to a selection signal input to the SEL terminal, and selects and outputs the DMA start address output from the selector 121 during DMA transfer. CPU other than during DMA transfer
The data on the address bus 21 is selected and output.

Reference numeral 127 is a DMA transfer timing generation circuit for generating various timing signals for performing DMA transfer. BR is a signal for requesting the CPU 21 to release the bus for DMA transfer.
In response to the signal BR, the CPU 21 outputs to the DMA transfer timing generation circuit 127 a signal BG indicating permission to release the bus. Upon receiving the signal BG, the DMA transfer timing generation circuit 127 outputs a signal BGACK to the CPU 21 to notify that the DMA transfer mode is set.

The DMA transfer timing generation circuit 127
Further, it outputs selection signals HSEL1 to 4 for selecting corresponding blocks of data to be DMA-transferred and selection signals CSEL1 to 4 for selecting colors to each register and selector. Block 1 when HSEL1 is high level "H"
However, when HSEL2 is high level "H", block 2
However, when HSEL3 is high level "H", block 3
However, when HSEL4 is at the high level "H", block 4 is selected. Black is selected when CSEL1 is "H", cyan is selected when CSEL2 is "H", magenta is selected when CSEL3 is "H", and yellow is selected when CSEL4 is "H".

The DMA transfer timing generation circuit 127
A permission signal O for reading data from the RAM 280
Outputs E, and the head control units 23K, 23C, 23
A signal DS for setting data is output to the recording data register in M, 23Y.

Further, the DMA transfer timing generation circuit 12
7 further outputs a signal 356 for latching the address data in the register 124 and a signal 357 for writing the address data in the registers 701 to 716.

These signals are output at the timing synchronized with the clock signal CLK.

FIG. 14 is a timing chart of each signal of the DMA controller 231 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

When the DMA timing generation circuit 127 detects that the carriage 5 has reached a predetermined position based on the output of the position counter 35 after the recording operation is started, the CPU 2
A low-level "L" signal BR is output for 1, and DMA
Request to release the bus for transfer. And C
When a low level “L” signal BG is received from the PU 21,
The CPU 2 outputs the low level "L" signal BGACK to the CPU 21 to set the DMA transfer mode.
1 and the signal DMAS for the selectors 125 and 126 is set to the high level "H". As a result, the selector 125 selects the register 124. Further, the selector 126 selects the output 354 from the selector 121 and outputs it to the address bus of the RAM 280. The signal BGACK holds the low level “L” until the print data of 64 nozzles of each color is transferred, and the signal DMAS outputs 6 of each color.
High level “H” until recording data of 4 nozzles is transferred
Hold.

Further, the CPU 21 executes the DMAS for each main scan.
Before it becomes a high level "H", the RAM start address for DMA transfer of each color is output via the data bus.
This start address is sent from the selector 125 to the signal line 71.
It is output to the registers 701 to 716 via 7 and the DMA start address is set in each register for each main scanning.

Write trigger signals 318 to 3 of each register
33 is an AND circuit 1 based on the write strobe signals 802 to 817 generated from the control signal of the CPU 21.
28 to 143 to output the write trigger signal 318
At the rising edge of ˜333, the address stored in data bus or register 124 is written in each register.

First, in the registers 701 to 716, the CP
The DMA start address output from U21 is set. Further, the signals HSEL1 and CSEL1 from the DMA timing generation circuit 127 are initially set to the high level "H". Therefore, the signal line 334 is first selected by the selector 117, and the register 701 is selected.
The address data set in is output to the signal line 350. Then, the signal line 350 is selected in the selector 121, and the RAM is selected via the signal line 354 and the selector 126.
The address data set in the register 701 is output to the 280 address bus. This causes the signal OE
Is low level "L", the print data corresponding to the block 1 of the black head is DMA-transferred from the RAM 280, and is set in the print data register 402 at the rising edge of the signal DS from the DMA timing generation circuit 127.

Further, the output from the selector 121 is also output to the address generating circuit 123, and the address data is +8 in forward printing and -8 in backward printing.
The result is set in the register 124 at the rising edge of the signal 356. Then, the selector 125 and the signal line 7
It is sent to the register 701 via 17 as address data for the next DMA transfer and set at the trailing edge of the signal 357. Here, one address of the RAM 280 is composed of 1 byte. Therefore, storage of data for 64 nozzles requires 8 bytes, that is, a storage area of 8 addresses. Therefore, +8 or -8 is generated to generate the next address data.

The DMA timing generation circuit 127 has a counter HCOUNT that performs a count operation each time a block-by-block DMA transfer is performed, and a counter CCOUNT that performs a count operation each time a four-block DMA transfer is performed.
It has T inside. According to the counting operation of the counter HCOUNT, the signals HSEL1 to HSEL4 are HSEL1 → HSE.
The high level becomes “H” in the order of L2 → HSEL3 → HSEL4 → HSEL1 → .... In addition, the counter CCOUNT
Signal CSEL1 to CSE4 according to the counting operation of
L1 → CSEL2 → CSEL3 → CSEL4 → CSEL
The high level becomes “H” in the order of 1 →.

