JP2018180627A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide update technique of control of an image forming machine.SOLUTION: An operation terminal 12 comprises: a condition information acquisition unit 12b which acquires predetermined condition information, for updating setting information stored in a controller 22 of an image forming machine 11; and a condition information transmission unit 12c which transmits the condition information to a host terminal 13. The host terminal 13 comprises: a condition information storage unit 13b which stores the condition information; and an update information storage unit 13c which stores update information created on the basis of the condition information stored in the condition information storage unit. An image forming system 10 is set so that the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit may be updated, on the basis of the update information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging system.

  The invention regarding the control device and control method of an ink jet printer is indicated by JP, 2013-136257, A. In the invention disclosed in the same publication, the ink jet printer ejects ink from the nozzles of each of a plurality of printer heads. The discharge control value of the discharge control device is corrected based on a temperature correction value determined according to the environmental temperature. That is, the discharge control value of the discharge control device is corrected according to the change of the particle size of the ink accompanying the change of the environmental temperature around the printer head. Furthermore, the state of the ink adhering to the print medium is detected, and the correction value is set according to the comparison result of the comparison. Then, the ejection control values at the time of ejecting the ink from the plurality of printer heads are corrected so that the state of the ink adhering to the print medium becomes equal.

JP 2013-136257 A

  By the way, for example, in the case of an ink jet printer, when temperature or humidity fluctuates, there are cases where the printing result is slightly affected. On the other hand, when print quality and texture reproducibility are required, it is difficult for a user who does not have specialized experience or knowledge to manually optimize or correct the setting conditions. Also, the print quality and texture desired by the user may not necessarily be embodied by the standard print control predefined by the manufacturer.

  For example, in the publication disclosed in Patent Document 1, the control value of discharge control is corrected according to the environmental temperature. Further, the adhesion states of the ink ejected from the plurality of printer heads are compared, and the correction value is determined so that the adhesion states of the ink ejected from the respective printer heads become uniform. In this case, the temperature change is adjusted to a predetermined control value. Furthermore, the adhesion state of the ink ejected from the plurality of printer heads is uniformly adjusted. However, the printing result by such adjustment does not necessarily result as the user desires. Moreover, the essence of the problem here is not limited to the point of uniformly adjusting the ink adhesion state. That is, when a problem occurs in the fine setting of the image forming machine, for example, the printing result is not the result desired by the user, there are many problems which can not be solved by the user who does not have the expert knowledge of the image forming machine. In this case, the problem is often solved, for example, by dispatching a technician having specialized knowledge in response to a request from the user. However, users have to wait for the arrival of engineers, and manufacturers also need to secure human resources to respond to user requests.

  Such a problem is not limited to the ink jet printer, but may be common to various image forming machines. Here, in the present specification and claims, the “image forming machine” is not limited to an inkjet printer. Examples of the “image forming machine” include an apparatus for printing on a printing medium, an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object, an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object while coloring, and a three-dimensional object. Can be included. Specifically, for example, various printers such as a large-sized color printer, an inkjet printer, a copier, a scanner, a facsimile, and a complex machine thereof, a 3D printer, a color 3D printer, etc. may be included in the “image forming machine”.

  The image forming system proposed here comprises an image forming machine, an operation terminal connected in data communication with the image forming machine, and a host terminal connected in data communication with the operation terminal. The image forming machine includes an image forming machine main body and a control device, and the control device stores a setting information storage unit for storing setting information for setting control of the image forming machine main body, and the setting information storage unit And a control unit that controls the main body of the image forming apparatus based on the setting information. The operation terminal transmits, to the host terminal, the condition information acquisition unit for acquiring predetermined condition information, and the condition information acquired by the condition information acquisition unit, for updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit. And a condition information transmitter. The host terminal has a condition information storage unit that stores the condition information transmitted by the condition information transmission unit, and an update information storage unit that stores the update information created based on the condition information stored in the condition information storage unit. doing. Then, based on the update information, processing for updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit is performed.

  According to such an image forming system, the update information can be created, for example, at the host terminal, and the control of the image forming machine can be updated to an optimal state.

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing an image forming system 10. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of the image forming system 10. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a modification of the image forming system 10. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10.

  Hereinafter, an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Of course, the embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to members and portions that exhibit the same action, and the overlapping description will be appropriately omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing an image forming system 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 10 includes an image forming machine 11, an operation terminal 12, and a host terminal 13. The image forming machine 11 includes an image forming machine main body 21 and a control device 22. The operation terminal 12 is a terminal connected so as to be capable of data communication with the image forming machine 11. The host terminal 13 is an external terminal connected to the operation terminal 12 so as to allow data communication.

  FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of the image forming system 10. As shown in FIG. 2, in the image forming machine 11, a stage of normal image formation processing, a stage of acquiring condition information, a stage in which update information is generated when control updating is required, and There are stages of the update process, etc. The flow chart shown in FIG. 2 describes the processing executed by the image forming machine 11, the operation terminal 12, and the host terminal 13 at each stage. The configuration of the apparatus and the processing at each stage will be described below. Each process of the image forming system 10 may be embodied as a processing module processed in accordance with a predetermined program on a computer in cooperation with various hardware. In addition, various types of information such as setting information, condition information, and update information handled by the image forming system may be embodied as data that can be processed by electronic information processing by a computer.

<< Image Forming Machine 11 >>
In FIG. 1, a large-sized color printer (also referred to as “large-format printer”) is illustrated as the image forming machine 11. The image forming machine main body 21 is an apparatus main body of a large color printer. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the large-sized color printer exemplified here includes a housing 21a, a feeding device 21b, and an image forming unit 21c. In FIG. 1, each configuration of the image forming machine 11 is schematically illustrated here. The example shown in FIG. 1 does not necessarily recall the actual shape or arrangement.

