JP2014061600A - Printer and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer and a printing method which are capable of detecting an ink residual amount and generating a larger number of printed matters.SOLUTION: A printer includes an input part for inputting a pattern having an optional form and an image; a display part; a printing part; an ink usage amount estimation part for estimating a first ink usage amount to be used for printing the pattern and a second ink usage amount to be used for printing the image; an ink monitor part for monitoring an ink residual amount; and a control part for printing the pattern on a first face of a printing medium, setting printing order of plural printing media in the order of less amount of the first ink usage amount in the case of printing the image on a second face that is the back face of the first face, and displaying, on the display part, the number of printable sheets of the printing media on the basis of the ink residual amount monitored by the ink monitor part and the first and second ink usage amounts estimated by the ink usage amount estimation part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method for printing an image.

  In recent years, home-use printing apparatuses that can print addresses, images, sentences, and the like on postcards have become widespread. By using these, addresses and texts such as New Year's cards and summer greetings can be printed in large quantities at home.

  Some printing apparatuses have a function of selecting and printing an image by attaching a memory card storing an image taken by a camera.

  Further, Patent Document 1 shown below includes an ink usage amount measuring unit that measures the amount of ink used for printing a predetermined printing unit, and from the remaining ink amount so as not to run out of ink during printing. A printing apparatus that accurately estimates the number of printable copies is disclosed.

JP 2001-47699 A

  However, in the above-described printing apparatus of Patent Document 1, printing can be started in the order in which print data is received, and the number of printable copies can be accurately estimated, and a larger number of sheets can be printed. It wasn't.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of detecting a remaining amount of ink and creating a larger number of printed materials.

  The printing apparatus according to the present invention performs printing on a plurality of print media, an input unit that inputs a pattern having an arbitrary shape and an image, a display unit that displays the pattern and the image, and the like. A printing unit; an ink usage amount estimating unit for estimating a first ink usage amount used for printing the pattern; and a second ink usage amount used for printing the image; and an installed ink cartridge. An ink monitoring unit that monitors the remaining amount of ink, and the pattern is printed on the first surface of the printing medium, and the image is printed on the second surface that is the back surface of the first surface. The printing order of the plurality of printing media is set in ascending order of the first ink usage amount, and the remaining ink amount monitored by the ink monitoring unit and the first estimated by the ink usage amount estimation unit Ink usage and before Comprising a second ink usage, a control unit for displaying the printable number of sheets of the printing medium on the display unit by the, and wherein the.

  The printing method of the printing apparatus according to the present invention includes an input unit that inputs a pattern having an arbitrary shape and an image, a display unit that displays the pattern and the image, and a plurality of prints. A printing unit that prints on a medium, an ink usage amount estimation unit that estimates a first ink usage amount used for printing the pattern, and a second ink usage amount used for printing the image, and mounting An ink monitoring unit for monitoring the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge, and printing the pattern on the first surface of the printing medium, the second surface being the back surface of the first surface When printing the image, the printing order of the plurality of print media is set in ascending order of the first ink usage amount, the remaining ink amount monitored by the ink monitoring unit, and the ink usage amount estimation unit The first estimated in And ink amount and the second amount of ink used, by displaying the printable number of sheets of the printing medium on the display unit, characterized in that.

  According to the present invention, the amount of ink to be used per sheet is extracted from the remaining amount of ink, the pattern to be printed, and the image, and the printed matter with a smaller amount of ink used is rearranged in order of more printed matter. It is possible to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method that enable creation.

