JP2016213646A - Print image generating device, color conversion control program and color conversion control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simply and surely specify an input color in the case of replacing a specified input color with an alternate color.SOLUTION: A print image generating device comprising an RIP part and a color conversion part and having an alternative color function for replacing a specified input color with an arbitrary alternative color according to a color replacing table, comprises: a color conversion recording part that records the content of a color replacement request to the color conversion part by the RIP part and the content of a response to the RIP part by the color conversion part, as color conversion history information; an image storage part that stores the RIP image rasterized by the RIP part; a pixel value acquisition part that acquires a pixel value of the RIP image in a coordinate designated by a user; and a color replacement table correction part that specifies a pre-color conversion in the coordinate designated by the user on the basis of the color conversion history information recorded by the color conversion recording part and the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition part and corrects the color replacement table on the basis of the pre-color conversion color and a post-color conversion color edited by the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a print image generation apparatus, a color conversion control program, and a color conversion control method, and in particular, a print image generation apparatus, a color conversion control program, and a color conversion control program for performing processing for replacing a specific input color with an arbitrary alternative color during color conversion, The present invention relates to a color conversion control method.

  Printer controllers that control color printers in recent years have an alternative color function that replaces a specific input color (a specific color of a document) with an arbitrary alternative color (CMYK value) in a pinpoint manner. By using this alternative color function, it is possible to change the printing finish without correcting the printed document.

  This alternative color function can be used more intuitively and more easily than color adjustment by ICC (International Color Consortium) profile editing, and thus can be sufficiently used even by a print operator who does not have expertise. In addition, since the effect is more local than color adjustment using tone curves, you can change the color only for specific parts of the document, such as corporate marks, or create a simple design with fewer colors. Used for fine adjustment.

  With regard to such color replacement, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228707 discloses specific color designation information and color representation of the output image in an image processing apparatus that performs color conversion on the input image according to the color representation format of the output image. Individual color management means for storing and managing individual color conversion information corresponding to the format, and color designation information stored and managed by the individual color management means in the input image at the time of color conversion of the input image A color conversion unit that individually performs color conversion based on the individual color conversion information stored and managed in the individual color management unit. An image processing apparatus is disclosed.

JP 2004-112181 A

  The printer controller performs color replacement during imaging (RIP: Raster Image Processing) of a printed document according to a color replacement table created in advance. For this reason, the print operator registers a pair of an input color and an alternative color in the color replacement table before printing using the alternative color function. Generally, an input color (a color before color conversion, that is, a color of an original) is registered. The color value of) is different from the color value of the alternative color and takes time to grasp.

  Specifically, in order to grasp the color value of the input color, the designer must start up and operate a DTP (Desktop publishing) application used when creating the manuscript, which is complicated. Even when the DTP application is operated, a specific color value may not be known.

  Further, in claim 2 of Patent Document 1, the input image includes color designation information corresponding to a specific image area, and the color conversion means is an extraction means for extracting the color designation information from the input image. And color conversion is performed individually on the image of the image area corresponding to the color designation information extracted by the extraction unit based on the individual color conversion information stored in the individual color management unit. A method for extracting values on the input side of a table from an input image has been proposed. However, since this method is a method for extracting color values directly from the input image, there is a problem that the extraction processing increases according to the size of the input image, and when a plurality of the same color values are extracted, which part is subjected to color conversion. There is a problem that it is not possible to decide whether or not to be targeted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its main purpose is to generate a print image that can easily and reliably specify an input color when a specific input color is replaced with an alternative color. An apparatus, a color conversion control program, and a color conversion control method are provided.

  One aspect of the present invention includes a RIP unit that rasterizes a printed document, and a color conversion unit that converts an arbitrary input color into a printing color based on an ICC profile at the time of rasterization, and stores the color replacement stored in advance. A print image generation apparatus having an alternative color function for replacing a specific input color with an arbitrary alternative color according to a table, the content of a color conversion request that the RIP unit makes to the color conversion unit, and the color conversion unit A color conversion recording unit that records the content of a response to the color conversion request made to the RIP unit as history information of color conversion, an image storage unit that stores a RIP image rasterized by the RIP unit, and A pixel value acquisition unit that acquires pixel values of coordinates specified by the user of the RIP image, and color conversion history information and the pixel value acquisition unit recorded by the color conversion recording unit. Based on the obtained pixel value, specify the color before color conversion at the coordinates specified by the user, based on the color before color conversion and the color after color conversion edited by the user, A color replacement table correction unit that corrects the color replacement table.

