JP2014006445A - Image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the used amount of developer for a special color.SOLUTION: An image processing system includes: a data analysis section for analyzing image data; an image generation section for generating a printed image from the image data on the basis of the analysis result of the data analysis section; an area detection section for detecting a position label which is included in the image data and printed on the medium along with the printed image and detecting an area on the basis of the position label; and a special color image generation section for generating an image printed with the developer of special color in the area detected by the area detection section.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus using a special color developer.

Some conventional image processing apparatuses perform printing with toners of five colors including a cyan toner, a yellow toner, a magenta toner, and a black toner, and a transparent toner in order to express a gloss effect and a metallic feeling. For example, see Patent Document 1).
In such an image processing apparatus, the user can specify a specific area, object type, entire area of the sheet, etc. as the range of the print sheet on which the transparent toner is placed. The transparent toner is placed on all areas where toner can be placed on the printing paper to be printed.

JP 2010-2222085 (paragraph "0013" to paragraph "0017", FIG. 1)

However, in the prior art, after printing on a sheet of A3 size or the like with the range of the print sheet on which the transparent toner as the developer of the special color is placed being designated as the entire sheet surface, the sheet is cut up, down, left and right. In the case of A3 size or the like, the transparent toner is placed on an area that is cut and becomes unnecessary, and there is a problem that a special color developer is wasted.
An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to reduce the amount of a special color developer used.

  Therefore, the present invention includes a data analysis unit that analyzes image data, an image generation unit that generates a print image from the image data based on an analysis result of the data analysis unit, and the print image. In addition, a position indicator printed on the medium is detected, a region detection unit that detects a region based on the position indicator, and a special image that generates an image to be printed with a developer of a special color in the region detected by the region detection unit And a color image generation unit.

  According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to reduce the amount of the special color developer used.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. 1 is a schematic sectional side view showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. Explanatory drawing of the printing area of A3 Nobi paper in the first embodiment Explanatory diagram of print data in the first embodiment Explanatory drawing which shows the state which cut | judged the A3 nobi paper in 1st Example Explanatory drawing of the area | region in 1st Example Explanatory drawing of the square register mark in the first embodiment Explanatory drawing of a square dragonfly in the first embodiment Explanatory drawing of a square dragonfly in the first embodiment Explanatory drawing of a special color print image in the first embodiment Explanatory drawing of special color printing designation in the first embodiment The flowchart which shows the flow of the printing process in a 1st Example. The flowchart which shows the flow of the special color printing area | region detection process in a 1st Example. The flowchart which shows the flow of the special color printed image generation process in 1st Example. The block diagram which shows the control structure of the image processing apparatus in 2nd Example. Explanatory diagram of print data in the second embodiment Explanatory drawing of the area | region in 2nd Example Explanatory drawing of a special color print image in the second embodiment Flowchart showing the flow of printing processing in the second embodiment The flowchart which shows the flow of the special color printing area | region detection process outside a cutting area in 2nd Example.

  Embodiments of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view showing the configuration of the image processing apparatus in the first embodiment.
In FIG. 2, an image processing apparatus 1 is a printer or the like that performs printing. And have.
The transfer devices 2 to 6 that form a toner image with toner as a developer of five colors and transfer the toner image to a medium such as printing paper (hereinafter referred to as “paper”) are conventional C (cyan). In addition to colored toners of M, M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black), special color toners can be used. CMYK toner and transparent toner, CMY toner and transparent toner, and white Combinations of toner and the like are possible.

When the fifth color is a transparent toner in addition to the four color CMYK toners, the transfer device 2 handles the transparent toner in order to place the transparent toner on the uppermost layer of the paper, and the transfer devices 3 to 6 are successively replaced by C, M, Y, Handles K toner. When the fifth color is white toner in addition to the four color CMYK toners, the transfer devices 2 to 5 sequentially handle the C, M, Y, and K toners to transfer the white toner on the bottom layer of the paper. Device 6 handles white toner.
The transfer belt 7 conveys a sheet, and a toner image is transferred to the sheet conveyed by the transfer belt 7 by the transfer devices 2 to 6.

The fixing device 8 presses the toner transferred onto the paper with high heat to fix the toner on the paper. The paper on which the toner is fixed by the fixing device 8 is discharged to the outside of the apparatus.
The paper tray 9 accommodates paper, and the paper is conveyed one by one to the transfer belt 7 by a paper feeding unit.
The paper reversing machine 10 is a mechanism that reverses the front and back sides of the paper when printing on both sides of the paper.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the image processing apparatus in the first embodiment.
In FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 1 includes a system control unit 20, a memory 21, a data communication unit 22, a data analysis unit 23, a special color use determination unit 24, a data drawing unit 25, and an image generation unit 26. A region detection unit 27, a special color image generation unit 28, and an image printing unit 29.

The system control unit 20 includes control means such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls the overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1 based on a control program (software) stored in a nonvolatile memory (not shown). It is.
The memory 21 is a volatile memory area in which stored data is lost when the power is turned off, and temporarily stores information necessary for executing the control program, data received from the host device, image data, and the like.
The memory 21 includes, as storage areas, special color operation 245, paper printable area width 251, paper printable area height 252, CMYK image 261, left X coordinate 271, right X coordinate 272, upper Y coordinate 273, lower A Y coordinate 274 and a special color image 281 are provided.

