JP2007034371A - Image processor, image processing method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor for generating print data which can be easily read by a user even when a fine character or a line image is printed. <P>SOLUTION: This image processor is configured to generate print data including the print output content of every print output unit of a printer by screen processing using a designated type of screen following designated print conditions from original data constituted by describing print content, whether or not predetermined conditions (N-up print or the like) are satisfied by at least one of the original data and print conditions is judged, and the type of a screen to be used for the screen processing is changed to the predetermined type of screen regardless of the type of screen designated by the user according to the judgement result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program, and more particularly to generation of print data used for printing using screen processing.

  With the development of image processing technology for printing and the growing awareness of resource saving, a so-called N-up function has been widely used that reduces print images for multiple pages and outputs them to a single sheet of paper. . By using the N-up function, it is possible to obtain a proof of a document with a small amount of medium before printing each page individually, and to easily compare the layouts of the pages.

  However, since the content printed out using the N-up function is reduced compared to the design time, it may be particularly difficult to see characters and line drawings. For example, in the case of a print page including a large number of footnotes using small fonts, if this page is printed out using the 4-up function, the characters become too small and difficult for the user to read. .

  In this regard, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which, when a reduced character pattern is generated by scaling a reference character pattern, correction is made to thicken a line segment included in the character pattern, thereby making it easier to see the character. Has been.

  Patent Document 2 below discloses a configuration in which the character pitch and line feed width are re-set in order to avoid character crushing caused by character reduction when the importance of a document to be printed out is relatively low. Yes.

Further, in Patent Document 3 below, in order to prevent the document content from becoming too small at the time of printing using the N-up function, it is possible to reliably read all text when the document includes text. Thus, a configuration for setting the maximum N-up magnification according to the character type is disclosed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-91799 JP 2002-219837 A JP 2003-303088 A

  However, according to the technique described in Patent Document 1, the line segment included in the character pattern becomes thick, and according to the technique described in Patent Document 2, the character pitch and line feed width are changed. In any case, the page layout is deformed. For this reason, the original purpose of obtaining a proof of the document cannot be achieved. In addition, according to the technique described in Patent Document 3, an upper limit is set for the N-up magnification, and the user may not be able to print at the desired magnification.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program for generating print data that can be easily read by a user even if fine characters and line drawings are printed. There is to do.

  Another object is to change the printing method for a predetermined print output element such as a character or a line drawing, thereby generating print data that allows the user to easily read the predetermined print element. It is to provide a method and a program.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention performs a screen process using a specified type of screen from original data describing print contents according to a specified print condition. In the image processing apparatus that generates print data including print output contents for each print output unit, a determination unit that determines whether at least one of the original data or the print conditions satisfies a predetermined condition, and the determination unit Screen changing means for changing the type of screen used in the screen processing to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the designated type of screen, in accordance with the result of the determination. This image processing apparatus may be, for example, a printer or a printer control apparatus that controls the printer.

  Also, the image processing method according to the present invention can perform printing for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing using a specified type of screen according to specified printing conditions from original data describing print contents. In an image processing method for generating print data including output contents, a determination step for determining whether or not at least one of the original data and the print condition satisfies a predetermined condition, and depending on a determination result in the determination step And a screen changing step of changing a screen type used in the screen processing to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the designated type of screen.

  In addition, the program according to the present invention provides print output content for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing using a specified type of screen from original data describing the print content according to specified print conditions. A program for causing a computer to generate print data including: determination means for determining whether at least one of the original data or the printing conditions satisfies a predetermined condition; and by the determination means A program for causing the computer to function as screen changing means for changing a screen type used in the screen processing to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the designated type of screen according to a determination result. This program may be executed by, for example, a computer built in the printer, or may be executed by a computer built in a printer control device that controls the printer. In addition, it may be executed by any computer such as a personal computer. The program may be stored in various computer-readable information storage media such as a CD-ROM.

  In the present invention, it is determined whether at least one of the original printing data or the printing conditions satisfies a predetermined condition. Thereby, it is possible to determine the fineness of the content to be printed out. Then, since the type of screen used in the screen processing is selected according to the determination result, when N-up printing is executed, when reduced printing is executed, when printing using extremely small fonts is executed When it is determined that the content to be printed out is fine, the screen can be output to a print medium such as paper so that the user can easily read it.

  The determination means may determine whether or not the printing condition is to output a predetermined number of pages of 2 or more to one print medium. By so doing, printing can be performed using a predetermined type of screen (for example, a screen suitable for printing fine characters and line drawings) when performing so-called N-up printing.

  Further, the determination unit may determine whether or not the printing condition is for performing reduced printing. In this way, printing can be performed using a predetermined type of screen (for example, a screen suitable for printing fine characters and line drawings) at the time of reduced printing.

