JP2014123810A - Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the speed of image correction processing performed for preventing trouble due to the excessive amount of color material, compared to the case where the processing is performed without correction of intermediate data.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus 20 includes: a conversion unit 211 that interprets drawing data described in a page description language and converts the drawing data into intermediate data; a raster data creation unit 212 that performs rasterization processing according to the intermediate data to create raster data; a warning area extraction unit 213 that creates, on the basis of the raster data, warning area data indicating a warning area where the total amount of color material used in forming images represented by the drawing data exceeds a predetermined threshold; a combining unit 214 that displays notification images of the warning area on a display unit 24 according to the warning area data; and an image correction unit 215 that corrects the intermediate data when a user operates an operation unit 23 to issue an instruction for correction according to the notification images.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a program.

  In an image forming apparatus, the total color material amount per unit area (hereinafter referred to as the total color material amount unless otherwise specified) means that the total color material amount per unit area exceeds a certain amount (threshold). In some cases, the color material is not fixed to the paper and returns to the image forming apparatus (so-called reverse trapping), or the back of the paper becomes dirty due to the color material moving to the back of the overlapped paper. Are known. In order to avoid this phenomenon, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for notifying the state of the total amount of color material when printing is performed. Patent Document 2 proposes a technique for performing a preflight process and verifying the amount of applied toner.

JP 2006-88425 A JP 2009-37539 A

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique for speeding up image correction processing performed in order to prevent problems caused by an excessive amount of total color material as compared with a case where intermediate data is not corrected.

  An image processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a conversion unit that converts drawing data instructing drawing into intermediate data indicating an object included in an image to be formed by the image forming apparatus, and a raster according to the intermediate data. A first raster data generation unit for generating data, and a region in which the total color material amount per unit area used in image formation performed by the image forming apparatus according to the raster data exceeds a predetermined threshold, An area data generation unit that generates area data indicating the specified area, a correction unit that corrects the intermediate data so that the total color material amount in the area data is reduced, and the intermediate data corrected by the correction unit A second raster data generation unit that generates raster data according to the data.

  An image processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the first raster data generation unit is more than the raster data generated by the second raster data generation unit. Raster data with a small processing load required for generation is generated.

  An image processing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a user of a region indicated by the region data, wherein the correction unit is determined by a user. Data output from an operating unit to be operated is received, and the intermediate data is corrected according to the data.

  An image processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the correction unit corrects the intermediate data according to a predetermined algorithm.

  An image forming apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention provides an image on a recording medium according to the raster data generated by the image processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects and the second raster data generating unit. And an image forming unit for forming the image.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for converting a drawing data for instructing drawing into intermediate data indicating an object included in an image to be formed by the image forming apparatus; A first raster data generation unit that generates raster data according to the data, and a region in which the total color material amount per unit area used in image formation performed by the image forming apparatus according to the raster data exceeds a predetermined threshold A region data generation unit that generates region data indicating the specified region, a notification unit that notifies a user of the region indicated by the region data, and the intermediate data, the total color material amount in the region data is reduced. And a second correction unit that generates raster data in accordance with the intermediate data corrected by the correction unit. Characterized in that to function as static data generation unit.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to speed up the image correction processing that is performed in order to prevent inconvenience due to the total amount of the color material being too large as compared with the case where the intermediate data is not corrected.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the first raster data generation unit does not generate raster data that requires a smaller processing load than the raster data generated by the second raster data generation unit. The image correction process can be speeded up.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the processing speed when performing the image correction process according to the data output from the operation unit operated by the user is increased compared to the case where the intermediate data is not corrected. Can do.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the processing speed when performing image correction processing according to a predetermined algorithm can be made faster than when processing is performed without correcting intermediate data.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to speed up the image correction processing that is performed in order to prevent inconvenience due to the excessive amount of the total color material as compared with the case where the intermediate data is not corrected.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the image correction processing that is performed in order to prevent problems caused by the total amount of the color material being too large can be made faster than the case where the intermediate data is not corrected.

