JP2011232935A - Printing control program and printing control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing control program and a printing control method that enable under specific printing conditions the quantity of coloring materials sticking to edges of a sheet-shaped medium while keeping the enlarging/contracting ratio and layout of the picture to be printed the same even under difference printing conditions.SOLUTION: A printing control program that stores a print-restricted size indicating the size of print-restricted areas to be set on the edges of a sheet-shaped medium and greater than a margin area under specific printing conditions and, where printing conditions are specific printing conditions, makes the quantity of coloring materials to be used in picture printing, in a difference area representing the difference between a margin area specified by a margin size and print-restricted areas specified by the print-restricted size, smaller than in usual printing.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control program and a print control method.

  In general, when an application program generates a print command, the printer driver inquires the printer driver about the margin size of the sheet-like medium, and the print area specified by the margin size returned from the printer driver (the margin area specified by the margin size is designated as the sheet-like medium). The print command is generated by changing the enlargement / reduction ratio (Scaling) of the image and the layout (arrangement of objects such as character strings, graphics, and images) so that the image fits in the area excluded from the image.

By the way, even if the size of the sheet-like medium is the same, there is a case where it is desired to reduce the amount of the colorant adhering to the end of the sheet-like medium depending on the printing conditions.
For example, when perforated paper (sheet-like medium) is set as the printing condition, it is possible to provide (return) a wider margin (margin size) to the application than when normal paper is set. There is a known printer driver that reduces the amount of colorant adhering to the edge of the paper compared to the case where the paper is set (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-10170 A

  However, if a different margin size is returned according to the printing conditions, the size of the printing area varies depending on the printing conditions, and even if the size of the sheet-like medium is the same, the enlargement / reduction ratio (Scaling) There is a problem that the layout is different.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and adheres to the edge of a sheet-like medium under specific printing conditions without changing the enlargement / reduction ratio of an image to be printed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print control program and a print control method for reducing the amount of colorant to be used compared to normal printing.

  The first invention is a print control program, which is communicably connected to a printing apparatus that prints an image on a sheet-like medium using a colorant, and acquires a printing condition from a computer that can execute an application program Means, a margin size indicating a size of a margin area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium, and a print restriction area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium with respect to a specific printing condition. Storage means for storing a print restriction size indicating the size of a wide print restriction area; and a reply means for returning the margin size stored in the storage means when inquired about the margin size from the application program; Based on the print command output from the application program and the print condition acquired by the acquisition means Causing the printing apparatus to function as a control unit that prints an image, and when the printing condition acquired by the acquisition unit is the specific printing condition, the control unit is configured to specify a margin area specified by the margin size and the printing In the difference area indicating the difference from the print restriction area specified by the restriction size, the amount of the colorant used for printing the image is reduced as compared with normal printing.

According to the present invention, the amount of the colorant adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium is reduced as compared with normal printing without changing the enlargement / reduction ratio of the printed image or the like under specific printing conditions. be able to.
Here, “during normal printing” refers to a case where printing is performed with the same print condition (specific print condition) and the same print limit size as the margin size. Alternatively, when printing pixels having the same density in the area excluding the print restriction area from the sheet-like medium and the difference area, the pixel is printed in the area excluding the print restriction area from the sheet-like medium and the difference area. It can also be said that printing is performed with the same amount of colorant used.

The second invention is the printing control program of the first invention, wherein the specific printing condition is set to a size larger than a predetermined size as the size of the sheet-like medium, and duplex printing is set. It is a printing condition.
Large sheet media can bend more easily than small sheet media, and in double-sided printing, colorant adheres to both the front and back, so the sheet medium can bend more with the weight of the adhering colorant. As a result, the possibility that the sheet-like medium is removed from the conveyance path and a paper jam occurs is increased.
According to the present invention, the size of the sheet-like medium is set to a size larger than a predetermined size, and in the case of printing conditions in which double-sided printing is set, the amount of colorant adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility of paper jam.

A third invention is the print control program of the first or second invention, wherein the printing device has a smaller amount of the colorant used for printing as the density of pixels is lighter, and the control means When the printing condition acquired by the acquisition unit is the specific printing condition, the density of the pixel of the portion printed in the difference area in the image is made lighter than that in normal printing.
According to the present invention, since the density of the pixels printed in the difference area in the image is reduced, the amount of the colorant adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium can be reduced.

