KR100277772B1 - How to print fax data using a color cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for outputting fax data as a single color using a color cartridge, but by setting the order of color monochrome printing so that the color of monochrome printing is automatically changed according to the set color priority.

Changing the sent fax data to a printing format, checking the cartridge's loading status, checking the remaining ink level of the color cartridge, determining the priority of the optional color, and If the priority level of the remaining ink is yellow, the process of adjusting the ink and output magnification with the next remaining ink level, adjusting the line feeding value, and distributing the data stored in the buffer to each color buffer are performed. In addition, by printing a single color fax data using a color cartridge, important fax transmissions can be prevented from being lost.

Description

How to print fax data using a color cartridge

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to color printing in an inkjet printer or multifunction apparatus, and more particularly, to a method of automatically setting output colors by checking a color amount when fax data is input while a color cartridge is mounted.

In recent years, office equipment is in the trend of integrating multiple devices. In other words, the development of a multifunction printer in which a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, and the like are integrally developed. Among these multifunction printers, a multifunction printer equipped with a scanner module in the carriage of an inkjet printer will be described.

1 shows a schematic system configuration of such a multifunction apparatus. The CPU 1 is a part for controlling the entire system and controls the system memory 6 in which a program for driving the entire system is embedded.

The image processing unit 2 is controlled by the CPU 1 to control shadowing, gamma correction, resolution conversion, and edge emphasis of image data coming from the shuttle scanner module 3. ), Error Diffusion, etc.

Under the control of the CPU 1, the modem unit 9 performs fax transmission of the processed image data, and printing on the PC or printing at the reception of the fax is performed by the ECP 7-2.

The shuttle scanner module 3 performs a shuttle scanning as a part for reading image data.

The rasterizer 4 is a portion for rasterizing image data read into vertical blocks.

The image memory 5 is a buffer for image data processing required for image processing by the image processing unit 2.

The system memory 6 is composed of an EPROM in which the entire system program is embedded and an SRAM for processing system data.

The ECP 7-2 is a module for direct parallel interface with a PC. It is a part for transmitting scanned data to a PC and receiving data to be printed on the PC.

The printer driver 7-1 performs printhead injection control, drive control of carriage motor and line feed motor, and printing data handling necessary for printing.

Looking at the configuration of such a system as a whole can be represented as shown in FIG.

The scanner module 3 and the ink cartridge module 13 move along the same horizontal moving axis 14. Therefore, it drives by using the moving belt 12 and the carriage return motor 11. The document 100 is fed and discharged by the line feed roller 16 which is rotated according to the drive of the line feed motor 15.

3 is a side view illustrating a scanning process of a multifunction device centered on a scanner module. Such a shuttle-type scanning device can be configured together with the inkjet head module to use the same drive system.

The scanner module 3 and the ink cartridge module 13 constrained by the moving belt 12 reciprocate left and right along the original surface by rotating the carriage return motor 11. This drive uses a method of implementing image reading and printing.

The document 100 stored in the paper cassette 40 is drawn between the drive roller 41 and the pinch roller 42 by the paper feed roller 45. After the scanning process of the scanner module 3 is completed, it is discharged by the rotational force of the discharge roller 43 and the pinch roller 44.

The printing function is to transfer the ink of the inkjet head of the cartridge module 13 to the document 100 while the scanner module 3 and the ink cartridge module 13 move left and right.

The scanning function irradiates the document 100 with light by the lamp 31 in the scanner module 3 while the scanner module 3 and the cartridge module 13 move left and right. At this time, the amount of light reflected on the original surface, that is, the image data of the original surface passes through the scanner glass 32 and passes through the lens 33 to reach the CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 34 by focusing the image data. To poison. Here, the CCD 34 is a sensor for converting light energy into voltage which is electrical energy. Scanning is performed on the fax data for printing and transmission using such a scanner.

Most modern computer environments are implemented in Windows mode. Inkjet Print's Windows drive creates a print image based on the location of the first nozzle in the print head, nozzle size, and spacing. The image data transmitted from the computer to the inkjet printer is sequentially divided by the height of the ink cartridge from the top of the sheet and transmitted to the printer. At this time, a series of operations are performed, such as the entry and progress of the paper, and ejecting the paper from the printer after printing.

The cartridge to be mounted may use a cartridge for color or mono. If the color cartridge is mounted, the value stored in each buffer is provided to the corresponding part of each nozzle as shown in FIG. In the case of a mono cartridge, the data is transferred to each nozzle as shown in FIG.

Meanwhile, mono data can be output using a color cartridge, and the process is performed as shown in FIG. 5. First, check the mounting state of the cartridge (step S1), and if the mono cartridge is installed, output the fax data to the mono cartridge (step S2).