The data communication unit 22 performs data transmission / reception control with a host device connected via a communication line or the like, and receives image data instructing printing from the host device.
The data analysis unit 23 analyzes the image data received by the data communication unit 22. The data analysis unit 23 decodes various instruction contents included in the image data.
The special color use determination unit 24 determines how to use the special color included in the image data based on the result of the data analysis unit 23 analyzing the image data. The special color use determining unit 24 holds the application range of the special color included in the image data in the special color operation 245 of the memory 21.

The data drawing unit 25 draws characters, figures, and image images according to the contents of the image data. The data drawing unit 25 sets values corresponding to the width and height of the printable area 31 shown in FIG. 3 as the size of each sheet that can be printed by the image processing apparatus 1 in the memory 21. 251 and the printable area height 252 are held.
The image generation unit 26 generates a print image from the image data based on the analysis result of the data analysis unit 23, and draws the image drawn by the data drawing unit 25 based on the analyzed image data with CMYK toner. The print image to be stored is stored in the CMYK image 261 of the memory 21.

  The area detection unit 27 detects a position indicator that is included in the image data and is printed on the paper together with the print image generated by the image generation unit 26, and detects an area based on the position indicator. A registration mark as a position mark (position mark) indicating a cutting area is detected in the print image of the CMYK image 261 generated by the image 26 to extract the area. The area detection unit 27 extracts area coordinates on which the toner of the special color is placed based on the position indicator, and holds them as a left X coordinate 271, a right X coordinate 272, an upper Y coordinate 273, and a lower Y coordinate 274 in the memory 21.

  The special color image generation unit 28 generates an image to be printed with toner as a special color developer in the region detected by the region detection unit 27, and serves as region coordinates for placing the special color held in the memory 21. Based on the left X coordinate 271, right X coordinate 272, upper Y coordinate 273, and lower Y coordinate 274, a special color print image is generated and stored in the special color image 281 of the memory 21.

  The image printing unit 29 prints the print image generated by the image generation unit 26 on a medium with colored toner, and prints the print image generated by the special color image generation unit 28 on a sheet with special color toner. The image printing unit 29 prints the CMYK image 261 generated by the image generation unit 26 with colored toner, prints the special color image 281 generated by the special color image generation unit 28 with special color toner, and the printing order. Is determined according to the type of the special color toner to be used.

  For example, when the special color toner is a transparent toner, the image printing unit 29 prints the CMYK image 261 generated by the image generation unit 26 with colored toner, and then generates the special color image generated by the special color image generation unit 28. When printing 281 with transparent toner and the special color toner is white toner, the image printing unit 29 prints the special color image 281 generated by the special color image generation unit 28 with white toner, and then generates an image. The CMYK image 261 generated by the unit 26 is printed with colored toner.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the printing area of A3 Nobi paper in the first embodiment.
In FIG. 3, the A3 nobi paper 30 is a paper having a size slightly larger than the A3 size paper in the width direction and the height direction.
The printable area 31 is an area in which the image processing apparatus can place toner, and is an area slightly smaller than the size of the A3 Nobi paper 30.

Square registration marks 32, 33, 34, and 35 as position markers are arranged in a printable area where the image printing unit 29 shown in FIG. 1 can print an image, and represent positions where the A3 nobi paper 30 is cut. .
The center registration marks 36 and 37 indicate the center position of the A3 nobi paper 30.
Information on the corner registration marks 32, 33, 34, 35 and the center registration marks 36, 37 is included in the image data and transmitted from the host apparatus to the image processing apparatus 1.
In this embodiment, the paper to be used is described as A3 nobi paper 30, but not limited thereto, A4 nobi paper or B4 nobi paper may be used.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the print data in the first embodiment, and shows a state in which the image data 41 is drawn on the A3 nobi paper 30.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the A3 nobi paper is cut in the first embodiment. The A3 nobi paper 30 on which the image data shown in FIG. Along the line connecting the corner dragonfly 34 and the corner dragonfly 35, and along the line connecting the corner dragonfly 32 and the corner dragonfly 35, the top, bottom, left and right are cut.
Reference numerals 51, 52, 53, and 54 indicate areas that are cut and become unnecessary.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of regions in the first embodiment, and shows a region 61 on which no special color toner is placed and a region 62 on which special color toner is placed on the A3 paper 30. The special color image generation unit 28 shown in FIG. 1 generates a special color image for placing a special color toner on the region 62.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the square registration marks in the first embodiment, and is an enlarged view of the square registration marks 32, 33, 34, and 35 shown in FIG.

  The area detection unit 27 shown in FIG. 1 has coordinates X1 and X2 of the upper left corner mark 32 in the X direction and coordinates X3 as the X coordinates of the upper right corner mark 34 as the coordinates of the pixel of the corner mark to be detected. And coordinates X4, coordinates X5 and X6 as the X coordinates of the lower left corner register mark 33, coordinates X7 and X8 as the X coordinates of the lower right corner register mark 35, and coordinates of the upper end corner register 32 in the Y direction. Y1 and the coordinate Y2 of the lower corner mark 33 are detected.

