JP2001356891A - Printing system and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the printing of a picture to be provided through the Internet announced by a television without considering any color characteristic during printing specific to a printer. SOLUTION: This printing system for printing a color picture provided through the Internet is provided with a user terminal connected to the Internet who obtains the color picture, a printer connected to the user terminal which prints the color picture, and a correction information providing device which provides correction information to be used for the purpose of correcting the color picture corresponding to at least the color characteristics of the printer to the user terminal. Then, the printer prints the color picture by using the correction information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing system. In particular, the present invention relates to a printing system that provides an image provided on the Internet and corrected for a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of the Internet, advertisements and catalogs of various products have been provided. Information such as these advertisements may be announced on a television or the like. On the other hand, in general households, printers capable of high-quality color printing have become widespread, and color printing has been easily performed. Advertisements and the like announced on televisions and the like have been printed on paper and viewed normally.

[0003]

However, printing of an image provided on the Internet, which has been announced on a television, is performed without taking into account the printing-specific color characteristics of the printer.

The color characteristics of a printer slightly differ depending on the printer model. For example, if the same red color is printed on different printers, some printers will have a bluish red, while others will have an orange-red. For this reason, in many printers, a user can change parameters related to setting of color characteristics of the printer. However, when an image provided on the Internet is printed by a printer, the original color of the image may not be represented in the printed image. This is particularly problematic when an advertisement for a product is printed because it is important to accurately represent the color of the product to be advertised when the provided image is an advertisement.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing correction image providing system capable of solving the above-mentioned problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous embodiments of the present invention.

[0006]

That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, a printing system of the present invention is a printing system for printing a color image provided via the Internet, wherein the printing system is connected to the Internet. A user terminal for acquiring the color image, a printer connected to the user terminal for printing the color image, and correction information used to correct the color image according to at least the color characteristics of the printer And a correction information providing device for providing the color information to the user terminal. The printer prints the color image using the correction information, thereby achieving the above object.

[0007] The correction information providing device may be connected to the user terminal. Preferably, the correction information providing device is connected to the user terminal via the Internet.

[0008] The correction information providing device has a printer model database for storing information on color characteristics for each type of the printer. The correction information providing device performs color correction based on the contents of the printer model database. Correction information for performing the correction may be provided.

[0009] The information on the color characteristics may be a color correction table used for the color correction according to the color characteristics of the printer.

The correction information providing device may provide the correction information according to at least the color characteristics of the printer and the type of paper used by the printer.

The correction information providing device has a user setting information database for storing current color settings of the printer and printer setting information relating to types and sizes used by the printer. The correction information may be provided based on the printer setting information.

[0012] The user terminal transmits the type of paper currently stored in the printer to the correction information providing device, and the correction information providing device stores the current paper type in the user setting information database. The current paper type is different from the stored paper type. If the current paper type is different from the stored paper type, the user terminal stores the current paper type in the stored paper type. May be notified that the type is different.

[0013] The correction information providing apparatus may include a correction content notifying unit for notifying the user terminal that the current setting of the printer is out of a predetermined desired setting range.

[0014] The correction information providing apparatus may include a layout unit that changes a layout of the color image in accordance with the size of the paper.

The user setting information database stores information relating to the brightness and sharpness of the color image, and the correction information providing device performs the correction based on the printer setting information and the information relating to the brightness and the sharpness of the color image. Information may be provided.

The correction information providing apparatus has an information obtaining unit for obtaining the color image from the Internet, and an information presenting unit for presenting the color image to the user terminal. The color image may be obtained via an information presentation unit.

[0017] The correction information providing device may include a correction content notifying unit that notifies the user terminal of the content of the correction performed on the color image.

The correction content notifying section determines whether the color characteristics of the printer are within a normal range, and if the color characteristics are not within the normal range, the color characteristics are not within the normal range. May be notified to the user terminal.

The user terminal may be configured to provide the information acquisition section for acquiring the color image, an information display section for displaying the acquired color image, and the correction information corresponding to the color image to the user terminal. A correction information requesting unit for requesting the correction information providing device may be provided.

The user terminal includes a printer setting information acquisition unit that acquires a current setting of the printer, and a printer setting information acquisition unit that acquires a current setting of the printer when the user terminal requests the correction information providing apparatus to transmit the correction information. And a printer setting information transmitting unit for transmitting the setting of the correction information providing device to the correction information providing apparatus.

