JPS60194872A - Color recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the picture quality at 8-color recording by using a memory storing a dither pattern for intermediate tone recording and a memory storing a pattern taking all the areas of the dither pattern as dot display of the same color through changeover. CONSTITUTION:A ROM1 for dither pattern stores a pattern of intermediate tone recording, address signals v, h of matrix position are given to address input terminals A0-A3 and address signals, y, m, c of color designation are given respectively to address input terminals A4-An+3, An+4-A2n+3, A2n+4-A3n+3. Then Y, M, C, BK are outputted from each of terminals O0-O3 and given to a color ink head drive circuit 10. On the other hand, a ROM2 stores the dot pattern for 8-color recording, a mode changeover switch 11 changes over the read of the ROM1 and a ROM2 and either of the intermediate tone recording and the 8- color recording is selected and the signal is recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color recording apparatus such as a color ink shed printer, and particularly to an improvement in a dither coon generation circuit that enables halftone recording.

[Prior art]

When expressing halftones using a binary recording method, methods such as dither processing or the like are used to express light and shade using dot density control.

For example, when making a color hard copy of an image on a color CRT, red (R), green (G), and blue (B) video signals are each sampled, A/D converted, and the color data at a certain point is converted into, for example, 3n bits. Convert to digital data.

Yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and blank (Bk) tone patterns corresponding to such color data are stored in the pattern generation ROM in advance and converted (translated). A dot pattern corresponding to color data is read from the ROM and halftone recording is performed using it.

On the other hand, even with color hard copy devices, there are applications that do not require recording of halftones, in which case eight colors [white (W
), Y, M, C, R, G, B, Bk) records are used. In principle, a device capable of halftone recording should be able to support the above eight-color recording, but when recording from a video signal, edges may not be clear due to the S/N ratio and transient characteristics of the signal. There are some difficulties.

〔the purpose〕

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its first purpose is to provide color recording that improves the image quality when recording 8 colors by making it possible to switch between a halftone recording mode and an 8-color recording mode. We are in the process of providing equipment. If such mode switching is realized by providing two types of 120M dither pattern for halftone recording and 8-color recording, a large capacity ROM will be required as the number of recorded colors increases. It's expensive. Therefore, the second object of the present invention is to replace the Y, M, and C color data, which are the addresses of the ROM for the dither pattern, with the most significant bits of each. [Structure] The color recording device according to the present invention provides a color recording device that can print yellow, mazenk,
In a color recording device that performs binary recording using cyan and blank inks of the same color, there is a memory that stores a dither pattern for halftone recording, and a memory that stores a pattern that displays dots of the same color over the entire area of the dither pattern. The apparatus is characterized in that it is equipped with certain memories, and by switching these memories, it is possible to selectively perform halftone recording and eight-color recording.

Another color recording device according to the present invention is a color recording device that performs binary recording in four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and blank, and includes a memory for storing a dither pattern for halftone recording; means for replacing the most significant bit data of each n-bit data representing each gradation of yellow, magenta, and cyan to the memory for specifying a color with the n-bit data; It is characterized by comprising the following.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof.

Figure 1 shows an example of a dot pattern for recording halftones, which is divided into 4 x 4 matrix areas.
By distributing the six dots, 17 gradations can be expressed even when there are no dots.

In the case of color recording, halftone recording is performed using the same method for each of the four colors Y, M, C, and Bk, and theoretically it is possible to express 174 colors.

Figure 2 shows R, which stores such a dot pattern.
OM, or Bakun generator. If Y, M, and C of image information to be recorded each have 2n gradations (n-bit data), expression of 23n colors is required. Now, as shown in FIG. 3, the vertical and horizontal positions of each section of the 4×4 matrix are set to v=Q~3. If h=0 to 3, the ROM capacity requires 23 net x 4 bits.

In FIG. 2, the address input to the pattern generator ROM is Y to indicate the color.

n-bit data y for each of M and C. -yn-++m.

~mrl-1+CO""crl-1, totaling 3n bits, 2 points each in the vertical and horizontal directions (VO, Vl, ho, )11) to indicate the dot positions of a 4×4 matrix.

One point in the matrix of a specific color is designated by inputting addresses of these 3n+4 pixels 1 to 1. Then, it is determined whether or not to record a dot at that point based on the four bits of output Y, M, C, and Bk at that time.

FIG. 4 shows an example of data in the Bakun ROM and a corresponding example of a dot pattern when n=2, that is, 64 colors each of Y, M, and C have four gradations. The address for specifying the color is y=m=c, which represents white, as shown on the left.
There are 64 types from =Q to y = m = c-3 representing black, and hl for each color.

[1n 16 addresses representing matrix positions of I vl + Vo are indicated. The data on the right side represents the presence or absence of Bk, C, M, and Y dots at that matrix position. Therefore, in the case of white with y = m = c = Q, Y, M, C, Bk are all matrix positions,
Both are O data, and in the case of black with y=m−c=3, Bk becomes 1 data at all 71-lithoc positions.

Moreover, y=2, which shows the data in detail. In the case of m=L, c-〇, C and Bk become O at all matrix positions, but Y
For example, there are 4 points, and M is 1 for 2 points.

Such data is read out and applied to the color ink head to be printed as shown on the right side of FIG. 9, thereby performing halftone recording of a desired color.

A color recording apparatus according to the present invention is constructed as shown in FIG. 5, the main part of which is shown. 170M for dither pattern
1 stores the detailed halftone recording pattern, and address signals v and h for matrix positions are applied to address input terminals A o''A 3, and address signals y and m for specifying colors.

C are address input terminals A (~A n+ 3 , A
n+ (Y, M, C, Bk are output from the data output terminals 0°, -03 and applied to the color ink head drive circuit 10.