1 is a perspective view of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the keyboard in the printing apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of setting an image to be printed by the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of extracting a possible number of prints from the remaining ink amount in the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of performing a printing process in the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the printing mode setting screen of the printing apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the screen which sets the address of a printing plan with the printing apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the screen which sets the text to be printed with the printing apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the screen which guides the printable number of sheets estimated by the ink remaining amount with the printing apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus 1 that enables creation of more printed materials. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a keyboard in the printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. The printing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that executes printing on a printing medium 10 that is a relatively small recording medium such as a postcard (100 × 148 mm), L size (89 × 127 mm), or 2L size (178 × 127 mm). A function to create a record, a function to automatically write a postcard from an address book, a function to capture a photograph image taken with a digital camera and print it as a photograph, a function to edit a sentence, and a combination of the captured image and sentence It has various functions such as printing on postcards.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 1 includes a box-shaped casing 2 having a paper feed tray and having a display unit 8 at the top, and a keyboard 3 is disposed in front of the casing 2. . The keyboard 3 is rotatably mounted near the lower front end of the housing 2, and is tilted forward as shown in the figure when in use, and stored in a state facing the front of the housing 2 when not in use. Has been.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the keyboard 3 has a power switch key 30 for turning the power on and off, a cursor key 32 for selecting an item and changing the setting contents of the selected item, and advancing the operation. For this purpose, the execution key 34 for confirming the selection target and the contents to be changed, the top menu key for displaying the top menu screen on the display unit 8, the print key for instructing the execution of printing, the character / number key 36 for entering characters and numbers, etc. Are arranged, and a predetermined operation signal such as a pattern having an arbitrary shape is transmitted to the control unit 41 described later based on an input operation by the user.

  On the front surface of the housing 2, there are a paper discharge port 5 through which printed media 10 such as postcards and photographs that have been printed, and a storage medium insertion port 6 into which a portable storage medium such as a memory card can be inserted. Is formed. This storage medium insertion slot 6 is inserted into a removable portable storage medium such as a memory card, so that image data of a photograph taken with a digital camera, edit data such as text edited with a personal computer, An address book file composed of a plurality of address data can be taken into the printing apparatus 1 and data edited by the printing apparatus 1 can be saved in a memory card or the like.

  Further, a display unit 8 such as a liquid crystal display is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 2, and the display unit 8 is rotatable in the front direction at the upper part of the housing 2. This display unit 8 displays input contents such as a pattern having an arbitrary shape on the screen corresponding to an input signal from the keyboard 3, or displays a menu screen necessary for various settings, or Various data necessary for the printing apparatus 1, such as a photographic image taken from the digital camera, is displayed. The display unit 8 may be configured as a touch panel. By configuring the display unit 8 as a touch panel, a simple input operation can be performed on the display unit 8 without using the keyboard 3.

  Furthermore, a handle 15 that is rotatable from the rear side of the housing 2 to the top of the housing 2 is attached to the upper portion of the housing 2. The handle 15 is formed in a substantially U-shape and is used by being gripped when the printing apparatus 1 is transported.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the printing apparatus 1 has a cavity portion 16 that opens at the back of the housing 2, and a paper feed tray 18 is disposed so as to close the opening of the cavity portion 16. . This paper feed tray 18 is pivotally mounted at a position near the lower part of the rear side of the housing 2 and can be rotated so as to move the upper end in the front-rear direction. Can be done.

  In addition, a pickup roller 19 that sends the printing medium 10 stored in the paper feed tray 18 one by one downward is disposed inside and above the paper feed tray 18. Further, in the vicinity of the lower end of the paper feed tray 18, transport rollers 20a and 20b for transporting the print medium 10 sent downward by the pickup roller 19 toward the paper discharge port 5 of the housing 2 are arranged. In addition, paper discharge rollers 22 a and 22 b for discharging the print medium 10 that has been printed from the paper discharge port 5 are disposed inside the housing 2 and in front of the print head 21. The conveyance roller 20a and the paper discharge roller 22a are controlled in rotation by a stepping motor (not shown) to convey the printing medium 10 at a predetermined speed. The pickup roller 19, the conveyance rollers 20a and 20b, and the paper discharge rollers 22a and 22b function as a conveyance unit in the printing apparatus 1.

  A print head 21 serving as a printing unit is arranged inside the apparatus near the discharge port 5 and discharges each color ink of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). Ink-jet print head 21 having the above-described configuration is used to perform printing by ejecting each color from a nozzle onto print medium 10. Although the inkjet type print head 21 has been described, the present invention is not limited to the inkjet type.

