JPS62257271A - Image reading and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image recording in which a major image only is made conspicuous by synthesizing a clear image information and an obscure image information, and outputting the result to a recording medium to store. CONSTITUTION:For instance, an image of character is placed on the original platen of a color reader 1 and a defocusing switch 304 is depressed, then a CPU 301 turns a selector 203 to S-side, to store an image information in a buffer memory 201 through the I/O of an image processing circuit 200. For instance, when the image of a landscape to be the background is palced on the original platen and the defocusing button 304 is depressed again, the CPU 301 turns the selector 203 to D-side, causing a motor 306 to turn to insert a glass plate 8 whose surface is irregular with full of fine protrusions and recesses to in front of a CCD line sensor. The image information of a blurred image is thus stored in a buffer memory 202. Image density information are sequentially read out from the memories 201 and 202. And thus a sharp image information and the blurred image information are synthesized in an OR circuit 208. Via gamma-correction circuits 204 and 205 and dither circuits 206 and 207.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an image reading and recording apparatus, and more particularly to an image reading and recording apparatus that is capable of image composition of a plurality of halftone images.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, several image reading and recording apparatuses are known that can combine a plurality of images and output the combined image onto a recording medium.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, with such conventional devices, when combining multiple images, it was not possible to make one of the combined images into an unclear, out-of-focus "blurred" image. I couldn't make it stand out.

Therefore, the present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the conventional method and makes it possible to combine one image with a "blurred" image. For example, when combining an image of a person and a background image, only the background image is To provide an image reading and recording device capable of making a person as a subject relatively stand out by creating a "blurred" image.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a first image information forming means for forming clear image information in an image reading and recording apparatus capable of combining a plurality of images and outputting and recording the same on a recording medium. and a second image forming blurred image information.
image information forming means, and the first and second image information forming means? The present invention is characterized by comprising a composition means for composition of l number of image information.

(Function) In the present invention, the first image information forming means forms clear image information, the second image information forming means forms unclear image information (blurred image information), and these first and second image information
The clear image information and the blurred image information obtained from the image information forming means are combined by the combining means and outputted and recorded on a recording medium. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image record in which only the main image stands out.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

A. Structure of Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of an image reading and recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, 1 is a color image reading unit (hereinafter referred to as a reader) that reads a color image and outputs an image signal.

). Reference numeral 2 denotes a color image recording section (hereinafter referred to as a printer) that records a color image on transfer paper in accordance with the image signal output from the reader 1.

Further, 3 is a document, 4 is a document scanning unit that reads and scans the original fA 3, 5 is a rod eye lens that collects reflected light from the document 3, and 6 is a position where an image of the document is formed by the rod eye lens 5. The optical image is arranged to be converted into an analog electrical signal (
7 is an exposure lamp that irradiates the document 3. Reference numeral 8 denotes a glass plate for forming a "blurred" image, which is driven by a micromotor to be described later and inserted between the optical axes of the rod array lens 5 and the CCD licensor 6 when creating a "blurred" image. A glass plate or a frosted glass plate can be applied.

1ot-120 are various devices constituting the printer 2. That is, 101 is a photosensitive drum that forms an electrostatic latent image according to the irradiation light (laser light), 102 is a removing electrode that removes static electricity from the photosensitive drum 101 before exposure, and 103 is a photosensitive drum lot that is positively charged. It is a charged electrode. 10
Reference numeral 4 denotes a laser generator (hereinafter referred to as a laser) that generates intermittent laser light in response to a binary digital input image signal, and the generated laser light is irradiated onto the positively charged photosensitive drum 101. Forms an electrostatic latent image. Reference numeral 105 converts the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 101 into a visible image using toner of three colors: yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), or four colors including black (X). It is a color developing device and has a plurality of rotating rollers to which resin powder toner is magnetically adhered.

+11c, r-+rm, k L' 3 7.
101 Lx L -1 &flt+2'
This is a transfer drum for transferring images, and is covered with a film made of a derivative or a mesh-like screen.

