JP2018036984A - Image processing device, printer, image processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress a reduction in reading quality of an image based on code information printed together with the full-color image and the like.SOLUTION: An image processing device generating print data for causing a printer which repeats path operation imparting ink to a printing medium while moving a print head in a scanning direction with respect to the printing medium and conveyance operation moving the printing medium in a conveyance direction intersecting with the scanning direction with respect to the print head, and prints an image formed by a plurality pieces of path operation on the printing medium to execute printing based on image data, comprises a path allocation section performing processing for allocating the image data to the individual path operation. When the image data include image data including code information and image data not including the code information, the path allocation section performs second allocation processing S21 to 25 different from first allocation processing S11 to 15 performed with respect to the image data not including the code information with respect to the image data including the code information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a printing apparatus including the image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program for executing processing according to the image processing method.

  When a barcode is printed by an ink jet printing apparatus, the width of the bar may be increased due to bleeding of ink or displacement of a position where the ink lands on the printing surface. If the width of the bar becomes thicker than the desired width or deviates from the standard width of the barcode, the barcode may become difficult to read or may not be read. Thus, a method has been proposed in which the barcode printing method is changed depending on the printing medium to be printed when the barcode is printed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The printing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 changes the barcode bar and space dot configuration according to the type of print medium in accordance with a correction table stored in advance. Further, the printing system described in Patent Document 2 corrects the bar width of the barcode according to the type of paper.

JP-A-2005-47169 JP 2009-193428 A

  However, since the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are techniques for improving the reading quality of a one-dimensional barcode, for example, a matrix-type two-dimensional code or a three-dimensional code including a tone dimension is used. It was not effective for multidimensional codes. In addition, multi-dimensional codes are often printed together with photographic images (full-color image images). In an inkjet printer, in order to improve the print quality of photographic images, dithering, error diffusion, etc. In many cases, printing is performed by multi-pass printing (interlaced printing, overlap printing) in which printing is performed by a plurality of head scans, accompanied by a technique for suppressing color unevenness. As a result, there has been a problem that the reading quality may be deteriorated due to the thick outlines of black cells and color cells constituting these multidimensional codes.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following application examples or forms.

  Application Example 1 An image processing apparatus according to this application example includes a pass operation in which liquid is applied to the print medium while moving the print head relative to the print medium in the scanning direction, and the print medium is applied to the print head. On the other hand, printing is performed based on the image data in a printing apparatus that prints an image formed by a plurality of the pass operations on the print medium by repeatedly performing a transport operation that relatively moves in a transport direction that intersects the scanning direction. An image processing apparatus for generating print data for causing the image processing apparatus to include a pass allocating unit that performs an allocating process for allocating the image data to each of the pass operations. The image data includes image data including code information; and When the image data not including code information is included, the pass allocating unit performs the first processing performed on the image data not including the code information. And performing the allocation process is different from the second allocation processing for the image data including the code information.

According to this application example, when the image data includes image data that includes code information and image data that does not include code information, the pass allocating unit performs the process on image data that does not include code information. A second allocation process different from the one allocation process is performed on image data including code information. That is, when image data including code information and image data not including code information are included in one piece of image data to be printed, an allocation process suitable for each image data can be performed.
Specifically, for example, when the image data that does not include code information is photographic data obtained by capturing a landscape or a person, the allocation of the photographic data to each pass operation for forming a photographic image is performed using the code information. Apart from the allocation to the image data including the image data, it is possible to perform the allocation suitable for a photographic image, for example, an allocation in which the occurrence of color unevenness is suppressed. Further, for image data including code information, it is possible to perform an allocation process suitable for a code image (an image based on the code information) in which the reading quality of the code information does not deteriorate.

  Application Example 2 In the image processing apparatus according to the application example, for the pass operation in which a part of image data including the code information and a part of image data not including the code information are allocated, The allocation process is performed by a second allocation process.

  According to this application example, when a part of image data including code information and a part of image data not including code information are allocated in one pass operation, Are assigned by the second assignment process. That is, when an image based on code information (hereinafter referred to as a code image) and an image that does not include code information (for example, a photographic image) are arranged in the scanning direction in which the pass operation is performed, the code that does not deteriorate the reading quality of the code information Allocation processing suitable for an image can be performed. This is useful when it is desired to prioritize the reading quality of the code information over the printing quality of the photographic image when the code image and the photographic image are arranged in the scanning direction.

  Application Example 3 In the image processing apparatus according to the application example, for the pass operation in which a part of image data including the code information and a part of image data not including the code information are allocated, The allocation process is performed by a first allocation process.

  According to this application example, when a part of image data including code information and a part of image data not including code information are allocated in one pass operation, Are assigned by the first assignment process. That is, when a code image and an image not including code information (for example, a photographic image) are arranged in the scanning direction in which the pass operation is performed, for example, an allocation process suitable for a photographic image in which the occurrence of color unevenness is suppressed is performed. be able to. This is because, in a single pass operation, while performing an allocation process suitable for a code image in which the read quality of code information does not deteriorate for an area where only the code image is included in one pass operation, In the case of an image in which a photographic image is arranged in the scanning direction, it is useful when it is desired to give priority to the print quality of the photographic image over the reading quality of the code information.

  Application Example 4 In the image processing device according to the application example described above, the second allocation process is a process of reducing the number of pass operations with respect to the first allocation process.

  According to this application example, the second allocation process performed on image data including code information is a process of reducing the number of pass operations compared to the first allocation process performed on image data including no code information. For this reason, when the pass operation for forming the code image increases and the read quality of the code image deteriorates, the decrease can be suppressed.