If the color cartridge is installed, check the remaining amount of color selected by default. (Step S3) If the ink level of the selected color exists, the fax data is output in the selected color. (Step S4)

If there is no remaining color of the selected color, a color short message is displayed (S5 process) and white fax data is output. (S6 process)

As multifunction devices are developed and printing methods are developed from mono to color, the documents used are also changed from mono to various colors. If the user receives the fax data while leaving the color cartridge as it is while using the multifunction device, a problem occurs.

In other words, if the color cartridge is left unchanged with the mono cartridge, the received fax data will be stored in the memory until the cartridge is replaced. If the above situation is repeated, the memory becomes full and after that, a situation occurs in which the fax data cannot be received and data is lost.

In addition, even if it is set to print in the selective color, if the selected color is empty, the fax data is printed in the white color and the document is blanked.

The present invention to solve this problem is to check the remaining amount of each color when the fax data is input in the state that the color cartridge is mounted color cartridge to automatically set the output color to enable monochrome printing by ordering the remaining colors It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing method for fax data.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a process for changing a sent fax data into a printing format, checking a cartridge's mounting state, checking a remaining amount of ink for each color of the color cartridge, and Determining the priority, if the ink level priority of the color is yellow, adjusting the ink and the output magnification with the next remaining ink level, adjusting the line feeding value, and storing the data stored in the buffer Distributing to the color buffer of the characterized in that it comprises.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a general multifunction device,

Figure 2 is an exemplary view showing the configuration of the system of Figure 1 in terms of mechanical,

Figure 3 is a side view showing the scanner module during operation of the multifunction device,

4 is an exemplary view illustrating a method of transferring printing data.

5 is a flowchart of a mono output method using a color cartridge according to the prior art;

6 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process of fax data using a color cartridge according to the present invention;

7 is an exemplary diagram illustrating conversion of data of a mono buffer stored in a color buffer according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the fax part must be equipped with a program to select options. Add a command field, which is information about color, to add in front of the data field so that it can be transmitted in line / band / page units. Of course, the contents of the command field include information about various data as well as information about colors.

The printer part checks the contents of the command field before printing the information provided in the data field to confirm whether it is data provided from a computer or fax data. If it is computer data, processing for computer data processing is performed, and if it is fax data, processing for fax data output is performed. At this time, after confirming the information on the color cartridge, processing for data processing is performed.

Hereinafter, an operation process of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6. First, image data for printing by decoding the fax data is formed. (Step S21) After determining the mounting state of the cartridge (Step S22), when the Mono cartridge is mounted, the printer prints the image as Mono (Step S23). If a color cartridge is installed, extract the command field and check the option information for monochrome printing (step S24).

The remaining amount of color ink is checked (step S25-1). If there is no corresponding color ink, a short message is displayed and the process returns to the remaining amount checking process. If all colors are empty, a protocol error will occur, preventing white printing (step S25-2).

Check that the most remaining ink is yellow (step S26). If the remaining amount of yellow ink is the highest, the next remaining ink is also selected (step S27). (Step S28) The printing data stored in the buffer is divided into three equal parts and distributed to each color buffer to perform printing.

When transferring mono data to each color buffer, a null value is transferred to a buffer of an unset color as shown in FIG. In the present invention, the cyan buffer is a monochromatic color set as an example. On the other hand, when it is set to yellow, data is also provided to the magenta buffer having a large amount of ink remaining as shown in FIG.

As described above, the present invention has an effect of preventing the loss of important fax transmissions by monochromatic printing of fax data using a color cartridge.

By setting the usage order of the monochromatic color, the color of monochromatic printing is automatically changed according to the priority of the color set as an option even if there is no remaining amount of one color.

When the remaining ink priority of the color is yellow, printing can be performed by dividing the ink with the ink remaining in the next order to prevent blur with the effect of the draft.

Claims (3)

CLAIMS 1. A method for outputting fax data to a color cartridge; Changing the sent fax data to the printing format, Checking the cartridge's mounting status, Checking the remaining amount of each color of the color cartridge, Determining the priority of the color set as an option; If the priority level of the remaining ink of the color is yellow, the process of adjusting the ink and the magnification of the next remaining ink level, Adjusting the line feeding value, And distributing the data stored in the buffer to each color buffer. The method of claim 1; A method of printing fax data using a color cartridge, characterized in that when the yellow ink is a priority, the ratio with the next ink is set at a one-to-one ratio. The method of claim 1; A method of printing fax data using a color cartridge, wherein the checking of the remaining amount of ink is performed in units of pages.

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