4th invention is the printing control program of 1st or 2nd invention, Comprising: When the printing conditions acquired by the said acquisition means are the said specific printing conditions, the said control means is the said image from the said image. Delete the part printed in the difference area.
According to the present invention, since the portion printed in the difference area in the image is deleted, it is possible to prevent the colorant from adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium.

A fifth aspect of the invention is the print control program of the first or second aspect, wherein the control means, when the print condition acquired by the acquisition means is the specific print condition, Of these, a print command for printing an image in the difference area is ignored.
According to the present invention, since the print command for printing an image in the difference area among the print commands is ignored, the amount of the colorant adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium can be reduced.

A sixth invention is the print control program according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein the control means prints a portion to be printed in the difference area in the image in the same manner as in normal printing. However, when the amount of the colorant used for printing is less than a predetermined amount, the amount of the colorant is larger than that during normal printing even when the print condition acquired by the acquisition unit is the specific print condition. Do not reduce.
Even if printing is performed in the same way as during normal printing, if the amount of colorant adhering to the edge (difference area) of the sheet-like medium is less than the predetermined amount, it is unlikely that paper jam will occur. By not reducing the amount of the colorant as compared with the time, the entire image can be printed with the same hue as in normal printing.

A seventh invention is the print control program according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein whether or not to reduce the amount of the colorant used for printing the image in the difference area as compared with normal printing. The computer functions as a selection unit for causing a user to select the print condition, and the control unit is configured such that the print condition acquired by the acquisition unit is the specific print condition, and the selection unit compares it with that during normal printing. When the amount is selected to be reduced, the amount of the colorant is reduced as compared with that during normal printing.
According to the present invention, the user can select whether or not to reduce the amount of colorant used for printing an image in the difference area as compared to normal printing.

An eighth invention is a printing control method using a printing control apparatus that is communicably connected to a printing apparatus that prints an image on a sheet-like medium using a colorant and that can execute an application program. An acquisition step of acquiring, a margin size indicating a size of a margin area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium, and a print restriction area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium for a specific printing condition, A storage step of storing a print restriction size indicating a size of a print restriction area wider than the margin area in a predetermined storage unit; and when the margin size is inquired from the application program, the margin stored in the storage unit A reply step for returning the size, a print command output from the application program, and the print condition acquired in the acquisition step. And a control step of causing the printing apparatus to print an image based on the above, and in the control step, if the print condition acquired in the acquisition step is the specific print condition, the control device specifies the margin size. In the difference area indicating the difference between the margin area and the print restriction area specified by the print restriction size, the amount of the colorant used for printing the image is reduced as compared with normal printing.
According to the present invention, the amount of the colorant adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium is reduced as compared with normal printing without changing the enlargement / reduction ratio of the printed image or the like under specific printing conditions. be able to.

  According to the present invention, the amount of the colorant adhering to the edge of the sheet-like medium under a specific printing condition is less than that during normal printing without changing the enlargement / reduction ratio of the printed image. can do.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a logical configuration of a printer driver. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a simplified configuration of a printer. The schematic diagram for demonstrating a margin size and printing restriction size. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of printing processing. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of restricted printing processing. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of normal printing processing. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an effect of a printer driver. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of restricted printing processing according to the second embodiment.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
(1) Configuration of Computer FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a computer (an example of a print control apparatus) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The computer 1 (hereinafter referred to as “PC”) includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a storage unit 14, a display drive circuit 15, a communication interface 16, and the like.

  CPU11 (an example of an acquisition means, a reply means, and a control means) controls each part of PC1 by executing the various programs memorize | stored in ROM12 or the memory | storage part 14. FIG. The ROM 12 stores various programs executed by the CPU 11 and data. The RAM 13 is used as a main storage device for the CPU 11 to execute various processes.

  The storage unit 14 (an example of a storage unit) is an external storage device that stores various programs and data using a nonvolatile storage medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 14 stores an operating system (OS), an application program (hereinafter referred to as “application”), a printer driver for the printer 2 (an example of a print control program), and the like.

