JP2005210312A - Inspection assisting image forming apparatus, image forming apparatus, inspection assisting image forming method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To confirm the quality of printed results on a sheet efficiently. <P>SOLUTION: A display image forming section 30 acquires several print result image data at an interval of a predetermined number of sheets from a group of print result image data read out sequentially at an image reading section 20, creates inspection assisting image data indicating the print result image data comparably each other, and displays that inspection assisting image data at an image display section 40. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection support image creating apparatus that creates an inspection support image for inspecting a printing result of a sheet.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a system that performs a print inspection of a sheet that has been subjected to a printing process by an image forming apparatus such as a printer.

  For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-281036 (Patent Document 1), when the inspection image data read by the inspection apparatus is determined to be defective, the inspection image data is used as the defect determination image data, and the defect occurrence position and the item are printed. A technique for displaying a screen together with information is disclosed. Thereby, the operator can confirm whether the inspection image data at the time of the defect determination of the inspection apparatus is really defective as printed matter with reference to the defect occurrence position and item displayed on the screen together with the defect determination image data. .

  Furthermore, as another conventional technique, the printing results of the paper are optically sequentially read, and the printing results thus read are displayed on the screen one after another, and the so-called afterimages are used to change the density and density between each paper. There is known a method for inspecting whether a printing error such as a deviation has occurred in a printing position or the like.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-210836

  However, in the method in which the print results of the paper are displayed on the screen one after another and the print inspection is performed by the afterimage, the density of the print printed on the paper and the print position slightly change for each print process. Since the change is minute on paper, it may be difficult to detect as a printing error. However, even with such a small change, if the number of copies is large, the minute change is accumulated, and there is a non-negligible difference in print quality between the paper printed in the first half and the paper printed in the second half. May occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to efficiently check the quality of a printing result on a sheet.

  The inspection image creation apparatus according to the present invention acquires several print result image data at a predetermined number of intervals from a print result image data group obtained by a reading device reading sequentially printed sheets. An acquisition means and image data creation means for creating inspection support image data that can be compared with some print result image data obtained at predetermined intervals in order to inspect the print results. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, in order to inspect the print result by the image data creating means, the test support image data that can be compared with some print result image data obtained at a predetermined number of intervals is created. Accordingly, for example, by displaying the created print result image data on the screen, the user can compare several print result image data acquired with a predetermined number of intervals. Therefore, for example, even if the change between adjacent papers is very small, by comparing several print result image data acquired with a predetermined number of intervals, the paper printed in the first half can be printed It is easy to find a non-negligible difference in print quality that occurs between the first and second half sheets.

  According to one aspect of the inspection image creating apparatus according to the present invention, the image data forming means prints the reading device each time in addition to several pieces of print result image data obtained at a predetermined number of intervals. Inspection support image data that can be compared with the print result image data obtained by reading the printed paper is sequentially created.

  According to the present invention, the image data creating means includes print result image data obtained by reading the printed paper each time in addition to some print result image data acquired at a predetermined number of intervals. In addition, inspection support image data that can be compared is created. Thereby, for example, by displaying this inspection support image data sequentially on the screen, several print result images obtained at intervals of a predetermined number of times for the print result image data of the sequentially printed paper. Can be compared with the data.

  According to one aspect of the inspection image creation apparatus according to the present invention, the image data creation means forms inspection support image data for displaying each print result image data side by side on different screen areas.

  According to the present invention, for example, by displaying the inspection support image data on the screen, the user can compare several print result image data obtained with a predetermined number of intervals arranged in one screen. In addition, it is possible to confirm the presence or absence of shading unevenness.

  According to one aspect of the inspection image creation apparatus according to the present invention, the image data creation means forms inspection support image data for displaying each print result image data on the same screen area. .

  According to the present invention, for example, by displaying the inspection support image data on the screen, the user can compare several print result image data acquired at a predetermined number of intervals on the same screen. In addition, it is possible to confirm the presence or absence of printing misalignment.

