JP2005122373A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system that enables a user to obtain the best print output result for image content, without image preprocessing printing data. <P>SOLUTION: In the print system comprising a printer and a external processing body outside the printer, data consist of print data for forming an image to be printed out and print property as information regarding a method of forming the image to be printed out. The printer has a selection processing for selecting an optimum processing body outside the printer according to the printing attributes, the selected processing body outside the printer has data conversion content determination processing for determining a method of converting the print data according to the printing attributes, and the printer has data conversion processing for converting the contents of the print data, according to the data conversion content determined by the selected processing body outside the printer and print output processing, for printing out the print data converted by the data conversion processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system.

  Conventionally, printing devices that receive print data from a host computer, perform appropriate image processing, and form and output a visible image on a paper surface have greatly improved printing capabilities so that more beautiful color printing and high-resolution printing can be performed. Some output results have the same quality as photos and books. This applies not only to devices for professional users who specialize in print processing, but also to general-purpose printing devices for users who do not have image processing technology for printing in individuals or general offices. In such a general-purpose printing apparatus, instead of the user, the printer driver of the host computer or the controller software inside the printing apparatus automatically processes the original data that the user wants to print in accordance with the output characteristics and capabilities of the printing apparatus. It was common.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-178267

  However, the user's print data is diverse. For example, even in a photographic image, image processing for printing a portrait photograph of a person with beautiful skin color, image processing for brightly printing the blue sky of a sunny tropical landscape photograph, The processing contents of the night scene image are different from those of the image processing that prints the gradation of the shadow part richly, and the processing according to the image contents in this way cannot often be handled by the automatic image processing. For this reason, in the conventional printing apparatus, it is necessary to perform appropriate image processing before creating print data while taking into consideration the characteristics of the printing apparatus output by the user, which requires time and effort for the user and requires image processing knowledge. It was done.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing system in which a user can obtain an optimum print output result for image contents without performing pre-image processing of print data. There is.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 comprises a printing apparatus that receives data from a host computer or the like and prints it out, and a processing unit outside the apparatus that provides an instruction to the printing apparatus. In the printing system, the data includes print data for forming an image to be printed and a print attribute that is information on a method for forming the image to be printed, and the printing apparatus is optimized based on the print attribute. A selection process for selecting an external processing body, a data conversion content determination process for determining a method for converting the print data based on the print attribute, and the selected external processing body, and the printing apparatus, A data conversion process for converting the contents of the print data in accordance with the data conversion contents determined by the selected external processing body, and the data conversion process. It characterized by having a printout process for printing out the print data.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the selection process is a process of selecting an out-of-device processing body that ends early.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the selection process is a process of selecting a processing unit outside the apparatus that improves the output image quality.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the data conversion processing is image retouching, color matching processing, or both.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion content determination processing is manually performed by a human.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a printed output with appropriate image correction corresponding to an individual image that cannot be obtained by automatic processing, with the same simplicity as a conventional printing apparatus. .

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[Description of FIG. 1 (Configuration Block Diagram of Example)]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, 1.1 is a host computer in which a user runs an application or the like and transfers a print command to the printing apparatus, 1.2 is a printing apparatus that performs image processing based on the print command and forms and outputs a visible image, 1.3 Is a laboratory for determining an image processing method, and 1.4 is a network such as a LAN or the Internet for transferring data between a host computer and a printing apparatus or between a printing apparatus and a laboratory.

  First, the internal configuration of the printing apparatus 1.2 will be described.

  1.2.1 is a network I / F that communicates with the network 1.4, 1.2.2 is an image storage unit that stores print images, and 1.2.3 is an attribute storage unit that stores print attributes. is there. The print data received from the host computer 1.1 via the network I / F 1.2.1 includes image data indicating the print contents in the image storage unit 1.2.2, and information such as the print method and image contents is attribute management. Stored and processed in section 1.2.3.