  Application Example 5 In the image processing apparatus according to the application example described above, the print head includes a plurality of nozzles that eject the liquid onto the print medium, and the second allocation process corresponds to the first allocation process. This is a process for reducing the number of the nozzles that discharge the liquid.

  According to this application example, the second allocation process performed on the image data including code information is different from the first allocation process performed on the image data including no code information. Since this is a process of reducing, when the number of nozzles involved in forming the code image increases and the read quality of the code image deteriorates, the decrease can be suppressed.

  Application Example 6 In the image processing apparatus according to the application example described above, when the code information is a two-dimensional code including a plurality of black cells, the second allocation process is performed with respect to the first allocation process. In the processing, the extension width in each dimension in which the black cells constituting the two-dimensional code are arranged is reduced by a predetermined amount unique to each dimension.

  According to this application example, the second allocation process performed on the image data including the code information is a black cell constituting a two-dimensional code as compared to the first allocation process performed on the image data including no code information. This is a process of reducing the extension width in each dimension in which the black cells are arranged by a predetermined amount unique to each dimension, so that the extension width in each dimension in which the black cells constituting the two-dimensional code are increased by printing. In the case where the reading quality of the code image is degraded, the degradation can be suppressed.

  Application Example 7 In the image processing apparatus according to the application example described above, it is characterized in that the second allocation process includes an input unit that can set a degree of difference from the first allocation process.

  According to this application example, the image processing apparatus can set an input in which the second allocation process performed on the image data including the code information can be set to a degree different from the first allocation process performed on the image data including no code information. A part. That is, it is possible to set the degree of suppressing the deterioration of the code image reading quality.

  Application Example 8 A printing apparatus according to this application example includes the image processing apparatus described in the application example.

  According to this application example, it is possible to print a code image in which a decrease in the reading quality of code information is suppressed.

  Application Example 9 The image processing method according to this application example includes a pass operation in which liquid is applied to the print medium while moving the print head relative to the print medium in the scanning direction, and the print medium is applied to the print head. On the other hand, printing is performed based on the image data in a printing apparatus that prints an image formed by a plurality of the pass operations on the print medium by repeatedly performing a transport operation that relatively moves in a transport direction that intersects the scanning direction. An image processing method for generating print data for causing the image data to include a pass assignment step of assigning the image data to each of the pass operations, wherein the image data includes image data including code information, and the code In the case where image data not including information is included, the pass allocation step includes a first allocation performed on image data not including the code information. And performing with processing different second allocation processing for the image data including the code information.

According to this application example, when the image data includes image data that includes code information and image data that does not include code information, the pass assignment step performs the first process performed on image data that does not include code information. A second allocation process different from the one allocation process is performed on image data including code information. That is, when image data including code information and image data not including code information are included in one piece of image data to be printed, an allocation process suitable for each image data can be performed.
Specifically, for example, when the image data that does not include code information is photographic data obtained by capturing a landscape or a person, the allocation of the photographic data to each pass operation for forming a photographic image is performed using the code information. Apart from the allocation to the image data including the image data, it is possible to perform the allocation suitable for a photographic image, for example, an allocation in which the occurrence of color unevenness is suppressed. Further, for image data including code information, it is possible to perform an allocation process suitable for a code image in which the reading quality of the code information does not deteriorate.

  Application Example 10 A program according to this application example is a program executed by the image processing apparatus described in the application example, and can execute the first allocation process and the second allocation process described in the application example. It is characterized by doing.

  According to this application example, it is possible to generate print data for printing a code image in which deterioration of the reading quality of code information is suppressed.

1 is a front view illustrating a configuration of a printing system as a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system as a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment. Illustration of basic functions of printer driver in the prior art Schematic diagram showing an example of nozzle arrangement as seen from the bottom of the print head Explanatory drawing showing an example of conventional interlaced printing that prints in multi-pass mode Flowchart for explaining the function of the printer driver path assignment unit executed in the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment Conceptual diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code Conceptual diagram showing the result of correction in the X-axis direction Conceptual diagram showing the result of correction in the Y-axis direction Conceptual diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional code Conceptual diagram showing the result of correction in the Y-axis direction Conceptual diagram showing the result of correction in the X-axis direction Layout diagram showing how a code image and an image that does not contain a code image are printed on roll paper

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following is one embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In the following drawings, the scale may be different from the actual scale for easy understanding. Further, in the coordinates added to the drawings, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, the + Z direction is the upward direction, the X-axis direction is the front-rear direction, the -X direction is the forward direction, the Y-axis direction is the left-right direction, and the + Y direction is the left direction. The XY plane is a horizontal plane.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a printing system 1 as a “printing apparatus” according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same.
The printing system 1 includes a printer 100 and an image processing apparatus 110 connected to the printer 100. The printer 100 is an ink jet printer that prints a desired image on a roll paper 5 as a long “print medium” supplied in a rolled state based on print data received from the image processing apparatus 110. It is.

<Basic configuration of image processing apparatus>
The image processing apparatus 110 includes a printer control unit 111, an input unit 112, a display unit 113, a storage unit 114, and the like, and controls a print job that causes the printer 100 to perform printing. The image processing apparatus 110 is configured using a personal computer as a preferred example.
Software that operates the image processing apparatus 110 includes general image processing application software (hereinafter referred to as an application) that handles image data to be printed, print data for controlling the printer 100 and causing the printer 100 to execute printing. Includes printer driver software to be generated (hereinafter referred to as printer driver).
That is, the image processing apparatus 110 generates print data for causing the printer 100 to execute printing based on the image data.