  One aspect of the present invention includes a RIP unit that rasterizes a printed document, and a color conversion unit that converts an arbitrary input color into a printing color based on an ICC profile at the time of rasterization, and stores the color replacement stored in advance. A color conversion control program that operates in a print image generation apparatus having an alternative color function that replaces a specific input color with an arbitrary alternative color according to a table, the print image generation apparatus being connected to the color conversion unit by the RIP unit A color conversion recording unit that records, as color conversion history information, a content of a color conversion request to be made and a content of a response to the color conversion request that the color conversion unit makes to the RIP unit; An image storage unit that stores a rasterized RIP image, a pixel value acquisition unit that acquires pixel values of coordinates specified by a user of the RIP image, and the color conversion recording unit Based on the recorded history information of color conversion and the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition unit, the color before color conversion at the coordinates specified by the user is specified, and the color before color conversion and the color The color replacement table correction unit is configured to function as a color replacement table correction unit that corrects the color replacement table based on the color-converted color edited by the user.

One aspect of the present invention includes a RIP unit that rasterizes a printed document, and a color conversion unit that converts an arbitrary input color into a printing color based on an ICC profile at the time of rasterization, and stores the color replacement stored in advance. A color conversion control method in a printing system in which a print image generation apparatus having an alternative color function that replaces a specific input color with an arbitrary alternative color according to a table and a user terminal that creates the print document are connected via a communication network A first reception process in which the print image generation apparatus receives the print job of the print original; and the print image generation apparatus analyzes the print job and performs rasterization and color conversion of the print original. The RIP image is generated, the content of the color conversion request that the RIP unit makes to the color conversion unit, and the color conversion unit is the RIP unit A first RIP image generation process for recording a response to the color conversion request performed as color conversion history information; an image storage process for storing the RIP image; and the user terminal A designation process for acquiring and displaying the RIP image from the generation device and accepting designation of coordinates by the user for the RIP image;
The print image generation apparatus acquires a pixel value of a coordinate value specified by the user of the RIP image, and the print image generation apparatus records the color conversion history information and the acquisition. A color specifying process for specifying a color before color conversion and a color after color conversion in coordinates designated by the user based on the pixel value, and the user terminal, the color before the color conversion and the color A color editing process for acquiring the converted color and reflecting it on the color replacement table editing screen, and accepting the editing of the color after the color conversion by the user, and the print image generating apparatus after the color conversion after the editing A color replacement table correction process for acquiring a color, registering the color before color conversion and the color after color conversion after editing in the color replacement table, and correcting the color replacement table; And

  According to the print image generating apparatus, the color conversion control program, and the color conversion control method of the present invention, when a specific input color is replaced with an alternative color, the input color can be specified easily and reliably.

  The reason is that a print image generation apparatus (color conversion control program) including an RIP unit that generates a RIP image by rasterizing a print document and a color conversion unit that performs color conversion based on an ICC profile when generating the RIP image History information of color conversion performed between the RIP unit and the color conversion unit is acquired and recorded, and pixel values of coordinates designated by the user on the RIP image (color value after color conversion, input color space, object Type), extract the history corresponding to the pixel value from the color conversion history information, specify the color before color conversion based on the extracted history, and edit the color before color conversion and the user This is because control is performed to correct the color replacement table based on the color after color conversion.

  As a result, when the user or printing operator edits the color replacement table, it is only necessary to specify the color after color conversion. For example, in order to check the color before color conversion, the DTP application that created the document can be selected. There is no need to start up, and user convenience can be improved.

It is a schematic diagram explaining the color conversion control method which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the user terminal which concerns on one Example of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print engine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a portion related to color conversion control of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the conventional printing process. It is a flowchart figure which shows the printing process including the color conversion control method which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the color conversion control method (edit process of a color replacement table) which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure explaining replacement of a color. It is an example of the edit screen of a color replacement table.

  As shown in the background art, recent color printer controllers have an alternative color function for pinpointly replacing a specific input color (specific color of a document) with an arbitrary alternative color (CMYK value). . For example, when the input image is composed of objects of colors as shown in FIG. 10A (color differences are expressed by changing the type of hatching), as shown in FIG. The specific input color (the color of the YG object in FIG. 10A) can be replaced with an arbitrary alternative color (the same color as the YR object in FIG. 10B).

  When color replacement is executed using this alternative color function, the print operator displays a color replacement table editing screen as shown in FIG. 11 before printing using the alternative color function, for example. In the replacement table, a pair of an input color (RGB value on the left side in FIG. 11) that is a color in the original and an alternative color (CMYK value on the right side in FIG. 11) that is actually printed is registered. However, in order to grasp the value of the input color, it is necessary to start and operate the DTP application that created the document, and even if the DTP application is operated, the specific color value may not be known.

  Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, in the color conversion performed during imaging (RIP) of a printed document, the contents and color of the color conversion inquiry from the RIP core to the CMM (Color Management Module). The content of the response from the conversion module to the RIP core is recorded as color conversion history information, and when the color replacement table referenced by the alternative color function is edited, the recorded color conversion history information is used to generate an imaging result. An input color corresponding to an arbitrary coordinate of (RIP image) can be specified. In other words, it is possible to save time and effort for specifying the input color by back-calculating the color before color conversion from the color after color conversion.

