Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2004-12-14
Rogers, Scott (Department: 2626)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S504000, C358S527000, C358S530000, C358S518000, C382S286000, C382S293000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06831755
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to printers, and more particularly, to a printer with image correcting capability in which difference in color tone or contrast between an image displayed on a display and an image printed by the printer is suppressed. This invention also relates to a printer that automatically corrects the tilt of a picture with respect to its frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of methods have hitherto been commonly used to print pictures from natural picture data derived from photographs, digital cameras, etc. A first such method entails connecting an input device for inputting picture data to a universal computer connected to a printer. Picture data read into the computer from the input device is processed in a predetermined fashion on the computer to generate picture-printing data which is sent to the printer for printing. The input devices may be enumerated by, for example, a removable medium drive, such as a recording/reproducing apparatus for removable media; a NTSC (National Television System Committee) picture signal input substrate; a silver halide photo film scanner; or, a digital still picture camera.
A second known printing method involves directly interconnecting an input device, such as a scanner or digital still camera, to a printer without interposition of a computer. The printer is configured to receive picture data directly from the input device and to derive a picture therefrom for printing.
First Printing Method
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a block diagram of a system for implementing the above-noted first printing method is shown. The system is comprised mainly of a personal computer
1001
, a printer
1002
and an input device
1003
. Examples of input devices
1003
are as follows: a removable media drive (e.g., a disc drive for an optical disc as a CD-ROM or a rewritable magneto-optical disc as an MD-DATA disc); camcorders and the like for providing picture signals (including NTSC, PAL, RGB and S-terminal signal formats); digital still-picture cameras; scanners for silver halide photo films (35 mm film or so-called APS film having picture-related magnetic information); and original read-out scanners.
Printer
1002
employs a printer head
1004
effecting actual printing and a head driving circuit
1005
for driving the printer head
1004
. Computer
1001
is mainly comprised of an interface
1006
for entering picture data from the input device
1003
, a data processing unit
1007
for processing the picture data as picture-printing data, and a bi-directional printer interface
1008
for outputting the picture printing data to printer
1002
. Data processing unit
1007
includes a device driver, adapted to these input devices and which is configured for controlling printer
1002
, and application software designed for inputting and processing the picture data and to control the printer output. This software is configured to execute data processing via the data processing unit
1007
. Computer
1001
further includes a display
1009
, a command device
1010
such as a mouse or keyboard, and a picture memory
1011
(e.g., hard disc) for storage of picture data entered from the input device
1003
. The input device
1003
is connected to computer interface
1006
, and the computer's bi-directional printer interface
1008
is connected to printer
1002
to complete the connection.
During a printing operation, the following operations are executed. The application software for computer
1001
, as well as a device driver associated with input device
1003
, are activated to drive input device
1003
via interface
1006
. This enables picture data to be read from input device
1003
and entered to computer
1001
via interface
1006
. Based on a user command entered through command device
1010
, the application software executes picture editing processing on the picture data in computer
1001
. The editing may be accompanied by picture data processing performed by data processing unit
1007
.
If the picture editing processing desired by the user is executed, and the picture to be printed is decided upon, the picture printing operation is commenced. Specifically, the application software controls the printer driver (which is typically implemented in software) to convert the processed picture data into printing data that can be output to printer
1002
. At this time, computer
1001
determines the status of printer
1002
via bi-directional printer interface
1008
.
The thus generated printing data functions as a printer control command, and is sent out via bi-directional printer interface
1008
to printer
1002
. Printer
1002
then drives the print head
1004
by means of head driving circuit
1005
, based on the received printing data (printer control command) to form a printed picture on a recording medium.
FIG. 2
is a block diagram illustrating a processing method as an example of data processing in the above-described operation. Slanted line segments attached to data flow lines in
FIG. 2
(and in other figures herein) indicate that the data is 8 bit color data. RGB (red, green, blue) picture data input to a picture data inputting unit
1012
of computer
1001
, is routed to a picture data processing unit
1013
for processing, if necessary. The picture data is stored as a picture file
1011
a
in picture memory
1011
if need be. The RGB picture data is sent from the picture data processing unit
1013
to a printer driver
1014
adapted to control the printer device
1002
.
Printer driver
1014
, which is typically implemented in software, consists mainly of an RGB-CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) converter
1015
for converting RGB picture data into CMY printing picture data; a color correction unit
1016
for occasionally correcting the color; a black extraction unit
1017
for extracting black hue in addition to CMY; an output gamma correction/gradation correction unit
1018
for correcting characteristics of the printer device; and a sharpness correction unit
1019
for edge processing, etc. The RGB picture data from picture data processing unit
1013
is first converted into CMY printing data by conversion unit
1015
and subjected to color correction. The color-corrected data is converted into printing data which may contain black hue. In
FIG. 2
, the black picture-printing data is indicated as K. The printing data is corrected for characteristics peculiar to the printer
1002
, and is sent out to printer
1002
after edge processing in sharpness correction unit
1019
to sharpen the edges of objects in the pictures. If printer
1002
is embodied as a bi-level printer (e.g., ink-jet) which reproduces a picture based on the presence or absence of the picture-printing dot, a convert-to-bi-level unit needs to be employed in conjunction with sharpness correction unit
1019
. The convert-to-bi-level unit is unnecessary if printer
1002
is realized by a sublimation type printer that represents gradation within picture-printing dots.
Printer
1002
includes an output characteristics conversion unit
1020
, the aforementioned head driving circuit
1005
and a printer head
1004
. Characteristics conversion unit
1020
corrects output characteristics in accordance with the state of the printer and also suppresses fluctuations attributable to the printer. The CMY printing data sent from printer driver
1014
to printer device
1002
is sequentially forwarded via the output characteristics conversion unit
1020
to head driving circuit
1005
and to printer head
1004
for printing.
Second Printing Method
The above-noted second printing method will now be explained in detail. Referring to
FIG. 3
, a system for implementing this method includes a printer
1022
and a digital still picture camera
1021
operating as an input device to the printer. Camera
1021
is comprised of: a picture imaging unit
1023
for imaging an object; a command device
1024
, such as a shutter, for inputting an external command; a picture memory
1025
for transient storage of an imaged pict
Narushima Toshio
Ohmuro Hideaki
Tanaka Yoshinori
Frommer William S.
Frommer Lawrence & Haugh LLP
Rogers Scott
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