JP2017111187A - Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly determine a toner to be used.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises: a control part that, according to position information indicating the positions of areas where a first image in the RGB format and a second image in a format other than the RGB format included in input image data are respectively arranged, determines, from a first toner to reproduce the colors of an image to be displayed on a display and a second toner to reproduce the colors of an image to be printed, a toner to be used for printing at the respective coordinates of the input image data; and a printing part that forms the first image and second image on a sheet by using the determined toner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and an image forming method.

  In general, an image forming apparatus (printer, copier, facsimile, etc.) using an electrophotographic process technology generates an electrostatic latent image by irradiating (exposing) a charged photoconductor with a laser beam based on image data. Form. Then, by supplying toner from the developing device to the photosensitive member (image carrier) on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, the electrostatic latent image is visualized to form a toner image. Further, after the toner image is directly or indirectly transferred to the paper, it is fixed by heating and pressurizing to form an image on the paper. The paper that has passed through the fixing device passes through a pair of paper discharge rollers for discharge and is discharged onto a paper discharge tray.

  In recent years, character and image layouts are generally edited on a computer, such as DTP (DeskTop Publishing), and image data input to an image forming apparatus includes an RGB format image (hereinafter referred to as an “image format”). , “RGB image”) and CMYK format images (hereinafter, referred to as “CMYK images”) may be mixed. With respect to such image data, in a conventionally used toner group composed of CMYK toners (hereinafter referred to as “P toner”), the original color of the RGB image converted into the CMYK format is used. There is a problem that cannot be reproduced.

  In order to solve this problem, a toner group (hereinafter referred to as “D toner”) capable of reproducing a color having higher saturation or brightness than P toner has been developed. By using an image forming apparatus equipped with D toner, it is possible to reproduce a color that cannot be reproduced with P toner in a printed matter.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for converting each pixel information of image data into a value on a color space and selectively using D toner and P toner according to the value on the color space.

JP 2010-139718 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to perform processing for determining which of D toner and P toner is used for printing for each pixel of image data. When an image is formed, a huge amount of time is required for determination processing of toner used in each pixel.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and an image forming method that can determine a toner to be used at high speed.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes:
In order to reproduce the color of the image displayed on the display in accordance with the position information indicating the position of the area where the first image in RGB format and the second image other than RGB format are included in the input image data, respectively. A control unit for determining a toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data from one toner and a second toner for reproducing the color of an image for printing;
A printing unit that forms the first image and the second image on a sheet using the determined toner;
It comprises.

An image forming system according to the present invention includes:
An image forming system including a plurality of units including an image forming apparatus,
In order to reproduce the color of the image displayed on the display in accordance with the position information indicating the position of the area where the first image in RGB format and the second image other than RGB format are included in the input image data, respectively. A control unit for determining a toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data from one toner and a second toner for reproducing the color of an image for printing;
A printing unit that forms the first image and the second image on a sheet using the determined toner;
Have

An image forming method according to the present invention includes:
In order to reproduce the color of the image displayed on the display in accordance with the position information indicating the position of the area where the first image in RGB format and the second image other than RGB format are included in the input image data, respectively. Determining a toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data from one toner and a second toner for reproducing the color of the image for printing;
The first image and the second image are formed on a sheet using the determined toner.

  According to the present invention, the toner to be used can be determined at high speed.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main part of a control system of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a printing unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a layout in 1 page which concerns on one Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[D toner and P toner]
In the following description, P toner is described as a general toner concept with respect to D toner. Specifically, the P toner is a toner for reproducing the color of the image for printing, and has a color reproduction range close to the color reproduction range of the CMYK image. An example of the P toner is a toner mounted on bizhub C754 manufactured by KONICA MINOLTA.

  On the other hand, the D toner is a toner for reproducing the color of the image displayed on the display, and has a color reproduction range close to the color reproduction range of the RGB image. An example of the D toner is a high saturation toner used in bizhub PRESS C70hc manufactured by KONICA MINOLTA. This high-saturation toner is characterized by being close to display color reproduction.

  The D toner is not limited to the high saturation toner, and is characterized in that at least one of saturation and brightness is higher than that of the P toner. In other words, the D toner and the P toner differ in at least one color pigment type. For example, the brightness for obtaining the maximum saturation of cyan (C) P toner is 50, and the maximum saturation of magenta (M) P toner is 62. In this case, the lightness range for obtaining the maximum saturation of the cyan D toner is higher than 50 and 80 or less (preferably 60 to 70), and the maximum saturation of the magenta (M) D toner is higher than 62 and higher than 100. The following (preferably 70 to 90).

