JPS605666A - Picture output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clarify the boundary of a divided figure on plural output recording media by dividing a figure and picture information exceeding the recording area of a recording medium into the recordings of plural pages and adding an index representing the boundary of the divided recording areas. CONSTITUTION:When an output figure exceeds a print area for one page of sheet, the figure is outputted while being divided into plural sheets in the unit of pages. Further, in case of divided outputs, since information 705-707 of the divided recording areas are added to each page, the boundary of the figure and picture among plural pages is clarified.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Shojutsu Bunki) This invention! ÷This relates to an image output device capable of outputting a 1/1 size or image larger than one recording area on a recording surface.

(Conventional branch 1iυ In image output devices for printers, generally l:;
Since the coordinates that express one shape or image are fixed: ・I or I・) 11, 1 size of the coordinate space is 1
It was difficult to output shapes and images. However, depending on the image output device, it is difficult to record a recording material (recording medium) of one size per 1 piece (Fig. J1). There are some outputs that are reduced to the size of the - area, but in cases where the size of the 5iii small - i... is too small, it is possible to only express the schematic representation of the figure (1). 14) Therefore, ) #:, Genmei's purpose is to 1.'vB , divide the defects, and rotate the recording area of the recording material once 1, ;', I
By outputting Jvi and image information + 1i to the recording material of Chitabage, the figure and image information 117
was faithfully expressed and the output was 1°. An object of the present invention is to provide an image output device that can make the boundaries of divided figures of a plurality of output recording materials -1- clear by adding an index indicating the boundaries of the bales of recording areas.

(Example) Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, 1. +14, i'(+1i
I will explain to you.

>'t Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration example of a laser beam printer (hereinafter referred to as LBP), which is an example of an unfinished image output device. A blink control unit 101 that generates a video signal SOI and a
: Printing mechanism 10 that outputs an image to the recording side using page format
2. Furthermore, 103 is video 4'f''
'5Sol to j i 7, and the semiconductor laser 104 to f
A laser driver 105 controls the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 104; ;B; An electrostatic drum system that develops using a digital photolithography method; 107 is a paper caddy that stores paper as a recording material; 108 is a cassette 7;
It is a paper feed roller that feeds 11 sheets of paper to the drum drum 108,
Printing mechanism 1 is formed by these housing components 103 to 108.
Configure 02.

LBPloo is connected to a host computer (not shown), and the printer control unit 101 receives graphic information output from the host computer. The printer control unit 101 converts the input figure front tl,i to the video 4 of the corresponding figure pattern.
It is converted into a serial number S01 and sent to the printing mechanism 102. The video signal Sol manually input to the printing mechanism 102 is supplied to the laser driver 103, and the video signal Sol is supplied to the laser driver 103 (to the laser driver 103). The laser beam emitted from the laser 104 is swung from side to side by a rotating polygon mirror 1t) 5 to form a graphic pattern image on the drum 108 and developed by electrophotography. After that, the graphic pattern image is transferred to paper, which is a recording material. The paper is in paper cassette 107
Use the cassette sheet paper stored in the paper feed roller 1.
08, it is fed into the printing mechanism 102 and conveyed to the electrostatic drum +oe.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed configuration example of the printer control unit 101 shown in FIG. 1, where 200 is a host computer (not shown).
an ink face circuit that sends and receives data 1, 1, and 2;
01 is a paper size selection switch that determines the printing area of the paper to be used, and 202 is a central processing unit (CPU+) that controls the LBP 100 and analyzes human data. When graphic information is input from the host computer, the ink face circuit 200 outputs a -1;1j included signal SO2 to notify the CPU 202 of the input, and sends the human graphic information to the CPU 202 through the signal line 001. An input buffer memory 203 temporarily stores data input from the host computer. 204 is a paper information table prepared on a ROM (read only memory) that records multiple dot sizes in the X and Y directions of the print area of the paper; one of the stored dot sizes in the X and Y directions is Each set corresponds to one setting value of the paper size selection switch 201. Here,
"-The dot size mentioned above is LBP1 (10 lasers 1
It refers to the size of the printing area in units of minimum one and a half points (donts) when forming an image with the switching operation of 04. 205 is an X register, 206 is a Y register, and both registers 205 and 208 store the dot sizes in the X direction and Y direction on the paper information table 204 determined by the setting value of the paper size selection switch 201, respectively. This is a register to keep.

