JP2009234244A - Printer, its control method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the convenience of a user at the execution of printing setting much more than ever. <P>SOLUTION: A selection of an image is received (S100). According to the selection by a user, a print setting is received by using a normal print setting screen or a print history screen used in the past for printing and stored (S110-S150). Data for displaying the image selected is created according to the received print setting to display a preview screen (S160, S170). When a command to start printing is given, the image is printed according to the received print setting (S180-S200). After printing is completed, the print setting used in the printing according to the command by the user is stored in a flash memory as a print history describing the setting related to the data for display (S210, S220). Thus, the user can select a print setting with checking the images printed past and browsing the print history. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints an image according to a print setting designated by a user, a control method thereof, and a program for causing one or a plurality of computers to realize each step of the control method of the printing apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printing apparatus stores print settings as history information, displays the history information stored when printing, and allows the user to select desired history information as print settings from the displayed history information. Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this apparatus, the convenience of the user can be further improved by storing the print settings as history information so that they can be reused.
JP 2001-243031 A

  However, in the above-described printing apparatus, when there are a lot of stored print setting history information, it is not known which print setting corresponds to an attempt to reuse a print setting used for an image printed in the past. The search becomes difficult.

  The main purpose of the printing apparatus and its control method and program according to the present invention is to further improve convenience when reusing print settings used for images printed in the past.

  The printing apparatus, the control method thereof, and the program of the present invention employ the following means in order to achieve the main object described above.

The printing apparatus of the present invention includes:
A printing device that prints an image according to print settings specified by a user,
Image selection receiving means for receiving image selection;
History information display means for displaying print setting history information;
Print setting accepting means for accepting either normal print settings from the user or selection of the displayed history information as the print settings;
Image display means for creating and displaying a display image based on the selected image;
Print execution means for executing printing according to the accepted print setting based on the selected image when a print instruction is given to the displayed image;
History information storage means for storing the received print settings as the history information in association with the created display image;
It is a summary to provide.

  In the printing apparatus of the present invention, selection of an image is accepted, history information of print settings is displayed, and either normal print settings from the user or selection of displayed history information is accepted and selected as print settings. A display image is created and displayed based on the displayed image, and printing is executed according to the print setting accepted based on the selected image when a print instruction is given to the displayed image. The setting is stored as history information in association with the created display image. As a result, history information can be searched and selected while checking images printed in the past, so that it is possible to further improve convenience when reusing print settings used for images printed in the past.

  In such a printing apparatus of the present invention, the image display means is means for creating and displaying a corrected display image reflecting the correction result when a print setting accompanied with correction of the selected image is received. The history information storage means may be means for storing the corrected display image as the history information. By doing this, it is possible to select history information while also checking the correction result of the image.

  In the printing apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the print setting includes a plurality of items, and the history information display unit corresponds to the position indicated by each balloon in the display image with each item of the print setting as a balloon. It can also be a means for arranging and displaying in a position. In this way, it is possible to easily grasp which item of the print setting is set for the image.

  Further, in the printing apparatus of the present invention, the history information storage means may be means for storing the print settings as the history information in association with the display image based on an instruction from a user. In this way, it is possible to suppress unnecessary history information from being stored.

  In the printing apparatus of the present invention, the print setting accepting unit may be a unit capable of accepting selection of the displayed history information as the print setting with a change in setting. By doing so, it is possible to change the setting when performing the print setting using the history information.

  In the printing apparatus of the present invention, when a search condition is specified by the user, a print history search for searching for a print history that matches the specified search condition from among the print histories stored by the history information storage unit. The print setting includes a plurality of items, and when one of the plurality of items is designated by the user, the print setting is stored in the history information storage unit. It is also possible to provide a print history search means for searching for a print history in which a setting different from the default is set for the designated item among the print settings, and the print setting is selected from a plurality of items. When the user instructs to search for a print history having similar settings to the currently selected print history, the history information is stored in the history information storage means. May be items that set the printing history in the selection matches one of the printing history is intended to comprise a printing history search means for searching the print history is more than a predetermined number. By doing this, it is possible to further improve the searchability of the print history.

