JPH11249835A - System and method for printing and recording medium recording printing processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system or the like for providing low resolution image data based on an open prepress interface(OPI) function through the desired setting. SOLUTION: At a client PC 30, high resolution image data 1 of an editing object are transmitted through a network 40 to any one of two kinds of shared push holders 21 of a printer server 10. A prescribed format such as a tag image file format(TIFF) or joint photographic expert group(JPEG) and setting data for describing an image size or the like are made correspondent to the respective shared push holders 21. According to these setting data, transforming processing is performed, and TIFF image data 2 or JPEG image data 3 are generated as correspondent low resolution image data, stored in the shared push holders 22 and effectively utilized for the editing work of the client PC 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generates low-resolution image data by performing processing based on an open prepress interface (hereinafter referred to as "OPI") on image data transmitted from a client device.
The invention also belongs to the technical field of a printing system and a printing method for performing a printing process and a recording medium on which a printing process program is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the field of desktop publishing in which a series of operations from editing, layout, and printing of a print image are performed using a personal computer or the like, a data transmission / reception format for greatly improving work efficiency has been defined. Printing systems that can use OPI have become known.

In a printing system that can use this OPI, when high-resolution image data to be pasted into a print image is registered in a printer server or the like having an OPI function, corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated. It can be used for editing work and the like in the client device. Then, when the print data including the second low-resolution image data is transmitted to the printer server, the print data is automatically replaced with the high-resolution image data,
Printing is executed. As a result, the data size handled by the client device is reduced, so that the time required for processing is reduced, the required memory size is reduced, and as a result, the efficiency of editing work is improved.

[0004] The format and data size of the low-resolution image data are determined based on setting information held in a printer server having an OPI function. Therefore, if the user of the client device recognizes the setting information and uses the OPI, the user understands what format the generated low-resolution data is generated and what size it is. be able to.

[0005]

However, as described above, in a printing system that can use OPI,
It is assumed that setting information for generating low-resolution image data is prepared in the printer server in advance. On the other hand, in practice, the format and data size of the low-resolution image data generation are various, and the optimum setting content usually changes depending on the situation of the editing work. For example, it is conceivable that an application running on a personal computer supports only a specific format, or the data size of low-resolution data is too small to be properly displayed.
In such a case, there is a problem in that the OPI function cannot be used effectively, and this does not contribute to the improvement of the efficiency of the editing operation.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing method capable of providing low-resolution image data according to a user's desired setting while utilizing an OPI function. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium in which a system, a printing method, and a print processing program are recorded.

[0007]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system, comprising: a plurality of client devices for editing one or more image data to create print data; A printing system including a print control device that performs a conversion process of the image data and a printing process of the print data according to a prepress interface (OPI), wherein the client device includes:
Transmitting means for transmitting the image data to a first storage area for holding the image data; and a second storage area for holding low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data. Receiving means for receiving the print request.
Or management means for managing setting information for defining conditions for generating low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data in each of the two or more first storage areas in association with each other; A conversion unit configured to generate the low-resolution image data based on the setting information associated with the first storage area with respect to the held image data, and converting the generated low-resolution image data into the second storage area And storage means for storing the data in the storage device.

[0008] Here, the open prepress interface (OPI) is a system for performing an editing process, and is a standard that defines a standard format for transmitting and receiving image data between a terminal and a server. In other words, the user who operates the terminal registers the high-resolution image data to be originally printed in the server on which the OPI starts, and instead obtains the corresponding low-resolution image data and uses it for the editing process. At the time of printing, the image data is replaced with the registered high-resolution image data so that print output can be performed. At this time, an OPI comment can be added to the print data to give various instructions including whether or not the replacement is possible.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image data edited by the client device is transmitted to the first storage area by the transmission means. Then, the printing control device manages the setting information for generating the low-resolution image in association with each of the plurality of first storage areas by the management unit. The low-resolution image data corresponding to the transmitted image data is generated by the conversion unit based on the setting information, and the generated low-resolution image data is stored in the second storage area by the storage unit. Thereafter, the low-resolution image data is received by the receiving unit of the client device.