In this embodiment, the horizontal direction indicated by the arrow X in the figure is the X coordinate, the vertical direction indicated by the arrow Y is the Y coordinate, and the upper left pixel is the origin O.
In the present embodiment, the square registration marks 32, 33, 34, and 35 are two L-shaped pixel rows. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any """Or" + "pixel rows may be used.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are enlarged explanatory views of the square registration marks in the first embodiment.
8 shows a state in which the region 62 on which the special color toner is placed is located inside the straight line of the square registration mark 32, and FIG. 9 shows a state in which the region 62 on which the special color toner is placed is on the straight line of the square registration mark 32.
As described above, the special color image generation unit 28 shown in FIG. 1 may generate an image to be printed with a special color developer as an area to be printed inside the area detected by the area detection unit 27. You may make it produce | generate the image printed on the area | region containing the line | wire of the position marker which the detection part 27 detected.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a special color print image in the first embodiment, and shows a special color print image generated by the special color image generation unit 28 shown in FIG.
In FIG. 10, a print image 1010 shows a print image when the area on which the special color toner is placed is inside the square registration mark, and the print image 1020 shows the area on which the special color toner is placed in the printable area shown in FIG. 31 shows a printed image in the case of the entire surface.

  FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of special color printing designation in the first embodiment, and shows a special color designation screen 111 displayed on the display unit of the host apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus 1 via a communication line. The special color designation screen 111 displays a selection 114 for selecting a special color toner application range (clear toner application range) by selecting the pull-down 113, and the special color selected in the selection 114 is displayed. The application range of the color toner is displayed in the selection display column 112. In this embodiment, the application range of the special color toner is assumed to be selected as “apply to the whole (all range)” or “apply to the whole (excludes outside the registration mark)”, and the selected special color is selected. Information representing the toner application range is included in the image data and transmitted to the image processing apparatus 1.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.
First, a printing process performed by the image processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 1 in accordance with a step represented by S in the flowchart showing the flow of the printing process in the first embodiment of FIG.
It is assumed that the user instructs the application range of the special color toner on the print setting screen shown in FIG. 11 and performs an operation to start printing when printing is performed in the host apparatus. The host device that accepts the user's operation transmits image data according to the user's instruction to the image processing device 1.

  The data communication unit 22 of the image processing apparatus 1 that has received the image data from the host device requests the data analysis unit 23 to process the image data, and the data analysis unit 23 reads the image data. Image data is generally data described in PDL (Page Description Language), and is composed of a plurality of data and a sequence of commands having one instruction.

S101: The data analysis unit 23 reads PDL data byte by byte.
S102: The data analysis unit 23 analyzes the contents of the PDL data drawing instruction.
S103: The data analysis unit 23 performs the processes of S101 and S102 until the PDL data is established as one command. When the PDL data is established as one command, the process is shifted to S104 assuming that the command analysis is completed.

S104: The data analysis unit 23 determines whether or not the analysis of the image data for one page is completed. If the analysis of the image data for one page is determined to be completed, the process proceeds to S108 and is completed. If it is determined that there is no, the process proceeds to S105.
S105: The data analysis unit 23, which has determined that the analysis of the image data for one page has not been completed, further determines whether the requested command is a command for instructing the operation of the special color. If it is determined that the command is a command for instructing a special color operation, the process proceeds to S107.

S106: The data analysis unit 23 that has determined that the command is not a command for instructing the operation of the special color, that is, a command for instructing the operation by the CMYK four-color toner, requests the data drawing unit 25 to perform the drawing process of the command. Note that the drawing process performed by the data drawing unit 25 in the present embodiment is a drawing process of an image generally used in a printing apparatus, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
The data drawing unit 25 creates drawing objects such as text, graphics, and images (images) from the instruction content of one requested command, and generates an intermediate code called DisplayList for each band that is one editing unit. And the process proceeds to S101. Note that the intermediate code here is the drawing content with CMYK four-color toner, and does not include the drawing content with special color toner.

S107: The data analysis unit 23 that has determined that the command is an instruction for the operation of the special color requests the special color use determination unit 24 to perform a drawing process for the command. The special color use determination unit 24 stores the instruction content of the special color operation of the command in the special color operation 245, and the process proceeds to S101.
S108: The data analysis unit 23 that determines that the analysis of the image data for one page has been completed in S104 requests the image generation unit 26 to generate a print image.
The image generation unit 26 requested to generate the print image determines whether the generation of the print image for all the bands is completed. If it is determined that the generation of the print image for all the bands is complete, the process proceeds to step S200. If it is determined that the print image generation for all bands has not been completed, the process proceeds to S109.

S109: The image generation unit 26 that has determined that the generation of the print image for all the bands has not been completed reads the DisplayList as the intermediate code in each band generated in S106.
S110: The image generation unit 26 determines whether or not the read DisplayList indicates the end of the intermediate code. If it is determined that the end of the intermediate code indicates, the process proceeds to S108 and determines that the end of the intermediate code is not indicated. Then, the process proceeds to S111.