[0021] The correction information providing device may include a storage unit for storing the correction information in order to reuse the correction information.

The correction information device determines whether the correction information is stored in the storage unit, and when the correction information is stored in the storage unit, reads the correction information from the storage unit and transmits the correction information to the user terminal. May be.

The apparatus further comprises an information transmitting device for providing the color image on the Internet, and an information notifying device for providing location information indicating the location of the color image on the Internet. The color image may be obtained based on the location information, and the correction information corresponding to the color image may be provided to the user terminal.

The correction information providing device has a request number statistical database for storing the number of print requests for each of a plurality of color images. May be notified to the information notification device.

The user terminal requests the correction information providing device to provide the correction information corresponding to the color image to the user terminal, and an information acquisition unit for receiving the location information. A correction information request unit that transmits the location information to the device may be provided.

The user terminal includes a printer setting information acquiring unit for acquiring a current setting of the printer, and a printer setting information acquiring unit that acquires a current setting of the printer when the user terminal requests the correction information providing apparatus to transmit the correction information. The apparatus may further include a printer setting information transmitting unit that transmits the setting to the correction information providing device.

[0027] The correction information providing device may include a storage unit for storing the correction information so that the correction information can be reused.

The correction information providing device determines whether the correction information is stored in the storage unit, and if so, reads out the storage information from the storage unit and transmits it to the user terminal. Is also good.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing method for printing a color image provided via the Internet by a printer connected to the Internet, wherein a current setting of the printer is obtained. Obtaining the color image from the Internet, providing correction information for correcting the color image to the printer in accordance with the current settings of the printer, and using the correction information to perform the color processing. Printing an image, thereby achieving the above object.

[0030] The current settings of the printer may include at least the color characteristics of the printer. The current settings of the printer further include the size and type of paper used by the printer, and the printer provides the correction information provided according to the color characteristics of the printer and the size and type of the paper. May be used to print the color image.

The above summary of the present invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these features can also constitute the present invention.

[0032]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the present invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the claimed invention and have the features described in the embodiments. Not all combinations are essential to the solution of the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a printing system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The user terminal 10 is connected to the Internet 40.
(Hereinafter referred to as provided information) can be printed by the printer 60 connected to the user terminal 10. The user terminal 10 has a display unit that displays the provided information so that the user can view the provided information, and an input device (not shown) that allows the user terminal 10 to input support from the user. are doing.

Generally, an image included in the information provided on the Internet 40 is transmitted to the user terminal 10 by RG.
It is given in the form of B data. The user terminal 10 receives the RGB data, reproduces the image, and displays the image on the display unit. On the other hand, the general color printer 60 generates colors by subtractive color mixture. Therefore, in order to print information including an image displayed by the user terminal 10,
It is necessary to perform color conversion from the RGB color system to the CMYK color system. The color conversion is generally performed by the user terminal 10.

The Internet 40 has an information transmitting device 3
0 and the correction information providing device 20 are connected. The information transmitting device 30 is a device that provides provided information to the user terminal 10 via the Internet 40. The provided images include, for example, advertisements for products and services. The correction information providing device 20 prints an image provided via the Internet 40 in a color to be originally reproduced, for example, a color of an image displayed on the display of the user terminal 10 and recognized by the eyes of the user. And correction information for performing correction in consideration of the color characteristics of the printer. The correction information is provided to the user terminal 10 via the Internet 40.

Further, an information notification device 50 is connected to the Internet 40, and entertainment information,
Providing news and advertising of goods and services. Examples of the information notification device 50 include a television and an Internet TV. The advertisement provided includes the location of the information transmission device 30 (URL on the WWW)
L) may be indicated. In this case, the user terminal 10 obtains the provided information by accessing a Web page having the indicated URL. Similarly, the correction information providing device 20 also obtains the provided information by accessing this Web page.

The provided information is obtained when the correction information providing device 20 independently obtains the information.
May be obtained by the user terminal 10 designating it.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a printing system to which another embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the present embodiment, the correction information providing device 20 has an image data storage device 31 in which provided images are stored. Correction information providing device 20
Generates a corrected image corresponding to the provided image for each printer 60, and notifies the user terminal 10 of the URL of the Web page on which the corrected image is displayed. The user prints the correction information indicated in the URL.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of the user terminal 10.
Each part of the user terminal 10 will be outlined. Provided information is obtained from the Internet 40 by the information obtaining unit 190,
The information is displayed on the information display unit 200. Correction information request unit 210
Thus, the correction information providing device 20 is requested to provide the correction information corresponding to the provided information.