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main part of the control system of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration of the printing unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

  In the printing unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 10, photosensitive drums corresponding to a total of six colors of four colors of YMCK as P toner and two colors of MC as D toner are arranged in series in the running direction of the intermediate transfer belt. In addition, a tandem method is employed in which each color toner image is sequentially transferred to the intermediate transfer belt in a single procedure.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a control unit 11, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 12, an image reading unit 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, and a paper feeding unit 16. A printing unit 17 and a post-processing unit 18.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11a, a memory 11b such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit 11c, and a communication I / F unit 11d. These are connected via a bus. The CPU 11a controls each part. The memory 11b temporarily stores various data read from the storage unit 11c, the image reading unit 13, and the communication I / F unit 11d. The stored data is subjected to image processing by the CPU 11a and transferred to the storage unit 11c or the printing unit 17 as necessary. The storage unit 11c stores a program for the CPU 11a to control each unit, information on processing functions of the image forming apparatus 10, and the like. The data stored in the storage unit 11c is read by the CPU 11a as necessary, and is executed on the memory 11b. The storage unit 11c is configured by, for example, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (so-called flash memory) or a hard disk drive (HDD). The communication I / F unit 11d establishes a connection with an external device (for example, a personal computer) via the communication network 20, and executes data transmission / reception.

  The control unit 11 also functions as an image processing unit that rasterizes input image data of each page of a print job, performs image processing and screening processing as necessary, and creates bitmap data that can be printed by the printing unit 17. To do.

  Further, the control unit 11 selects the D toner and the P toner from the D toner and the P toner according to the position information indicating the position of the region where the RGB image and the CMYK image other than the RGB format included in the input image data of each page are respectively arranged. Also, it functions as a print control unit that determines toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data. The print control unit may be configured as hardware, or may be configured as a print control program that causes a computer to function as the print control unit, and the program may be executed on the control unit 11.

  The ADF 12 automatically conveys one or more document sheets to the image reading unit 13.

  The image reading unit 13 is a part that optically reads image data from a document sheet on a document table, a light source that scans the document, a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) that converts light reflected by the document into an electrical signal, and the like. And an A / D converter for A / D converting electrical signals.

  The display unit 14 displays various screens for operating the image forming apparatus 10. The operation unit 15 includes buttons or switches and performs various settings or instructions.

  The paper feed unit 16 includes a paper tray for storing various sizes of paper. Further, the paper feed unit 16 sends out the stored paper to the printing unit 17.

  The printing unit 17 forms an image on a designated sheet based on the image data read from the image reading unit 13 or the print job received via the communication I / F unit 11d. At that time, the printing unit 17 uses the toner determined by the control unit 11 to form each image included in the image data on a sheet.

  Specifically, the printing unit 17 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a writing unit, a photoreceptor unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a transport unit.

  The writing unit is composed of a laser diode or the like. The writing unit performs exposure by irradiating a laser beam based on the bitmap data input from the image processing unit.

  The photoconductor unit includes a photoconductor drum, a developing device, a charger, a photoconductor cleaning unit, and the like. The photosensitive unit forms a latent image of toner supplied from the developing unit on the photosensitive drum. In the present embodiment, the printing unit 17 includes P toner yellow (Y), magenta (Normal-M), cyan (Normal-C), black (K), D toner yellow (Vivid-Y), and magenta. (Vivid-M) 6 photoconductor units corresponding to a total of 6 colors of toner are provided. That is, yellow (Y) and black (K) are commonly used as P toner and D toner, and magenta and cyan are different for P toner and D toner, respectively.

  The transfer unit includes a primary transfer roller, an intermediate transfer belt, a belt cleaning unit, a secondary transfer roller, and a roller cleaning unit. The transfer unit primarily transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive unit to the intermediate transfer belt, and then secondarily transfers the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt to a sheet.

  The fixing unit includes a fixing device, a fixing device cleaning unit, and the like. The fixing unit fixes the toner image transferred to the paper.

  The transport unit includes a paper feed roller, a registration roller, a loop roller, a reverse roller, a paper discharge roller, and the like. The conveyance unit conveys a desired sheet from the sheet feeding unit 16 to the secondary transfer roller, and discharges the fixed sheet to the post-processing unit 18.