Since the toner on the rotating roller (for example, 105Y) on the developing device 105 is charged with positive electricity, the toner on the photosensitive drum 10
1, toner adheres only to the portion of the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum that has lost its static electricity, and a toner image of the corresponding color is developed.

107 and 108 are paper cassettes containing transfer paper (cut paper); lθ9 and 110 are paper cassettes that feed the transfer paper from the paper cassette to the transfer drum 106; a paper feed roller 111 that guides the fed transfer paper to the transfer drum 106; 2 is a clip-shaped gripper that holds the transfer paper on the transfer drum 106, 113 is a charging electrode for holding the transfer paper provided on the transfer drum 10B side, and 114 is a paper feed guide that pushes the transfer paper onto the transfer drum 106. The pressing roller 115 is a transfer charging electrode that applies negative static electricity to the back surface of the transfer paper in order to transfer the visible image (toner image) on the photosensitive drum 101 to the transfer paper, and the toner on the photosensitive drum 101 is It is ripped off by the electrostatic force and transferred to a designated position on the transfer paper.

Further, 116 is a cleaning (toner collector) that removes and collects residual toner that has not been transferred on the photosensitive drum 101, 117 is a removing electrode, 118 is a separation claw that peels off the transfer paper after the image transfer is completed on the transfer drum 106, and 119 A conveyor belt 120 conveys the torn-off transfer paper, and 120 is a fixing device that heats and presses the toner image transferred to the transfer paper to fix the toner on the back side of the transfer paper, and the transfer paper fixed by the fixing device 12G is ejected to a paper ejection tray or sorter.

Furthermore, 200 is an image processing circuit that executes image synthesis according to the present invention, and a schematic circuit configuration thereof is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, 201 and 202 are respectively reader 1
The digital image density signal sent from
), magenta (M), and cyan (C) color signals on a page-by-page basis.The former buffer memory 201 stores focused and clear image information, and the latter buffer memory Memory 202 is used to store out-of-focus, so-called "blurred" images. 203 transfers the digital image density signal from the reader 1 to a buffer memory 2;
This is a selector for selectively switching to either one of 01 and 202. 204 and 205 are γ corrections (gradation corrections) for the digital image density signals read out from the buffers 201 and 202, respectively.
Correction circuits 206 and 207 are respectively γ correction circuits 2
04 and 205, dots (
This is a dither circuit that obtains a halftone image expressed by pixels. 20
8 is the 08 circuit (OR circuit), and both dither circuits 20
Image synthesis is performed by ORing serial binary digital image signals (image signals) synchronously output from 6 and 207.

Further, 209 to 212 are component devices of the above-mentioned laser 104, and 209 is a laser element 210 corresponding to a binary electric signal (image signal) of on and off that constitutes the image output from the OR circuit 208. The laser element 210 is driven by the laser driver 209 to oscillate and output a blinking laser beam that turns on and off. 211 is 12 which is constantly rotated by a motor.
A faceted polygon mirror (polygon mirror) 212 is an f-theta (fθ) lens with a special spherical surface disposed on the optical path between the polygon mirror 211 and the photosensitive drum 101, and the laser beam output from the laser element 210 is a polygon mirror. It is reflected by a mirror 212, passes through an F-theta lens 212 for keeping the scanning speed constant, and then passes through the photosensitive drum 101.
Scan the top.

301 is a central processing unit (
CPU) and read-only memory (ROM) 302
The control operation according to the present invention is executed according to the control procedure shown in FIG. 3, which is stored in advance in the control procedure. 303 is a print start button (S button) for instructing image reading and recording with normal clear image quality, and 304 is a defocus button (D button) for instructing image composition according to the present invention. When you press the defocus button 304 once, the selector 203 changes to S.
color image information from reader 1 is switched to the first side.
at 11B tch 1) l nr ”'
7-y J :k II 9Al l-
Ka Vhh"r 4"l 2, 'In,
When you press the defocus button 304 a second time, selector 2
03 is switched to the D side, the color image information from the reader 1 is stored in the second blurred image buffer memory 202, and then the clear image and blurred image are combined and printed. 305 is a motor drive circuit that drives a micromotor (M) 306 that moves the glass plate 8.