S111: The image generation unit 26 generates a print image for one page of four colors of CMYK from text, graphics, and an image (image) defined in the DisplayList as an intermediate code, stores the print image in the CMYK image 261, and performs processing Goes to S109. Note that the CMYK four-color print image generation process performed by the image generation unit 26 in this embodiment is a process of a conventional general printing apparatus, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
S200: When the data analysis unit 23 determines in S108 that the generation of the print images for all the bands has been completed, the image generation unit 26 requests the region detection unit 27 to detect a special color print region. Details of the special color print region detection process performed by the region detection unit 27 will be described later.

S300: The area detection unit 27 that has detected the special color drawing area requests the special color image generation unit 28 to generate a special color print image. Details of the special color print image generation process performed by the special color image generation unit 28 will be described later.
S112: The special color image generation unit 28 that has generated the special color print image requests the image print unit 29 to print one page. The image print unit 29 receives the CMYK image 261 that is a CMYK print image and the special color image. The special color image 281 that is a print image is printed, and this process is terminated.

As described above, the area detection unit 27 of the image processing apparatus 1 detects the position indicator indicating the cutting position of the paper, and the special color image generation unit 28 develops the special color in the area inside the cutting position detected by the area detection unit 27. By generating the image of the agent, the amount of the special color developer used can be reduced.
Next, the detection process of the special color print region performed by the region detection unit 27 is performed according to the step indicated by S in the flowchart showing the flow of the special color print region detection process in the first embodiment of FIG. The description will be given with reference. This process is a process performed in S200 of FIG. 12 described above.

S201: The area detection unit 27 sets the printable area as a special color print area, so that the left X coordinate 271, the right X coordinate 272, and the upper Y coordinate 273 are the area coordinates when the special color toner is placed on the entire surface of the sheet. As the initial value of the lower Y coordinate 274, the printable area size of the paper being processed is acquired from the data rendering unit 25.
The area detection unit 27 sets the left X coordinate 271 to “0”, the right X coordinate 272 to the printable area width 251 of the printable area 31 shown in FIG. 3, the upper Y coordinate 273 to “0”, the lower The initial value of the print area is set with the Y coordinate 274 as the printable area height 252 of the paper, which is the height of the printable area 31 shown in FIG.

  S202: The area detection unit 27 acquires the application range of the special color toner from the special color use determination unit 24 (special color operation 245), and the application range is “overall (all range)” (hereinafter, “ It is determined whether it is “overall range” (excluded outside of the dragonfly) ”(hereinafter referred to as“ excluded outside of the dragonfly ”). If it is determined, the process proceeds to S203, and if it is determined that the application range is the entire range, the initial value set in S201 is used as it is as a print area that is the drawing range of the special color toner, and the process ends.

S203: The area detection unit 27 that has determined that the application range of the special color toner is “excludes outside registration marks” is perpendicular to the top (upper) line of the CMYK image 261 generated by the image generation unit 26 (see FIG. 4). Scan one line at a time until the center line in the Y direction).
S204: The area detection unit 27 includes four colored pixels (pixels at the upper left end corner registration mark 32 and the upper right end corner registration mark 33 shown in FIG. 7) in one scanned line, that is, colored pixels at the right end and left end. It is determined whether or not it exists. If it is determined that it exists, the process proceeds to S205. If it is determined that it does not exist, the process proceeds to S208.

S205: The area detection unit 27 that has detected four colored pixels in one scanned line indicates whether or not four colored pixels in the first scanned line, that is, colored pixels appear on the right and left ends. If it is determined that it has appeared for the first time, the process proceeds to S206. If it is determined that it has not appeared for the first time, the process proceeds to S207.
S206: The area detection unit 27 that has determined that four colored pixels have appeared for the first time is the coordinates X1 and X2 of the upper left corner corner register mark 32 that are the X coordinates of the four colored pixels shown in FIG. The coordinates X3 and X4 are stored in the memory 21 as the X coordinates of the rightmost corner registration mark 34, and the process proceeds to S208.

S207: On the other hand, the area detection unit 27 that has determined that the appearance of the four colored pixels is not the first time has detected the X coordinates of the detected four colored pixels (the coordinates X1 of the corner registration marks 32 at the upper left end shown in FIG. It is determined whether or not the coordinate X2 and the coordinate X3 and the coordinate X4) are the same as the X coordinate of the previous line as the X coordinate of the upper right corner registration mark 34. If it is determined that the coordinate is the same, the process proceeds to S208. If it is determined that they are not the same, the process proceeds to S210.
S208: The area detection unit 27 updates the line to be scanned by one line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 4), and updates the reference position downward.

S209: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not the sheet has been scanned to the center position in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 4). If it is determined that the sheet has been scanned to the center position, the process ends. If it is determined that scanning has not been performed up to the position, the process proceeds to S203, and the next line after S203 is scanned.
S210: In S207, the area detection unit 27, which has determined that the X coordinates of the detected four colored pixels are not the same as the X coordinate of the previous line, is that the scanned line is a horizontal line of square dragonflies (the horizontal line 321 shown in FIG. 7). , The horizontal line 341) is determined.