The printer control unit 111 includes a CPU 115, an ASIC 116, a DSP 117, a memory 118, a printer interface unit (I / F) 119, and the like, and performs centralized management of the entire printing system 1.
The input unit 112 is information input means as a human interface. Specifically, for example, a port to which a keyboard or an information input device is connected.
The display unit 113 is an information display unit (display) as a human interface, and is related to information input from the input unit 112, an image to be printed on the printer 100, and a print job under the control of the printer control unit 111. Information etc. are displayed.
The storage unit 114 is a rewritable storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a memory card. The storage unit 114 stores software (a program operated by the printer control unit 111) that operates the image processing apparatus 110, images to be printed, and print jobs. Related information and the like are stored.
The memory 118 is a storage medium that secures an area for storing a program for the CPU 115 to operate, a work area for the operation, and the like, and includes a storage element such as a RAM or an EEPROM.

<Basic configuration of printer 100>
The printer 100 includes a printing unit 10, a moving unit 20, a control unit 30, and the like. The printer 100 that has received the print data from the image processing apparatus 110 controls the printing unit 10 and the moving unit 20 by the control unit 30 to print an image on the roll paper 5 (image formation).
The print data is image formation data obtained by converting image data so that the printer 100 can print the image data using an application and printer driver included in the image processing apparatus 110, and includes a command for controlling the printer 100.
The image data includes, for example, general full-color image information, text information, code information, and the like obtained by a digital camera or the like.
The code information is an identifier that represents a numerical value or a character by a combination of graphics such as a bar or a cell, such as a barcode, a matrix type two-dimensional code, or a three-dimensional code in which a matrix cell has a color tone or gradation.

The printing unit 10 includes a head unit 11, an ink supply unit 12, and the like.
The moving unit 20 includes a scanning unit 40, a transport unit 50, and the like. The scanning unit 40 includes a carriage 41, a guide shaft 42, a carriage motor (not shown), and the like. The conveyance unit 50 includes a supply unit 51, a storage unit 52, a conveyance roller 53, a platen 55, and the like.

  The head unit 11 includes a print head 13 and a head control unit 14 having a plurality of nozzles (nozzle rows) that discharge printing ink (hereinafter referred to as ink) as “liquid” as ink droplets. The head unit 11 is mounted on the carriage 41 and reciprocates in the scanning direction along with the carriage 41 moving in the scanning direction (X-axis direction shown in FIG. 1). While the head unit 11 (printing head 13) moves in the scanning direction, the ink droplets are ejected onto the roll paper 5 supported by the platen 55 under the control of the control unit 30 to thereby form a row of dots along the scanning direction. (Raster line) is formed on the roll paper 5.

The ink supply unit 12 includes an ink tank and an ink supply path (not shown) that supplies ink from the ink tank to the print head 13.
As the ink, for example, as an ink set made of a dark ink composition, a four-color ink set obtained by adding black (K) to a three-color ink set of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), etc. There is. Further, for example, eight colors including ink sets such as light cyan (Lc), light magenta (Lm), light yellow (Ly), and light black (Lk) made of a light ink composition in which the density of each color material is lightened. There are ink sets. The ink tank, the ink supply path, and the ink supply path to the nozzle that ejects the same ink are provided independently for each ink.

A piezo method is used as a method for ejecting ink droplets (inkjet method). The piezo method is a method in which a pressure corresponding to a print information signal is applied to ink stored in a pressure chamber by a piezoelectric element (piezo element), and ink droplets are ejected (discharged) from a nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber for printing.
The method for ejecting ink droplets is not limited to this, and other printing methods may be used in which ink is ejected in droplets to form dot groups on a print medium. For example, a system in which ink is continuously ejected in droplets from a nozzle with a strong electric field between the nozzle and the acceleration electrode placed in front of the nozzle, and printing is performed by giving a print information signal from the deflection electrode while the ink droplet is flying, Alternatively, the ink droplets are ejected in accordance with the print information signal without deflecting (electrostatic suction method), the pressure is applied to the ink with a small pump, and the nozzle is mechanically vibrated with a crystal resonator or the like to force For example, a method of ejecting ink droplets, a method of heating and foaming ink with a microelectrode in accordance with a print information signal, and ejecting ink droplets to perform printing (thermal jet method) may be used.

The moving unit 20 (scanning unit 40, conveying unit 50) moves the roll paper 5 relative to the head unit 11 (printing head 13) under the control of the control unit 30.
The guide shaft 42 extends in the scanning direction and supports the carriage 41 in a slidable contact state, and the carriage motor serves as a driving source for reciprocating the carriage 41 along the guide shaft 42. That is, the scanning unit 40 (carriage 41, guide shaft 42, carriage motor) moves the carriage 41 (that is, the print head 13) in the scanning direction along the guide shaft 42 under the control of the control unit 30.

The supply unit 51 rotatably supports a reel on which the roll paper 5 is wound in a roll shape, and sends the roll paper 5 to the conveyance path. The storage unit 52 rotatably supports a reel that winds up the roll paper 5, and winds up the roll paper 5 that has been printed from the conveyance path.
The transport roller 53 includes a drive roller that moves the roll paper 5 in the transport direction (Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 1) that intersects the scanning direction, a driven roller that rotates as the roll paper 5 moves, and the like. Is conveyed from the supply unit 51 to the storage unit 52 via the printing region of the printing unit 10 (the region in which the print head 13 scans and moves on the upper surface of the platen 55).