  Then, the printing medium 10 accommodated in the paper feed tray 18 is sequentially sent downward from the printing medium 10 positioned in front by the pickup roller 19, and is sandwiched between the conveyance rollers 20a and 20b. The paper is fed out below the print head 21 inside the apparatus near the paper discharge port 5, and after printing is completed, it is sandwiched between the paper discharge rollers 22a and 22b and discharged from the paper discharge port 5 to the outside.

  Next, the control circuit of the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a functional circuit block diagram of the printing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the printing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 41 that controls the entire system, a storage unit 42 including a ROM 51 and a RAM 52, a display unit 8, an input unit 45, a printing mechanism 47, and an I / O 53. And.

  The ROM 51 stores a program for displaying and printing set character string data, a print font, and the like, and the ROM 51 also functions as a recording medium in which a program readable by the control unit 41 is stored.

  The I / O 53 reads data from the external memory 54 such as a memory card attached to the storage medium insertion slot 6 and transmits it to the control unit 41.

  The ROM 51 is configured to be rewritable by a flash memory, and is also an image storage unit that reads and stores image data that is controlled by the control unit 41 and stored in a memory card or the like.

  The RAM 52 has a print data memory area for storing print pattern data in which the input print information is expanded, a display data memory area for storing pattern data to be displayed on the display unit 8, and the like. A register and a counter for temporarily storing data necessary for printing processing, image processing, and the like are also provided.

  The input unit 45 is the above-described keyboard 3 that is a user interface used by a user for input operations or various mode selections, and includes a power switch key 30, a cursor key 32, an execution key 34, a print key, and the like. Yes. The display unit 8 is the above-described liquid crystal display or the like that displays various operation screens or displays image data, and is controlled by the control unit 41 that has received a predetermined operation signal, so that a predetermined one of the plurality of operation screens is displayed. Display the operation screen. In addition, as the input part 45, when a touch panel is provided in the surface of the display part 8, this touch panel is included.

  Further, the input unit 45 includes an address setting unit that sets a plurality of addresses to be printed in the print mode. The input unit 45 includes a text setting unit that sets a text to be printed corresponding to the set address. Then, the input unit 45 determines the character by extracting the address name from the address book when determining the character.

  The printing mechanism 47 includes a printing unit 55 and a transport unit 56. The printing unit 55 is the print head 21 described above, and performs a process of executing printing on the printing medium 10. The transport unit 56 includes the above-described pickup roller 19, transport rollers 20a and 20b, paper discharge rollers 22a and 22b, and a stepping motor that rotates the rollers, and performs a process of transporting the printing medium 10.

  The control unit 41 is a CPU that activates a system program stored in advance in the ROM 51, a control program stored in a memory card, or the like in response to a key operation signal from the input unit 45, or automatically. Is used as a work memory to control the operation of each part of the circuit.

  The control unit 41 also functions as an ink usage amount estimation unit that estimates the ink usage amount used for printing the address and the ink usage amount used for printing a text including a pattern or the like.

  Further, the control unit 41 also functions as an ink monitoring unit that monitors the remaining amount of ink in the mounted ink cartridge.

  Then, the control unit 41 prints the address on the front side of the postcard and prints a text including a pattern on the back side of the postcard, and a pattern having an arbitrary shape including characters on the printing medium 10 and an image including the pattern Are printed on a plurality of print media 10, the printing order of the print media 10 is arranged in ascending order of the amount of ink used for character printing, and the ink remaining amount monitored by the ink monitoring unit It also functions as a print number display control unit that displays the number of printable sheets on the display unit 8 based on the ink use amount estimated by the ink use amount estimation unit.

  The control unit 41, which is an ink usage amount estimation unit, estimates the ink usage amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as ink usage amounts.

  The ink usage amount estimation unit estimates the ink usage amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as ink usage amounts, and estimates the alternative usage amount of black by using yellow, magenta, and cyan when black is insufficient. It is.

  Further, the control unit 41 serving as an ink monitoring unit monitors the remaining amount of each black ink in the case of a device having yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge.

  Then, the control unit 41 detects the number of printable sheets by determining that printing is impossible by calculating that the remaining ink amount of any one of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black in the ink cartridge is lost. In addition, the control unit 41 controls the printing unit 55 so that printing of characters is performed with black ink.