The display drive circuit 15 is a circuit that drives the display device 18 (CRT, liquid crystal display, etc.), and is connected to the display device 18 via a cable.
The communication interface 16 (an example of a selection unit) is configured as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) host interface, for example, and is connected to the input device 19 (mouse, keyboard, etc.) and the printer 2 via a USB cable. The printer 2 may be connected to the PC 1 via a communication network such as a LAN.

  The printer 2 (an example of a printing apparatus) is an apparatus that prints an image by an inkjet method using, for example, CMYK four-color ink (an example of a colorant) on a printing paper such as paper (an example of a sheet-like medium).

(2) Logical Configuration of Printer Driver FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of the printer driver. The printer driver 30 includes an acquisition module 31, a reply module 32, a control module 33, and a setting file 34.

The acquisition module 31 is a module that acquires printing conditions from an application program or a user.
The reply module 32 is a module that replies the margin size stored in the setting file 34 of the storage unit 14 when the margin size is inquired from the application program.

  The control module 33 is a module that causes the printer 2 to print an image based on the print command output from the application program and the print condition acquired by the acquisition module 31.

  The setting file 34 is a file that stores a margin size, a specific printing condition, and a printing restriction size, and is stored in the storage unit 14. A description of the margin size, specific printing conditions, and printing limit size will be described later. The storage unit 14 functions as an example of a storage unit by storing the setting file 34. The information stored in the setting file 34 may be hard-coded in the program body of the printer driver 30.

(3) Configuration of Printer FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the printer 2 in a simplified manner. The printer 2 ejects ink droplets by an ink jet method onto a transport mechanism 41 (41a to 41g) that transports the print paper 40 stored in the paper feed tray 21 one by one, and the print paper 40 transported by the transport mechanism 41. And a printing unit 42 for printing an image.

  After the image is printed on one surface (front surface) of the printing paper 40, the transport mechanism 41 can automatically reverse the printing paper 40 so that the image is printed on the other surface (back surface). . Specifically, when the trailing edge of the printing paper 40 on which an image is printed on one side (front surface) is sandwiched between the roller pairs 41f and 41g, the roller pairs 41f and 41g are rotated in reverse to switch the document. Back. The printed paper 40 that has been switched back is guided to a path switching mechanism (not shown) and sent out to the switchback path 44, and is sent out again to the transport path 43 from the rear end side in an inverted state. As a result, an image is printed on the back surface.

  When the printing paper 40 is conveyed along the conveyance path 43, the whole is not always supported from the lower side, and there are positions on the conveyance path 43 where the printing paper 40 is not partially supported from the lower side. is there. For example, the printing paper 40 is not supported from the lower side at positions P1, P2, P3, and P4 in the drawing.

  For example, at the position P4, when the leading side in the conveyance direction of the printing paper 40 passes the position P4, the ink is adhered to the end portion on the leading side in the conveyance direction of the printing paper 40 by the printing unit 42. , The leading end of the printing paper 40 in the conveyance direction may be bent so as to hang down, which may cause the leading side to deviate from the conveyance path 43 and cause a paper jam.

  In particular, paper jam easily occurs when double-sided printing is performed on a printing paper 40 of a paper type that is large and flexible such as A3 (an example of a predetermined size) plain paper. This is because even if the same plain paper is used, the larger size is more easily bent than the smaller size, and the printing paper 40 is more easily bent because the ink adheres to both the front and back sides of the printing paper 40 in double-sided printing.

  Note that the position where the paper jam is likely to occur is not limited to P4. For example, when the printing paper 40 is switched back and conveyed in double-sided printing, the ink is already attached to the front surface. Even at P1 and P2, which are positions where no printing is performed, there is a possibility that the end of the printing paper 40 in the transport direction is bent due to the weight of the ink adhering to the surface and a paper jam may occur.

  In addition, the printing conditions in which a paper jam is likely to occur are not limited to “A3, plain paper, double-sided printing”, and depending on the printer 2, there may be a plurality of printing conditions in which a paper jam is likely to occur. In addition, since the structure of the transport mechanism 41 varies depending on the model of the printer 2, the printing conditions that are likely to cause a paper jam may vary depending on the model of the printer 2. Printing conditions that are likely to cause a paper jam can be known by printing while actually changing the printing conditions for each model.