The information acquisition unit 190 may obtain, from the information notification device 50, location information indicating the location of the provided information, for example, a URL of a Web page indicating the provided information. In this case, the information obtaining unit 190 accesses the Web page provided by the information transmitting device 30 and obtains the provided information. The correction information requesting device 210
Together with the correction information transmission request.
Send location information to.

The printer setting section 260 sets the color characteristics, sharpness, and brightness of the printer 60. The printer setting information acquisition unit 240 acquires the value of the setting made by the printer setting unit 260. The printer setting information transmitting unit 220 transmits the setting values obtained by the printer setting information obtaining unit 240 to the correction information providing device 20.

The correction information obtaining section 230 obtains correction information from the correction information providing device 20. The print processing unit 270
The printer 60 causes the printer 60 to execute printing of the obtained correction information.

FIG. 4 shows an outline of the correction information providing device 20. The correction information providing device 20 is roughly divided into a part that obtains the provided information from the Internet 40 and presents it to the user terminal 10, and a part related to various databases and correction information. Hereinafter, each unit shown in FIG. 4 will be described.

The information obtaining unit 70 obtains image information from the Internet 40 and stores the obtained image information. The obtained provision information is provided to the user terminal 10 by the information acquisition unit 80.

The database includes a user-specific setting information database 150, a printer model database 160,
There is a paper database 170 and a request number statistics database 180.

The printer setting information management section 90 receives the information on the setting of the color characteristics of the printer transmitted from the user terminal 10 and sets the user-specific setting information database 15.
0, and read out the data of the user-specific setting information database 150 as needed.

The information correction unit 100 stores the image information to be corrected in the user-specific setting information database 150, the printer model database 160, and the paper database 17.
The correction is performed based on the function and coefficient relating to the color conversion recorded in 0. The correction information storage unit 140 stores the obtained correction information. The correction information transmitting unit 110 transmits the correction information to the user terminal 10. Further, the correction information may be stored in the correction information storage unit 140. In this case, the correction information is
When correction information is requested for a printer that uses the same model, the same color characteristics, and the same type of paper, it can be reused.

The correction content notifying section 120 notifies the user terminal 10 of the result regarding the color conversion. This allows the user to know the difference between the color printed by the printer used and the color that should be originally expressed.

The correction information layout unit 130 changes the layout of the correction information according to the size of the paper used for printing recorded in the setting information database 150 for each user.

FIG. 5 shows a setting information database 1 for each user.
Shown are 50 samples. The user-specific setting information database 150 is used when generating correction information corresponding to the color characteristics of the printer changed by the user. As described above, the initial color settings for individual printers can be changed by the user. In order to generate the correction information according to the current color setting which is the default setting or the setting set by the user, the correction information providing apparatus 20 needs the current setting. Therefore, the correction information providing device 20 communicates with the user terminal 10 via the Internet 40.
, And saves the current setting in the user setting information database 150. In the data sheet, the user includes a user ID for identifying the user, a contact number such as a telephone number, a printer ID to be used, a paper type to be used,
Paper size, printer color setting U set by user,
There are columns for lightness and sharpness values. The user-specific setting information database 150 centrally manages setting information on a plurality of printers 60 and utilizes the information for color conversion.

Each field of the user setting information database 150 will be described. The user ID is a unique value given for each user ID, and
D can be specified. The contact may be an email address. The ID of the printer to be used is a numerical value given for each printer model, and it is possible to specify the printer model. The color characteristics of the printer can be set for each color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K). In other embodiments, color characteristics may be set for still other colors, such as light cyan, light magenta, and the like.
In FIG. 5, the value “+1” described in the column of the Y correction is a parameter for changing the hue of yellow.
The change in hue will be described later with reference to FIG.

The lightness is a parameter for changing the lightness of an image. This parameter takes a numerical value from -10 to +10, and when the value is plus, correction is made to increase the brightness.

