JP3135463B2 - Recording data transfer method, recording apparatus and recording system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording data transfer method,
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing system, and more particularly to a printing data transfer method suitable for a printing apparatus having a vertically arranged print head in which print elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged in the nozzle arrangement direction, and printing using the print head. To a recording apparatus and a recording system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, OA devices such as personal computers and word processors have become widespread, and various recording methods and recording devices have been developed as a method for printing out information input by these devices. The color of the information to be printed out has been advanced with the improvement of OA equipment, and accordingly, by replacing an inexpensive color recording device or a recording head, visual color recording and high-speed Bk recording can be performed. A recording device that can be used both in accordance with the purpose has been developed.

A method of transferring color data when performing color printing will be described with reference to a serial printing apparatus which performs printing while scanning a print head. In the main scanning direction of the recording head (hereinafter, referred to as a raster direction), image information for each color is transferred for each raster or for each row in which a plurality of rasters are combined. That is, image data of Y, M, C, Bk of the same raster or the same row is transmitted and received,
Then the next raster, or Y, M, C, Bk of the row
Are transmitted and received.

As a data transmission / reception specification at this time, there is a method of transmitting / receiving data in parallel according to a method generally called a Centro specification.

[0005] On the other hand, as an arrangement of recording means for performing multi-color recording such as color recording, a recording apparatus which performs recording in a horizontal arrangement in which respective recording colors are arranged in parallel in a raster direction is generally used. In the case of the horizontal arrangement, the size of the recording device in the raster direction becomes large, and the overlapping order of the recording colors is reversed between the forward printing and the backward printing of the recording head, and the color of the recorded image is reversed. If the recording method is an inkjet recording method, the recording liquid of the next color will land before the recording liquid that has been previously recorded is fixed. Problems such as blurring may occur.

As a countermeasure, a boundary between images recorded in different colors is detected, and if there is a boundary, printing is performed while pausing, printing is performed by removing one dot at the boundary, or When the boundary is a boundary with the Bk image, a bleeding countermeasure such as converting the Bk boundary into a combination of other color images (PCBk conversion) and recording is used.

There is also a method of reducing the image blur at the boundary by arranging recording means for each color in the sub-scanning direction (in a vertical arrangement). In this method, the time required for printing dots of different print colors to be printed on the same raster is extended, so that blurring of the image at the boundary can be reduced. In this method, since each color is offset in the sub-scanning direction, the overlapping order of the recording liquid does not change between the forward printing and the backward printing of the recording head. There is also an advantage that a deviation problem does not occur, and a vertically arranged head configuration is increasingly used.

In a vertically arranged recording head, Y,
Since printing elements such as M, C, and Bk are arranged, the size in the sub-scanning direction increases. For this reason, Bk recording elements, which are often used in character printing where high-speed printing is strongly desired, have a large number of nozzles, and focus on high-quality printing, and do not focus on high-speed printing than Bk printing. The number of Y, M, and C printing elements mainly used in the above-mentioned publications are reduced in the number of printing elements to be arranged to balance specifications such as specifications, price, and size.

[0009]

However, in the above-described vertical head, a memory area of a bit map in which image data is expanded (hereinafter, referred to as a print buffer).
However, much more area was required as compared with the case of the side-by-side head. The extent to which a print buffer area is required for a vertically aligned head will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a print buffer area of a vertically aligned head. Here, as the recording head 1708, 24 recording elements each for recording the Y, M, and C recording colors, 64 recording elements for recording the Bk recording color, and 8 elements between colors between the recording colors ( A case where there is a gap between colors corresponding to (pixels) will be described. The arrangement order of the recording elements of each color is Y, M, C, and Bk in the main scanning direction.

In the above recording head 1708, when the recording element for recording Y performs recording in the range of (n) raster to (n + 23) raster, the recording element for recording M is (n + 32) raster to (n + 55) raster. Is a recording range, and the recording element for recording C is (n + 6).
4) The recording range is from the raster to the (n + 87) raster, and the recording element for recording Bk is from the (n + 96) raster to the (n + 159) raster.

As described above, the recording pixel data transferred from the external device such as the host to the recording device is transmitted in units of rasters or lines, so that data of each color is transmitted.
Y, M, C, at least up to (n + 159) raster
Bk recording data has been transferred, and at least Bk
Until the print data of k is expanded to the print buffer up to the (n + 159) raster, the printing operation cannot be started. At this time, for example, in the Y recording element, the image signal is (n)
If the print buffer from raster (n + 23) raster has been developed, recording can be performed, but (n + 15)
9) Record information up to the raster must be stored, and a memory equivalent to 160 rasters is required as shown in FIG.

