JP2002248837A - Printer host and its operation program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten a printing time in accordance with a user's desire. SOLUTION: When an instruction of calculating the printing time is received (step 2), the printing time when four color inks C, M, Y and K are used and the printing time when six color inks C, M, Y, K, c and m are used are obtained (step 5). These times are displayed (step 6). Which of the ink colors are to be used is received (step 7). RGB image data is converted to ink color-matching image data matching the received four or six ink colors (step 11). After the ink color-matching image data is turned to a command ( step 12), the command is transmitted to a printer (step 13).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer host for a printer that performs printing using a plurality of ink colors, an operation program for the printer, a storage medium storing the program, and a server for distributing the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in order to enhance color reproducibility, ink jet printers have been changed from color printing using four color inks of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to cm (light cyan, light cyan). Color printing using six colors of ink in addition to an intermediate color of (magenta) is increasing, and further ink colors may be added in the future.

A printer host that controls such an ink-jet printer sequentially transmits drawing commands created by an application to RGB image data, CMY
The image data corresponding to the ink color such as K is converted into a printer control command, and the printer control command is transmitted to the inkjet printer.

[0004]

As described above, in recent ink jet printers, the types of ink colors used have been increasing. For this reason, the data amount of the printer control command output from the printer host also increases, and as a result, the printing time tends to increase.

[0005] In general, a user wants to improve the printing quality and shorten the printing time, but sometimes wants to shorten the printing time even if the printing quality is somewhat suppressed. Such a case is particularly large in the case of large format color printing such as A0 size, in which a printed material can be seen from a relatively long distance and the printing time is long.

The present invention provides a printer host capable of shortening the printing time according to the user's request in order to meet the user's request as described above, an operation program for the printer host, and a storage medium storing the program. The purpose is to provide a server that distributes this.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a printer host converts RGB image data into printer control commands corresponding to a plurality of ink colors and outputs the printer control commands to a printer. In the printer host, the RGB image data is converted into a first ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to all of the plurality of ink colors (hereinafter, referred to as a first ink color group), A color conversion / command conversion means capable of converting a second ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to a smaller number of ink colors (hereinafter referred to as a second ink color group) than the first ink color; At least one of the data amount of the color-compatible printer control command and the data amount of the second ink-color-compatible printer control command. A data amount calculating unit for calculating the data amount, and a printing time of the first ink color corresponding printer control command and a printing time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command from the data amount obtained by the data amount calculating unit. A printing time calculating means for calculating a printing time, and displaying a printing time of the first ink color corresponding printer control command obtained by the printing time calculating means as a printing time when the first ink color group is used. A print time display control means for displaying a print time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command as a print time when the second ink color group is used; and It is determined whether the printing is to be performed with one of the two ink color groups, and an ink color pre-set corresponding to the received one of the ink color groups is received. And it is characterized in that it comprises an ink color acceptance means for outputting a motor control command from the color conversion command means, a.

An operation program of the printer host for achieving the above object converts the RGB image data into an ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to a plurality of ink colors, and outputs the printer control command to the printer. In the operation program, the RGB
The image data is converted into a first ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to all the ink colors (hereinafter, referred to as a first ink color group) among the plurality of ink colors, and an ink color less than all the ink colors ( A second ink color group), a color conversion / command conversion step that can be converted into a second ink color corresponding printer control command, and a first ink color corresponding printer control command. A data amount calculation step for obtaining at least one of the data amount and the data amount of the second ink color corresponding printer control command; and the first data amount obtained from the data amount obtained in the data amount calculation step. Print time calculating step for obtaining the print time of the ink color corresponding printer control command and the print time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command Displaying the printing time of the first ink color correspondence printer control command obtained in the printing time calculation step as the printing time when the first ink color group is used, and displaying the second ink color correspondence. A print time display step of displaying a print time of a printer control command as a print time when the second ink color group is used, and any one of the first ink color group and the second ink color group Or whether printing is to be performed with one of the ink color groups, and an ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to the received one of the ink color groups is subjected to the color conversion /
And receiving an ink color to be output in the commanding step.

