JP2006270746A - Print image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print image processing apparatus capable of confirming a print state of a print image generated by decreasing the number of colors of a color image before printing. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus receives full color PDL data and a job ticket from a PDL input section 11 and a job ticket input section 12, executes highlight color processing by each page on the basis of an analysis result by a job ticket analysis/color conversion section 14, composes the processed image with a color of paper, and displays the composed image on a display section 20 as a preview image. When the preview image is determined to be unacceptable (NG), the image processing apparatus repeats rewrite of the job ticket and the display of the preview image until the preview image is determined to be acceptable (OK). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print image processing apparatus that converts a color image such as a full color into a print image such as a two-color image and prints it on a printing apparatus.

  For example, in an office or the like, a system can be constructed by connecting a plurality of personal computers (PCs) via a LAN to an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions such as a printer, copying, facsimile and copying. Has been done.

  Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as printers and multifunction machines have been black-and-white machines with only black recorded images. However, because they can be reduced in price and size, toners of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are used. The use of full-color machines is increasing. Recently, the multi-color type has been proposed as a high-speed copying machine or printer because the multi-color type is superior in manufacturing cost and running cost than the full-color type.

As a multi-color type, for example, a multi-color or full-color image created on a host computer connected to a network is temporarily transferred to an image forming apparatus, and is converted at high speed by an image data processing circuit in the image forming apparatus, and then again. By transferring the converted image data to the host computer and confirming the print quality on the monitor of the host computer, the print output can be confirmed, and the desired two-color print can be printed quickly. An image processing method that can be obtained is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-11-127360

  However, according to a conventional image processing method, it is difficult to predict how an image will be output in a manuscript created with a full color printer or monochrome printer in mind.

  Furthermore, the mapping logic from full color to highlight color, which is two-color printing, is changed for each component such as PDL (Page Description Language) characters, photos, figures, etc., and monochrome documents are pre-determined on colored paper. If the user tries to adapt the highlight color using the logic, the user sends the created document data to the image forming device and converts the image using the built-in image data processing circuit. The output of the created image can only be confirmed after output.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a print image processing apparatus that can confirm the print state of a print image generated by reducing the number of colors of a color image before printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an input unit for inputting printing conditions including the color of a paper on which an image is printed, and printing a color image having a predetermined number of colors less than the predetermined number of colors. Printing comprising: a conversion unit for converting into an image; a combining unit that combines the print image and the paper image having the color to generate a combined image; and a display unit that displays the combined image. An image processing apparatus is provided.

  The print image differs in viewability depending on the color of the paper, but by displaying a composite image obtained by combining the print image and the paper image on the display unit, the viewability (print state) of the print image is displayed before printing. Can be confirmed.

  The “paper color” includes chromatic colors such as yellow and blue as well as achromatic colors such as white and gray. The “color image” includes a full color image or a multicolor image composed of 8 or more colors, and the “print image” includes an image composed of 2 colors or 3 colors or more. The print image composed of two colors includes, for example, a two-color image composed of black and red. The “paper image” may include not only the paper color but also the shape and material of the paper.

  The input unit inputs a color to be replaced and a color after replacement as printing conditions, and the conversion unit replaces a color other than the color to be replaced in the color image with gray, and after replacing the color to be replaced It is good also as a structure which converts into this color and produces | generates a printed image.

  The input unit may input post-processing information necessary for post-processing after printing as a printing condition, and the combining unit may generate a post-processed composite image based on the post-processing information. “Post-processing” includes sorting and binding processing.

  The synthesizing unit may generate a low-resolution image in which the resolution of the print image is reduced, and synthesize the low-resolution image and the paper image. By using a low-resolution image as a composite image, creation of the composite image can be speeded up.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing condition input unit for inputting a printing condition including a color of paper on which an image is printed and a conversion logic, and a color image having a predetermined number of colors according to the conversion logic. A conversion unit that converts the number of colors to a print image that is smaller than a predetermined number of colors; a combination unit that combines the print image and a paper image having the color to generate a combined image; and a display that displays the combined image A conversion result input unit, a determination result input unit that inputs a determination result of quality on the composite image displayed on the display unit, and a determination result that negates the composite image from the determination result input unit. And a control unit for controlling the conversion unit so as to generate the print image again after changing the above.