The control unit 30 includes an interface unit (I / F) 31, a CPU 32, a memory 33, a drive control unit 34, and the like, and controls the printer 100.
The interface unit 31 is connected to the printer interface unit 119 of the image processing apparatus 110 and transmits / receives data between the image processing apparatus 110 and the printer 100. The image processing apparatus 110 and the printer 100 may be directly connected by a cable or the like, or may be indirectly connected via a network or the like. Further, data transmission / reception may be performed between the image processing apparatus 110 and the printer 100 via wireless communication.
The CPU 32 is an arithmetic processing device for controlling the entire printer 100.
The memory 33 is a storage medium that secures an area for storing a program for the CPU 32 to operate, a work area for the operation, and the like, and includes a storage element such as a RAM or an EEPROM.
The CPU 32 controls the printing unit 10 and the moving unit 20 via the drive control unit 34 according to the program stored in the memory 33 and the print data received from the image processing apparatus 110.

The drive control unit 34 controls the drive of the printing unit 10 (head unit 11 and ink supply unit 12) and the moving unit 20 (scanning unit 40 and transport unit 50) based on the control of the CPU 32. The drive control unit 34 includes a movement control signal generation circuit 35, a discharge control signal generation circuit 36, and a drive signal generation circuit 37.
The movement control signal generation circuit 35 is a circuit that generates a signal for controlling the movement unit 20 (scanning unit 40, conveyance unit 50) in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 32.
The ejection control signal generation circuit 36 generates a head control signal for selecting a nozzle for ejecting ink, selecting an ejection amount, controlling ejection timing, and the like according to an instruction from the CPU 32 based on the print data. It is.
The drive signal generation circuit 37 is a circuit that generates a basic drive signal including a drive signal for driving the piezoelectric element of the print head 13.
The drive control unit 34 selectively drives the piezoelectric elements corresponding to the respective nozzles based on the head control signal and the basic drive signal.

  With the above configuration, the control unit 30 moves the carriage 41 that supports the print head 13 along the guide shaft 42 with respect to the roll paper 5 supplied to the printing region by the conveyance unit 50 (the supply unit 51 and the conveyance roller 53). Roll paper in the transport direction (+ Y direction) intersecting the scanning direction by the transport unit 50 (transport roller 53) and the pass operation of ejecting (applying) ink droplets from the print head 13 while moving in the scanning direction (X-axis direction) A desired image is formed (printed) on the roll paper 5 by repeating the conveying operation of moving the paper 5.

<Basic functions of the printer driver in the prior art>
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of basic functions of a printer driver in the prior art.
Printing on the roll paper 5 is started when print data is transmitted from the image processing apparatus 110 to the printer 100. The print data is generated by the printer driver.
Hereinafter, print data generation processing in the prior art will be described with reference to FIG.

  The printer driver receives image data from the application, converts it into print data in a format that can be interpreted by the printer 100, and outputs the print data to the printer 100. When converting image data from an application into print data, the printer driver performs resolution conversion processing, color conversion processing, halftone processing, rasterization processing, command addition processing, and the like.

The resolution conversion process is a process for converting the image data output from the application into a resolution (printing resolution) when printing on the roll paper 5. For example, when the print resolution is specified as 720 × 720 dpi, the vector format image data received from the application is converted into bitmap format image data having a resolution of 720 × 720 dpi. Each pixel data of the image data after the resolution conversion process is composed of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each pixel has a gradation value of, for example, 256 gradations in the RGB color space. That is, the pixel data after resolution conversion indicates the gradation value of the corresponding pixel.
Pixel data corresponding to one column of pixels arranged in a predetermined direction among pixels arranged in a matrix is called raster data. The predetermined direction in which the pixels corresponding to the raster data are arranged corresponds to the moving direction (scanning direction) of the print head 13 when printing an image.

The color conversion process is a process for converting RGB data into data in the CMYK color system space. The CMYK colors are cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), and the image data in the CMYK color system space is data corresponding to the ink color that the printer 100 has. Therefore, for example, when the printer 100 uses 10 types of inks of the CMYK color system, the printer driver generates image data in a 10-dimensional space of the CMYK color system based on the RGB data.
This color conversion processing is performed based on a table (color conversion lookup table LUT) in which gradation values of RGB data and gradation values of CMYK color system data are associated with each other. Note that the pixel data after the color conversion processing is, for example, CMYK color system data of 256 gradations represented by the CMYK color system space.

  The halftone process is a process of converting high gradation number (256 gradations) data into gradation number data that can be formed by the printer 100. By this halftone processing, data indicating 256 gradations indicates, for example, 1-bit data indicating 2 gradations (with or without dots) or 4 gradations (without dots, small dots, medium dots, large dots). Converted to 2-bit data. Specifically, from the dot generation rate table corresponding to the gradation value (0 to 255) and the dot generation rate, the dot generation rate corresponding to the gradation value (for example, in the case of 4 gradations, no dot, small Pixel data is created so that dots are formed in a dispersed manner using the dither method, error diffusion method, etc. at the obtained generation rate. The

  The rasterizing process is a process of rearranging pixel data arranged in a matrix (for example, 1-bit or 2-bit data as described above) according to the dot formation order at the time of printing. The rasterizing process includes an allocating process for allocating image data composed of pixel data after halftone processing to each pass operation in which the print head 13 (nozzle array) ejects ink droplets while scanning and moving. When the allocation process is completed, the pixel data arranged in a matrix is allocated to the actual nozzles forming each raster line constituting the print image.

The command addition process is a process for adding command data corresponding to the printing method to the rasterized data. The command data includes, for example, transport data related to transport specifications (such as the amount of movement and speed in the transport direction) of the print medium (roll paper 5).
These processes by the printer driver are performed by the ASIC 116 and the DSP 117 (see FIG. 2) under the control of the CPU 115, and the generated print data is transmitted to the printer 100 via the printer interface unit 119 by the print data transmission process. Is done.