  The color conversion control method will be described with reference to FIG.

  (1) When a printer controller that controls a color printer receives a print job of a print document from a user terminal, the RIP unit analyzes the print job and images (RIP) each page of the print document. At that time, although color conversion is also performed at the same time, the contents of the color conversion inquiry made from the RIP core to the CMM and the contents of the CMM response to the inquiry are recorded as color conversion history information. Specifically, the color value before color conversion, object type information (Text / Graphic / Image), and the color value after color conversion are recorded. The object type information is necessary for accurately specifying the input color, and the printer controller supports a function for applying a different color conversion for each object type, and an alternative color function. May be recorded only when it can be applied only to a specific object type, such as “graphic only” or “other than image”.

  (2) The printer controller sends the color-converted RIP image to the printer engine, and the printer engine outputs the RIP image on paper. The operator confirms the printed matter that has been output, and determines whether the finish is as intended. When it is determined that a printed matter with a different color is necessary, the operator selects a color to be replaced in the RIP image (for example, pointing a portion where the color is to be changed).

  (3) The printer controller obtains the object type and color value (CMYK) of the part selected by the operator from the RIP image and the tag image (data describing the object attribute in pixel units corresponding to the RIP image). Here, it is assumed that the portion selected by the operator is a graphic object and the color value thereof is CMYK (35, 0, 100, 0).

  (4) The printer controller refers to the color conversion history information (color value before color conversion, object type information, color value after color conversion) recorded in (1), and refers to the object type acquired in (3). The color value before color conversion corresponding to the color value is specified. Here, it can be seen that the color value before color conversion is RGB (128, 230, 0).

  (5) The printer controller temporarily registers the color value after color conversion acquired in (3) and the color value before color conversion specified in (4) in the color replacement table. As a result, the color value before color conversion and the color value after color conversion are automatically reflected on the editing screen of the color replacement table.

  (6) After that, the operator edits the color value after color conversion to the target color value on the editing screen of the color replacement table.

  As described above, in the color conversion control method of the present embodiment, when a place where color conversion is to be performed in the RIP image is designated, the color before the color conversion at that place is specified and reflected on the editing screen of the color replacement table. Therefore, the operator does not need to activate and operate the DTP application, and can easily and reliably specify the input color.

  In addition, when reflecting the color conversion inquiry from the RIP core and the recording of the response content from the CMM upon reflection in the color replacement table, the color replacement table may be provisionally updated, or only the color designated by the user May be added to the color replacement table. In the following embodiments, the latter case is assumed.

  In order to describe the above-described embodiment of the present invention in more detail, a print image generation apparatus, a color conversion control program, and a color conversion control method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. To do. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the printing system according to the present embodiment. 3 to 5 are block diagrams showing configurations of the user terminal, the printer controller, and the print engine, respectively, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a portion related to color replacement control of the printing system of this embodiment. FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a conventional printing procedure, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing a printing procedure including the color conversion control method of this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the printing system of this embodiment, a user terminal 10, a printer controller 20, and a printer engine 40 that can be connected via a communication network are arranged on an intranet. Although Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like can be used as a communication network standard, data transfer from the printer controller 20 to the printer engine 40 can use IEEE1394, Parallel, or the like in addition to Ethernet (registered trademark). is there. In FIG. 2, the printer controller 20 is provided separately from the printer engine 40, but the printer controller 20 may be included in the printer engine 40. Each device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 show the configuration of each apparatus, and FIG. 6 shows only the means related to the color conversion control of this embodiment among the means of each apparatus.

[User terminal]
The user terminal 10 is a computer device such as a personal computer, and issues a print instruction and a color adjustment instruction to the printer engine 40 via the printer controller 20 through a printer driver, print control software, file copy to a designated hot folder, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3A, the user terminal 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a network I / F unit 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, and the like.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11a and a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) 11b and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 11c. The CPU 11a stores a control program stored in the ROM 11b or the storage unit 12. The operation of the entire user terminal 10 is controlled by expanding and executing in the RAM 11c. As shown in FIGS. 3B and 6, the control unit 11 functions as an OS (Operating System) 16, a document creation application 17, a printer driver 18, a printer controller utility 19, and the like.

  The OS 16 is Windows (registered trademark), Macintosh (registered trademark), or the like, and enables the user terminal 10 to operate the document creation application 17, the printer driver 18, and the printer controller utility 19.

  The document creation application 17 is software that performs text creation, spreadsheet calculation, image processing, and the like. The printer driver 18 is read when a print instruction is given, and a print document (content) created by the document creation application 17 is transferred to the printer driver 18. To do.