  1.2.4 is a laboratory search unit that searches among a plurality of laboratories 1.3 for determining the contents of image processing performed by the printing apparatus 1.2. Determine the optimal lab according to the information stored in the printing device characteristic storage section of .5. The lab information will be described with reference to FIG. 5, and the lab determination method will be described with reference to FIGS. When the lab is determined, the printing apparatus 1.2 sends the image stored in the image storage unit 1.2.2 and the attribute stored in the attribute storage unit 1.2.3 to the lab 1.3 to determine the image processing content.

  1.2.6 and 1.2.7 are a retouch information storage unit that stores the retouch content among the image processing content received from the lab, and a color profile management unit that stores a color profile used during color conversion processing. . Examples of these contents are shown in FIG.

  Based on the stored retouch information and profile information, the printing apparatus 1.2 retouches the print image data to the optimum image by the retouch processing unit of 1.2.8, and the device characteristics by the color conversion unit of 1.2.9. Mapping, YMCK conversion, and halftoning processing are performed, and a visible image is formed and output on the paper surface from the print output unit 1.2.10.

  1.2.11 is a CPU for controlling the entire printing apparatus 1.2 including the above processing, 1.2.12 is a ROM in which processing contents including the above processing are described, and a RAM for storing various work information. 2.13 shows an internal bus which communicates between the above components. All processes performed by the printing apparatus 1.2 during printing will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. An actual example of the printing apparatus 1.2 will be described with reference to the cross-sectional view of FIG.

The above is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the present embodiment. Before explaining the detailed movement, the points of the present invention are shown in FIG. 2 (conventional image processing procedure) and FIG. The image processing procedure will be described below.
[Description of FIG. 2 (Conventional Image Processing Procedure)]
First, an example of an image processing procedure of a conventional printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

  When print data generated by the host computer 2.1 is received by the printer 2.2, the image data 2.2.1 mapped in a color space (for example, sRGB) independent of the device and the image processing method of the print job Are divided and stored in job attributes 2.2.2 including instructions and the like. Here, the print data includes data such as lines, figures, and characters in addition to the image data, but the description of the present invention will be described with a particular focus on the image data.

  The received image data 2.2.1 is first mapped to a device RGB space (referred to as dRGB) depending on the printer device, and at the same time, gamma is adjusted. Here, the user adds an instruction of an image processing method (for example, priority on color or vividness) to the job attribute 2.2.2, and a plurality of profile information 2.2.3, 2.2.4 prepared. 2.2.5 can be chosen to make the color matching form intended.

  The image data converted into dRGB is converted into YMCK of 2.2.7, and then halftoned with dither or the like if necessary, and printed out on paper 2.2.9.

  In another form, CMS is performed on the host computer 2.1 and print image data is sent as dRGB data.

  As described above, in the conventional printing apparatus, the color intended by the user is performed by selecting a color matching profile. However, the profile prepared for all image contents is not applicable, and for example, a photographic image or the like is used. However, since the source profile is not constant, it is difficult to automate, so there are many cases in which the output is in a color contrary to the user's intention.

On the other hand, in the DTP world, where color strictness is required, data is created by designers, and image processing at the output stage is performed by professionals from printing shops who know the characteristics of the printing device and have appropriate color processing know-how. The role assignment is clarified, such as manually. However, since it is not immediately effective to perform all printing processes via a printing shop, when users easily print from a computer to a printer, they may try and process the colors themselves or endure unsatisfactory colors. It was.
[Description of FIG. 3 (Image Processing Procedure of the Present Embodiment)]
In the present invention, this image processing workflow is changed accurately and easily. The flow will be described with reference to FIG.

  The print data received from the host computer 3.1 is stored in the printer 3.2 as image data 3.2.1 and job attributes 3.2.2 as in the conventional case. Then, Lab Search 3.2.4 collects various Lab information 3.3.1, 3.4.1 and searches for Labs that can process print jobs with Job Attributes 3.2.2. Then, the image data 3.4.2, job attribute 3.4.3, and device attribute 3.4.4 of the output printer are transferred to the found laboratory 3.4.