<Nozzle row>
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of nozzles as viewed from the lower surface of the print head 13.
As shown in FIG. 4, the print head 13 includes a nozzle array 130 in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink of each color are formed side by side (the example shown in FIG. A black ink nozzle row K, a cyan ink nozzle row C, a magenta ink nozzle row M, a yellow ink nozzle row Y, a gray ink nozzle row LK, and a light cyan ink nozzle row LC).

  The plurality of nozzles of each nozzle row 130 are aligned and arranged at regular intervals (nozzle pitch) along the transport direction (Y-axis direction). In addition, the plurality of nozzle rows 130 are aligned and arranged so as to be parallel to each other at a constant interval (nozzle row pitch) along a direction (X-axis direction) intersecting the transport direction. . In FIG. 4, the nozzles in each nozzle row 130 are assigned a lower number for the nozzles on the downstream side (# 1 to # 400). That is, the nozzle # 1 is located downstream of the nozzle # 400 in the transport direction. Each nozzle is provided with a driving element (piezoelectric element such as the piezo element described above) for driving each nozzle to eject ink droplets.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of conventional interlaced printing in which printing is performed in the multipass mode, and the relative relationship between the nozzle rows 131 constituting the print head 13 accompanying the movement of the roll paper 5 in the transport direction (+ Y direction). The positional relationship between the positions and the dots formed by the pass operation on the Y axis is shown. The nozzle row 131 shown in FIG. 5 shows an example in which the number of nozzles n = 9 for the sake of simplicity. Further, D shown in FIG. 5 is a printing resolution (dot pitch), L1 is a nozzle pitch (= kD, k = 4 in the example shown in FIG. 5), and L2 is a sub-scan feed amount that is a carry amount between pass operations. (= ND, n = 9 in the example shown in FIG. 5).
In FIG. 5, the relative positions of the nozzle rows 131 by step movement for each sub-scan feed amount L <b> 2 of the roll paper 5 by the transport unit 50 are shown in an oblique direction so that the nozzle rows 131 do not overlap. That is, in FIG. 5, the nozzle row 131 is depicted as moving in the −Y direction, but the roll paper 5 actually moves in the + Y direction. Further, the positional relationship of the nozzle row 131 in the X-axis direction has no meaning.

When interlaced printing is performed, the nozzle pitch L1 and the sub-scan feed amount L2 are relatively prime. For example, if the print resolution in the transport direction is 360 dpi, the nozzle pitch L1 is 4 × 1/360 inches (k = 4). The sub-scan feed amount L2 is 9 × 1/360 inches (n = 9).
In the following description, one pass operation of forming dots by ejecting ink from the nozzle row 131 while moving in the scanning direction means dot formation accompanying one movement in the scanning direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the sub-scan feed amount L2 is sub-scanned each time the nozzle row 131 performs one pass operation, adjacent dot lines are formed by nozzles having different pass operations. For example, the dot line next to the dot line formed by the # 7 nozzle in the first pass operation is formed by the # 5 nozzle in the second pass operation, and the next dot line is # in the third pass operation. It is formed by three nozzles, and the next dot line is formed by the # 1 nozzle in the fourth pass operation. In this way, by using interlaced printing, variations in nozzle characteristics (such as variations in dot landing positions and variations in dot diameter) are dispersed, so a high-quality printed image can be obtained.

  However, printing in such a multi-pass mode is suitable for printing an image such as a photograph with high quality, but may not always be suitable for printing a line drawing such as a drawing or code information. there were. Specifically, since the dot lines arranged in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 5 are formed by repeating a plurality of pass operations and a plurality of transport operations by a plurality of different nozzles, variations in nozzle characteristics (dot landing positions) Variation in dot size and dot diameter) and variations in transport accuracy may cause variations in dot position and dot size, and as a result, the thickness of the dot lines aligned on a straight line may increase. It was. As a result, for example, the printed code information may be difficult to read or may not be read.

Therefore, the image processing apparatus 110 according to the present embodiment includes a “pass allocating unit” that performs processing for allocating image data to individual pass operations. The image data includes image data that includes code information and an image that does not include code information. When data is included, the path allocation unit performs a second allocation process different from the first allocation process performed on image data not including code information, on image data including code information.
The path allocation unit is provided in the image processing apparatus 110 as a function unit of a printer driver executed by the image processing apparatus 110 of the present embodiment.
The path allocation unit will be specifically described below.

<Basic functions of the printer driver (pass assignment unit)>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the function of the path assignment unit of the printer driver executed by the image processing apparatus 110 of this embodiment.
When receiving image data from the application, the printer driver (pass allocation unit) analyzes whether the image data includes code information (step S1) and determines (step S2).
When the code information is not included in the image data as a result of the analysis (No in step S2), the first allocation process (steps S11 to S15) is performed to generate print data, and the print data is transmitted to the printer 100. (Step S5), printing is executed (flow indicated by a broken arrow in FIG. 6). Here, the first allocation processing (steps S11 to S15) includes the resolution conversion processing, color conversion processing, halftone processing, rasterization processing, command addition processing, and the like in the above-described conventional technology. That is, when the code information is not included in the image data, printing is performed according to the conventional technique.

As a result of the analysis, when it is determined that the code information is included in the image data (Yes in step S2), an area including the code information in the image data (an area of the image data including the code information) is identified (step S3). ), Separating the subsequent processing from the area not including the code information.
A first allocation process (steps S11 to S15) is performed on an area that does not include code information. That is, the print data generation process in the prior art is performed.
A second allocation process (steps S21 to S25) is performed on an area including code information (image data including code information). The second allocation process is a process for generating print data that is more suitable for printing a code image. Specific contents of the second allocation process will be described later.

