JP2006154974A - Color image forming system, printing information notifying device, color image forming device, and printer server - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming system reducing the color material consumption of an image forming device and uniforming it as much as possible by limiting the color material consumption in according to a situation of each division. <P>SOLUTION: A message creating means 36 for creating a color conversion message for reducing cumulative color material consumption with respect to input image data is provided in an image forming part side, and a setting means for presetting whether or not to carry out color conversion to a recommended color in according to the situation of each division is provided at a host computer side. If there is a bias in the color material consumption of the input image data, the message is displayed in a computer of a user who can allow color limitation, and color conversion is automatically carried out. The message is not displayed in a computer of a particular division wherein limitation is difficult, and color conversion is not carried out, too. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a color image forming system for notifying a user of color conversion data for equalizing consumption of a plurality of color materials necessary for printing a color image such as toner and ink at the time of outputting a color image, The present invention relates to a print information notification device, a color image forming device, and a printer server.

  In recent years, with the advent of color image forming apparatuses such as color printers and color copiers, the output of color printed matter such as documents and drawings output by the color image forming apparatus has increased remarkably. Therefore, more than ever before, there has been a strong demand to reduce the printing cost of the amount of color material, such as toner and ink, and the amount of paper necessary for printing a color image. For this reason, conventionally, there has been a print information notification device that notifies the user of the amount of color material or paper required for printing, makes the user aware of the cost of printing consumables, and saves printing consumables. Has been developed.

  For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-177736) calculates the amount of toner or the amount of consumables necessary for the image forming apparatus and the approximate cost thereof by counting the number of image pixels, and notifies the user. An image forming apparatus and a consumable material consumption notification system that notify a user of an economical output mode such as a black and white conversion mode, a black replacement mode, and a continuous tone mode as a recommended mode are disclosed. According to Patent Document 1, since the user can know the amount of toner or the amount of consumables to be consumed and the approximate cost thereof, the user is made aware of the cost and gives an option of outputting with an image quality with low toner consumption. Is possible.

  Further, for example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-18456) detects the remaining amount of ink of each color when using a color printer, and if the ink usage amount is more than a certain level, it is converted into image data according to a predetermined processing method. A technique is disclosed in which the amount of ink used is limited before the color is converted and replaced with another color and ink runs out. According to this technique, it is possible to prevent only a specific color from being consumed significantly.

  Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-274964) analyzes image data to obtain color material consumption estimated values for the three primary colors for printing when the image is printed, and estimates for the three primary colors. When it is determined that the difference between the values is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, a warning is displayed to the user, and the user selects whether to execute or cancel the color conversion. An image data processing method is disclosed in which image data of each pixel is changed so that consumption amounts are equal. According to this technology, it is possible to make the consumption amounts of the three primary color materials uniform by performing color conversion.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-177736 (FIG. 2) JP 2001-18456 A (FIGS. 1 and 4) JP 2001-274964 A (FIGS. 1 and 2)

However, since the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 notifies the user of the amount of consumed toner or the amount of consumable material and the approximate cost thereof, the user can output the image with less toner consumption. As a result, although the consumption of toner can be reduced, the consumption of a plurality of toners (C, Y, M, K) necessary for color printing cannot be made uniform. When the consumption of a plurality of color materials such as toner is not uniform and a specific color material is consumed significantly, it takes time to replenish and replace the color material, and the color cannot be used during that time. .
In addition, if new color materials are replenished and replaced, and color materials with low consumption are not replaced, color materials with different production times will be mixed in multiple color materials, and the print quality of color images will be reduced. There is a problem that it decreases. Furthermore, the notification of the remaining amount of toner is uniformly performed regardless of the user in a specific department, such as a user in a general department who is flexible in changing colors, or a design department in which it is difficult to change colors. Users of specific departments such as departments have the problem of causing confusion.

