Sony Corporation

Yushi Ihara

Yuji Kawamura

Toshio Narushima

Koichiro Ishigami

Yoshio Kitamura

Makoto Niioka

Kohei Nojiri

Takashi Kojima

Koji Ashizaki

Tsuyoshi Ide

Eiichi Ishii

Takahiro Nishikawa

Yuji Matsumoto

Kensuke Baba

Chizuru Makita

Toshiya Izumi

A command packet Ccomprehending a version command, the profile of which is to be checked, from a data source (STB) to a data destination side (printer device) and a response packet Rincluding the profile information as the search result is transmitted from the data destination side to the data source side, which then transmits a data packet Sincluding the picture data conforming to the profile information to the data destination side. Thus, the status of a controlled device can be checked by a control device in a shorter time.

Data transmission and reception system

An image printing system which enables printing after setting for printing in detail, even in case of an equipment connected to an interface pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard. The image printing system includes an MPEG processorfor processing image signals inputted from outside to generate image data, a CPUfor generating the printing control information containing at least one of the printing sheet type information, printing sheet size information, printing color information, printing quality information, printing position information and the printing layout information, and a data conversion unitfor managing control so that the image data and the printing control information will be included in a packet pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard and the resulting packet is outputting to a printing deviceand so that the image data contained in the output packet will be printed in accordance with the printing control information.

Image processing method and apparatus, printing method and apparatus, image printing system and method and recording medium

A capture command in the AV/C protocol of the IEEE 1394 standard is set as follows. The quantity of data to be transmitted (data_size), the number of pixels in the X-direction (image_size_x) and the number of pixels in the Y-direction (image_size_y) are all set to 0. The image type (image_format_specifier) is set to 'Don't Care'. A printer device, having received such a capture command, makes a blank in the corresponding print area without printing the image and then prints the next image.

Image printing system

In equipments interconnected over an interface pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard, the information indicating the detailed printing state is transmitted/received to prompt the user to take proper measures. An image printing system, proposed to this end, includes an STBhaving an data conversion unitand a printing devicehaving a data input unit. The data conversion unitof the STBgenerates a printing state information request which demands the printing state information including the error information and the alarm information, outputs the image data and the printing state information request in a packet pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard and is fed with a response to the printing state information request. The data input unitis fed with the printing state information request, including the image data, error information and the alarm information and, responsive to the printing state information request, generates the printing state information during printing and contains the generated printing state information in a packet pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard to output the resulting packet to the data conversion unitof the STB

A printing system including printing equipment in which, even if the equipment are interconnected through an interface pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard, the printing image may be set to effect printing. There is provided a CPUfor generating the printing control information containing the text printing image information indicating the picture processing contents for the text at the time of printing and the picture printing image information indicating the processing contents for a picture at the time of printing. There is also provided a data conversion unitwhich manages control so that picture data and the printing control information will be contained in a packet consistent with the IEEE 1394 standard and sent as output to a printer device, and so that the picture data contained in the packet sent as output to the printer devicewill be printed in accordance with the printing control information. When packets are transmitted/received between the equipment interconnected through the IEEE 1394 interface to print the picture data, the picture processing consistent with the text printing image information and the picture printing image information is performed on the picture data on the side printer deviceto print the text or the picture.

Method and device for controlling the printing, printer device, printing method, printing system and printing method

In a printing system in which with a plurality of different types of controllers connected to one serial bus, different types of print data can be inputted to and printed by a printing unit. When a set top box and desktop and portable personal computers, different in type from each other, are connected to a IEEE 1394 serial bus, screen data is outputted from the set top box to an AV/C printer and PDL data is outputted from the personal computers to the AV/C printer. The AV/C printer judges the image type of the input data. Based on the image type, the printing system converts the print data to a type of print data supported by the AV/C printer.