Next, the print data generated by each allocation process is integrated (step S4), the print data integrated to the printer 100 is transmitted (step S5), and printing is executed.
The above is the basic function of the path allocation unit.

Received print data in which print data generated for an area not including code information and print data generated for an area including code information (image data including code information) are integrated The printer 100 executes printing according to the integrated print data.
Specifically, in an example that is easy to understand, first, according to the print data generated for an area that does not include code information, code information is included in a portion excluding the area of image data including code information. Print an unprinted image (for example, a full-color image). Next, according to the print data generated for the area including the code information (image data including the code information), the code information is printed in the area of the image data including the code information that has not been printed. The command addition processing (step S25) performed in the second allocation processing includes a command for transporting the roll paper 5 (back feed or forward feed) to the image data area including the code information that has not been printed. Such printing can be performed.
When an image that does not include code information and an image that includes code information are mixed on the same raster line (scanning direction), the image and code information that do not include code information are not necessarily included. There is no need to separate and print the image including the image. In the process of integrating the respective print data (step S4), a method of performing printing by reflecting the respective print data in one pass operation may be used.

<Second allocation process>
Next, a second allocation process for generating print data that is more suitable for printing a code image will be described according to some embodiments.

<Example 1>
The second allocation process according to the first embodiment is characterized in that the number of path operations is reduced compared to the first allocation process. Reducing the number of pass operations relative to the first allocation process means that printing can be completed with a smaller number of pass operations compared to the number of pass operations required when the code image is printed in the first allocation process. It means to assign to.
Formation of dot lines (raster lines) along the scanning direction (X-axis direction) and dot lines arranged in the transport direction (Y-axis direction) as shown in FIG. 5 have the number of pass operations required to form the dot lines. As the number increases, the factors that cause the dot positions to vary increase. Therefore, it is preferable that the number of pass operations related to formation of necessary and sufficient dots that function as code information is smaller. To reduce the number of pass operations, for example, increase the number of dots to be formed in one pass operation, or increase the size of the dots to be formed, and configure the code within the necessary and sufficient range to function as code information A method of reducing the number of dots to be performed can be considered.

<Example 2>
The second allocation process according to the second embodiment is characterized in that the number of nozzles that eject ink is reduced compared to the first allocation process. In contrast to the first allocation process, reducing the number of nozzles that eject ink is smaller than the number of nozzles related to code image formation when the code image is printed in the first allocation process. This means that the assignment is performed so that printing is completed by the number of nozzles.
In the formation of dot lines (raster lines) along the scanning direction (X-axis direction) and the dot lines arranged in the transport direction (Y-axis direction) as shown in FIG. 5, the number of nozzles required for forming the dot lines is small. As the number increases, the factors that cause the dot positions to vary increase. Therefore, it is preferable that the number of nozzles related to formation of necessary and sufficient dots functioning as code information is smaller. To reduce the number of nozzles, for example, a method of increasing the rate of dot formation with the same nozzle by reducing the feed amount in the transport direction between pass operations, or increasing the size of the dots to be formed as code information A method of reducing the number of dots constituting a code in a necessary and sufficient range can be considered.

<Example 3>
In the second allocation process of the third embodiment, when the code information is a two-dimensional code composed of a plurality of black cells, the second allocation process is performed in each dimension in which the black cells constituting the two-dimensional code are arranged with respect to the first allocation process. This is characterized in that the extension width is reduced by a predetermined amount unique to each dimension.
FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C and FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C are conceptual diagrams for explaining the second allocation processing of the third embodiment in the two-dimensional code.
FIG. 7A is an example of a two-dimensional code. This two-dimensional code can express predetermined information by arrangement and combination of black cells Kc. When print data is generated and printed by the first allocation process based on the image data of the two-dimensional code, the area composed of the black cells Kc is printed thick (wide) depending on the type of the print medium (roll paper 5). Therefore, it may be difficult to read as predetermined information, or it may become impossible to read.

  The second allocation process in the present embodiment is a process for reflecting the necessary correction amount obtained by evaluating the code image printed with the print data actually generated by the first allocation process in advance in the print data. Specifically, first, the extension width (print generated by the first allocation process) in each dimension in which the black cells constituting the two-dimensional code are arranged (in the example of FIGS. 7A to 7C, each dimension of X and Y). The extension amount when the data is printed is evaluated, and a necessary correction amount is obtained as a specific predetermined amount for each of the X and Y dimensions from the difference between each of the ideal predetermined extension widths. In the second allocation process, when the print data of the code image is generated, a process of reducing the predetermined amount obtained for each of the X and Y dimensions is performed.

FIG. 7B shows the result of correcting the correction amount (unique predetermined amount) hx in the X-axis direction with respect to the image of the two-dimensional code of FIG. 7A.
FIG. 7C shows the result of correcting the correction amount (inherent predetermined amount) hy in the Y-axis direction on the image (FIG. 7B) of the two-dimensional code resulting from the correction in the X-axis direction. . By generating print data and printing the image data of FIG. 7C, a good code image in which deterioration in reading quality is suppressed can be obtained.

  The order of correction of each dimension (X, Y) is not limited to this. First, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, correction is performed in the Y-axis direction (FIG. 8B), and then A method of correcting the resulting image in the X-axis direction (FIG. 8C) may be used.

<Example 4>
FIG. 9 is a layout diagram illustrating a state in which the code images (C1 to C3) and the images (G1, G2) not including the code image are printed on the roll paper 5.
In FIG. 9, a region A is a region in which raster data in the scanning direction (X-axis direction) is based only on image data not including a code image, and a region B is a raster in the scanning direction (X-axis direction). The data is an area based only on the image data of the code image. The region C is a region in which raster data in the scanning direction (X-axis direction) is based on both image data that does not include a code image and image data of the code image.

