JP3944007B2 - Recording system and image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to, for example, a recording system configured so that a host computer and a recording apparatus can communicate with each other, and an image processing apparatus as a host computer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a serial type recording apparatus that performs recording (printing output) by scanning the recording head in the main scanning direction that intersects the conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording medium (recording paper or the like), the recording medium starts to be recorded. After transporting to the position, recording is performed by moving the carriage on which the recording head is mounted in the main scanning direction, and recording of the next line is performed by feeding a predetermined amount of paper (sub scanning) after recording for one line is completed. By repeating this operation, an image is recorded in the entire recording area of the recording medium.
[0003]
Conventionally, when recording is performed by feeding recording sheets one by one, recording is performed by manually setting the recording sheet in the recording apparatus. On the other hand, there is provided a recording apparatus equipped with an automatic paper feeder (hereinafter referred to as “ASF”) that can set a plurality of recording papers at a time and can feed them one by one sequentially.
[0004]
The ASF operates in conjunction with the recording apparatus main body, and can continuously feed recording sheets to the recording apparatus by placing a predetermined number of recording sheets on a paper feed tray.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when recording the recording data across a plurality of pages, for example, even if it is determined that the recording data covers the second and subsequent sheets during the recording of the first sheet, the second sheet feeding is performed for the first sheet. There is a problem that the actual recording time (hereinafter referred to as “throughput”) cannot be shortened because the control is started after the recording is completed, or the control is performed so that the recording sheets do not overlap each other in the recording paper conveyance path. .
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording system and an image processing apparatus capable of improving the conventional conveyance control of a recording medium and improving the throughput.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the recording system of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of units of recording media, and a storage unit that precedes the storage unit for each unit that is preset according to recording data. and a conveyance portion which conveys superposed recording medium conveyed after the margin of the recording medium conveyed in, while driving the recording head based on the recording data, and with the recording head and the recording medium For each unit set in advance so that the margin can be maximized so that the recording apparatus can communicate with the recording apparatus that scans and records in a direction intersecting each other and the recording apparatus. An image processing device for generating and transferring the recording data to the recording device, the image processing device using the preset recording data for each unit and the leading margin portion and the rear portion of the recording medium for each unit. Margin Calculating a partial, the case leading end margin portion is greater than the trailing edge margin portions, transferred from the image is rotated 180 degrees about the recorded data of the unit the end margin portion is large in the recording apparatus.
[0020]
The image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of units of recording medium, and a blank portion of the recording medium that is transported first from the storage unit for each unit that is preset according to recording data. A recording unit that includes a conveyance unit that conveys the recording medium to be conveyed in an overlapping manner, and drives the recording head based on the recording data while scanning the recording head and the recording medium in a direction crossing each other. An image processing apparatus that is communicable with an apparatus, generates the recording data, and transfers the recording data to the recording apparatus. The image processing apparatus is preset so as to maximize a margin portion on which the recording medium can be superimposed. data generating means for generating record data for each unit has a transfer means for transferring the recording data to said recording apparatus, each unit of the recording medium using the recording data for each unit set in advance Comprising a calculating means for calculating an end margin and the rear margin, wherein the data generating unit, when the leading end margin portion is greater than the trailing edge margin portion, the recording data of the unit the end margin portion is large The image is rotated 180 degrees .
[0025]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0026]
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a control system of a printing system including an inkjet printer and a host computer as a first embodiment that embodies the printing apparatus of the present invention.
[0027]
In FIG. 1, 1 is a CPU such as a microprocessor, 2 is a ROM that stores a control program for the CPU 1 and various data, and 3 is an EEPROM for sequentially updating and storing various data that changes as needed. 4 is a timer for managing the time, and 5 is a battery for supplying power to the timer 4 even when the printer is turned off.