  1 and 2, the post-processing unit 18 outputs the sheet conveyed from the printing unit 17 after finishing processing desired by the user, such as punching, stapling, and bookbinding, according to an instruction from the control unit 11. .

  1 to 3 are examples of the present embodiment, and can be appropriately changed. For example, when the image forming apparatus 10 is used as a printer, the ADF 12 and the image reading unit 13 may be omitted, and when the post-processing is not necessary, the post-processing unit 18 may be omitted. Further, the photoconductor units corresponding to the respective toners are not limited to the case where they are arranged in the order shown in FIG. 3 (color order). For example, they are arranged in the order of P toner and D toner (order of toner types). May be.

[Operation of Image Forming Apparatus]
The operation of the image forming apparatus 10 having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The control unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 10 receives the print job (S101). When the reception of the print job is completed (S102: Yes), the control unit 11 rasterizes the data of each page of the print job and converts the data into a data format printable by the printing unit 17, for example, image data in a bitmap format. (Raster Image Processor) processing is performed (S103). The converted image data is stored in the memory 11b or the storage unit 11c (S104).

  The image data includes at least an RGB image, a CMYK image, an image in a color mode other than the RGB format and the CMYK format, and an image corresponding to text information such as characters and symbols. The image data includes position information indicating the position of the area where each image is arranged on each page.

  Next, the control unit 11 acquires position information indicating the position of the area where each image is arranged from the image data stored in the storage unit 11c, and stores it in the storage unit 11c (S105). FIG. 5 shows an example of a layout on one page. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the positions of the character data area, the RGB image area, the CMYK image area, and the color mode image area other than RGB / CMYK (rectangular areas) are coordinate information (x, y). Note that the method of expressing the position of each data area is not limited to the example shown in FIG.

  Next, the control unit 11 compares the coordinates that are currently processed among the coordinates representing each area of the image data with the position information stored in S105, and the coordinates currently being processed are determined as RGB image areas. , A CMYK image area, or another area (S106).

  If the control unit 11 determines that the coordinates currently being processed are within the RGB image area (S107: Yes), the area including the coordinates currently being processed is classified as an area using D toner (S108). ). For example, in FIG. 5, the control unit 11 classifies an RGB image area represented by coordinates (200, 50) and coordinates (400, 350) into an area using D toner.

  On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that the currently processed coordinates are within the CMYK image area (S107: No, S109: Yes), the area including the currently processed coordinates is set as an area using P toner. Classify (S110). For example, in FIG. 5, the control unit 11 classifies CMYK image areas represented by coordinates (500, 50) and coordinates (700, 350) into areas using P toner.

  Further, when the control unit 11 determines that the coordinate currently being processed is neither an RGB image region nor a CMYK image region (S107, S109: No), the control unit 11 is used when the coordinate does not belong to the RGB image region or the CMYK image region. Setting information indicating toner is read from the print job, and toner to be used is determined according to the read setting information.

  Specifically, when the use of D toner is set in the setting information (S111: Yes), the control unit 11 classifies the image area including the currently processed coordinates into an area using D toner ( S112). On the other hand, when the use of P toner is set in the setting information (S111: No), the control unit 11 classifies the image area including the coordinates currently being processed into an area using P toner (S113). For example, in FIG. 5, the control unit 11 classifies the coordinate area corresponding to the character data area as an area using P toner based on the setting information. In FIG. 5, the control unit 11 sets an image area in a color mode other than RGB / CMYK represented by coordinates (800, 50) and coordinates (1000, 350) based on the setting information, and P toner. Classify the area to use.

  Next, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the processing for all the coordinates of the image data has been completed (S114). If the process is not completed (S114: No), the control unit 11 returns to the process of S106 and repeats the same process. If the process is completed (S114: Yes), the process proceeds to S115. In each area (coordinates) classified into an area using D toner and an area using P toner, the CMYK value of D toner or the CMYK value of P toner is set, respectively. The CMYK toner amount of P toner is set to all coordinates.

  Next, the control unit 11 analyzes various parameters defined in the print job, and sends them to the printing unit 17 as print data of the photosensitive drums of the respective colors according to the set values as analysis results (S115).

  Thereafter, the printing unit 17 executes a printing process (S116).

[Effects of the present embodiment]
As described above in detail, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment, according to the position information indicating the position of the area in which the RGB format image and the non-RGB format image included in the input image data are respectively arranged. From the first toner (D toner) for reproducing the color of the image displayed on the display and the second toner (P toner) for reproducing the color of the image for printing at each coordinate of the input image data. A control unit 11 that determines a toner to be used for printing, and a printing unit 17 that forms an RGB image and an image other than the RGB format on a sheet using the determined toner.