  The second allocation process according to the fourth embodiment is characterized in that, in the area C, an allocation process giving priority to the print quality of the code image is performed. Specifically, for a pass operation in which a part of image data including code information and a part of image data not including code information are allocated (that is, code information is included in one pass operation). For the pass operation in the case where the forming operation of a part of the image including the part and the part of the image not including the code information is assigned), the assignment is performed by the second assignment process. That is, with the basic function of the printer driver (pass assignment unit) described with reference to FIG. 6, when an image not including code information and an image including code information are mixed, printing suitable for each is executed. In order to do this, it has been described that different allocation processes are performed for the respective image data in the first allocation process and the second allocation process, but in this embodiment, as the allocation process giving priority to the print quality of the code image Yes.

<Example 5>
The second allocation process according to the fifth embodiment is characterized in that in the above-described region C, an allocation process is performed with priority given to the print quality of an image that does not include code information. Specifically, for a pass operation in which a part of image data including code information and a part of image data not including code information are allocated (that is, code information is included in one pass operation). For the pass operation in the case where the forming operation of a part of the image including the part and the part of the image not including the code information is assigned), the assignment is performed by the first assignment process. That is, with the basic function of the printer driver (pass assignment unit) described with reference to FIG. 6, when an image not including code information and an image including code information are mixed, printing suitable for each is executed. For this reason, it has been described that different allocation processing is performed for each image data in the first allocation processing and the second allocation processing. In this embodiment, priority is given to the print quality of an image that does not include code information. The allocation process is performed.

<Example 6>
In addition, it is preferable to comprise so that the degree to which a 2nd allocation process differs from a 1st allocation process can be set. In other words, the method of performing the allocation process specialized for the code image is not fixed to a preset specification, but can be individually specified from the input unit 112 or can be selected from a plurality of preset specifications. It is preferable to configure.

Specifically, by inputting from the input unit 112, for example, the average number of pass operations required for forming each raster line of the code image can be specified as the basic specification of the second allocation process. Further, for example, the number of nozzles related to the formation of the code image can be specified. Further, when the code image is a two-dimensional code, it is possible to specify a predetermined amount specific to each dimension that reduces the extension width in each dimension in which black cells constituting the two-dimensional code are arranged.
Further, as described above, instead of making it possible to specify a quantitative value, a coefficient (for example, the average pass operation number is halved) with respect to the basic specifications (average pass operation number, number of nozzles related to image formation) of the first allocation process. In this case, it may be configured such that 0.5) can be specified.
In addition, for example, a plurality of specifications (for example, five levels 1 to 5) of the second allocation process for improving the code reading quality are prepared for the code image obtained by the first allocation process, and can be selected from the specifications. It may be configured as follows.

  As described above, when viewed as a feature of the image processing method performed by the image processing apparatus 110, the image processing method of the present embodiment includes a path allocation step for performing processing for allocating image data to individual path operations. When the data includes image data that includes code information and image data that does not include code information, a second allocation that is different from the first allocation process performed on image data that does not include code information in the pass allocation step. The processing is performed on image data including code information.

  Further, as described above, the “pass assignment unit” that executes the “pass assignment step” is provided in the image processing apparatus 110 as a functional part of the printer driver executed by the image processing apparatus 110 of the present embodiment. That is, the “program” as a printer driver executed by the image processing apparatus 110 according to the present embodiment is characterized in that the first allocation process and the second allocation process described above can be executed.

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus, the printing apparatus, the image processing method, and the program according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
A first allocation process performed by the printer driver (pass allocation unit) for image data not including code information when the image data includes image data including code information and image data not including code information. A second allocation process different from that for the image data including the code information is performed. That is, when image data including code information and image data not including code information are included in one piece of image data to be printed, an allocation process suitable for each image data can be performed.
Specifically, for example, when the image data that does not include code information is photographic data obtained by capturing a landscape or a person, the allocation of the photographic data to each pass operation for forming a photographic image is performed using the code information. Apart from the allocation to the image data including the image data, it is possible to perform the allocation suitable for a photographic image, for example, an allocation in which the occurrence of color unevenness is suppressed. Further, for image data including code information, it is possible to perform an allocation process suitable for a code image in which the reading quality of the code information does not deteriorate.

  Also, when one part of image data including code information and part of image data not including code information are allocated in one pass operation (that is, code information in the scanning direction in which the pass operation is performed). If the image based on the image (code image) and the image not including the code information (for example, a photographic image) are lined up, the pass operation is assigned by the second assignment process, so that the read quality of the code information is improved. Allocation processing suitable for code images that do not decrease can be performed. This is useful when it is desired to prioritize the reading quality of the code information over the printing quality of the photographic image when the code image and the photographic image are arranged in the scanning direction.

  Also, when one part of image data including code information and part of image data not including code information are allocated in one pass operation (that is, code information in the scanning direction in which the pass operation is performed). When the image based on the image (code image) and the image not including the code information (for example, photographic image) are arranged), the pass operation is assigned by the first assignment process, for example, occurrence of color unevenness It is possible to perform an allocation process suitable for a photographic image in which the image is suppressed. This is because, in a single pass operation, while performing an allocation process suitable for a code image in which the read quality of code information does not deteriorate for an area where only the code image is included in one pass operation, In the case of an image in which a photographic image is arranged in the scanning direction, it is useful when it is desired to give priority to the print quality of the photographic image over the reading quality of the code information.