[0028]
6 is an LF motor for conveying a recording sheet as a print medium, 7 is an LF driver for controlling the amount of movement of the LF motor 6, 18 is a paper sensor for detecting the leading edge position and the trailing edge position of the recording sheet, 8 Is a carriage motor for moving the carriage mounting the print head 13 and the ink tank, 9 is a carriage driver for controlling the amount of movement of the carriage motor 8, and 10 is an ink tank sensor for detecting attachment / detachment of the ink tank. Yes, a reflective photo sensor or the like is applied.
[0029]
Reference numeral 11 denotes an image processing unit for performing image processing such as generation and correction processing of print data for image formation by the print head 13, and 12 denotes for driving the print head 13 by information from the image processing unit 11. Head driver. A print head 13 forms an image on a recording sheet by ejecting ink droplets based on a drive signal from the head driver 1.
[0030]
14 is a liquid crystal panel for displaying the operating state of the printer, 15 is an interface for realizing transfer of recording data and other information between the host computer 16 as a host device and the CPU 1 of the printer, and 17 is a host computer. 16 is a display that displays characters, images, and the like according to display commands from 16.
[0031]
Next, the mechanical configuration of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0032]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a mechanical configuration of an ink jet printer as an embodiment embodying the recording apparatus of the present invention.
[0033]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 32 denotes a paper feed cassette which can be attached to and detached from the printer main body, and recording sheets 34 are stored on a paper feed tray 35 provided in the paper feed cassette 32 up to the maximum number of sheets that can be stacked (a plurality of units). The The paper feed tray 35 is biased by a spring 36, and the uppermost recording sheet 34 is pressed against the paper feed roller 33 by the biasing force of the spring 36 when the recording sheet 34 is fed. The paper feed roller 33 is a half-moon-shaped roller, and is rotationally driven by an LF motor (reference numeral 6 in FIG. 1), and only the uppermost (predetermined unit) recording sheet 34 is separated by a separation claw (not shown). Paper is fed to a predetermined position.
[0034]
The fed recording sheet 34 is conveyed along a conveyance surface defined by the sheet feeding cassette 32 and the paper guide 30 by an intermediate roller 29 and an intermediate roller 31 in pressure contact therewith. The conveyance path is curved so that the recording sheet 34 makes a U-turn in the conveyance direction. After the recording sheet 34 is conveyed along the conveying path, the recording sheet 34 is fed to the recording area by a predetermined amount by the main conveying roller 23 and the pinch roller 25 pressed against the main conveying roller 23. Here, the paper sensor 18 manages the position of the recording sheet 34 and the number of conveyed sheets by detecting the leading end position and the trailing end position of the recording sheet 34.
[0035]
As an embodiment of the recording means included in the recording apparatus of the present invention, for example, a serial type ink jet recording method can be used. Reference numeral 19 denotes an ink tank for storing Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and BK (black) inks. A carriage 20 on which the ink tank 19 is mounted is arranged in the width direction of the recording sheet 34. Along the two extending guide shafts 21, the carriage is reciprocated by a carriage belt 37 interlocked with a carriage motor (not shown in FIG. 1) (not shown).
[0036]
The print head 13 is driven (ink is ejected) so as to synchronize with the reciprocation of the carriage 20, thereby ejecting ink droplets toward the recording sheet 34 to form an image based on the recording data. The The ink tank sensor 10 is a reflective photosensor disposed at a position facing each color ink tank, and detects whether or not each color ink tank is mounted on the carriage. As described above, the recording sheet 34 that has been fed and printed is conveyed to the discharge tray 28 by the discharge roller 27 and the spur 26 that is in pressure contact therewith, and is stacked on the discharge tray 28.
[0037]
Next, a control method for continuously feeding and discharging the recording sheet 34 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 showing a simplified conveyance path from the paper feed tray 35 to the recording area in the configuration of FIG.
[0038]
In FIG. 3, (i) illustrates a state in which the feeding of the next n + 1th recording sheet 34n + 1 is started while the nth recording sheet 34n is being conveyed. The nth recording sheet 34n is illustrated. When the trailing end of the rear end of the paper feed roller 33 passes, the uppermost recording sheet 34 stacked on the paper feed tray 35 is pressed against the paper feed roller 33 by the spring 36 and the paper feed roller 33 rotates. As a result, the feeding of the recording sheet 34n + 1 of the next n + 1 page is started.
