JP2005100234A - Printing system, printer host, and software for printing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a range, in which adjustment values for printing positions set are applied, adaptable to the individual differences in mechanism of printer devices. <P>SOLUTION: A printing system is provided with a plurality of printers equipped with a plurality of paper sheet feeding means and a printer host which generates printing data to be outputted to any of the printers. In addition, the printer host is provided with; a means which receives the selection of the printers to be used for printing; a means which receives the selection of the paper sheet feeding means in the printers thus selected; a means which receives the adjustment values used for adjusting the printing positions in the printers; a means which stores the adjustment values thus received in association with the printers thus selected and the paper sheet feeding means thus selected; and a means which generates the printing data by using the adjustment values which are stored in association with the printers selected and the paper sheet feeding means selected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly, to an adjustment value management technique used for adjusting a printing position.

  In a printing system configured to include a printer and a computer (printer host) that controls the printer, printing is not limited to ordinary printing paper, and printing is performed on various printing media. For example, postcards, CD / DVD label surfaces, slips, label stickers, and the like.

  Some of these print media require information to be printed to be accurately printed at a predetermined position. For example, in postcard printing, the postal code must be printed so that it fits within a predetermined frame. In slip printing, the amount of money for each item is a position corresponding to each item printed in advance on the slip. Must be printed on.

  For this reason, application software for printing on a print medium that requires such an accurate print position generally has a print position adjustment function as described in Patent Document 1. Is. That is, the print position can be adjusted by inputting an adjustment value for each of the distance, the number of dots, and the like for each of the vertical and horizontal directions. For example, if the printing position is shifted by 3 mm upward and 2 mm to the left as a result of the trial printing, 3 mm downward and 2 mm rightward are input as adjustment values. By executing printing using this adjustment value, it is possible to obtain a printing result printed accurately at a predetermined position.

  Conventionally, in an application, when an adjustment value is set in a certain print, the value is stored, and the same adjustment value is used for the subsequent similar printing, so that the trouble of inputting the adjustment value every time printing is saved. I am doing so. For the same printing, the range to which the set adjustment value is applied differs depending on the application, but for example, the following method has been put into practical use.

  1) A method in which once an adjustment value is set, the same adjustment value is used for all subsequent printing using the application unless it is reset. 2) A method in which adjustment values are stored as attached information in an image to be printed, and the adjustment values stored as attached information are used for printing the image. 3) A method in which adjustment values are stored for each print medium, slip type, label sticker model number, etc., and the same adjustment value is used when printing the same print media or model number. 4) A method in which the adjustment value itself is stored as a file, and the adjustment value recorded in the file is used by the user specifying the file independently of the image to be printed.

JP 2000-11062 A

  By the way, the reason why the print position needs to be adjusted is considered to be the error of the print media, the difference between the created image and the actually printed image, etc. The impact is considered large. Further, it is considered that the individual difference for each printer has a greater influence on the printing position due to the individual difference of the printer device than the individual difference of software for printer control.

  For this reason, the range in which the adjustment values that have been set in the past do not necessarily reflect the actual situation, and the adjustment values are forced to be readjusted unnecessarily, or the adjustment values that are not optimal are applied and printed. It is thought that there are not many.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make the range to which the set print position adjustment value applies correspond to the individual differences in the mechanism of the printer apparatus.

The first aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.
A printing system comprising: a printer having a plurality of paper feeding means; and a printer host that generates print data to be output to the printer,
The printer host is
Means for accepting selection of paper feed means in the printer;
Means for receiving an adjustment value used for adjusting a printing position in the printer;
Means for storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected paper feeding means;
A printing system comprising: means for generating print data using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected paper feeding means when executing printing.

  Generally, a printer includes a plurality of paper feeding devices as paper feeding means in order to enable printing on a plurality of types of printing media. Since the paper feeding device is a hardware mechanism, there are individual differences. Therefore, an adjustment value corresponding to each sheet feeding device is required.