[0009] A storage medium for achieving the above object is characterized by storing the above operation program.

[0010] Further, a server for achieving the above object is characterized by distributing the above-mentioned operation program.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a printer system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, a first embodiment of a printer system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer system of the present embodiment includes a printer host 10 and a color inkjet printer 30 for printing based on a printer control command output from the printer host 10. The printer host 10 and the printer 30 are connected via a network line.

The printer host 10 includes a host body 11
, A display device 12, and a keyboard 13. The host body 11 includes a CPU 20 for executing various programs, a ROM 21 for storing various data and various programs, a RAM 22 for temporarily storing various data and various programs, and a display device 1.
, A keyboard controller 24 for controlling the keyboard 13, a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive 25, a hard disk drive 26, and a CD-ROM drive 27.
And an interface 28.

The color ink jet printer 30 has a monitor 37, a printing mechanism 38, and a print controller 31 for controlling these. The print control unit 31 includes a CPU 32 for executing various programs, a ROM 33 for storing various data and various programs, a RAM 34 for temporarily storing various data and various programs, and a monitor controller 35 for controlling a monitor 37. And an interface 36. Although not shown, the printing mechanism 38 moves a print head that ejects ink of various colors, an ink cartridge that stores six inks of CMYKcm supplied to the print head, and moves the print head. A carriage, a transport mechanism for transporting print paper from a paper feed tray to a paper output tray via a print head, and the like are provided.

The host body 11 has an application 40, an operating system 45, and a printer driver 50 as shown in FIG.

The application 40 has a drawing command 4
1 and a printing condition 42, which is a condition for printing this, is managed. The operating system 45 has an interface unit 48 for managing input and output of various data with the printer 30.

The printer driver 50 includes a spooler 51 for storing a drawing command from the application 40 in a spool file 66, a rasterizing processing unit 59 for converting the drawing command stored in the spool file 66 into RGB image data, and an RGB image data Is converted into image data corresponding to ink colors and halftone processing is performed, and a printer capable of interpreting the ink color corresponding image data obtained by the color conversion / halftone processing unit 52 by the printer 30 A command conversion unit 53 that converts the print command into a control command; a user interface 55 that receives print conditions and the like from the keyboard 13 and the like and causes the display device 12 to display the print conditions and the like; Have. The color conversion / halftone processing unit 52 uses the RG
It is possible to convert the B image data into image data corresponding to four ink colors of CMYK and image data corresponding to six ink colors of CMYKcm. The user interface 55 receives a printing condition and a printing time calculation receiving unit (printing condition receiving unit) 56 for receiving whether or not the printing time is desired to be calculated, and prints the printing time calculated by the printing time calculating unit 60 to the display device 12. A print time display unit 57 to be displayed and a used ink receiving unit 58 for receiving whether printing with four inks of CMYK or six colors of CMYKcm is desired. The print time calculation unit 60 includes a data amount calculation unit 61 that calculates a data amount of a printer control command of a document to be printed, a transfer capacity measurement unit 62 that measures a transfer path performance between the printer host 10 and the printer 30, and , The data amount calculated by the data amount calculation unit 61 and the transfer capability measurement unit 62
And a print time calculation unit 63 for obtaining a print time from the transfer capability obtained in step (1). In this embodiment,
The time from the start of transmitting the printer control command from the printer host 10 to the end of printing based on the printer control command is defined as the print time, and the print time calculation unit 6
0 is for calculating the printing time, but actually,
Since the transmission time of the printer control command from the printer host 10 to the printer 30 occupies most of the printing time, this transmission time is determined as the printing time as described later.

In the present embodiment, both the print condition file 65 and the spool file 66 are developed on the RAM 22, but only the spool file may be developed on the hard disk. Further, the print conditions may be stored in a spool file together with the drawing command, and may be developed on a hard disk. The printing conditions stored in the printing condition file 65 include the paper size, the number of copies, the printing area, the used ink color, RG
The resolution of B image data, the resolution of CMYKcm binarized image data, the halftone processing mode, and the like are also stored.

