Seiko Epson Corporation

Shoji Yokoyama

Atsushi Uchino

Ryuji Ohmoto

A printing apparatus is disclosed which comprises print means for printing input print data on a print recording medium, the print means driven by the input print data, storage means for storing the print data, storage control means for determining whether or not storage specification is set in the print data and storing the print data in the storage means as a file if the storage specification is set, attribute information transfer means for transferring attribute information of the file stored in the storage means to a source issuing the attribute information transfer request in response to an input attribute information transfer request, file conversion means for converting the file stored in the storage means into an image data file in response to an image data file transfer request input based on the attribute information, image data file transfer means for transferring the image data file to a source issuing the image data file transfer request, and reprint means for reading the file stored in the storage means and causing the print means to print the file in response to an input print request.

Printing apparatus, printing method, and printing system

Bit map data stored in an image memory is read every one column by N lines or M columns by one line and is stored in a shift register of M bits by N bits. The data in the shift register is differentiated in the direction of the column direction by edge detectors and extracted as data representing only a contour portion. This contour data is classified into forms of discontinuous points with respect to the horizontal direction and the vertical direction by classifying circuits. As for the classified data, the size of a dot to be printed and a printing position are converted by a determining circuit to a pulse width and a timing at which the dot is to be generated, and the classified data is converted to a pulse width by a pulse-width modulating circuit and is outputted to a laser beam modulating device. As a result, a dot smaller than a normal dot is added in a vacant portion, or a part of a normal dot is shaved, thereby printing a smooth pattern.

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Nagano, Japan

Shoji Yokoyama