  In the laboratory 3.4, a professional processor 3.4.5 having know-how in image processing determines the image retouching method so that the user can print in the color desired by the user based on the received information (3.4. 6) Create an output profile (3.4.7) and send the image processing information back to the printer 3.2.

  The printer 3.2 retouches the original image data 3.2.1 based on the retouch information 3.2.5 received from the lab 3.4 (3.2.7), and performs color matching (3.2). 8) After that, YMCK conversion and halftoning are performed and printed out.

In this way, the user transfers the print job to the printer 3.2 in the same manner as in the past, and the printer automatically sends it to the lab to determine the image processing method. It is possible to obtain a color processing result in accordance with individual images that cannot be obtained by automatic image processing.
[Description of FIG. 4 (printing apparatus and laboratory processing procedure)]
As an embodiment for realizing the above processing, processing performed by the printing apparatus 1.2 and the laboratory 1.3 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the printing apparatus that has received the print data requests lab information 4.3.1 from all labs in step S4.1.1. The lab 1.3 transmits the lab information 4.3.1 in response to the request from the printing apparatus 1.2 in step S4.2.1. Lab information 4.3.1 exchanged here will be described in detail with reference to an example in FIG.

  In step S4.1.2, the printing apparatus 1.2 sorts the received laboratory information 4.3.1 in the necessary order by looking at the attributes stored in the attribute storage unit 1.2.3. The laboratory most suitable for requesting is determined (step S4.1.3).

  Here, in step S4.1.1, information is acquired from all laboratories every time printing processing is performed. For example, lab information 4.3.1 is actually cached in the printing apparatus 1.2. The present invention is applied even to a devised method such as reducing the number of times the information is acquired or transmitting the change of the laboratory information 4.3.1 from the laboratory 1.3 to the printing apparatus 1.2. Needless to say.

  When the lab is determined, the print data stored in the image storage unit 1.2.2 and the attribute storage unit 1.2.3 is sent to the laboratory 1.3 in step S4.1.4. An example of job attributes in the data 4.3.2 sent here is shown in FIG.

  The laboratory that has received the data in step S4.2.2 performs image processing manually by a professional engineer in step S4.2.3. Then, based on the result, retouch information is created in step S4.2.4, a profile is created in step S4.2.5, and the information is sent back to the printer in step S4.2.5.

  When the printer 1.2 receives the image processing information 4.3.3 in step S4.1.5, the printer 1.2 performs retouch processing in step S4.1.6, performs color conversion processing in step S4.1.7, and then In step S4.1.8, the print output process is performed to finish the process.

The above is the overall processing flow of the embodiment of the present invention. Next, an example of laboratory information 4.3.1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[Explanation of Fig. 5 (example of laboratory information)]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of lab information 4.3.1 received from the lab 1.3 by the printing apparatus 1.2 in steps S4.1.1 and S4.2.1 of FIG.

  First, as an example, FIG. 5a shows that if the lab with the address “LABO1” is asked for processing, the processing can start from 13:00 on January 1, 2002, and the possible image processing is up to business color image quality. It is.

  Another example, FIG. 5b, shows that if you ask a lab with the address LABO2 for processing, processing can start at 13:30 on January 1, 2002, and the possible image processing is up to photographic quality. .

It goes without saying that information of contents and forms other than the above may be exchanged by taking as an example only the minimum information that looks at the processing capacity and complexity of the lab.
[Explanation of Fig. 6 (Lab Information Sorting Example)]
Next, FIG. 6 shows an example of sort processing (step S4.1.2) performed to determine the requested laboratory from the information of FIG. This is an example in the case where the information of “whether processing speed or image quality is prioritized for processing” is included.