Therefore, the client device can obtain low-resolution data according to the corresponding desired setting without performing the conversion process of the image data, and can perform more efficient editing work and the like. It becomes possible to freely select the setting of the low-resolution image data. Further, in the print control device, conversion processing to low-resolution image data is efficiently performed, and processing in the entire system is uniformly performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the first aspect, a monitoring unit that monitors that the image data has been transmitted from the client device to any one of the first storage areas. In addition, the conversion unit generates the low-resolution image data when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area in response to a monitoring result of the monitoring unit.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the print control device, the monitoring means monitors that the image data is transmitted from the client device to the first storage area. Then, receiving the monitoring result, when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area, the print control device generates low-resolution image data.

Therefore, immediately after the client device transmits the image data, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated, and can be promptly used for editing work and the like. Further, the print control device can quickly recognize the image data to be converted, and the conversion process is performed more efficiently.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the first or second aspect, the client device further includes a creating unit for creating the setting information, and the transmitting unit includes: The created setting information is transmitted to the first storage area together with the image data, and the management unit transmits the transmitted setting information.
It is characterized in that it is managed in association with the first storage area.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the client device, setting information for generating low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data is created by the creating means, and the first information is sent together with the image data by the sending means. Sent to the storage area. Then, the setting information and the first storage area are managed in association with each other by the management unit of the print control apparatus.

Therefore, the client device can specify the conditions for generating the low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data by itself, and the print control device receives the setting information and performs the conversion processing based on the content. , The conversion processing can be performed more easily.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the plurality of client devices and the print control device are connected via a network. , The first
The storage area and the second storage area are provided on a network, and are storage areas shared by the plurality of client devices and the printing device.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, transmission and reception of data between the client device and the print control device are performed via a network, and the first storage area and the second storage area are shared on the network. Storage area to be stored.

Therefore, O in the network system
When performing print processing in accordance with the PI, data can be easily transferred, and processing for a large number of client devices can be uniformly performed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing method, comprising: a plurality of client devices for editing one or more image data to create print data; a conversion process of the image data according to an open prepress interface (OPI); A printing method in a printing system including a print control device that performs print processing of print data, wherein the image data created by the client device is sent to a first storage area for holding the image data. Receiving the low-resolution image data from the second storage area for holding the low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data to the client device; and one or more of the first storage areas Each has a low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data. A management step of managing setting information defining conditions for generating data in association with each other, and setting the setting information associated with the first storage area with respect to the image data held in the first storage area. And a storing step of storing the generated low-resolution image data in the second storage area.

According to the present invention, the image data edited by the client device is transmitted to the first storage area in the transmitting step. Then, in the management step, setting information for generating a low-resolution image is associated with each of the plurality of first storage areas and managed. Low-resolution image data corresponding to the transmitted image data is generated in a conversion process based on the setting information,
The generated low-resolution image data is stored in the second storage area in a storing step. Thereafter, the low-resolution image data is received by the client device in a receiving step.

Therefore, the client device can obtain the low-resolution data according to the corresponding desired setting without performing the conversion process of the image data, and can perform more efficient editing work and the like. It becomes possible to freely select the setting of the low-resolution image data. Further, the conversion process to the low-resolution image data in the printing process is efficiently performed, and the entire printing process is uniformly performed.

A printing method according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the fifth aspect, further comprising a monitoring step of monitoring that the image data has been transmitted to any one of the first storage areas. The converting step includes generating the low-resolution image data when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area in response to a monitoring result of the monitoring step.

According to the present invention, in the monitoring step, it is monitored that the image data has been transmitted from the client device to the first storage area. And
Upon receiving the monitoring result, when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area, low resolution image data is generated in the conversion step.

Therefore, immediately after the client device transmits the image data, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated, and can be promptly used for editing work and the like. In the printing process, image data to be converted can be quickly recognized, and the efficiency of the conversion process is further improved.

A printing method according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the printing method according to the fifth or sixth aspect, further comprising a creating step of creating the setting information, and the transmitting step includes: The information is transmitted to the first storage area together with the image data, and the management step manages the transmitted setting information in association with the first storage area.