  For this reason, in this aspect, the adjustment value and the sheet feeding unit are associated with each other so that the range to which the set adjustment value of the printing position is applied corresponds to the mechanical individual difference of the printer apparatus.

The second aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.
A printing system having a plurality of printers having a plurality of paper feeding means and a printer host that generates print data to be output to any of the printers,
The printer host is
Means for accepting selection of a printer to be used for printing;
Means for accepting selection of a paper feeding means in the selected printer;
Means for receiving an adjustment value used for adjusting a printing position in the printer;
Means for storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected printer and the selected paper feeding means;
A printing system comprising: means for generating print data using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected printer and a selected paper feeding means when executing printing.

  When there are a plurality of printers, there are individual differences in the sheet feeding device for each printer.

  For this reason, in this aspect, by associating the printer, the adjustment value, and the sheet feeding unit, the range to which the set adjustment value of the print position is applied corresponds to the mechanical individual difference of the printer apparatus. .

  The present invention also provides a printer host, a program, and a recording medium.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a hardware configuration of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

  As shown in the figure, the printing system includes a computer 50 for realizing various processes by an application, printing processes by a printer driver, and the like, and a printer 10 connected to the computer 50. In the present embodiment, the computer 50 functions as a printer host that generates print data and transmits it to the printer 10. On the other hand, the printer 10 is a printing apparatus that performs printing based on print data sent from the computer 50. The printer 10 has a function for printing on a label surface of a disk type recording medium such as a CD-R / DVD-R, roll paper, cardboard, etc. in addition to normal printing paper, and a plurality of corresponding ones. It has a paper supply / discharge mechanism. Depending on the structure of the printer 10, for example, the disk-type recording medium supply / discharge mechanism and the thick paper supply / discharge mechanism may use the same physical sheet supply mechanism. In such a case, both are handled as separate paper supply / discharge mechanisms for the sake of convenience. Further, the paper supply / discharge mechanisms may be associated with each print medium size, and each may be handled as a separate paper supply / discharge mechanism.

  The computer 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51 that performs processing based on various programs, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 52 that temporarily stores data and programs, various data for controlling the computer 50, and a startup time. For example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 53 in which a storage program is stored in a nonvolatile manner, and an interface 54 for controlling transmission / reception of data to / from a peripheral device such as the connected printer 10.

  The computer 50 includes a display device 61 such as a color display, an input device 62 such as a mouse and a keyboard, a media reading device 63 that reads data from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, and a built-in or external auxiliary storage device. 64, a communication control device 65 for connecting to a computer network such as the Internet is connected.

  The printer 10 is, for example, an ink jet color printer. An ink-jet color printer includes a plurality of ink cartridges filled with ink in a casing, and performs printing by spraying the ink from a print head onto a printing medium such as a printing paper or a CD-R.

  The printer 10 includes an interface 11 that controls communication with the computer 50 such as data reception, a CPU 12 that performs processing based on print data and various programs, a RAM 13 that temporarily stores print data, and the printer 10. A printing mechanism 15 including a ROM 14 in which various data and various programs for control are stored in a nonvolatile manner, a print head that ejects ink, a carriage drive mechanism that drives a carriage on which the print head is mounted, and printing. And a paper supply / discharge mechanism 16 that supplies and discharges paper and the like.

  The outline of the printing mechanism 15 and the paper supply / discharge mechanism 16 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows an outline of the configuration of the cross section of the printer 10. The printer 10 includes, as a printing mechanism 15, a carriage 21 on which a plurality of ink cartridges are mounted, an ink jet print head 22 attached to the carriage 21, and a carriage 21 that reciprocates in a main scanning direction (a direction perpendicular to the drawing). The support rod 24 etc. which support are provided. The print head 22 receives ink from the ink cartridge, ejects ink droplets onto the printing surface of the recording medium in accordance with the movement of the carriage 21 to form dots, and prints images, characters, and the like.