Each of the functional components of the printer driver 50 is an R in which various programs are stored.
It comprises an AM 22 and a CPU 20 for executing a program stored in the RAM 22. That is, each of the above functional components reproduces the CD-ROM 17 (shown in FIG. 1) in which the program relating to each of the above functions is stored in the CD-ROM drive 27, installs the program in the hard disk drive 26, RAM
22 and functions when the CPU 20 executes this program. Here, it is assumed that the programs relating to the above functions are supplied from the CD-ROM 17, but may be supplied from another storage medium such as a DVD or a predetermined server via the Internet line. It may be supplied from.

Next, the operation of the printer host 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

The user activates a print condition receiving unit (print time calculation receiving unit) 56 of the user interface 55 and displays a print condition setting screen as shown in FIG.
2 (step 1). As shown in the drawing, the print condition setting screen includes a copy number designation box 71, a print page designation box 72, a paper type designation box 73, a mode designation box 74, a print start button 75, a cancel button 76, and a performance measurement button 77. , An ink color designation button 78 and the like are displayed. Copies designation box 7
1, a print page specification in the print page specification box 72, a paper type specification in the paper type specification box 73,
The specification results of the printing conditions such as the mode specification in the mode specification box 74 and the ink color specification by the ink color specification button 78 are stored in the printing condition file 65 together with the printing conditions set by the application 40.

When a print condition setting screen is displayed, various print conditions are set, and the performance measurement button 77 is clicked, the print time calculation receiving unit (print condition receiving unit) 56 receives a print time calculation instruction ( Step 2), the print time calculation section 60 is activated. Although various printing conditions are set, the performance measurement button 7
If No. 7 is not clicked, the print condition receiving unit 46 waits until the print start button 75 is clicked (Step 9).

When the print time calculation receiving section 56 receives a print time calculation instruction (step 2), the print time calculation section 6 receives the instruction.
The data calculator 61 calculates the data amount of the printer control command relating to the document to be printed (step 3), and the transfer capability measuring unit 62 of the print time calculator 60 transfers the data between the printer host 10 and the printer 30. The performance of the road is measured (step 4).

The data amount calculation unit 61 refers to the printing conditions possessed by the printing condition receiving unit (printing time calculation receiving unit) of the user interface 55 and uses the following (Equation 1) to obtain the CMYK 4 The data amount D ₄ of the printer control command when using color inks and the data amount D ₆ of the printer control command when using six color inks of CMYKcm are obtained.

D = m · W · H · (n / 8) · k · p [byte] (Equation 1) m: Number of ink colors, W : Print area width [dot (converted to 360 dpi)], H: Print area height [dot (converted to 360 dpi)],
n: resolution coefficient ratio (n = 1: print resolution 360 × 360 dpi,
n = 2: printing resolution 720 × 360dpi, n = 4: printing resolution
720 × 720dpi, n = 8: printing resolution 1440 × 720dpi),
k: data compression ratio in the command conversion unit, p: number of copies

The transfer capability measuring section 62 creates 1 Kb dummy data and transmits it to the printer 30 via the interface section 48. Then, it waits for reception of a dummy data reception completion command from the printer 30, measures the time from the start of sending the dummy data to the reception of the reception completion command, and divides the data amount of the dummy data by the transmission time to obtain a unit. A data transmission amount per time, that is, a transfer capability R is obtained. The dummy data includes a command “erase data after receiving this data”, and after the printer 30 receives the dummy data and transmits a reception completion command to the host 10, the dummy data is deleted. It is good to be deleted.

The printing time calculation unit 63 includes the data amount calculation unit 6
The data amounts D ₄ and D ₆ obtained in step 1 and the transfer capability measuring unit 62
From the transfer capability R obtained in the above, the printing times T ₄ and T ₆ of the printer control command corresponding to each ink color are calculated using the following formula.
(Step 5).

T = D / R ················ ... (Equation 2)

Here, a specific example of calculating the printing time will be briefly described.

For example, when printing four copies of A0 full size under the following printing conditions, using (Equation 1), the data amount D _{4 for} four-color printing and the data amount D for six-color printing
₆ is as follows.

Number of ink colors m = 4,6, print area width W = 1
1829 [dot (360dpi conversion)], print area height H = 16606
[Dot (360 dpi conversion)], resolution ratio n = 4 (print resolution 7
20 × 720 dpi), data compression ratio k = 0.8, number of copies p = 4 D ₄ = 4.1118 / 16606 · (4/8) · 0.8 / 4 = 1,885,750,
790 [byte] D ₆ = 6 ・ 11829 ・ 16606 ・ (4/8) ・ 0.8 ・ 4 = 1,257,167,
194 [byte]

As for the data compression rate k in the command conversion section 53, the value of the average compression rate in the command conversion section 53 is used.

Next, when the transfer capability measured by the transfer capability measuring section 62 is R = 235,520 [byte / s], the printing time T in the case of four-color printing is calculated using (Equation 2) as follows. ₄ ,
In the case of a 6-color printing seek the printing time T _6.

T ₄ = 1,885,750,790 [byte] / 235,520 [byte / s] = 8,007 [s] = 133.4 [min] T ₆ = 1,257,167,194 [byte] / 235,520 [byte / s] = 5,338 [s] = 89.0 [min]

In this case, the data amount D _{4 for} four-color printing and the printing time T _{4 for four-} color printing, the data amount D _{6 for} six-color printing, and the printing time for six-color printing and T _6, respectively, although originally determined, the print time in the case of printing time and six color printing in the case of four-color printing, 4: since the 6 time ratio relationship, one of the printing Only the time may be obtained, and the other printing time may be obtained from the one printing time and the time ratio.

As described above, when the print time calculating section 60 calculates the print times T ₄ and T ₆ for printing with each ink color, the print time display section 57 of the user interface 55 displays as shown in FIG. Next, the printing times T ₄ and T ₆ for printing with each ink color are displayed (step 6).

When the user looks at the displayed contents and desires a print quality better than the print time, he or she clicks the six-color button. If the user desires a print time shorter than the print quality, the user clicks the six-color button. Click the four color button. The used ink receiving unit 58 of the user interface 55 receives four-color printing or six-color printing (step 7), and sets this in the printing condition file 65 (step 8).

Subsequently, when the print start button 75 is clicked on the print condition setting screen shown in FIG. 4 (step 9),
Drawing command 4 managed by application 41
The following processing (steps 10 to 13) is started for 1. In step 2, even when the print start button 75 is clicked without receiving the print time calculation instruction, and when the application 41 instructs print start, the following processing (steps 10 to 1) is similarly performed.
3) is started.

The drawing command 41 managed by the application 41 is sent to the spooler 51 of the printer driver 50 via the operating system 45.
The information is stored in the spool file 65 by the spooler 51. The drawing command stored in the spool file 65 is converted into RGB image data by the rasterization processing unit 59 in accordance with the printing conditions stored in the printing condition file 65 (Step 10).

The RGB image data is converted by the color conversion / halftone processing unit 52 of the printer driver 50 in accordance with the printing conditions stored in the printing condition file 65.
The image data is converted into ink color corresponding image data (step 1).
1). For example, when the ink color designation button 78 shown in FIG.
If a color has been specified, or if four colors have been specified in the ink color reception in step 7, the RGB image data is converted to CMYK image data. FIG.
In the case where six colors are designated by the ink color designation button 78 shown in (3), or when six colors are designated in the ink color reception in step 7, the RGB image data is converted into CMYKcm image data.

The image data corresponding to the ink colors is converted into a printer control command that can be interpreted by the printer 30 by the command conversion unit 53, and then converted into an operating system 45.
Is sent to the printer 30 via the interface section 48 of the printer.

The print control unit 31 of the printer 30 converts the printer control command sent from the printer host 10 into a control signal for the print head and its carriage, and sends this control signal to the print mechanism unit 38. , CMY
Printing is actually executed using four colors of K ink, six colors of CMYKcm, or one color of black ink.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the printing time when using four colors of ink and the printing time when using six colors of ink are displayed. The user is allowed to select whether or not to use the ink, and printing is performed with the selected number of ink colors, so that the printing time can be reduced as desired by the user.

In the present embodiment, the transmission time of the printer control command occupies most of the printing time in the printing time defined earlier. If the transfer path to the printer 30 is very high and the transmission time of the printer control command is short, and conversely, the time during which the printer 30 is performing a printing operation is long, the processing capacity of the printer 30 It is preferable that the printing operation time of the printer 30 is determined from the processing capacity and the data amount in advance, and the printing time is determined in consideration of this time.

Next, a second embodiment of the printer system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

The printer system of the present embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in terms of hardware, and is basically similar in software to the first embodiment as shown in FIG. Is the same as However, in the present embodiment, the operation of the printing time calculation unit 60a of the printer driver 50a is different from that of the first embodiment, and the operation of the printing time calculation unit 60a is different. A CMYK printer control command file 68 to be stored and a CMYKcm printer control command file 69 to store CMYKcm printer control commands are added.
7 has been added.

In the present embodiment, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, first, the user activates the print condition receiving unit (print time calculation receiving unit) 56 of the user interface 55, and sets the print condition as shown in FIG. A setting screen is displayed on the display device 12 (step 1). Then, the performance measurement button 77 is displayed on the print condition setting screen.
Is clicked, and the print time calculation accepting unit 56 accepts a print time calculation instruction (step 2). If the instruction to calculate the printing time is not accepted, as in the first embodiment, a print start instruction is waited (step 9), the drawing command is converted into RGB image data (step 10), R
The conversion of the GB image data into the image data corresponding to the ink color (step 11), the conversion of the image data corresponding to the ink color into a command (step 12), and the transmission of the printer control command (step 13) are sequentially executed.

In step 2, when an instruction to calculate the printing time is received, in this embodiment, the drawing command 41 managed by the application 41 is transmitted to the printer driver via the operating system 45 without waiting for the printing start instruction. It is sent to a spooler 51 of 50 and is stored in a spool file 65 by the spooler 51. The drawing command stored in the spool file 65 is converted into RGB image data by the rasterization processing unit 59 in accordance with the printing conditions stored in the printing condition file 65 (Step 20).

The RGB image data is converted into CMYK image data corresponding to four colors and CMYKcm image data corresponding to six colors by the color conversion / halftone processing unit 52a which receives an instruction from the printing time calculation receiving unit 56. (Steps 21a and 21b). Further, these data are converted into CMYK printer control commands and CMYKcm printer control commands by the command conversion unit 53a (steps 22a and 22b), and are stored in the corresponding files 68 and 69, respectively (step 2).
3a, 23b). Note that here, CMYK data and C
Although the MYKcm data is processed in parallel, actually, any one of the data is processed, and then the other data is processed.

Data amount calculator 6 of printing time calculator 60a
1a counts the data amounts of the commands stored in the CMYK printer control command file 68 and the CMYKcm printer control command file 69, respectively (step 24). Further, the data transfer capability measuring unit 62a
The current data transfer capability is set with reference to the transfer capability file 67 (step 25).

As shown in FIG. 8, the transfer capacity file 67 stores an average transfer capacity value obtained from past results for each time zone of the day.
Sets the average transfer capability in the time zone corresponding to the current time as the current transfer capability. Transfer capability measuring unit 62a
In order to obtain the data shown in FIG. 8, every time a printer control command is transmitted, the transfer capacity at that time is measured, and +1 is added to the column of the number of measurements in the corresponding time zone, and Add the value of the measured transfer capability to the value in the column. Then, an average capability value is obtained by dividing the total capability value up to the current time by the number of measurements up to the current time.

When the data amount of the printer control command corresponding to each ink color and the current data transfer capability are determined, the printing time calculation unit 63 executes steps 5, 6, and 7 of the first embodiment.
Similarly to the above, calculation of the printing time when each ink color is used (step 26), display of the printing time when each ink color is used (step 27), and reception of the used ink color (step 28) are performed.

When the used ink color is received, a command to start printing is awaited (step 29).
File 68 or 69 corresponding to the received ink color
Then, a printer control command is taken out and transmitted to the printer 30 via the interface unit 48 (step 30).

As described above, in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, printing is performed with the selected number of ink colors, so that the printing time can be reduced according to the user's request. be able to.

In this embodiment, the current transfer capability is determined based on past results with respect to the data transfer capability. However, as in the first embodiment, the current transfer capability is determined using dummy data. You may make it measure.
Conversely, in the first embodiment, as in the present embodiment, the current transfer capacity may be determined based on past results with respect to the data transfer capacity. Further, in this embodiment, in order to obtain the data amount of the printer control command corresponding to each ink color, the RGB image data is converted into the printer control command corresponding to each ink color, and this is temporarily stored in the corresponding files 68 and 69. Although these files are stored, these files 68 and 69 may be omitted. However,
When a print start command with a predetermined ink color is received,
In order to be able to immediately output a printer control command corresponding to the ink color according to this, the printer control command file 68,6 corresponding to the ink color as in this embodiment.
9 are preferably provided.

In each of the above embodiments, the description has been made on the assumption that the printer uses six colors as ink colors. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the present invention may be applied to a color using more colors.

[0058]

According to the present invention, the printing time when the first ink color group is used and the printing time when the second ink color group is used are displayed, and any one of the ink color groups is used. Since the user is allowed to select one or the other and printing is performed with the selected number of ink colors, the printing time can be reduced as desired by the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a printer system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a printer host according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the printer host according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a print condition setting screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a print time display screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of a printer host according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a printer host according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a data configuration diagram of a transfer capability file according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer host 11 ... Host body 17 ... CD-ROM 20 ... CPU 21 ... ROM 22 ... RAM 30 ... Color inkjet printer 40 ... Application 41 ... Drawing command 45 ... Operating system 46 ... Rasterize processing unit 50, 50a ... Printer driver 52 , 52a: color conversion / halftone processing unit 53, 53a: command conversion unit 55: user interface 56: printing time calculation receiving unit 57: printing time display unit 58: used ink receiving unit 60, 60a: printing time calculation unit 61, 61a: Data amount calculation unit 62, 62a: Data transfer capability measurement unit 63: Printing time calculation unit 65: Printing condition file 66: Spool file 67: Transfer capability file 68: CMYK printer control command file 69: CMYKcm printer control command File

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 1/46 H04N 1/46 Z 5C077 5C079 F-term (Reference) 2C061 AP01 AQ05 AR01 HJ06 HK11 HK23 HM01 HM03 HN04 HN20 2C087 AA15 AB01 AB05 AC07 BA03 BA08 BD40 BD52 CB16 CB18 DA02 2C187 AC08 AE01 5B021 AA01 BB01 BB05 LG07 5C074 AA12 AA20 BB16 DD21 DD22 DD24 FF15 HH02 5C077 LL18 LL20 MP08 NP01 P08B01 H02 5 NA03 NA11 PA03

Claims (10)

[Claims] And converting the RGB image data into an ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to a plurality of ink colors.
A printer host for outputting the printer control command to a printer, wherein the RGB image data is converted into a first ink color corresponding to all of the plurality of ink colors (hereinafter referred to as a first ink color group). A color conversion / command that can be converted into a corresponding printer control command and a second ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to a smaller number of ink colors (hereinafter referred to as a second ink color group) than all the ink colors Data means for calculating at least one of the data amount of the first ink color corresponding printer control command and the data amount of the second ink color corresponding printer control command; and From the data amount obtained by the amount calculating means,
A printing time calculating means for obtaining a printing time of the first ink color corresponding printer control command and a printing time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command; and the first ink color obtained by the printing time calculating means. The printing time of the corresponding printer control command is displayed as the printing time when the first ink color group is used, and the printing time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command is used for the second ink color group. A print time display control unit for displaying as a print time in a case where the first ink color group and the second ink color group are received or received. An ink color receiving unit that outputs an ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to the one ink color group from the color conversion / command conversion unit. Printer host characterized in that there. 2. Converting the RGB image data into an ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to a plurality of ink colors,
An operation program of a printer host for outputting the printer control command to a printer, wherein the RGB image data is a first ink color group corresponding to all of the plurality of ink colors (hereinafter, referred to as a first ink color group). That can be converted into an ink color corresponding printer control command and a second ink color corresponding printer control command corresponding to an ink color less than all the ink colors (hereinafter referred to as a second ink color group). A conversion / command conversion step, and a data amount calculation step of determining at least one data amount of the data amount of the first ink color corresponding printer control command and the data amount of the second ink color corresponding printer control command. From the data amount obtained in the data amount calculation step, the first ink color corresponding printer control command A printing time calculating step for obtaining a printing time and a printing time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command; and a printing time of the first ink color corresponding printer control command obtained in the printing time calculating step as the first time. A print time display in which the print time is displayed as the print time when the ink color group is used, and the print time of the second ink color corresponding printer control command is displayed as the print time when the second ink color group is used. And accepting whether to print with one of the first ink color group and the second ink color group, and accepting the ink color corresponding to the received one ink color group. An ink color receiving step of outputting a printer control command in the color conversion / command conversion step. Work program. 3. The operation program according to claim 2, wherein, in the data amount calculating step, at least a size and a resolution of a printing area defined as printing conditions are used.
An operation program for determining at least one of a data amount of the first ink color corresponding printer control command and a data amount of the second ink color corresponding printer control command. 4. The operation program according to claim 3, wherein, in the color conversion / command conversion step, when the designation of the one ink color group is received in the ink color reception step, the RGB image data is converted to the one of the one ink color group. A color conversion processing step of converting into the ink color corresponding image data corresponding to the ink color group; and a command conversion step of converting the ink color corresponding image data output in the color conversion processing step into the printer control command. An operation program characterized by: 5. The operation program according to claim 2, wherein, in the data amount calculating step, the RGB image data is converted into the first ink color corresponding printer control command and the second An operation program for converting the printer control command into an ink color corresponding printer control command and obtaining the data amount of each ink color corresponding printer control command. 6. The operation program according to claim 5, wherein the color conversion / command conversion step comprises: converting the RGB image data into first ink color corresponding image data corresponding to the first ink color group and the second image data. A color conversion processing step of converting to the second ink color corresponding image data corresponding to the second ink color group, and converting the first ink color corresponding image data to the first ink color corresponding printer control command, A commanding step of converting the second ink color corresponding image data into the second ink color corresponding printer control command; and storing the first ink obtained in the commanding step in a storage unit of the printer host. An ink color control command that stores a color printer control command and the second ink color printer control command, respectively; A command storing step, when the designation of the one ink color group is received in the ink color receiving step, the first ink color corresponding printer control command stored in the ink color corresponding control command storing step and the second An output step of outputting ink color corresponding image data corresponding to the one ink color group among the ink color corresponding printer control commands. 7. The operation program according to claim 2, wherein in the printing time calculating step, a dummy printer control command having a predetermined data amount is transmitted to the printer. The data transfer capability is grasped from the transmission time of the control command, and from the data transfer capability and the data amount obtained in the data amount calculation step, the printing time of the first ink color corresponding printer control command and the second An operation program for determining a printing time of a printer control command corresponding to an ink color. 8. The operation program according to claim 2, wherein, in the printing time calculation step, a transmission time when a printer control command is transmitted to the printer is measured, and the printing time is calculated for each time zone. Based on the data transfer capability for each time zone grasped in the past, the data transfer capability at the time of transmitting the printer control command is determined based on the data transfer capability determined in the past, and in the data transfer capability and the data amount calculation step, An operation program, wherein a print time of the first ink color corresponding image data and a print time of the second ink color corresponding image data are obtained from the obtained data amount. 9. A storage medium storing the operation program according to claim 2. Description: 10. A server which distributes the operation program according to any one of claims 2 to 8.