  The printer controller disclosed in Patent Document 2 limits the amount of ink used before ink runs out, so that the amount of ink used can be made uniform. As in Patent Document 1, since the restriction is uniformly performed regardless of the user in the general department that can change the color and the user in the specific department that is difficult to change, the specific department such as the restricted design department There is a problem that the user is confused.

  Further, although the image data processing method disclosed in Patent Document 3 described above can make the consumption of the three primary color materials uniform by performing color conversion, Similar to Patent Documents 1 and 2, since it is performed uniformly regardless of the general department user who can change the color and the user of the specific department that is difficult to change, the specific department such as a restricted design department Users are confused.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. The color material consumption of the image forming apparatus can be reduced and uniformized as much as possible while taking into account the circumstances of each department. An object is to provide an image forming system, a print information notification device, a color image forming device, and a printer server.

A color image forming system according to claim 1 of the present application includes a host computer that creates image data, a communication network, and an image forming unit that receives the image data created by the host computer via the communication network; In an image forming system comprising:
The image forming unit is based on input image data analysis means for analyzing what color the input image data received from the host computer is configured, and based on the color data analyzed by the input image data analysis means The color material consumption calculation means for calculating the consumption amount of a plurality of color materials necessary for color printing, the user management storage means for storing the accumulated color material consumption for each user, and the color material consumption amount calculation means Whether to perform color conversion to the recommended color for reducing the cumulative color material consumption amount for the input image data based on the color material consumption amount of the input image data and the cumulative color material consumption amount read from the storage unit Determining whether or not, color conversion data creation means for creating color conversion data to the recommended color, and message creation means for creating a message for color conversion to the recommended color,
When the host computer is configured to set in advance whether or not to perform color conversion to the recommended color according to a user for each department, and when the setting unit is set to perform color conversion, the image forming unit And means for performing color conversion to the recommended color using the color conversion data received from.

  Further, the invention of the print information notification system according to claim 2 of the present application is the input image data analysis means for analyzing the color of the input image data from the host computer, and the input image data analysis means. Based on the color data analyzed in step 1, the color material consumption calculation means for calculating the consumption of multiple color materials necessary for color printing, the cumulative color material consumption for each user, and the cumulative color material consumption are reduced. Notification information indicating whether or not to notify the host computer of data for color conversion to recommended colors for use, user management storage means for storing non-notification instruction information, and the input image calculated by the color material consumption calculation means Whether or not to perform color conversion to a recommended color for reducing the cumulative color material consumption amount for the input image data based on the color material consumption amount of data and the cumulative color material consumption amount read from the storage means The color conversion data creating means for creating the color conversion data to the recommended color, and the input image data is data from the user who is instructed to notify, and the color conversion data creating means When it is determined that conversion is necessary, a message creation unit for creating a color conversion message with the color conversion data attached, and a color conversion message created by the message creation unit are notified to the host computer. And a notification means.

  The invention of a color image forming apparatus according to claim 3 of the present application is characterized by including the print information notification apparatus according to claim 2.

  The invention of a printer server according to claim 4 of the present application is characterized by comprising the print information notification device according to claim 2.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, message creating means for creating a color conversion message for reducing the accumulated color material consumption is provided on the image forming unit side, and the host computer side is provided according to the user for each department. Since setting means for setting whether or not to perform color conversion is provided, it is possible to perform color conversion to a recommended color for a user in a department who may limit color material consumption, and as a result, an image The color material consumption of the forming apparatus can be reduced and uniformized as much as possible. In addition, a user in a specific department that is difficult to restrict the consumption of color materials, such as a design department, can freely print without restriction.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the user management storage means for storing the notification of color conversion data to the recommended color and the non-notification instruction information for reducing the cumulative color material consumption is provided, and the notification instruction is given. Since the color conversion message is sent only to the user's computer, the color material consumption of the output image forming apparatus is reduced and made uniform as much as possible, as in the first aspect of the invention. In addition, specific departments such as the design department can freely print without restriction.