A page buffer 7 memory 207 stores data (information in the figure) for each middle page of the recording paper, and a page buffer (1, l) is stored in the buffer memory 207.
, page buffer (1, 2), page buffer (2, 1
) and page buffer i:2.2), a recording tα area corresponding to four pages is prepared in advance, so that a coordinate space four times as large as the printing area of the paper can be obtained. Figure 3 shows the coordinate space for drawing figures and its page buffers (1, 1) to (2, 2).
), but X and Y in Figure 3 are
I of X register 205 and Y register 20B respectively
'I represents the dot size of the printing area of the paper. 1-Divide the coordinate space (0-0) indicated by A into four parts-'rl
subcoordinate spaces (1-1), (1-2), (2-
1) and (2-2) are page buffers (1) and (2-2), respectively.
,1).

(1,2), (2,1) and (2,2).

(Furthermore, 208 in FIG. 2 is a working RA used by the PU 202 for temporary data storage and calculations (Rangum access memory), and 208 is for giving the starting point coordinates and clear point coordinates of the part. Image memory 210 by
This is a general Pectrorusk transformation that generates a dot pattern of line segments. Image memory 210 is LBP
Capacity corresponding to the maximum printing area of paper that can be used with loo
It is a memory with iX and stores graphic information for one page of paper as a dot pattern. 2+1 is a video signal generator, and 212 is a printer ink face circuit. The printer interface circuit 2 converts it into a video signal Sol corresponding to the intermittent (ONloFF)
Send to 12. The printer interface circuit 212 provides printer control ryl! This is a circuit that controls the transmission of signals between t01 and the printing mechanism 102, and the CPU 202
The print* mechanism 102 is activated by the print start signal SO3 from the print mechanism 102, and a print end signal S04 indicating the end of printing one page of paper from the print mechanism 102 is returned to the C:Pt 1202 (8).

FIG. 4 shows an example of the format of graphic information handled by LBPloo of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the graphic information includes extension information 400 and screen end information 401. The straight line information 400 is the straight line start command code (GS
): H and series (7) X, Y coordinates (Xi, Y+)
It consists of a column, each coordinate (Xi +”i) (ii(”shi,
Represents a polygonal line connecting i=1°2, . . . n). Double-sided exit information 4・υ401 is the screen exit instruction code (EOG)
1.J is added to the end of the graphic information group for one screen, indicating the end of the graphic information t+q. LBPloo starts printing with its screen end instruction code.

Figure 5 shows an example of the drawing output corresponding to the graphic information in the format shown in Figure FA4.
This is a group of graphic information input to Ploo, and 504 is an output screen corresponding to the group of graphic information 500.

Graphical information 4 = According to the first straight line information 501 of the Ii group 500, the coordinates are (7) points (L + "I), CX2 + "2
), CX3, Y3) Create a polygonal line connecting to wo111@, then use the second straight line information 502,
Move to the drawing starting point v, (X4.y4), and set the point (X4, Y
4-), (X5, YS) fi- Create a connecting line segment, and finally output 1/1 according to the screen end command 503
Print shape 504.

6 and 7 show the principle of output by page division when an output figure, such as the one shown in FIG. 5, exceeds the printing area of one page of paper. As mentioned above, the printing area for one page of paper is
X, 8 yo UY register 7, '1208 (7) It is determined by the value Y, and its size in the X direction (scanning force plane) is
The size in the sub-scanning direction) corresponds to the Y coordinate space (actual coordinate space). Lsptoo has a series of four times the real coordinate space (1:2 imaginary coordinate space 1:0-0) as shown in Figure 3 above, and each partial P coordinate space ( 1-1)
, (1-2), (2-1) and (2-2) each represent a space of the same size as the print area, and each page buffer (1,1), (1,2), (2, 1) and (2, 2) in advance. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a line segment (Xa, Ya) that exceeds the partial coordinate space (1-1),! , 'Xb, Yb) is]
Part of each of the two mentioned villages! A line segment (Xa,
Ya) (Xi, Y) and the line segment (L, Y), (X
, Y+ ) To line segment (X, Y+ ) (Xb, Yb) To line segment t';'I can be done. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7,
What about the straight line information 700 as shown in the 61st Δ input to LBPloo? “J3 minute coordinate space 47.4 straight line information 701
．． Straight line information +1.1702 and curve information 703, 1
The page buffers (1, 1), (2, 1), and (2, 2) respectively correspond to the respective partial coordinate spaces. Next, by activating the printing mechanism 102 independently for each page buffer position, it is possible to divide the paper into four pages and output graphics over the entire coordinate space area <o, o) (2x, 2y).