  Next, the flow of estimating the number of printed sheets from the ink remaining amount in the printing apparatus 1 of the present invention will be described using a flowchart. 5 to 7 are flowcharts showing a flow of estimating the number of printed sheets from the remaining ink amount in the printing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  When the user operates the input unit and inputs the address and text double-sided printing mode as shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 41 first prints all postcards m printed on the display unit 8 as shown in FIG. A screen for setting the address for the number of sheets is displayed (step S101).

  Then, the control unit 41 sets an image for each address as shown in FIG. 10 for a text image (hereinafter referred to as a text image) including a pattern or the like to be printed on the back side of each address, or all addresses Then, an image selection screen for setting the text images for all m postcards is displayed (step S105).

  When all the text images for each address are set in the display of the image selection screen for selecting an image to be printed on the text (step S105), the process proceeds to A shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, when the address and the text image are set by the user in the double-sided printing mode of the postcard, the control unit 41 determines whether or not the set text image is single regardless of the address (step S301). .

  In the determination of whether or not the text image is single regardless of the address (step S301), if it is not single, the process proceeds to step S355, and if it is single, the process proceeds to step S305.

  If the number is single, the control unit 41 determines in step S305 whether or not all printing is possible with the remaining ink (step S305).

  If it is determined whether or not all printing is possible with the remaining ink (step S305), if all printing is possible, the process proceeds to step S310 to start printing, and if it is determined that all printing is not possible, the process proceeds to step S320.

  If it is determined that all printing is not possible and the process proceeds to step S320, the address of the same text image is different and the address is different, so that the amount of ink used varies depending on the size and number of characters of the address. Performs a process (step S320) of sorting the printing order in ascending order of ink used for address printing, thereby estimating the number of printable sheets for duplex printing.

  Then, the control unit 41 executes a process (step S325) for displaying the estimated number of duplex printable sheets on the display unit 4 as shown in FIG. For example, when the address and text image for m postcards have been set, the control unit 41 sorts the printing order and determines that double-sided printing can be performed only for n sheets. The message “Can you perform double-sided printing with n sheets?” Is displayed on the display unit 4 and the user confirms whether to change the number of double-sided printed sheets to n (step) S330).

  In the confirmation of whether or not to change the number of prints (step S330), if the user requests double-sided printing with n sheets that can be printed, the process proceeds to step S310, and the print start determination is performed.

  In the confirmation of whether or not to change the number of printed sheets (step S330), if n-sided printing with n sheets that can be printed by the user is not executed, for example, any of yellow, magenta, and cyan inks. Even if the remaining amount is insufficient, if there is a margin in black ink, it is determined that there is a margin in printing only the address, and the process proceeds to step S335 to check whether the user performs printing only in the address.

  Then, the control unit 41 adds only the address to the user on the assumption that the print mode only for the address can be printed for the set number of m sheets or n sheets but not more than m sheets. Is displayed on the display unit 4 for determination (step S335).

  In the determination of whether to print by adding only the address (step S335), if the user selects to print by adding only the address, the control unit 41 determines how many sheets of the address only can be printed. A process of estimating and displaying on the display unit 4 (step S340) is executed.

  Then, the control unit 41 causes the display unit 4 to display a message asking whether or not to execute the printing with only the address added based on the result of estimating the number of prints with only the address on the display unit 4 and determining ( Step S345) is performed.

  In the determination of whether or not to perform printing with only the address added (step S345), if the user selects to add only the address and execute printing, the process proceeds to step S310, and print start determination is performed.

  If the user selects to cancel the printing with only the address added in the determination of whether to execute the printing with only the address added (step S345), the process proceeds to step S350.

  In step S350, the control unit 41 performs an end confirmation determination (step S350) until the end process is performed by pressing the end button or the like.

  On the other hand, if it is determined whether or not the text image is a single one regardless of the address (step S301), and if a plurality of text images are set, the process proceeds to step S355, and the control unit 41 It is determined whether or not all printing is possible with the remaining ink for each text image (step S355).

  If it is determined whether or not all the printing is possible with the remaining ink for each text image (step S355), if all the printing of m postcards is possible, the process proceeds to step S310, and the printing start determination is performed.