  The printer driver 18 is a program that is activated when a user issues a print instruction from the document creation application 17, and prints a print job (PJL (Printer) in a language in which the printer controller 20 can interpret the content created by the document creation application 17. PDL (Page Description Language) data described in a page description language such as Job Language (PS), PS (Postscript), PCL (Printer Control Language), or PDF (Portable Document Format) data). The print setting information set on the print setting screen of the printer driver 18 is added to the print job.

  The printer controller utility 19 is a program used to access information (RIP progress status, ICC profile database, color replacement table, etc.) inside the printer controller 20. The printer controller utility 19 includes an image display unit 19a. The image display unit 19a is a RIP image of a printed document stored by a printer controller 20 (an image storage unit described later) (or processing such as reduction for easy viewing). The image is acquired and displayed on the display unit 14 of the user terminal 10. Also, for the RIP image displayed on the display unit 14, coordinate information designated by the user as a location where the user wants to apply the alternative color function by operating the operation unit 15 to the printer controller 20 (pixel value acquisition unit 28 described later). Also responsible for transmitting. Further, the printer controller utility 19 performs processing for displaying a color replacement table editing screen on the display unit 14.

  The storage unit 12 is configured by an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or the like, a program for the CPU 11a to control each unit, information on processing functions of the own device, and a printed document created by the document creation application 17 Data, a print job created by the printer driver 18, information acquired by the printer controller utility 19 accessing the printer controller 20, and the like are stored.

  The network I / F unit 13 includes a NIC (Network Interface Card), a modem, and the like, and connects the user terminal 10 to a communication network to transmit a print job to the printer controller 20 Or get information.

  The display unit 14 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic EL (electroluminescence) display device, and the like, and is acquired from a document creation screen of the document creation application 17, a print setting screen of the printer driver 18, and the printer controller 20. A screen for a RIP image of a printed document, an editing screen for a color replacement table, and the like are displayed.

  The operation unit 15 includes a mouse, a keyboard, and the like, and creates a document using the document creation application 17, print settings using the printer driver 18, specifies a color replacement position for the RIP image of the print document, and edits the color replacement table. Enable operations such as.

[Printer controller]
The printer controller 20 is a device (print image generation device) that converts a print job received from the user terminal 10 into image data that can be processed by the printer engine 40. An ICC profile, tone curve, spot color table, Also responsible for managing color replacement tables. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 6, the printer controller 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a RIP unit 23, a color conversion unit 24, a network I / F unit 25, a printer I / F unit 26, A display part, an operation part, etc. are provided as needed.

  The control unit 21 includes a CPU 21a and a memory such as a ROM 21b and a RAM 21c. The CPU 21a develops and executes a control program (including a color conversion control program described later) stored in the ROM 21b and the storage unit 22 on the RAM 21c. Thus, the overall operation of the printer controller 20 is controlled. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 6, the control unit 21 functions as an image storage unit 27, a pixel value acquisition unit 28, a color conversion recording unit 29, a color replacement unit 30, a color replacement table correction unit 31, and the like. To do.

  The image storage unit 27 stores the data of the imaging result (RIP image) performed by the RIP unit 23 in the storage unit 22 or the like. The stored RIP image data is used for layout confirmation before printing, color confirmation, additional printing when a print result is required separately, and the like. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a tag image is also written as additional information in the RIP image during imaging (rasterization), and the image storage unit 27 also stores the data of the tag image together with the storage unit 22 and the like. Save to. This tag image is an image of the same size as the RIP image, and what type (text, graphic, image, etc.) of the object exists for all coordinates of the image, and the input color of the object Bit information indicating what the space is (RGB, CMYK, Lab, spot color, etc.) is stored.

  The pixel value acquisition unit 28 receives coordinate information specified by the user from the imaging result (RIP image) displayed by the user terminal 10 (image display unit 19a of the printer controller utility 19) from the user terminal 10, and stores the image. The pixel value (color value after color conversion, input color space, object type) corresponding to the coordinates is acquired with reference to the RIP image and tag image stored by the unit 27.

  The color conversion recording unit 29 includes the contents of the color conversion inquiry performed from the RIP unit 23 (RIP core) to the color conversion unit 24 (color conversion module), and the color conversion unit 24 (color conversion module) to the RIP unit 23 (RIP). The contents of the response to the core) are recorded in the storage unit 22 or the like as color conversion history information.

  The color replacement unit 30 replaces a specific color designated by the user with an arbitrary alternative color in accordance with a color replacement table stored in advance in the storage unit 22 or the like. Here, it is configured to be realized as an additional operation of ICC profile color conversion performed by the color conversion unit 24.