Block diagram showing an example of system configuration Block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus Block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an image processing apparatus The figure which shows an example of the image which drawing data represents Diagram showing an example of intermediate data Diagram showing an example of raster data Diagram showing an example of intermediate data The figure which shows an example of the image data in which the warning process was performed The block diagram which shows an example of a functional structure of an image processing apparatus (conventional example) Block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an image processing apparatus

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the system 1 includes a plurality of terminals 10, 10,... And an image processing apparatus 20 connected via a communication network 30 such as a LAN, and the image processing apparatus 20 and the image forming apparatus 40. Are connected via a communication network 50 such as a LAN. The terminals 10, 10,... Are, for example, personal computers, which perform image processing such as image creation, processing, and editing according to various applications, and draw data (for example, page description) that instructs drawing of images such as documents and graphics A language (data described in PDL, Page Description Language) is generated and transmitted to the image processing apparatus 20. In the following description, it is assumed that the data specifying the basic color included in the drawing data generated by the terminal 10 is data in the CMYK format, but may be data in the RGB format. It may be mixed data. The image processing apparatus 20 is a so-called print server. The image processing apparatus 20 receives drawing data transmitted from the terminals 10, 10,..., Performs image processing such as RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing, generates raster data representing a raster image, and forms an image. Output to the device 40.

  The image forming apparatus 40 is an apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium such as paper according to an electrophotographic method. The image forming apparatus 40 forms a toner image for each basic color based on the raster data output from the image processing apparatus 20, and transfers the formed toner image to the recording medium to fix the image on the recording medium. Form. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, a case where one image forming apparatus 40 is connected to the image processing apparatus 20 is illustrated, but a plurality of image forming apparatuses 40 may be connected to the image processing apparatus 20. .

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus 20. In the figure, the control unit 21 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM stores a program executed by the processor. When this program is executed by the processor, an image processing function for performing image processing on the drawing data received from the terminal 10 is realized. The operation unit 23 includes various buttons for operating the image processing apparatus 20. The control unit 21 controls each unit in accordance with the operation performed on the operation unit 23.

  The display unit 24 includes a liquid crystal display device that is an example of a device that displays an image. The display unit 24 is controlled by the control unit 21 and displays a menu screen for operating the image processing apparatus 20. The first communication unit 25 has a communication interface function for communicating with the terminal 10. The first communication unit 25 receives the drawing data sent from the terminal 10 and supplies the received drawing data to the control unit 21. The storage unit 22 includes a memory 221 and stores various data such as drawing data supplied to the control unit 21. The second communication unit 26 has a function of a communication interface that communicates with the image forming apparatus 40. The second communication unit 26 outputs the raster data supplied from the control unit 21 to the image forming apparatus 40. The rasterizer 27 is dedicated hardware that performs rasterization processing.

  Next, the functional configuration of the image processing apparatus 20 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the image processing apparatus. In the figure, a conversion unit 211, a first raster data generation unit 212, a warning area extraction unit 213, a synthesis unit 214, and an image correction unit 215 read out a computer program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22 by the control unit 21. It is realized by executing. The conversion unit 211 is a decomposer that interprets drawing data and converts it into intermediate data. The intermediate data is data indicating an object included in an image to be formed by the image forming apparatus according to the drawing data. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image drawn according to the drawing data, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of intermediate data. As shown in FIG. 5, the intermediate data includes, for example, data indicating an object name and an object attribute (object width, object height, color density, etc.) of an object instructed to be drawn by the drawing data.

  A raster data generation unit 212 (an example of a first raster data generation unit) executes rasterization processing according to the intermediate data converted by the conversion unit 211 to generate check raster data. The raster data for checking is raster data for checking the total color material amount. For example, a lower pixel density is used than raster data (raster data for image formation) used by the image forming apparatus 40 for image formation. Thus, it is generated at a low load. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the contents of raster data generated by the raster data generation unit 212.

  The warning area extraction unit 213 (an example of the area data generation unit) is an area in which the total color material amount used when image formation is performed according to the raster data generated by the raster data generation unit 212 exceeds a predetermined threshold ( (Hereinafter referred to as “warning area”), and warning area data (area data) indicating the identified warning area is generated. In the following description, the process performed by the warning area extraction unit 213 will be referred to as “warning process” for convenience of description.

  The synthesis unit 214 (an example of a second intermediate data generation unit) generates intermediate data obtained by adding the warning area data generated by the warning area extraction unit 213 to the intermediate data generated by the conversion unit 211. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of intermediate data generated by the synthesis unit 214. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the object name “Alert Obj” and the object attribute “Width Height...” Of the object in the warning area are added to the intermediate data illustrated in FIG.