[0039]
In FIG. 3, (ii) illustrates the state during the feeding operation of the recording sheet of the (n + 1) th page. The printing sheet 34n + 1 of the (n + 1) th page is printed on the recording sheet 34n of the nth page at the front end portion thereof. The sheet is fed in such a positional relationship as to overlap a blank portion at the rear end of the sheet on the surface. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3 (iii), the recording sheets 34n and 34n + 1 of the nth page and the (n + 1) th page are simultaneously conveyed while maintaining the state where they are overlapped with each other.
[0040]
By conveying the recording sheet as described above, since the recording of the (n + 1) th page can be started immediately after the recording of the nth page is completed, the throughput can be improved.
[0041]
However, for example, when the recording sheets of the nth page and the (n + 1) th page are overlapped and fed in the procedure described with reference to FIG.
[0042]
FIG. 4 shows a simplified conveyance path from the paper feed tray 35 to the recording area in the configuration of FIG. 2. A range indicated by L1 is a recording area (a portion where a recorded image exists), and a range indicated by L2 is blank. An area (a portion where no recorded image exists).
[0043]
In FIG. 4I, when the conveyance speeds of the intermediate roller 29 (or the main conveyance roller 23) and the paper feed roller 33 are the same, the maximum overlap amount Lmax that can be overlaid is the recording stacked on the paper feed tray 35. This is the length or area from the front end portion of the sheet 34 to the position of the paper feed roller 33. This is because the feeding of the next recording sheet n + 1 of the (n + 1) th page cannot be started until the trailing end portion of the recording sheet 34n of the nth page passes the position of the paper feeding roller 33. For this reason, in FIG. 4 (i), it is not possible to completely overlap the margin at the trailing edge of the nth recording sheet 34n (that is, the maximum overlapping amount Lmax cannot be extended to the blank area L2).
[0044]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 (ii), the maximum overlap amount Lmax can be increased (closer to the blank area L2) by shifting the position of the paper feed roller 33 to the opposite side in the transport direction. In the above description, it is assumed that the recording sheet conveyance speed of the paper feed roller 33 and the intermediate roller 29 (or the main conveyance roller 23) is the same, but the conveyance speed of the paper feed roller 33 is set to the intermediate roller. It is also possible to increase the maximum overlap amount Lmax by making it higher than the transport speed of 29 (or the main transport roller 23).
[0045]
Here, the maximum overlap amount is Lmax, the recording area of the recording sheet 34n of the nth page is L1, the blank area at the rear end of the recording sheet 34n of the nth page is L2, and the actual overlapping amount of the nth page and the (n + 1) th page. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for determining the sheet feeding timing of the (n + 1) th page when L is set to L.
[0046]
In FIG. 5, after the end of feeding the nth page (step S501), there is no n + 1th page (NO in step S502) based on the recording data of the nth page, or a blank portion at the rear end of the nth page. If it is determined that there is no image (NO in step S503), the overlap feeding is not performed (step 505).
[0047]
On the other hand, if the (n + 1) th page exists (YES in step S502) and there is a blank portion at the rear end of the nth page (YES in step S503), the maximum overlap with the rear end blank area L2 of the nth page. The amount Lmax is compared (step S504), and the smaller one is set as the actual overlap amount L (step S506 or step S507). The sheet feeding timing for the (n + 1) th page is determined by the above procedure.
[0048]
As described above, according to the configuration of FIG. 4, since the size of the blank portion (blank area L2) of the recording medium transported in advance is determined, the recording medium transported in advance and the succeeding recording medium are determined. Can prevent adverse effects caused by an excessive degree of overlap with a recording medium (no recording on a preceding recording medium) and adverse effects caused by an excessively small degree of overlap (a small improvement in throughput). . In particular, by determining the size of the overlapping portion between the preceding recording medium and the succeeding recording medium based on the size of the blank area L2 of the preceding recording medium, the overlapping portion can be maximized and maximized. A throughput improvement effect can be obtained.