Sharpness is a parameter that changes the degree of the outline of an image. This parameter is -10
Numerical values from + to +10 are taken, and correction is made so that the outline of the image becomes clearer than in the case of plus.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of the color setting by the user. The correction for yellow is taken as an example. With yellow as the reference point 0, the hue from yellow to red and the hue from yellow to green are divided into 60 levels. When the correction is +1, the correction is performed by one step in the red direction.

Similarly, with respect to magenta, the hue up to blue and the hue up to red are divided into 60 steps, and when the correction is plus, the correction is made in the blue direction. For cyan, the hue up to green and the hue up to blue are divided into 60 steps, and when the correction is positive, the correction is made in the green direction.

For black, the density from white to black is divided into 256 levels, and when the correction is positive, correction is made in the direction of increasing blackness.

FIG. 7 shows a printer model database 160.
Shows a sample. The data sheet of the printer model database 160 includes columns for describing the printer model ID for specifying the printer model, and the manufacturer and model of the printer corresponding to the printer model ID. Further, a function for performing color correction is recorded for each of the printer models for each of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black.

This parameter is used as follows. Taking the printing of yellow as an example, in general, the hues of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black do not always match between manufacturers and even between models.
Therefore, if the same yellow is printed by a different printer, a print result having a different color expression from the original color is obtained. To correct this, color correction is performed in advance so that the original color is expressed when printing yellow. Here, the original color is
In many cases, this is the color of an image displayed using the RGB color system and recognized by the user's eyes. Color correction is performed to bring the color reproduced by the printer closer to the original color.
In the case of yellow, the function for performing this color correction is Fiy
(y, c, m, k, G, B, U), where i is the printer model I
D, y, c, m, and k are hues corresponding to yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, G is a color correction coefficient determined for each paper, B is a lightness correction coefficient for correcting lightness, and U is a user. Is the color setting determined by Using this function, a hue of yellow that is corrected so that an actually printed hue approaches a color to be originally reproduced is generated. Similar color conversions are provided for magenta, cyan, and black.

FIG. 8 shows a sample of the paper database 170. It is known that lightness and hue of a print result change depending on the type of paper. These need to be corrected for each paper. The paper database 170 has a column for recording an ID for specifying a paper type, a paper type, a lightness correction coefficient for lightness correction, and a color conversion coefficient for yellow, cyan, magenta, and black.

The color conversion coefficient is a value required for color correction determined for each paper, and is used to generate a color conversion function of the printer model database 160.

On the other hand, as a parameter for performing color correction corresponding to a printer model, a table for color correction set for each printer may be used. Examples of tables for color correction include RGB settings for each printer,
Alternatively, the ICC (International Col.
or Consortium) profiles are preferred. The ICC profile may be determined for each paper used for printing.

FIG. 9 shows a sample of the ICC profile database 152 relating to the ICC profile determined for each paper. The file name of the corresponding ICC profile is registered for each paper type. The ICC profile database 152 has a registered ICC profile. Color correction for the printer 60 is executed using the corresponding ICC profile according to the user's printer usage environment.

FIG. 10 shows a request number statistical database 180.
Shows a sample. Since the request number statistics database 180 is not directly involved in printing, it can be omitted if necessary. The total number of print requests, the ranking of the number of print requests in the provided URL, and the number of print requests per day for the URL on the WWW to which the image information obtained by the user terminal 10 from the information notification device 50 is provided. The number is shown.
As a result, statistical information on the printed image information is obtained, and the barometer becomes a popular barometer. Such statistical information may be provided from the correction information providing device 20 to the information notifying device 50.

FIG. 11 shows a sequence chart of a process of providing correction information to the user terminal 10 corresponding to the image information obtained by the correction information providing device 20.

The correction information providing device 20 obtains image information via the Internet 40 (S10). The obtained image information is presented to the user terminal (S12). It is decided whether to print the presented image information (S14).
If the printing is not to be performed, this sequence ends. When printing, it is checked whether the printer setting information has been updated (S16). If the printer setting information has been updated, the printer setting information and the print request are transmitted to the correction information providing device 20, and the user-specific setting information database 150 is updated (S20). If the printer setting information has not been updated, only the print request is transmitted to the correction information providing device 20.

Upon receiving the print request, the correction information providing device 20
Performs an image conversion process (S24). Image conversion processing (S2
Details of 4) will be described later.