  In addition, the printer 10 includes a sheet feeder 31 for feeding plain paper 30, a form, a label sheet, and the like as a paper feed / discharge mechanism 16, a roll paper feed port 33 for feeding roll paper 32, A CD / DVD 35 set on the CD / DVD tray 34 and a manual feed tray 36 for taking cardboard and the like into the main body are provided. Which of these paper feeding devices is used can be instructed from a printer driver unit 520 (see FIG. 3) of the computer 50 which will be described later. Note that the paper supply device that the printer 10 includes as the paper supply / discharge mechanism 16 is not limited thereto.

  Next, functional configurations realized in the computer 50 and the printer 10 by the printing system will be described with reference to a functional block diagram of FIG.

  As shown in the figure, a print support program unit 510 and a printer driver unit 520 are constructed on the computer 50.

  The print support program unit 510 creates an image to be printed when setting CD / DVD label printing, roll paper printing, business card printing, etc. in this printing system, Processing for supporting adjustment of the printing position and the like is performed.

  Therefore, the print support program unit 510 receives an instruction from the user, an image processing unit 511 having an image creation / editing function, a driver interface unit 512 having an interface function with the printer driver unit 520, and a print support. A control unit 513 that controls various processes in the program unit 510 and an adjustment value storage unit 514 that stores an adjustment value of a set printing position are provided.

  The print support program unit 510 is constructed on the computer 50 by the CPU 51 executing the print support application program loaded in the RAM 52. However, the adjustment value storage unit 514 can be constructed as a file on the auxiliary storage device 64, for example.

  The printer driver unit 520 receives the image data generated by the print support program unit 510 and the print conditions for which the settings have been received, converts the print data into a format that can be interpreted by the printer 10, and transmits the print data to the printer 10 via the interface 54. It has a function. In the conversion to print data, specifically, rasterization processing that expands the read image data into image data that is an aggregate of dots, halftone processing that performs color conversion processing and halftone processing of image data, Processing for converting the processed image data into print data is performed.

  The printer driver unit 520 is constructed on the computer 50 by the CPU 51 executing the printer driver program loaded in the RAM 52.

  The print support application program or the printer driver program can be distributed by recording it on a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The program can be installed in the computer 50 by reading this recording medium with the media reader 63. For example, it can also be installed in the computer 50 via a computer network such as the Internet.

  In FIG. 3, a communication unit 110, a print control unit 120, and a print execution unit 130 are constructed on the printer 10.

  The communication unit 110 transmits / receives information to / from the computer 50, for example, receives print data, transmits information about the printer main body, and the like.

  The print control unit 120 interprets the print data transmitted from the computer 50 and performs control for causing the printer 10 to execute printing based on the print data. The print control unit 120 is constructed on the printer 10 by the CPU 12 performing processing based on the program and print data loaded in the RAM 13.

  The print execution unit 130 executes printing in accordance with an instruction from the print control unit 120. The print execution unit 130 is constructed on the printer 10 by the printing mechanism 15 and the paper supply / discharge mechanism 16 performing respective processes.

  Next, processing of the print support program unit 510 will be described.

  The print support program unit 510 performs a process for generating an image used for printing and a process for printing the generated image.

  That is, the user can use the image processing unit 511 of the print support program unit 510 to generate and edit an image to be printed in the print area. When the image processing unit 511 receives a designation of a printing purpose, for example, CD / DVD label printing, business card printing, label sticker, or the like from the user, the image processing unit 511 displays an editing screen corresponding to the purpose, and sets the printing area. The image corresponding to is displayed, and an instruction regarding image generation / editing from the user is received. Such image processing can be performed using a conventional technique, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The control unit 513 of the print support program unit 510 can accept the setting of the paper feeding device at the time of printing. For example, the sheet feeder can be set by displaying a sheet feeder, roll paper, and manual feed tray in a menu format, and accepting a selection from the user. Paper feed devices that can be selected from the menu correspond to paper feed devices that can be used by the paper supply / discharge mechanism 16 provided in the printer 10. Information regarding the paper feeding device that can be used by the paper feeding / discharging mechanism 16 can be acquired from the printer driver unit 520. The driver interface unit 512 of the print support program unit 510 notifies the printer driver unit 520 of the set paper feeding device when printing is executed. Alternatively, the control unit 513 of the print support program unit 510 determines an optimal sheet feeding device that can be used by the sheet feeding / discharging mechanism 16 based on settings of the purpose of printing, printing paper, and the like when printing is performed. Then, the printer driver unit 520 may be notified.