Therefore, when the DMA transfer of the data corresponding to the block 1 of the black head is performed, the counter HC
OUNT counts up, and HSEL1 is set to low level "L" and HSEL2 is set to high level "H". As a result, the selector 117 selects the signal line 335, and the address data set in the register 702 is output to the signal line 350. And selectors 121 and 126
This address data is output to the address bus of the RAM 280 via, and the print data corresponding to the block 2 of the black head is DMA-transferred and set in the print data register 402. Similarly, when the DMA transfer of the data corresponding to the black blocks 3 and 4 is performed, the counter CCOUNT performs the counting operation.
As a result, CSEL1 becomes low level "L", and CS
EL2 becomes high level "H". As a result, the signal line 351 is selected in the selector 121, and the register 705 is selected according to the HSEL1 to HSEL4 as in the case of the black head.
~ 708 are selected in order, and cyan head block 1
Data corresponding to 4 to 4 are DMA-transferred and set in the recording data register 402 corresponding to the cyan head.

When the DMA transfer of the data corresponding to the blocks 1 to 4 of the cyan head is performed, the counter C
COUNT performs a count operation, and sets CSEL2 to low level "L" and CSEL3 to high level "H".
As a result, the selector 121 selects the signal line 352. Then, as in the case of the black head, HSEL
The registers 709 to 712 are sequentially selected in accordance with Nos. 1 to 4, data corresponding to the magenta head blocks 1 to 4 are DMA-transferred, and set in the recording data register 402 corresponding to the magenta head. And counter C
When COUNT performs the counting operation, CSEL3 becomes low level "L" and CSEL4 becomes high level "H",
The selector 121 selects the signal line 353. Then, as in the case of the black head, the registers 713 to 716 are sequentially selected according to the HSEL1 to 4, and the data corresponding to the blocks 1 to 4 of the yellow head are DMA-transferred to the recording data register 402 corresponding to the yellow head.
Is set to.

As described above, after the data transfer for each block of each color is completed, the registers 701 to 7 indicating the DMA address are shown.
16 is incremented by +8 and the next DMA address is set.

The above operation is repeated until the end of one main scan. The data DMA-transferred from the RAM 280 is logically ANDed with the data generated from the mask setting means, and then supplied to the print head as in the case of the previous embodiment, and is appropriately supplied according to the movement of the carriage. The recording operation is performed at various timings. That is, it is possible to mask and record the print data DMA-transferred for each color and for each block according to the data generated from the mask setting means.

Then, when the next main scanning is started, the same operation is performed.

As described above, the nozzle array of each color recording head is divided into the same blocks as the maximum print pass number, and a register for setting the read start address of the RAM 280 is provided for each color and for each block, and the linear encoder Since the print data is sequentially DMA-transferred from each start address for each block in response to the detection of the position of the carriage by, for example, the throughput can be improved without increasing the load of software.

In this embodiment, the ink jet recording head and the recording apparatus for recording by forming flying droplets by utilizing thermal energy among the ink jet recording methods have been described as an example.

Regarding its typical structure and principle, see, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4740.
What is done using the basic principles disclosed in 796 is preferred. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type, but especially in the case of the on-demand type, liquid (ink)
By applying at least one drive signal to the electrothermal transducer arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path in which is stored, which corresponds to the recorded information and gives a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling. Since the electrothermal converter is caused to generate heat energy to cause film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the drive signal in a one-to-one relationship can be formed. It is valid. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection openings by the growth and contraction of the bubbles to form at least one droplet. It is more preferable to make this drive signal in a pulse shape, because bubbles can be grown and contracted immediately and appropriately, and thus a liquid (ink) with excellent responsiveness can be achieved.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, excellent recording can be performed.

As the constitution of the recording head, in addition to the combination constitution of the discharge port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the linear liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, A configuration using US Pat. No. 4,558,333 or US Pat. No. 4,459,600, which discloses a configuration in which the heat-acting surface is arranged in a bending region, may be used. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Sho 5-5 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of the electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-123670 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 5 (1993) -58
A configuration based on Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-138461 may also be used.

Further, as a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum recording medium width that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification provides the length. Either of the structure satisfying the requirement or the structure as one recording head integrally formed may be used.

In addition, by being mounted on the apparatus main body, it can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and can be supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by a replaceable chip type recording head or the recording head itself. Alternatively, a cartridge type recording head provided with an ink tank may be used.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a configuration of the recording apparatus of the present invention, because the effect of the present invention can be further stabilized. . Specific examples thereof include capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suctioning means for the recording head, preheating means using an electrothermal converter or another heating element or a combination thereof, and recording. It is also effective to perform a stable recording by performing a preliminary discharge mode in which another discharge is performed.