According to the present invention, on the client device side, setting information for generating low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data is created in the creating step, and the setting information is created together with the image data in the transmitting step. Sent to one storage area. Then, in the management step, the setting information and the first storage area are managed in association with each other.

Therefore, the client device can specify the conditions for generating the low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data by itself and, in the printing process, receive the setting information and perform the conversion process based on the content. , The conversion processing can be performed more easily.

[0029] A recording medium on which the print processing program according to claim 8 is recorded has a plurality of client devices for editing one or more image data to create print data, and the open prepress interface (OPI). A first computer for storing the image data created by the client device in a computer included in a printing system including a print control device that performs image data conversion processing and print processing of the print data. A transmitting step of transmitting the low-resolution image data to the client device from a second storage area for holding the low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data; The image data is stored in each of the first storage areas. A management step of associating and managing setting information for defining conditions for generating low-resolution image data corresponding to the first storage area; A conversion step of generating the low-resolution image data based on the attached setting information and a storing step of storing the generated low-resolution image data in the second storage area are performed.

According to the present invention, the image data edited by the client device is transmitted to the first storage area in the transmitting step. Then, in the management step, setting information for generating a low-resolution image is associated with each of the plurality of first storage areas and managed. Low-resolution image data corresponding to the transmitted image data is generated in a conversion process based on the setting information,
The generated low-resolution image data is stored in the second storage area in a storing step. Thereafter, the low-resolution image data is received by the client device in a receiving step.

Therefore, the client device can obtain the low-resolution data according to the corresponding desired setting without performing the conversion process of the image data, and can perform more efficient editing work and the like. It becomes possible to freely select the setting of the low-resolution image data. Further, the conversion process to the low-resolution image data in the printing process is efficiently performed, and the software for the printing process can be unified.

A recording medium on which the print processing program according to claim 9 is recorded monitors the transmission of the image data to any one of the first storage areas in the recording medium according to claim 8. A monitoring step is further provided, and the conversion step generates the low-resolution image data when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area in response to a monitoring result of the monitoring step. .

According to the ninth aspect, in the monitoring step, it is monitored that the image data is transmitted from the client device to the first storage area. And
Upon receiving the monitoring result, when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area, low resolution image data is generated in the conversion step.

Therefore, immediately after the client device transmits the image data, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated, and can be promptly used for editing work and the like. In the printing process, image data to be converted can be quickly recognized, and the processing efficiency of the conversion processing program is further improved.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing the print processing program according to the ninth aspect, further comprising a creating step of creating the setting information, and the transmitting step. Transmits the created setting information together with the image data to the first storage area, and the management step includes transmitting the sent setting information,
It is characterized in that it is managed in association with the first storage area.

According to the tenth aspect, setting information for generating low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data is created in the client device side in the creation step, and the setting information is created together with the image data in the transmission step. Sent to one storage area. Then, in the management step, the setting information and the first storage area are managed in association with each other.

Therefore, the client device can specify the conditions for generating the low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data by itself, and in the printing process, receive the setting information and perform the conversion process based on the contents. , The conversion processing can be performed more easily.

[0038]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a plurality of personal computers functioning as client devices and a printer server functioning as a print control device are connected via a network, and a print server is further connected to a printer. The case where the present invention is applied will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a printing system according to the present embodiment. 1 includes a printer server 10 and a personal computer 30 (hereinafter, referred to as a plurality of clients) serving as a plurality of clients.
This is called “client PC 30”. ), And the printer server 10 and each client PC 30 are connected via a network 40.

First, the configuration of the printer server 10 will be described. As shown in FIG.
Has a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, an input unit 14, a display unit 15, a network interface 16, a printer interface 17, and a storage unit 20. These components are interconnected via a bus. Then, the printer server 1
A plurality of printers 50 are connected to “0” via the printer interface 17.

In the above configuration, the CPU 11 controls the overall operation of the printer server 10 and executes various programs. The CPU 11 manages the image data in association with setting information that defines conditions for generating the low-resolution image data, a conversion unit that generates the low-resolution image data based on the image data, It functions as a monitoring unit that monitors transmission to any one of the first storage areas.

The ROM 12 is a read-only memory that stores various programs executed by the CPU 11, data necessary for processing performed by the CPU 11, and the like.

