KR0115147Y1 - Color video printer having the function of reverse printing - Google Patents

Abstract

The color video printer is to perform a reverse print function without separately including a memory for outputting R, G, and B type heating data values of image data read out from the memory. Memory for storing at least one image data in units of frames for this purpose; A lockup table for storing fixed R, G, and B invention data and outputting heating data corresponding to image data output from a memory; A color conversion unit for converting and outputting color data having a complementary color relation to the heating data from R, G, and B output from the lookup table; A system controller for controlling all functions of the color video printer according to a user's control command; A selection unit for selectively outputting a signal output from the lookup table and a signal output from the color conversion unit by the control signal output from the system controller; And a line memory for temporarily storing the signal output from the selecting means in line units and outputting the temporary data. Therefore, reverse printing can be performed without a separate memo.

Description

Color Video Printer with Reverse Print

1 is a block diagram of a color video printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram of the selector shown in FIG.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: memory 20: lockup table

30: color conversion unit 40: selection unit

50: system control unit 60: line memory

70: intermediate conversion unit 80: thermal transfer head (TPH)

The present invention relates to a color video printer, and more particularly, to a color video printer having a reverse print function for outputting a hue of a printed image in a negative state.

In general, most sublimation thermal transfer printers print color video printers using a thermal print head (hereinafter referred to as TPH). The sublimation thermal transfer printer applies energy to the TPH in performing the printing and sublimates the dye on the film on which the dye is applied with the energy generated by the TPH to print the desired image or picture by the amount of the dye transferred onto the recording paper. do. At this time, the printed and output image is R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) signals read from the memory storing image data in units of frames, respectively. ) Is converted to C (Cyan) and output.

However, due to the diversification of printing techniques, the function of printing the R, G, and B signals read out from the memory is added. This function is a reverse print function, which prints the same image as a film of a general photograph. In other words, the printing is performed in the state of the film in which the color of the image data is expressed as opposed to the color of the developed image. To this end, conventionally, a separate RAM is provided to randomly set the heating data values of the R, G, and B types corresponding to the image data read out from the memory to enable reverse printing. However, there is a problem in that RAM has to be replaced at any time and the price of the system increases due to the provision of a separate memory.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a color video printer for performing a reverse print function without having a memory for outputting R, G, B type heating data values of image data read out from the memory.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a color video printer which reads, halftone-converts, and prints image data desired for printing from a memory that stores at least one image data on a frame basis; A lookup table for storing fixed heating data of R, G, and B types, and outputting heating data corresponding to image data output from the memory; A color conversion unit for converting and outputting color data having a complementary color relationship with respect to heat generation data to the R, G, and B output from the lookup table; A system unit for controlling all functions of the color video printer according to a user's control command; A selection unit for selectively outputting a signal output from the lookup table and a signal output from the color conversion unit according to a control signal output from the system controller; And a line memory for temporarily storing the signal output from the selecting means in line units and outputting the signal.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a color video printer according to the present invention, in which the memory 10 stores a plurality of image data in units of frames, and R, G, and B shapes corresponding to the image data output from the memory 10. FIG. A lookup table 20 for outputting the heat generating data and a color for converting and outputting the Y, M, and C signals having complementary relations to the R, G, and B signals output in parallel from the lookup table 20. A selection unit for selectively outputting the Y, M, C signals output from the color conversion unit 30 and the R, G, B signals output from the lookup table 20 as input signals ( 40) and the system controller 50 for controlling the selection function of the selector 40 to control the reverse printing to be performed in the present invention, while controlling all functions of the system by the user's control command, and the selector ( The parallel data output from 40) is temporarily saved and output in line units. The half-tone conversion section 70 for performing halftone conversion on the signal output from the line memory 60 and outputting the serial data, and the signal output from the halftone conversion section 70. It consists of a TPH (80) to print while being heated along.

