JPH10129042A - Color printing processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color printing processing apparatus capable of being changed over to a color mode and a monochromatic mode and capable of performing printing processing within a short time without wasting color toner. SOLUTION: An execution task (b) stores the printing data from host machinery outputted from a host I/F 22 in a receiving buffer 23 and, when a predetermined quantity of printing data are stored in the receiving buffer 23, a CPU performs data analyzing processing. At this time, a command setting a color economy mode is also contained in the printing data and, when this color economy mode is detected, a color mode or a monochromatic mode is set at every two or more printing data and only the image forming unit for monochromaticity at the time of the monochromatic mode is used to perform printing processing and, by this processing, high speed printing processing is performed without wasting toner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color print processing apparatus capable of switching between a color mode and a monochrome mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Color printers are widely used due to today's low prices and increasing demand. In particular, a color printer that does not require ink replacement when converting between the color mode and the monochrome mode is excellent in convenience, and has excellent functionality because it can perform monochrome printing as well as color printing.

As a color printer having such a configuration, for example, there is a tandem type color printer.
An image forming unit for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK) is prepared, and monochrome printing is performed together with color printing. That is, when print information for a plurality of pages designated for color printing or monochrome printing is input from a host device such as a host computer, a printing process is performed in accordance with the printing information, and printing is performed on recording paper based on the printing information. At this time, the image to be printed on the recording paper is a mode image included in the print information, a color image if the color mode is designated, and a monochrome image if the monochrome mode.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional color printer, a print instruction for a plurality of pages is transmitted from a higher-level device by designating a color mode or a monochrome mode.
Print processing is performed in the specified mode. For this reason, for example, when the color mode is designated, even if there is a page desired to be printed in monochrome among the designated pages, monochrome printing is performed by the color toner.

That is, if monochrome printing is performed in the color mode, yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) toners are also consumed based on the subtractive color mixture, resulting in waste of toner. Further, the printing process requires a long time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a printing apparatus that supplies print information for a plurality of pages and performs a printing process. A processing device is provided.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color printer having an image memory for storing image data respectively corresponding to a plurality of color materials to be printed, for each of the color materials. In the print processing apparatus, analysis means for analyzing print information, color image data generation means for generating image data corresponding to a color material to be printed from the print information, and individually developing the image data in the image memory, This can be attained by providing a color print processing apparatus having control means for identifying data developed in the image memories and setting a print mode based on the data stored in each image memory.

For example, if video data exists in an image memory for performing color printing in a plurality of image memories, a color mode is designated when printing the video data expanded in the memory. If no video data exists in any of the image memories for performing color printing, the monochrome mode is designated when printing the video data expanded in the memory.

With this configuration, for example, it is possible to perform a printing process by specifying a color mode or a monochrome mode for each page to be printed, and to perform monochrome printing with color toner and waste toner. There is no.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the configuration of the image memory according to the first aspect is concretely described, and the plurality of image memories include, for example, yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan, respectively. (C) is a memory for storing image data corresponding to black (BK).

Therefore, according to the present invention, if video data exists in any of the yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) image memories, printing processing is performed in the color mode, and yellow (Y), If video data does not exist in any of the magenta (M) and cyan (C) image memories, the printing process is performed in the monochrome mode.

With this configuration, it is possible to prevent waste of the yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) toners. The invention described in claim 3 is a more specific example of the invention described in claim 1, and the printing modes are a color printing mode and a monochrome printing mode.

Here, the monochrome printing mode is black (BK). However, the printing mode is not limited to black (BK) but may be a monochrome printing mode. The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the invention according to claim 1 includes a valid / invalid designating means for designating validity / invalidity of the print mode change control with respect to the print mode according to claim 1. It is.

Here, the valid / invalid designating means is, for example, a key switch or a dip switch of a color print processing apparatus.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a color print processing apparatus for explaining the embodiment. The color print processing apparatus used in the description of the present embodiment relates to a so-called tandem type color print processing apparatus.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a color print processing apparatus. In FIG. 1, the color print processing apparatus 1 includes a paper supply / conveyance mechanism 2, an image forming unit 3, a fixing device 4, and a control circuit (not shown). The paper supply / transport mechanism 2 includes a paper cassette 5 in which paper P is loaded and stored, and a paper transport system 6. Further, the paper transport system 6 drives a paper feed roller 7 for transporting the paper P from the paper cassette 5, a transport roll 8, a standby roll 9 for feeding paper with the paper position matched with the toner image, and a transport belt 10. Drive roll 1
1, 12 and an auxiliary roll 13 and the like.