The RAM 13 temporarily stores data and programs necessary for processing performed by the CPU 11, and is a memory that can be read and written.

The input section 14 is for inputting data or commands to the printer server 10, and is composed of a keyboard, a mouse and the like.

The display unit 15 displays characters, images, and the like in order to visually confirm the contents of processing performed by the printer server 10, input data, and the like. For example, the display unit 15 includes a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, and the like. It is configured.

The network interface 16 is
The printer server 10 is connected to the network 40 and controls input and output of various data such as image data and low-resolution image data with the client PC 30 via the network 40.

The storage unit 20 is constituted by a rewritable memory having a large storage capacity, such as a RAM or a hard disk. The storage unit 20 stores the image data transmitted by the client PC 30.
One shared push folder 21 as a storage area, a plurality of shared pull folders 22 as a second storage area for storing low-resolution image data generated by converting the image data, and transmission to the shared push folder 21 An OPI registration area 23 is provided for registering the obtained image data for use in conversion processing, printing processing, and the like based on the OPI function.

Next, the printer 5 connected to the printer server 10 via the printer interface 17 will be described.
Numeral 0 has a function as a print engine for actually printing the print image data on the paper, and prints the print image data on the paper by the print output process of the printer server 10. Note that FIG.
Although the printers 50 are connected, the number of the printers 50 may be one, or three or more. When the printer 50 supports a network, the printer 50 may be directly connected to the network 40.

Next, the configuration of the client PC 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the client PC 30
Includes a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, a storage unit 34, an input unit 35, a display unit 36, and a network interface 37. These components are interconnected via a bus.

In the above configuration, the CPU 31 generally controls the operation of the client PC 30 and executes various programs. In addition, the CPU 10 functions as a unit that creates print data to be subjected to print processing, and also functions as a creating unit that creates setting information used for generating low-resolution image data.

The ROM 32 is a read-only memory in which a program for controlling the operation of the client PC 30 and data necessary for processing performed by the CPU 11 are stored.

The RAM 33 is a readable and writable memory for temporarily storing data and programs necessary for the processing of the CPU 31.

The storage section 34 is composed of a rewritable memory having a large storage capacity such as a hard disk, and stores, for example, print data, image data, and the like.

The input section 35 is for inputting data or commands to the client PC 30, and is composed of a keyboard, a mouse and the like. The input unit 35 assists a user of the client PC 30 in creating and editing print data.

The display unit 36 displays characters, images, and the like in order to visually confirm the details of processing performed by the client PC 30, input data, and the like. The display unit 36 includes, for example, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, and the like.

The network interface 37 is
The client PC 30 is connected to the network 40 and controls input and output of data with the printer server 10 and the like via the network 40. Further, the image data is transmitted from the client PC 30 to the printer server 10 via the network interface 37, and the low resolution image data is returned from the printer server 10 to the client PC 30.

According to FIG. 1, four client PCs 30 are connected to the network 40, but the number of connected client PCs is one, two, three or five.
It may be more than one. When the number of the client PCs 30 is one, the client PCs 30 and the printer server 10 may be directly connected without using the network 40.

Next, FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a specific example of the system configuration of the printing system according to the present embodiment. FIG.
In the example of the printing system in, one client P
It is assumed that the C30 and the printer server 10 are mutually connected by the network 40.

As shown in FIG. 2, the client PC 30
Then, as image data to be edited, 5
High resolution image data of 000 × 5000 pixels 1
Is prepared. Since the high-resolution image data 1 has a huge number of pixels, if it is used as it is in the editing process, the time required for the editing process increases, and the amount of memory required becomes extremely large. Therefore, processing according to the rules defined by the open prepress interface (OPI) is performed to convert the high-resolution image data 1 into
By replacing with the corresponding low resolution image data,
The efficiency of the editing process is improved.

To support OPI, the printer server 1
0 implements the OPI function. Therefore, the shared push folder 21 described above is stored in the printer server 10.
Are provided to hold the high-resolution image data 1 to be processed. As shown in FIG. 2, two types of shared push folders A, a shared push folder A and a shared push folder B, are provided. This allows
Two types of conditions for generating low-resolution image data can be selected.