  According to the print image processing apparatus, the print state of the print image can be confirmed before printing by the composite image displayed on the display unit, and is negative when the print image in the displayed composite image is difficult to see. By inputting a specific determination result to the determination result input unit, a more appropriate composite image is generated by changing the conversion logic and displayed again. “Conversion logic” includes color conversion tables and conversion formulas for each object such as characters, graphics, and photographs, or specification of replacement colors, etc .. As conversion logic for optimizing print image colors for paper colors, A color conversion table or conversion formula for each color may be used.

  According to the present invention, the print state of a print image generated by reducing the number of colors of a color image can be confirmed before printing.

(Configuration of print image processing system)
FIG. 1 shows a print image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The print image processing system 100 includes a print image processing apparatus 1 that can be configured by a computer, and a printer 2 as an image forming apparatus connected to the print image processing apparatus 1.

(Configuration of image processing apparatus)
The print image processing apparatus 1 includes a PDL input unit 11 that inputs full-color PDL data, a job ticket input unit 12 that inputs a job ticket as a print condition, a PDL input unit 11 and a job ticket input unit 12. An input control unit 13 that controls the input of the job, a job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14 as a conversion unit that analyzes a job ticket and performs color conversion processing, and a conversion logic that stores information about conversion logic such as a color conversion table A storage unit 15, a PDL analysis unit 16 that analyzes PDL data, a CPU 17 that controls the entire apparatus 1, a hard disk, and the like, and stores PDL data, job tickets, image data after highlight color processing, and the like. Device 18, paper color addition unit 19 as a synthesis unit for performing paper image addition processing, and output control Output control unit 20 and a display unit 21 such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a CRT display.

  The PDL input unit 11 may input PDL data from a network or a medium, or may input based on key input, and the input method is not limited. For example, when the PDL input unit 11 includes a network interface, PDL data is input via the network. When the PDL input unit 11 has a media slot, PDL data is input from the media inserted in the media slot. If the PDL input unit 11 includes a keyboard, the keyboard may be operated to create document data using application software, and the document data may be converted into PDL data and input.

  The job ticket input unit 12 may input a job ticket created by another PC for creating a job ticket from a network or media, and the input method is not limited. For example, when the job ticket input unit 12 includes a network interface, the job ticket is input via the network. When the job ticket input unit 12 includes a media slot, the job ticket is input from the media inserted in the media slot. The device 1 itself may have a function of creating a job ticket.

  The conversion logic storage unit 15 is configured using a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, and the like. As information about the conversion logic, a character color conversion table 15a, a graphic color conversion table 15b for each object of characters, graphics, and photographs, Stores a photographic color conversion table 15c, a mapping algorithm as shown in FIG. 8 to be described later, and a color conversion table, conversion formula, algorithm, and the like for optimizing the PDL data for the paper color. Yes. As the conversion logic, fixed replacement color designation, density gradation patterning, color patterning, and the like may be stored.

  When the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14 maps the full color PDL data to the color space of the printer 2 based on the information about the conversion logic stored in the conversion logic storage unit 15 under the control of the CPU 17, Once the image is created at a low resolution level in consideration of the paper color, the optimum conversion logic is automatically selected for each paper color.

(Printer configuration)
The printer 2 has a configuration capable of highlight color printing with a basic color (for example, black) and a highlight color (for example, red). The printer 2 can use various methods such as an electrophotographic method, an inkjet method, and a thermal transfer method. The printer 2 is not limited to a dedicated printing machine, and may be a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a fax machine, a copy machine, a printer, and a scanner.

(Create a job ticket)
Here, creation of a job ticket will be described in detail. The job ticket is created by a job ticket creation PC and is input to the job ticket input unit 12 from a network or media.

  2 and 3 show display screens on the display of the job ticket creation PC, FIG. 2 shows a highlight color setting screen at the job level, and FIG. 3 shows a highlight color setting screen on the exception page.

  In the high-kite color setting screen 30 at the job level shown in FIG. 2, in addition to a setting column 31 for setting toner color, replacement color, mapping algorithm, mismatching action, etc., application for applying the set contents Button 32, Cancel button 33 clicked when setting is canceled, OK button 34 clicked when setting is completed, basic setting, image adjustment, job information, exception page, slip sheet setting, cover, highlight color, destination An item column 35 is displayed for selecting. The user inputs or changes necessary settings to the screen 30 using the keyboard or mouse of the job ticket creation PC.

  The highlight color setting screen 40 on the exception page shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display of the job ticket creation PC when the item page 35 of the exception page is selected on the screen 30 of FIG. In this screen 40, an exception page column 41 is displayed in addition to the above-described apply button 32, cancel button 33, OK button 34, and item column 35. In the exception page column 41, paper used for printing is set. A paper column 42 to be set, a setting column 43 for designating an exception page, and the like are displayed. On this screen 40, the user inputs or changes necessary settings using the keyboard and mouse of the job ticket creation PC.

(Operation of print image processing system)
Next, the operation of the print image processing system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 shows a schematic process in the print image processing apparatus 1. In each flowchart described below, a step is represented by “S”.

  First, the user inputs color PDL data using the PDL input unit 11 (S101), and inputs a job ticket created by the job ticket creation PC using the job ticket input unit 12 (S102). The PDL data is stored in the storage device 18 via the input control unit 13, and the job ticket is provided in the storage device 18 via the input control unit 13, and is stored in a job definition file that manages the entire print instruction. .

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of a job ticket. In this job ticket 50, a copy attribute 51, a finishing attribute 52, a paper designation attribute 53, a highlight color designation attribute 54, an exception page designation attribute 55, and the like are set, and logic designation for highlight colorizing the entire job, It is also possible to specify a highlight color as an exception page.

  Also, the job ticket 50 in the figure is an example of a printed matter having 10 pages. As basic settings, the paper color is white, the highlight color toner is red, the replacement color is red, and the conversion algorithm is Auto ( Automatic) etc. are specified. As a result, red of the full color data is output in red.

  Further, in the case of the job ticket 50 in the figure, as the exception page 1 designation, for the second and third pages, the replacement color is designated as yellow, and the algorithm is designated as Monochrome. As a result, yellow of the full color data is converted to gray. Further, as the exception page 2 designation, for the 4th to 7th pages, the paper color is yellow-green, the replacement color is green, and the algorithm is Color To Highlight. As a result, pages 4-7 can be divided into chapter pages, and green in the full color data is converted to red.

  The input control unit 13 inputs the PDL data input from the PDL input unit 11 to the PDL analysis unit 16 and inputs the job ticket input from the job ticket input unit 12 to the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14.

  The PDL analysis unit 16 analyzes the PDL data. The PDL data includes data of objects such as characters, graphics, and photographs, and other data such as control data.

  The CPU 17 causes the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14 to perform color conversion processing according to the job ticket, and causes the paper color addition unit 19 to perform paper color addition processing to generate a preview image with reduced resolution, and display the preview image. A preview screen is displayed on the unit 21 (S103).

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the preview screen. In addition to the apply button 32, cancel button 33, OK button 34, and item field 35, a preview image 61 is displayed on the preview screen 60.

  For example, when the preview image is set to print a red image or character on a red background color, the user can select a red image or character for the red background color in the preview image 61 displayed on the display unit 21. Check if it looks clear.

  Next, the user operates the mouse to determine the quality determination result for the preview image 61. When the OK button 34 is clicked on the preview image 61 and OK is determined, the CPU 17 stores the image data corresponding to the preview image 61 in the storage device 18 as print data. When there is a print data print instruction, the print data including PDL data and a job ticket is sent to the printer 2 to perform highlight color printing (S104).

  On the other hand, in the case of a determination result in which the preview image 61 is denied, the user clicks the cancel button 33 and determines NG. Upon detecting this, the CPU 17 executes another algorithm by the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14 to create a preview image and displays it on the display unit 21.

(Preview image creation / confirmation process)
FIG. 7 shows details of the “preview image creation / confirmation” process in step 103 of FIG. The following processing is executed by the CPU 17 unless otherwise specified.

  First, the number of pages N is set to N = 1, and document processing is started (S201). Next, the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14 analyzes the contents of the job ticket in FIG. 4 for the first page of the document (S202). Based on the exception page designation attribute 55 of FIG. 4, it is checked whether or not the page is in the exception page designation range (S203). In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, since the exception pages are the second, third, fourth to seventh pages, the first page is outside the specified range of the exception page, and the job setting highlight color The first page is processed by the processing (S204).

  In the highlight color processing of the job setting, characters, graphics, and photographs are color-converted using a designated Auto, Monochrome, or Color To HighLight (hereinafter referred to as CTHL) algorithm. In the case of FIG. 4, color conversion is performed with Auto. Details of this processing will be described later.

  On the other hand, since the exception page is within the specified range of the exception page, the highlight page of the exception page specified by the job ticket 50 is executed (S205). For example, color conversion is performed such that red is red, green is red, and yellow is gray.

  After the process of step S204 or S205, a preview image 61 of N = 1 page is created (S206). It is determined whether or not the preview image 61 is within the specified range of the exception page (207), and a composition process is executed according to whether or not the preview image 61 is an exception page. In this case, since the first page is not an exceptional page, image data obtained by highlight color processing is combined with the white paper color set in the job ticket 50 (S208). For the exception page, the paper color of the exception page and the created preview image are combined (S209). For example, for page 4, the paper color is yellowish green and the image data by highlight color processing is synthesized.

  The image synthesized in step S208 or S209 is displayed on the display unit 21 as a preview image 61 (S210). The preview image 61 is confirmed by the user (S211), and the user instructs whether or not the preview image 61 is acceptable using a mouse, a keyboard, or the like. When the user clicks the OK button 34 for the content of the preview image 61 and inputs an OK instruction, it is determined whether or not the next page exists (S212), and the page displayed on the display unit 21 is the last page. If there is, the process is terminated. If there is a next page, the process returns to step S202, and the subsequent processes are repeatedly executed.

  On the other hand, in step S211, when the user is not satisfied with the preview image 61 displayed on the display unit 21, the user clicks the cancel button 33 and inputs an NG instruction (S211). On the other hand, the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14 changes the highlight color processing instruction and the paper color under the control of the CPU 17 in accordance with the conversion logic for optimization (S213). At the same time, the instruction optimized on the target page is stored in the job ticket. Thereafter, the processes after step S202 are executed to create a preview image and display it on the display unit 21. The processes in steps S202 to S211 are continued until the user satisfies the preview image 61.

  Every time there is an OK determination in step S211, the presence or absence of the next page is confirmed (S212). If there is a next page, the process returns to S202, and the subsequent processes are repeatedly executed. Note that the job ticket designation content of the page satisfied with the preview image is stored in the storage device 18 each time.

(Highlight color processing)
FIG. 8 shows details of the highlight color processing in steps S204 and S205 of FIG. The processing shown here is executed by the job ticket analysis / color conversion unit 14.

First, it is checked whether the mapping algorithm is Color To HighLight (S301). If it is CTHL, CTHL processing suitable for characters and graphics is executed (S302). This CTHL process is a process suitable for a business document composed of a document and a graphic, and is performed as follows.
Character: Color to replace to highlight color.
Figure: replacement color to highlight color.
Photo: Replacement color to highlight color.
When the above processing is completed, the highlight color processing based on CTHL ends.

If it is determined in step S301 that the mapping algorithm is not CTHL, it is determined whether the mapping algorithm is Pictorial (S303). If the determination result of the mapping algorithm is Pictorial, Pictorial processing suitable for the photograph is executed (S304). This Pictorial process is a process suitable for photographs and is performed as follows.
Character: Color to replace to monochrome.
Figure: replacement color to highlight color.
Photo: Replacement color to highlight color.
When the above processing is completed, the highlight color processing based on Pictorial ends.

If it is determined in step S303 that the mapping algorithm is not Pictorial, it is determined whether the mapping algorithm is Monochrome (S305). If it is determined as Monochrome, Monochrome processing suitable for black and white is executed (S304). This Monochrome processing is performed as follows.
Character: All colors to monochrome.
Figure: All colors to monochrome.
Photo: All colors to monochrome.
When the above process is completed, the Monochrome process ends.

If it is determined in step S305 that it is not MonoChrome, an automatic process (Auto) which is a default setting is executed (S307). This automatic processing is executed when there is no designation by the user, and is performed as follows.
Character: Color to replace to highlight color.
Figure: replacement color to highlight color.
Photo: All colors to highlight color.
When the above processing is completed, the automatic processing ends. With the processing of FIG. 8 described above, optimal color conversion processing according to the document content is performed.

(Effect of embodiment)
According to this embodiment, the created image is displayed on the display unit 21 of the print image processing apparatus 1 before being output to the recording paper, and the finished state composed of both the job definition file and the print data as a whole job is displayed in full color. You can check in detail. In other words, by changing the designation of the highlight color of the job ticket 50, it can be confirmed before printing how the output result most preferable for the characteristics of the original such as graphics, photographs, and characters changes. In addition, regarding the components other than the color designated by the job ticket 50, for example, both sides, image positions, finishing finish, etc., the approximate finish can be confirmed before printing.

  In addition, images can be created with low resolution and few colors, and even in low-speed CPU and network environments, it is possible to create a print definition file that is optimal for a job while checking the finish, as well as binding multiple pages. It can be simply displayed by the state overlap or the spread of an arbitrary page.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from or changing the technical idea of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the PC that creates the job ticket is different from the PC that displays the preview image has been described, but the same PC may be configured. Job tickets can be created and edited efficiently.

  In addition, the case where the PC for confirming the display of the preview image and the image for print output are performed using different CPUs has been described. However, if there is sufficient processing capability, a high output for print output is possible. A configuration may be adopted in which image data of resolution is created by this PC.

  In the above embodiment, the case where full-color PDL data is converted into black and two other colors has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to multicolor printers and printing apparatuses other than full-color. .

1 is a block diagram illustrating a print image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the high kite color setting screen in a job level. It is a figure which shows the highlight color setting screen in an exception page. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a job ticket. It is a figure which shows a preview screen. 4 is a flowchart showing a schematic process of the print image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart showing details of preview image creation / confirmation processing in FIG. 6. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the highlight color process in step S204 of FIG. 7, and S205.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 2 Printer 11 PDL input part 12 Job ticket input part 13 Input control part 14 Job ticket analysis and color conversion part 15 Conversion logic memory | storage part 15a Character color conversion table 15b Graphic color conversion table 15c Photo color conversion table 16 PDL analyzer 17 CPU
18 Storage Device 19 Paper Color Addition Unit 20 Output Control Unit 21 Display Unit 30 Job Level High Kite Color Setting Screen 31 Setting Field 32 Apply Button 33 Cancel Button 34 OK Button 35 Item Field 40 Highlight Color Setting Screen 41 on Exception Page Exception page column 42 Paper column 43 Setting column 50 Job ticket 51 Number of copies attribute 52 Finishing attribute 53 Paper specification attribute 54 Highlight color specification attribute 55 Exception page specification attribute 60 Preview screen 61 Preview image 100 Print image processing system

Claims (5)

An input unit for inputting printing conditions including the color of paper on which an image is printed;
A conversion unit that converts a color image having a predetermined number of colors into a print image having a smaller number of colors than the predetermined number of colors;
A combining unit that combines the print image and the sheet image having the color to generate a combined image;
A print image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays the composite image. The input unit inputs a color to be replaced and a color after replacement as the printing condition,
The converting unit replaces a color other than the color to be replaced in the color image with gray, converts the color to be replaced into the color after the replacement, and generates the print image. The print image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The input unit inputs post-processing information necessary for post-processing after printing as the printing condition,
The print image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesizing unit generates the synthesized image after post-processing based on the post-processing information.   The print image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining unit generates a low-resolution image in which the resolution of the print image is reduced, and combines the low-resolution image and the paper image. A printing condition input unit for inputting the printing condition including the color of the paper on which the image is printed and the conversion logic;
A conversion unit that converts a color image having a predetermined number of colors into a print image having a smaller number of colors than the predetermined number of colors according to the conversion logic;
A combining unit that combines the print image and the sheet image having the color to generate a combined image;
A display unit for displaying the composite image;
A determination result input unit that inputs a determination result of pass / fail for the composite image displayed on the display unit;
A control unit that controls the conversion unit to change the conversion logic and generate the print image again when a determination result that denies the composite image is input from the determination result input unit. A print image processing apparatus.