  In addition, the synthesizing unit 214 displays a warning area notification image to the user on the display unit 24 (along with the synthesizing unit 214) according to the intermediate data to which the warning area data is added. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a warning area notification image displayed on the display unit 24 by the combining unit 214. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, the combining unit 214 notifies the user of the warning area by highlighting the warning areas A1 and A2. Note that the manner in which the combining unit 214 notifies the warning region is not limited to the manner in which the warning region is highlighted, and any mode can be used as long as the warning region can be distinguished from other regions, for example, by blinking the warning region. It may be adopted.

  By viewing the image displayed on the display unit 24, the user can easily grasp which area the total color material amount of the object exceeds the threshold value. The user performs an image correction process using the operation unit 23 based on the displayed image. Specifically, for example, the user performs an operation of reducing the color density of the object in the warning area so that the total amount of color material in the warning area is reduced. The image correction unit 215 receives the intermediate data from the synthesis unit 214 according to the information output from the operation unit 23, and corrects the intermediate data. Specifically, the image correction unit 215 corrects the value of the color density of the object in the warning area indicated by the intermediate data so that the total amount of color material in the warning area decreases.

  The intermediate data corrected by the image correction unit 215 is supplied to the rasterizer 27. The rasterizer 27 executes rasterization processing according to the supplied intermediate data, generates raster data for image formation, and outputs it to the image forming apparatus 40. The image forming apparatus 40 forms an image on the recording medium according to the image forming raster data supplied from the image processing apparatus 20.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a conventional image processing apparatus. As shown in the figure, the conventional image processing apparatus generates intermediate data by the conversion unit 311, performs rasterization processing by the raster data generation unit 312, and then generates a warning area extraction unit 313 based on the generated raster data for image formation. Performs warning processing, and the display unit 34 displays a warning region notification image in accordance with an instruction from the combining unit 314. In this case, the user visually recognizes an output result obtained by causing the image forming apparatus 40 to actually form an image according to the image displayed on the display unit 34 or the raster data for image formation generated by the raster data generation unit 312. When it is determined that correction is necessary, editing work such as correction of color density is performed on the drawing data before being composed. Therefore, in order to obtain an output without reverse trapping or show-through, the conventional image processing apparatus repeats the processes after the decomposing process again in accordance with the drawing data corrected according to the editing by the user. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, correction for preventing or reducing reverse trapping, show-through, or the like is performed not on the drawing data but on the intermediate data, so there is no need to perform the decomposing process again.

  In the present embodiment, the raster data (checking raster data) generated to generate the warning area notification image has a smaller generation load than the image forming raster data. Compared with the conventional image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 9, the overall processing load when data correction is performed is reduced. Specifically, when the user makes a correction once by viewing the warning image, according to the image processing apparatus of this embodiment, the generation of check raster data and the raster for image formation are performed. Data generation is performed once, but according to a conventional image processing apparatus, generation of raster data for image formation is performed twice. The generation of the check raster data has a smaller processing load than the image formation raster data. Therefore, when resources with the same processing capability are used, the image processing apparatus of this embodiment is faster than the conventional image processing apparatus. Complete the process.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the check raster data having a smaller processing load than the image forming raster data is generated by the control unit 21 by executing a computer program, and the raster data generation unit 212 is realized in software. The raster data for image formation, which is generated by the above processing and has a larger processing load than the raster data for check, is processed by the rasterizer 27, which is dedicated hardware capable of executing the same processing at a higher speed than the raster data generation unit 212. Generated. For this reason, the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment performs the rasterization process at a higher speed than in the case where the process of the raster data generation unit 312 is performed according to software in the conventional image processing apparatus.

<Modification>
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, It can implement with another various form. An example is shown below. In addition, you may combine each following aspect.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the rasterizer 27, which is a hardware resource, is used as a configuration unit that performs rasterization processing according to the intermediate data corrected by the image correction unit 215. The control unit 21 may use a rasterization processing unit that is realized in software by reading and executing a computer program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22. In the above-described embodiment, the conversion unit 211, the raster data generation unit 212, the warning area extraction unit 213, the synthesis unit 214, and the image correction unit 215 illustrated in FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each unit illustrated in FIG. 3 may be configured as a hardware resource.