Here, the recording resolution of the recording apparatus is 360 DP
I. If the recorded image is A4 size and the number of pixels in one raster is 2880 pixels, then 46080 in 160 rasters
This requires a memory capacity of 0 (= 160 raster * 2880 pixels) bits. Similarly, in the M recording element, 368640 bits (= 128 rasters * 288)
0 pixels), 276480 bits (= 96 raster * 2880 pixels) in the C recording element, 184320 bits (= 64 raster * 2880) in the Bk recording element
Pixels), a total of 1,290,240 bits of memory area in total of Y, M, C, and Bk is required.

On the other hand, as a print buffer area referred to during one printing scan, the Y, M, and C printing elements each have 69120 bits (= 24 rasters × 2880 pixels), and the Bk printing element has 184320 bits (= 64 rasters). * 2880 pixels), 39 in total of Y, M, C, Bk
1680 bits, which is the minimum required of 129024
It can be seen that it is less than half of the 0 bit.

Further, as described above, for printing Bk characters requiring high-speed printing, the Bk recording element has more recording elements than the Y, M, and C recording elements. However, when performing color printing, since only 24 Y, M, and C recording elements are provided, only 24 Bk elements are used, and 24 nozzle printing is performed for each of Y, M, C, and Bk. The recording in which the paper is fed for 24 nozzles is repeated. Since there are 64 Bk nozzles, any recording element can be used, but in order to reduce bleeding between images of different colors, the Bk image uses the recording element farthest from the Y, M, and C images. It is often said.

On the other hand, the 64 Bk recording elements can use all 64 nozzles when only a Bk image is used. However, when a color recording image is used, only specific 24 nozzles are used. Becomes noticeable.
Since the deterioration of the recording element with time changes depending on the frequency of use, a difference occurs in the image recording density between the overused nozzles and the infrequently used nozzles, and high image quality cannot be obtained. In addition, if the life of even one nozzle is long, it is the life of the recording head, and the uneven use frequency shortens the life of the head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to improve the memory consumption efficiency when using a recording head in which a plurality of recording elements for recording a plurality of colors are arranged offset in a predetermined direction. Possible recording data transfer methods,
It is an object to provide a recording device and a recording system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording data transfer method, a recording apparatus, and a recording system capable of averaging the frequency of use of recording elements, extending the life of a recording head, and performing high-speed and high-quality recording. With the goal.

[0019]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing apparatus having a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction. In a print data transfer method for transferring print data, an obtaining step of obtaining an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another print element of the plurality of colors based on a print element of any of the plurality of colors, A changing step of changing a position of a printing element used by changing an offset amount; an offset step of offsetting print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the changed offset amount; Transferring the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors to the printing apparatus.

The present invention also provides a print data transfer method for transferring print data to a printing apparatus having a print head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction. An obtaining step of obtaining an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another printing element of the plurality of colors with reference to a printing element of one of the plurality of colors, and printing data of at least one color by a plurality of scan printing. A thinning step of thinning to complement and complete; an offset step of offsetting print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the acquired offset amount; and a step corresponding to the plurality of offset colors. Transferring a print data to the printing apparatus.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing using a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction. Storage means for storing the corresponding print data, and in the sub-scanning direction based on the offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another printing element of the plurality of colors with respect to any one of the printing elements of the plurality of colors. Receiving means for receiving print data that is offset and corresponds to the plurality of colors, and at least one of the data received by the receiving means;
Thinning means for thinning out the color print data so as to be completed by a plurality of scan prints.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus for printing using a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction, and transfer of print data to the printing apparatus. Acquiring means for acquiring an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another recording element of the plurality of colors with reference to a recording element of one of the plurality of colors. Changing means for changing the position of the printing element used by changing the obtained offset amount; and offsetting the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the changed offset amount. Transfer means for transferring to the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus receiving print data corresponding to the plurality of colors transferred by the transfer means. Characterized in that it has a receiving means.

