JP2001277668A - Apparatus and method for generating image correction parameter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for generating image correction parameters in which the image quality of images outputted from a plurality of printers connected with a network can be regulated uniformly. SOLUTION: Test patterns are printed out from a plurality of printers connected with a network (S12). A user sets a most preferable one as a target image (S13). Image correction parameters for bringing the images outputted from all printers close to the target image are calculated by reading out the target image and other test patterns (S14-S16). If the test pattern is a character image (YES at S17), parameters are recorded for outputting a character document (S21) and if the test pattern is a photographic image (YES at S18), parameters are stored for outputting a photographic document (S31). If the test pattern is a pure color image (NO at S18), parameters are stored for outputting a business document (S41).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image correction parameter creation device and an image correction parameter creation method.
In particular, the present invention relates to an image correction parameter creation device and an image correction parameter creation method capable of correcting image formation parameters related to image formation of an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 7-118756 discloses an image correction parameter creating apparatus of this type. A full-color image forming apparatus capable of correcting an image forming parameter such as registration and preventing occurrence of a color shift has been disclosed.

[0003]

By the way, today, when a distributed processing type network is frequently used, there are not a few network configurations in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected to one network to operate. In this case, it is desired that the same quality image can be obtained regardless of the image output from any of the image forming apparatuses.

However, in the above-described conventional technique, it is necessary to read a predetermined test pattern for each image forming apparatus by a scanner provided in each image forming apparatus and perform the above-described correction processing, which is troublesome. In particular, since the sensors provided in the scanner of the image forming apparatus have individual variations, even if each image forming apparatus reads the same test pattern, the quality of the read image varies at that time. . Therefore, the only way to make the images uniform is to finally judge them by the human eyes, and it has been difficult to uniformly adjust the image quality of a plurality of image forming apparatuses.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image correction parameter creating apparatus and an image correcting parameter creating method capable of uniformly adjusting the image quality of a plurality of image forming apparatuses. To provide.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image correction parameter creating apparatus, comprising: an image correction parameter generating device configured to connect an image reading apparatus to a plurality of image forming apparatuses; An output unit for outputting a test pattern from each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, a reading unit provided in an image reading apparatus for reading the output test pattern, and a test pattern read by the reading unit. A generating unit configured to generate a test pattern output from one image forming apparatus as a target image, and to generate image correction parameters based on the test pattern output from the other image forming apparatus and the target image; And generating image correction parameters for each of the plurality of image types.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an image correction parameter creating method is an image correction parameter creating method for an image forming system in which an image reading device and a plurality of image forming devices are connected. An output step of outputting a test pattern from each of the apparatuses, a reading step of reading the output test pattern by an image reading apparatus, and a test pattern output by one of the test patterns read by the image forming apparatus. A creation step of creating image correction parameters based on a test pattern output from another image forming apparatus and the target image as a target image, wherein the creation step creates image correction parameters for each of a plurality of image types It is characterized by the following.

According to these inventions, a test pattern output from one image forming apparatus is used as a target image, and image correction parameters are created based on the test pattern output from another image forming apparatus and the target image. . Further, image correction parameters for each of a plurality of image types are created. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an image correction parameter creating device and an image correction parameter creating method that can correct the image quality of a plurality of image forming apparatuses according to each of the image types.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming system including an image correction parameter creating device will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the image forming system. As shown in the figure, the image forming system includes a plurality of printers 1-4 connected in a network, a scanner 100, and a server 103.

The printers 1 to 4 form characters, symbols, figures, and other predetermined images based on information transmitted from a personal computer connected to a network, the server 103, the scanner 100, and the like. 1 to
4 has a function as an image forming apparatus for recording and outputting an image formed on recording paper set in advance in the recording paper.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit included in the printer. The control units of the printers 1 to 4
CPU 10, test pattern printing unit 11, image parameter element extraction unit 13, image parameter correction amount calculation unit 14,
It includes an information transmitting / receiving unit 15, an image parameter setting unit 16, a mode operation unit 17, and a device 18.

The mode operation unit 17 receives a mode change operation by an operator and sends a mode change operation signal to the CPU 10.
Output to When an operation of changing the mode to the network image adjustment mode for adjusting the quality of the formed image is performed by a network administrator or the like, the mode is changed to the network image adjustment mode.

The test pattern printing unit 11 forms an image of the test pattern based on the test pattern print signal, and transfers a machine code for identifying the printers 1 to 4 and the test pattern to a recording sheet and outputs the same.

The image parameter element extracting unit 13 reads out the test patterns of each of the printers 1 to 4 which are read and stored by the scanner 100 for each machine code, and outputs the image densities of the images constituting the test patterns and the main scanning printing. Various image parameter elements that determine image quality, such as a start position and a sub-scan start position, are extracted.

The image parameter correction amount calculating section 14 compares the various image parameter element values of the other printers extracted by the image parameter element extracting section 13 with its own image parameter element value to calculate a difference. Is an image correction parameter.

The information transmitting / receiving unit 15 receives transmission information from a personal computer or server 103 connected to the network or another printer and outputs the information to the CPU 10, and transmits the information to a corresponding printer under the control of the CPU 10. .

The image parameter setting section 16 includes a CPU 10
, Various image correction parameters stored therein are set.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the image correction parameters recorded in the image parameter setting section 16. Referring to the figure, image parameter setting section 16 stores a character document output image correction parameter, a photo document output image correction parameter, and a business document output image correction parameter.

