Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Data corruption – power interruption – or print prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2003-05-13
Evans, Arthur G. (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Data corruption, power interruption, or print prevention
C358S001900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06563596
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printer device. More particularly, it relates to a printer device configured for printing only images satisfying certain characteristics such as to evade unneeded printing to the maximum extent possible.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method for printing image data represented by natural images, the following method has prevalently been used.
As a first method, an input device for inputting image data is connected to a general-purpose computer, connected to a printer device, and image data read-in from the respective input devices into a computer are processed on the computer in a pre-set fashion into printing data which then are inputted to the printer device for printing. The input devices may be exemplified by a removable medium driver, a NTSC (National Television System Committee) image signal inputting substrate, a halide photo film scanner and a digital still camera.
In the second method, the input devices, such as digital still cameras or original readout scanners, are directly coupled to the printer device without the interposition of a general-purpose computer, and the printing data are inputted from the respective input devices to the printing device for effecting the printing.
The first method is explained specifically. Referring to
FIG. 1
, the system is made up of a host computer, referred to below as a computer
1001
, a printer device
1002
and an input device
1003
.
The input device
1003
may be enumerated by the aforementioned removable medium drive, such as read-only optical disc drive, a so-called CD-ROM drive, rewritable magneto-optical disc drive, such as so-called MD-DATA drive, inputting devices for image signals, such as NTSC, PAL (phase alternating by line), RGB, S-terminal signals, digital still cameras, scanners for a halide photo film, such as 35 mm film, so-called APS film having the magnetic information pertinent to an image, and an original read-out scanner.
The printer device
1002
may be such a device having a printer head
1004
for actual printing and a head driving circuit
1005
for driving the printer head.
The computer
1001
is mainly comprised of an interface
1006
for inputting image data from the inputting device
1003
, a data processing unit
1007
for processing the image data as printing data, and a bidirectional printer interface
1008
for outputting the printing data
1007
to the printer device
1002
. The data processing unit
1007
includes a device driver adapted to a variety of the inputting devices
1003
, a printer driver adapted to the printer device
1002
for controlling the printer device
1002
, and software applications controlling the inputting and working of the image data and also controlling the print output. These software applications execute the data processing by exploiting the data processing unit
1007
.
The computer
1001
also includes, as a man-machine interface, a command device
1010
, as inputting means, for inputting a command from outside, such as a display device
1009
, a mouse or a keyboard. The computer
1001
also includes an image memory
1011
, such as a hard disc, for storing image data inputted from the inputting device
1003
.
The inputting device
1003
is connected to the interface
1006
within the computer
1001
and the bidirectional printer interface
1008
in the computer
1001
is connected to the printer device
1002
by way of interconnection.
For actual printing, the following operations are executed. That is, the software application of the computer
1001
and the device driver associated with the input device of the image data are actuated to drive the inputting devices
1003
via the interface
1006
adapted for inputting image data to cause the inputting devices
1003
to read-in the image data, which then is inputted to the computer
1001
via interface
1006
.
The software application of the data processing unit
1007
executes image editing processing desired by the user on image data inputted to the computer
1001
based on the command inputted by the command device
1010
from outside. If image processing is to be executed simultaneously, the data processing unit
1007
in the computer
1001
executes computational processing to execute the required data processing.
If the image editing processing desired by the user is executed, and the image to be printed is decided, the printing operation is started. That is, the application software controls the printer driver to cause the data processing unit
1007
to execute each data processing for printing in order to convert the data into printing data. At this time, the computer
1001
grasps the state of the printer device
1002
via the bidirectional printer interface
1008
.
The printing data, generated by conversion as described above, is constructed as a printer control command, and is outputted via the bidirectional printer interface
1008
to the printer device
1002
. The printer device
1002
then drives the print head
1004
by the head driving circuit
1005
to generate a printing image on a recording medium for effecting the printing.
A specified example of the data processing in the above-described operation is the processing method shown in FIG.
2
. In this figure, short slanted lines annexed to data flow indicating lines denote that signals being sent are 8 bit/color data. The RGB image data, inputted to an image data inputting unit
1012
of the computer
1001
, is sent to an image data processing unit
1013
for processing if necessary. The image data is held in the image memory
1011
as an image file
1011
a
if need be. The RGB image data is sent from an image data processing unit
1013
to a printer driver
1014
controlling the printer device
1002
.
The printer driver
1014
is mainly comprised of a RGB-CMY converting unit
1015
, for converting the RGB image data into CMY printing data, a color correction unit
1016
for making color correction if need be, a black extraction under-color removing unit
1017
, for extracting black in addition to CMY, an output gamma correction and gradation correction unit
1018
for correcting characteristics proper to the printer device, and a sharpness correction unit
1019
for executing e.g., edge processing.
Specifically, the RGB image data, sent from the image data processing unit
1013
to the printer driver
1014
, is first converted into CMY printing data and corrected for color, and the color-corrected data then is converted into printing data also including black. In
FIG. 2
, the black printing data is denoted as K. The converted printing data is then corrected for characteristics peculiar to the printer device and edge-processed before being outputted to the printer device
1002
. If a bi-level printer device, such as an ink jet printer device, regenerating the image by the presence or absence of the printing dot, is used as the printer device
1002
, a bi-level coding unit needs to be inserted next to the sharpness correction unit
1019
of the printer driver
1014
. Such bi-level coding unit need not be used if a printer device such as a sublimation type printer device representing the gradation within a printing dot is used as a printer device
1002
.
Within the printer device
1002
, there are provided an output characteristics converting unit
1020
for correcting output characteristics in meeting with the status of the printer device and for suppressing fluctuations ascribable to the printer device, the aforementioned head driving circuit
1005
and the printer head
1004
.
Therefore, the printing data of CMYK, sent from the printer driver
1014
to the printer device
1002
, is sequentially routed to the above-mentioned head driving circuit
1005
and to the print head
1004
to effect printing.
The second method also is explained. In the second method, the system is mainly comprised of a digital still camera
1021
, as an inputting device, and a printer device
1022
, as shown in FIG.
3
.
The digital still camera
1021
is made up of an image pickup
Evans Arthur G.
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Sony Corporation
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