Here, as shown in FIG.
At the left end, colored pixel start position 321a <coordinate X1 <coordinate X2 = colored pixel end position 321b (Condition 1)
At the right end, colored pixel start position 341a = coordinate X3 <coordinate X4 <colored pixel end position 341b (Condition 2)
It is determined whether or not the above two conditions are satisfied. If the two conditions 1 and 2 are satisfied, it is determined that the line is a horizontal line, and if either one of the conditions is not satisfied, it is determined that the line is not a horizontal line.

If the area detection unit 27 determines that the scanned line is a horizontal line, the current vertical position coordinate Y1 is stored in the memory 21 as the upper end Y coordinate, and the process proceeds to S211. Exit.
In this manner, the area detection unit 27 detects the upper left end corner register mark 32 and the upper right end corner register mark 34 shown in FIG. 7 to detect the upper end of the special color toner application range. Note that when the upper left end corner registration mark 32 and the upper right end corner registration mark 34 shown in FIG. 7 cannot be detected in the processing of S203 to S210 described above, this processing ends.

S211: The area detection unit 27 that has detected the upper end of the application range of the special color toner has a center line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 4) from the end (lower) line of the CMYK image 261 generated by the image generation unit 26. Scan one line at a time.
S212: The area detection unit 27 has four colored pixels (the pixels of the lower left corner mark 33 and the lower right corner mark 35 shown in FIG. 7) in one scanned line, that is, colored pixels at the right edge and the left edge. It is determined whether or not it exists. If it is determined that it exists, the process proceeds to S213. If it is determined that it does not exist, the process proceeds to S214.

  S213: The area detection unit 27 that has detected four colored pixels in one scanned line determines whether or not the X coordinates of the four colored pixels are the same as the X coordinates stored in S206, and If it is determined that they are the same, the process proceeds to S214. If they are not the same, the process proceeds to S216.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the area detection unit 27 has coordinates X1, X6, X7, and X8 which are X coordinates of the four colored pixels detected as coordinates X1 stored in S206. X2, X3, and X4 are compared. When coordinate X5 = coordinate X1, coordinate X6 = coordinate X2, coordinate X7 = coordinate X3, and coordinate X8 = coordinate X4, X of the detected four colored pixels It is determined that the coordinates are the same as the X coordinates stored in S206.

S214: The region detection unit 27 updates the line to be scanned by one line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 4), and updates the reference position in the upward direction.
S215: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not the sheet has been scanned to the center position in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 4). If it is determined that the sheet has been scanned to the center position, the process ends. If it is determined that scanning has not been performed up to this position, the process proceeds to S211 to perform processing for scanning the next line after S211.
S216: In S213, the area detection unit 27 that determines that the X coordinates of the four color pixels detected are not the same as the X coordinates stored in S206, the scanned line is a horizontal line of corner marks (the horizontal line 331 shown in FIG. 7). , The horizontal line 351) is determined.

Here, as shown in FIG.
At the left end, colored pixel start position 331a <coordinate X5 <coordinate X6 = colored pixel end position 331b (Condition 3)
At the right end, colored pixel start position 351a = coordinate X7 <coordinate X8 <colored pixel end position 351b (Condition 4)
It is determined whether or not the two conditions are satisfied. When the two conditions of the above conditions 3 and 4 are satisfied, it is determined that the line is a horizontal line, and when either one of the conditions is not satisfied, it is determined that the line is not a horizontal line.

If the area detection unit 27 determines that the scanned line is a horizontal line, the current position coordinate Y2 in the vertical direction is stored in the memory 21 as the upper end Y coordinate, and the process proceeds to S217. Exit.
In this manner, the area detection unit 27 detects the lower left corner mark 25 and the lower right corner mark 35 shown in FIG. 7 to detect the lower end of the special color toner application range. If the lower left corner mark 25 and the lower right corner mark 35 shown in FIG. 7 cannot be detected in the above-described processes of S211 to S216, the present process is terminated.

S217: The area detection unit 27 stores the detected coordinate X1 shown in FIG. 7 as the left X coordinate 271, the coordinate X4 as the right X coordinate 272, the coordinate Y1 as the upper Y coordinate 273, and the coordinate Y2 as the lower Y coordinate 274. The process ends.
At this time, when the registration mark line is outside the range of the special color toner printing area, “1” is added to the left X coordinate 271 and “1” is subtracted from the right X coordinate 272, as shown in FIG. Correction may be made by adding “1” to the upper Y coordinate 273 and subtracting “1” from the lower Y coordinate 274. As shown in FIG. 9, when the registration mark line is within the special color toner printing area, the left X coordinate 271, the right X coordinate 272, the upper Y coordinate 273, and the lower Y coordinate 274 are corrected. You can leave it as it is.

Further, when the area detection unit 27 cannot detect the upper end and the lower end in the processes of S201 to S216, the initial value of the printable range 31 shown in FIG. 3 set in S201 becomes the print area of the special color toner as it is.
Next, the process for generating a special color print image performed by the special color image generation unit 28 is illustrated in accordance with the step represented by S in the flowchart showing the flow of the special color print image generation process in the first embodiment of FIG. A description will be given with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. This process is a process performed in S300 of FIG. 12 described above.