  The color replacement table correction unit 31 uses the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition unit 28 and the color conversion history information recorded by the color conversion recording unit 29, and corresponds to the pixel value from the color conversion history information. The history is extracted, and based on the extracted history, the color value before color conversion and the color value after color conversion at the position corresponding to the coordinates designated by the user for the imaging result (RIP image) are specified, The specified color value is provisionally registered in the color replacement table. By this temporary registration, the specified color value before color conversion and the color value after color conversion are reflected on the color replacement table editing screen displayed on the user terminal 10 by the printer controller utility 19.

  The image storage unit 27, the pixel value acquisition unit 28, the color conversion recording unit 29, the color replacement unit 30, and the color replacement table correction unit 31 may be configured as hardware, and the control unit 21 may be configured as the image storage unit 27. , Pixel value acquisition unit 28, color conversion recording unit 29, color replacement unit 30, color replacement table correction unit 31 (particularly, image storage unit 27, pixel value acquisition unit 28, color conversion recording unit 29, color replacement table correction unit 31). ) And function as a color conversion control program that causes the control unit 21 (CPU 21a) to execute the color conversion control program.

  The storage unit 22 is configured by an HDD, an SSD, and the like, and includes a program for the CPU 21a to control each unit, information on processing functions of the own device, a print job received from the user terminal 10, a RIP image generated by the RIP unit 23, and a color The replacement unit 30 stores a color replacement table to be referred to when replacing the color.

  The RIP unit 23 is a module (RIP core) that performs imaging (rasterization) of a print job. In this rasterization process, color conversion using an ICC profile, a spot color table, a color replacement table, etc., enlargement / reduction, rotation, layout adjustment such as 2 in 1 are performed in parallel.

  The color conversion unit 24 is a module (CMM: color conversion module) that performs color conversion performed in parallel with the rasterization process of the RIP unit 23, and can be arbitrarily set according to an ICC profile specified on the printer driver 18 by the user during printing. Input colors (RGB, CMYK, Gray, etc.) are converted into printing colors (CMYK).

  The network I / F unit 25 includes a NIC, a modem, and the like, and connects the printer controller 20 to a communication network. The printer I / F unit 26 includes a NIC, a modem, and the like, and enables communication with the printer engine 40.

[Printer engine]
The printer engine 40 is an image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) that prints RIP images received from the printer controller 20 on designated paper. As shown in FIG. 5, the printer engine 40 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, a controller I / F unit 43, a panel operation unit 44, an image processing unit 45, a print execution unit 46, and the like.

  The control unit 41 includes a CPU 41a and a memory such as a ROM 41b and a RAM 41c. The CPU 41a controls the overall operation of the printer engine 40 by developing a control program stored in the ROM 41b and the storage unit 42 in the RAM 41c and executing it. To do.

  The storage unit 42 is configured by an HDD, an SSD, or the like, and stores a program for the CPU 41a to control each unit, information on the processing function of the own apparatus, RIP image data received from the printer controller 20, print instruction information, and the like.

  The controller I / F unit 43 includes a NIC, a modem, and the like, enables communication with the printer controller 20, and receives RIP image data and print instruction information from the printer controller 20.

  The panel operation unit 44 is a touch panel provided with a pressure-sensitive operation unit (touch sensor) in which transparent electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern on the display unit, displays various screens related to printing processing, and performs various operations related to printing. to enable.

  The image processing unit 45 performs density adjustment on the RIP image received from the printer controller 20, image layout adjustment on the printing paper, image screening processing, and the like.

  The print execution unit 46 executes a printing operation using a screened image (binary image) as an input. For example, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating light corresponding to an image onto a uniformly charged photosensitive drum. The toner image is made visible by attaching a charged toner to the sheet, and the toner image is transferred to a sheet through an intermediate transfer member such as a primary transfer roller or a secondary transfer belt, and then the toner image is heated and pressurized. A process of fixing on the paper is performed.

  2 to 6 are examples of the printing system of this embodiment, and the configuration of each apparatus can be changed as appropriate as long as the color conversion control of this embodiment can be performed.

  Hereinafter, the color conversion control method of the present embodiment will be described. In order to facilitate understanding of the color conversion control method of the present embodiment, a conventional printing procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the printer controller receives a print job from the user terminal (S101). This print job is assumed to be obtained by adding print setting information described in a format such as PJL to data such as Postscript or PDF which is print original data.

  Next, the printer controller images (RIP) each page of the printed document (S102). At that time, the color of the printed document as it is may not be a color space value supported by the image forming apparatus or may be unfavorable in terms of image quality. In this case, color conversion is necessary. At the same time, color conversion is performed at the same time.

  Next, the printer controller outputs the imaging result (RIP image) data to the printer engine, and the printer engine outputs the imaging result to paper (S103). Then, the user confirms the printed matter that has been output, and determines whether the finish is as intended. In the case of this flow, the user determines that a printed matter with a different color is necessary, and proceeds to the second printing process using the alternative color function.