(4) Margin Size and Printing Limit Size As described above, when an image is printed under specific printing conditions, paper jam is likely to occur due to the weight of ink attached to the edge of the printing paper 40.
Therefore, the printer driver 30 according to the present embodiment associates a specific printing condition in which a paper jam is likely to occur with a size (printing limit size) larger than the margin size of the printing paper 40, and the specific printing condition is set. In this case, by reducing the amount of ink used for image printing in the difference area indicating the difference between the margin area specified by the margin size and the print restriction area specified by the print restriction size, compared to normal printing. The end of the printing paper 40 is made difficult to bend.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the margin size and the print restriction size. In FIG. 4, the vertical direction corresponds to the transport direction.
In the drawing, a rectangular frame indicated by a wavy line 51 indicates a boundary between a blank area and other areas. The margin area is an area set at the edge of the printing paper 40. The margin size indicates the width of the margin area in the direction perpendicular to the side of the printing paper 40. Different margin sizes can be set for the printing paper 40 in the upper, lower, left, and right directions, but in the example shown, 5 mm is set for the upper, lower, left, and right sides.

  In the drawing, a rectangular frame indicated by an alternate long and short dash line 52 indicates a boundary between the print restriction area and the other area. In FIG. 4, the left and right widths of the print restriction area are shown narrowed so that the alternate long and short dash line 52 does not overlap with the wavy line 51. Is the same as the width of The print restriction area is an area set at the edge of the printing paper 40. The print restriction size indicates the width of the print restriction area in the direction perpendicular to the side of the printing paper 40. In the example shown in the drawing, the print restriction area is set so that the difference area 53 is generated only at the end in the vertical direction, and the upper and lower 22 mm and the left and right 5 mm are set as the print restriction size.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the margin size differs depending on the size of the printing paper 40, and a margin size is associated with each size of the printing paper 40 and stored in the setting file 34. The print limit size varies depending on the print conditions, and the setting file 34 stores the print limit size in association with each specific print condition.

(5) Print Processing FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of print processing by the PC 1. This process is started when the user instructs printing using an application.
Here, before instructing printing, the user sets print conditions on the print setting screen displayed by the application or the print setting screen displayed by the printer driver 30 called from the print setting screen. And
The printing conditions are the setting values of various print setting items such as the size of the printing paper 40, paper type (plain paper, glossy paper, OHP sheet, etc.), single-sided / double-sided printing, color / monochrome, restricted printing, etc. I mean. “Limited printing / not printing” is an item for the user to select whether or not to reduce the amount of ink used for image printing in the difference area 53 as compared to normal printing.

When the user instructs printing with an application after setting the printing conditions, the CPU 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as “application”) that executes the application sets a margin size corresponding to the set size of the printing paper 40 to the printer. The driver 30 is inquired.
When the CPU 11 that executes the printer driver 30 (hereinafter simply referred to as “printer driver 30”) is inquired about the margin size, the margin size associated with the set size of the printing paper 40 is read from the setting file 34. Reply to the application.

When the margin size is returned, the application enlarges / reduces the print target page so that the print target page fits in an area (print area) excluding the margin area specified by the margin size from the print paper 40, or Change the layout. Next, the application outputs a print command (GDI command) for printing the print target page to the OS. The print command is a command generated for each object such as a character string, an image, and a graphic constituting the page to be printed, and is information indicating the contents of the object, coordinates where the object is to be drawn, and the like.
When the printing command is output, the OS outputs a drawing command (DDI command) corresponding to the printing command to the printer driver 30. In the present embodiment, it is referred to as a “print command output from an application” including a drawing command.

  When a drawing command is output from the OS, the printer driver 30 starts a printing process described below. Here, the above-described “A3, plain paper, duplex printing” will be described as an example of specific printing conditions.

In S101, the printer driver 30 proceeds to S102 if “No” is set in “Restrict printing”, and proceeds to S103 if “Yes” is set.
In S <b> 102, the printer driver 30 executes “normal printing processing” for performing normal printing.
In S103, the printer driver 30 determines whether or not the set printing condition is the specific printing condition “A3, plain paper, duplex printing”. If the printing condition is the specific printing condition, the process proceeds to S104 and the specific printing is performed. If not, the process proceeds to S102.