As shown in FIG. 10, the special color image generation unit 28 divides the special color toner print image into bands at the same band height as the CMYK four color toner print image.
S301: The special color image generation unit 28 refers to the upper Y coordinate 273 of the memory 21 and determines whether or not the upper Y coordinate 273 is “0”, that is, whether or not there is a blank line at the head. If it is determined that the coordinate 273 is “0” (no blank line exists at the beginning), the process proceeds to S303, and if it is determined that the upper Y coordinate 273 is not “0” (a blank line exists at the beginning), the process is performed. The process proceeds to S302.

S302: The special color image generation unit 28 that has determined that there is a blank line at the beginning skips to the Y coordinate indicated by the upper Y coordinate 273 as a blank line. In the example of the special color toner print image shown in FIG. 10, there is a blank line that skips to the second band 1012 from the top.
S303: The special color image generation unit 28 refers to the lower Y coordinate 274 of the memory 21 and determines whether or not the Y coordinate of the print image of the special color toner to be generated has reached the lower Y coordinate 274, that is, the lower Y coordinate 274 It is determined whether or not a special color toner print image (intermediate band data) has been generated up to the line, and if it is determined that the Y coordinate of the generated special color toner print image has reached the lower Y coordinate 274, the process proceeds to S305. If it is determined that the process has not been reached, the process proceeds to S304.

S 304: The special color image generation unit 28 refers to the left X coordinate 271, the right X coordinate 272, and the lower Y coordinate 274 in the memory 21, and has two points of the left X coordinate 271 and the right X coordinate 272 up to the line of the lower Y coordinate 274. A print image (intermediate band data) of the special color toner with the special color toner placed therebetween is generated as an area 62 on which the special color toner shown in FIG. 17 is placed and stored in the special color image 281.
S305: In S303, the special color image generation unit 28 that determines that the print image (intermediate band data) of the special color toner has been generated up to the line of the lower Y coordinate 274, that is, determines that all the intermediate band data has been created, With reference to the lower Y-coordinate 274 of the memory 21, it is determined whether or not there is a blank line at the rear end. If it is determined that there is no blank line at the rear end, this processing is terminated, and there is a blank line at the rear end. If determined, the process proceeds to S306.

S306: The special color image generation unit 28 that has determined that there is a blank line at the rear end skips to the bottom line as a blank line, and ends this process.
As described above, in the first embodiment, a position indicator indicating the cutting position of the paper is detected, and a special color developer image is generated in an area inside the cutting position. The effect that the amount of color developer used can be reduced is obtained.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the image processing apparatus in the second embodiment. Note that parts similar to those of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.
In FIG. 15, the memory 21 includes a special color operation 245, a printable area width 251, a printable area height 252, a CMYK image 261, a left X coordinate 271, a right X coordinate 272, an upper Y coordinate 273, and a lower part. In addition to the Y coordinate 274 and the special color image 281, the outside 1 left X coordinate 275, the outside 1 right X coordinate 276, the outside 1 top Y coordinate 277, the outside 1 bottom Y coordinate 278, and the outside 2 left X coordinate 279, out-of-region 2 right X-coordinate 2710, out-of-region 2 up Y-coordinate 2711, and out-of-region 2 down-Y coordinate 2712.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of print data in the second embodiment.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, in a state where the image data 41 is drawn on the A3 nobi paper 30 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the gray scale color sample 172 and the color sample 172 are placed outside the image data 41. A color sample 173 is added.
FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of the area in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, in addition to the area 181 where the special color toner is not placed and the area 62 where the special color toner is placed on the A3 Nobi paper 30, Areas corresponding to the gray scale color sample 172 and the color color sample 173 shown in FIG. 16 are areas 182 and 183 on which special color toner is placed.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a special color print image in the second embodiment, and shows a special color print image generated by the special color image generation unit 28 shown in FIG.
An area 182 where the special color toner is placed in an area that is unnecessary after the band 1911 is cut (hereinafter referred to as “outside the cut area”), and an area 183 where the special color toner is placed outside the cut area after the band 1921. It is.
In this embodiment, the area detection unit 27 shown in FIG. 15 detects the gray scale color sample 172 and the color color sample 173 shown in FIG. 16 as color samples included in the image data and printed on the medium together with the print image. The special color image generation unit 28 generates an image to be printed in the regions 182 and 183 where the color samples exist, in addition to the region 62 on which the special color toner shown in FIG.

In the first embodiment, the A3 Nobi paper is described as being horizontally placed. However, in a general printing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 18, the A3 Nobi paper is placed vertically (the long side is indicated by an arrow Y in the figure). The drawing process is performed in the vertical direction shown. In the present embodiment, the subsequent processing will be described assuming that the A3 paper is placed vertically.
The operation of the above configuration will be described.
First, a printing process performed by the image processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 15 in accordance with a step represented by S in the flowchart showing the flow of the printing process in the second embodiment of FIG.