  Next, the user (operator) edits the color replacement table before the second printing so that the color is different from that of the first printing (S104). In editing the color replacement table, a pair of input color and alternative color is registered. In the conventional flow, at this time, the operator launches a DTP application or the like that created the print document, and specifies the color value of the input color by operating the DTP application and confirming the color value of the portion whose color is to be changed. .

  Next, the printer controller receives a print job from the user terminal (S105), and the RIP unit images (RIP) each page of the print document (S106). At this time, since the alternative color function is enabled, the color conversion unit checks whether or not the same color value as the original color inquired from the RIP unit is registered in the color replacement table. If registered, the replacement value in the registration information is returned to the RIP unit as a response value. If not registered, the color conversion based on the ICC profile is performed as in the case where the alternative color function is OFF. The result is returned to the RIP part.

  Thereafter, the printer controller outputs data of the imaging result (RIP image) to the printer engine, and the printer engine outputs the imaging result on paper (S107).

  In this conventional method, when editing the color replacement table in S104, a DTP application or the like that created a printed document must be started up, and the operation becomes complicated. Even when the DTP application is started, there are cases where a specific color value is unknown. Therefore, in this embodiment, the input color can be easily and reliably specified by back-calculating the color before color conversion from the color after color conversion.

  Hereinafter, a printing procedure including the color conversion control method of this embodiment will be described. The CPU 21a of the printer controller 20 executes the process of each step shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 and 9 by developing the color conversion control program stored in the ROM 21b or the storage unit 22 in the RAM 21c and executing it.

  First, the printer controller 20 receives a print job from the user terminal 10 (S201). In the same manner as described above, this print job is assumed to be obtained by adding print setting information described in a format such as PJL to data such as Postscript or PDF that is print original data.

  Next, the RIP unit 23 of the printer controller 20 analyzes the print job to image each page of the printed document (RIP) (S202), and the image storage unit 27 displays the imaging result (RIP image) and the tag image. Is stored in the storage unit 22 or the like. Similarly to the above, color conversion is also performed at the time of imaging. However, in the color conversion control method of this embodiment, the color conversion recording unit 29 further performs color conversion from the RIP unit 23 to the color conversion unit 24. The content of the inquiry and the content of the response to the inquiry from the color conversion unit 24 to the RIP unit 23 are recorded as color conversion history information.

  Next, the printer controller 20 outputs the imaging result (RIP image) data to the printer engine 40, and the printer engine 40 outputs the imaging result to paper (S203). Then, the user confirms the printed matter that has been output, and determines whether the finish is as intended. Also in the case of this flow, the user determines that a printed matter with a different color is necessary, and proceeds to the second printing process using the alternative color function.

  Next, the user (operator) edits the color replacement table before the second printing so that the color is different from that of the first printing (S204). In editing the color replacement table, a pair of an input color and an alternative color is registered. In this embodiment, the printer controller utility 19 (image display unit 19a) of the user terminal 10 is an image storage unit 27 of the printer controller 20. Thus, the RIP image stored in the storage unit 22 or the like is acquired, and a preview of the RIP image is displayed on the display unit 14. Then, the user (operator) confirms the preview of the RIP image, and points the portion where the color is to be changed with the operation unit 15 such as a mouse (the printer controller utility 19 accepts designation of coordinates by the user for the RIP image). ).

  When this user operation is performed, the printer controller utility 19 transmits the coordinate information specified by the user to the pixel value acquisition unit 28 of the printer controller 20, and the printer controller 20 executes the color replacement table editing process. FIG. 9 shows details of this step. First, the pixel value acquisition unit 28 acquires an imaging result (RIP image) and a tag image stored in the storage unit 22 or the like by the image storage unit 27 (S301). . Next, the pixel value acquisition unit 28, based on the coordinate information acquired from the user terminal 10 (printer controller utility 19), the pixel value (after color conversion) of the coordinates designated by the user in the imaging result (RIP image). (Color value, input color space, object type) are acquired (S302).

  Next, the color replacement table correction unit 31 receives color conversion history information from the color conversion recording unit 29 (contents of color conversion inquiry from the RIP unit 23 to the color conversion unit 24 and inquiry from the color conversion unit 24 to the RIP unit 23). Content of the response to the request (S303). Then, in the color conversion history information, a color conversion history in which all of the color values after the color conversion acquired by the pixel value acquisition unit 28 in S302, the input color space, and the object type match is extracted (S304).

