Printing apparatus and control method of the same
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHisanori Inayoshi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
When performing printing for every M columns, a print buffer stores printing data by dividing the data into M groups. When data is multilevel data or when performing no column thinning printing, the print buffer stores the data without dividing it. When data to be stored in the print buffer is binary data and printing is to be performed for every M columns, printing data is stored as it is divided into M groups, and these data groups are read out as they are switched for each scan of the printhead. When data to be stored in the print buffer is multilevel data or when performing no column thinning printing, data is read out without switching readout regions.
Claims19
A printing apparatus which performs printing based on image data by scanning a printhead including a plurality of printing elements arranged in an arrangement direction intersecting a scan direction of a scan of the printhead, comprising:
- a print buffer configured to store image data;
- a conversion unit configured to HV-convert image data, which rearranges raster data in which pixels are sequentially arranged in a direction corresponding to the scan of the printhead, into data in which the pixels are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of the plurality of printing elements, and supply the image data to the printhead;
- and
- a transfer unit configured to read out data stored in the print buffer and transfer the data to the conversion unit,
- wherein the print buffer stores image data divided into column groups used for printing in the same scan among a plurality of scans of the printhead for completing printing of a region equivalent to one printing width, wherein each of the column groups is a group of pixels arranged in a direction of a column corresponding to the arrangement direction, such that:
- in each address of the first region of the print buffer, image data of the pixels of a first column group to be used for a first scan of the printhead are stored in a sequence of use of the image data of the pixels consecutively, the image data of the pixels stored in the same address are of the same raster line corresponding to the scan direction, and
- in each address of a second region of the print buffer different than the first region, image data of the pixels of a second column group to be used for a second scan of the printhead are stored in a sequence of use of the pixels consecutively, image data of the pixels stored in the same address are of the same raster line corresponding to the scan direction, the second column group is different than the first column group and the second scan of the printhead is different than the first scan of the printhead, and
- in accordance with the image data to be printed, the transfer unit transfers the image data by column group to the conversion unit.
A control method of a printing apparatus which includes a print buffer for storing image data, and performs printing based on printing data by scanning a printhead including a plurality of printing elements arranged in an arrangement direction intersecting a scan direction of a scan of the printhead, comprising:
- causing a conversion unit to HV-convert image data, which rearranges raster data in which pixels are sequentially arranged in direction corresponding to the scan of the printhead, into data in which the pixels are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of the plurality of printing elements, and supply the image data to the printhead;
- and
- causing a transfer unit to read out data stored in the print buffer and transfer the data to the conversion unit,
- wherein the print buffer stores divided image data divided into column groups used for printing in the same scan among a plurality of scans of the printhead for completing printing of a region equivalent to one printing width, wherein each of the column groups is a group of pixels arranged in a direction of a column corresponding to the arrangement direction, such that:
- in each address of a first region of the print buffer, image data of the pixels of a first column group to be used for a first scan of the printhead are stored in a sequence of use of the image data of the pixels consecutively, the image data of the pixels stored in the same address are of the same raster line corresponding to the scan direction, and
- in each address of a second region of the print buffer different than the first region, image data of the pixels of a second column group to be used for a second scan of the printhead are stored in a sequence of use of the pixels consecutively, the image data of the pixels stored in the same address are of the same raster line corresponding to the scan direction, the second column group is different than the first column group and the second scan of the printhead is different than the first scan of the printhead, and
- in accordance with the image data to be printed, the transfer unit transfers the image data by column group to the conversion unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.