More specifically, the setting data A is associated with the shared push folder A as setting information for determining the condition. The setting data A includes TIFF (Tag I
mage File Format) and its data size is 500
It is described as a pixel. In addition, TIFF
Is a highly versatile image data format in which a tag as an identifier at the head of a file is attached to determine the attribute of data.

The setting data B is associated with the shared push folder B as setting information for determining the above conditions. The setting data B includes JPEG (Joint Photogr) as a format for generating low-resolution image data.
aphic Experts Group) and its data size is 75
It is described that it is 0 pixel. In addition, JPE
G is an image data format suitable for a natural image in which compression is performed by combining adaptive discrete cosine transform and Huffman coding.

The setting data A and the setting data B may be stored in the shared push folder A and the shared push folder B, respectively. The relationship between the shared push folders may be separately managed to associate the two. Further, the setting data A and the setting data B are transferred to the client PC 3.
0, and may be transmitted to each shared push folder together with the high-resolution image data 1.

When the client PC 30 tries to obtain low-resolution image data based on the OPI function corresponding to the high-resolution image data 1 to be processed,
The high-resolution image data 1 is transmitted to the shared push folder A or the shared push folder B of the printer server 10 via the network 40. At this time,
If the operating system activated on the client PC 30 is compatible with the network, the shared push folder A and the shared push folder B, which are the transmission destinations, are virtually stored in their own storage units 34 as shown in FIG.
In the same manner as in the above, there is an accessible storage area. Therefore, if the user of the client PC 30 performs an operation to copy the high-resolution image data 1 to be processed to the shared push folder A or the shared push folder B as the transmission destination, the high-resolution image data 1 is transmitted via the network 40. Will be sent automatically.

Next, when the above transmission is performed and the shared push folder A or the shared push folder B holds the high-resolution image data 1 to be processed, the printer server 10 converts the high-resolution image data 1 to the high-resolution image data 1. Processing is performed. This conversion process will be described later. As a result of the conversion process, 50
0 × 500 pixel TIFF image data 2 or 750 × 750 pixel J based on setting data B
PEG image data 3 is generated. These two types of low-resolution image data are stored in the shared pull folder 2
2 is stored. If the above transmission is performed to both the shared push folder A and the shared push folder B, both the TIFF image data 2 and the JPEG image data 3 can be obtained.

The client PC sends the generated TIFF
When trying to acquire image data 2 or JPEG image data 3, the network 40
Via the shared pull folder 22 of the printer server 10
Therefore, these low-resolution image data may be received. Also in this case, in the client PC 30, the shared pull folder 22 virtually exists as a storage area that can be accessed similarly to its own storage unit 34. Therefore, if a simple copy operation is performed, the necessary TIFF image data 2 or The JPEG image data 3 is received via the network 40.

The client PC 30 can perform an editing operation using the acquired TIFF image data 2 or JPEG image data 3. That is, for print data including character data and image data,
By laying out the image data and the like, print data corresponding to an image to be finally printed is created. At this time, the original high-resolution image data 1
Compared with the acquired TIFF image data 2 or JP
Since the data size of the EG image data 3 is smaller, the time required for processing required for editing can be reduced, and the memory capacity for holding such data can be suppressed.

In the above description, the shared push folder 21 is a shared push folder A and a shared push folder B, and the corresponding setting information is
The case where there are two pieces of setting data A and setting data B has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where more setting information corresponding to the shared push folder 21 is provided.

The setting content of the setting information has been described for the case where the format of the conversion process and the data size after conversion are described. The present invention is applicable.
For example, items such as the number of colors (the number of bits allocated to the expression of the color of each pixel), a color space (CMYK, RGB, etc.), a file compression method (ZIP, LZH, etc.) can be added.

Next, referring to FIG.
The creation of the setting information performed at 0 will be described.
FIG. 3 illustrates a case where the setting information is created in accordance with the setting contents of the setting data B.