  In the inventions according to claims 3 and 4, as in the invention according to claim 1, the color material consumption of the output image forming apparatus can be reduced and made uniform as much as possible. A specific department can freely print without restriction.

Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire image forming system of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of user information stored in the user management table. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the color material consumption amount calculation unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the color conversion data creation unit. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a message created by the message creation unit. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image created by an application.
In the following embodiments, toner is used as an example of the color material, but in the present invention, other color materials such as ink can be used in addition to the toner.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes host computers 10a to 10n installed in each department, a database 20, a network printer 30, and a communication network 40 for connecting them. The

  As shown in FIG. 2, the host computer 10 is a personal computer, a workstation or the like, and includes an application 11 such as image processing software and document processing software, a printer driver 12 for creating image data for printer output, a mouse, a keyboard, and a monitor. The peripheral device 13 is provided. The color image data created and edited by the application 11 is converted into image data for printer output by the printer driver 12. The host computer 10 further includes setting means for setting in advance whether or not to perform color conversion to the recommended color notified by the message 200 received from the printer according to the circumstances of the department. In addition, when the printer driver 12 is set to perform color conversion by the setting unit, the printer driver 12 automatically performs color conversion to the recommended color using the color conversion data attached to the color conversion message. Do. The “department” here refers to a department in a department management function that sets and manages limit data such as the number of copies for each department, section, or individual in an organization such as a company for the purpose of budget management or the like.

  The database 20 includes a user management table 21, a color material consumption conversion table 22, and a message table 23. In the user management table 21, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the accumulated total consumption for each user ID, multiple color materials C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black), one page Stored is actual data (history data) regarding the color material consumption per unit and the most frequently used color value. The color material consumption amount conversion table 22 stores a table indicating the relationship between the multi-tone color values RGB of each pixel forming the input image data and the CMYK color material consumption amount per unit pixel. As shown in FIG. 6, the message table 23 includes a user name, a message for the user about color material consumption, a message for the current image data about color material consumption, a recommended color for the current image data, and an accumulation up to the previous time. Stores message data of the most frequently used color value for image data.

  The network printer 30 is an ink jet printer or an electrophotographic printer, and includes a data transmission / reception unit 31, an image data analysis unit 32, a color material consumption calculation unit 33, a user information collection / storage unit 34, a color conversion data creation unit 35, A message creation unit 36, a RAM 37, an output unit 38, and a CPU 39 are provided. The image data analysis unit 32, the color material consumption calculation unit 33, the color conversion data creation unit 35, and the message creation unit 36 are stored in the program ROM and executed by the CPU 39.

  The data transmission / reception unit 31 receives image data 100 such as color image data transmitted from the host computer 10 and transmits / receives various control data and messages 200 to / from the host computer 10.

  The image data analysis unit 32 analyzes the color image data received by the data transmission / reception unit 31 and obtains the multi-tone color value RGB of each pixel, and then creates a histogram for each pixel color value. Based on this, the most frequently used color value that is most frequently used in the input color image data is obtained. The histogram data for each color value of each pixel and the most frequently used color value are output to the user information collection / storage unit 34.

  The color material consumption amount calculation unit 33 uses the color values obtained by the image data analysis unit 32, the histogram for each color value of each pixel, and the color material consumption amount conversion table 22 in the database 20 for each color of CMYK. The material consumption is calculated and output to the user information collection / storage unit 34.

  FIG. 4 shows a flow of calculating the color material consumption performed by the color material consumption calculation unit 33. In step 101, the multi-tone color value RGB of each pixel obtained by the image data analysis unit 32 and its histogram data are read from the user information collection / storage unit 34. In step 102, the read color value is converted into a color material consumption per unit pixel using the color material consumption conversion table 22 of the database 20. This conversion is performed on all the color values forming the input image data. In step 103, the consumption by color material per unit pixel of each color value obtained in step 102 is multiplied by the frequency (number of pixels) of each color value in the histogram to obtain the total consumption by color material for each color value. Ask. In step 104, the total consumption amount by color material for each color value obtained in step 103 is added for each color material, and the total consumption amount by color material of the entire image data and the color material consumption amount per page are calculated. .

  In the above flow, a histogram for each color value is created and the CMYK consumption is calculated using the color material consumption conversion table. However, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, after converting RGB into CMY, The CMYK color material consumption may be obtained by creating a histogram for each gradation of CMY.

  The user information collection / storage unit 34 accumulates and stores data relating to the histogram for each color value, color material consumption, color material consumption per page, and most frequently used color value collected for input image data up to the previous time. is doing. When data on the histogram for each color value obtained from the current input image data, the most frequently used color value, and the color material consumption are collected, those values are also stored. When the current input image data is finally printed by the output unit 38 and the color material is consumed, the histogram for each accumulated color value, the accumulated total consumption for each of the plurality of color materials CMYK, and 1 The color material consumption per page and the most frequently used color value are updated.

  The accumulated data stored in the user information collecting / storing unit 34 is sent to the user management table 21 of the database 20 and accumulated total consumption for each of the plurality of color materials CMYK stored in the user management table. Update material consumption and most used color values. In the example of FIG. 3, the most frequently used color values up to the top three are stored.

  The color conversion data creation unit 35 balances a plurality of CMYK color materials based on the analysis result of the current input image data and the total color material consumption data stored in the user information collection / storage unit 34. It is determined whether the color material is frequently used, and when the consumption amount of each color material is unbalanced, data for color conversion to a recommended color for reducing the color material with a large consumption amount is created.

  FIG. 5 shows a processing flow performed by the color conversion data creation unit 35. In step 201, the color material consumption of the input image data obtained this time is added to the accumulated total color material consumption up to the previous time stored in the user information collection / storage unit 34. In step 202, for the accumulated total color material consumption that has been added, the usage ratio of each color material consumption to the overall CMYK consumption is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the ratio is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value. A color material having a consumption ratio equal to or higher than a reference value is obtained. In step 203, it is determined whether the most frequently used color value of the current input image data matches the color value corresponding to the color material having a ratio equal to or higher than the reference value obtained in step 202. In step 204, if they match as a result of the determination in step 203, a recommended color for reducing the color material consumption of the most frequently used color value having a ratio equal to or higher than the reference value is obtained, and data for conversion to that color is obtained. Create

  The recommended colors for reducing the consumption of color materials with a ratio above the reference value include the opposite color of the color material corresponding to the color material above the reference value, and the corresponding density with the amount of color material above the reference value reduced. Light colors, etc. can be used.

  The message creation unit 36 is the color conversion data created by the color conversion data creation unit 35, the color material consumption and the most frequently used color value data with respect to the previous accumulated image data stored in the user information collection / storage unit 34. 6, the user name, the message for the user, the message for the current image, the selection instruction for the recommended color for the current image, and the most frequently used color value for the previous accumulated image data, as shown in FIG. Create a message.

  The RAM 37 is an image memory and stores received image data. The output unit 38 is an ink jet printer that uses ink as a color material or an electrophotographic printer that uses toner, and prints and outputs input image data using the plurality of color materials described above. The CPU 39 controls the entire printer 30.

  Next, a specific processing operation of this embodiment will be described by taking as an example the case of printing the image shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an example of an image edited and created by the application 11 of the host computer 10, and an object A painted in red (R = 255, G = 0, B = 0) and blue (R = 0, An object B painted with G = 0, B = 255) and an object C painted with yellow (R = 255, G = 255, B = 0) are formed in the order of objects A, B, C. The number of pixels configured with increases.

  The host computer 10 converts the image data created by the user into image data 100 suitable for printing using the printer driver 12 and outputs the image data 100 to the network printer 30 via the communication network 40. The network printer 30 once stores the received image data in the image memory 37, and then reads out and analyzes the image data by the image data analysis unit 32, and the color values (255, 0, 255) of the pixels constituting the image object A (red). 0), the color values (0, 0, 255) of the pixels constituting the object B (blue), and the color values (255, 255, 0) of the pixels constituting the object C (yellow), respectively. Further, a histogram for each color value of each pixel is created, and the most frequently used color value that is most frequently used in the input color image data is obtained based on the histogram. In this example, since the number of pixels of the image object A is the largest, the color value of the image object A (255, 0, 0) is determined as the most frequently used color value.

  Next, the tone value of each pixel of the image objects A to C obtained by the image data analysis unit 32 by the color material consumption amount calculation unit 33, its histogram, and the color material consumption amount conversion table 22 in the database 20. Is used to calculate the color material consumption for each CMYK. In the example in the figure, the color material MY corresponding to the object A (red) has the largest consumption, the color material CM consumption corresponding to the object B (blue), and the color material corresponding to the object C (yellow). It turns out that consumption is large in order of.

  Next, the color conversion data creation unit 35 determines whether a plurality of color materials are used in a balanced manner. In this image, consumption of red (255, 0, 0) is the largest, and if the cumulative total usage of MY (red) color material exceeds the reference value as a result of using this color value, The recommended color is light blue, which is the opposite color, or red with a light density, and data for color conversion to that color is created.

  Next, the message creating unit 36 creates the message 200 shown in FIG. In view of the most frequently used color value per page up to the previous time, the usage rate of red (255, 0, 0) is the highest at 30%. "Too much" message. In addition, the image created this time has the most red color value, and as a result, it is determined that the consumption of the color material CM has exceeded the reference value. Is using too much red ". Further, it prompts color conversion to light blue, which is the opposite color of red created by the color conversion data creation unit 35, or to light red with reduced red density, and creates a message to cancel if conversion is not desirable.

  The CPU 39 attaches the color conversion data created by the color conversion data creation unit 35 to the message created by the message creation unit 36 and outputs the image data via the input / output unit 31. Send to.

  The host computer 10 has previously set whether or not to perform color conversion to the recommended color by the setting means according to the circumstances of the department. When the color conversion is set to be performed, the message received from the printer 30 is displayed on the monitor. To do. The user who created the image sees the displayed message and recognizes that the red color value is often used for the previous created image, and that the image created this time often uses the red color value. To do. In addition, since it is instructed to convert red to light blue or light red, the selection button 1 or 2 is clicked to select one of the colors. If the conversion to the recommended color is not preferable, the cancel button 3 is clicked, the output of the current image is canceled, and a new image is created again. In addition, if the image after conversion to the recommended color is displayed on the monitor together with the message, the user can easily determine which object's color material consumption is large in the image created by the user. It can be recognized and it can be easily determined whether or not to convert to the recommended color.

  For example, when conversion to light blue is selected according to the instruction, the printer driver 12 automatically converts the object A indicating a red color value to light blue using the notified color conversion data, and the printer unit Output to 30.

  The host computer that has been set not to perform the color conversion to the recommended color by the setting means in advance, for example, the host computer of the department that is difficult to perform the color conversion to other colors, such as the design department, receives the message. However, the content is not displayed and the color conversion to the recommended color is not performed. The system can be configured so that the network manager or the budget manager uses the network management computer to set whether or not the department automatically performs the color conversion to the recommended color.

  The printer unit 30 receives the image data color-converted to the recommended color, stores it in the image memory, prints it using the output unit 38, and outputs the output paper 300.

  When the input image data is printed out by the output unit 38, it is stored in the user information collection / storage unit 34 using the data calculated by the image data analysis unit 32 and the color material consumption calculation unit 33. The cumulative value data is updated, and the user information in the database 20 is updated.

  According to the image processing system of the first embodiment, a message for making the color material consumption uniform is displayed to a user in a department capable of restricting the color material consumption, and the color value with a large amount of consumption is changed to other values. Since the color values are converted, the color material consumption of the output image forming apparatus can be made uniform. In addition, since it is possible to set in advance not to display the message for a user in a specific department such as a design department, the user in the department can freely print without any restrictions on the use of color materials. It can be performed. In addition, since the message displays which color value of the color material consumption of the image created by the user is large, which object the color value of the object should be color-converted by the user. Can be easily recognized.

  In the first embodiment, setting means for setting whether or not to display a message notified from the printer 30 side is provided on the host computer 10 side, but the message is notified to a printer device or a printer server (not shown). Setting means for setting whether or not to do so may be provided. Specifically, notification and non-notification instruction information for designating whether to notify a color conversion message is stored for each user in the user management table 21 described in the first embodiment. The message creation unit 36 creates a message only for a user whose message management instruction is stored in the user management table 21.

  According to the second embodiment, the message is notified only to a user in a department that may restrict color material consumption, and to a user in a specific department that is difficult to restrict, such as a design department. Is not notified, so you can prevent unnecessary messages from appearing and causing confusion. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an entire image forming system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the user information stored in the user management table. It is a figure which shows the processing flow of a coloring material consumption calculation part. It is a figure which shows the processing flow of the data preparation part for color conversion. It is a figure which shows an example of the message produced in a message preparation part. It is a figure which shows an example of the image produced with the application.

Explanation of symbols

10a to 10n ... host computer 11 ... application 12 ... printer driver 20 ... database 21 ... user management table 22 ... color material consumption conversion table 23 ... message table 30 ... Network printer 32 Image data analysis unit 33 Color material consumption calculation unit 34 User information collection / storage unit 35 Color conversion data creation unit 36 Message creation unit 39 ..Control unit 40 ... Communication network

Claims (4)

In an image forming system comprising a host computer that creates image data, a communication network, and an image forming unit that receives image data created by the host computer via the communication network,
The image forming unit, an input image data analyzing means for analyzing what color the input image data received from the host computer is configured;
Based on the color data analyzed by the input image data analysis means, color material consumption calculation means for calculating consumption of a plurality of color materials necessary for color printing;
User management storage means for storing the accumulated colorant consumption of each user;
Based on the color material consumption amount of the input image data calculated by the color material consumption amount calculation unit and the cumulative color material consumption amount read from the storage unit, the cumulative color material consumption amount is reduced with respect to the input image data. Color conversion data creating means for determining whether to perform color conversion to the recommended color, and creating data for color conversion to the recommended color;
Message creating means for creating a message for color conversion to the recommended color,
The host computer, setting means for setting in advance whether or not to perform color conversion to the recommended color according to the user for each department;
Means for performing color conversion to the recommended color using the color conversion data received from the image forming unit when the setting means is set to perform color conversion. Color image forming system. Input image data analyzing means for analyzing what color the input image data from the host computer is configured;
Based on the color data analyzed by the input image data analysis means, color material consumption calculation means for calculating consumption of a plurality of color materials necessary for color printing;
Stores the cumulative color material consumption of each user and notification instruction and non-notification instruction information indicating whether or not to notify the host computer of data for color conversion to recommended colors for reducing the cumulative color material consumption. User management storage means;
Based on the color material consumption amount of the input image data calculated by the color material consumption amount calculation unit and the cumulative color material consumption amount read from the storage unit, the cumulative color material consumption amount is reduced with respect to the input image data. Color conversion data creating means for determining whether to perform color conversion to the recommended color, and creating data for color conversion to the recommended color;
When the input image data is data from the user instructed to be notified and the color conversion data creation means determines that it is necessary to perform color conversion, the color conversion data attached with the color conversion data is attached. A message creation means for creating a message;
A printing information notifying apparatus comprising notifying means for notifying the host computer of a color conversion message created by the message creating means.   A color image forming apparatus comprising the print information notifying apparatus according to claim 2.   A printer server comprising the print information notification device according to claim 2.

Images