  According to one aspect of the inspection image creation apparatus according to the present invention, the image data creation means forms inspection support image data for displaying each print result image data in different display formats on the same screen area. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, for example, by displaying this inspection support image on the screen, the user can compare several print result image data displayed in different display formats in a state of being superimposed on the same screen. Therefore, it is easy to distinguish each print result image data.

  A first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as a first embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an image forming processing system according to the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is a device that performs printing processing on paper based on document image data and control signals provided from the print controller 2. Here, the image forming apparatus refers to an apparatus having an image forming function, such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a digital multi-function peripheral having at least a printing function. The paper means not only plain paper but also general printing objects such as OHP sheets, cardboard, and postcards.

  The print controller 2 receives from the host computer (not shown) print content data indicating what print content is to be printed on which side (front side or back side) of the paper, and the print content data is The image forming apparatus 1 converts the document image data indicating the printing contents and the control signal indicating the control contents of the printing process, and provides them to the image forming apparatus 1.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 1 will be further described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 is broadly divided into a print processing unit 10 that performs a printing process on paper, an image reading unit 20 that reads a paper printing result, and a display image creation unit 30 that creates image data to be displayed on a screen. And an image display unit 40 that displays the image created by the display image creation unit 30. Then, based on the image displayed on the image display unit 40, the user performs an inspection for determining whether the printing result of the paper is acceptable.

  Furthermore, the internal configuration of the print processing unit 10 will be described. The controller I / F control unit 11 receives document image data and a control signal for controlling the entire print processing unit from the print controller 2. The received document image data is held in the document image data holding unit 12 for a certain period. The received control signal is held in the control signal holding unit 13 for a certain period. In addition, what is necessary is just to comprise each holding | maintenance part 12 and 13 by a ring buffer using RAM. Therefore, for example, when the period in which each data is held is the period from when the printing process in the printing unit 14 is completed until the sheet is discharged to the discharge stacker provided in the image forming apparatus, the period A ring buffer having a capacity capable of holding document image data and control signals sequentially fetched from the print controller 2 may be used. In addition, the holding period may be a period until the printing process in the printing unit 14 is finished and the paper is delivered to a post-processing process such as collation or staple. Further, as an example, a case in which all the sheets on which the printing process has been performed is discharged to the discharge stacker based on a series of document image data groups and all the printed sheets are taken out from the discharge stacker by the user as an example. Can be mentioned.

  As described above, the reason why the received document image data and the control signal are held for a certain period is as follows. That is, after receiving the document image data and the control signal from the print controller 2, the print processing unit 10 performs the printing process on the sheet based on the document image data and the control signal, and the sheet is discharged to the discharge stacker. Some print processing error may occur during the interval. At this time, if the original image data and the control signal are held, the printing process can be resumed using the original image data and the control signal, so that it is easy to return to the state before the error occurred. is there.

  In addition, the image reading unit 20 is a mechanism that sequentially reads the printing results of the sheets on which the printing processing has been performed by the printing processing unit 10. Reading is performed, for example, by optically reading the printing state on the paper. Specifically, for example, the reading part on the paper is irradiated with light with an irradiation lamp, the light reflected on the paper is imaged with an imaging lens, and the formed optical image is captured by a CCD camera and converted into image data. This can be achieved.

  Next, the internal configuration of the display image creation unit 30 will be described. The print result image data holding unit 31 sequentially holds the data obtained by the image reading unit 20 sequentially reading the print result of the paper and converting it into image data as print result image data. The print result image data holding unit 31 may also be configured as a ring buffer using a RAM. During a period in which the data is held, for example, the printing process in the printing unit 14 is completed and the sheet is provided in the image forming apparatus. This is the period until it is discharged into the discharge stacker.