  In step S <b> 104, the printer driver 30 executes “restricted printing processing” in which the amount of ink used for printing a portion of the image printed in the difference area 53 is smaller than that during normal printing.

(5-1) Restricted Printing Process FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the restricted printing process.
Here, the amount of ink used for printing the image printed in the difference area 53 when the number of white pixels included in the image printed in the difference area 53 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold even under specific printing conditions An example will be described in which the ink is not less than that during normal printing (that is, the ink amount is the same as that during normal printing).
Here, a so-called banding process in which, when an image is drawn based on a drawing command, the entire image is not drawn at a time but is divided into a plurality of areas will be described as an example. In order to facilitate understanding, it is assumed that the width of the image for one region (the width in the direction corresponding to the vertical direction of the printing paper 40) is wider than the width of the difference region 53 in the same direction.

In step S <b> 201, the printer driver 30 acquires a margin size corresponding to A <b> 3 and a print restriction size corresponding to “A3, plain paper, duplex printing” from the setting file 34.
In step S202, the printer driver 30 specifies the difference area 53 based on the acquired margin size and print limit size.

  In S203, the printer driver 30 performs a drawing process for one area based on the drawing command output from the OS. Thereby, raster data for one area (image for one area) is generated.

  In S204, the printer driver 30 determines whether or not there is a pixel representing a color other than white in the portion printed in the difference area 53 in the generated image for one area. If there is, the process proceeds to S205. The process proceeds to S207.

  In step S <b> 205, the printer driver 30 counts the number of white pixels among the pixels constituting the portion printed in the difference area 53 in the generated image for one area. A white pixel means a pixel with RGB = (255, 255, 255) when the image is expressed in an RGB color space of 256 gradations.

  The reason for counting the number of white pixels is that if the number of white pixels is large, the amount of ink adhering to the difference area 53 is smaller than a predetermined amount (the amount of ink that may cause paper jam). It is. If the amount of adhering ink is less than a predetermined amount, it is difficult for paper jam to occur. In this case, it is not necessary to reduce the amount of ink used for printing the image printed in the difference area 53 compared to normal printing. It is. Since the printer driver 30 determines whether the amount of ink adhering is less than a predetermined amount based on the number of white pixels, the predetermined amount does not necessarily have a specific value.

  If the number of white pixels is equal to or smaller than the predetermined threshold, the printer driver 30 determines that the amount of ink adhering to the difference area 53 may be equal to or larger than the predetermined amount, and proceeds to S206. If more, it is determined that the amount is less than the predetermined amount, and the process proceeds to S207. The predetermined threshold is a value determined in advance through experiments or the like. The predetermined threshold varies depending on the size of the printing paper 40, and is compared with a threshold corresponding to the size of the printing paper 40 in S205.

In S <b> 206, the printer driver 30 changes the pixel value of the pixels constituting the portion to be printed in the difference area 53 in the generated image to (255, 255, 255). That is, the portion to be printed in the difference area 53 in the generated image is painted in white.
In step S <b> 207, the printer driver 30 generates print data based on an image for one area, and outputs the generated print data to the printer 2.

In S208, the printer driver 30 determines whether or not the banding process for one page has been completed. If it has been completed, the process proceeds to S209. If it has not been completed, the process returns to S203 to repeat the process.
In step S209, the printer driver 30 determines whether printing of all pages to be printed has been completed. If the printing has been completed, the printing process ends. If not, the process returns to step S203 to repeat the processing.

(5-2) Normal Print Processing FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of normal print processing. Here, processes that are substantially the same as the restricted printing process are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
In the normal printing process, the limited printing processes S201, S202, and S204 to S206 are not executed. Therefore, the part printed in the print area and the part printed in the difference area 53 in the image are not distinguished. Even in the portion to be printed, an image is printed using an amount of ink corresponding to the density of the pixels as in the print area. That is, normal printing is also performed on the difference area 53.