The control method of the printing apparatus of the present invention includes:
A printing apparatus control method for controlling, by computer software, a printing apparatus that prints an image according to a print setting designated by a user,
(A) Accept selection of images,
(B) Display print setting history information,
(C) accepting either normal print settings from the user or selection of the displayed history information as the print settings; (d) creating and displaying a display image based on the selected image;
(E) When a print instruction is given to the displayed image, printing is performed according to the accepted print setting based on the selected image;
(F) The gist of the invention is to store the received print settings as the history information in association with the created display image.

  According to the printing apparatus control method of the present invention, the selection of an image is accepted, the print setting history information is displayed, and either the normal print setting from the user or the selection of the displayed history information is set as the print setting. The image for display is created and displayed based on the selected image, and printing is executed according to the print setting received based on the selected image when a print instruction is given to the displayed image. The received print setting is stored as history information in association with the created display image. As a result, history information can be searched and selected while checking images printed in the past, so that it is possible to further improve convenience when reusing print settings used for images printed in the past. In this printing apparatus control method, various aspects of the above-described printing apparatus may be adopted, and steps for realizing each function of the above-described printing apparatus may be added.

  The program of the present invention is for causing one or more computers to realize the steps of the above-described printing apparatus control method. This program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.), or from a computer via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or LAN). It may be distributed to another computer, or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer or if each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, each step of the printing apparatus control method described above is executed. Is obtained.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an external appearance of a photo printer 10 which is an embodiment of a printing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of the photo printer 10.

  As shown in the figure, the photo printer 10 according to the present embodiment includes an operation panel 20 provided on the upper surface of the printer main body 12 and an operation panel 20 that is attached to an inner side of the upper surface of the printer main body 12 so as to be freely opened and closed. A cover 30 to be covered, a printing mechanism 50 (see FIG. 2) built in the printer main body 12, a front door 14 that can open and close the front surface of the printer main body 12, and a controller 70 that controls the entire photo printer 10 (FIG. 2). Reference).

  The operation panel 20 includes a display 22 that displays characters, graphics, symbols, and the like, and a button group 24 arranged around the display 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the button group 24 includes a power button 24a for turning on / off the power, a menu button 24b for calling a main menu screen on which a plurality of options relating to the printing function are arranged, and canceling the operation halfway. A cancel button 24c for interrupting printing on a sheet in the middle, a print button 24d for instructing execution of printing on a sheet, and an edited image or the like to be stored in a memory card M inserted in the memory card slot 16 The save button 24e and the upper, lower, left and right buttons arranged in a ring are operated when selecting a desired option from among a plurality of options displayed on the display 22, moving the cursor, and changing the size of the image frame. Each arrow button 24f-24i is arranged at the center of the up / down / left / right arrow buttons 24f-24i. And it is made of such an OK button 24j for instructing the determined choices selected by the F～24i.

  The cover 30 is a resin plate formed in a size that can cover the upper surface of the printer main body 12, and exposes the surface of the operation panel 20 to the outside in the open state (see FIG. 1), and the operation panel 20 in the closed state. Cover. The cover 30 includes a window 32 having the same size as the display 22. When the cover 30 is in a closed state, the user can check the display content of the display 22 through the window 32. Furthermore, the cover 30 is held in a state of being inclined obliquely rearward with respect to the operation panel 20 in the open state. For this reason, the back surface of the cover 30 in the opened state can be used as a tray for supplying paper to the printing mechanism 50. Further, a paper feed port 58 of the printing mechanism 50 is provided at the back of the operation panel 20, and a pair of papers that are slid in the left-right direction so that the guide width matches the width of the paper are provided in the paper feed port 58. A guide 59 is provided.