By the way, the above-mentioned divided 1! 'J line information 701-70
3 is each partial coordinate space (1-1), (2
-1).

Once the origin of (2-2) is converted to relative coordinates (0,0), page/heffer (1,1) to (2
, 2). This means that when outputting graphics, the information of each page buffer (1, 1) to (2, 2) is saved in the X direction with the origin at (0, 0) and This is because it is handled as information about the coordinate space of the paper printing area in the Y direction Y. In this way, each page buffer (1,1) to C2,2
) split straight line information? After storing '01 to 703, the coordinate point (0
, 0), (X, O), (X, Y), (0, Y) Straight line information 70 representing +4 of the rectangle connecting e and (0, 0)
4,705, 708 and 707. With this, it is possible to print a frame indicating the printing area, that is, a boundary line of the partial coordinate space, on each output sheet.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 8 to 111A, Fronaya-1, "Double operating principle" will be explained. (An example of the operation of the apparatus of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be explained. FIGS. 8 to 11) 8oO to 810.1300 to file, 100
0 to 1005 and 1100 to 1105 are program steps, which are stored in advance in the CPU 202 in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a twin routine for blink control. First, when the power is turned on, the setting value of the paper size selection switcher 201 is read in step 801, and the setting value of the paper size selection switcher 201 is read.
:'Dot size IIl in the X direction of paper corresponding to printing'
The dot size value Y in the IX and Y directions is taken out from the paper information table 204, and the X and Y values 114 are stored in the corresponding X register 205 and Y register 206, respectively.
Set it to . Next, in step 802, the entire page panzer memory 207 is cleared to a state of 9, and a system is established to accept graphic information for one new screen. One piece of graphic information is taken out from the input J buffer 203. At this time, the graphic information from the host computer is input 11. from the interface circuit 200. This printer control routine 800 is executed by the input number 1-1 SO1.
are read from the interface circuit 200 through manual interrupt processing independently from the
It is preserved.

In step 804, the graphic information taken out from the human mapper 203 is determined whether it is of the 4-to type, and if it is a straight line image 1J, the process proceeds to step 805, and the vector I/I shown in FIG. Line division processing Runan 900 divides the straight line information into pages and stores the division information (□lJ) in the page buffer 7 memory 207, and returns to step 111 and step 803 to process the next graphic information.

Step 804 determines that the 4Φ class of the 14-shape information is the screen end information (1~), then the figure information for one screen t1)
Since this indicates that the group vector division process has been completed, the process advances to step 808 related to graphic output. First, step 80
In G, the vector i'il shown in FIG.
Each page, buffer (
1,1), C1,2), <2.1), and (2,2), respectively, set the linearity information and screen end information of the output frame of the print area. Next, one page of paper in steps 808, 809 and 810, i.e., page 8, sofa l.
The output processing for the area is performed for each page buffer (1, l) to (2).
, 2). First, step 8
Are there any images/heads that have not been output yet in 07?1'? If there are any remaining, step 80
8, vector IJ+ shown in FIG. 10, which will be described later;
A 1X'1 dot pattern for one page is read out from the page buffer and opened. Next, step 809
Then, the print start signal SO3 is sent to the video i 6-8 generation ÷ii'; 2 + 1 and the printer interface 212 to start printing one page of the printing mechanism 102, and in the following step 810, the printing is finished. The process waits until it detects a print end signal S04 from the printer ink face 212 indicating that the process has been completed. When the printing end signal SO4 is detected, the process returns to step 807 to output the first page 8/sofa. -I for all page buffers! When the execution of steps 808, 808, and 810 of F is completed, the process returns to step 802 for primary graphic processing, and the process described in 1-1 is repeated. The details of the vector division processing routine of step 805 in the figure are shown below. In the tree subroutine, the main routine
u'-+', ml, given by Nan, 1 from the old report
11 minutes coordinates (Xi, Yi), (Xi÷+, Yi+1
) (i = 1.2...n) are sequentially extracted, and steps 801 to 316, which will be described later, are executed for each line segment to perform page division processing. First, step 9
At 0+, line segment coordinates (Xi, Yi), (Xi+1
, Yi+, ), and in the following step 8o2, add 9 minute coordinates (Xi, Yi) to it.