Further, the present invention provides a printing apparatus for printing using a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction, and transferring print data to the printing apparatus. Acquiring means for acquiring an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another recording element of the plurality of colors with reference to a recording element of one of the plurality of colors. Thinning means for thinning out the print data of at least one color so as to be completed by a plurality of scan prints, and offsetting the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the obtained offset amount. Transfer means for transferring the print data to the recording device corresponding to the plurality of colors transferred by the transfer means. Characterized in that it has a receiving means for receiving.

Means for solving the above-mentioned problems in the embodiment described below is to provide a vertical scanning head having nozzles for ejecting inks of a plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction. The present invention is characterized in that it comprises offset data receiving means for receiving the offset data which are respectively offset, and use nozzle uniforming means for preventing the use nozzles from shifting.

[0025]

According to the above arrangement, the frequency of use of the recording elements can be dispersed and uniformized, so that the effect of a vertically arranged head in which the overlapping order of colors does not change when performing bidirectional printing, and the effect of adjacent recording While providing the effect of delaying the time until a pixel is recorded, the use of memory, which is a drawback of a vertically arranged head, is improved, and the recording density unevenness is reduced by not concentrating the used nozzles. Can extend the durable life.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an ink jet recording apparatus (IJRA) to which the present invention can be applied.

In the figure, a spiral groove 5004 of a lead screw 5005 which rotates via driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in conjunction with forward and reverse rotation of a driving motor 5013.
The carriage HC that engages with a pin (not shown)
And is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An ink jet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a paper pressing plate, which presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the carriage movement direction. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photocouplers, which function as home position detection means for confirming the presence of the carriage lever 5006 in this region and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member for instructing a cap member 5022 for capping the entire surface of the recording head. Reference numeral 5015 denotes suction means for suctioning the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head via the opening 5023 in the cap. Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade.
019 makes it possible to move in the front-back direction. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate that supports the above-mentioned 5017 and 5019. 50
Reference numeral 12 denotes a lever for starting suction for recovery of suction, which moves with the movement of the cam 5020 engaging with the carriage, and the driving force from the drive motor is controlled by a known transmission means such as clutch switching or the like. .

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured such that when the carriage comes to the home position side area, desired processing can be performed at the corresponding position by the action of the lead screw 5005. It is sufficient if the device is configured to perform a desired operation.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the control configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1700 denotes an interface for inputting a recording signal; 1701, an MPU; 1702, a ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701 and host print information; The recording data supplied to the head is stored. Reference numeral 1704 denotes a gate array for controlling the supply of output data to the print head 1708. The interface 1700, the MPU 1701, and the DRAM 17
It also controls the transfer of data during 03. Reference numeral 1710 denotes a carrier motor for transporting the recording head 1708;
Reference numeral 09 denotes a transport motor for transporting the recording paper; 1705, a head driver for driving the recording head; 1706, a motor driver for driving the transport motor 1709;
A motor driver 07 drives the carrier motor 1710.

In the above-described recording apparatus, when input information is input from a host computer 300, which will be described later, via the interface 1700, the input information is output between the gate array 1704 and the MPU 1701 as output information for printing. Is converted to Then, the motor drivers 1706 and 1707 are driven, and the recording head is driven according to the output information sent to the head driver 1705 to execute printing.

The recording heads used in this embodiment are Y, M,
A recording head in which 24 recording elements each for recording the recording color of C and 64 recording elements for recording the recording color of Bk are formed on one chip, and 8 elements (pixels) are provided between colors between the recording colors.
There is a considerable gap between colors. FIG. 4 shows the recording head 170.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of FIG. 8, as shown in FIG.
Nozzles n1 to n160 are formed in the order of Y, M, C, and Bk from above. FIG. 4B is a diagram for explaining the chip of the recording head having the above-described configuration.
Heating elements H as printing elements C and Bk are arranged, and a gap corresponding to eight pixels (nozzle interval) is formed between groups of printing elements for each color. Although this gap is not always necessary in the present invention, it is easier to construct the ink chamber for each color on the chip of the recording head because it is easier to construct the ink chamber for each color. I have.

In the present embodiment, the ink chambers, nozzles, ink injection paths, etc. for each color are constituted by a mold member formed by molding, and the molded member is pressed against the recording head chip by a spring (not shown). It is configured by sealing with a sealing material including a spring. The means for forming the ink chambers and the nozzles by a dry film or the means for forming the ink chambers and nozzles by other methods can be applied to the present invention, and thus detailed description is omitted.