When a text document is output by the printer, correction is performed using the text document output image correction parameters. When a photo original is output by the printer, image correction is performed using the image correction parameters for photo original output. Similarly, when a business manuscript is output, a correction process using the business manuscript output image correction parameter is performed.

If the same image is output without correction by each of the printers 1 to 4, the image will slightly change depending on the printer. Therefore, among the test patterns output from the printers 1 to 4, the user sets the test pattern with the highest image quality as the target image. The setting of the target image is performed in each of the character document output image correction parameter, the photo document output image correction parameter, and the business document output image correction parameter.

Taking FIG. 3 as an example, the user assumes that the printer 2 will output the best image when outputting a text document, and sets the output of the printer 2 as the target image in the text document output image correction parameters. Similarly, the output of the printer 3 is set as the target image in setting the image correction parameters for photo original output, and the output of the printer 1 is set as the target image in setting the image correction parameters for business original output.

The printer 1 records the difference between the image parameter element values between the printers 1 and 2 and the printer 3 records the difference between the printers 3 and 2 with respect to the image correction parameters for outputting the text document. 4 is printer 4
The difference between 2 and 2 is recorded.

That is, when a text document is output by the printer 1, an image correction parameter based on the difference between the printers 1 and 2 is used, so that even when the printer 1 is used, an image similar to that output by the printer 2 is output. Can be obtained. Further, the printers 3 and 4 can obtain the same output as the image output by the printer 2 in the same manner.

By performing the same correction processing when outputting a photographic original and outputting a business original, a good and identical image can be obtained regardless of which printer outputs an image.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming system according to the present embodiment.

Referring to the figure, the user selects a test pattern corresponding to a correction parameter to be set in step S11. Here, pattern 1 is a “character image test pattern” for print data centering on characters, pattern 2 is a “photo image test pattern” for natural image data, and pattern 3 is a graph. This is a “pure color image test pattern” mainly based on personal computer data such as the above. Pattern 1 is used to adjust the text document output image correction parameters, pattern 2 is used to adjust the photo document output image correction parameters, and pattern 3 is used to adjust the business document output image correction parameters. .

Such a test pattern is stored in the printer 1
4 may be transferred to each printer via a network, or may be transmitted from the server 103 or the scanner 100 to each of the printers 1 to 4.

In step S12, printers 1-4
Output the test pattern selected in each of.

In step S13, the user sets the test pattern that the user considers most preferable as the target pattern (target image). Then, the target pattern is set on the scanner 100.

In step S14, the target image is read by the scanner 100. In step S15, the user causes the scanner 100 to read another output test pattern.

In step S16, each printer compares the read data of the target image with the read data of each printer, and calculates image correction parameters for each printer. Then, the read pattern is the pattern 1
If so, in step S21, a parameter is stored as a character document output image correction parameter.

In step S18, it is determined whether the read pattern is pattern 2. If YES, the parameters are recorded as image correction parameters for photographic original output in step S31.

If "NO" in the step S18, a parameter is recorded as an image correction parameter for business manuscript output.

In this way, the characteristics of each printer connected on the network are adjusted to the characteristics of the printer determined to be preferable by the user. Then, it is possible to give preferable characteristics to the data to be printed.

In this embodiment, the parameters are calculated and stored in the printer. However, the parameters may be calculated and stored in the server 103.

The determination of the pattern in FIG. 4 (S17 and S18) may be made based on a user's input, or may be made automatically in the apparatus.

The test pattern in step S11 of FIG. 4 may be recorded as image data in a printer or a server, or the test pattern may be read from the scanner 100.

The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of an image correction parameter.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-4 printer, 11 test pattern printing unit, 13
Image parameter element extraction unit, 14 image parameter correction amount calculation unit, 15 information transmission / reception unit, 16 image parameter setting unit, 100 scanner, 103 server.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 1/00 106 H04N 1/00 106C 1/40 1/40 101Z (72) Inventor Teruichi Ishiguro Osaka (3) Inventor Kenichi Morita 2-3-13 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AR01 AS02 HQ12 HR07 KK18 KK25 KK26 KK28 5B021 AA01 EE02 LG08 NN23 5C062 AA01 AA35 AB05 AB17 AB22 AB38 AB41 AB42 AC02 AC04 AC22 AF00 BA00 5C077 LL11 MM27 PP74 PQ12 PQ20 SS01 SS02

Claims (2)

[Claims] An image correction parameter creating device for an image forming system in which an image reading device and a plurality of image forming devices are connected, an output unit for outputting a test pattern from each of the plurality of image forming devices, A reading section provided in the image reading apparatus for reading the output test pattern; and a test pattern output by one image forming apparatus as a target image among test patterns read by the reading section. A creating unit that creates image correction parameters based on the test pattern output by the forming apparatus and the target image, wherein the creating unit creates image correction parameters for each of a plurality of image types. , Image correction parameter creation device. 2. An image correction parameter creating method for an image forming system in which an image reading device and a plurality of image forming devices are connected, wherein an output step of outputting a test pattern from each of the plurality of image forming devices; A reading step of reading the output test pattern by the image reading device, and among the test patterns read in the reading step,
Forming a test pattern output by one image forming apparatus as a target image, and generating image correction parameters based on the test pattern output by another image forming apparatus and the target image; An image correction parameter for each of a plurality of image types.