(X++1, 'il+l) e (Memo for daily life IJ
2081 D, ii> Write tQ in the cut line segment storage area.

Next, at step 803, the linear equation of the line segment Y=aX
The coefficients a and b of +b are calculated by the following equation.

However, when X1=Xi≦, x=Xi is used as a linear equation in the following step without using equations (1) and (2) for -.

Next, in step 804, in the X direction;
:1; minute coordinate space (1-1), (1-2), (2-1)
and <2-2) In order to establish 179 ri of the upper surplus, (
11'i X. If the X register 205
f X is the coordinate of the line segment in the X direction i/i X ! and Xi+
If (il'i) between y, then the line segment to be processed is -
hid rx++ minute external mark? :9, so the process goes to step 805 and determines the Y position 11? for the coordinate value X. The value is calculated by the linear equation Y=aY+ using the coefficients a and b determined in step 903 above. The coordinates (X, k) are the line segment to be divided (Xi, Yi) (X
i++ , Yi”+ ) (7) min; t; l Since it is one of the 1 points, I[ti of the coordinates (X, Y,, L) is
In step 906, the working memory 20 described in I]lj
8-i- is stored in the line segment storage area. Next step 90
7, 8o13 and 908, ``--as well as
The coordinates (xβ, l) of the dividing point in the Y direction are determined and stored in the line segment storage area of the working memory 208H. on the other hand,
If the determination in step 804 is negative, the process jumps to step 807, and if the determination in step 907 is negative, the process jumps to step 9.
Jump to 10.

Next, in step 910, the coordinates of the start point, end point, and division point of the line segment stored in the line segment storage area on the work memory 208 are arranged in the order of X coordinate 9A, and the step 8
11, the arranged coordinate group is divided into control line segments (X
z, Yz) (X7+1.Yztl), and in step 912, the dividing line of 7 or the belonging 1) 1
) minute coordinate space Cj-k) (however, j = 1.2.k)
= 1.2) After converting the line segment divided into relative coordinates with the origin as (0,0), the divided line segment with the coordinates converted is converted into the straight line information format 400 shown in FIG. 4 in step 913. Then, in step 914, it is stored in the corresponding page memory (j, k) (where j = 1.2 k =
1.2) Save. Then, in step 815,
It is determined whether there are any unprocessed line segment coordinates stored in the minute storage area, and repeats step 91 until there are no unprocessed line segment coordinates.
1 - Repeat the above-described processes 811-814.

In this way, when the j:ll processing for one line segment is completed, the process advances to step 916 and the first-order line segment (Xi++, Y
If i+, ), (Xi"7.Yi"2) remain, return to step [1 by 11f and perform the above-mentioned division process 901.
- Repeat steps 805. If there are no more line segments left to process, this means that the division process for one straight line information has been completed, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.

ii'y l 0 FIG. 8 shows 11 details of the vector expansion processing routine of step 808 in FIG. To explain the processing procedure for developing linear information on a page buffer with reference to FIG. Extract the figure information and proceed to the next step 10.
In step 02, the type of graphic information is determined. Its shape information +μ
If is straight line information, the process advances to step 1003, and the line segment (Xi+l, Yi+1) in the straight line information (where i=
1, 2...n) in sequence and proceed to the next step 10.
04, the starting point i of the line segment (Xi, Yi) and the ending point (xi+, , yi+, Generate a dot pattern.

After the above-described processes 1003 and 1004 are performed on all line segments in the straight line information (step 1005), the process returns to step II) 01 again to continue processing the next graphic information.

- If it is determined in step 1002 that the graphic information is screen end information, the main routine is instructed (
1.1) to (2, 2) as it indicates the end of the graphic information 4T stored in the page buffer, so this specification)
・End the file expansion process and return to the main routine.

FIG. 11 shows the revision of the post-processing routine of step 8130 in section 8, step 8130. To explain the vector division post-processing procedure for setting the straight line information of the print area frame with reference to FIG. The maximum printing area in the X and Y directions (f?4 X and Y
is read out, and using x and Y in register 1, in the next step 1102, linear information ``G500X--line YOYOO'' expressing the printing area frame of the paper is created.