(6) Effects of the Embodiment FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the effects of the printer driver 30 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The printing paper 61 shows the surface of the printing paper printed by the restricted printing process, and the printing paper 62 prints the same image printed by a normal printing process (specifically, “A3, plain paper, single-sided printing”). Is shown.
The printer driver 30 returns the same margin size in any print processing if the size of the print paper 40 is the same. However, in the limited print processing, as shown in the drawing, the print paper is larger than the normal print processing (during normal printing). The amount of ink adhering to the end of 40 is small. As described above, according to the printer driver 30, the amount of ink adhering to the edge of the printing paper 40 under a specific printing condition can be set without changing the enlargement / reduction ratio of the image to be printed (print target page). This can be reduced compared to normal printing.
This makes it possible to reduce the occurrence of paper jam while maintaining the same image enlargement / reduction ratio and layout as in normal printing under specific printing conditions.

  Furthermore, according to the printer driver 30, the pixels of the portion of the image that are printed in the difference area 53 are painted in white, so that ink does not adhere to the edge of the printing paper 40. Thereby, the possibility of occurrence of paper jam can be further reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the printer driver 30, even if the portion of the image that is printed in the difference area 53 is printed in the same way as during normal printing, if the amount of ink used for printing is less than a predetermined amount, the specific printing conditions are met. However, since the amount of ink is not reduced compared with that during normal printing, the entire image can be printed with the same color as during normal printing even under specific printing conditions.

  Further, according to the printer driver 30, the user can select whether or not to reduce the amount of ink used for image printing in the difference area 53 as compared with normal printing.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the second embodiment, the ink amount is reduced by ignoring the print command for printing an image in the difference area 53 among the print commands when the print conditions are specific.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of restricted printing processing according to the second embodiment. Here, processes substantially the same as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

In step S <b> 301, the CPU 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as “printer driver”) that executes the printer driver according to the second embodiment determines whether a drawing command (an example of a “print command”) is applied to the difference area 53. Since the drawing command includes information indicating the coordinates at which the object is to be drawn, the printer driver can determine whether or not the difference area 53 is applied by referring to the coordinates.
If the drawing command is applied to the difference area 53, the printer driver proceeds to S302; otherwise, the printer driver proceeds to S203.

In S <b> 302, the printer driver ignores a drawing command for printing an image in the difference area 53 among the drawing commands, and draws an image in an area other than the difference area 53 (an area excluding the print restriction area from the printing paper 40). Draw an image according to
Here, since the drawing command is a print command (GDI command) output from the application, the ignoring of the drawing command is equivalent to ignoring the printing command.

  According to the printer driver according to the second embodiment of the present invention described above, since the drawing command for printing an image in the difference area 53 is ignored among the drawing commands, the amount of ink adhering to the edge of the printing paper 40 is reduced. be able to.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the portion of pixels printed in the difference area 53 in the image is filled with white has been described as an example. However, the density of the portion of pixels printed in the difference area 53 in the image is set to normal printing. It may be thinner than sometimes. As a result, an image can be printed also in the difference area 53 while reducing the possibility of paper jam.

  In addition, instead of filling the pixels of the part printed in the difference area 53 in the image with white, the part printed in the difference area 53 may be deleted from the image. Thereby, the same effect as the case where it fills with white can be acquired.

  (2) Although the case where the print limit size is stored in the setting file 34 has been described as an example in the above embodiment, the user may specify the print limit size. In this case, the RAM 13 that stores the print restriction size designated by the user is an example of a storage unit.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the value indicating the width in the short direction of the print restriction area (for example, 22 mm) has been described as an example of the print restriction size. However, the print restriction size is a width if the information can specify the print restriction area. Information other than the indicated value may be used. For example, it may be information indicating the ratio of the print restriction area in the vertical direction.

  (4) In the above embodiment, the case where it is determined based on the number of white pixels whether or not the amount of ink used for printing the portion printed in the difference area 53 in the image is smaller than a predetermined amount has been described. However, the number of pixels of a color close to white (for example, gray) may be included. Further, since the amount of ink used for printing decreases as the total density value (a total value of all the RGB densities of each pixel) increases, the determination may be made based on the total density value.

  (5) In the above embodiment, the ink jet method has been described as an example of the printing method of the printer 2, but an electrophotographic method may be used.

  (6) In the above embodiment, “A3, plain paper, double-sided printing” has been described as an example of specific printing conditions. However, since envelope paper is easily bent regardless of double-sided printing, the paper type and single-sided / double-sided printing can be set. Regardless, “envelope paper” may be set as a specific printing condition.