  In the first embodiment, the second allocation process performed on image data including code information is a process of reducing the number of pass operations compared to the first allocation process performed on image data including no code information. Therefore, when the pass operation for forming the image (code image) based on the code information increases, the reading quality of the image (code image) based on the code information is deteriorated, and the decrease is suppressed. be able to.

  In the case of the second embodiment, the number of nozzles that eject liquid is different from the first allocation process performed on image data including code information in the second allocation process performed on image data including code information. Therefore, when the number of nozzles related to the formation of the image (code image) based on the code information increases, the read quality of the image (code image) based on the code information deteriorates. The decrease can be suppressed.

  Further, in the case of the third embodiment, the second allocation process performed on the image data including the code information is a black constituting the two-dimensional code, compared to the first allocation process performed on the image data including no code information. Since the extension width in each dimension in which the cells are arranged is reduced by a predetermined amount unique to each dimension, the extension width in each dimension in which the black cells constituting the two-dimensional code are arranged is increased by printing. Therefore, when the reading quality of the image (code image) based on the code information is degraded, the degradation can be suppressed.

  In addition, the image processing apparatus 110 includes an input unit that can set a degree of difference between the second allocation process performed on image data including code information and the first allocation process performed on image data not including code information. Thus, it is possible to set the degree of suppressing the deterioration of the reading quality of the image (code image) based on the code information.

  In addition, the printer 100 includes the image processing apparatus 110, so that it is possible to print an image (code image) based on the code information in which deterioration of the reading quality of the code information is suppressed.

The image processing method according to the present embodiment also includes image data that does not include code information in the pass assignment step when the image data includes image data that includes code information and image data that does not include code information. A second allocation process different from the first allocation process performed on the image data including the code information is performed. That is, when image data including code information and image data not including code information are included in one piece of image data to be printed, an allocation process suitable for each image data can be performed.
Specifically, for example, when the image data that does not include code information is photographic data obtained by capturing a landscape or a person, the allocation of the photographic data to each pass operation for forming a photographic image is performed using the code information. Apart from the allocation to the image data including the image data, it is possible to perform the allocation suitable for a photographic image, for example, an allocation in which the occurrence of color unevenness is suppressed. Further, for image data including code information, it is possible to perform an allocation process suitable for a code image in which the reading quality of code information does not deteriorate.

  In addition, the program according to the present embodiment is a program executed by the image processing apparatus 110, and the first allocation process and the second allocation process described above can be executed. Print data for printing the coded image can be generated.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing system, 5 ... Roll paper, 10 ... Printing part, 11 ... Head unit, 12 ... Ink supply part, 13 ... Print head, 14 ... Head control part, 20 ... Moving part, 30 ... Control part, 31 ... Interface 32: CPU, 33: Memory, 34: Drive control unit, 35: Movement control signal generation circuit, 36: Discharge control signal generation circuit, 37 ... Drive signal generation circuit, 40 ... Scanning unit, 41 ... Carriage, 42 ... Guide shaft 50 ... Conveying part 51 ... Supply part 52 ... Storage part 53 ... Conveying roller 55 ... Platen 100 ... Printer 110 ... Image processing apparatus 111 ... Printer control part 112 ... Input part 113 ... Display unit 114... Storage unit 115. CPU 116 ASIC 117 117 DSP 118 Memory 119 Printer interface unit 130 1 1 ... nozzle row.

Claims (10)

A pass operation in which liquid is applied to the print medium while moving the print head relative to the print medium in the scanning direction, and conveyance in which the print medium is moved relative to the print head in a conveyance direction intersecting the scanning direction. An image processing apparatus that generates print data for causing a printing apparatus that prints an image formed by a plurality of the pass operations on the print medium to execute printing based on the image data.
A path allocating unit for performing an allocating process for allocating the image data to each of the path operations;
When the image data includes image data including code information and image data not including the code information, the path allocation unit performs first allocation performed on the image data not including the code information. An image processing apparatus that performs second allocation processing different from processing on image data including the code information.   The allocation process is performed by the second allocation process for the pass operation in which a part of image data including the code information and a part of image data not including the code information are allocated. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.   The allocation process is performed by the first allocation process for the pass operation in which a part of image data including the code information and a part of image data not including the code information are allocated. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second allocation process is a process of reducing the number of pass operations with respect to the first allocation process. 5. The print head includes a plurality of nozzles for discharging the liquid onto the print medium;
The said 2nd allocation process is a process which reduces the number of the said nozzles which discharge the said liquid with respect to the said 1st allocation process, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Image processing device.   When the code information is a two-dimensional code composed of a plurality of black cells, each dimension in which the second allocation process arranges the black cells constituting the two-dimensional code with respect to the first allocation process. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extension width is reduced by a predetermined amount unique to each dimension. 5.   7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to set a degree of difference between the second allocation process and the first allocation process. 8.   A printing apparatus comprising the image processing apparatus according to claim 1. A pass operation in which liquid is applied to the print medium while moving the print head relative to the print medium in the scanning direction, and conveyance in which the print medium is moved relative to the print head in a conveyance direction intersecting the scanning direction. An image processing method for generating print data for executing printing based on image data in a printing apparatus that prints an image formed by a plurality of the pass operations on the print medium.
Including a pass assignment step of performing processing for assigning the image data to each of the pass operations,
When the image data includes image data including code information and image data not including the code information, the pass allocation step performs a first allocation process performed on the image data not including the code information. The image processing method characterized by performing the 2nd allocation process different from this with respect to the image data containing the said code information. A program executed by the image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The program which makes it possible to perform the 1st allocation process and the 2nd allocation process as described in any one of Claims 1-7.

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