It is assumed that the user instructs the application range of the special color toner on the print setting screen shown in FIG. 11 and performs an operation to start printing when printing is performed in the host apparatus. The host device that accepts the user's operation transmits image data according to the user's instruction to the image processing device 1.
The data communication unit 22 of the image processing apparatus 1 that has received the image data from the host device requests the data analysis unit 23 to process the image data, and the data analysis unit 23 reads the image data. Image data is generally data described in PDL, and is composed of a sequence of commands having one instruction with a plurality of data.

S101 to S112, S200: Since they are the same processes as S101 to S112 and S200 shown in FIG.
S400: The image generation unit 26 requests the region detection unit 27 to detect a special color print region outside the cutting region. Details of the special color print area detection process outside the cutting area performed by the area detection unit 27 will be described later.
S500: The area detection unit 27 that has detected the special color drawing area requests the special color image generation unit 28 to generate a special color print image. Details of the special color print image generation process performed by the special color image generation unit 28 will be described later.

S112: The special color image generation unit 28 that has generated the special color print image requests the image print unit 29 to print one page. The image print unit 29 receives the CMYK image 261 that is a CMYK print image and the special color image. The special color image 281 that is a print image is printed, and this process is terminated.
Next, the special color print area detection process outside the cutting area performed by the area detection unit 27 is indicated by S in the flowchart showing the flow of the special color print area detection process outside the cutting area in the second embodiment of FIG. The steps will be described with reference to FIG. This process is a process performed in S400 of FIG. 19 described above.

  S401: The area detection unit 27 acquires the application range of the special color toner from the special color use determination unit 24 (special color operation 245), and the application range is “overall (all range)” (hereinafter, “ It is determined whether it is “overall range” (excluded outside of the dragonfly) ”(hereinafter referred to as“ excluded outside of the dragonfly ”). If it is determined, the process proceeds to S402, and if it is determined that the application range is the entire range, the process ends.

S402: The area detection unit 27 that has determined that the application range of the special color toner is “excludes outside registration marks”, the left X coordinate 271, the right X coordinate 272, the upper Y coordinate 273, and the printable area of the paper The width 251 and the printable area height 252 of the paper are read as register mark positions.
S403: The area detecting unit 27 divides the printable area height 252 of the paper into the upper side and the lower side, and detects the area on which the special color toner outside the cutting area is placed, so that the paper in the CMYK image 261 is detected. A line having a height half the printable area height 252 (the center in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow Y in FIG. 18) is set as the head line to be scanned.

S404: The area detection unit 27 scans line by line from the center line of the CMYK image 261 generated by the image generation unit 26 to the upper end line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 18).
S405: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not there is a colored pixel (pixel of the grayscale color sample 172 shown in FIG. 18) on the right side of the right X coordinate 272 in one scanned line. The process proceeds to S407, and if it is determined that it does not exist, the process proceeds to S406.

S406: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not the presence of a colored pixel has already been detected on the right side of the right X coordinate 272. If it is determined that the pixel has not been detected, the process proceeds to S411 and is detected. If it is determined, the process proceeds to S413.
S407: The area detection unit 27 that has detected a colored pixel on the right side of the right X coordinate 272 in one scanned line determines whether or not a colored pixel has appeared in the first scanned line, and determines that it has appeared for the first time. Then, the process proceeds to S408, and if it is determined that it is not the first appearance, the process proceeds to S410.

S408: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not the width of the colored pixel is equal to or larger than the line width of the registration mark. If it is determined that the width of the colored pixel is equal to or larger than the line width of the registration mark, the process proceeds to S409. If it is determined that the pixel width is not equal to or larger than the line width of the register mark, the process proceeds to S411.
S409: The area detection unit 27 that has determined that the width of the colored pixel is equal to or larger than the width of the registration mark line indicates that the X coordinate 191 of the left colored pixel shown in FIG. The X coordinate 192 of the pixel is stored in the out-of-region 1 right X-coordinate 276 and the line position 194 is stored in the out-of-region 1 lower Y-coordinate 278, respectively, and the process proceeds to S411.

S410: The region detection unit 27 determined not to appear for the first time in S407 stores the current line position in the Y coordinate 277 outside the region 1 because the pixel of the grayscale color sample 172 shown in FIG. 18 appears. Update. Note that the last line position is the line position 193 and is stored in the Y coordinate 277 outside the region 1.
S411: The area detection unit 27 updates the line to be scanned by one line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 18), and updates the reference position in the upward direction.

S412: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not scanning has been performed up to the registration mark position at the upper end in the vertical direction of the paper (Y direction shown in FIG. 18). If it is determined that scanning has not been performed up to the registration mark position at the upper end, the process proceeds to S404, and the process of scanning the next line after S404 is performed.
In this way, the area detection unit 27 detects the special color print area outside the upper cutting area, and when no colored pixel appears on the right side of the right X coordinate 272, the area outside the lower cutting area is next. The special color print area is detected.

S413: The area detection unit 27 reads the lower Y coordinate 274 of the memory 21, the printable area width 251 of the paper, and the printable area height 252 of the paper as register mark positions.
S414: The area detection unit 27 sets a line having a height half the printable area height 252 (the center in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow Y in FIG. 18) in the CMYK image 261 as the first line to be scanned.
S415: The area detector 27 scans line by line from the center line of the CMYK image 261 generated by the image generator 26 to the lower end line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 18).