The printing mechanism 50 is disposed inside the printer main body 12. This printing mechanism 50 moves the paper 56 in the sub-scanning direction (front-rear direction in FIG. 2) while reciprocating the carriage 56 on which the print head 54 for ejecting ink toward the paper is reciprocated in the main scanning direction (left-right direction in FIG. 2). ) Is a well-known ink jet printing mechanism that executes printing by conveying it to the head. Here, an on-carriage type in which the ink cartridge 52 for supplying ink to the print head 54 is mounted on the carriage 56 is illustrated, but an off-carriage type in which the ink cartridge is disposed at a place other than the carriage 56 may be used. Further, the print head 54 may adopt a method of applying pressure to the piezoelectric element by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element to pressurize the ink, or applying a voltage to a heating resistor (for example, a heater) to apply the ink. You may employ | adopt the system which pressurizes ink with the bubble generated by heating.

  The front door 14 is a lid for opening and closing the front surface of the printer main body 12. When the front door 14 is open, the front door 14 functions as a paper discharge tray for receiving paper discharged from the front surface of the printer main body 12. The various memory card slots 16 provided on the front side of the card are made available to the user. A memory card M is inserted into the memory card slot 16. The memory card M stores a plurality of JPEG image files. When the memory card M is inserted into the memory card slot 16, the controller 70 assigns the photo numbers (image numbers) to all the photo images stored in the memory card M in ascending order from the oldest shooting date and time. Give. That is, photo numbers are assigned to all photo images that can be selected and set as print target images by the user.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 70 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a CPU 71, and includes a ROM 72 that stores various processing programs and various data, a RAM 73 that temporarily stores data, The flash memory 74 is rewritable and stores data even when the power is turned off, and these are connected via a bus 75 so that signals can be exchanged with each other. The operation panel 20, the printing mechanism 50, and the reader / writer 18 are also connected to the bus 75. The controller 70 inputs a photographic image of the memory card M inserted into the memory card slot 16 via the reader / writer 18, and also detects a detection signal from each part of the printing mechanism 50 and a command signal from the button group 24 of the operation panel 20. Enter. In addition to storing the edited image in the memory card M via the reader / writer 18, the controller 70 outputs a control signal to the print head 54 of the printing mechanism 50 and a control signal to the display 22 of the operation panel 20. .

  Next, the operation of the photo printer 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print processing routine executed by the controller 70 of the photo printer 10. This routine is executed when an item of “photo selection” is selected on the main menu screen.

  When the print processing routine is executed, the CPU 72 of the controller 70 first displays a photo selection screen and accepts selection of a photo image (step S100). FIG. 4 shows an example of the photo selection screen 80. On the photo selection screen 80, each time the right arrow button 24i is pressed once, the next photo image is displayed, and each time the left arrow button 24h is pressed, the photo number is 1 as shown. The previous photographic image is displayed, and the photographic image can be selected by pressing the OK button 24j while the desired photographic image is displayed by operating the arrow buttons 24h and 24i. On the photo selection screen 80, the desired number of photographic images can be changed by the up and down arrow buttons 24f and 24g while the desired photographic image is displayed.

  When a photograph is selected in this way, a setting method for print settings is next determined (step S110). FIG. 5 shows an example of the menu screen 82. The print setting setting method is instructed by, for example, using the up and down arrow buttons 24f and 24g on the menu screen 82 to bring the cursor 82a to either the "normal print setting" item or the "print history" item and the OK button 24j. This can be done by pressing.