Next, the process advances to step 1103, where the page buffer (Ll
), (1,2), (2,1), and (2,2) are sequentially selected and the following steps 1104 and 1105 are performed on each page buffer. Step 1
In step 10'4, the straight line information of the print area frame created in step 1102 described above is added to the currently displayed page buffer. Next, in step 1105, end-of-screen information (EOG) is added to the currently selected page buffer to mark the end of graphic information for this page buffer.

Post-division processing steps 1101 to 110
The straight line information representing the print area frame added to each page buffer by step 5 is treated in the same way as the other 1 east line information in the vector expansion process shown in FIG. Line segments can be output.

In this example, a frame surrounding the recording area is used as an index of the recording area, but the frame surrounding the recording area is not limited to this, and any figure such as a coordinate axis or a cross mark can also be used. In addition, in this example, as a means of page division output, a number of page buffers are used, and graphic information representing the index of the recording area is also handled along with other graphic information ttj in page division output. For example, when using the image memory for the entire screen area and dividing the graphic dot pattern developed in the image memory into the middle of the recording area and outputting it, the recording material (output paper) can be used. ), the graphic pattern on the image memory is logically ORed with the index graphic pattern from a separately provided index graphic pattern generator, and the result is recorded on the recording material. Also,
Furthermore, in this example, during the vector division post-processing shown in Fig. 1θ, the print area frame, that is, the index information of the recording area is set in the page buffer, but the page buffer 111j, which is full, is If there is an error in the stored information, you can output it by setting only the screen end edge tfJ without setting the index information in the page buffer, and the index information will be printed on the recording material. By checking whether the output figure is normal or not, it is possible to judge whether the output figure is normal or abnormal.

Note that although this example shows an example of application to a laser beam printer, which is one of the so-called page printers that activates the printing mechanism for each printed page, the present invention is not limited to this.
Of course, the present invention can be easily applied to various image output devices capable of outputting figures and images, such as pen blocks, thermal printers, and CRT displays. Furthermore,
In order to simplify the explanation, in this example, only line segment information is handled as graphic information, but in addition, information that uses coordinates and distance as elements such as polygons and circular arcs, and image information such as dot images are also handled. It can be handled and divided. Furthermore, character codes can also be handled by adding an ordinary character generator that generates dot patterns of corresponding characters from character codes.

(Effects) As explained in 2, according to the present invention, the output of figures and images exceeding the recording area of the recording material can be divided into a plurality of pages and output, and when the divided output is performed. The boundaries between figures and images between pages become clear according to the recording area index recorded on each page, so by combining the multiple recording materials, figures and images can be input++!
1JI is able to easily and painlessly restore the large screen that llj Irf was trying to express.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, in an 1IllI image output device that uses cut sheet paper as a recording material as in this example, it is possible to prevent deviation of the printing area due to skewing of the eave angle of the recording material due to a defect in the paper feeding mechanism. Since the positional relationship between the printing area index and the printed figure becomes relatively normal, there is an advantage that the screen can be easily restored by combining with other divided output sheets.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram showing a schematic example of the image output device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the printer control section shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the format of graphic information handled by the device shown in FIG. 1. 6 and 71Δ are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of the principle of line segment division and print area frame output by the apparatus of FIG. 1; 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the printer control unit in FIG. 2, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the vector division processing subroutine of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the vector expansion processing subroutine of FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart I. showing the vector division post-processing subroutine of FIG. 100...Laser beam printer (LBP), 101
... printer control unit, 102 ... printing mechanism, 103 ... laser driver, 104 ... semiconductor laser, 105 ... rotating polygon mirror, 106 ... electrostatic driver 11. 10? ...Paper cassette, 108...Paper feed roller, 200...Interface circuit. 201...Paper size selection switch, 202...C
PU, 203...Input buffer memory, 204...Claw information table. 205...X register, 206...Y register, 207...page/header memory, 208...work memory, 208...vector-rusk converter, 210...image memory, 2tl... -Video signal generator, 212...Printer interface circuit, 400...
- Straight line information, 401...Screen end information. Patent Applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Two 8 Figures, /J 9 ■ Figure 10 Figure 1t

Claims (1)

[Claims] The graphics/image information input from the take source is set to a predetermined value of -1゛1.
dividing output means for dividing the first size 41f into 11i1 and outputting the divided pages to a recording medium of a plurality of pages; Min;l;l output car r stage for minute:'! An output control p+↓burning is added for outputting the index information 5"6 produced by the index 1': raw feathers to the recording medium together with the recorded drawing/painting I' house information. 1 I will turn what I did into peace!