B. Operation of the Embodiment Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, after turning on the power, the operator places a document to be printed sharply (for example, an image of a person) on the document table of the color reader 1, and presses the defocus button 304.
01 detects the input of this button 304 (step S3)
, starts the reading operation of reader 1 (step S4).
.

That is, the document scanning unit 4 is moved and scanned in the direction of arrow A in FIG. Then, the reflected light from the original is guided by a lot's eye lens 5 and focused on a 1-magnification color separation line sensor (CCD line sensor) 6. The image information read by the Ctl and D line sensors 6 is converted into an 8-bit digital signal and sent to the image processing circuit 200 of the color printer 2.

Simultaneously, the mcpu 301 switches the selector 203 to the S side by the control signal SDI (step S5), and selects Y (yellow), M (magenta), and
Image information of C (cyan) trichromatic bone is processed by the image processing circuit 200.
10 (input/output circuit) and the selector 203, and store it in the first buffer memory 201 (step S
6). Note that W is a control signal for reading old data from the memory 201 (read/write signal).

Next, the operator places the document to be printed with a blurred image, for example, an image of a landscape as a background, on the document table of the reader L and presses the defocus button 304 again. : Ptl 301 is detected (step S7),
Reading of the blurred image is started. That is, (:PLI 3
The control signal from 01 rotates the motor 306 via the motor drive circuit 305, thereby moving the glass plate 8, which has very fine irregularities on its surface, from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the right in the figure. , the reader 1 is inserted between the rod array lens 5 and the CCD line sensor 6 (step S8), and then reading of the document by the reader 1 is started in the same manner as described above.

(Step S9). In this reading state, the reflected light from the document is diffused by the glass plate 8, so a blurred image is formed on the CCD line sensor 6, and the CCD line sensor 6 forms a blurred image.
The image information for three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) of the blurred image read by the CD line sensor 6 is color-converted into Y, M, and C, and is sent to the image processing circuit of the printer 2. Sent to 200.

At the same time, the CPU 301 switches the selector 203 to the D side and stores the human image information in the second buffer memory 202 (step 511).

Next, for example, 8B is transferred from the first buffer memory 201.
It (bit) Y (yellow) image density information and the same 8 Bit from the second buffer memory 202
The γ correction circuit 204 sequentially and synchronously reads out the Y image density information from the same address (step 512 ).
, 205 performs gamma conversion processing (?A degree conversion, gradation correction) that matches the toner characteristics of the printer 200, and further converts the pixel density data to a predetermined threshold (threshold) in order to reproduce halftones with dots. ), the dithering circuits 206 and 207 perform a known dithering process to determine the recording dots to be output, converting the data into binary information, and the OR circuit 208 converts the sharp The image information of Y and the blurred image information of Y are combined (step 513).

The laser driver 209 turns on and off the laser element 210 according to the combined image information, causing the laser element 210 to output intermittent laser light, and the output laser light passes through the polygon mirror 211 and the f-theta lens 212. The light is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 101 through the photosensitive drum 101, and a composite image of the blurred image and the sharp image is recorded on the transfer paper (step 514).

Briefly, the printing operation of the printer 2 will be explained in detail below.

Before the photosensitive drum lot is exposed to light, static electricity is eliminated by the elimination electrode 102 shown in FIG. 1, and then 1. jji: electrode 10
3, and a dot-shaped electrostatic latent image expressing an extremely high-resolution halftone is formed on the photosensitive drum 101 by on-off exposure with laser light.