On the other hand, 1? OM2 stores a dot pattern for eight-color recording, and the connection state of address input terminals and data output terminals is the same as RoM1. 11 is a mode changeover switch, and when it is open, +V
The high-level signal due to the potential of cc is inverted by the inverter 12, and a low-level signal is applied to the chip select terminal C3 (low active) of ROM 1, which becomes accessible and allows the device to operate in halftone recording mode. Make a record. On the other hand, when the switch 11 is closed, the chip select terminal C5 of the ROM 2 becomes low level and access to it becomes possible, and the device becomes 8
Record in color recording mode. ! ? The memory contents of OM2 are "1" of Y, M, C, Bk at the address signal specifying the color, regardless of the address signals v and h of the matrix position.
, "O" are determined, and it goes without saying that they are determined so that the entire area of the matrix has the same color.

Now, since the structure shown in Fig. 5 switches the RQM for dither pattern according to the mode, it is possible to increase the number of colors (
As n increases), the capacity of ROM becomes larger and more expensive.

FIG. 5 shows a system in which recording in both modes is possible using only the ROM 1 mentioned above. Color specified address signal yO~
)'n-++mo~m11-1. CO~cn-t is terminal a of multiplexer liver X. -a n-1+ an~a2
n-1+ a2 n ”” ” 3 Given to n-1, and also the one at the highest focus of each address signal yn-+
+m low 1. Cn-Hba bll ~bn-1+ brl
"" each n1l of b2n I -Cn ~C3n-1
It is applied to terminal S of lil.

The select terminal of the multiplexer MPX is set to the ground level by applying +Vcc or by closing the switch II, and when the switch 11 is opened, afl''a
3n-1 is selected, and when the switch 11 is closed, b
O=b3n-1 is selected. a Q -a n-1 orsu. The selection output of ~bn-1 is Q. -Q n-, and the selection output of an"'-22n-1 or bn-b2n-1 becomes Qn~Q2n-1, 32rl -33n-1
Or b 2n "" b 3n-1 selection output is Q10-
Q10-.

and address input terminals A4 to An of ROM 1, respectively.
+3+An+< ~A 2 n+3+ A 2 n+<
~A:+n+:+ is given.

Address signals V and h representing the madwax position are ROM
1 address input terminals Ao, Al and A2°83. I'IO? l 1 data output terminal O0~
04 outputs Y, M, C, and Bk signals, respectively, and applies them to the color ink head drive circuit 10.

L7) Other ROM 1's chim select HIM child C8 is fixed at low level.

In such a configuration, if the switch 11 is opened first, y. -'i n-1, mo-ml-H.

CQ to Cn-1 are respectively Q, -Qn-, ,Qn-
Q 2n-t , Q zn "Q 3n-+"
These are address terminals A4 to An+3. of ROM 1. A
O+, ~82 n+:+ + A2 n+4~A3
Since the signal is given to n+3, halftone recording can be performed in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIG.

On the other hand, when switch 11 is closed, y. ~'In
−+ + yn-+ + mn-1, Cn-1 of the most significant bit in place of mo~mn-1, Co~Cn-1
is A4− An+r + An++ ~ A 2 n+
3 + A 2 n++ to A an+3 are all input.

Therefore, when the most significant bit of each color is "0", the gradation of this color is 0, and when the least significant bit is "1", the 8th cycle of that color is (2n-1) levels. In other words, access to ROM 1 will be made to reach the highest level, and this means that either all of Y, M, C, and Bk are "0", or any one of Y, M, C, and Bk is "0". The data of P1'' is read out for all dots, and the desired 8-color recording is performed.

〔effect〕

According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to realize a color recording apparatus that is capable of both halftone recording and 8-color recording, and is also capable of high-quality 8-color recording. Further, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, an apparatus capable of high-quality eight-color recording and halftone recording can be realized with a small-capacity dither pattern ROM.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a pattern diagram showing an example of a dot pattern for halftone recording, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of ROM input/output signals for dither patterns, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of address signals at matrix positions, Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of the ROM.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are block diagrams showing the main parts of the apparatus of the present invention. ROM 1. RO month 2...RO for dither pattern
MMPX...Multiplexer 10...Color ink head drive circuit 11...Switch 12...
Inverter patent Applicant Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Noboru Kono No. 2 No. 5 [21 Kaya 6 Illustration procedure amendment law (voluntary) May 4, 1980 To the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office / Indication of case 1988 Patent Application No. 51668 2 Title of the invention Color recording device 3 Relationship with the case of the person making the amendment 1. Detailed explanation of the invention in the specification of the patent applicant/attorney and Drawing 2, Contents of the amendment 6-1 13E1 specification Packing of “Detailed Description of the Invention” +1
1. On page 7, line 15 of the specification box, "Figure 9" is corrected to "Figure 4."-・' ``Figure 5'' on page 9, line 9 of the specification box.
Figure 6” is corrected. 6-2 Drawings Figure 6 of the drawings is corrected to the attached drawing. 2. f & Attachment list + 1 + corrected drawing 1 copy Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a color recording device that performs binary recording using inks of the same color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, there is provided a memory for storing a dither pattern for halftone recording, and a memory for storing a dither pattern for halftone recording, and a memory for storing a dither pattern for halftone recording; 1. A color recording device comprising a memory for storing a pattern in which dots of the same color are displayed, and by switching these memories, halftone recording and eight-color recording can be selectively performed. 2. In a color recording device that performs binary recording of four colors: yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, there is a memory for storing dither patterns for recording halftones, and a memory that should be given to this memory for color specification. Yellow, magenta. 2. A color recording apparatus, comprising means for converting the data of the most significant hint at the back of each n pinot' data representing each gradation of cyan into the n-bit data and supplying the data to the memory.