  (7) In the above embodiment, the case where the difference areas 53 are set at both ends in the vertical direction of the printing paper 40 has been described as an example. However, when the image is printed on the front surface, the difference area 53 is located on the leading side in the transport direction. May not be set. The front side in the transport direction when printing an image on the front side is the back side in the transport direction when printing back the print paper 40 and printing an image on the back side. This is because it does not affect the occurrence.

  (8) In the above embodiment, reduction of paper jam has been described as an example for the purpose of reducing the amount of ink adhering to the differential region 53, but the present invention can also be applied to other purposes. For example, the present invention may be applied to the case where it is not desired to attach ink to the left and right end portions of the printing paper 40 during duplex printing for convenience of conveyance.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Computer 2 ... Printer 11 ... CPU
12 ... ROM
13 ... RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 ... Memory | storage part 15 ... Display drive circuit 16 ... Communication interface 18 ... Display apparatus 19 ... Input device 30 ... Printer driver 31 ... Acquisition module 32 ... Reply module 33 ... Control module 34 ... Setting file 40 ... Print paper 41 (41a to 41g) ... Conveying mechanism 42 ... Printing unit 61 ... Print paper 62 ... Print paper

Claims (8)

A computer that is communicably connected to a printing apparatus that prints an image on a sheet-like medium using a colorant, and that can execute an application program.
Acquisition means for acquiring printing conditions;
A margin size indicating a size of a margin area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium, and a print restriction area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium with respect to a specific printing condition and wider than the margin area. Storage means for storing a print limit size indicating the size of the area;
A reply unit that returns the margin size stored in the storage unit when a margin size is inquired from the application program;
Based on the print command output from the application program and the print condition acquired by the acquisition unit, function as a control unit that causes the printing apparatus to print an image,
When the printing condition acquired by the acquisition unit is the specific printing condition, the control unit calculates a difference between the margin area specified by the margin size and the printing limitation area specified by the printing limitation size. A print control program for reducing the amount of colorant used for printing the image in a difference area shown in comparison with that in normal printing. A printing control program according to claim 1,
The specific printing condition is a printing control program in which a size larger than a predetermined size is set as the size of the sheet-like medium, and duplex printing is set. A print control program according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
The printing device is such that the amount of the colorant used for printing is smaller as the pixel density is lower,
When the printing condition acquired by the acquisition means is the specific printing condition, the control means reduces the pixel density of the portion printed in the difference area in the image as compared with normal printing. Print control program. A print control program according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
The control means is a print control program for deleting a portion to be printed in the difference area from the image when the print condition acquired by the acquisition means is the specific print condition. A print control program according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
The control unit is a print control program for ignoring a print command for printing an image in the difference area among the print commands when the print condition acquired by the acquisition unit is the specific print condition. A printing control program according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
When the amount of the colorant used for printing is less than a predetermined amount even when the portion printed in the difference area in the image is printed in the same manner as during normal printing, the control unit obtains the image by the obtaining unit. A print control program that does not reduce the amount of the colorant as compared with normal printing even when the specified printing condition is the specific printing condition. A print control program according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Causing the computer to function as a selection unit for causing the user to select whether or not to reduce the amount of colorant used for printing the image in the difference area as compared to normal printing;
The control means usually reduces the amount of the colorant when the printing conditions acquired by the acquisition means are the specific printing conditions and the selection means is selected so as to reduce the printing conditions compared to normal printing. A print control program that reduces the amount compared to when printing. A printing control method using a printing control apparatus that is communicably connected to a printing apparatus that prints an image on a sheet-like medium using a colorant and that can execute an application program,
An acquisition stage for acquiring printing conditions;
A margin size indicating a size of a margin area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium, and a print restriction area set at an edge of the sheet-like medium with respect to a specific printing condition and wider than the margin area. A storage stage for storing a print limit size indicating the size of the area in a predetermined storage means;
A reply step of returning the margin size stored in the storage means when a margin size is inquired from the application program;
A control step of causing the printing apparatus to print an image based on the print command output from the application program and the print condition acquired in the acquisition step;
In the control step, when the printing condition acquired in the acquisition step is the specific printing condition, a difference between the margin area specified by the margin size and the printing limitation area specified by the printing limitation size is calculated. A printing control method in which the amount of colorant used for printing the image is less than that during normal printing in the difference area shown.

Images