  The determination means may determine whether or not the size of characters included in the print content described in the original data is less than a predetermined size. In this way, when printing a small-size character, it is possible to print using a predetermined type of screen (for example, a screen suitable for printing fine characters and line drawings).

  The screen changing unit may partially use a predetermined type of screen for the print output contents according to the determination result by the determining unit. In this way, a predetermined type of screen can be used only where necessary. In this case, the determination unit may use the predetermined type of screen for a print portion in the print output content corresponding to a predetermined print output element. The predetermined print output element may be at least one of a character and a line drawing.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for generating print data including print output contents for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing, wherein the printing corresponding to a predetermined print output element is performed. A position specifying unit that specifies a position in the output content, and a predetermined type of screen corresponding to the predetermined print output element is used in the screen processing for the position in the print output content specified by the position specifying unit. And a screen changing means. This image processing apparatus may be, for example, a printer or a printer control apparatus that controls the printer.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for generating print data including print output contents for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing, wherein the printing corresponding to a predetermined print output element is performed. A position specifying step for specifying a position in the output content, and a predetermined type of screen corresponding to the predetermined print output element is used in the screen processing for the position in the print output content specified in the position specifying step. And a screen changing step.

  A program according to another aspect of the present invention corresponds to a predetermined print output element in a program for causing a computer to generate print data including print output contents for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing. Position specifying means for specifying a position in the print output content, and a predetermined type of screen corresponding to the predetermined print output element in the screen processing for the position in the print output content specified by the position specifying means Is a program for causing the computer to function as screen changing means. This program may be executed by, for example, a computer built in the printer, or may be executed by a computer built in a printer control device that controls the printer. In addition, it may be executed by any computer such as a personal computer. The program may be stored in various computer-readable information storage media such as a CD-ROM.

  According to the present invention, a position in a print output content of a predetermined print output element such as a character or a line drawing is specified, and a predetermined type of screen is used in screen processing for the position. For this reason, the screen can be changed to a screen suitable for a predetermined print output element such as a character or a line drawing so that the user can easily read the predetermined print element.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system including a printer control device that functions as an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the print system 10 includes a client machine 12, a server machine 14, and a multifunction device 16. The client machine 12 is configured by, for example, a known personal computer, generates document data described in PDL (Print Description Language), which is original data describing the print contents, and supplies the document data to the server machine 14. The server machine 14 is composed of, for example, a known server computer, and receives document data and generates print data therefrom. The print data includes print output contents (for example, colors and gradations) for each print output unit of the printer. The multi-function device 16 is a device having three functions of a copier, a facsimile receiver, and a printer. When print data is received from the server machine 14, an image corresponding to the content is printed on the print medium such as paper by the function of the printer. Is formed.

  In this embodiment, the server machine 14 performs screen processing. That is, when rasterizing the document data received from the client machine 12 to generate print data, a screen is used. That is, using a screen such as a halftone screen, a halftone screen, or a line screen, the document content indicated by the document data is represented by a dot arrangement. In the server machine 14, the user designates various printing conditions such as the type of screen used in the above screen processing, whether or not to perform reduced printing, its magnification, whether or not to execute N-up printing, and its magnification. In principle, rasterization is performed under the specified conditions.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the multifunction machine 16 performs screen processing, and the server machine 14 generates print data. In this case, the print data generated by the server machine 14 includes attribute information indicating a screen for each pixel as shown in FIG. The multi-function device 16 determines a screen for printing pixels corresponding to the attribute information based on the attribute information included in the print data.

  Further, the server machine 14 determines whether at least one of the original data received from the client machine 12 or the printing conditions specified by the user satisfies a predetermined predetermined screen use condition, and according to the determination result, The type of screen used in the above screen processing is changed to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the type of screen actually designated by the user. That is, when the user designates N-up printing for outputting a page having a predetermined number of pages N or more to one print medium, when the user designates reduced printing with a predetermined reduction ratio M or more, or print contents described in the original data When the size of characters included in the image is less than the predetermined character size S, the type of screen actually used as part of the printing conditions is ignored, and a predetermined value suitable for printing characters or line drawings. Print data is generated using different types of screens. Note that the values of the predetermined number of pages N, the predetermined reduction ratio M, and the predetermined character size S may be fixed values or may be specified in advance by the user.

  FIG. 2 shows the types of screens that are actually used when the predetermined screen use conditions are satisfied (N-up, etc.) and when not (normal). That is, when a photographic screen is used by the user specifying printing conditions, “screen 1” is normally used. When a character / line drawing screen is used, “screen 2” is usually used. However, if the predetermined screen usage conditions are satisfied, the “screen 2” which is a screen for character / line drawing is used in any case.

  According to the above configuration, when N-up printing is performed, reduced printing is performed, or when extremely small fonts are printed, the user is forced to use a character / line drawing screen suitable for printing fine characters and line drawings. This makes it easier to read text and line drawings. That is, the photographic screen shown in FIG. 3A has a large pattern, and generally the pattern is skewed with respect to the character arrangement direction (direction of the print medium). For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4A, when a thin line is printed out using a photographic screen, irregularities appear on the outline as shown by the broken line in the figure. In addition, when a very thin line is printed out, it may appear to be interrupted. On the other hand, the character / line drawing screen shown in FIG. 3B has a small pattern, and generally the pattern is not skewed with respect to the character arrangement direction. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4B, when a fine line is printed out using a character / line drawing screen, irregularities are unlikely to appear on the outline. Even if a very thin line is printed out, it does not appear to be interrupted.

  If the original data and the printing conditions satisfy a predetermined screen usage condition, the character / line drawing screen may be partially used for the print output contents. That is, when a predetermined print output element such as a character or a line drawing is described in the original data, when the print output element is rasterized, the pixel corresponds to the pixel at that position and the pixel such as a character or line drawing Attribute information indicating that it represents a predetermined print output element is recorded in association with it. FIG. 5 schematically shows this data, and it is shown that each pixel data (pixel data) is composed of color information of the pixel and attribute information of the pixel. In the server machine 14 according to the modified example, when it is determined from the attribute information that the pixel associated with the attribute information indicates a predetermined print output element using the data, the server machine 14 according to the modification prints the pixel. The data is generated by screen processing using a character / line drawing screen regardless of the designation of the screen to be used by the user. In this way, the character / line drawing screen can be used only in a portion where characters, line drawings, etc. are displayed.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a print system including a printer control device that functions as an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the kind of screen used with a server machine. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen for photography (a) and the screen for character and line drawing (b). It is a figure which shows the fine line (a) drawn using the screen for photography, and the thin line (b) drawn using the screen for characters and a line drawing. It is a figure explaining the method of using the screen for character and line drawing partially.

Explanation of symbols

  10 printing system, 12 client machine, 14 server machine, 16 multifunction machine.

Claims (12)

Image processing that generates print data including the print output contents for each print output unit of the printer from the original data describing the print contents by screen processing using the specified type of screen according to the specified print conditions In the device
Determining means for determining whether at least one of the original data or the printing conditions satisfies a predetermined condition;
Screen changing means for changing the type of screen used in the screen processing to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the designated type of screen, according to the determination result by the determining means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The determination means determines whether or not the printing condition is to output a predetermined number of pages of 2 or more to one print medium;
An image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The determination means determines whether or not the printing condition is to perform reduced printing;
An image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The determination means determines whether or not the size of characters included in the print content described in the original data is less than a predetermined size;
An image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The screen changing means partially uses a predetermined type of screen for the print output content according to the determination result by the determination means.
An image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5.
The determination means uses the predetermined type of screen for a print portion in the print output content corresponding to a predetermined print output element.
An image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6.
The predetermined print output element is at least one of a character and a line drawing.
An image processing apparatus. Image processing that generates print data including the print output contents for each print output unit of the printer from the original data describing the print contents by screen processing using the specified type of screen according to the specified print conditions In the method
A determination step of determining whether at least one of the original data or the printing conditions satisfies a predetermined condition;
A screen changing step for changing a screen type used in the screen processing to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the designated type of screen according to the determination result in the determining step;
An image processing method comprising: A computer that generates print data including print output contents for each print output unit of the printer from original data describing the print contents by screen processing using a specified type of screen according to specified print conditions. Is a program for making
Determining means for determining whether at least one of the original data or the printing conditions satisfies a predetermined condition; and the type of screen to be used in the screen processing is specified according to a determination result by the determining means. A program for causing the computer to function as screen changing means for changing to a predetermined type of screen regardless of the type of screen. In an image processing apparatus that generates print data including print output contents for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing,
Position specifying means for specifying a position in the print output content corresponding to a predetermined print output element;
Screen changing means for using a predetermined type of screen corresponding to the predetermined print output element in the screen processing for the position in the print output content specified by the position specifying means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: In an image processing method for generating print data including print output contents for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing,
A position specifying step for specifying a position in the print output content corresponding to a predetermined print output element;
A screen changing step using a predetermined type of screen corresponding to the predetermined print output element in the screen processing for the position in the print output content specified in the position specifying step;
An image processing method comprising: In a program for causing a computer to function to generate print data including print output contents for each print output unit of a printer by screen processing,
A position specifying means for specifying a position in the print output content corresponding to a predetermined print output element; and the predetermined print output element in the screen processing for the position in the print output content specified by the position specifying means. A program for causing the computer to function as screen changing means using a corresponding predetermined type of screen.

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