When printing is performed using a so-called vertical head in which nozzles of each color are arranged in the direction in which the nozzles are arranged as described above, the print buffer is unnecessarily wasted as described with reference to FIG. Therefore, there is a concern that an inexpensive recording apparatus cannot be provided.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, since the data of the recorded image is transferred from the host computer 300 to the printer 150 in the same raster unit, Bk is shifted from the (n + 96) raster as described with reference to FIG. (N + 15
9) When printing the raster part, C is (n + 64)
From (n + 85) raster, M from (n + 32) to (n + 55) raster, Y from (n) to (n + 23)
The raster must be printed. The raster used for printing is 136 rasters (64 + 24 *
Despite 3), data for 400 rasters must be accumulated. Looking at C (n + 86)
Data from raster to (n + 159) raster, M
The data from the (n + 56) raster to the (n + 159) raster when viewed from the above, and the data from the (n + 24) raster to the (n + 159) raster when viewed from the Y indicate that this data is unnecessary data during printing of this print area. .

Here, the recording resolution of the recording apparatus of this embodiment is 360 DPI and the recorded image is A4 size.
The number of pixels in one raster is 2880 pixels, and the unnecessary storage raster 264 raster (400-136) has a total of 7 pixels.
60320 bits, which is a very large loss of memory efficiency.

However, in this embodiment, the transfer of the image data of Y, M, C, and Bk is performed with an offset.
The loss of memory efficiency as described above can be reduced.

Specifically, the host computer 300
As shown in FIG. 6, when transferring the (n) raster of the Y image, the (n + 32) raster of M and the (n + 6) of C
4) The printer 150 transfers the (n + 96) raster of Bk, that is, offsets the data.
(Offset transfer). Here, n is -96 or more, and if the transfer raster is less than 0 or exceeds the maximum raster, the data of that color is not transferred.

As a result, data corresponding to the arrangement of the color nozzles of the recording head can be transferred. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, there is no need to store rasters which are not simultaneously printed as shown in FIG. Efficiency can be improved.

Of course, the image data may be read as needed up to several rasters ahead of the raster being printed at the same time, and the bits may be developed. However, in such a case, a part of the raster data may be used. As compared with the conventional method in which only the image data of the color of (1) has to be largely stored, the use efficiency of the memory is greatly improved.

The offset transfer of the image data from the external device is realized by software in the external device, in particular, by a printer driver. As shown in FIG. 8, the external device (host computer 300) exchanges data with the recording device via the interface 301 and exchanges a recorded image with the image input device. Interface 3
The data input through 01 is operated by the control unit 302. At the time of output to the printing apparatus (printer 150), the image data after the operation is processed into transfer data according to the specifications of the printing apparatus by a printer driver 303 that is unique to the printing apparatus, that is, set according to the printing apparatus. After that, the data is offset and transferred to the printing apparatus via the interface 301 as described above.

The processing of the transfer data according to the specifications of the printing apparatus includes, for example, color correction and output γ correction,
Examples include a value conversion process, a resolution conversion, and a transfer encoding process of image data. After these processes, the printer driver 303 also performs offset transfer of data to the recording device and the like.

In the present embodiment, in the color recording mode (recording of data in which color and black are mixed), the nozzles used for Bk are shifted in units of pages, and
k The use frequency of each nozzle is made uniform, and the recording density unevenness is reduced.

The configuration of the recording head used in this embodiment is Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), B
k (black) has 24, 24, 24, and 64 nozzles, respectively, and there is a gap of eight nozzles between colors, and the arrangement is the above-described vertical arrangement.

The capacity of the print buffer for holding print data is set to 69120 (24 × 24) for color (Y, M, C).
2880) bits, black is 184320 (64
× 2880) bits.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a recording system constituting this embodiment. FIGS. 10A to 10F are diagrams showing the memory configuration of the printing apparatus main body and the data of each developed color.

The recording system according to the present embodiment is used to create transfer data by offsetting the image processed by the host 100 by a predetermined offset amount for each page so that the nozzles using Bk are not always the same. Nozzle uniformizing means 107, offset data receiving means 104 for receiving data 101 with each color offset from host 100 via interface 103, MPU 105 for converting received offset data 101 into output data for printing, and gate array 106 And a print buffer 108 for storing output data.

The host 100 is provided with a nozzle uniformizing means 107.
Thus, transfer data is created in consideration of the offset amount corresponding to the use state and configuration of the print head, and the offset data is transferred to the printing apparatus. Here, the nozzle equalizing means 107 is generally realized by the printer driver 303 shown in FIG.