  Next, the color replacement table correction unit 31 specifies the color before color conversion and the color after color conversion based on the color conversion history in which all of the color value after color conversion, the input color space, and the object type match. Then, provisional registration is performed in the color replacement table (S305). Thus, the input color (color before color conversion) and alternative color (color after color conversion) pair is reflected on the color replacement table editing screen displayed on the user terminal 10 by the printer controller utility 19. Then, the user sets a color desired to be realized by the second printing as an alternative color on the color replacement table editing screen. The printer controller utility 19 accepts the editing of the alternative color by the user and transmits the color value of the alternative color to the color replacement table correcting unit 31. The color replacement table correcting unit 31 receives the input color and the corrected alternative color. Register in the color replacement table. In this way, in this embodiment, the input color is specified by the color replacement table correction unit 31, and the color corresponding to the first printing result has already been provisionally registered as the alternative color. What is necessary is just to determine the color value of a new alternative color on the basis of a color value, and can improve a user's convenience compared with the past.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 8, the printer controller 20 receives a print job from the user terminal 10 (S205), and the RIP unit 23 analyzes the print job and images each page of the print document in the same manner as described above. (RIP) (S206). At this time, since the alternative color function is enabled, the color conversion unit 24 controls the color replacement unit 30 so that the same color value as the original color inquired from the RIP unit 23 is registered in the color replacement table. Check if it is. If registered, the replacement value in the registration information is responded to the RIP unit 23 as a response value. If not registered, the color conversion unit 24 performs the same as when the alternative color function is OFF. Then, a color conversion result based on the ICC profile is returned to the RIP unit 23.

  Thereafter, similarly to the above, the printer controller 20 outputs the data of the imaging result (RIP image) to the printer engine 40, and the printer engine 40 outputs the imaging result on paper (S207).

  As described above, in this embodiment, the history information of the color conversion exchanged between the RIP unit 23 and the color conversion unit 24 is stored in the printer controller 20 including the RIP unit 23 and the color conversion unit 24. The color conversion recording unit 29, the pixel value acquisition unit 28 for acquiring the pixel value of the coordinates specified by the user on the preview of the RIP image, and the color conversion history that matches the acquired pixel value are extracted, and the extracted history Based on the above, the color before color conversion at the coordinates specified by the user and the color after color conversion are specified, and the color replacement table based on the specified color before color conversion and the color after color conversion edited by the user By providing the color replacement table correcting unit 31 that corrects the image, it is not necessary to operate the DTP application, and the input color can be specified easily and reliably.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, The structure and control can be changed suitably, unless it deviates from the meaning of this invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the alternative color function is described assuming that it is realized by the color conversion unit 24, but the alternative color function can also be realized inside the RIP unit 23. Even in such a case, the user needs to correct the color replacement table before printing, and there arises a problem that the original color cannot be easily specified. Therefore, the effect of the present invention can be similarly expected.

  The present invention records a print image generation apparatus (printer controller) having an alternative color function for replacing a specific input color with an alternative color, a color conversion control program that operates in the print image generation apparatus, and the color conversion control program. The present invention can be used for a color conversion control method in a printing system including a recording medium and the print image generation apparatus.

10 User terminal 11 Control unit 11a CPU
11b ROM
11c RAM
12 storage unit 13 network I / F unit 14 display unit 15 operation unit 16 OS
17 Document Creation Application 18 Printer Driver 19 Printer Controller Utility 19a Image Display Unit 20 Printer Controller 21 Control Unit 21a CPU
21b ROM
21c RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 Memory | storage part 23 RIP part 24 Color conversion part 25 Network I / F part 26 Printer I / F part 27 Image preservation | save part 28 Pixel value acquisition part 29 Color conversion recording part 30 Color replacement part 31 Color replacement table correction part 40 Printer engine 41 Control unit 41a CPU
41b ROM
41c RAM
42 Storage Unit 43 Controller I / F Unit 44 Panel Operation Unit 45 Image Processing Unit 46 Print Execution Unit

Claims (10)