First, by driving the paper feed roller 7,
The sheet P is unloaded from the sheet cassette 5 and sent to the standby roll 9 through the sheet conveying path, and the sheet P is transferred onto the conveying belt 10 at a timing coincident with a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum, which will be described later. Supply. Further, while the paper P moves on the transport belt 10, the paper P on the transport belt 10 is
The toner image is transferred to the sheet P by the image forming unit 3, and a transfer process to the sheet P is performed. After that, the paper P is subjected to a fixing process by the fixing device 4, and the paper P is
9a, the sheet is discharged out of the apparatus through the sheet discharge roll 19b.

The fixing device 4 includes a heat roll 4a and a pressure roll 4b. While the paper P is held between the heat roll 4a and the pressure roll 4b and conveyed, a plurality of colors transferred to the paper P are transferred. Is fused and fixed on the sheet P.

On the other hand, the image forming units 15 to 18 constituting the image forming unit 3 are image forming units for performing transfer processing of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK). They are arranged in this order. Among these, three image forming units 15 to 17 are:
The toner of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) is transferred to paper P and used for color printing based on subtractive color mixture. The black (BK) image forming unit 18 is a unit used for monochrome printing.

Each of the image forming units 15 to 18 has
The configuration is the same except for the (color of) the developer contained in the developing container, and a charger, an LED head, a developing device, and a transfer device are sequentially arranged near the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum. Here, the configuration of the four image forming units 15 to 18 will be described as an example of the cyan image forming unit 17 as a representative. The peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 20 is made of, for example, an organic photoconductive material.
1a, print head 21b, developing device 21c, transfer roll 2
1d are sequentially arranged.

The photosensitive drum 20 rotates in the direction of the arrow.
A uniform charge is charged on the peripheral surface of zero. Next, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 20 by exposure from the print head 21b, and a toner image is formed by a developing process by the developing device 21c. At this time, the toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 20 is based on cyan (C) toner stored in the developing device 21c. The toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 20 in this manner reaches the position of the transfer roll 21d with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 20 in the direction of the arrow, and is transported on the transport belt 10 by the transfer roll 21d. Is transferred to the paper P to be printed.

The toner image transferred onto the upper surface of the sheet P is conveyed in the direction of the arrow along with the movement of the conveyor belt 10, and formed on the sheet P by another image forming unit 15, 16 having the same configuration as described above. The fixing process is performed by the fixing device 4 together with the yellow (Y) toner and the magenta (M) toner as described above, and color printing based on the subtractive color mixture is performed.

Here, the color print processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is configured to switch the mechanism between color printing and monochrome printing. Specifically, the rolls 12a and 12b constituting the above-described transport roll 12 are configured to be movable up and down as shown by arrows in the same figure, move upward in the color mode, and move downward in the monochrome mode. I do. Note that the state shown in FIG. 1 is a state in which the rolls 12a and 12b move downward, and the mode is a monochrome mode.
8 is in contact only with the photosensitive drum 20. Incidentally, in the color mode, the rolls 12a and 12b are positioned at an upper position, and the transport belt 10 comes into contact with the photosensitive drums 20 of the image forming units 15 to 18.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram for explaining a control system of the color print processing apparatus 1 having the above configuration. The color print processing apparatus 1 of this example is connected to a host computer (not shown), and print information output from the host computer is input to the reception buffer 23 via the host I / F 22. This input processing is executed according to the receiving task a. The execution of the receiving task a is executed by the CPU based on a program stored in a ROM (not shown).

When print information for a plurality of pages is input to the reception buffer 23 and print information for a predetermined page is input, the print information is analyzed according to the execution task b, and the image data converted into pattern data is The data is written to the image memory 24.

Hereinafter, the system processing shown in FIG. 2 including the execution processing of the above-described reception task a and execution task b will be described in detail. First, FIG.
5 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of FIG. In the figure, a CPU (not shown) determines whether or not print information has been received from a host device such as a host computer (step (hereinafter, shown as S in FIG. 3) 1). Here, while print information is not received from the host device (S1 is NO), input of print information is waited for (S2). Thereafter, when print information is input from the host device (YES in S1), the host I / F2
The print information input via the second buffer 2 is taken into the reception buffer 23 (S3).