[0049]
[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0050]
Note that the second embodiment is a system based on a printer having the same functions and mechanisms as those of the first embodiment described above, and description of overlapping parts will be omitted, and only characteristic parts thereof will be described.
[0051]
In the first embodiment described above, it has been described that the throughput is improved by feeding and transporting a part of an arbitrary n-th page and a part of the (n + 1) -th page. The larger the throughput, the higher the throughput.
[0052]
Therefore, in the second embodiment, image processing for optimizing the overlap amount on the host computer side while the printer remains in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.
[0053]
FIG. 6 (i) shows the amount of recording sheets overlapped between each page when recording is performed sequentially from the first page based on the recording data transmitted from the host computer without performing the image processing of the second embodiment. The size of the overlapping portion of the sheets is shown as the amount of overlap. FIG. 6 (ii) shows the overlap amount when the recording data of each page to be transmitted in FIG. 6 (i) is transmitted by being rotated 180 degrees on the host computer side.
[0054]
FIG. 6 (ii) has a larger overlap amount than that of FIG. 6 (i), and the throughput is improved. Therefore, when it is determined that when the recording data is generated on the host computer side, if the recording data of all pages is rotated 180 degrees, the total amount of overlap increases, and it is determined that the throughput is improved. Executes image processing for rotating the recording data 180 degrees for each page.
[0055]
FIG. 8 shows a flowchart for executing image processing for rotating the recording data by 180 degrees for each page as the second embodiment. First, based on the recording data of each page, the total value Lsum1 of the leading margin amount of each page (Step S801) and the total value Lsum2 of the trailing edge margin amount of each page are calculated (Step S802). If the total value Lsum2 of the leading edge margin amount is equal to or larger than the total value Lsum1 of the trailing edge margin amount (YES in Step S803) ), Recording data rotated by 180 degrees for each page is generated (step S804).
[0056]
If the total value Lsum1 of the trailing edge margin amount is larger than the total value Lsum2 of the leading edge margin amount (NO in step S803), the recording data is generated as it is without rotating 180 degrees (step S805).
[0057]
In the above processing, if the determination of whether to rotate is performed for each page, that is, the processing of rotating 180 degrees only for a page with a large amount of leading margin, the total value of the overlapping amounts is the largest. Although the throughput can be improved, when the recording sheets are sequentially discharged to the discharge tray, the page directions of the respective recording sheets are dispersed (see FIG. 7). Therefore, it can be said that it is preferable to determine whether or not to rotate the recording data by 180 degrees based on the total value of the margin amounts of all pages, not for each page.
[0058]
It is also possible to execute the image processing on the printer side.
[0059]
[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0060]
As in the second embodiment, the third embodiment is a system based on a printer having the same functions and mechanisms as those in the first embodiment described above. Only the features will be described.
[0061]
As described in the first and second embodiments, throughput can be improved by transporting the recording sheets of an arbitrary nth page and n + 1th page in an overlapping manner.
[0062]
However, the recording apparatus of the present invention does not only perform the overlap feeding. For example, in a recording mode in which image quality is important and does not require high throughput, there is a blank portion at the leading or trailing edge of the page. However, normal sheet feeding and discharging operations can be performed without performing overlap feeding and conveyance. Further, only in a specific recording mode, for example, a high-speed recording mode that does not place importance on image quality, control may be performed so that the overlap feeding and conveyance are performed, or the operator can arbitrarily set them. Specifically, the printer driver of the host computer can be set so that the normal mode and the high-speed mode can be selected. When the normal mode is selected, the preceding recording medium and the succeeding recording medium do not overlap. On the other hand, when the high speed mode is selected, the preceding recording medium and the succeeding recording medium are transported in an overlapping manner. According to this configuration, it is possible to perform a transport operation suitable for user needs.