First, yellow development is performed by the yellow developing device 105Y, which is rotated to the developing position shown in FIG. 1 and set in advance. Upper paper feed roller 1 from upper cassette 107
09 or from the lower cassette 108 by the lower paper feed roller 110 via the paper feed guide Ill, the transfer paper is held by the gripper 112 incorporated in the transfer drum 106, and is charged by the corona discharge of pj4113. It is held in a dielectric film or mesh screen on drum 106. At this time, the transfer paper is pressed against the transfer paper by the pressing roller 11 =1 which can be freely moved toward and away from the transfer paper, thereby increasing the electrostatic adsorption effect.

At this time, the transfer drum 106 is rotating in synchronization with the photosensitive drum 101, and the visible image on the photosensitive drum 101, which has been developed yellow by the yellow developer 105Y, is transferred onto the transfer paper by the transfer charging electrode 115. . The transfer drum 106 continues to rotate and prepares for transfer of the next color (magenta).

After the photosensitive drum 101 has been transferred onto the transfer paper, it is cleaned by the cleaning member 11B and then positively charged by the charging electrode 103 in preparation for the next exposure by the laser 104.

After this process, magenta, cyan, (black)
Do about.

Yellow, magenta, cyan, (
When the transfer of black) is completed, removal electrodes 117 provided on the inside and outside of the transfer drum 106
Applying high voltage C and releasing the gripper 112,
The transfer paper is separated by the transfer drum 106 by the separating claw 118, and the separated transfer paper is sent to the fixing device 12G by a conveyor belt 119, and the toner image on the transfer paper is fixed, and then the paper is discharged.

Note that steps Sl and 52 in FIG. 3 indicate processing steps when printing a normal sharp image; in this case, the selector 203 is set to the S side, and the image information read from the reader L is The image passes through the buffer memory 201 and is printed on transfer paper.

C9 Modified Example In this example, the creation of a blurred image is performed using the rod array lens 5.
Although the glass plate 8 is inserted into the optical path between the lens and the CC'D line sensor 6, the present invention is not limited thereto. It is also possible to create a blurred image by using 8 images.

In addition, when creating a blurred image, the sharp image signal from the reader 1 is temporarily stored in a third buffer memory (not shown), and then the information stored in this buffer 7 memory is converted to the average value of, for example, 5×5 pixels. Then, by converting it into one pixel, blurred image information is obtained, and this blurred image information is stored in the second buffer memory 202, and then image information is read out from the buffer memories 201 and 202 and the images are combined. However, the present invention can be achieved even in this case.

Further, the image reading means is not limited to this example, and a still video camera (electronic still camera), a computer output device, etc. can also be applied, and the image recording means can be other than a laser beam printer as in this example. An output device capable of outputting halftone images, such as an inkjet printer or a thermal transfer printer, can be applied.

Various methods are used, such as using a color of a specific wavelength (for example, blue) used as a specific background color for blood synthesis as a mask signal, and replacing the signal of this wavelength with the signal of the background screen to perform screen synthesis. A known image synthesis device can also be used.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied not only to color images but also to monochrome images. Furthermore, if the reading speed of the reader and the recording speed of the printer are synchronized, it goes without saying that the second buffer memory for blurred images is not necessarily required.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, when composing a plurality of images, the image quality of images other than the main image is blurred and image compositing is performed, so that only the main image is brought out. You can get the effect that you can.

□

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of an embodiment of the present invention.
. , FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
□ FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 2. l... Color reader, 2... Color printer, 4... Original scanning unit, 5... Rod array lens, 6... CCD line sensor, 8... Glass plate for blurred image formation, 101 ...
Photosensitive drum, 108... Transfer drum, 200... Image processing circuit, 201.202... Buffer memory, 203...
Selector, 204, 205... γ correction circuit, 206, 20
7... Dither circuit, 208... OR circuit 1. 209... Laser driver, 301... CPIJ.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) a) An image reading and recording device capable of composing a plurality of images and outputting and recording them on a recording medium, including: b) first image information formation that forms clear image information; c) a second image information forming means for forming blurred image information; and d) a synthesizing means for synthesizing a plurality of image information obtained from the first and second image information forming means. An image reading and recording device characterized by: