JP2004272811A - Ink-jet printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink-jet printing system that ensures high quality by easily applying optimum ink-jet printer printing parameters when using a connected ink-jet printer to record character information, graphic information and the like created by a personal computer on ink-jet recording paper. <P>SOLUTION: When character information, graphic information and the like formed by the personal computer connected to the Internet is recorded by the ink-jet printer on ink-jet recording paper, with product bar code information on the ink-jet recording paper and ink-jet printer model information, optimum ink-jet printing parameters can be received from an ink-jet printer printing parameter information accumulation server connected to the Internet to ensure high quality ink-jet printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, when character information, graphic information, and the like created by a personal computer are recorded on inkjet recording paper using an inkjet printer connected thereto, the optimum inkjet printer printing parameters can be easily applied to achieve high performance. The present invention relates to an ink jet printing system capable of performing high quality ink jet printing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional inkjet printing system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional ink jet printing system. Generally, inside a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC) 5, character information and graphic information are formed using software (not shown) or the like. In the case of printing these character information and graphic information by ink jet printing, character information and graphic information are transmitted from a software or the like to an ink jet printer control driver (hereinafter abbreviated as DRV) inside the PC 5, and subsequently, the DRV prints ink jet data. The data is transmitted to an ink jet recording apparatus (hereinafter abbreviated as DEV) of a printer (hereinafter abbreviated as PR) 2 by using a network or a communication cable (not shown), thereby performing the ink jet recording.
[0003]
In the case of a conventional ink jet printing system, the type of ink jet recording paper (hereinafter abbreviated as IJ paper) used for DRV at the time of printing, ink jet printer printing parameters (hereinafter abbreviated as PRM) such as printing speed and color setting are used. .) Must be set in advance.
[0004]
In general, a DRV has several types of IJ paper PRMs, and a PRM suitable for the IJ paper to be used is selected and printed.
[0005]
In recent years, various IJ papers and PRs have been commercially available. Further, an ink jet printing technique for realizing high quality printing by reducing the number of PR ink drops to a large number has become common. Therefore, in order to perform such high-quality inkjet printing, it is necessary to set a PRM suitable for the IJ paper to be used in the DRV.
[0006]
However, it is difficult for DRV to have all the settings suitable for various commercially available PR and IJ papers, and a high-quality inkjet print cannot be obtained because a PRM that is suitable to some extent is selected and printed. Setting the PRM manually wastes a large amount of IJ paper due to human error.
[0007]
As a method for solving such a problem, a reflection type sensor that detects a barcode in a DEV using IJ paper in which barcode-shaped identification information different for each type of IJ paper is printed in advance outside the recording range of the IJ paper is used. A method for identifying an IJ sheet at the time of ink-jet printing by providing the same is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0008]
Similarly, a magnetic recording medium is applied to the outside of the recording range of the IJ paper, and the DEV is provided with a magnetic sensor for barcode detection using IJ paper in which different information is recorded on the magnetic recording medium for each type of IJ paper. Also, a method for identifying an IJ sheet at the time of inkjet printing has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0009]
In this method, it is necessary to previously record the identification information on the IJ paper, and it is difficult to cope with the high manufacturing cost of the IJ paper and all the various types of IJ paper in detail.
[0010]
On the other hand, as a method of setting the PRM inside the printer and making the setting more efficient, by providing a hard disk and an HTTP server inside the printer, the setting was made for each PRM in the hard disk using a browser from a computer connected to the network. A system for calling an ID number is disclosed (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
[0011]
In this method, it is necessary to set and register a PRM. In ink-jet printing, it is necessary to investigate printing conditions suitable for various types of IJ paper, and a lot of IJ paper is wasted.
[0012]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-138772 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2000-242448 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to easily apply optimal inkjet printer printing parameters when recording character information, graphic information, and the like created by a personal computer on inkjet recording paper using an inkjet printer connected thereto. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing system capable of performing high quality ink jet printing.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have invented the ink jet printing system of the present invention.
[0015]
That is, in the ink jet printing system according to the first aspect of the invention, a server for storing PRM is connected to a PC via the Internet, and character information, graphic information, and the like created by the PC are transmitted to the IJ by the PR connected to the PC. An ink jet printing system for recording on paper,
The PC has
(1) means for recognizing product barcode (hereinafter abbreviated as BC) information printed on the package of the IJ paper;
(2) means for recognizing PR model information connected to the PC;
(3) means for transmitting the BC information and the PR model information to the server;
(4) means for receiving the PRM;
(5) means for setting the PRM to DRV;
And the server has
(6) means for receiving the BC information and the PR model information;
(7) means for searching for the matching PRM from the BC information and the PR model information;
(8) means for transmitting the searched PRM to the PC.
[0016]
Further, in the ink jet printing system according to the second invention, the server and the PR are connected via the Internet, and character information and graphic information created by a PC are recorded on the IJ paper by the PR connected to the PC. An inkjet printing system,
In the PR,
(9) means for recognizing the BC information printed on the package of the IJ paper;
(10) means for transmitting the BC information and the PR model information to the server;
(11) means for receiving the PRM;
(12) An ink jet printing system, comprising: means for applying the PRM to a DEV.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the inkjet printing system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
As a first invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an ink jet printing system having a feature of a personal computer (PC) according to the present invention.
[0019]
In the PC 1, character information and graphic information are formed using software (not shown) or the like. In the ink jet printing system of the present invention, the following units are sequentially executed at the same time that the character information and the graphic information are transmitted from the software to the DRV.
[0020]
The BC information recognizing means is means for detecting BC information printed on a product package of IJ paper. For example, by connecting a bar code reader using a red LED or a CCD element to a PC, BC information can be detected. Alternatively, the BC information can also be detected by reading the BC information portion of the product package as image data using a scanner and performing image processing. If there is no barcode reader and scanner, it is also possible to manually input a number from a keyboard connected to the PC 1 (not shown) to recognize BC information.
[0021]
The PR model information recognizing means is means for detecting the model number of PR2 connected using a network or a communication cable (not shown). For example, PR model information can be recognized from the DRV of the PR to be printed.
[0022]
The BC information and PR model information transmitting means transmits the recognized BC information and PR model information to the BC information and PR model information receiving means of the server 3 via the Internet 4.
[0023]
The PRM receiving means receives from the server 3 via the Internet 4 a PRM optimal for the PR and IJ paper to be used.
[0024]
The PRM setting means sets the obtained PRM to DRV.
[0025]
The DRV is the same as a conventional DRV generally called a printer driver, and controls the DEV of PR2 using the character information and graphic information transmitted from software and the PRM set by the PRM setting means.
[0026]
DEV indicates a PR2 printing mechanism. DEV is a printing mechanism used for general PR. For example, inside PR2, there is a carriage in which an ink cartridge of yellow, magenta, cyan, black, etc. and a recording head for generating and ejecting ink droplets are arranged. , A carriage moving means, and an IJ paper conveying means. The DEV performs inkjet printing by controlling the ejection amount of ink droplets from the recording head, the movement of the carriage, and the conveyance of the IJ paper using the signal transmitted from the DRV.
[0027]
The ink jet printing system of the present invention is characterized in that the server 3 is used.
[0028]
The server 3 receives the BC information and the PR model information using the BC information and the PR model information receiving means. The PRM search means searches the PRM database in the server 3 for a PRM optimal for the PR and IJ paper to be used, using the obtained BC information and PR model information.
[0029]
The PRM is the type, size, brightness, contrast, and other color settings of IJ paper set in the DRV, color profile data, and the like.
[0030]
In the PRM database, the optimal PRM for a combination of commercially available PR and IJ paper is registered. Although not shown, when the optimum PRM cannot be searched from the BC information and the PR model information, it is also possible to search from the most similar combination of PR and IJ paper.
[0031]
The PRM obtained by the search is transmitted to the PC 1 that has transmitted the BC information and the PR model information using the PRM transmission means.
[0032]
Therefore, the ink jet printing system having the features of the PC according to the first aspect of the invention can be implemented by introducing software created on the basis of the means of the present invention into the PC 1 so that PR software generally commercially available for carrying out the present invention is implemented. For many combinations of commercially available PR and IJ papers, the PRM such as the type, size, and color setting of the IJ paper that is generally manually set in the DRV can be used. By acquiring and automatically setting the DRV, simple and excellent ink jet printing can be performed.
[0033]
When a plurality of PRs are connected to the PC, the inkjet printing system according to the first aspect of the present invention can be implemented by selecting a PR to be printed from software in which character information and graphic information are formed.
[0034]
As a second invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an ink jet printing system having features of the ink jet printer (PR) of the present invention.
[0035]
The PC 5 is the same as the PC used in the conventional ink jet printing system. Character information and graphic information are formed using software (not shown), and the character information and graphic information are transmitted to the PR 6 via the DRV. I do.