(2) In the above embodiment, the toner color used by the image forming apparatus 40 is not specifically mentioned, but the toner colors used by the image forming apparatus 40 are only basic colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Alternatively, other colors may be used in addition to or instead of these basic colors. In the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus 40 is an electrophotographic apparatus. However, an apparatus that forms an image by another system such as an ink jet system may be used.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the image correction unit 215 performs the image correction according to the operation content of the user. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image correction unit 215 performs the image correction according to a predetermined algorithm. You may make it perform. Specifically, among the objects indicated by the intermediate data, the process of specifying the objects arranged in the warning area indicated by the warning area data, and the total color material amount of the area of the object is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. The image correction unit 215 may correct the intermediate data regardless of the operation contents of the user in accordance with an algorithm instructing processing for correcting data indicating the color density of the object indicated by the intermediate data.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the image processing apparatus 20 and the image forming apparatus 40 are configured as separate bodies. However, the image processing apparatus 20 and the image forming apparatus 40 may be configured as an integrated apparatus. . In the above-described embodiment, the image processing device 20 and the terminal 10 may be configured as an integrated device. Further, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of devices connected via a communication network such as a LAN share the functions of the image processing device 20 according to the above-described embodiment.

(5) After the above-described embodiment is modified and the image is corrected by the user, the warning area notification image is displayed again on the display unit 24 regarding the corrected image, and if necessary, You may comprise so that a user can correct an image repeatedly. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image processing apparatus according to such a modification. In the image processing apparatus according to this modification, after the user visually recognizes the warning area notification image displayed on the display unit 24 and then instructs the image correction using the operation unit 23 (NG), The image correction unit 215 delivers the corrected intermediate data to the raster data generation unit 212. Thereafter, according to the corrected intermediate data, the raster data generation unit 212 generates the check raster data, the warning region extraction unit 213 generates the warning region data, and the synthesis unit 214 displays the warning region notification image. Processing is executed. As a result, when the warning image displayed on the display unit 24 is visually recognized and the user instructs to correct the image again (NG), the above-described series of processing is repeated. On the other hand, when the user determines that no further correction is required and issues an instruction for image formation using the operation unit 23 (OK), the image correction unit 215 delivers the intermediate data to the rasterizer 27 and performs rasterization. A process for generating raster data for image formation by the riser 27 and an image formation process by the image forming apparatus are performed.

  The programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22 described above are a magnetic recording medium (magnetic tape, magnetic disk (HDD (Hard Disk Drive), FD (Flexible Disk)), etc.), optical recording medium (optical disk, etc.). It can be provided in a state stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a magneto-optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory. Alternatively, it may be downloaded to the image processing apparatus 20 via a communication line such as the Internet.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... System, 10 ... Terminal, 20 ... Image processing apparatus, 21 ... Control part, 22 ... Memory | storage part, 23 ... Operation part, 24 ... Display part, 25 ... 1st communication part, 26 ... 2nd communication part, 27 ... Rasterizer, 30, 50 ... Communication network, 40 ... Image forming apparatus, 211 ... Conversion unit, 212 ... Raster data generation unit, 213 ... Warning area extraction unit, 214 ... Composition unit, 215 ... Image correction unit, 221 ... memory.

Claims (6)

A conversion unit that converts drawing data instructing drawing into intermediate data indicating an object included in an image to be formed by the image forming apparatus;
A first raster data generation unit that generates raster data according to the intermediate data;
Region data generation that identifies a region where the total colorant amount per unit area used in image formation performed by the image forming apparatus according to the raster data exceeds a predetermined threshold, and generates region data indicating the identified region And
A correction unit that corrects the intermediate data so that the total color material amount in the region data decreases;
An image processing apparatus comprising: a second raster data generation unit that generates raster data according to the intermediate data corrected by the correction unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first raster data generation unit generates raster data having a processing load that is smaller than the raster data generated by the second raster data generation unit. A notification unit for notifying a user of a region indicated by the region data;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit receives data output from an operation unit operated by a user and corrects the intermediate data according to the data. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit corrects the intermediate data according to a predetermined algorithm. An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium according to the raster data generated by the second raster data generating unit. Computer
A conversion unit that converts drawing data instructing drawing into intermediate data indicating an object included in an image to be formed by the image forming apparatus;
A first raster data generation unit that generates raster data according to the intermediate data;
Region data generation that identifies a region where the total colorant amount per unit area used in image formation performed by the image forming apparatus according to the raster data exceeds a predetermined threshold, and generates region data indicating the identified region And
An informing unit for informing a user of an area indicated by the area data;
A correction unit that corrects the intermediate data so that the total color material amount in the region data decreases;
A program for functioning as a second raster data generation unit that generates raster data according to the intermediate data corrected by the correction unit.

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