As shown in FIG. 3, a setting information creation screen 4
Is displayed on the display unit 36 of the client PC 30 including the CRT display. And the client PC
While viewing the creation screen 4, the user 30 operates the input unit 35 composed of a mouse, a keyboard, and the like to input setting contents for each setting item. In the example of FIG. 3, the name of the shared push folder “Small Image” as the transmission destination
e "and the format" JPEG "for the conversion process
And each character string of "750" indicating the data size after conversion. Then, after inputting these data, press the create button 5 (click with a mouse or the like).
Thereby, the set shared push folder 21 and the corresponding setting data B are created.

The function of creating setting information in the client PC 30 may be realized by being incorporated in application software used for printing processing and editing processing.
At this time, more various setting items may be provided. In addition, the printer server 10 can have a similar function.

Next, conversion processing based on OPI performed in the printer server 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In the process shown in FIG. 4, the printer server 10 monitors the transmission of image data from the client PC 30 to the shared push folder 21. This monitoring is performed at predetermined time intervals, and for example, it is determined whether or not transmission has been performed every 10 seconds.

Therefore, in step S 1, it is determined whether or not image data exists in the shared push folder 21. As a result, if there is an imager (step S1; YES), the process proceeds to step S2. On the other hand, if there is no imager (step S1; NO),
After a predetermined time interval, the process of step S1 is performed again.

In step S2, image data existing in the shared push folder 21 is registered. That is,
In order to perform the conversion process, the target image data is temporarily moved to the OPI registration area 23 of the storage unit 20.

In step S3, the setting data associated with the shared push folder 21 to which the image data has been transmitted is read. As described above, this setting data may be stored in the shared push folder 21 or may be stored in a specific area of the storage unit 20 and managed by linking to the shared push folder 21. . If no setting data is associated with the shared push folder 21, default setting data may be provided.

In step S4, conversion processing is performed on the target image data in accordance with the settings described in the setting data read in step S3, and corresponding low-resolution image data is generated. For example, with respect to the setting data as shown in FIG.
Low resolution image data of 50 × 750 pixels is generated.

In step S5, the low-resolution image data generated in step S4 is stored in the shared pull folder 22. Thus, the client PC 30 can acquire the low-resolution image data generated via the network 40.

The conversion process for one image data is completed as described above, but the processes of steps S1 to S5 are repeatedly performed so as to continue the conversion process for the image data to be transmitted next.

Next, print data printing processing performed in the printer server 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. This printing process is performed in response to a print instruction from the client PC 30 after the client PC 30 performs editing work using the OPI function.

First, in step S11, it is determined whether or not print data to be printed includes image data to be printed based on the OPI. That is, as a result of performing the editing process, when printing an image with image data pasted therein, the file name of the image data is indicated as an OPI comment of the print data, and this is analyzed. is there. This O
In the PI comment, it is possible to select and specify whether to print low-resolution image data, replace with high-resolution image data registered based on OPI and print, or not print image data as image data. It is possible. When printing with the low resolution image data as it is, the print data may include the low resolution image data instead of the OPI comment.

As a result of the determination in step S11, if the print data targeted for the print instruction includes image data to be printed based on the OPI (step S11; YES),
Move to step S12. On the other hand, when there is no image data to be printed based on the OPI (step S11; N
O), proceed to step S13.

In step S12, replacement with the high-resolution image data indicated by the OPI comment is performed. That is,
The high-resolution image data to be a target already registered in the OPI registration area 23 is extracted, and print data including the high-resolution image data is generated from the print data.

In step S13, printing is performed by the printer 50. That is, output data in a data format compatible with the printer 50, such as bitmap data, is output to the printer 50, and is actually printed on printing paper. This makes it possible to obtain a print image containing high-resolution or low-resolution image data at a predetermined position.

Thus, according to the printing system of the present embodiment, when the client PC 30 performs an editing operation, the shared push folder 21 associated with the desired setting information is selected and edited here. When the image data is copied, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated and stored in the shared pull folder 22. If the low-resolution image data is acquired and used for editing work such as the layout of a print image, the editing work is greatly improved in efficiency. In other words, the acquired low-resolution image data is usually much smaller in size than the original image data,
This is because both the required processing amount and the memory size to be held can be significantly reduced. This speeds up the editing work performed by the client PC 30.