  The regular printing result image data storage unit 32 periodically acquires printing result image data at predetermined intervals from the printing result image data sequentially held in the printing result image data holding unit 31 and stores the printing result image data. It is a module to do. Here, the “predetermined number of sheets” may be set to an interval that is noticeable when a change in shading or a shift in print position is accumulated and displayed on the screen, for example, 1000 sheets. When the “predetermined number” is 1000, the image reading unit 20 reads the printing result of the paper on which the printing unit 14 has performed the printing process 1000 times, and the printing result image data of the read printing result is the printing result image data. Each time it is held in the holding unit 31, the print result image data held at that time is acquired, and the acquired print result image data is stored in the regular print result image data storage unit 32. The regular print result image data storage unit 32 may also be configured by a ring buffer using a RAM, and stores print result image data for three sheets of paper, for example. In the case of three sheets, in other words, the print result image data for three cycles (for example, the 1000th sheet, the 2000th sheet, and the 3000th sheet) is stored in the periodic print result image data storage unit 32, and a new print is performed. Each time the result image data is acquired, the print result image data stored first is overwritten.

  FIG. 3 shows how the image reading unit 20 sequentially reads the printing result of the paper and holds it in the printing result image data holding unit 31 and the printing result image data held in the printing result image data holding unit 31 sequentially. FIG. 5 is an image diagram showing a state in which print result image data periodically acquired at intervals of a predetermined number (1000 in this case) is stored in a regular print result image data storage unit 32.

  Then, the image display control unit 33 creates display image data for displaying each print result on the screen in a comparable manner using each print result image data stored in the regular print result image data in this way.

  In this manner, display image data is created using the print result image data stored in the regular print result image data storage unit 32 and periodically acquired at a predetermined number of intervals, and the display image data is displayed on the screen. Then, by comparing the respective print results, the following effects can be obtained when checking the quality of the print results.

  That is, for example, conventionally, a reading device reads a paper printing result and sequentially switches and displays the printing result on a screen so that the user can visually check the printing result of the paper printed by the image forming apparatus. There is known a method for performing pass / fail judgment using an afterimage. However, in such a method, when the density and the print position of the print printed on the paper slightly change for each printing process, the change between the adjacent papers is very small. It is difficult to detect the quality by using the afterimage. Such a small change is not a problem if the number of printed copies is small. However, when the number of printed copies is large, this minute change is accumulated, and there may be a difference that cannot be ignored in the print quality between the paper printed in the first half and the paper printed in the second half.

  On the other hand, according to the first embodiment, several print results periodically acquired with a predetermined number of intervals are displayed on the screen so that they can be compared. Therefore, even in the case of a print density change or a print position shift that is only a slight change for each print process, a predetermined number of intervals are left on the screen, for example, the 1000th print result and the 2000th printout. Since the print result is displayed, the degree of change in shading and the degree of print misalignment are larger than when the print result of the 1000th sheet and the print result of the 1001st sheet are displayed, and it is easy to detect as a print error. There is an effect of becoming.

  In this way, the image display control unit 33 creates the following display image data so that the degree of change in shading and the degree of print misalignment can be efficiently found by comparing the print results.

  That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the image display control unit 33 creates display image data that can display each print result image data side by side in different image areas on the screen of the image display unit 40. As a result, the user can display the print result image data periodically acquired at a predetermined interval and arrange them on the same screen and compare them. Therefore, for example, when there are a large number of sheets on which the printing process including the same content portion is performed, between the printing result of the sheet processed in the first half and the printing result of the sheet processed in the second half, It is possible to easily find out whether a large error has occurred in the shading. Therefore, the quality of the printing result is improved.

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the image display control unit 33 creates display image data that can display each print result image data on the same image area on the screen of the image display unit 40. As a result, the user can inspect the print result by displaying the print result image data periodically acquired with a predetermined interval between them on the same screen. Therefore, for example, it is easy to determine whether or not there is a print misalignment in the standard part between the print result printed on the 1000th sheet of the paper including the standard part such as form printing and the print result printed on the 2000th sheet. Can be found in. As a result, the user can take measures to prevent the occurrence of a printing error, such as temporarily interrupting the printing process of the image forming apparatus and changing the parameter setting relating to the image quality. Thus, the quality of the printed result of the paper can be improved.