The information including the image provided by the information transmitting device 30 is provided from the correction information providing device 20 to the user terminal 10 in the present embodiment. However, in another embodiment, the user terminal 10 may directly obtain the provided information including the image from the Internet 40. In this case, the image may be transmitted to the user terminal 10 and the correction information providing device 20 at the same time. Alternatively, the correction information providing device 20 may obtain provided information including an image by accessing a Web page of a URL designated by the user terminal 10. In this case, the URL is
Along with the print request transmitted in step S18 or S22, the user terminal 10 sends the correction information providing device 20
May be sent. The correction information providing device 20 may obtain the image at any time as long as the image is obtained prior to the color conversion process in step S24.

After the image conversion, it is determined whether the color setting for each user is within the normal range (S26). This range may be set in consideration of whether the color to be reproduced is actually printed on the paper, or the model of the printer and the type of the paper may be set. In the present embodiment, “within the normal range” means, for example, when the correction value of yellow is between −5 and +5. If the value of this correction is out of this range, the correction is applied too much and the original color representation of the image cannot be obtained. When the correction is not within the normal range, the correction content is notified to the user terminal 10 by the correction content notification unit 120, the user is notified that the color setting is unique (S28), and the user is notified that the color expression is not normal. (S30). When the setting is confirmed by the user, a print confirmation is transmitted to the correction information providing apparatus 20 (S
29).

If the user finds that the printer settings are not normal, he can change the settings. At this time, the printer setting information stored in the user terminal 10 is also updated. The updated printer setting information is transmitted to the correction information providing device 20. Correction information providing device 20
Performs the color conversion process and the confirmation of the color setting by the user again based on the updated printer setting information.

The confirmation of the color setting set by the user may be performed before the color conversion processing (S24). In this case, the number of times of performing the color conversion processing can be reduced.

When the user's color setting is within the normal range,
Alternatively, when printing is confirmed, the correction information layout unit 13
0 (see FIG. 4), print information layout processing is performed according to the size of paper used for printing (S32).

The correction information subjected to the correction and layout processing is transmitted to the user terminal 10 (S34), and the printing processing is executed (S36). Further, the correction information is stored in the correction information storage unit 140 of the correction information providing device 20 (see FIG. 4)
It may be stored in. As a result, the correction information can be reused.

In the present embodiment, since the correction information portion corresponding to the image to be printed is information based on the CMYK color system, the correction information given to the user terminal 10 is
The conversion can be provided to the printer 60 without requiring conversion from the RGB color system to the CMYK color system.

FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of the image conversion process (S24). A color conversion function is generated by the information correction unit 100 (FIG. 4) of the correction information providing apparatus 20 using a default color conversion function for each printer model from the printer model database 160 and a color setting for each user. S60). Next, the brightness correction coefficient and the color conversion coefficient corresponding to the paper type recorded in the paper database 170 are read (S62). The color conversion function is modified by the lightness modification coefficient (S64). Further, the color conversion coefficient is corrected by the color conversion function (S68).

It is determined whether the user performs sharpness processing (S70). If you do not perform sharpness processing,
The sharpness processing (S72) is skipped.

It is determined whether the user performs brightness processing (S
74). When performing the brightness process, the brightness process (S76) is skipped.

FIG. 13 shows a sequence chart until the correction information providing device 20 transmits the correction information corresponding to the provided information notified from the information notifying device 50 to the user terminal 10.

The information notification device 50 sends the information to the user terminal 10
The URL of the provided information on the WWW is notified to the user terminal 10 (S80). If the user wants to print the provided information, the user terminal 10 acquires the printer setting information by checking the current setting of the printer (S8).
2). The user terminal 10 stores the printer setting information,
The current setting of the printer 60 may be compared with the stored printer setting information. When the stored printer setting information differs from the current setting of the printer 60, the stored printer setting information is updated. Subsequently, a print request and printer setting information are transmitted from the user terminal 10 to the correction information providing device 20 (S8).
4). At this time, the URL of the provided information is transmitted as the location information in the form of being included in the print request, whereby the correction information providing apparatus 20 can obtain the provided information to be printed.

The type of paper used by the printer 60 in the printer setting information is determined by the setting information database 15 for each user.
It is determined whether the paper type is the same as the paper type registered in “0” (S8).
5). If it is different from the registered paper, the user terminal 10
(S86). Thus, when the type of paper stored in the printer is different from the registered paper type, the user can know this. The user
The paper stored in the printer may be replaced with a registered type of paper. Alternatively, after confirming with the user, the user setting information database 150 may reflect the information on the paper type included in the printer setting information.
May be updated. In this case, the user can know that the correction information is generated according to the changed paper type.