Next, FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the execution task b which is performed after a predetermined amount of print information is accumulated in the above-mentioned reception buffer 23. The CPU determines whether there is print information in the reception buffer 23 (step (hereinafter, referred to as ST in FIG. 4) 1), and stores the print information while the predetermined amount of print information is not stored (ST1 is NO). (ST2), but when a predetermined amount of print information is accumulated in the reception buffer 23 as described above (ST1 is YES),
The print information is read from the reception buffer and data analysis processing is performed (ST3). This data analysis process performs a process according to a command included in the print information, for example, converts a character code included in the print information into corresponding pattern data, and performs a rotation, inversion, hatching, etc. command. Executes the specified process.

At this time, a print mode setting process is also performed. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the print mode setting process. That is, when the print mode setting command included in the print information is read during the data analysis processing (ST3), the command is analyzed (step (hereinafter, shown as STP in FIG. 5) 1), and monochrome is designated. Command (STP2 is YES),
The print mode is set to the monochrome mode (STP3).
If it is a command instructing the color normal mode (STP4: YES), the print mode is set to the color normal mode (STP5). On the other hand, in the above-mentioned determination, if the command indicates the color economy mode (STP6: YES), the print mode is set to the color economy mode (STP7). The print mode set in this way is stored in the local area of the execution task b.

FIG. 6 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of the local area of the execution task b for storing the set print mode. In the monochrome mode, "0" is set for this area, and “1” is set in the normal mode, and “2” is set in the color economy mode.

Next, when the above-described print information analysis processing is completed, the data (pattern data) obtained as a result of the analysis is developed (drawn) in the image memory 24 (ST in FIG. 4).
4). FIG. 7A illustrates the data structure of the image memory 24 described above. FIG. 2B is a diagram for explaining the data structure of a print matrix 30 described later.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the image memory 2
Reference numeral 4 denotes four memory areas for storing yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK) pattern data corresponding to the image forming units 15 to 18 described above. The storage area of each color in the image memory 24 is composed of 746 band areas, and an address of a band arrangement is set in each area.
In this area, the actual data (pattern data) is included in the data included in each band along with the address of the band arrangement.
"NULL" data indicating whether or not even one character is included. Specifically, if "NULL" data is stored in the storage area of the band arrangement address, all data of the band is white data (non-print data), and "NULL" data is stored in the storage area. If not, it indicates that the data of the band includes at least one character of print data (video data).

In this way, when the development processing of one page of video data is completed for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK) (FIG. 4). (ST5 is YES), and it is determined whether the number of sheets in the "printing matrix" has reached eight (ST6). here,
The number of sheets in the “print matrix” indicates one of the storage areas of a print matrix 30 described later, and the color print processing apparatus 1 of the present example.
Has a configuration capable of printing eight sheets of paper. Therefore, the sheet number data of the storage area “printing matrix” is “8”.
If not (ST6), the process waits until the data of the number of sheets in the "print queue" becomes "8" (ST7).

Thereafter, the number of sheets in the "print matrix" is "8".
Is reached (ST6: YES), it is determined whether the print mode is the color economy mode described above (ST8). This determination is made for each matrix, and the CPU checks the print mode stored in the local area of the execution task b shown in FIG. 6 described above. Here, when the CPU determines the print mode and determines that “0” or “1” is set (NO in ST8), the CPU executes the color print processing apparatus 1 of the present example in the color normal mode (hereinafter simply referred to as the color mode). ) Or a monochrome mode (ST9). That is, if the print mode is "0", the monochrome mode is set, and if the print mode is "1", the color normal mode is set.

