JP2006053642A - Print result notification device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To notify a user of print results by respective cartridges in use of the cartridges covering different color reproduction ranges before printing for easy comparison. <P>SOLUTION: This print result notification device is provided with a means having profiles for the respective cartridges covering different color reproduction ranges separately and notifying the user of preview results using the respective profiles and a means offering an environment for comparison between the preview results to the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing result notifying device, and in particular, means for notifying a user of a printing result for each cartridge when a cartridge having a different color reproduction range is used, and providing the user with an environment for easy comparison. It is about.

  There are so-called preview image forming apparatuses that display a color image on a monitor before outputting the color image. This preview displays the RGB signal that is the inverted version of the YMCK signal that forms the image on the monitor, and confirms the image portion that exceeds the color reproduction range of the image forming apparatus from the level that confirms the outline of the output image. There are things you can do. When multiple output devices such as LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark)) are connected, multiple previews in the color reproduction range of each output device are displayed on the monitor, and the output device is selected from the preview result There are things you can do.

Patent Document 1 listed below describes a technique for selecting color matching according to the application.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-222009

  When a cartridge having a different color reproduction range is used, the color reproduction range that can be reproduced by LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark)) is different for each cartridge, and the printing result is also different. However, in order for the user to know the difference, it is necessary to actually print by changing the cartridge.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a print result notification device that notifies a user of each print result without changing a cartridge and prints, and provides the user with an environment in which both can be easily compared. Is an issue.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the invention related to the present application is based on the fact that when a cartridge having a different color reproduction range is used in LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark)), the profile for each cartridge is stored in the color management system. Therefore, it is possible to notify the user of the print result for each cartridge before printing, and to provide the user with a print result notifying apparatus having an environment for easy comparison.

To explain the above configuration again,
In printers that use print cartridges with different color gamuts,
A print result notifying device for notifying a user before printing using the print cartridge and simultaneously providing the user with an environment for previewing;
It becomes.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mechanism for notifying a user of a printing result when a cartridge having a different color reproduction range is used as a preview image without actually printing.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present system.

  The present invention is based on the premise that two cartridges having different color reproduction ranges, that is, a cartridge A31 and a cartridge B32, exist as cartridges for an LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark)) 30.

  In this system, an LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark)) 30 and a color monitor 10 are connected to a host computer 20.

  The host computer 20 processes the image data, displays the result on the color monitor 10, or causes the LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark)) 30 to perform print processing. The color management system 40 It has.

  The color management system 40 eliminates color differences between devices by using a common color space. This is because all colors are expressed in the same color space and the corresponding coordinates are expressed based on the idea that the appearances of the colors are the same if they are described by the same coordinates in the same color space. By matching the colors, the color appearance is matched. Currently, as one of the methods generally used, there is a method of correcting a difference for each device by using a CIE-XYZ space as a color space and using an XYZ tristimulus value which is an internal description coordinate value.

  The color management system 40 includes a color conversion unit 42 that performs color space conversion related to color reproduction, color reproduction data of the color monitor 10 and two cartridges A31 and B32 having different color reproduction ranges, and a color space compression algorithm. A profile 41 including a program and the like is stored. Therefore, in the profile 41, a color monitor profile 100, a cartridge A profile 101, and a cartridge B profile 102 are stored.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a preview procedure.

  Step 1: It is determined whether to preview color image data created on a color monitor.

  Step 2: When previewing, a cartridge to be used for previewing in Step 2 is selected. FIG. 3 shows a basic example of the selection screen. Select the cartridge you want to preview with the check box on the left. Either one or both can be selected.

  Step 3: Input color image RGB data created on a color monitor such as a CRT.

  Step 4: The color image data created on the color monitor is converted into Lab data by the cartridge profile selected in Step 2, and converted into CMYK data in the CMYK color space subordinate to the selected cartridge.

  Step 5: Color space compression processing is performed.

  Steps 6 and 7: Lab data is converted into RGB data in a color space subordinate to the color monitor by the color monitor profile and displayed on the monitor. That is, an image that will be printed by the target, that is, a preview image can be displayed on the color monitor, and its color reproducibility can be observed.

  Step 8: If a plurality of cartridges are selected in Step 2, return to Step 4 and repeat the process.

  FIG. 4 shows a basic example of the preview screen.

  An image when the cartridge A is used is displayed on the left preview screen, and an image when the cartridge B is used is displayed on the right preview screen. Both are displayed as independent windows.

  It has the function of enlarging / reducing the preview screen, and it is possible to compare both details.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the user can know the print result when using a cartridge with a different color reproduction range from the preview image without actually printing, and the preview displayed side by side. By comparing the images, it is possible to select a cartridge on which an image having a preferable color is formed without actually printing.

1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a system including a printing result notification device for each cartridge according to the present invention. The flowchart figure which shows the example of the procedure of the preview of a present Example. The figure which shows the example of the dialog of a cartridge selection of a present Example The figure which shows the example of the preview screen of a present Example

Explanation of symbols

10 Color Monitor 20 Host Computer 30 LBP (Laser Beam Printer (registered trademark))
31 Cartridge A
32 Cartridge B
40 Color Management System 41 Profile 42 Color Conversion Unit 50 Preview Screen 51 Image Converted with Cartridge A Profile 52 Image Converted with Cartridge B Profile 100 Color Monitor Profile 101 Cartridge A Profile 102 Cartridge B Profile

Claims (6)

In printers that use print cartridges with different color gamuts,
A printing result notifying apparatus characterized by notifying a user before printing using the print cartridge and providing the user with an environment for previewing at the same time.   The printing result notification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is a laser printer.   The print result notifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of profiles for the print cartridge are provided in a color management system.   The print result notification apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a preview processing unit that performs a preview process on input image data.   According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the preview processing means includes output means for outputting an image obtained by subjecting the same input image data to preview processing for print cartridges having different color reproduction ranges as simultaneously viewable image data. A printing result notifying apparatus characterized by that.   6. The print result notifying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image to be previewed is displayed side by side at the same time.