FIG. 2 is an embodiment in which the selector 40 of FIG. 1 is embodied. The select control signal SELECT and the enable signal ENABLE output from the system controller 50 are selected as input signals. The selection control signal generating means 41 for generating the? And the bit data of the data applied in parallel from the lookup table 20 and the bit data of the data applied in parallel from the color conversion unit 30. And selection means 42 for selectively outputting to the next line memory 60 according to the signal output from 41.

In particular, the selecting means 42 includes a circuit for controlling whether or not a bit of the signal output from the lookup table 20 and the color conversion unit 30 is transmitted. That is, one of the two signals input by the most significant bit output from the lookup table 20 and the most significant bit output from the color conversion unit 30 as input signals and by the selection control signal generating means and the control signal output from 41. The circuit is configured to output only bit data. Similarly, when the bits of the signal output from the lookup table 20 and the signal output from the color conversion unit 30 are 8 bits, the corresponding bits as the most significant bit with respect to the 8 bits output as the input signal are selected and controlled. It is configured to selectively output by the signal generating means and the signal output from the 41.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

When the image data desired for printing is selected by the user and the print mode is set to the reverse print mode, the corresponding image data is read out from the memory 10. Control for reading out the memory 10 is by the system controller 50 as in the conventional manner.

The lookup table 20 outputs, in parallel, the heating data of R, G, and B types corresponding to the image data read out from the memory 10. The output of the corresponding heating data in the lookup table 20 is also controlled by the system controller 50 in the same manner as before. That is, it is controlled by the system controller 50 to detect the R, G, B levels of the signal output from the memory 10 and to read the heating data corresponding thereto. The color converter 30 converts the R, G, and B signals output from the lookup table 20 into Y, M, and C signals having a complementary color relationship, and outputs the converted signals. That is, the R signal is converted into a C signal, the B signal is converted into a Y signal, and the G signal is converted into an M signal and output.

The selection unit 40 receives the signal output from the color conversion unit 30 and the parallel data output from the lookup table 20 and selectively outputs the input signal by the selection control signal output from the system controller 50. Currently, since the reverse print mode is set, a signal output from the lookup table 20 is selected and output. More specifically with reference to Figure 2 as follows.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the data output from the lookup table 20 and the color converter 30 are 8 bits, and each bit is separated from the most significant bit to the least significant bit of the bit output from the lookup table 20. It is applied as an input signal and the signal output from the color conversion unit 30 is also applied separately by bit. The applied input signal is applied to the logical multiplication elements 421, 422, 424, 425, 427, 428 of the selection means 42, respectively. That is, the most significant bits output from the lookup table 20 and the color conversion unit 30 are respectively applied to the logical AND elements 421 and 422, and the next bit (here, the seventh bit) is applied to the logical AND elements 422 and 425, respectively. The next bits are applied as well, and the least significant bits are also applied to the logical AND elements 427 and 428, respectively. The logical multiplication devices 421, 422, 424, 425, 427, and 428 determine whether to output the applied signals by the logic of an input signal applied to another input terminal. The input signal applied to the other input terminal is output from the selection control signal generating means 41.

The selection control signal generating means 41 inverts through the inverter 413 when the selection control signal SELECT output from the system controller 50 is applied, and inverts the selection control signal SELECT and the inverter 413. And the select control signal (SELECT) to be output as the respective input signal, the logical multiplication device (411,412), the enable signal (ENABLE) output from the system control unit 50 to the other input signal of the logical multiplication device (411,412) Is authorized. In this case, since the inverse print mode, the SELECT signal is applied in low logic so that the logic of the enable signal to which the logical multiplication device 412 is applied is output as it is, and the logical multiplication device 411 applies the low logic regardless of the logic of the enable signal. Output Accordingly, the selecting means 42 applies low logic to the other input terminal of the logical multiplication devices 421, 424, and 427 that receives the signal output from the color conversion unit 30 as an input signal. High logic is applied to the other input terminal of the logical multiplication devices 422, 425, and 428 that receive the output signal as an input signal. Accordingly, the selecting means 42 outputs the most significant bit (MSB (b)) to the least significant bit (LSB (b)) signals output from the lookup table 20 to the next logical sum elements 423, 426, 429. . The logic sum elements 423, 426, and 429 output the signals output from the logic products 422, 425, and 428 as they are, since the signals output from the logic products 421, 424, and 427 are low logic.