  Further, when creating the display image data to be displayed on the same screen area, the image display control unit 33 displays the print result image data to be displayed, such as changing the colors of the print result image data to be displayed simultaneously. Display image data whose format has been changed may be created. Thereby, it is possible to easily distinguish the displayed printing results.

  In addition, the print result image data stored in the periodic print result image data storage unit 32 is not displayed side by side or displayed on the screen at the same time, but the print result image data is stored in the same screen area. If the images are switched and displayed at high speed one by one, the user can perform an inspection to detect an abnormality in density, a printing deviation, and the like using the afterimage.

  The display image data may be displayed on the screen each time, for example, when new display image data is created by the image display control unit 33. That is, when new print result image data is stored in the regular print result image data storage unit 32, the image display control unit 33 obtains a new print result image data group from the regular print result image data and newly displays it. Create image data. Therefore, the image display control unit 33 may display the new display image data on the screen instead of the display image data that was previously created and displayed on the screen at the stage of creating the new display image data. Further, a screen instruction request from a user is received via an operation terminal such as a touch panel provided in the image forming apparatus, and the image display control unit 33 performs a periodic printing result image data storage unit 32 each time based on the request instruction. The print result image data stored in the image data may be taken out, display image data may be created, and displayed on the image display unit 40.

  In the above description, the predetermined number of print result image data stored in the periodic print result image data storage unit 32 has been described as an example of 1000 sheets. However, as described above, the “predetermined number of sheets” may be set to an interval that appears noticeably when a change in density or a shift in print position is accumulated and displayed on the screen. However, such a change varies for each image forming apparatus depending on the characteristics of the image forming apparatus, for example, in the case of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the voltage change degree of the high-voltage power supply and the deterioration degree of the photosensitive member. Therefore, the “predetermined number” may be determined by performing an experiment or the like for each model of the image forming apparatus. Similarly, in the case of an ink jet printer, a predetermined number may be determined by performing an experiment or the like for each model.

  Further, in the first embodiment described above, display image data is created only from print result image data acquired at predetermined intervals from a print result image data group obtained by sequentially reading sequentially printed sheets. The example in which the display image data is displayed on the screen has been described. However, the image display control unit 33 sequentially creates display image data including the print result image data immediately after being read by the image reading unit 20 together with the print result image data acquired at a predetermined number of intervals, It may be displayed on the screen. As a result, the user can sequentially determine pass / fail by comparing the print result of the sheet immediately after being read by the image reading unit 20 with the print result obtained with a predetermined number of intervals. Therefore, even if the printing result slightly changes for each printing process, such as shading of the printing result of the paper or printing deviation, a printing error can be easily found.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the image display control unit 33 displays not only the print result image data of the paper read by the image reading unit 20 but also the numerical values calculated from the print result image data as data to be displayed on the screen. By creating display image data including data and displaying it on the image display unit 40, the user can make an objective quality determination.

  As numerical data, for example, the total number of pixels after binarization processing is performed on the print result image data. In other words, the total number of pixels in each print result image data should not change if the same content print processing has been performed, so if the total number of pixels has changed extremely, printing It can be determined as an error.

  Further, an average gradation value that is an average luminance value of a pixel group in the print result image data is also given as an example. In this case as well, if the amount of change in the average gradation value is large, it can be determined that a printing error has occurred.

  Furthermore, the overlap rate between the original image data provided from the print controller 2 that is the source of printing on the paper and the print result image data is also an example of numerical data. For example, the overlap ratio is obtained by binarizing the document image data and the print result image data, obtaining whether or not the values match for each pixel, and the number of matching pixels (number of matching pixels / The total number of pixels) can be calculated. In this case, it is possible to determine whether or not a sheet that has been subjected to the same printing process as the original document image data desired as a result of the printing process has been discharged.