[0063]
In the above embodiments, the liquid droplets ejected from the print head have been described as ink, and the liquid stored in the ink tank has been described as ink. However, the storage is limited to ink. It is not something. For example, a treatment liquid discharged to the recording medium may be accommodated in the ink tank in order to improve the fixability and water resistance of the recorded image or to improve the image quality.
[0064]
The above embodiment includes means (for example, an electrothermal converter, a laser beam, etc.) that generates thermal energy as energy used for performing ink discharge, particularly in the ink jet recording system, and the ink is generated by the thermal energy. By using a system that causes a change in the state of recording, it is possible to achieve higher recording density and higher definition.
[0065]
[Other Embodiments]
Note that the present invention can be applied to a system (for example, a copier, a facsimile machine, etc.) consisting of a single device even if it is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.). You may apply.
[0066]
Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (or recording medium) in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or CPU) of the system or apparatus. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0067]
Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function is determined based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0068]
When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes and various tables corresponding to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 described above.
[0069]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the leading edge of the next n + 1 page recording medium (subsequent recording medium) is added to the blank portion at the rear end of the recording medium (previous recording medium) of an arbitrary n page. By superimposing and feeding and transporting, it is possible to increase the number of recording media that can be transported in the same time compared to normal paper feeding and transport without superimposing, and to improve throughput. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system of a recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of mechanical components of a recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a recording medium conveyance procedure in the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a recording medium conveyance procedure in the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of paper feed timing determination in the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an image processing method in the recording system according to the second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an image processing method in a recording system according to a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an image processing method in the recording system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 CPU
2 ROM
3 EEPROM
4 Timer 5 Battery 6 LF Motor 7 LF Driver 8 Carriage Motor 9 Carriage Driver 10 Ink Tank Sensor 11 Image Processing Unit 12 Head Driver 13 Print Head 14 Liquid Crystal Panel 15 Interface 16 Host Computer 17 Display 18 Paper Sensor 19 Ink Tank 20 Carriage 21 Guide Shaft 23 Main transport roller 24 Platen 25 Pinch roller 26 Spur 27 Paper discharge roller 28 Paper discharge tray 29 Intermediate roller 30 Paper guide 31 Intermediate roller 32 Paper feed cassette 33 Paper feed roller 34 Recording sheet 35 Paper feed tray 36 Paper feed tray spring 37 Carriage belt

Claims (2)

A storage unit that stores a plurality of units of recording medium and a recording medium that is transported later on a blank portion of the recording medium that is transported first from the storage unit for each unit set in advance according to the recording data and a conveying unit that, while driving the recording head based on the recording data, a recording apparatus for recording by scanning in a direction intersecting the with the recording head and the recording medium from each other,
An image to be generated and transferred to the recording apparatus that is set in advance so that communication can be performed with the recording apparatus, and a margin portion where the recording medium can be overlapped is maximized. A processing device,
The image processing apparatus calculates a leading edge margin portion and a trailing edge margin portion of a recording medium of each unit by using preset recording data for each unit, and the leading edge margin portion is larger than the trailing edge margin portion. In this case, the recording system is characterized in that the recording data of a unit having a large front end margin is rotated by 180 degrees and then transferred to the recording apparatus . A storage unit that stores a plurality of units of recording medium and a recording medium that is transported later on a blank portion of the recording medium that is transported first from the storage unit for each unit set in advance according to the recording data And a recording unit that scans and records the recording head and the recording medium in directions intersecting each other while driving the recording head based on the recording data. An image processing apparatus that generates the recording data and transfers the recording data to the recording apparatus,
Data generating means for generating recording data for each unit that is set in advance so that a margin portion that can be superimposed on the recording medium is maximized;
Transfer means for transferring the recording data to the recording device ;
Calculating means for calculating a leading edge portion and a trailing edge margin portion of the recording medium of each unit using recording data for each unit set in advance ,
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the leading edge margin portion is larger than the trailing edge margin portion, the data generating means rotates the image 180 degrees with respect to recording data in a unit having the leading edge margin portion large .

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