  In addition, the control unit 513 of the print support program unit 510 receives the setting of the adjustment value of the print position. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for accepting the setting of the adjustment value of the printing position. The example in this figure is an example of a screen for accepting adjustment value settings when CD / DVD label printing is performed using CD / DVD as the print medium. As shown in the figure, the adjustment value is set by receiving the adjustment value in the vertical direction and the adjustment value in the horizontal direction. The adjustment value set by accepting the click of the “OK” button on this screen is fixed.

  The print support program unit 510 generates image data in consideration of the set adjustment value when printing is performed, and transmits the image data to the printer driver unit 520.

  In this embodiment, when the control unit 513 of the print support program unit 510 receives the setting of the adjustment value for the print position, the control unit 513 stores the received adjustment value in the adjustment value storage unit 514 in association with the sheet feeding device. In the subsequent printing process, when a paper feeder is set, the print position is adjusted using the adjustment value associated with the paper feeder as a default.

  For example, if a manual feed tray is specified as the paper feeder and a certain adjustment value is set, the same adjustment value will be applied to subsequent printing on the manual feed tray regardless of the print media specification. Is done. On the other hand, when a sheet feeder or roll paper is designated as the paper feeding device, this adjustment value is not applied and the adjustment value for each paper feeding device is applied.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the print position adjustment value is managed in association with the paper feed device, so that the range to which the set print position adjustment value is applied can be set to an individual difference of the paper feed mechanism of the printer device. Can be matched.

  Next, an embodiment in which a plurality of printers are connected will be described as another example of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a hardware configuration of a printing system including a plurality of printers. As shown in the figure, a plurality of printers 10 a to 10 c are connected to a computer 50, and the computer 50 can perform printing from any printer 10. The hardware configurations of the computer 50 and the printer 10 can be the same as those in the above example. A plurality of computers 50 may be connected.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining a functional configuration realized in the computer 50 and the printers 10a to 10c by the printing system. In this example, the computer 50 includes a printer driver unit 520 corresponding to each printer 10. The user can print from an arbitrary printer by selecting the printer driver unit 520 corresponding to the printer to be printed.

  In this embodiment, the processing for generating an image to be printed and the setting processing for the paper feeding device on the computer 50 are performed in the same manner as in the above example. However, since the settable paper feeding device depends on the functions of the printers 10a to 10c, it is assumed that the printer 10 used for printing is designated in advance. The printers 10a to 10c may include one type of printer that can be set. The print support program unit 510 can acquire information related to the designated printer 10 via, for example, an operating system that controls the computer 50.

  Also, the setting of the adjustment value for the printing position is accepted in the same manner as in the above example. In this embodiment, when the control unit 513 of the print support program unit 510 receives the setting of the print position adjustment value, the control unit 513 stores the received adjustment value in the auxiliary storage device 64 or the like in association with the printer and the paper feeding device. . In the subsequent printing process, when a printer is designated and a paper feeding device is set, the printing position is adjusted using an adjustment value associated with the paper feeding device in the printer.

  For example, when the printer 10a is designated as a printer that performs printing and an adjustment value that is a case where the sheet feeding device is a sheet feeder is set, printing in the sheet feeder in the subsequent printer 10a is performed as a print medium. Regardless of the designation, the same adjustment value will be applied. On the other hand, when the printer 10b or 10c is designated as a printer that performs printing, this adjustment value is not applied even if the sheet feeding device is a sheet feeder. However, it may be applied as a default value, and may be applied independently for each printer when a separate adjustment value is set.