On the other hand, in the above determination (ST8), if it is determined that the mode is the color economy mode (ST8 is YES).
ES), the print mode is set by analyzing the image memory 24 (ST10). This setting process is performed by the above-described FIG.
The CPU searches the address area of the band arrangement shown in
This is a process for making a determination based on the presence or absence of “NULL” data.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining this analysis processing, and FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of a storage area of each color constituting the image memory 24. For example, in the case of FIG.
Since video data is not developed in the storage areas of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) except for black (BK), in the flowchart of FIG. Are all "N
"ULL" data is stored (step (hereinafter, denoted by U in FIG. 8) 1 is YES), "NULL" data is also stored in all band arrangements corresponding to magenta (M) (U2 is YES), and cyan ( “NULL” data is also stored in all band arrangements corresponding to C) (YES in U3). Therefore, in this case, the monochrome mode is set in the color / monochrome printing area of the corresponding matrix data ("0" data is set) (U4).

On the other hand, in the case of FIG.
Pattern data is developed not only in K) but also in the storage areas of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C). That is, in this case, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, "NULL" data is not stored in all of the band arrays corresponding to yellow (Y) (U1 is N
O), and further, the band arrangement corresponding to magenta (M) and the band arrangement corresponding to cyan (C) are also “NUL”.
L "data is not stored (U2 is YES, U3 is YES). Accordingly, in this case, the color mode is set in the color / monochrome printing area of the corresponding matrix data (set "1" data) (U5). As can be seen from the flowchart shown in FIG. In addition to the pattern data being written in all of magenta (M) and cyan (C), for example, if the pattern data is written in one color of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C), the color mode Is set (when only U1 is NO, or when only U2 is NO, or when only U3 is N).
O).

By the above setting processing, either the color mode “1” or the monochrome mode “0” is set in the color / monochrome storage area of the matrix data shown in FIG. 7B. The above-described setting process is performed for each matrix data. The print matrix 30 shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the data is always referred to when the above-described execution task b, a paper feeding task c, a transfer task e, and a paper ejection task f are executed.

The CPU writes data in other storage areas in the matrix data constituting the print matrix 30 described above. For example, "cassette feed"
And “manual feed” are stored. In addition, for example, another information such as “A4 size” or “B5 size” is stored in the storage area of the paper size. Further, the address of the band arrangement of the pattern data developed in the image memory 24 is set in the storage area of the address of the band arrangement.

The above setting is performed for each matrix data, the request pointer is incremented by +1 and the execution task b is completed (ST11 in FIG. 4). At this time, if the request pointer is "8", the data in the sheet number storage area is reset to "0".

After the above processing, the paper feeding task c is started (ST12). FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the sheet feeding task c. The CPU first prints matrix 3
The request pointer of 0 is compared with the set value of the paper feed pointer (step (hereinafter, denoted by W in FIG. 10) 1). Here, the request pointer indicates that the pattern data is stored in the image memory 24.
Are set to "1", and are incremented by +1 each time the matrix data is updated to # 1, # 2,... As described above. Is turned, and the pointer is incremented by +1 each time the sheet P is carried out from the sheet cassette 5. Therefore, when the request pointer and the paper feed pointer are equal (W1
Waits until the request pointer is incremented by 1 (W
2) When the request pointer is output (W1 is YES),
The color mode or the monochrome mode is set in the engine control unit (W3).

FIG. 11 is a data structure diagram of the engine control unit. The color mode "1" or the monochrome mode "0" is set in the color / monochrome storage area of the engine control unit. At the same time, the data of the paper feed port is written in the storage area of the paper feed port. For example, the first matrix data #
0 is the color economy mode, and the processing described above (FIG. 4)
If the color mode is set to "1" as the color mode in ST10), "1" is set. After this processing, the engine task d is executed, and a control signal is output to the engine unit 26 to perform color printing.
a and 12b are driven upward to set the image forming units 15 to 17 shown in FIG. 1 in a usable state. Then, C
The PU executes the engine unit 2 according to the processing of the engine task d.
6 confirms that the above processing has been completed (W5 is NO, W5
6) If the image forming units 15 to 17 can be used (W5: YES), the engine unit 26 starts the sheet feeding process (W7).

When the CPU makes the above determination (W
5) Check the information stored in the engine status unit 27 to perform the check.
FIG. 12 shows a data structure of the above-described engine status unit 27. Therefore, the sheet P conveyed from the sheet cassette 5 after the above-described setting process passes through the sheet conveyance path to the standby roll 9.
To the image forming units 15 to 1
The sheet is sent to the conveyor belt 10 at the timing output from.