Further, since a large number of shared push folders 21 can be provided, the conditions for generating low-resolution image data which can be necessarily selected are increased, and the degree of freedom of selection is increased. That is, the client PC 30 has various processing capabilities and specifications, and also has a wide variety of editing operations, so that the most appropriate setting can be selected by reflecting these. Moreover, the shared push folder 21
Since the management of the setting information is performed by the printer server 10, the burden on the client PC 30 does not increase.

In the printer server 30, O
Since the PI function is introduced and the above-described management and low-resolution image data generation processing are performed in a unified manner, processing of the printing system can be performed in a unified manner, and software resources and the like can be shared. Will be.

In the present embodiment, the case where the printer server 10 monitors the transmission of image data to the shared push folder 21 has been described. Then, the timing at which the conversion process should be performed may be recognized.

Further, in this embodiment, the case where the printer server 10 is configured as a separate device from the printer 50 has been described. However, the printer server 10 and the printer 50 are integrally configured as one device. The present invention can be applied to such cases.

Further, the print processing program for causing the print processing according to the present invention to function as described above includes a computer readable CD-ROM,
It is possible to record on a recording medium such as a floppy disk. Then, a print processing program according to the present invention is realized by installing and executing a print processing program in the computer using the CD-ROM or the like.

[0092]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the client device transmits the image data to the first storage area, generates low-resolution image data based on the associated setting information, and Since the data is stored in the storage area and received by the client device, the client device can obtain the low-resolution data according to the corresponding desired setting without performing a conversion process by itself, thereby improving the efficiency of editing work and the like. , The setting at the time of conversion can be freely set. Further, in the print control device, conversion processing to low-resolution image data is performed efficiently, and processing of the entire printing system can be unified.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is monitored that image data is transmitted from the client device to the first storage area, and as a result, low-resolution image data is generated. After sending
Immediately, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated, and can be quickly used for editing work and the like.
Further, the print control device can quickly recognize the image data to be converted, and the conversion process can be made more efficient.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the setting information is created in the client device and is transmitted to the first storage area together with the image data. Can be specified by itself. Further, the print control device only needs to perform the conversion process based on the received setting information, and the conversion process can be easily performed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, transmission and reception of data between the client device and the print control device are performed via a network, and the first storage area and the second storage area are shared on the network. Therefore, when the OPI is introduced into the network system, it becomes easy to transfer data, and it is possible to perform processing in the printing system in a unified manner.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the image data to be edited is transmitted to the first storage area, and low-resolution image data is generated based on the associated setting information, and is stored in the second storage area. After storing, the data is received for use in the editing process, so that in the editing operation, low-resolution data according to the corresponding desired setting can be obtained without performing the conversion process by itself, thereby improving the efficiency of the editing operation and the like, and Can be freely set. Further, the conversion processing to the low-resolution image data is efficiently performed, and the processing of the entire printing processing can be unified.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is monitored that image data to be edited is transmitted to the first storage area, and as a result, low-resolution image data is generated. , After sending the image data,
Immediately, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated, and can be quickly used for editing work and the like.
In the conversion process, the target image data can be quickly recognized, and the conversion process can be made more efficient.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, setting information is created and transmitted to the first storage area together with the image data prior to the editing work. Can be specified by the user. Further, the conversion process may be performed based on the transmitted setting information, and the conversion process can be easily performed.

According to the eighth aspect of the invention, the image data to be edited is transmitted to the first storage area, and low-resolution image data is generated based on the associated setting information. After storing, the data is received for use in the editing process, so that in the editing operation, low-resolution data according to the corresponding desired setting can be obtained without performing the conversion process by itself, thereby improving the efficiency of the editing operation and the like, and Can be freely set. Further, conversion processing to low-resolution image data is efficiently performed, and processing in print processing software can be unified.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is monitored that image data to be edited is transmitted to the first storage area, and as a result, low-resolution image data is generated. , After sending the image data,
Immediately, the corresponding low-resolution image data is automatically generated, and can be quickly used for editing work and the like.
Further, at the time of the conversion processing, the target image data can be quickly recognized, and the processing of the conversion processing program can be configured efficiently.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the setting information is created and transmitted to the first storage area together with the image data prior to the editing work. Can be specified by the user. Further, the conversion processing may be performed based on the transmitted setting information, and the conversion processing program can be easily configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of a printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of creation of setting information performed by a client PC in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a conversion process based on OPI performed by a printer server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating print data printing processing performed by the printer server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... High resolution image data 2 ... TIFF image data 3 ... JPEG image data 4 ... Setting information creation screen 5 ... Creation button 10 ... Printer server 11, 31 ... CPU 12, 32 ... ROM 13, 33 ... RAM 14, 35 ... Input Units 15, 36 Display units 16, 37 Network interface 17 Printer interface 20, 34 Storage unit 21 Shared push folder 22 Shared pull folder 23 OPI registration area 30 Client PC 40 Network 50 Printer