  When the setting method of the normal print setting is instructed, the normal print setting screen is displayed (step S120), and the selection of the print setting is waited (step S130). FIG. 6 shows an example of the normal print setting screen 84. In the normal print setting screen 84, the setting items include paper size (for example, “L size”, “KG size”, “postcard”, “high definition size”, “card”, “photo sticker”, etc.) For example, “photo paper entry”, “photo paper”, “photo paper crispia”, “post glossy postcard”, “inkjet postcard”, etc.), layout (for example, “one-sided border” or “one-sided border”, “2-sided”, “4-sided”, “9-sided”, “16-sided”, “ID photo”, etc.), date print setting for printing a date with a photo (for example, “on”, “off”) Automatic image quality correction that automatically corrects photos to the optimum hue (for example, “APF (Auto Photo Fine)” that prints images with optimal correction according to the image, and is added to the photo data when taken with a compatible digital camera. Pre ("PIM (PRINT Image Matching)" for printing with optimum correction based on the print instruction information, "None" for no automatic correction, etc.), and a correction mode for making detailed settings for the APF ( For example, “Standard”, “Person”, “Landscape”, “Night scene”, etc., Overhead setting to adjust the amount of borderless printing (eg, “Standard”, “Low”, “Less”), Digital Text composition printing (for example, “On”, “Off”) for setting whether to print text information set by the camera in a photo, Red-eye correction (for example, for correcting red eyes of a person in a photo) "On", "Off"), color settings for adding color effects to photos (for example, "None", "Monochrome", "Sepia", etc.), and brightness for printing by adjusting the brightness of the photo Adjustment (for example, “brighter”, “brighter” ”,“ Standard ”,“ Darker ”,“ Darker ”, etc., and vividness settings to print by adjusting the vividness of the photo (for example,“ More vivid ”,“ Vivid ”,“ Standard ”,“ Dull ”) , “More dull”, etc.) Sharpness for adjusting the sharpness of a photo (for example, “High sharpness”, “Low sharpness”, “Standard”, “Low soft focus”, “High soft focus”, etc.) There are setting items such as, and when the cursor 84a is moved to the desired setting item by the up and down arrow buttons 24f and 24g and the OK button 24j is pressed, the print setting screen for each setting item can be called to perform the print setting. . FIG. 7 shows an example of the print setting screen 86 for the paper size. For example, as shown in the figure, the paper size is set to “L size”, “KG size”, “postcard”, “high definition size”, “card”, “photo sticker” by the up and down arrow buttons 24f, 24g. This can be done by moving the cursor 86a to a desired size and pressing the OK button 24j. Although not shown, other items can be set by the same operation. Also, after the print settings such as the paper size, paper type, and layout described above have been made for the selected photo image, printing is performed by compositing frames, adding decorations as necessary, and editing the frames. “Frame composition” can also be selected.

  When the print setting is selected on the normal print setting screen 84 in this way, display data is created in accordance with the selected print setting (step S160), and a preview display for displaying the created display data on the display 22 is performed ( In step S170, a print instruction is awaited (step S180). In this embodiment, the display data is created by reading a photographic image selected by the user from the memory card M and expanding the photographic image in the display data storage area of the RAM 73. The developed photographic image has a resolution suitable for display on the display 22. This is performed by executing a resolution conversion process for converting to. These correction results are reflected when the settings related to image correction are on, such as when the date print setting is “on”, automatic image quality correction is “APF”, or when red-eye correction is “on”. Created as a photographic image. Specifically, when the automatic image quality correction is APF, an RGB histogram or luminance histogram of display data developed on the RAM 73 is obtained, and each image quality such as luminance, brightness, color balance, highlight, shadow, contrast, sharpness, etc. The feature amount of the parameter is extracted, the correction amount is set so that the extracted feature amount approaches the feature amount of the image quality parameter of an image having a preferable image quality, and display data (preview image) is created based on the set correction amount. Is done. FIG. 8 shows an example of the preview screen 88. The print instruction can be issued by pressing the OK button 24j while the preview screen 88 is displayed on the display 22.

  When printing is instructed, the photograph image selected by the user is read from the memory card M, print data is created according to the selected print settings (step S190), and the designated paper is based on the created print data. In step S200, the printing mechanism 50 is controlled such that printing is performed. In this embodiment, the print data is created in the print data storage area on the RAM 73 by executing resolution conversion processing for converting the developed image into a resolution suitable for printing. These correction results are reflected when the settings related to image correction are on, such as when the date print setting is “on”, automatic image quality correction is “APF”, or when red-eye correction is “on”. Created as a photographic image.

  When the execution of printing is completed in this way, for example, a message such as “Do you want to save the print settings as a history?” Is displayed on the display 22 to indicate whether or not to save the print settings used for this printing as a history. (Step S210), this routine is terminated as it is when the save instruction is not given, and when the save instruction is given, the print setting selected at step S120 is associated with the display data created at step S160 in the flash memory. In step S220, the routine is terminated. The print settings are stored with a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 20) as the upper limit, and when the print settings are already reached when the print settings are stored, the stored data is overwritten in order from the oldest data. To do. As the display data to be stored in association with the print settings, when the “layout” setting exceeds a predetermined number of planes (for example, 4 pages are set according to the size of the display 22), each photographic image becomes too small. Do not save because it is considered impossible to distinguish. The setting items of the print setting to be saved include paper size, paper type, layout, automatic image quality correction, correction mode, date print setting, color setting, character composition printing, red-eye correction, I. M.M. Includes association settings, borderless protrusion settings, frame composition, and so on.

  When the print history is selected as the print setting setting method in step S110, a print history screen is displayed on the display 22 (step S140), and the process waits for the print setting to be selected (step S150). FIG. 9 shows an example of the print history screen 90. In the print history screen 90, as shown in the figure, a display image 91 created for a photographic image used for printing in the past and a balloon 92 for each item of print settings used for printing (in the figure, the paper size , A paper type and layout balloon 92a, an automatic image quality correction balloon 92b, a red-eye correction balloon 92c, and a date print setting balloon 92d) are arranged side by side, and the position indicated by the balloon 92 for each setting item Is set so that each setting item in the display image 91 is an affected part. The balloon 92a for the paper size, paper type, and layout is arranged to point to the upper right end of the display image 91, and the balloon 92b for automatic image quality correction is arranged to point to a position slightly below the balloon 92a. For the red-eye correction balloon 92c, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a human face in a photograph is recognized by face recognition processing and a rectangular area including the recognized face is set. The central coordinates (Xc, Yc) of the coordinates (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) of the two points on the diagonal line are set by calculating the following expressions (1) and (2). Furthermore, if the date print setting balloon 92d is to be printed in a predetermined area (for example, the lower right area) of the image, the part can be set to the position indicated by the balloon 92d. it can. In the print history screen 90, the previous print history can be displayed by pressing the left arrow button 24h, and the next print history can be displayed by pressing the right arrow button 24i. The desired print history is displayed by the arrow buttons 24h and 24i and the OK button 24j is pressed to accept the selected print history as the print setting. When the print setting is accepted, the processing after step S160 described above is executed, and this routine is terminated. In the print history screen 90, the history can be deleted by pressing a delete button (not shown) while the desired history is displayed.

Xc = (x1 + x2) / 2 (1)
Yc = (y1 + y2) / 2 (2)

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The controller 70 that executes the process of step S100 of the routine of FIG. 3 that displays an image selection screen on the display 22 and receives an image selection according to the present embodiment corresponds to “image selection means”, and is a print setting setting method. When the normal print setting is selected, the print settings are received using the normal print setting screen. When the print history is selected, the print settings are received using the print history setting screen. The processes of steps S140 and S150 in FIG. The controller 70 corresponds to “print setting accepting means”, creates display data in accordance with the display 22 and print settings, and displays the created display data on the display 22 as a preview screen. Processing in steps S160 and S170 in FIG. The controller 70 that executes the process corresponds to an “image display unit” and prints. FIG. 7 is a diagram for controlling the printing mechanism 50 so that printing data is created according to print settings when printing is instructed in a state where the structure 50 and the preview screen are displayed, and printing is executed based on the created printing data. The controller 70 that executes the processes in steps S190 and S200 in FIG. 3 corresponds to “print execution means”, and the flash memory 74 and the print settings set in steps S120 and S140 are associated with the display data created in step S160. The controller 70 that executes the processing of steps S210 and S220 in FIG. 3 stored in the flash memory 74 corresponds to the “print history storage unit”. In this embodiment, an example of the method of the printing apparatus of the present invention is also clarified by describing the operation of the photo printer 10.

  According to the photo printer 10 of the present embodiment described above in detail, either a normal print setting screen or a print history screen in which print settings used in past printing are stored according to the selection from the user is received. Is used to receive print settings, create display data for the selected image, display it on the display 22 as a preview screen, and print based on the selected image according to the received print settings when instructed to start printing And the print settings used for printing after printing is completed and stored in the flash memory 74 as the above-described print history in association with the display data created, so that the user can check and confirm images printed in the past It is possible to search the print history and select the print setting, which can improve the convenience of the user when making the print setting. Kill. In addition, display data reflecting image correction such as automatic image quality correction and red-eye correction is created and stored in the flash memory 74 together with the print settings, so the print finish according to the print settings used in past printing is also confirmed. The print settings can be made while doing so. Furthermore, since the print settings are saved only when a save instruction is given from the user, unnecessary print settings can be prevented from being saved in the flash memory 74. In the print history screen, each setting item of the print setting is set as a balloon 92, and the position indicated by the balloon 92 of each setting item is set so that each setting item in the display image 91 is affected. The user can easily grasp the setting status of each setting item.

  In this embodiment, an instruction as to whether or not to save the print setting as a history is received, and the print setting is stored in association with the display data only when the save instruction is not made. The print settings that have been stored may be stored each time.

  In the present embodiment, display data reflecting image correction is created and displayed on the display 22 as a preview screen, and display data reflecting image correction when printing is completed is saved as a print history. Although the data is displayed on the print history setting screen when the print setting is performed after the next time, display data that does not reflect the image correction may be created and the display data may be stored as a print history.

  In this embodiment, the display image 91 and the balloon 92 for each item of the print settings used for printing are arranged as a print history screen. However, the display method of the print history is not limited to this. Any display method may be used such as a display image and print setting items arranged separately. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the display image and the print setting items are displayed on separate screens. As shown in the figure, on the print history screen 94, only the display image 95 is displayed. When the left arrow button 24h is pressed, the previous history is displayed, and when the right arrow button 24i is pressed, the next image is displayed. The history is displayed. When a desired image is displayed and the OK button 24j is pressed, the screen shifts to a list display screen 96 in which each item of the print setting used for printing the image is displayed as a list. In this example, on the list display screen 96, an individual print setting screen such as the paper size setting screen 86 described above can be called by setting the cursor 96a to a desired item and pressing the OK button 24j. As a result, the print setting can be changed.

  In this embodiment, when the left arrow button 24h is pressed on the print history screen 90, the previous print history is displayed, and when the right arrow button 24i is pressed, the user displays the next print history. Although the desired print history can be selected, the present invention is not limited to this, and the print history may be searched by selecting a search method by the user. FIG. 12 shows an example of the print history search screen 98. The print history search screen 98 is shifted when a search button (not shown) is pressed in a state where the print history screen 90 is displayed. “Decorated”, “similar settings”, and “search by setting” items are provided, and each item is selected by moving the cursor 98a to a desired item with the up and down arrow buttons 24f and 24g and pressing the OK button 24j. It can be done. Here, “with person correction” is a search condition for searching a print history in which image correction has been performed on a person included in a photographic image, and is stored in the fresh memory 74 in the embodiment. Search results that have “APF” set for automatic image quality correction and “Person” set for correction mode for making detailed APF settings, or those for which red-eye correction is set to “On” To do. Further, “with frame / decoration” is a search condition for searching a print history in which a frame is combined with a photographic image. In the embodiment, “frame composition” is included in the print history stored in the flash memory 74. ”Was selected. “Search by setting” includes print setting setting items stored in the flash memory 74 (in the embodiment, paper size, paper type, layout, automatic image quality correction, correction mode, date print setting, color setting, Character synthesis printing, red-eye correction, PIM association setting, borderless protrusion amount setting, frame composition, etc.) are specified for each item, and the print history in which the print setting has been changed from the default for the specified setting item is searched For example, when “layout” whose default is set to “no border on one side” is specified as a search keyword, “one side border” other than “no border on one side” is specified. The print history set to “Yes” or “2 pages” is searched. The “similar setting” is for searching for a print history having a print setting similar to the currently selected print history on the print history screen 90. This search is similar to the similar print history shown in FIG. This is done by executing a search process. Details of the similar print history search process in FIG. 13 will be described below.

  In the similar print history search process, first, the print settings of the currently selected print history are read (step S300), and two or more print histories stored in the flash memory 74 are registered, including the currently selected print history. If two or more print histories are not registered, it is determined that a search is not necessary and this processing is terminated. If two or more print histories are registered, the next print history is determined. Are read (step S320). Here, in the process of reading the print settings in step S300 and step S320, in the embodiment, the print setting setting items stored in the flash memory 74 include paper size, paper type, layout, automatic image quality correction, correction mode, and date. Print settings, color settings, character composition printing, red-eye correction, I. M.M. Since the association setting, the marginless protrusion amount setting, the frame synthesis, and the like are performed, these are read processing. Then, the read print setting of the selected print history and the print setting of the next print history are compared for each item (step S330), and the items that match each other are totaled (step S340). Whether or not the number of matching items is equal to or greater than a predetermined number Nref (step S350), whether or not there is a mismatched item (unmatched item) (step S360), and when there is a mismatched item, the item is predetermined It is determined whether or not the item is a predetermined item (step S370). When the number of matching items is equal to or greater than the predetermined number Nref and there is no mismatched item, or when the number of matching items is equal to or greater than the predetermined number Nref and there are unmatched items, but the mismatched item is not the predetermined item, the target print history Is registered (step S380), and if there is no matching item equal to or greater than the predetermined number Nref, or there is a mismatching item even if there are more than the predetermined number Nref, the target print history is registered. Proceed to the next process without. The predetermined number Nref is a threshold value for determining whether or not the selected print setting and the print history to be compared are similar to each other, and can be determined as a value 3 or a value 4, for example. Here, if there is an inconsistent item and it is a predetermined item, the print history is not registered even if there are a predetermined number Nref or more of the matching items. Is to give. In the embodiment, “color setting” is set as a predetermined item. Then, it is determined whether or not the next print history is stored in the flash memory 74 (step S390). When the next print history is stored, the process returns to step S320 and is repeated, and there is no next print history. In some cases, the print history registered in step S380 is displayed as a list on the display 22 as a search result screen (step S400), and the process is terminated. FIG. 14 shows an example of the search result screen 99. On the search result screen 99, as shown in the figure, the print history of the search result is displayed as a list, and the above-described print is performed by pressing the OK button 24j with the cursor 99a being aligned with the desired print history by the up and down arrow buttons 24f and 24g. The user can move to the history screen 90 and select a print setting on the print history screen 90. In the similar print history search process of FIG. 13, even if there are more than a predetermined number Nref of matching items, there is an inconsistent item, and when it is a predetermined item, the target print history is not registered. Can be registered regardless of whether or not there are other non-matching items, and even if the number of matching items is the predetermined number Nref or more, there is no other mismatch. If there is even one item, the target print history may not be registered.

  In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus of the present invention is applied to the photo printer 10, but the present invention may be applied to a multifunction printer or a fax machine that includes a scanner in addition to the printing mechanism. Further, the present invention may be in the form of a control method for the printing apparatus or in the form of a program.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various modes as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

1 is an external perspective view showing an external appearance of a photo printer 10 as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of the photo printer 10. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print processing routine. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a photo selection screen 80. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the menu screen. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a print setting screen 84. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a paper size setting screen 86. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the preview screen 88. FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a print history screen 90. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of arrangement | positioning of the balloon 92c of red-eye correction | amendment. Explanatory drawing which shows the printing history screen 94 of the modification. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a print history search screen. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a similar print history search process. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the search result screen 99. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  10 Photo Printer, 12 Printer Main Body, 14 Front Door, 16 Memory Card Slot, 18 Reader / Writer, 20 Operation Panel, 22 Display, 24 Button Group, 24a Power Button, 24b Menu Button, 24c Cancel Button, 24d Print Button, 24e Save Button, 24f to i arrow button, 24j OK button, 30 cover, 32 window, 50 printing mechanism, 52 ink cartridge, 54 print head, 56 carriage, 58 paper feed port, 59 paper guide, 70 controller, 71 CPU, 72 ROM 73 RAM, 74 Flash memory, 75 bus, 80 photo selection screen, 82 menu screen, 82a cursor, 84 print setting screen, 84a cursor, 86 paper size setting screen, 86a cursor, 88 Review screen, 90 print history screen, 91 display image, 92, 92a to 92d balloon, 94 print history screen, 95 display image, 96 list display screen, 96a cursor, 98 print history search screen, 98a cursor, 99 search results Screen, 99a cursor.

Claims (10)

A printing device that prints an image according to print settings specified by a user,
Image selection receiving means for receiving image selection;
History information display means for displaying print setting history information;
Print setting accepting means for accepting either normal print settings from the user or selection of the displayed history information as the print settings;
Image display means for creating and displaying a display image based on the selected image;
Print execution means for executing printing according to the accepted print setting based on the selected image when a print instruction is given to the displayed image;
History information storage means for storing the received print settings as the history information in association with the created display image;
A printing apparatus comprising: The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The image display means is a means for creating and displaying a corrected display image reflecting a correction result when a print setting accompanied by correction of the selected image is received,
The history information storage unit is a unit that stores the corrected display image as the history information. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The print setting consists of a plurality of items.
The history information display means is a printing apparatus that displays each item of the print setting as a balloon and arranges and displays the position indicated by each balloon as a corresponding position in the display image.   4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the history information storage unit is a unit that stores the print setting as the history information in association with the display image based on an instruction from a user. 5.   5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print setting receiving unit is a unit that can receive selection of the displayed history information as the print setting with a change in setting. 6.   6. A print history search unit that searches for a print history that matches the specified search condition from among the print histories stored by the history information storage unit when a search condition is specified by a user. The printing apparatus according to claim 1. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The print setting consists of a plurality of items.
When one of the plurality of items is designated by the user, a setting different from the default is set for the designated item among the print settings stored in the history information storage unit. A printing apparatus comprising a printing history search means for searching for a printing history. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The print setting consists of a plurality of items.
An item whose setting matches the selected print history among the print histories stored in the history information storage means when the user instructs to search for a print history having similar settings to the selected print history A printing apparatus comprising printing history search means for searching for a printing history having a predetermined number or more. A printing apparatus control method for controlling, by computer software, a printing apparatus that prints an image according to a print setting designated by a user,
(A) Accept selection of images,
(B) Display print setting history information,
(C) accepting either normal print settings from the user or selection of the displayed history information as the print settings; (d) creating and displaying a display image based on the selected image;
(E) When a print instruction is given to the displayed image, printing is performed according to the accepted print setting based on the selected image;
(F) A method for controlling a printing apparatus, wherein the received print setting is stored as the history information in association with the created display image.   A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer or a plurality of computers to realize the steps of the printing apparatus control method according to claim 9.