  In this way, in addition to the image image displayed based on the print result image data, the numerical value data that serves as a reference for comparison of each print result image data is also displayed on the image display unit 40, thereby more objectively. By comparing the print result image data, a print processing error can be found.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment described above, a mechanism has been described in which the print result image data read by the image reading unit 20 is appropriately displayed on the screen, and the user makes a visual quality determination. However, the image forming apparatus provided with the inspection apparatus that performs the print inspection by computer processing using the print result image data read by the image reading unit 20 as well as the visual judgment by the user is also used in the first embodiment. By providing the display image creation unit 30 described, the same effect can be obtained. That is, in the image forming apparatus provided with the inspection device, the display image creation unit 30 uses the print result image data obtained by the inspection device reading the print result of the paper for the print inspection, as described above. Data may be created. For example, the inspection apparatus performs pass / fail determination by comparing the print result data read by the image reading unit 20 with the corresponding document image data. Specifically, the print result image data and the document image data are obtained as described above, and if the difference is equal to or less than a predetermined reference value, it is determined that the image is good.

  Further, the display image data created by the image display control unit 33 is displayed on a display device connected to the image forming apparatus via a network, for example, in addition to being displayed on the image display unit 40 mounted on the image forming apparatus. It does n’t matter.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of an image forming processing system according to Embodiments 1, 2, and 3. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. The image reading unit sequentially reads the printing results on the paper and holds them in the printing result image data holding unit, and the predetermined number of intervals from the printing result image data sequentially held in the printing result image data holding unit. FIG. 5 is an image diagram illustrating a state where print result image data acquired periodically after being stored is stored in a regular print result image data storage unit. It is an example of the screen image at the time of displaying the display image data in the case where the printing result produced in the display image creation part in Embodiment 1 is displayed side by side on the screen. It is an example of the screen image at the time of displaying the display image data in the case of displaying the printing result superimposed on the screen created by the display image creation unit in the first embodiment. It is an example of the screen image at the time of displaying on the screen the display image data in the case of also displaying numerical data created also by the display image creation part in Embodiment 1.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus, 2 Print controller, 3 Original image data, 10 Print processing part, 11 Pair controller I / F control part, 12 Original image data holding part, 13 Control signal holding part, 14 Printing part, 15 Control part, 20 Image reading unit, 30 display image creation unit, 31 print result image data holding unit, 32 periodic print result image data storage unit, 33 image display control unit, 40 image display unit.

Claims (8)

An acquisition means for acquiring several print result image data at a predetermined number of intervals from a print result image data group obtained by sequentially reading paper that is sequentially read by a reader;
Image data creating means for creating inspection support image data that can be compared with several print result image data obtained at predetermined intervals in order to inspect the print results;
An inspection support image creation apparatus comprising: The inspection support image creation apparatus according to claim 1,
The image data forming means can compare the print result image data obtained by reading the paper printed by the reader in addition to some print result image data obtained at a predetermined number of intervals. Inspection support image creating apparatus characterized by sequentially creating various inspection support image data. In the examination support image creation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The image data creating means forms examination support image data for displaying each print result image data side by side on different screen areas. In the examination support image creation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The image data creation means forms examination support image data for displaying each print result image data in an overlapping manner on the same screen area. The inspection support image creation apparatus according to claim 4,
The image data creating means forms examination support image data for displaying each print result image data in different display formats on the same screen area.   An image forming apparatus equipped with the inspection support creation apparatus according to claim 1. An acquisition step of acquiring several print result image data at a predetermined number of intervals from a print result image data group obtained by sequentially reading paper that is sequentially printed by a reader;
An image data creation step for creating inspection support image data that enables comparison of several print result image data obtained with a predetermined number of intervals in order to inspect the print results;
An inspection support image creation method including An acquisition step of acquiring several print result image data at a predetermined number of intervals from a print result image data group obtained by the reading device sequentially reading the sequentially printed paper;
In order to inspect the print result, an image data creation step for creating inspection support image data indicating that a plurality of print result image data acquired with a predetermined number of intervals can be compared, and
A program that causes a computer to execute.

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