For example, when performing Bk (black) printing using the 24 nozzles furthest from the C (cyan) nozzle (FIG. 10A), the offset amount between Bk data and C data is 64 + 8 = 72 rasters. And the offset amount between Bk data and M data is 64 + 8 + 24 + 8 = 10
4 rasters, offset amount between Bk data and Y data is 6
Since 4 + 8 + 24 + 8 + 24 + 8 = 136 rasters, the host 100 transfers data by offsetting each color data by the amount of raster. The amount of transfer at one time may be any raster.

The transferred recording data for one line is developed in the print buffer 108, and as shown in FIG. 10A, 24 rasters from the bottom within the 64 rasters corresponding to the Bk nozzles.
Data to be recorded exists for the nozzles, and null data exists for the upper 40 nozzles. Accordingly, during the printing operation of one page, printing is always performed using the lower 24 nozzles.

When recording of one page is completed, the host 10
0 writes the number of prints for the recording device that has currently performed recording in an external memory or the like. When recording is again instructed by the same recording device, the number of prints in the external memory is read, and the offset amount of the recording data to be recorded this time is determined.

For example, when the read number of printed sheets is 1, if the second record data to be recorded this time is B
The offset amount of k data is 8 rasters, the offset amount of C data is (64−8) + 8 = 64 rasters, the offset amount of M data is (64−8) + 8 + 24 + 8 = 96 rasters, and the offset amount of Y data is (64−8). 8) + 8 + 24
+ 8 + 24 + 8 = 128 raster offset data is created and transferred to the recording device. The transferred print data for one line is developed in the print buffer as shown in FIG.

In the Bk data in the print buffer, the lower 8 rasters and the upper 32 rasters are developed as null data. Therefore, in the page currently being recorded, the lower 8 nozzles corresponding to the hatched data are always displayed. Recording is performed with the 24 nozzles that are left empty.

When the above operation is repeated, a total of 64 nozzles are used after printing six sheets. When printing of six sheets is completed, 0 is written to the external memory, and the above operation is repeated, so that the use frequency of the Bk nozzles is made uniform.

Of course, the timing for switching the nozzles using Bk is not limited to the page unit, and may be switched at a timing when a predetermined amount of null raster exists or after the printing of a specified number of sheets. Further, the shift amount of the Bk use nozzle does not have to be every eight nozzles.

The processing by the host computer 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S1, a printer driver is set, and in step S2, the offset amount of each color of the recording head mounted on the recording apparatus is obtained. In this embodiment, C is 72, M is 104, and Y is 13 based on Bk.
6. In step S3, the number of prints is obtained. In step S4, data processing is performed, and the data processed in accordance with the offset amount and the number of prints obtained in step S5 is transferred to the recording device. The above process is repeated until the transfer of one piece of data is completed (step S6), the number of prints is added (step S7), and the process ends.

When the transferred data is stored in the memory in an amount required for one main scan (24 rasters in this embodiment), the main scan is performed and one line is recorded. In the present embodiment, at the start and end of recording, recording is started sequentially from Bk and ends sequentially from Bk according to the arrangement of the nozzles offset.

The recording device 102 transmits the offset data 101 sent from the host 100 to the interface 1
The data is received by the offset data receiving unit 104 via the MPU 03, is developed into recording data by the MPU 105 and the gate array 106, and is stored in the print buffer 108.
When the data development for one line (Y, M, C24 raster, Bk64 raster) is completed, the recording operation starts. After the recording for one line is completed, the paper is fed for 24 rasters, and the recording is sequentially performed. The main unit of the recording apparatus stores the offset data 1 sent from the host without performing any special control.
01 is received and developed for one line, and a record is made.
It merely repeats the operation of feeding the raster paper.

In this embodiment, a print buffer for 64 rasters is reserved for Bk nozzles, but a print buffer for 24 nozzles actually used may be provided. In this case, the current offset amount is transferred from the host 100, and the offset data receiving means 10 in the printing apparatus is transferred.
4 recognizes this, and stores the data in the print buffer and Bk.
The data sent from the print buffer to the print head may be offset by associating with the correlation with the nozzles used, and sent so as to correspond to a predetermined nozzle.

As described above, uniform use of the Bk nozzles makes it possible to perform high-quality printing without density unevenness and extend the life of the print head.

The nozzle configuration of the recording head is as follows.
Y, M, C, and Bk may all have the same number of nozzles.
For example, a vertically aligned head having a nozzle configuration of Y = 48, M = 48, C = 48, and Bk = 48 may be used. When performing multi-pass printing, all 48 nozzles are used, and when performing printing in one pass, only 24 nozzles are used. In order to prevent color mixture between colors, the use nozzle position of each color is determined in one-pass printing. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which it is used uniformly at a predetermined timing.

(Embodiment 2) As Embodiment 2, yellow shown in Embodiment 1 has 24 nozzles, magenta has 24 nozzles, and
In color image recording using a recording element in which cyan has 24 nozzles, black has 64 nozzles, and there is 8 nozzles between each color, and they are offset in the sub-scanning direction. An example will be described.

In the present embodiment, all the color nozzles perform printing by using 24 nozzles, and the black nozzles perform printing by using 48 nozzles for multi-pass printing in which a print image is completed in a plurality of passes.

Printing in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12 are raster areas completed by each scan of the yellow nozzle. Also Bpa
ss1 to s5 are raster areas completed by each scan of the black nozzle. Ypass1 to Ypass4 complete the data of the print buffer as an image by one scan as it is. Black is Bpass2 in the first and second scans
Is completed, and Bpass3 is used in the second and third scans.
Is completed and Bpass4 is performed at the third and fourth scans.
Is completed, and Bpass5 is obtained at the fourth and fifth scans.
Complete the image.

How to use the data in the print buffer for performing the above-described print control will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 13 shows a recording buffer 108 having a storage capacity of 24 rasters for yellow, 24 rasters for magenta, 24 rasters for cyan, and 64 rasters for black.
Is shown. In the figure, each color buffer is formed in units of 8 rasters for convenience.

In each of the yellow, magenta, and cyan print buffers, the print image data of each color offset to Y1 to Y3, M1 to M3, and C1 to C3 corresponding to 24 rasters between each print scan.

In the black print buffer,
First, data on the print buffer is shifted by 24 rasters between each print scan. That is, the data stored in the print buffers B1 to B3 are discarded, the data stored in the print buffer B4 is stored in the print buffer B1, B5 is stored in B2, B6 is stored in B3, B7 is stored in B4, and B is stored in B4.
8 is stored in B5. Next, the offset black recorded image data is developed in B6 to B8, which are print buffer areas for 24 rasters.

Next, the raster data stored in the print buffer is recorded using a recording head. The print elements of the 24 nozzles of yellow, magenta, and cyan respectively correspond to the print buffers Y1 to Y3, M1 to M3,
Recording is performed using the raster data of C1 to C3 as they are. Black uses raster data of B3 to B8,
The printing elements n113 to n160 shown in FIG. 1 are driven. At this time, the pixel data is thinned out for the print buffers B3 to B5 using the specific mask pattern 1, and the driving elements of the recording elements n113 to n136 are driven by the thinned data. Further, print buffers B6 to B8
Then, the driving elements of the printing elements n137 to n160 are driven by using the mask pattern 2 that complements the specific mask pattern 1. The mask pattern 1 and the mask pattern 2 may be any patterns as long as they are complementary.

FIG. 14 shows a typical mask pattern.
FIG. 14B shows a mask pattern 2 when FIG. 14A is used as the mask pattern 1. The mask pattern 2 when FIG. 14C is the mask pattern 1 is shown in FIG.
(D). FIG. 14F shows a mask pattern 2 when FIG. 14E is the mask pattern 1.

By using the mask pattern as described above, a recorded image is completed using the recording elements n113 to n160.

By using the above-described method of using the data of the print buffer and the method of using the recording element, the conventional method of performing black recording with 24 nozzles can be diffused to 48 nozzles. Improve leaning.
In addition, since there is an image area that overlaps between each scan, the seam of the image between each scan can be improved. Further, since the same raster of the recorded image is completed by a plurality of recording elements, it is possible to simultaneously eliminate the deviation of the recorded image characteristic due to the image characteristic of each recording element.

(Embodiment 3) As in the above-described embodiment 2, when the bias of the nozzles to be used is diffused by using a specific mask in the print image, a problem occurs in that the mask pattern and the print image are synchronized.

For example, as shown in FIG.
4 (a), the mask pattern 1
When the mask of FIG. 14A is used as the
Recording using 13 to n136 is the same as in FIG. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15B, when the mask of FIG.
Recording using 137 to n160 is not performed at all. That is, the recording elements n113 to n136 record all images, and the recording elements n137 to n160 are not used at all.

Similarly, when the mask shown in FIG. 14C is used as the mask pattern 1 for the image pattern shown in FIG. 14A, printing using the printing elements n113 to n136 is performed as shown in FIG. When the mask shown in FIG. 14D is used as the mask pattern 2, the recording element n
Recording using 137 to n160 is as shown in FIG. In this case, unlike the case where the mask patterns of FIGS. 14A and 14B are used, the printing elements used are printing elements n113 to n136 and printing elements n137 to n137.
n160. That is, when the image pattern is as shown in FIG. 14A, it is better to use FIGS. 14C and 14D as the mask pattern.

However, it is difficult to determine the synchronization between the image pattern and the mask pattern to be printed by the printing apparatus main body.

Therefore, the present embodiment provides a recording system in which a recording image is masked on the recording image transfer side and transferred to the recording apparatus body.

In this embodiment, the print buffers Y1 to Y
3, M1 to M3, C1 to C3, and B1 to B8 are all updated with the received print image data for each print scan. All of the print elements n1 to n160 in each print scan perform driving corresponding to print image data developed in the print buffer. Further, the conveyance amount of the recording medium between each scan is determined by data sent from the image data transfer side.

The image data transfer processing on the recording image transfer side in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, in S2401, the recording image data of each color offset is acquired for 24 rasters. Next, S
At 2402, all the yellow image data for 24 rasters is transferred. In step S2403, magenta image data for all 24 rasters is transferred. In step S2404, cyan image data for all 24 rasters is transferred. S24
At 05, blank data for 16 rasters is transferred.

Next, in step S2406, an appropriate mask pattern 1 and an appropriate mask pattern 2 are selected from the image data. In step S2407, the image data corresponding to the 24 raster images of black acquired in step S2401 is thinned out using the selected mask pattern 1. In step S2408, the image data obtained by thinning out the image data of 24 rasters of black acquired in step S2401 with the selected mask pattern 2 is stored.

In step S2409, all image data of 24 rasters thinned out by the mask pattern 2 stored in the previous routine processing are transferred. Here, in the case of the first time of this routine processing, the transfer data of S2409 is 2
Blank data for 4 rasters. Next, in S2410, an instruction to transfer the recording medium for 24 rasters is transferred.

According to the present embodiment, the recording image transfer side can determine the degree of synchronization between the recording data and the mask pattern when acquiring the recording image. Therefore, it is possible to perform printing by optimum multiple scanning (multi-pass printing) without imposing a processing burden on the printing apparatus main body side.

Further, the main body of the printing apparatus develops the sent image in the print buffer as it is, drives the printing elements in accordance with the data in the print buffer, and receives the transport amount of the printing medium during each printing scan. Is transferred by the specified feed amount. This makes it possible to simplify the determination of the printing apparatus main body during the printing process.

The present invention particularly provides an excellent effect in a recording apparatus using an ink jet recording head which forms flying droplets by utilizing thermal energy and performs recording among ink jet recording systems.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
Although it can be applied to any type of continuous type, in particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it can be applied to a sheet holding liquid (ink) or an electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the liquid path. By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to recording information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and film boiling occurs on the heat acting surface of the recording head. Liquid (ink) corresponding to the drive signal
This is effective because air bubbles in the interior can be formed. By discharging the liquid (ink) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. Further, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

The recording head may be constituted by a combination of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electrothermal converter (a linear liquid path or a right-angle liquid path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat.
A configuration using the specification of Japanese Patent No. 59600 is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording apparatus can record. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, the recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or the electric connection with the apparatus main body or the ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

Further, it is preferable to add ejection recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like as the constitution of the recording apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. If these are specifically mentioned, the recording head is heated using capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, an electrothermal transducer, another heating element or a combination thereof. Pre-heating means for performing the pre-heating and pre-discharging means for performing the discharging other than the recording can be used.

Further, as for the type and number of the recording heads to be mounted, two or more recording heads may be provided corresponding to a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of the recording modes of full color by color mixture.

In addition, in the embodiments of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used. In general, the ink jet method generally controls the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Sometimes, the ink may be in a liquid state. In addition, in order to positively prevent temperature rise due to thermal energy by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent evaporation of the ink, the ink is solidified in a standing state and heated. May be used. In any case, the application of heat energy causes the ink to be liquefied by the application of the heat energy according to the recording signal and the liquid ink to be ejected, or to start solidifying when it reaches the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable to a case where an ink having a property of liquefying for the first time is used. In such a case, the ink
JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-7
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1260, it is also possible to adopt a form in which the sheet is opposed to the electrothermal converter in a state where it is held as a liquid or solid substance in the concave portion or through hole of the porous sheet. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the one used as an image output terminal of information processing equipment such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

[0096]

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the memory consumption in the main body of the printing apparatus using the vertically arranged print heads and to average the use frequency of the print elements.
Further, it is possible to achieve improvement of a recorded image by the recording element.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an arrangement of a conventional print head and a memory configuration of a print image.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an inkjet recording apparatus applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating logic of a print head applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a recording head according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional print data transfer.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating data transfer in which print data according to the first embodiment is offset for each color.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a memory configuration when offset for each color is performed according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a host computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a recording system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a memory usage state of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram illustrating printing scan and image formation in a second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a print buffer according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a representative mask pattern referred to in the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing synchronization with a print image when a mask pattern is used.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a transfer process of offset data according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100, 300 Host computer 102, 150 Recording device 107 Nozzle uniformizing means 1708 Recording head

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Iwasaki 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Kiichiro Takahashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon (56) References JP-A-3-146373 (JP, A) JP-A-6-135010 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/21 B41J 2/525 B41J 5/30 G06F 3/12

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A print data transfer method for transferring print data to a printing apparatus having a print head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in a sub-scanning direction. An acquiring step of acquiring an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another recording element of the plurality of colors based on any one of the recording elements; and changing a position of a recording element to be used by changing the offset amount Changing the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the changed offset amount; and printing the print data corresponding to the plurality of offset colors in the printing apparatus. Transfer method for recording data. 2. The printing head according to claim 1, wherein the number of printing elements of at least one color is larger than the number of printing elements of other colors, and all printing elements of a color having a larger number of printing elements are not used in one scan. 2. The recording data transfer method according to claim 1, wherein said changing step changes a position of a recording element in which said recording element is used according to a prescribed rule. 3. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein:
3. The print data transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the number of printing elements used for printing at least one color is larger than the number of printing elements for printing other colors. 4. A print data transfer method for transferring print data to a printing apparatus having a print head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in a sub-scanning direction. An acquisition step of acquiring an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another recording element of the plurality of colors with reference to any one of the recording elements; and completing at least recording data of at least one color with a plurality of scanning recordings A thinning step for thinning out, an offset step of offsetting the recording data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the acquired offset amount, and a recording data corresponding to the offset plurality of colors. Transferring a recording data to a recording apparatus. 5. The print data transfer method according to claim 1, wherein said print head discharges ink onto a print medium using thermal energy. 6. A printing apparatus for printing using a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in a sub-scanning direction, wherein printing data corresponding to the printing elements of the plurality of colors is provided. Storage means for storing, in the sub-scanning direction based on the offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another recording element of the plurality of colors based on the recording element of any of the plurality of colors, Receiving means for receiving print data corresponding to a plurality of colors, and thinning means for thinning out the print data of at least one color received by the receiving means so as to be completed by a plurality of scan printings. A recording device characterized by the above-mentioned. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the recording head discharges the ink to a recording medium using thermal energy. 8. A printing apparatus for printing using a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction, and a host computer for transferring print data to the printing apparatus. In the recording system, the host computer acquires an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another recording element of the plurality of colors with respect to a recording element of any of the plurality of colors, Changing means for changing the position of the printing element to be used by changing the offset amount; and transferring the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction to the printing apparatus based on the changed offset amount. Transfer means for receiving the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors transferred by the transfer means. Recording system characterized by Rukoto. 9. A printing apparatus for printing using a printing head in which a plurality of printing elements for printing a plurality of colors are arranged offset in the sub-scanning direction, and a host computer for transferring print data to the printing apparatus. A printing system comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain an offset amount in the sub-scanning direction of another printing element of the plurality of colors with respect to a printing element of one of the plurality of colors; Thinning means for thinning out color print data to be completed by a plurality of scan prints, and the printing apparatus for offsetting print data corresponding to the plurality of colors in the sub-scanning direction based on the obtained offset amount. Transfer means for transferring the print data corresponding to the plurality of colors transferred by the transfer means. Recording system characterized by having means.