Further, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, but the recording head may be integrally formed or a plurality of combinations may be used. Alternatively, the device may be provided with at least one of full-color mixed colors.

In the embodiments of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid, but it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and that softens at room temperature, or is a liquid, or the above-mentioned liquid. In the inkjet method, it is common to control the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C to 70 ° C to control the temperature of the ink so that the viscosity of the ink is within a stable ejection range. It is sufficient that the ink is liquid.

In addition, the temperature rise due to the thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as the energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink is solidified in a standing state for the purpose of preventing evaporation of the ink. In some cases, such as ink that is liquefied by applying heat energy according to a recording signal and ejected as a liquid ink, or one that has already started to solidify when it reaches a recording medium. The use of an ink having a property of being liquefied only by heat energy is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-5684.
No. 7 or JP-A-60-71260, a mode in which the porous sheet is opposed to the electrothermal converter in the state of being held as a liquid or solid in the recess or through hole of the porous sheet. May be In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

Further, as a form of the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the recording apparatus according to the present invention is integrally or separately provided as an image output terminal of information processing equipment such as a word processor or a computer as described above, and is combined with a reader or the like. It may be in the form of a copying machine or a facsimile machine having a transmission / reception function.

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

As described above, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Mask processing can be performed with less software load, and recording can be performed at high speed and high effective recording speed. (2) It is possible to record with high quality in which white lines and black lines are inconspicuous. (3) Since it is possible to perform recording with a reduced ink density,
The fixability of ink on a recording medium such as plain paper is improved. (4) Since the printing order of the printing elements for each color can be changed by the mask data for printing, the color tone is optimized and the color unevenness is improved.

[0083]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the load of software can be reduced and the print data can be masked and recorded with a simple structure.

According to the second invention, the throughput can be increased without increasing the software.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a head controller of an inkjet printer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view illustrating a configuration of a recording unit of the inkjet printer device according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an inkjet printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detection signal of a linear encoder and an example of a head driving pulse in the inkjet printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a mask pattern used in the inkjet printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation example in the inkjet printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process in the inkjet printer apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a color inkjet printer according to another embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the printer device.

FIG. 9 is a color inkjet printer according to another embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process in the printer device.

FIG. 10 is a block circuit diagram showing details of a head DMA control unit.

FIG. 11 is a block circuit diagram showing details of a DMA control unit.

FIG. 12 is a block circuit diagram showing details of a DMA control unit.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a color inkjet printer device.

14 is a timing chart showing the timing of each signal in the block circuit diagrams shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a color inkjet printer device.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining movement of the print head during 4-pass printing adopted in this embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a mask pattern of the first pass in the present embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a mask pattern of the second pass in the present embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a mask pattern of a third pass in the present embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a fourth pass mask pattern in the present embodiment.

[Description of Reference Signs] 1 recording sheet 5 carriage 6 recording head 7 carriage motor 18 rotary encoder 21 CPU 23 head control unit 24 head drive unit 27 control ROM 35 position counters 101 to 116 mask register 230 head DMA control unit 231 DMA control unit 401 Up / down counter 402 Recording data register

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Uemura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Masafumi Wataya 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Within the corporation

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by performing a recording scan by a recording head, comprising mask setting means for setting mask data for masking the recording data, and synchronizing with the scanning of the recording head. Signal generating means for generating a recording timing signal according to the recording timing signal, selecting means for selecting mask data set in the mask setting means by the recording timing signal, and logic for the mask data and recording data selected by the selecting means. And a driving unit that drives the recording head by taking a product. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the selection means includes a counter that counts the recording timing signal and a selector that selects a predetermined bit of the mask data according to an output value of the counter. apparatus. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is an inkjet recording head that ejects ink to perform recording. 4. The recording head is a recording head for ejecting ink by utilizing thermal energy, and is provided with a thermal energy converter for generating thermal energy applied to the ink. Item 5. The recording device according to item 3. 5. A recording device having a recording element array including a plurality of recording elements, wherein the plurality of recording elements are divided into a plurality of blocks, and different blocks are used for a predetermined area on a recording medium. In a printing apparatus for printing an image in the predetermined area by performing a plurality of print scans and printing a thinned image complementary to each other in the plurality of print scans, a storage unit for storing print data, and Correspondingly, setting means for setting the read address of the data of the storage means, and DMA transfer of the record data from the storage means to the recording means independently for each block according to the address set by the setting means A recording device comprising: a control unit. 6. The recording means has a plurality of recording element arrays having different recording colors, and the setting means can set the read address for each recording color and for each block. Item 5. The recording device according to item 5. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording unit ejects ink droplets to perform recording. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording unit ejects an ink droplet by causing a state change in the ink by using thermal energy.