  First, FIG. 6A is an example of the sort processing result when there is an instruction to prioritize speed over image quality. The lab information in FIG. 5 is sorted in the order of early processing start time, and processing is requested to the LABO5. . However, this lab will have business color image quality.

On the other hand, FIG. 6B is an example of the sort processing result when there is an instruction to prioritize the image quality over the speed. The sort is performed in the descending order of the processing that can handle the laboratory information, and the processing is requested to the LABO 3. However, in this case, the process start time is 13:15, and it takes time from LABO1 or LABO5 to the end of the process.
[Description of FIG. 7 (Example of Job Attributes)]
FIG. 7 shows an example of job attributes in the print data 4.3.2 delivered to the laboratory in steps S4.1.4 and S4.2.2 in FIG. Here, as the information for the image processing, the original image type 7.1 and the color matching tendency 7.2 are passed, but it goes without saying that other information may be used.

For example, the lab looks at the information of image type 7.1 and does not just match the colors, but portraits tend to have a beautiful skin tone, and night scenes tend to be processed so that shadows do not collapse. Can be decided.
[Description of FIG. 8 (Example of Retouch Information)]
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of retouch information transmitted from the laboratory 1.3 to the printing apparatus 1.2 in steps S4.1.5 and S4.2.5 of FIG.

In retouching, for example, in order to reduce the amount of data, only an instruction of the content of the retouching process is exchanged, not an image after retouching. The figure shows an example in which the retouch process of 7.1 to 8.6 and 6 steps from the top is performed, and an area in the image to reflect the retouch process, retouch contents, and parameter information are instructed.
[Explanation of FIG. 9 (Cross Section of Printing Apparatus)]
Here, the configuration of a printing apparatus to which the present embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing the structure of a printing apparatus having a resolution of 600 dots / inch (dpi) and performing image recording based on multi-value data in which each pixel of each color component is expressed by 8 bits. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 100 denotes a printing apparatus main body, which inputs and stores print data (character code, image data, etc.) and control information supplied from an externally connected host computer and the like, and control information. This is an apparatus for creating a character pattern or an image corresponding to the information and forming an image on a recording sheet as a storage medium.

  Reference numeral 110 denotes a formatter control unit that analyzes print information supplied from the host computer or laboratory described above, generates print images, and controls the printing apparatus main body 100. Further, the formatter control unit 110 is connected to an operation panel unit 120 in which switches and LED indicators for user operation and status notification to the user are arranged, and the panel unit is an exterior of the printing apparatus 100. It is arranged as a part of. The final print image generated by the formatter control unit 110 is sent to the output control unit 130 as a video signal, and the output control unit 130 inputs the optical unit 140 and the status input from various sensors (not shown) of the printing apparatus 100. Control signals are output to various drive system mechanisms, and the printing process as the printing apparatus 100 is controlled.

  In the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the paper P fed from the paper feed cassette 161 is held at the outer periphery of the transfer drum 154 with its leading end held between grippers 154 f. The latent images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive drum 151 by the optical unit 140 are developed by the color developing devices Dy, Dm, Dc, Db of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (B). And is transferred a plurality of times to the paper on the outer periphery of the transfer drum to form a multicolor image.

  Thereafter, the paper P is separated from the transfer drum 154, fixed by the fixing unit 155, and discharged from the paper discharge unit 159 to the paper discharge tray unit 160. Here, the developing devices Dy, Dm, Dc, and Db of the respective colors have rotation support shafts at both ends, and are held by the developing device selection mechanism unit 152 so as to be rotatable around the shafts. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the developing devices Dy, Dm, Dc, and Db maintain their postures even when the developing device selection mechanism 152 rotates around the rotation shaft 152a for selecting the developing device. It has a configuration that can be maintained constant. After the selected developing device is moved to the developing position, the developing device selection mechanism 152 is integrated with the developing device, and the selection mechanism holding frame 153 is pulled toward the photosensitive drum 151 by the solenoid 153a around the fulcrum 153b. The developing process is performed by moving in the direction of the drum 151.