The correction information providing device 20 determines whether the requested image information has been stored (S86). If stored, the image information is read (S87). In this case, since there is no exchange with the information transmitting device 30, the process is quick. If not saved, the UR sent from the user terminal 10
The image information of the information transmitting device 30 indicated by L is requested (S
88), and acquires image information (S90). The acquired image information is stored (S92).

User-specific setting information database 150
Is updated based on the transmitted printer setting information (S94). Here, the printer setting information may be updated at any timing after the printer setting information is transmitted to the correction information providing apparatus 20.

For the requested image information, correction information matching the printer setting information of the user is stored in the correction information storage unit 1.
40 (FIG. 4) is checked (S9).
6). If the correction information already exists, the corresponding correction information is read from the correction information storage unit 140. If there is no matching correction information, an image conversion process is executed (S24). The correction information obtained by the conversion is stored (S100).

The correction information is transmitted to the user terminal 10 (S102), and the printing process is executed by the user terminal 10 (S104).

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the printer 60 receives the provision information from the user terminal 10 in the form of CMYK data. As another embodiment, the printer 60 may receive the provided information as it is in the RGB data and convert it into CMYK data. In this case, the printer 60 may be directly connected to the Internet without using the user terminal 10. Further, the user terminal 10 and the printer 60 may be integrated into one device.

As described above, the present invention has been described using the embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It should be noted that such modified or improved embodiments may be included in the technical scope of the present invention.
It is clear from the description of the claims.

[0086]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printed matter having a color expression inherent in image information provided on the Internet and announced on a television or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a printing system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a printing system to which another embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a user terminal 10;

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a correction information providing device 20.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sample of a user-specific setting information database 150;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of color setting by a user.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a sample of a printer model database 160.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a sample of a paper database 170.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a sample of an ICC profile database 152 relating to an ICC profile determined for each paper.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sample of a request number statistical database 180;

11 is a diagram showing a sequence chart of a process of providing correction information to the user terminal 10 corresponding to the image information obtained by the correction information providing device 20. FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of an image conversion process.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a sequence chart until the correction information providing device 20 transmits correction information corresponding to the image information notified from the information notification device 50 to the user terminal 10.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal 20 Correction information provision device 30 Information transmission device 40 Internet 50 Information notification device 60 Printer 90 Printer setting information management unit 100 Information correction unit 150 User-specific setting information database 160 Printer model database 170 Paper database 180 Request number statistics database 210 Correction Information requesting section 220 Printer setting information transmitting section 230 Correction information obtaining section 240 Printer setting information obtaining section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06T 1/00 510 G06T 1/00 510 5C079 H04N 1/46 H04N 1/40 D 1/60 1/46 Z (72) Inventor Norihisa Haneda 3-11-46 Izumi, Asaka-shi, Saitama Prefecture Inside Fujisha Shin Film Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AR01 HH03 HJ06 HK07 HL01 HN19 2C087 AA15 BA07 BD36 CA03 5B021 AA30 BB01 LG07 LG08 5B057 BA01 BA25 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB01 CB08 CB12 CB16 CC01 CE03 CE17 CE18 PP18 5 HA03 HB01 HB03 HB12 LA02 LA31 LA36 LB02 MA17 NA03 PA03

Claims (27)