  As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the print position adjustment value is managed in association with the printer and the paper feed device, so that the range to which the set print position adjustment value is applied is supplied to each printer device. It can correspond to individual differences in mechanism.

1 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a hardware configuration of a printing system. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration when the printer is viewed from above. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a printing system. The figure which shows an example of the screen for accepting the setting of an adjustment value. The block diagram for demonstrating another example of hardware constitutions. The block diagram which shows another example of a function structure of a printing system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer, 11 ... Interface, 12 ... CPU, 13 ... RAM, 14 ... ROM, 15 ... Printing mechanism, 16 ... Feeding / discharging mechanism, 21 ... Carriage, 22 ... Print head, 24 ... Support rod, 30 ... Plain paper 31 ... Sheet feeder, 32 ... Roll paper, 33 ... Roll paper feed port, 34 ... CD / DVD tray, 35 ... CD / DVD, 36 ... Manual feed tray, 40 ... Guide, 50 ... Computer, 51 ... CPU, 52 ... RAM, 53 ... ROM, 54 ... interface, 61 ... display device, 62 ... input device, 63 ... media reading device, 64 ... auxiliary storage device, 65 ... communication control device, 110 ... communication unit, 120 ... print control unit, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 130 ... Print execution part, 510 ... Print support program part, 511 ... Image processing part, 512 ... Driver interface part, 513 ... Control part, 514 ... Adjustment Storage unit, 520 ... the printer driver unit

Claims (7)

A printing system comprising: a printer having a plurality of paper feeding means; and a printer host that generates print data to be output to the printer,
The printer host is
Means for accepting selection of paper feed means in the printer;
Means for receiving an adjustment value used for adjusting a printing position in the printer;
Means for storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected paper feeding means;
A printing system comprising: means for generating print data using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected paper feeding means when executing printing. A printing system having a plurality of printers having a plurality of paper feeding means and a printer host that generates print data to be output to any of the printers,
The printer host is
Means for accepting selection of a printer to be used for printing;
Means for accepting selection of a paper feeding means in the selected printer;
Means for receiving an adjustment value used for adjusting a printing position in the printer;
Means for storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected printer and the selected paper feeding means;
A printing system comprising: means for generating print data using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected printer and a selected paper feeding unit when performing printing. A printer host that generates print data to be output to a printer having a plurality of paper feeding means;
Means for accepting selection of paper feed means in the printer;
Means for receiving an adjustment value used for adjusting a printing position in the printer;
Means for storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected paper feeding means;
A printer host comprising: means for generating print data using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected paper feeding means when executing printing. A printer host that generates print data to be output to any of a plurality of printers having a plurality of paper feeding means;
Means for accepting selection of a printer to be used for printing;
Means for accepting selection of a paper feeding means in the selected printer;
Means for receiving an adjustment value used for adjusting a printing position in the printer;
Means for storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected printer and the selected paper feeding means;
A printer host comprising: means for generating print data by using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected printer and a selected paper feeding means when executing printing. A program for causing a computer to execute a process for supporting a process of generating print data to be output to a printer having a plurality of paper feed units,
Processing for accepting selection of a paper feeding means in the printer;
A process of accepting an adjustment value used for adjusting a print position in the printer;
A process of storing the received adjustment value in association with the selected paper feeding means;
A program for causing a computer to execute a process of generating print data using an adjustment value stored in association with a selected paper feeding unit when executing printing. A program for causing a computer to execute a process for supporting a process of generating print data to be output to any of a plurality of printers including one or a plurality of paper feed units.
A process of acquiring printer information used for printing;
Processing for accepting selection of a paper feeding means in the printer;
A process of accepting an adjustment value used for adjusting a print position in the printer;
A process of storing the received adjustment value in association with the printer used for printing and the selected paper feeding means;
A program for causing a computer to execute processing for generating print data by using adjustment values stored in association with a printer used for printing and a selected paper feeding unit when performing printing. A computer-readable recording medium in which the program according to claim 5 or 6 is recorded.