JPH03183259A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the time from data input to picture processing output by providing a data input device or a printer controller with a driving means and a stopping means of a picture processing device main body besides a driving means and a stopping means provided in the picture processing device main body. CONSTITUTION:If the power source of a base machine (main body) 1 is not turned on at the time of data input from a computer or a word processor 31, the power source is automatically turned on. When page expansion is completed, results are printed out to the base machine 1. When the power source is not turned on or jam occurs in a form carrying path at this time, results are printed out after a certain time without operating a reporting means like a buzzer if they can be printed out. When the host device 31 won't be used thereafter, a command 50 only for power-off of the base machine 1 is inputted by the key operation on a printer controller 40 to turn off the power source of the base machine 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application 1] The present invention relates to an image processing device with a print function,
In particular, it relates to the development of data from data input devices.

[Prior Art] An image processing device has been developed in which a fluorescent display tube is attached to an image processing device using xerography, which is used exclusively as a copy machine, to provide a printing function. A schematic configuration diagram of this image processing apparatus is shown in FIG. In this system, an information signal input as a print or an image from a computer or word processor 31 is sent to a fluorescent display tube of the main body of the image processing apparatus (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a base machine), and the information signal is displayed using the fluorescent display tube. It is written on a photosensitive drum and transferred to paper after a series of processes.

The base machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a computer or word processor (hereinafter sometimes referred to as host device) 31, which is a data input device, via a printer control device 40.

Information inputted by the computer or word processor 31 is converted to a bitmap via the printer control device W40 using font information, etc. possessed by the printer control device 40 itself, and is then sent to the base machine 1 to instruct the base machine 1 to start printing, the output drive to be used, and the output drive. A command is given as to which bin to output or which size of paper to select, and if the base machine 1 is in a printable state, a printing operation is performed.

Further, an outline of an image processing apparatus using this fluorescent display tube will be explained with reference to FIG.

A photosensitive drum 2 is arranged inside the base machine 1.

In the figure, the photoreceptor 3 is formed in a layered manner on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 . This photosensitive drum 2 is connected to a drive device (not shown) so as to rotate in the direction of the arrow. A charge corotron 5, a fluorescent display tube 6, a condensing lens 7, a developing device 9 and a transfer corotron 10 are arranged around the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum 2.
, a cleaning device 11 is arranged.

In this image processing apparatus, as the photosensitive drum 2 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the photosensitive member 3 is moved to the charge corotron 5.
After being uniformly charged, an electrostatic latent image is formed upon irradiation with light from the fluorescent display tube 6. The condenser lens 7 is an arrangement of a large number of converging rod lenses in order to condense the light emitted by the large number of light emitting elements constituting the fluorescent display tube 6 onto the photoreceptor 3.

The photoreceptor 3 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed is then developed using a developing device. Here, the l.color image formed on the photoreceptor 3 is transferred onto the paper 20 by the transfer corotron 10,
The photoreceptor 3, which is thermally fixed between the heat roll 26 and the pressure roll 27 and carried out, is cleaned by the cleaning device 11 and is reused.

Further, when this image processing apparatus is used as a copying machine, the photoreceptor 3 on the charged surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 is exposed at the exposure point 13 . Here, the light image of the original that is not placed on the top surface of the base machine 1 is incident on the exposure point 13. .

For this purpose, an exposure lamp 15 and a plurality of mirrors 16 and optical lenses 17 that transmit reflected light from the surface of the original illuminated by the exposure lamp 15 are arranged, and a predetermined one of these is used for scanning in order to read the original. It is now possible to do so.

Now, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original is formed on the photosensitive drum 2 by the image information exposed in a slit shape at the exposure portion 13. This electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device 9 to create a toner image.

The toner image moves as the photosensitive drum 2 rotates and passes near the transfer corotron 10.

On the other hand, the supply tray 19 disposed in the base machine 1
The paper 20 stored in the paper 20 or the paper 20 that is manually fed along the manual feed tray 21 is transferred to the feed roll 2.
2 or 23, and is guided by a refrigerating roll 25 and passes between the photosensitive drum 2 and the transfer corotron 10. At this time, the toner image is transferred onto the paper 20. Transcription 1* 771 tBK') A? J I-L
m IC lead 1-te-pt-,,, knee Passes between the S-rolls 27 and is thermally fixed. Then, it passes between the transport rolls 29 and is delivered to a sorter 30, which is a delivery tray.

Further, the circuit configuration of the printer control device 40 of this image processing apparatus is shown in FIG.

The printer control device 40 is controlled by a CPU 68000. Information input from a computer or word processor 31 is sent to an interface 42 such as the Centro system.
RAM of memory 43 in printer control device 40 via
43A, and expanded into a bitmap in the page memory 45 from the RAM 43A in the memory 43. Information in the page memory 45 is sent as video data 47 to the base machine 1 via a video interface 46 .

Once the data in the page memory 45 has been printed,
The next input data from computer or word processor 31 is transferred from RAM 43A of memory 43 to page memory 45. Also, based on input information from the computer or word processor 31, the printer control device 4
0 instructs the base machine 1 to start printing, the output tray to be used, which bin to output from the output tray, the paper size selection, etc., through four interfaces such as R3232C, and the base machine 1 Information such as whether the current operating mode of the base machine 1 is copying or printing, or the number of bins in use of the print paper output tray is received from the base machine 1.

Therefore, for example, if the base machine 1 is in the copying state, the printer control device 40 outputs an output standby signal for the printer to the computer or word processor 31 via the interface 42 such as the Centro system, and if the base machine 1 is in the printable state, Data is transferred from the computer or word processor 31 to the RAM 43A of the memory 43, and is expanded into a bitmap in the page memory 45. After the expansion is completed, the data in the page memory 45 is transferred to the base machine 1 according to the command 50, and the print operation is performed. will be done.

Note that the ROM 43B of the memory 43 stores a program for operating the printer control device 40 and printer font information.

A non-volatile memory (NVM) 43C is also connected, so that necessary data can be saved even when the printer control device 40 is powered off.

In this way, the operation of the base machine 1 can be controlled based on commands from the operation panel 41 of the computer or word processor 31.

This printer control device 40 is also provided with an operation panel 41 similar to the console panel 32 of this base machine 1. That is, in addition to keys for setting the number of sheets to be printed and magnification, the printer control device 40 also includes keys for setting print density, etc.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the image processing apparatus described above has a problem in that it takes time to develop input information from the computer or word processor 31 into the page memory 45 of the printer control device 40.

For code information such as characters from the computer or word processor 31, the data development time to the page memory 45 is fast, but for graphic information etc., the data development time to the page memory 45 is slow. The reason for this is that there are many input processing operations for graphic information on the computer or word processor 31 side, and
Since the centro-type interface 42 has only a bit transfer line, graphic data with a large amount of data is transferred to the printer control device 40 in B4 size, 240D.
PI (dot per inch) is 1MB,
This is because it takes a maximum of about 500 seconds to expand to the 1.4 Mbyte page memory 45 with A3 size and 240 DP I.

Furthermore, it is also necessary to redeploy the data in order to adapt the output from the host device 31, which has a 160 DP I, to the specifications of the base machine 1, which has a 240 DP I, for example, and in that case, it takes even more time to develop the data. In the current situation where the base machine 1 is required to carry out the copied paper 20 from the base machine 1 within a few seconds from the copy start command, the above-mentioned page memory 45 of the data
The long development time is a major bottleneck for image processing devices with printing functions.

Furthermore, in this image processing device, the base machine 1
The printer control device 40 did not operate unless the printer was in a driving state as a printer. For example, when the power of the base machine 1 is off, when the power is being warmed up even after the power is turned on, when the paper 20 is jammed in the conveyance path, and when the base machine 1 is in the copying operation. At the time, the printer control device 40 was unable to develop data into pages. Therefore, in the past, it was necessary to confirm that the base machine 1 was in a state where it could be used as a printer before starting to develop data into the page memory 45. For this reason, the quick operability of the printer is increasingly impaired.

Further, although the computer or word processor 31 and the printer control unit W40 are usually placed next to each other, the base machine 1 is installed at a location apart from the former two. Therefore, depending on the condition of the base machine 1, such as a jam of paper 20 on the conveyance path, it is necessary to go to the location where the base machine 1 is installed and check the condition of the base machine 1.
If there was a problem such as a jam, the problem had to be corrected before printing could begin.

Furthermore, even if it is possible to develop a page in the page memory 45, even if you try to start printing after the page development is completed, depending on the state of the base machine 1, you may not be able to perform the printout task.

In such a case, for example, if the base machine 1 and the host device 31 are located far apart, it will take time to check the status of the base machine 1, which will significantly impair the operability of the printer. .

Further, in order to start page development of data to the printer control device 40, the drive power of the base machine 1 must be turned on when the drive power of the printer control device 40 and the host device 31 is turned on. Since the control device 40 and the host device 31 are separate devices, it is necessary to take the trouble to confirm that the power to the base machine 1 is turned on and to turn on the power if it is not turned on. Particularly, when the base machine 1 and the printer control device 40 are located at separate locations, turning on and off the power of the base machine 1 is troublesome.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the operability of an image processing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to enable page development of data from the host device 31 to the printer control device regardless of the state of the base machine 1, thereby reducing the time from data input to image processing output. It is to shorten it.

Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to operate the base machine 1 as a single image processing device even if the base machine 1 is separated from the host device 31 and the printer control device. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configuration.

In other words, in an image processing apparatus using xerography, in which data from a data input device is image-processed by the image processing apparatus main body via a printer control device, the data from the data input device can be controlled by the printer regardless of the state of the image processing apparatus main body. An image processing device configured to deploy the device as a printer control device, or a data input detection means for detecting data input from a data input device, and a print disabled state for detecting a state in which the image processing device itself is disabled for print work. an image processing device comprising: a detection means; and a notification means that outputs a notification signal by inputting signals from both the output signal from the data input detection means and the output signal from the print-disabled state detection means;
Alternatively, the image processing apparatus is equipped with a notification means for notifying that the image-processed paper has been ejected, or an output signal from a data input detection means from a data input device and an output signal from a print-disabled state detection means. A notification device outputs a notification signal by inputting signals from both of In the above-mentioned image processing device having sound generation means with different generation intervals, or in the image processing device using xerography, in which data from a data input device is image-processed in the image processing device main body via a printer control device, the image processing device This is an image processing apparatus in which a data input device or a printer control device is also provided with drive means and stop means for the image processing apparatus main body in addition to the drive means and stop means provided in the main body.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A schematic diagram of the main body of the image processing apparatus of this embodiment is shown in FIG. Further, a schematic configuration diagram of the image processing apparatus of this embodiment including the main body of the base machine 1 shown in FIG. 2 is as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows an outline of the circuit configuration of this base machine (2).

As shown in the figure, a distributed CPU architecture using serial communication centered around the main CPU 51 is adopted. This is to enable optimal placement of the controller and provide optimal cost performance. Furthermore, from the perspective of product development of the base machine 1, it is expected that the modular design will shorten and improve the efficiency of software development, simplify the wheel harness, etc., lower costs, and facilitate troubleshooting.

In addition, processing efficiency is improved by distributing processing using multiple CPUs, so for example, by using an inexpensive 8-bit CPU instead of an expensive 16-bit CPU, programs that are complex and require high-speed processing can be easily processed. processing becomes possible.

Furthermore, such decentralization of processing facilitates model deployment. That is, even when developing a new input/output device or the like, it may not be necessary to modify the program on the main CPU side of the base machine 1, and even if changes are necessary, they can be kept to a minimum.

Furthermore, regarding the printed circuit board on the base machine 1 side, there is no need to store unnecessary I10 ports or programs due to the distribution of the CPUs. Therefore, the cost of the printed circuit board can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in the arrangement space can be improved.

The base machine 1 is controlled by a main CPU (central processing unit) 51 within the base machine 1.

In addition to this, the base machine 1 of this embodiment has the following C
A PU is prepared and connected to the communication line.

The main CPU 51 also plays the role of supervising these CPUs.

(a) CPtJ52 for sorter is a C
The main CPU 51 knows which sorter is connected, and accordingly the CPU 53 for displaying the sorting bar also displays the information on the console panel 32 (Fig. 1). This CPU is used to display various information in Kanji on the attached liquid crystal display and to display an area for editing.

(c) The tray control CPU 55 is a CPU for controlling the fourth and fifth supply trays 19-4, 1-5 and the intermediate tray 33 among the supply trays added to the base machine 1. This CPU is arranged at the rear side of the tray cabinet that accommodates each tray, and performs these controls according to the trays to be connected.

Among these trays, the intermediate tray 33 independently stores paper 2.
Equipped with a motor for 0 conveyance.

(d) The card CPU 56 uses an IC to specify the coordinates of the document, etc.
This is the part that performs reading and writing when using a card.

In addition, Fig. 6 shows the main C of the base machine 1 of this embodiment.
The circuit configuration centering around the PU51 is shown.

The main CPU 51 uses a reset circuit 87 to prevent runaway or malfunction.
ζ7 No. Mepuu /, j-114-,,,, k-hiksu me
It is connected to the following parts via a buff inlet 89.

(i) Keyboard display LSI (large scale 5WI)
o path) 57: This is a circuit that mediates data between the console panel 32 of the base machine 1 and the console panel 32 of the base machine 1.

(ii) Timer/counter LSI59. Photosensitive drum 2
This is a timer that gives a speed target value to which the main drive motor 60 should be synchronized, and is a timer that provides a speed target value to be synchronized with the main drive motor 60.
Since the carriage (not shown in the figure) in which the carriage shown in FIG.

(iii) ROM 62; This is a read-only memory having a capacity of 128 bytes and storing various control programs for the base machine 1.

(iv) RAM 63: Random access memory for data storage with a capacity of 8 bytes. This RAM 63 includes a battery 6 for data backup.
5 is connected, and is NVM-enabled so that necessary data can be saved even when the base machine 1 is powered off.

(2) Slave CPU 66; Slave C and PU 66 for interfacing the base machine 1 and the computer or word processor 31 are connected. This CPU 66 has a 4 byte RO for the control program.
It incorporates a 196-byte dual port RAM 63 for control and communication with the M62 and main CPU 51, and a UART circuit for communication with a computer or word processor 31.

(vi) First I10 controller 67; This is an input/output controller that inputs various data via the filter circuit 69 and drives various parts via the driver circuit 70. Here, various switches and sensors are connected to the filter circuit 69, for example. Also, the driver circuit 70
A clutch 92 and the like for controlling on/off the drive of each feed roll 22 in the supply tray 19 is connected to.

(vii) Second I10 controller 71; This is an input/output controller that inputs various data via the filter circuit 72 and drives various parts via the driver circuit 73. Here, various switches and sensors are connected to the filter circuit 1 ¥872, for example. The driver circuit 73 also includes a well-known D/A (analog-digital) converter and a PWM (pulse width converter), and is connected to a high-voltage power supply (HVPS) (not shown), as shown in FIG. The developer bias shown in the developing device 9 is set, the amount of light emitted by the exposure lamp 15 is set, the voltage value of the charge controller 5, etc. is set.

Although not shown in the figure, the main CPU 51 also controls the tray control section, sorter, paper size sensor, temperature sensor, light amount sensor, and the liquid crystal display section of the console panel.
It also has lt control.

For other control mechanisms of the base machine 1, please refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-283274.

Note that the circuit configuration of the printer control device 40 shown in FIG. 1 is as shown in FIG. 3.

F+l y 6! t,ll HE Thief 711 A
n L? l ÷ Be-27: y 'y Output boat 44 for solenoid drive control for turning on/off the main power supply of 1
is provided.

Therefore, as shown in the configuration diagram of the main switch portion of the base machine 1 shown in FIG. Connectors 83, 85 for connection with devices are provided.

The fluorescent display tube 6 used in this embodiment uses light intensity feedback, so adjusting the amount of light emitted by the fluorescent display tube 6 must be performed after the fluorescent display tube 6 has sufficiently warmed up. Adjusting the amount of light emitted from the fluorescent display tube 6 by feedback requires 1.5 seconds and 0.8 seconds, respectively.

In this way, a new anode electrode voltage of the fluorescent display tube 6 is set, and the fluorescent display tube 6 emits light with an amount of light according to the anode electrode voltage and the on time of the anode electrode.

Further, details regarding the feedback control of the amount of light emitted from the fluorescent display tube 6 can be found in Japanese Patent Application No. 1-1 filed by the present inventor.
See No. 71487.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the computer or word processor 31 and the printer control device 4o can use a common power cord, but since the base machine 1 requires a large amount of power, different power cords may not be used. Needless to say. Further, the printer control device 40 and the base machine 1 are each provided with a power-on switch (not shown).

Next, the operating procedure of the printer in this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, determine whether there is data input from the computer or word processor 31 (Step 1). When data is input, if the base machine 1 (main unit) is not powered on at the same time, turn it on automatically. In particular, step 3) eliminates the need to power on the base machine 1. Then, no matter what state the base machine 1 is in, data from the host device 31 is developed into pages in the printer control device 40 (step 4). In other words, even if the power of base machine 1 is off, even if a jam occurs in the paper transport path, even if base machine Also, input data from the host device 31 is expanded into pages in the page memory 45 of the printer control device 40.

When the page development is completed (step 5), it is printed out on the base machine 1, but at this time, if the power is not turned on or a jam occurs in the paper conveyance path, printing may not be possible. . However, if the base machine 1 is warming up or copying, you can start printing after waiting for a while, so it is difficult to judge whether you can print out again after a certain period of time has passed after page development is completed. ), if printing is not possible, a buzzer or display unit 41 of the printer control device 40 or CRT of the host device will notify that the base machine 1 is unusable (step 7). However, for users who do not need a buzzer, use the NV of the blink control device 40.
M43C can now be set to not require a buzzer. In this manner, the operator operates the base machine 1 to enable printing work.

If you can print out after a certain period of time,
Printout can be performed without operating a notification means such as a buzzer (step 8).

In this way, even if the base machine 1 and the host device 31 are located at separate locations, the operator can control the drive of the base machine 1 using the host device 31rfs. The printout on paper 20 is completed, and
Step 9) in which the paper 20 is ejected to the output tray;
At this point, sound the buzzer or press the printer control device 4.
0. Display the completion of paper ejection on each display of the host device 31 (Step 10). At this time, a buzzer sounds to indicate the completion of paper ejection and a buzzer sounds when printing cannot be performed due to a jam in the paper 20, etc. You can tell the difference between the two by changing the tone, time of sound generation, and interval of sound generation.

After that, if the host device 31 is not going to be used, the power to the printer control device 40 is turned off (step 11).
At this time, if it is desirable to also turn off the power to the base machine 1, input a command 50 dedicated to powering off the base machine 1 by operating keys on the printer control device 40 to turn off the power to the base machine 1 (step 12)
.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, data can be input regardless of the state of the image processing apparatus, whether the image processing apparatus is inactive or in the process of copying. Data from the device can be transferred to the printer control device, so
You can start image processing operations on the main unit as soon as possible.

In addition, if the image processing cannot be output after the input data from the data input device has been expanded to the printer control device, the paper may be jammed in the conveyance path on the main body side, or the main power is not turned on. You can know that you have a disability. At this time, for example, if the main body of the image processing apparatus is in the process of copying or warming up, the notifying means is not activated because the main body can operate after a while.

At this time, if a separate notification means is provided to notify that the image-processed paper has been ejected and the tone is changed, it will be helpful to judge the state of the main body even when the user is not near the main body.

Furthermore, in addition to the drive means and stop means provided on the image processing apparatus main body, the drive means and stop means for the image processing apparatus main body are also provided on the data input device or printer control device, so that the main body can be moved away from the operator. You can start and stop the main unit even when you are in the room.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the base machine, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the image processing device, Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of the printer control device, Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of the base machine, and Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the base machine 1. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the main switch section, FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram centered on the main CPU, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operating procedure of the image processing device. 1...Base machine, 40...Printer control device, 45...Page memory

Claims (6)

[Claims] (1) In an image processing device that uses xerography, in which data from a data input device is image-processed by the image processing device main body via a printer control device, data from the data input device is processed by the printer regardless of the state of the image processing device main body. An image processing device characterized in that the image processing device is configured to be expanded into a page memory of a control device. (2) Data input detection means for detecting input of data from a data input device, print-disabled state detection means for detecting a print-disabled state of the image processing apparatus, and output signals from the data input detection means and print-disabled state 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying means for outputting a notifying signal by inputting signals from both of the output signals from the state detecting means. (3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a notification means for notifying that the image-processed paper has been completely ejected from the image processing apparatus main body. (4) The notifying means for notifying that the image-processed paper has been completely ejected from the main body of the image processing apparatus is a notifying means for notifying by voice in response to a command from a data input device. image processing device. (5) A claim characterized in that the notification means is provided together with the notification means according to claim 2 and the notification means according to claim 3, and the notification means have sound generation means having different tones, sound generation times, or sound generation intervals. Item 1. Image processing device according to item 1. (6) In an image processing apparatus using xerography, in which data from a data input device is image-processed in the image processing apparatus main body via a printer control device, data input is performed in addition to drive means and stop means provided in the image processing apparatus main body. An image processing apparatus characterized in that a device or a printer control device is also provided with driving means and stopping means for the image processing apparatus main body.