  If it is determined in step S355 whether or not all the text images can be printed with the remaining amount of ink (step S355), the process proceeds to step S360.

  If all printing is not possible, it is next determined whether or not a set number of prints can be made for each text image (step 360).

  As a determination of whether or not a set number of prints can be made for each text image (step 360), first, since a plurality of text images are set in the postcard print settings, for example, for the first image, When the print setting for all m sheets of postcards is made by adding up a, b for the second image, and c for the third image, and setting the print settings for all m sheets, the image is the first image. If it is determined that all a sheets can be printed with only the second image, all b sheets can be printed with only the second image, and all c sheets can be printed with only the third image, the process proceeds to step S375.

  On the other hand, in the determination of whether or not the set number of prints for each text image is possible (step 360), if the image is only the first image, all a sheets are printed, if only the second image is printed, all b sheets are printed. If it is determined that only three images can be printed with the remaining ink, it is determined that the set number of sheets cannot be achieved for the specific text image, and the process proceeds to step S365.

  In step S365, the control unit 41 executes processing (step S365) for rearranging the text images that cannot achieve the set number of sheets in ascending order of ink usage for address printing.

  Next, the control unit 41 executes a process (step S370) of deriving the number of prints that enables a larger number of prints by rearranging the text images that cannot achieve the set number.

  Then, in step S375, the control unit 41 prints to the user, for example, for each text image. If the image is only the first image, all a sheets, if it is only the second image, all b sheets, the third image If it is only, a process for displaying a message notifying that all the c sheets can be printed with the remaining ink on the display unit 4 is executed (step S375). At this time, for example, when the d number of the third image can be printed less than c sheets, a display process is performed in which the number of printable sheets for the third image is d sheets.

  Next, the control unit 41 causes the display unit 4 to send a message to the user to select and input which of the first image, the second image, or the third image is to be printed as printing for each text image. A process of displaying (step S380) is executed.

  Further, the control unit 41 executes a process (step S385) of causing the display unit 4 to display a message asking whether or not to change the number of printable sheets derived from the selected text image.

  If the first image, the second image, and the third image can be printed on all a sheets, all b sheets, and all c sheets, it is not necessary to change the number of sheets. When an instruction to print the number of sheets is received, the process proceeds to step S395. On the other hand, if the number of the third image is only d, which is less than c, and the third image is selected and there is an instruction to change the number, the process proceeds to step S390.

  In step S390, the control unit 41 executes processing (step S390) for setting the number of printed sheets changed by the user (step S390), and the process proceeds to step S395.

  Then, as the printing for each text image, when the number of prints by the selected text image is determined, the control unit 41 executes a process of setting a flag for the selected text image (step S395).

  Next, the control unit 41 executes a process (step S400) of estimating the remaining amount of ink when the set number of selected text images is printed.

  Then, it is determined whether to start printing using the selected text image (step S405).

  If the user performs an operation indicating start of printing, the process proceeds to step S410. If an operation not to start printing is performed, the process proceeds to step S415.

  Then, upon receiving an instruction to start printing, the control unit 41 confirms the flag of the selected sentence image, executes a process (step S410) of extracting the flag-set sentence image, and proceeds to the printing process of step S315.

  On the other hand, when an operation not to print is detected in the print start determination (step S405), in step S415, the control unit 41 extracts an unset flag indicating an unselected text image (step S415). S415) is executed.

  Next, in step S405, whether or not each set number of prints for the remaining text images other than the selected text image can be printed with the remaining amount of ink after printing the selected text image. A determination (step 420) is made.

  In the determination of whether or not the set number of sheets can be printed for the remaining text images (step 420), if the set number of sheets can be printed, the number of text images other than those already selected is printed. It returns to step S375 which performs display.

  On the other hand, if it is not possible to print the set number of remaining text images in the determination (step 420) of the remaining text images, it is already selected. The process returns to step S370 of the process of estimating the number of printable sheets of other text images.

  Thus, by repeating step S375 to step S420. The user determines the priority order of images to be printed according to the remaining amount of ink, and announces the printable number of the selected images, thereby enabling the desired image to be printed.