S416: The area detection unit 27 determines whether there is a colored pixel (a pixel of the color color sample 173 shown in FIG. 18) on the right side of the right X coordinate 272 in one scanned line. The process proceeds to S418, and if it is determined that it does not exist, the process proceeds to S417.
S417: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not the presence of a colored pixel has already been detected on the right side of the right X coordinate 272. If it is determined that the pixel has not been detected, the process proceeds to S422 and is detected. If it is determined, the process is terminated.

S418: The area detection unit 27 that has detected a colored pixel on the right side of the right X coordinate 272 in one scanned line determines whether a colored pixel has appeared in the first scanned line, and determines that it has appeared for the first time. Then, the process proceeds to S419, and if it is determined that it is not the first appearance, the process proceeds to S421.
S419: The area detection unit 27 determines whether or not the width of the colored pixel is equal to or larger than the line width of the registration mark. If the area detection unit 27 determines that the width of the colored pixel is equal to or larger than the line width of the registration mark, the process proceeds to S420. If it is determined that the pixel width is not equal to or greater than the registration mark line width, the process proceeds to S422.

S420: The area detection unit 27 that has determined that the width of the colored pixel is equal to or larger than the line width of the registration mark indicates that the X coordinate 195 of the left colored pixel shown in FIG. 18 is the out-of-area 2 left X coordinate 279 and the right colored pixel. The X coordinate 196 is stored in the out-of-region 2 right X-coordinate 2710 and the line position 197 is stored in the out-of-region 2 upper Y-coordinate 2711.
S421: The area detection unit 27 determined not to appear for the first time in S418 stores and updates the current line position in the 2 lower Y coordinate 2712 outside the area because the pixel of the color color sample 173 shown in FIG. 18 appears. To do. Note that the last line position is the line position 198 and is stored in the outside 2 lower Y coordinate 2712.

S422: The area detection unit 27 updates the line to be scanned by one line in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 18), and updates the reference position downward.
S423: The area detecting unit 27 determines whether or not scanning has been performed up to the position of the registration mark at the lower end in the vertical direction of the sheet (Y direction shown in FIG. 18). When it is determined that scanning has not been performed up to the position of the registration mark at the lower end, the process proceeds to S415, and the process of scanning the next line after S415 is performed.

In this way, the area detection unit 27 detects the special color print area outside the lower cutting area, and when no colored pixel appears on the right side of the right X coordinate 272, the special color outside the cutting area is detected. The print area detection process ends.
Next, a special color print image generation process performed by the special color image generation unit 28 according to this embodiment will be described.
The special color print image generation process of this embodiment is the same as the special color print image generation process of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 14, but the process of S304 is different. The process of S304 will be described below.

  S304: The special color image generation unit 28, in addition to the left X coordinate 271, the right X coordinate 272, and the lower Y coordinate 274 of the memory 21, adds the outside 1 left X coordinate 275, the outside 1 right X coordinate 276, and the outside 1 area. Refer to Y coordinate 277, out-of-region 1 lower Y-coordinate 278, out-of-region 2 left X-coordinate 279, out-of-region 2 right X-coordinate 2710, out-of-region 2 up Y-coordinate 2711, and out-of-region 2 down-Y coordinate 2712 A print image (intermediate band data) of the special color toner on which the special color toner is placed in the area 62 where the special color toner shown in FIG. 17 and the areas 182 and 183 where the special color toner is placed as shown in FIG. And stored in the special color image 281.

As described above, in the second embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, a special color developer image is generated for the color sample in the region outside the cutting position, and the color sample is obtained. By placing the developer of the special color on the color, it is possible to confirm the hue of the printed matter.
In the first and second embodiments, the special color developer is described as a transparent toner. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the special color developer may be a white toner.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing device 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Transfer device 7 Transfer belt 8 Fixing device 9 Paper tray 20 System control part 21 Memory 22 Data communication part 23 Data analysis part 24 Special color use judgment part 25 Data drawing part 26 Image Generation unit 27 Area detection unit 28 Special color image generation unit 29 Image printing unit

Claims (6)

A data analysis unit for analyzing image data;
An image generation unit that generates a print image from the image data based on an analysis result of the data analysis unit;
An area detection unit that detects a position mark included in the image data and printed on a medium together with the print image, and detects an area based on the position mark;
An image processing apparatus comprising: a special color image generation unit configured to generate an image to be printed with a special color developer in an area detected by the area detection unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the special color image generation unit generates an image to be printed with a special color developer as an area to be printed inside the area detected by the area detection unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the special color image generation unit generates an image to be printed in a region including a position marker line detected by the region detection unit. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The area detection unit detects a color sample included in the image data and printed on a medium together with the print image,
The special color image generation unit generates an image to be printed in an area where the color sample exists in addition to the area detected by the area detection unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
A printing image generated by the image generation unit on a medium with a colored developer, and an image printing unit configured to print the printing image generated by the special color image generation unit on the medium with a special color developer. A featured image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position indicator is arranged in a printable area where the image printing unit can print an image and represents a cutting position of the medium.

Images