  According to the present embodiment configured as described above, even when the RGB image and the CMYK image are mixed in the image data, the image forming apparatus 10 uses the P toner and the P toner for each area in which each image is arranged according to the position information. Switch between D toner and use. For example, in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus 10 may determine which of the three types of areas, that is, the RGB image area, the CMYK image area, and the other areas, is the processing target area.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 10 can perform a process of determining which of D toner and P toner is used for printing in units of image areas. For example, in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus 10 uses the position information to identify that the rectangular area represented by the coordinates (200, 50) and (400, 350) is an RGB image area, and Then, the use of D toner is determined. That is, the image forming apparatus 10 does not need to perform determination processing of toner to be used for every coordinate in the RGB image area.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the determination process of which of the D toner and the P toner is used for printing is performed according to the value in the color space for each pixel of the image data or for each coordinate of the image data. The toner to be used can be determined at a high speed as compared with the case of performing it. Further, according to the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 can faithfully reproduce the color of the RGB image using the D toner.

  In the above embodiment, the case where two toners of magenta and cyan are used has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and any one of the two colors of magenta and cyan is used. Alternatively, one color D toner may be used.

  In FIG. 4, the case where the image forming apparatus 10 determines three types of areas of the RGB image area, the CMYK image area, and the other areas is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 10 Two types of areas, that is, an area and an image area other than the RGB format may be determined. In this case, the control unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 10 may determine that the D toner is used for printing in the RGB image area and determine the use of P toner in the other image areas.

  In addition, each of the above-described embodiments is merely an example of actualization in carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist or the main features thereof.

  The present invention can also be applied to an image forming system including a plurality of units including an image forming apparatus. The plurality of units include, for example, external devices such as a post-processing device, a network-connected computer terminal, and a control device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Control part 11a CPU
11b Memory 11c Storage unit 11d Communication I / F unit 12 ADF
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Image reading part 14 Display part 15 Operation part 16 Paper feed part 17 Printing part 18 Post-processing part 20 Communication network

Claims (12)

In order to reproduce the color of the image displayed on the display in accordance with the position information indicating the position of the area where the first image in RGB format and the second image other than RGB format are included in the input image data, respectively. A control unit for determining a toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data from one toner and a second toner for reproducing the color of an image for printing;
A printing unit that forms the first image and the second image on a sheet using the determined toner;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The control unit determines the first toner as a toner to be used for the printing at each coordinate included in the area where the first image is arranged, and at each coordinate included in the area where the second image is arranged. Determining the second toner as a toner to be used for the printing;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The input image data includes at least a first image, a third image in CMYK format, a fourth image other than RBG format and CMYK format, and a fifth image corresponding to character information,
The control unit determines the first toner as a toner to be used for the printing in the area where the first image is arranged, and determines the use of the second toner in the area where the third image is arranged, In a region where the fourth image and the fifth image are arranged, a preset toner of the first toner and the second toner is determined as a toner to be used for the printing.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The first toner and the second toner have different types of pigments in at least one color,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The first toner has a higher brightness than the second toner.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The lightness to obtain the maximum saturation of the cyan first toner is higher than 50, and the lightness to obtain the maximum saturation of the cyan second toner is 50.
The
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The brightness for obtaining the maximum saturation of the cyan first toner is 80 or less.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 6. The first toner has higher saturation than the second toner.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The maximum saturation of the first toner of magenta color is higher than 62, and the maximum saturation of the second toner of magenta color is 62.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The maximum saturation of the first toner of magenta color is 100 or less.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 9. An image forming system including a plurality of units including an image forming apparatus,
In order to reproduce the color of the image displayed on the display in accordance with the position information indicating the position of the area where the first image in RGB format and the second image other than RGB format are included in the input image data, respectively. A control unit for determining a toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data from one toner and a second toner for reproducing the color of an image for printing;
A printing unit that forms the first image and the second image on a sheet using the determined toner;
An image forming system. In order to reproduce the color of the image displayed on the display in accordance with the position information indicating the position of the area where the first image in RGB format and the second image other than RGB format are included in the input image data, respectively. Determining a toner to be used for printing at each coordinate of the input image data from one toner and a second toner for reproducing the color of the image for printing;
Forming the first image and the second image on a sheet using the determined toner;
Image forming method.

Images