The signal output as described above is output to the line memory 60 and temporarily stored and then output in line units.

The intermediate tone conversion unit 70 generates a pulse width modulation signal PWM which corresponds to a heating time for each gray level after comparing the gray level signal output from the line memory 60 in line units with a preset gray level value. Color printing is performed by driving the TPH 80 during the width. Here, the data printed from the TPH 80 becomes a screen having a color tone like a film.

When the image data desired for printing is selected by the user and the normal print mode other than the reverse print mode is set, the memory 10 and the lookup table 20, the color converter 30, the line memory 60, and the intermediate tone converter 70, TPH 80 and the like are performed as in the case of the reverse print mode described above, and only the selection unit 40 is a signal output from the color conversion unit 30 by the control signal output from the system control unit 50. It is operated to output.

That is, since the selector 40 receives the SELECT signal output from the system controller 50 in high logic as opposed to the reverse print mode described above, the selector control signal generating means 41 passes to the color converter 30. Outputs the output signal of the logical multiplication device 411, which sends the output signal to the logical multiplication devices 421, 424, and 427 of the selection means 42, to which the output signal is applied, from the other logical multiplication devices 412. The output signal is output in low logic. Therefore, the selection means 42 outputs the signal output from the color conversion unit 30 to the logical multiplication elements 421, 424, and 427 as it is, while the logical multiplication elements 422, 425, 428 are applied to the bit information applied from the lookup table 20. Outputs low logic regardless. Therefore, the logic sum elements 423, 426, 429 output the signals output from the logic product 421, 424, 427 as it is. As a result, the signal output to the line memory 60 becomes a signal output from the color converter 30. Accordingly, the image output through the TPH 80 is printed in the color tone of the form in which the film is developed as before.

As described above, the color video printer controls the printing of the heating data stored in the previous lookup table without color conversion in reverse printing, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing a separate memory for the reverse printing function.

Claims (5)

A color video printer for reading, halftone-converting, and printing through a thermal transfer head a desired image data to be printed from a memory storing at least one image data on a frame basis; A look-up table for storing fixed heat generation data of R, G, and B forms and outputting heat generation data corresponding to image data output from the memory; A color conversion unit for converting and outputting a color signal having a complementary color relationship to the heating data of the R, G, and B output from the lookup table; A system controller for controlling all functions of the color video printer according to a user's control command; A selection unit for selectively outputting a signal output from the lookup table and a signal output from the color conversion unit according to a control signal output from the system controller; And a line memory for temporarily storing the signal output from the selecting unit in line units and outputting the line memory. The system of claim 1, wherein the selector selects a signal output from the color converter and outputs the line memory when the signal output from the system controller is in a normal print mode, and outputs the line memory. When the signal is in the reverse print mode, the video output from the lookup table is selected and output to the line memory. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection unit comprises: selection control signal generation means for generating a selection control signal based on a selection control signal and an enable signal output from the system control unit, and a selection control signal output from the selection control signal generation means; And a selection means for selectively outputting the signals output from the lookup table and the color conversion unit, respectively. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the selection control signal generating means comprises: an inverter for inverting and outputting the selection control signal, a first logic element for ANDing the enable signal and the signal output from the inverter, and the selection control And a second logic element for logically multiplying the signal with the enable signal. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the selecting means allocates a signal output from the first and second logic elements for each bit of the signal output from the lookup table and the color conversion unit, and selects the signal from the first and second logic elements. Color video printer, characterized in that consisting of logic elements for determining whether the transfer of the data of the bit by the logic of the output signal.