A RIP unit that rasterizes a printed document; and a color conversion unit that converts an arbitrary input color into a printing color based on an ICC profile at the time of rasterization, and a specific input color according to a color replacement table stored in advance A print image generation apparatus having an alternative color function for replacing an arbitrary color with
The contents of the color conversion request that the RIP unit makes to the color conversion unit and the contents of the response to the color conversion request that the color conversion unit makes to the RIP unit are recorded as history information of color conversion. A color conversion recording unit;
An image storage unit for storing the RIP image rasterized by the RIP unit;
A pixel value acquisition unit that acquires pixel values of coordinates specified by the user of the RIP image;
Based on the color conversion history information recorded by the color conversion recording unit and the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition unit, a color before color conversion at coordinates specified by the user is specified, and the color A color replacement table correction unit that corrects the color replacement table based on the color before conversion and the color after color conversion edited by the user;
A printed image generating apparatus characterized by the above. The color conversion recording unit records at least a color before color conversion and a color after color conversion as history information of the color conversion,
The image storage unit stores, together with the RIP image, a tag image describing an object type of each pixel of the RIP image and an input color space of the object,
The pixel value acquisition unit acquires a color and an input color space after color conversion in the coordinates specified by the user as the pixel value based on the RIP image and the tag image.
The color replacement table correction unit identifies the color before the color conversion based on the history information of the color conversion, the color after the color conversion, and the input color space.
The print image generation apparatus according to claim 1. The color replacement table correction unit extracts a history corresponding to the pixel value from the color conversion history information, and coordinates specified by the user as a color before the color conversion based on the history Identifying the color of the printed document in
The print image generating apparatus according to claim 2. A RIP unit that rasterizes a printed document; and a color conversion unit that converts an arbitrary input color into a printing color based on an ICC profile at the time of rasterization, and a specific input color according to a color replacement table stored in advance A color conversion control program that operates in a print image generation apparatus having an alternative color function that replaces an arbitrary alternative color with
The print image generating device
The contents of the color conversion request that the RIP unit makes to the color conversion unit and the contents of the response to the color conversion request that the color conversion unit makes to the RIP unit are recorded as history information of color conversion. Color conversion recording part,
An image storage unit for storing the RIP image rasterized by the RIP unit;
A pixel value acquisition unit that acquires pixel values of coordinates specified by the user of the RIP image;
Based on the color conversion history information recorded by the color conversion recording unit and the pixel value acquired by the pixel value acquisition unit, a color before color conversion at coordinates specified by the user is specified, and the color Based on the color before conversion and the color after color conversion edited by the user, function as a color replacement table correction unit that corrects the color replacement table.
A color conversion control program characterized by that. The color conversion recording unit records at least a color before color conversion and a color after color conversion as history information of the color conversion,
The image storage unit stores, together with the RIP image, a tag image describing an object type of each pixel of the RIP image and an input color space of the object,
The pixel value acquisition unit acquires a color and an input color space after color conversion in the coordinates specified by the user as the pixel value based on the RIP image and the tag image.
The color replacement table correction unit identifies the color before the color conversion based on the history information of the color conversion, the color after the color conversion, and the input color space.
The color conversion control program according to claim 4, wherein: The color replacement table correction unit extracts a history corresponding to the pixel value from the color conversion history information, and coordinates specified by the user as a color before the color conversion based on the history Identifying the color of the printed document in
The color conversion control program according to claim 5, wherein: A RIP unit that rasterizes a printed document; and a color conversion unit that converts an arbitrary input color into a printing color based on an ICC profile at the time of rasterization, and a specific input color according to a color replacement table stored in advance A color conversion control method in a printing system in which a print image generation apparatus having an alternative color function that replaces an arbitrary alternative color and a user terminal that creates the print document are connected via a communication network,
A first reception process in which the print image generation apparatus receives a print job of the print original;
The print image generation device analyzes the print job, performs rasterization and color conversion of the print document to generate a RIP image, and also includes the contents of the color conversion request that the RIP unit makes to the color conversion unit. A first RIP image generation process for recording, as color conversion history information, contents of a response to the color conversion request made by the color conversion unit to the RIP unit;
An image storage process for storing the RIP image;
A designation process in which the user terminal acquires and displays the RIP image from the print image generation apparatus, and accepts designation of coordinates by the user for the RIP image;
A pixel value acquisition process in which the print image generation apparatus acquires a pixel value of coordinates specified by the user of the RIP image;
The print image generation device specifies a color before color conversion and a color after color conversion at coordinates specified by the user based on the recorded history information of the color conversion and the acquired pixel value. Color identification processing,
A color editing process in which the user terminal acquires the color before the color conversion and the color after the color conversion and reflects them on a color replacement table editing screen, and accepts the editing of the color after the color conversion by the user;
The print image generation apparatus acquires the color after color conversion after editing, registers the color before color conversion and the color after color conversion after editing in the color replacement table, and stores the color replacement table. Executing a color replacement table correction process to be corrected,
And a color conversion control method. A second reception process in which the print image generation device receives the print job of the print original again;
The print image generation apparatus analyzes the print job, performs rasterization and color conversion of the print document, generates a RIP image, and refers to the corrected color replacement table when generating the RIP image. Performing a second RIP image generation process for replacing the color of the printed document at the coordinates designated by the user with the color after the color conversion after editing.
The color conversion control method according to claim 7. In the first RIP image generation processing, as the color conversion history information, at least a color before color conversion and a color after color conversion are recorded,
In the image storage process, together with the RIP image, a tag image describing the type of object of each pixel of the RIP image and the input color space of the object is stored,
In the pixel value acquisition process, based on the RIP image and the tag image, the color value and the input color space after the color conversion in the coordinates specified by the user are acquired as the pixel value,
In the color specifying process, the color before the color conversion is specified based on the color conversion history information, the color after the color conversion, and the input color space.
The color conversion control method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein In the color specifying process, a history corresponding to the pixel value is extracted from the color conversion history information, and based on the history, the color at the coordinates designated by the user as the color before the color conversion is extracted. Specify the color of the printed document,
The color conversion control method according to claim 9.

Images