On the other hand, after the feeding of the paper P is started, the print queue 30
The CPU drives the transfer task e, outputs the pattern data (video data) developed in the image memory 24 to the video transfer circuit 25, and transfers the pattern data to the print head 21b of the engine unit 26 by DMA transfer. Video data is output (W8, W9). That is, the yellow (Y) video data of the image memory 24 is output to the print head 21b of the image forming unit 15, the magenta (M) video data is output to the print head 21b of the image forming unit 16, and the cyan (C) The video data is output to the print head 21b of the image forming unit 17.

Based on the video data output in this manner, while the paper P is being transported on the transport belt 10, images of each color are formed on the paper P (toner images of each color are transferred). A color image is formed by the heat fixing process. Thereafter, the discharge task f is driven, and when the discharge of the sheet P is confirmed, the discharge pointer is incremented by one.

With the above processing, the printing process of the color image based on the data of the matrix data # 0 is completed, the number-of-sheets storage area is decremented by -1. For example, if the data of the number-of-sheets storage area is "7", "6" is assumed. afterwards,
The request pointer becomes “2”, and the judgment (W
1) is YES, and the process of the sheet feeding task c shown in FIG. 2 is repeated again.

For example, when the monochrome mode “0” is set in the color / monochrome storage area of the engine control unit 28 at the time of processing the next paper feed task c, the engine task d is executed and the engine unit d is executed. Then, a control signal is output to the printer 26 to perform monochrome printing. In this case, the rolls 12a and 12b of the drive roll 12 described above are moved downward, so that only the image forming unit 18 can be used as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the CPU executes the engine task d.
In accordance with the process (1), it is confirmed whether the engine unit 26 has completed the above process (W5: NO, W6), and the engine unit 26 starts the sheet feeding process (W7).

Accordingly, in this case, the CPU
The video data developed in the black (BK) storage area is output to the print head 21b of the image forming unit 18, and monochrome printing based on the video data is performed on the paper P. That is, at this time, only the image forming unit 18 for monochrome printing is driven without driving the image forming units 15 to 17 for yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C). Therefore, the yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) toners are not wasted, and waste of color toners can be prevented.

In the description of the present embodiment, the setting of the color economy mode is performed by the print mode setting command output from the host device. However, the key switch and the dip provided in the color print processing apparatus of the present embodiment are set. This may be performed using a switch.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, waste of toner can be prevented, and maintenance cost of the color print processing apparatus can be reduced.

Further, since monochrome printing is not performed using color toner, printing can be performed at high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a color print processing apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a control system of the color print processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of a reception task.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of an execution task performed after a predetermined amount of print information is accumulated in a reception buffer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a print mode setting process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram conceptually showing a configuration of a local area of an execution task that stores a set print mode.

FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating an address area of a band array of an image memory. FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a data structure of a print matrix.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an analysis process.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are conceptual diagrams of storage areas of respective colors constituting an image memory.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of a sheet feeding task.

FIG. 11 is a data structure of an engine control unit.

FIG. 12 is a data structure of an engine status unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Color print processing apparatus 2 Paper supply / transport mechanism 3 Image forming unit 4 Fixing device 5 Paper feed cassette 6 Paper transport system 7 Paper feed roller 8 Transport roll 9 Standby roll 10 Transport belt 11, 12 Drive roll 13 Auxiliary roll 15 to 18 Image Forming Unit 19a Transport Roll 19b Discharge Roll 20 Photoconductor Drum 21a Charger 21b Print Head 21c Developing Unit 21d Transfer Roll 22 Host I / F 23 Receive Buffer 24 Image Memory 25 Video Transfer Circuit 26 Engine 27 Engine Status 28 Engine control unit 29 Feed start unit 30 Print queue

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A color print processing apparatus having an image memory for storing image data respectively corresponding to a plurality of color materials to be printed, individually for each of the color materials, an analysis means for analyzing print information, A color image data generating unit that generates image data corresponding to a color material to be printed and individually develops the image data in the image memory; and identifies the data developed in the plurality of image memories, and stores the data in each image memory. And control means for setting a print mode based on the obtained data. 2. The image memory according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of image memories include yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (B
2. The color print processing device according to claim 1, wherein the memory is a memory for storing image data corresponding to K). 3. The color print processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print modes are a color print mode and a monochrome print mode. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising valid / invalid designating means for designating valid / invalid of the mode change control.
The color printing processor according to the above.