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of client devices for creating print data by editing one or more image data, and printing for converting the image data and printing the print data according to an open prepress interface (OPI). A printing system including a control device, wherein the client device transmits the image data to a first storage area for holding the image data, and low-resolution image data corresponding to the image data. And receiving means for receiving the low-resolution image data from a second storage area for storing the image data. The print control apparatus stores the image data in one or more of the first storage areas. The setting information that defines the conditions for generating the corresponding low-resolution image data is Management means for managing the image data in association with each other; and conversion means for generating the low-resolution image data for the image data held in the first storage area based on the setting information associated with the first storage area. May be recognized. Storage means for storing the generated low-resolution image data in the second storage area. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor transmission of the image data from the client device to any one of the first storage areas, wherein the conversion unit receives a monitoring result of the monitoring unit. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the low-resolution image data is generated when the image data is transmitted to the first storage area. 3. The client device further includes a creating unit that creates the setting information, and the transmitting unit sends the created setting information together with the image data to the first storage area. Means for transmitting the transmitted setting information to the first
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system is managed in association with a storage area. 4. The plurality of client devices and the print control device are connected via a network, and the first storage area and the second storage area are provided on a network. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system is a storage area shared by the printing apparatus. 5. A plurality of client devices for creating print data by editing one or more image data, and printing for performing conversion processing of the image data and print processing of the print data according to an open prepress interface (OPI). A printing method in a printing system including a control device, wherein: a transmitting step of transmitting the image data created by the client device to a first storage area for holding the image data; A receiving step of receiving the low-resolution image data from the second storage area for holding the low-resolution image data to be transmitted to the client device; and storing the image data in one or more of the first storage areas. Conditions for generating the corresponding low-resolution image data A management step of associating and managing setting information to be determined; and, for the image data held in the first storage area, the low-resolution image data based on the setting information associated with the first storage area. And a storage step of storing the generated low-resolution image data in the second storage area. 6. A monitoring step for monitoring that the image data has been transmitted to any one of the first storage areas, and the conversion step receives the monitoring result of the monitoring step, and The printing method according to claim 5, wherein the low-resolution image data is generated when the image data is transmitted to a storage area. 7. The information processing apparatus further includes a creating step of creating the setting information, wherein the transmitting step sends the created setting information together with the image data to the first storage area. The corresponding setting information to the first
The printing method according to claim 5, wherein the printing method is managed in association with a storage area. 8. A plurality of client devices for creating print data by editing one or more image data, and printing for performing conversion processing of the image data and print processing of the print data according to an open prepress interface (OPI). A transmission step of transmitting the image data created by the client device to a first storage area for holding the image data, to a computer included in a printing system including a control device; A receiving step of receiving the low-resolution image data from the second storage area for holding the low-resolution image data to the client device; and one or more of the first storage areas corresponding to the image data. Conditions for generating low-resolution image data A management step of associating and managing setting information to be determined; and, for the image data held in the first storage area, the low-resolution image data based on the setting information associated with the first storage area. And a storing step of storing the generated low-resolution image data in the second storage area. A recording medium on which a print processing program is recorded. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring step of monitoring that the image data has been transmitted to any of the first storage areas. 9. The recording medium according to claim 8, wherein the low-resolution image data is generated when the image data is transmitted to a storage area. 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a creating step of creating the setting information, wherein the transmitting step sends the created setting information to the first storage area together with the image data. The corresponding setting information to the first
10. A recording medium on which the print processing program according to claim 8 or 9 is managed in association with a storage area.