Data converting apparatus and method, printing apparatus and method, printing controlling apparatus and method, printing system and method, and data transmitting method for converting print data

An image-printing system for printing a fine image represented by digital image data, which is being displayed by a television receiver. The system comprises an image-processing section, an image output section, a printer apparatus, and a printing control section. The image-processing sectionprocesses an externally input image signal, generating image data. The image output sectionoutputs a packet to the printer apparatus. The packet complies with the IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers)standards and contains the image data generated by the image-processing section. The printing control sectioncontrols the printer apparatusso that the apparatusmay print the data represented by the image data contained in the packet that the image output sectionhas output to the printer apparatus

Image print system

The present invention relates to an image printing apparatus for printing character data information of an electronic program guide added to externally inputted image information, comprising: an information processor comprising: demodulating/decoding means for detecting and demodulating/decoding the character data information of the electronic program guide added to the externally inputted image information; storage means for storing the demodulated/decoded character data information of the electronic program guide by the demodulating/decoding means; and output means for including the character data information of the electronic program guide stored by the storage means into a packet compliant with the IEEE 1394 standard and outputting the packet to the printer, and a printer comprising: input means for inputting the character data information of the electronic program guide included in the packet compliant with the IEEE 1394 standard outputted from the output means; print control means for detecting print control information from the character data information of the electronic program guide supplied from the input means; and printing means for printing the character data information of the electronic program guide under the control of the print control means.

Outputting a packet of character data information of an electronic program guide compliant with IEEE 1394 standard to a printer independent of a vector font

If bus resetting occurs during transmission of printing data (ST ), a printer device is requested to transmit the information output before the occurrence of bus resetting by a STB (C ). Responsive to a request from the STB, the information input before the occurrence of the bus resetting is output from the printing device to the STB (R ). Based on the information input responsive to the request, printing data is again output from the STB to the printing device (C ). So, the system itself recognizes the information output by the STB before the occurrence of the bus resetting to re-initiate data transmission as from mid data (S ). Thus, data transmission is to be carried out in a shorter time even when the bus resetting occurs to shorten the entire printing time.

Printing data and picture data transferring method

A printing system including printing equipment in which, even if the equipment are interconnected through an interface pursuant to the IEEE 1394 standard, the printing image may be set to effect printing. There is provided a CPU for generating the printing control information containing the text printing image information indicating the picture processing contents for the text at the time of printing and the picture printing image information indicating the processing contents for a picture at the time of printing. There is also provided a data conversion unit which manages control so that picture data and the printing control information will be contained in a packet consistent with the IEEE 1394 standard and sent as output to a printer device , and so that the picture data contained in the packet sent as output to the printer device will be printed in accordance with the printing control information. When packets are transmitted/received between the equipment interconnected through the IEEE 1394 interface to print the picture data, the picture processing consistent with the text printing image information and the picture printing image information is performed on the picture data on the side printer device to print the text or the picture.

A printing apparatus provides with an interface conforming to the IEEE 1394 Standards can carry out printing operations on a stable basis. The printing apparatus comprises a printing engine for carrying out a printing operation by using a printing data and a data input section adapted to receive a printing data contained in a packet conforming to the IEEE 1394 Standards and a command packet from an STB. The printing apparatus is moved into an idle status M for receiving a command packet when an add printing command is input from the STB and into a reception status M for limiting the reception of command packets other than the one containing a data transmission command when a data transmission command for receiving a printing data is input.

Printing system for controlling limiting a reception of command packets other than a transmit data command upon receiving the transmit data command for receiving printing data

A trace line picture which is manually drawn with a pen is taken in by a camera or a scanner, and is supplied to a personal computer as an original line drawing. The personal computer carries out thinning processing on the supplied line drawing, and paints all pixels in a closed area surrounded by the thinned line with a color designated by an operator. Then, the computer thickens the original trace line and colors pixels on the thickened trace line with a predetermined color, in accordance with a command from the operator. The computer synthesizes the picture of the closed area surrounded by the thinned line and the thickened picture in accordance with a predetermined synthesis formula. Finally, the computer checks whether or not pictures synthesized over several frames are displayed as an appropriate dynamic image. By the above-described production processing, an animation color image can be quickly produced by using the computer.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Yushi Ihara