[Claims] 1. A printing system for printing a color image provided via the Internet, comprising: a user terminal connected to the Internet, the user terminal acquiring the color image; and a user terminal connected to the user terminal, A printer that prints a color image, and a correction information providing device that provides correction information used to correct the color image according to at least the color characteristics of the printer to the user terminal. And printing the color image using the correction information. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the correction information providing device is connected to the user terminal. 3. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the correction information providing device is connected to the user terminal via the Internet. 4. The correction information providing device has a printer model database for storing information on color characteristics for each type of the printer, and the correction information providing device is configured to execute a correction based on the contents of the printer model database. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein correction information for performing color correction is provided. 5. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the information on the color characteristics is a color correction table used for the color correction according to the color characteristics of the printer. 6. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the correction information providing device provides the correction information according to at least a color characteristic of the printer and a type of paper used by the printer. . 7. The correction information providing device includes a user setting information database that stores current color settings of the printer and printer setting information regarding types and sizes used by the printer. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus provides the correction information based on the printer setting information. 8. The user terminal transmits the type of paper currently stored in the printer to the correction information providing device, and the correction information providing device determines that the current paper type is in the user setting information database. It is checked whether the paper type is the same as the paper type stored in the storage device.If the current paper type is different from the stored paper type, the current paper type is stored in the user terminal. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the fact that the type of paper is different is notified. 9. The correction information providing apparatus further includes a correction content notification unit that notifies the user terminal that the current setting of the printer is out of a preset desired setting range. Claim 7
A printing system according to claim 1. 10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the correction information providing device includes a layout unit that changes a layout of the color image according to a size of the paper.
A printing system according to claim 1. 11. The user setting information database stores information relating to the brightness and sharpness of the color image, and the correction information providing device is configured to perform the correction based on the printer setting information and the information relating to the brightness and the sharpness of the color image. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the correction information is provided. 12. The correction information providing device, comprising: an information obtaining unit that obtains the color image from the Internet;
And an information presenting unit that presents the color image to the user terminal, wherein the user terminal acquires the color image via the information presenting unit,
The printing system according to claim 1. 13. The correction information providing device, further comprising: a correction content notification unit that notifies the user terminal of the content of correction performed on the color image.
The printing system according to claim 1. 14. The correction content notifying section checks whether the color characteristics of the printer are within a normal range, and if the color characteristics are not within the normal range, the color characteristic is not the normal range. 14. The printing system according to claim 13, wherein the user terminal is notified of being out of range. 15. The user terminal provides an information acquisition unit for acquiring the color image, an information display unit for displaying the acquired color image, and the correction information corresponding to the color image to the user terminal. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a correction information requesting unit that requests the correction information providing apparatus. 16. The printer according to claim 16, wherein the user terminal includes a printer setting information obtaining unit that obtains a current setting of the printer, and the user terminal requests the correction information providing apparatus to transmit the correction information. And a printer setting information transmitting unit that transmits the current setting to the correction information providing device,
The printing system according to claim 15. 17. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the correction information providing device includes a storage unit that stores the correction information in order to reuse the correction information. 18. The correction information device determines whether the correction information is stored in the storage unit, and when the correction information is stored in the storage unit, reads out the correction information from the storage unit to read the correction information from the user terminal. 18. The printing system according to claim 17, wherein the printing is transmitted to the printer. 19. An information transmission device for providing the color image on the Internet, and an information notification device for providing location information indicating the location of the color image on the Internet, wherein the correction information is provided. The apparatus obtains the color image based on the location information, and provides the correction information corresponding to the color image to the user terminal,
The printing system according to claim 1. 20. The correction information providing device includes a request number statistical database that stores the number of print requests for each of a plurality of color images. Notifying the information notification device of the number of print requests,
The printing system according to claim 19. 21. The user terminal, comprising: an information acquisition unit that receives the location information; and a request to the correction information providing device to provide the correction information corresponding to the color image to the user terminal; And a correction information requesting unit that transmits the location information to an information providing device,
The printing system according to claim 19. 22. The user terminal, comprising: a printer setting information acquisition unit that acquires a current setting of the printer; and a printer setting information acquisition unit that acquires the correction information when the user terminal requests the correction information providing apparatus to transmit the correction information. 22. The printing system according to claim 21, further comprising: a printer setting information transmitting unit that transmits a current setting to the correction information providing device. 23. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the correction information providing device includes a storage unit that stores the correction information so that the correction information can be reused.
A printing system according to claim 1. 24. The correction information providing device determines whether the correction information is stored in the storage unit, and if so, reads out the storage information from the storage unit and transmits the read information to the user terminal. 24. The printing system according to claim 23, wherein: 25. A printing method for printing a color image provided via the Internet by a printer connected to the Internet, the method comprising: obtaining a current setting of the printer; Obtaining an image, providing the printer with correction information for correcting the color image according to the current settings of the printer, and printing the color image using the correction information. A printing method characterized by including. 26. The printer of claim 2, wherein the current settings of the printer include at least color characteristics of the printer.
5. The printing method according to 5. 27. The current settings of the printer further include the size and type of paper used by the printer, and the printer provides the color characteristics of the printer and the size and type of the paper. 27. The printing method according to claim 26, wherein the color image is printed using the correction information to be printed.