JP2916775B2 - Image output device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image output apparatus having a page printer such as an LBP and an image display having a memory function.

2. Description of the Related Art As an image display has a higher resolution and a larger screen, the capacity of a video RAM for holding image data to be displayed on the image display gradually increases.

By the way, an active matrix liquid crystal display developed as a large-screen liquid crystal display, a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC)
The display uses one pixel to prevent the screen from flickering.
Each one has memory. However, since the memory property is insufficient, a video RAM is provided for the liquid crystal display to compensate for this.

On the other hand, in addition to the liquid crystal display, a page printer such as an LBP is connected, and when printing is performed by the page printer, a page memory dedicated to the LBP is provided because data is transmitted to the page printer at high speed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in the conventional image output device, the electronic file device main body 10 and the like
The display 30 receives an image signal from the VRAM 21, and the LBP 40 receives an image signal from the page memory 22. That is, when the display 30 and the LBP 40 are used, two memories, the VRAM 21 and the page memory 22, are required.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the memory configuration of the video RAM 21 dedicated to the liquid crystal display and the memory configuration of the page memory 22 dedicated to the LBP are almost the same, there is a demand that the video RAM 21 be shared and driven by one video RAM. There is.

However, when the video RAM is driven by one video RAM, if the video RAM signal is output to the LBP 40, it cannot be displayed on the liquid crystal display 30. If the video RAM signal is output to the liquid crystal display 30, Cannot output with LBP40.

Therefore, there is a problem that two memories are required after all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image output device that can output an image using an LBP while displaying on a liquid crystal display using one video RAM.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to an image output device capable of outputting image information to a display device and a printing device each configured by a display element having a memory, and a storage device for storing image information. Storage means for storing the image information for output to the display device or the printing device; developing means for expanding the image information stored in the storage means to the storage means; and developing means for the storage means. Reading means for reading image information; display transfer means for periodically transferring the read image information to the display device in synchronization with a synchronization signal of the display device; and reading the read image information. A print transfer unit that transfers the read image information to the printing device in synchronization with a synchronization signal of the printing unit, and switches the output destination of the read image information to the display device or the printing device. Switching means, and control means for interrupting the transfer by the display transfer means when the output destination of the image information is switched to the printing device by the switching means.

[Operation] According to the present invention, the refresh operation of the display device is stopped during the period of outputting to the printing device, and since the display device has memory, the state immediately before the refresh operation of the display device is stopped is displayed. The device keeps displaying, so that the printing operation by the printing device and the display operation by the display device can be executed simultaneously, and the storage device for the printing device and the storage device for the display device can be shared. .

This has the effect.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the electronic file device main body 10 has one VRAM.
(Video RAM) 20, FLC type liquid crystal display 30, LBP (laser beam printer) 40, and distributor 50 are provided.

The VRAM 20 is an example of a video RAM that stores image information of at least one page. The VRAM 20 sends an image signal to the FLC display 30 and the LBP 40, and receives a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, and a BD therefrom. .

The liquid crystal display 30 has a memory function, for example, USP
4 is an example of a liquid crystal display disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,655,561.

 LBP40 is an example of a page printer.

The distributor 50 transfers the image signal from the VRAM 20 to the liquid crystal display 30.
Distributes to the LBP 40 and supplies an image refresh signal for image refreshing the liquid crystal display 30, and supplies an image refresh stop signal for stopping the image refresh to the liquid crystal display 30 when outputting an image with the LBP 40. Things.

That is, the FLC type display 30 is an example of a display device configured by a display element having memory, the electronic file device main body 10 is an example of storage means for storing image information, and the VRAM 20 is The information is an example of a storage unit that stores information for output to the display device or the printing device.Also, the distributor 50 outputs the output destination of the read image information to the display device or the printing device. This is an example of switching means for switching, and is an example of control means for interrupting transfer by the display transfer means when the output destination of image information is switched to the printing device by the switching means.

 Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment.

First, the electronic file device main body 10 sends out image information (S1), and stores the image information in the VRAM 20 (S2).

Then, the image signal stored in the VRAM 20 is transferred to the FLC type liquid crystal display 30, and displayed on the liquid crystal display 30 (S
3). The refresh timing is counted by a timer provided in the distributor 50 (S4). During this time, there is no print output command (S5), and if the refresh timing comes (S6), the FLC type liquid crystal display is displayed. 30 image refreshes are performed (S7). That is, the timer provided in the distributor 50 detects the refresh timing before the image deterioration, and refreshes the liquid crystal display 30.

On the other hand, if there is a print output command to cause the LBP 40 to print out (S5), the refresh for the liquid crystal display 30 is stopped (S11), that is, the counter for refresh timing detection provided in the distributor 50 is stopped. The transfer destination of the image signal is changed from the crystal display 30 to the LBP 40 (S1
2) The image is printed by the LBP 40 (S13).

If the display operation by the liquid crystal display 30 or the LBP 40 is to be continued (S8), the operations of S4 to S7 and S11 to S13 are repeated.

As described above, when the image is not output by the LBP 40, the image is displayed on the liquid crystal display 30, and in this case, the image signal from the VRAM 20 is supplied to the liquid crystal display 30, and the liquid crystal display 30 is refreshed at a predetermined timing. When an image is output by the LBP 40, the image signal from the VRAM 20 is output to the LBP 4 via the distributor 50.
0, and the image refresh on the liquid crystal display 30 is stopped. While the image refresh is stopped, the display on the liquid crystal display 30 is continued.
Therefore, an image is displayed on the liquid crystal display 30 even during printing with the LBP 40.

That is, in the above embodiment, the image can be output by the LBP 40 while displaying on the liquid crystal display 30 only by providing one VRAM 20.

Instead of the FLC display 30, an image display having other memory properties such as an active matrix liquid crystal display may be used. Further, instead of the LBP 40, another page printer may be used.

According to the above embodiment, the video memory is a video RA
With just one M, LBP is displayed on the LCD.
Can output an image.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, during output to the printing apparatus,
Since the refresh operation of the display device is stopped and the display device has memory, the display device keeps displaying the state immediately before stopping the refresh operation of the display device. The operation can be performed at the same time, and the storage device for the printing device and the storage device for the display device can be shared.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional image output device. 10 ... Electronic file device main unit, 20 ... VRAM, 30 ... FLC type display, 40 ... LBP, 50 ... Distributor.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 1/21 H04N 5/76 B41J 3/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An image output device capable of outputting image information to a display device and a printing device each having a display element having a memory property, a storage means for storing image information; Or storage means for storing the image information for output to the printing apparatus; developing means for developing the image information stored in the storage means in the storage means; reading means for reading out the image information developed in the storage means; Display transfer means for periodically transferring the read image information to the display device in synchronization with the synchronization signal of the display device; and converting the read image information to a synchronization signal of the printing device. Print transfer means for transferring the read image information to the display device or the print device in synchronization with the print transfer device; When the output destination of the image information is switched to the printing apparatus by switching means interrupting the control means of the transfer by the display transfer means; image output apparatus characterized by having a. 2. The control means according to claim 1, wherein said control means has time counting means for counting a reading interval by said reading means, and interrupts the transfer by stopping said time counting means. An image output device, comprising: