JPH03216082A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the switching of a displayed picture before and after the printout by using a print instruction means so as to start the print of a stored picture signal and controlling the printer so as to select an input picture signal as a display signal. CONSTITUTION:An output signal of an A/D converter 6 is fed to one input terminal of a switch circuit 7 and a frame memory 8 and a signal read from the frame 8 is fed to other input terminal of the switch circuit 7. The frame memory 8 stores the data of one frame to be printed. In this case, the print of the storage picture signal is started by a print instruction means of a key switch 19 and a switch 7 is controlled to select the input picture signal as a diaplay signal. Thus, the stored picture is confirmed and after the start of print, without no need of switch operation, the current source picture is viewed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a printer that prints images.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a printer that selects an input image signal and a stored image signal stored in a memory to obtain a display signal, in which printing of the stored image signal is started by a print command means, and at the same time the input image signal is displayed. This control allows the displayed image to be easily switched before and after the print operation. [Prior Art] Video printers are known that can produce hard copies of images from image sources such as tuners, VTRs, video disk playback devices, computers, and the like. In order to know the source (input) image and the printed image, a video printer is usually connected to a monitor for displaying the image (Japanese Patent Application No. 127890/1982 and 161801/1989). reference).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a display switching operation of a monitor connected to a conventional video printer. While the source image is displayed on the monitor, a desired image is captured into the memory by operating a switch. The image on the monitor is then switched to the image captured in memory (referred to as the memory image). At step 41 in FIG. 3, when switch S1, which generates a print start command, is turned on, printing of the stored image is started (step 42). In this case, the monitor screen remains the stored image.

Next, in step 43, when switch S2 for switching between the stored video signal and the input signal is turned on, step 4
4, the video signal supplied to the monitor is switched from the stored video signal to the input video signal. Therefore, the source image is displayed on the monitor (step 45).
.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As described above, conventional printers have a problem in that when a stored image is displayed on a monitor to check the image to be printed, the current source image becomes unclear. When the user wants to view the source image, it is a hassle to operate the switch S2.

Furthermore, as another example of a conventional printer, a printer that automatically switches to displaying the source image several seconds after switching to the stored image has also been proposed.

With this method, there is a risk that the stored image will become unrecognizable when the switch S1 is actually pressed to start the printing operation.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printer that automatically switches the displayed image to the source image when the printing operation is started, allows the user to check the stored image, and allows the user to view the source image after printing has started. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides a printer that selects an input video signal and a stored image signal stored in a memory (8) to obtain a display signal. This is a printer that controls to select an image signal as a display signal.

[Effect]

Once printing starts, there is no need to look at the stored image, so what is displayed automatically switches from the stored image to the source image. Therefore, the stored image can be checked, and after the print operation has started, the current source image can be viewed without requiring any switch operations.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of this embodiment,
IA, IB, and IC are input terminals, 2 is an input changeover switch, 3 is a mode changeover switch, and 4A, 4B, and 4C are output terminals. The input terminal IA is an RGB terminal, the input terminal IB is a terminal to which a luminance signal Y and a color signal C are separately supplied, and the input terminal IC is a video terminal to which a composite color video signal is supplied. These input terminals IA
, IB, and IC are connected to image sources such as a VTR, video disc playback device, tuner, computer, etc., although not shown. For the input terminals IB and IC, a conversion circuit 5 for converting the input signal into an RGB signal is provided.
B and 5C are connected. One of the three input signals as RGB signals is selected by the input changeover switch 2.

The mode changeover switch 3 is provided to switch between a mode in which the above-mentioned input signals are directly led to the output terminals 4A, 4B, and 4C, and a mode in which signals processed by the printer are led to the output terminals 4A, 4B, and 4C. . Output terminal 4
A, 4B, or 4C is connected to a monitor (not shown), and the output signal is displayed on the monitor.

A signal from the input changeover switch 2 is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter 6. The output signal of the A/D converter 6 is supplied to one input terminal of the switch circuit 7 and the frame memory 8. The signal read from frame 8 is supplied to the other input terminal of switch circuit 7. Frame memory 8 stores one frame of data to be printed. The print image is not limited to one frame, but can be one field, or several areas obtained by dividing one screen.

The output data of the switch circuit 7 is supplied to the D/A converter 9 and converted back into an analog signal. The output signal of the D/A converter 9 is supplied to a mixer 10, where it is mixed with character data to be displayed on a monitor screen. Displaying this character data is necessary for displaying a menu for switching printer modes, displaying fonts for creating caption data, and the like. mixer 10
A character signal from the character display circuit 11 is supplied to the character display circuit 11, and the character signal is superimposed on the output signal. The output signal of the mixer 10 is outputted via the mode changeover switch 3. The Y/C conversion circuit 12B forms a luminance signal Y and a color signal C from the ROB signal, and the video conversion circuit 12C forms a video signal from the RGB signal.

The RGB data captured in the frame memory 8 is supplied to the line memory 13 together with the switch circuit 7. The output of the line memory 13 is supplied to a thermal head 15 of a printing mechanism section 14 surrounded by a broken line. One example of this is a color video printer using a sublimation type thermal transfer method. The printing mechanism section 14, like a conventional color video printer, includes a platen for feeding printing paper, a mechanism for feeding the printing paper to the platen and ejecting the printing paper after printing, and a heat sublimation yellow The printer is equipped with an ink ribbon on which inks of , cyan, and magenta are sequentially applied, a thermal head 15 that prints dots, a motor 16 that rotates a platen, and the like. With the thermal head 15 and ink ribbon,
The stored image is printed in color on printing paper wrapped around a platen.

17 is a CPU for memory and head control. This CPU 17 controls write and read operations of the frame memory 8 and line memory 13. Further, the CPU 17 supplies the line memory 13 with cabin data PD, which is additional character information constituting headings, explanatory text, and the like. The words and phrases corresponding to this caption data PD are printed in black simultaneously with the image and outside the print area of the image.

18 is a CPU for system control.

A key switch 19 is connected to CP01B.

The CPU 18 also includes a terminal 20 for remote control signals and a terminal 21 for connection with the outside (for example, RS-
232-C) is provided. Further, the CPU 18 is supplied with an output signal from a rotation detector and an output signal from a sensor provided in connection with the motor 16 of the printing mechanism section l4. Control data and caption data are supplied from the CPU 18 to the CPU 17. The CPU 8 controls the input changeover switch 2, the switch circuit 7, the character display circuit 1l, the motor 16, the mode changeover switch 3, and the like.

The key switch 19 is provided with various switches. Switches related to this invention include the following.

Switch Sl: A print switch. When this is turned on, printing of the stored image is started.

Switch S2: Input (source) signal and frame memory 8
This is a switch for controlling the switch circuit 7 that switches between the video signal and the stored video signal stored in the video signal.

Switch S3: A switch for specifying a signal to be taken into the frame memory 8. The input image when this switch S3 is turned on is taken into the frame memory 8 under the control of the CPUs 17 and 18.

The operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Input terminal IA, IB, IC
When a video source is connected to at least one of the output terminals 4A, 4B, or 4C, and a monitor is connected to the output terminal 4A, 4B, or 4C, the source image is displayed on the monitor (step 31).

When the switch S3 is turned on in step 32, the image data of one frame at that time is taken into the frame memo I78, the switch circuit 7 is switched, and the stored image stored in the frame memory 8 is displayed on the monitor. (Stenbu 33). Therefore, it is possible to check whether the stored image is the desired one by looking at the monitor screen (step 34).
).

If this stored image is the desired one, switch Sl is turned on (step 35). The operation up to this point is the same as a conventional printer. When the switch S1 is turned on, the printing mechanism section 14 starts printing data from the line memory 13, and under the control of the CPUI B, the switch circuit 7 is turned on without the need for switch operation.
is switched, and the current source image is displayed on the monitor (steps 36 and 37). Therefore, after starting the printing operation, the current source image can be viewed.

In step 34 of determination, if the content of the image captured in frame memory 8 is not desired, switch S2 is turned on (step 38). As a result, the switch circuit 7 is switched, and the source image is displayed on the monitor (steps 39 and 31).

In the embodiment described above, the image source and monitor are connected to the outside of the color video printer, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the image source or a monitor such as a CRT or liquid crystal display may be built-in. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to monochrome video printers.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, when a printing operation is started, the display on the monitor is automatically switched to the source image. Therefore, there is an advantage that the content of the image to be printed can be confirmed, and the current image from the source can be viewed after starting the printing operation without requiring any switch operations.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart used to explain the operation of this embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a flowchart used to explain the conventional video printer. be. Explanation of main symbols in the drawings LA, IB, IC: input terminals, 4A, 4B, 4C: output terminals, 7: switch circuit, 8: frame memory, l3: line memory, 14: printing mechanism section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a printer that selects an input image signal and a stored image signal stored in a memory to obtain a display signal, printing of the stored image signal is started by a print command means, and at the same time the input image signal is A printer characterized in that the printer is controlled to select an image signal as the display signal.