  Next, the charging drum 156 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 151 to a predetermined polarity. The print information developed as a device-dependent bitmap in the formatter control unit 110 is converted into a video signal having a corresponding pattern and is output to a laser driver to drive the semiconductor laser 141. The laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser 141 in accordance with the input video signal is controlled to be turned on and off, and is further swung left and right by the polygon mirror 142 that rotates at high speed by the scanner motor 143, via the polygon lens 134 and the reflecting mirror 144. The photosensitive drum 151 is scanned and exposed. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having an image pattern is formed on the photosensitive drum 151.

  Next, for example, an M (magenta) electrostatic latent image is developed by an M (magenta) developer Dm, and an M (magenta) first toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 151. . On the other hand, the transfer paper P is fed at a predetermined timing, a transfer bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner (for example, plus polarity) is applied to the transfer drum 154, and the first toner image on the photosensitive drum 151 is applied to the transfer paper P. While being transferred, the transfer paper P is electrostatically attracted to the surface of the transfer drum 154.

  Thereafter, the remaining M (magenta) toner is removed from the photosensitive drum 151 by the cleaner 157 to prepare for a latent image formation and development process for the next color.

  Thereafter, the toner images of the second, third, and fourth colors are transferred in the order of C (cyan), Y (yellow), and Bk (black) by the same procedure. However, a difference is that a bias voltage higher than the previous time is applied to the transfer drum 154 at the time of transfer of each color.

  When the leading edge of the transfer paper P onto which the four-color toner images are superimposed and transferred approaches the separation position, the separation claw 158 approaches and the leading edge contacts the surface of the transfer drum 154, and the transfer paper P is removed from the transfer drum 154. Separate. The separated transfer paper P is conveyed to the fixing unit 155 where the toner image on the transfer paper P is fixed and discharged onto the paper discharge tray 160. The color laser beam printer according to the present embodiment outputs an image with a resolution of 600 dots / inch (dpi) through the image forming process as described above.

  The printer to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to a printing apparatus, and may be a color printer of another printing system such as an ink jet printer or a thermal printer.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the conventional image processing procedure. It is a figure which shows the image processing procedure of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the processing procedure of the printing apparatus and laboratory which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of laboratory information. It is a figure which shows the example of a sort of laboratory information. It is a figure which shows the example of a job attribute. It is a figure which shows the example of retouch information. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a printing apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

1.1 Host computer 1.2 Printing device 1.3 Lab 1.4 Network 1.2.4 Lab search unit 1.2.2 Storage unit 1.2.3 Storage unit 1.2.5 Printing device characteristic management unit 1.2.6 Storage unit 1.2.7 Storage unit 1.2.8 Processing unit 1.2.9 Processing unit 1.2.10 Print output unit 1.3.1 Management unit 1.3.2 Operation unit 1.3.3 Creation unit 1.3.4 Creation unit 1.3.6 Storage unit 1.3.7 Storage unit

Claims (5)

In a printing system comprising a printing device that receives data from a host computer or the like and prints it out, and a processing unit outside the printing device that gives an instruction to the printing device.
The data includes print data for forming an image to be printed and print attributes which are information relating to a method for forming the image to be printed, and the printing apparatus is an optimum external processing unit based on the print attributes. A selection process for selecting the data, a data conversion content determination process for determining the method for converting the print data based on the print attribute, and the printing apparatus is configured to select the selected apparatus. A printing comprising: a data conversion process for converting the contents of the print data according to the data conversion contents determined by an external processing body; and a print output process for printing out the print data converted by the data conversion process system.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the selection process is a process of selecting an out-of-device processing body that ends early.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the selection process is a process of selecting an external processing apparatus that improves an output image quality.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion processing is image retouching and / or color matching processing.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion content determination process is manually performed by a human.

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