[0036]
In the ink jet printing system characterized by PR6 in the second invention, excellent ink jet printing can be performed without manually setting the PRM in the DRV.
[0037]
In the PR 6, when character information and graphic information formed from the DRV of the PC 5 are received, the following procedures are sequentially executed.
[0038]
The BC information recognizing means is means for detecting BC information printed on a product package of IJ paper. For example, by connecting a barcode reader using a red LED or a CCD element to PR6, BC information can be detected. Alternatively, the BC information can also be detected by reading the BC portion of the product package as image data using a scanner of a combined scanner type PR6 and performing image processing. If there is no barcode reader and scanner, it is also possible to manually input the number from the operation panel of the PR6 (not shown) to recognize the BC information.
[0039]
The BC information and PR model information transmitting means transmits the obtained BC information and the PR model number as PR model information to the BC information and PR model information receiving means of the server 3 via the Internet 4.
[0040]
The PRM receiving means receives from the server 3 via the Internet 4 a PRM optimal for the PR and IJ paper to be used.
[0041]
The PRM application unit converts the character information or graphic information signal received from the DRV using the obtained PRM, and transmits the converted signal to the DEV.
[0042]
DEV indicates a PR6 printing mechanism. DEV is a mechanism used for general PR. For example, inside PR6, a carriage in which ink cartridges for yellow, magenta, cyan, black, etc. and a recording head for generating and ejecting ink droplets are arranged; Carriage moving means and IJ paper transport means are provided. The DEV performs inkjet printing by controlling the ejection amount of ink droplets from the recording head, the movement of the carriage, and the conveyance of the IJ paper using the signal transmitted from the DRV.
[0043]
The ink jet printing system according to the second invention is also characterized in that the server 3 is used similarly to the first invention.
[0044]
Therefore, unlike the first invention, the ink jet printing system characterized by PR6 in the second invention does not need to introduce new software inside the PC5 to implement the present invention, and furthermore, the PC5 has There is no need to manually set the PRM such as the type and size of ink jet recording paper and color settings in the internal DRV. That is, by using the PR6 of the present invention, an excellent PRM is automatically set for each of a large number of combinations of PR and IJ paper, thereby enabling excellent ink jet print recording.
[0045]
When a plurality of PRs are connected to the PC, the inkjet printing system according to the second aspect of the present invention can be implemented by appropriately selecting PRs to be printed from software in which character information and graphic information are formed.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the inkjet printing system of the present invention can easily determine the optimum inkjet printer printing parameters when recording character information, graphic information, and the like created by a personal computer on inkjet recording paper using an connected inkjet printer. , High quality ink jet printing can be performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an ink jet printing system having a feature in a personal computer according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an ink jet printing system having features of the ink jet printer according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional inkjet printing system.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Block Diagram of PC of First Invention 2 Block Diagram of Conventional PR 3 Block Diagram of Server 4 Internet 5 Block Diagram of Conventional PC 6 Block Diagram of PR of Second Invention

Claims (2)

A server for storing print parameters of an ink jet printer and a personal computer are connected via the Internet, and character information and graphic information created by the personal computer are recorded on ink jet recording paper by an ink jet printer connected to the personal computer. An inkjet printing system,
The personal computer includes:
(1) means for recognizing product barcode information printed on a package of the inkjet recording paper;
(2) means for recognizing model information of an ink jet printer connected to the personal computer;
(3) means for transmitting the product barcode information and the ink jet printer model information to the server;
(4) means for receiving an inkjet printer print parameter;
(5) means for setting the inkjet printer print parameters in an inkjet printer control driver;
And the server has
(6) means for receiving the product barcode information and the ink jet printer model information;
(7) means for searching for the ink jet printer print parameters suitable from the product barcode information and the ink jet printer model information;
(8) means for transmitting the retrieved ink jet printer print parameters to the personal computer after the search. The server for storing print parameters of the ink jet printer and the ink jet printer are connected via the Internet, and character information, graphic information, and the like created by the personal computer are recorded by the ink jet printer connected to the personal computer by the ink jet printer. An ink jet printing system for recording on paper,
In the inkjet printer,
(9) means for recognizing the product barcode information printed on the package of the ink jet recording paper;
(10) means for transmitting the product barcode information and the ink jet printer model information to the server;
(11) means for receiving the print parameters of the inkjet printer;
(12) An inkjet printing system, comprising: means for applying the inkjet printer printing parameters to an inkjet recording apparatus.

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