  Then, the printing process in step S315 proceeds to B in the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 to print the text and address.

  Specifically, the control unit 41 changes the number of text prints to the printable number of sheets n when the number of printable sheets is reduced according to the remaining amount of ink with respect to the initial set number m of sheets ( Step S201) is executed. If there is a single text image, or if there are a plurality of text images, the number of text images set in the order of the selected text images is added to the number corresponding to the estimated remaining ink amount.

  Next, the control unit 41 executes a process (step S205) of printing the estimated number of text images.

  Then, when the control unit 41 prints a single or multiple text images for the estimated number of sheets according to the ink remaining amount, the discharged postcard is reversed and set again. Processing for completing text printing for displaying a message is performed (step S210).

  Next, when the printing of the text image is completed, the control unit 41 executes a process for performing address printing (step S215). When the predetermined address printing of the control unit 41 is finished, a print end process (step S220) for displaying on the display unit 4 an ink replacement request that the remaining ink amount should be replaced is executed, and all the processes are finished. .

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the amount of ink used per sheet is extracted from the remaining amount of remaining ink and the image to be printed, and the printed matter with the smaller amount of ink used is rearranged in order. It is possible to provide a printing apparatus 1 and a printing method for the printing apparatus 1 that can create many printed materials.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to estimate which ink usage amount is greater by estimating each ink usage amount of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as the ink usage amount.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge can be derived from which ink is consumed quickly by monitoring the remaining amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. it can.

  According to the present embodiment, any of the yellow, magenta, cyan, or black ink remaining in the ink cartridge is determined to be non-printable by calculation that the remaining ink amount is exhausted, and the number of printable sheets is detected. It is possible to prevent lack of color printing due to no ink.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when the black ink having a relatively large amount used is consumed, the residual ink is estimated by estimating the alternative usage amount of the black ink by the yellow, magenta, and cyan inks. It can be used effectively to enable more printing.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, by performing printing of characters with black ink, it is possible to reduce consumption of yellow, magenta, and cyan inks.

  And according to this embodiment, when determining a character, the address name setting of a postcard can be simplified by extracting the address name from the address book and determining the character.

  Further, the printing apparatus 1 may be configured to realize each color with only three color inks of Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) as a color realizing method.

  1 to 3 show a printing apparatus 1 having an input device as shown in FIG. 4, but the printing mechanism 1 is an independent printing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 1 having no independent input apparatus has an ink residue. A similar printing method can also be realized in a PC that acquires the amount of information.

  Further, the printing medium 10 is not limited to a postcard, and a pattern is printed in a range of 1/3 or 1/2 of the paper, and a sentence or the like corresponding to the pattern is printed on the same side as the pattern. Even in this case, the present invention can be applied by monitoring and estimating the usage amount of each color ink used for printing a picture and the usage amount of black ink used for text characters.

  Furthermore, the processing in the embodiment of the present invention is applied to various apparatuses as a print control program that can be realized by a computer, for example, written in a storage medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, or a communication medium. It is also possible to transmit by using and apply to various devices. As described above, by storing each processing described in the present embodiment in a desired storage medium and causing the control program to be executed by another computer or the like, it is possible to obtain the same operational effects as when the apparatus of the present embodiment is used. . The computer is not limited to the computer built in the apparatus described in this embodiment, and can read the print control program stored in the storage medium and performs the control operation according to the read control program. It includes any computer equipped with a computing device such as a CPU.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

The invention described in the first claim of the present application will be appended below.
[1] An input unit for inputting a pattern having an arbitrary shape and an image;
A display unit for displaying the pattern and the image;
A printing unit for printing on a plurality of print media; and
An ink use amount estimating unit for estimating a first ink use amount used for printing the pattern and a second ink use amount used for printing the image;
An ink monitoring unit for monitoring the remaining amount of ink in the mounted ink cartridge;
When the pattern is printed on the first surface of the printing medium and the image is printed on the second surface, which is the back surface of the first surface, the first ink usage amount is in ascending order. The remaining amount of ink monitored by the ink monitoring unit, the first ink usage amount, and the second ink usage amount estimated by the ink usage amount estimation unit, in which the printing order of a plurality of printing media is set. And a control unit that displays on the display unit the number of printable sheets of the print medium,
Comprising
A printing apparatus characterized by that.
[2] The printing apparatus according to [1], wherein the ink monitoring unit monitors each remaining amount of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge.
[3] The ink usage amount estimation unit estimates the ink usage amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as the ink usage amount, and when black is insufficient, substitutes the black usage amount by yellow, magenta, and cyan. The printing apparatus according to [2], wherein the printing apparatus is estimated.
[4] The printing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the printing unit performs printing of the pattern with black ink.
[5] The printing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein when the pattern is determined, the pattern is determined by extracting an address name from an address book.
[6] An input unit for inputting a pattern having an arbitrary shape and an image;
A display unit for displaying the pattern and the image;
A printing unit for printing on a plurality of print media; and
An ink use amount estimating unit for estimating a first ink use amount used for printing the pattern and a second ink use amount used for printing the image;
An ink monitoring unit for monitoring the remaining amount of ink in the mounted ink cartridge;
With
When printing the pattern on the first surface of the printing medium and printing the image on the second surface that is the back surface of the first surface,
Setting the print order of the plurality of print media in ascending order of the first ink usage amount;
The number of printable sheets of the print medium is determined by the ink remaining amount monitored by the ink monitoring unit and the first ink usage amount and the second ink usage amount estimated by the ink usage amount estimation unit. Displayed on the display,
A printing method for a printing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing apparatus 2 Housing | casing 3 Keyboard 5 Paper discharge port 6 Storage medium insertion port 8 Display part 10 Printed medium 11 Printing surface 15 Handle 16 Cavity part 18 Paper feed tray 19 Pickup roller 20a, 20b Conveyance roller 21 Print head 22a, 22b Paper discharge roller
30 Power Switch Key 32 Cursor Key 34 Execution Key 36 Character / Numeric Key 41 Control Unit 42 Storage Unit 45 Input Unit 47 Printing Mechanism 51 ROM 52 RAM
53 I / O 54 External memory 55 Printing section 56 Transport section

Claims (6)

An input unit for inputting a pattern having an arbitrary shape and an image;
A display unit for displaying the pattern and the image;
A printing unit for printing on a plurality of print media; and
An ink use amount estimating unit for estimating a first ink use amount used for printing the pattern and a second ink use amount used for printing the image;
An ink monitoring unit for monitoring the remaining amount of ink in the mounted ink cartridge;
When the pattern is printed on the first surface of the printing medium and the image is printed on the second surface, which is the back surface of the first surface, the first ink usage amount is in ascending order. The remaining amount of ink monitored by the ink monitoring unit, the first ink usage amount, and the second ink usage amount estimated by the ink usage amount estimation unit, in which the printing order of a plurality of printing media is set. And a control unit that displays on the display unit the number of printable sheets of the print medium,
Comprising
A printing apparatus characterized by that.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink monitoring unit monitors the remaining amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as the remaining amounts of ink in the ink cartridge.   The ink use amount estimation unit estimates the ink use amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black as the ink use amount, and estimates an alternative use amount of black by yellow, magenta, and cyan when black is insufficient. The printing apparatus according to claim 2.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints the pattern with black ink.   5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input unit determines the pattern by extracting an address name from an address book when determining the pattern. An input unit for inputting a pattern having an arbitrary shape and an image;
A display unit for displaying the pattern and the image;
A printing unit for printing on a plurality of print media; and
An ink use amount estimating unit for estimating a first ink use amount used for printing the pattern and a second ink use amount used for printing the image;
An ink monitoring unit for monitoring the remaining amount of ink in the mounted ink cartridge;
With
When printing the pattern on the first surface of the printing medium and printing the image on the second surface that is the back surface of the first surface,
Setting the print order of the plurality of print media in ascending order of the first ink usage amount;
The number of printable sheets of the print medium is determined by the ink remaining amount monitored by the ink monitoring unit and the first ink usage amount and the second ink usage amount estimated by the ink usage amount estimation unit. Displayed on the display,
A printing method for a printing apparatus.

Images