  In the housing 21a, an image forming area 21a1 is provided at a predetermined position. The feeding device 21 b is a device for feeding the medium 40 on which an image is formed in the image forming area 21 a 1. The image forming unit 21c is a unit of an apparatus for forming an image on the medium 40 which has been sent to the image forming area 21a1 by the feeding device 21b. In this embodiment, the image forming unit 21c adopts an inkjet method in which an image is formed by discharging ink to a medium. The system in which the image forming machine 11 forms an image is not limited to this system.

  In this embodiment, the image forming unit 21c adopts an inkjet method, and includes, for example, a carriage 21c1, a moving mechanism 21c2, an ink cartridge mounting portion 21c3, and an ink supply device 21c4.

  A plurality of inkjet nozzles 31 are attached to the carriage 21c1. The moving mechanism 21c2 is a mechanism for moving the carriage 21c1. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 21 c 2 includes a guide 32. The guide 32 is provided with a movement path of the carriage 21c1 along a direction intersecting the direction in which the medium 40 is sent by the feeding device 21b. The carriage 21 c 1 moves along a movement path provided by the guide 32. Here, the direction in which the carriage 21c1 moves is also referred to as "main scanning direction". Further, the direction in which the medium 40 is sent is also referred to as a "sub-scanning direction".

  The ink cartridge 33 is mounted on the ink cartridge mounting portion 21c3. The ink supply device 21c4 has a conduit 34 connecting the ink cartridge 33 mounted to the ink cartridge mounting portion 21c3 and the ink jet nozzle 31 mounted to the carriage 21c1. Although the illustration is simplified in FIG. 1, the ink cartridge 33 and the inkjet nozzle 31 are appropriately connected to each other by a conduit 34. The ink supply device 21 c 4 is a device that supplies the ink from the ink cartridge 33 to the inkjet nozzle 31 through the conduit 34.

  The ink cartridge 33 additionally stores ink information (information on ink) and region information (information on a region where the ink is used). For example, an IC tag (IC tag) such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and a non-volatile memory such as a barcode, which store such information, are attached to the ink cartridge 33. The ink cartridge mounting portion 21 c 3 is provided with a reading device 35 for reading the information from the ink cartridge 33.

  The inkjet nozzle 31, the feeding device 21 b and the moving mechanism 21 c 2 are controlled by the control device 22 respectively. When forming an image, while the medium 40 is fed by the feeding device 21b, the carriage 21c1 is scanned by the moving mechanism 21c2. Then, the ink is discharged to the medium 40 at an appropriate timing from the inkjet nozzle 31 attached to the carriage 21c1. A predetermined image is formed on the medium 40 by the ejected ink.

  Further, in this embodiment, the image forming machine main body 21 is provided with a placing portion 21 d for placing the operation terminal 12. For example, the placement unit 21 d may be provided at a predetermined position of the housing 21 a, for example, a predetermined position of a top plate of the housing 21 a. Further, although not particularly mentioned, the image forming machine main body 21 incorporates an apparatus necessary for image formation, an apparatus necessary for achieving a required function such as a communication apparatus, and the like. For example, a mechanism 36 for adjusting the temperature of the ink, a mechanism 37 for adjusting the temperature of the medium 40 to which the ink adheres, and the like may be provided. A mechanism 36 for adjusting the temperature of the ink may be provided, for example, in the conduit 34 for supplying the ink to the inkjet nozzle 31. Further, a mechanism 37 for adjusting the temperature of the medium 40 is provided on a platen 38 or the like on which the medium 40 is placed in the mechanism for feeding the medium 40. Also, the mechanism for adjusting the temperature may include a heater. The above describes the outline of the large-sized color printer shown in FIG. The "image forming machine" in the present specification and claims is not limited to a large color printer.

<< control device 22 >>
The control device 22 is a device that controls the image forming machine main body 21. The control device 22 is provided in the image forming machine main body 21. The control device 22 is typically a computer, and includes a storage device (such as a memory) and an arithmetic device (such as a CPU). Each process of the control device 22 is embodied based on the calculation result performed in accordance with a predetermined program.

  The control device 22 includes a setting information storage unit 22a and a control unit 22b. The control device 22 further includes a storage unit 22e in which a basic control program for controlling the image forming machine main body 21 is stored. The operation of the image forming machine main body 21 is controlled by the control program. The control program can be set to control contents in accordance with the individual use environment of the image forming machine 11 and the needs of the user. The control device 22 also includes a communication unit 22 f for communicating data with an external device such as the operation terminal 12.

  Setting information for setting control of the image forming machine main body 21 is stored in the setting information storage unit 22a. Here, the “setting information” is information in which control conditions are recorded for a basic control program that controls the image forming machine main body 21.

  The control unit 22 b controls the image forming machine main body 21 based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22 a. That is, the control content by the control program is determined based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a. The control unit 22 b controls the operation of the image forming machine main body 21 in accordance with control contents determined based on the setting information. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, at the image processing stage, the image forming machine 11 is set to execute the image forming process based on the setting information.

<< Operation terminal 12 and host terminal 13 >>
The operation terminal 12 is a terminal connected so as to be capable of data communication with the image forming machine 11. The host terminal 13 is a terminal connected to the operation terminal 12 so as to be capable of data communication. Here, the operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13 are typically computers, and each include a storage device (such as a memory) and an arithmetic device (such as a CPU). The operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13 include various devices such as a communication device and a display. Each process of the operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13 is embodied by performing predetermined calculations according to a predetermined program and operating various devices based on the calculation results.

  The operation terminal 12 is, for example, a terminal placed under the control of a user who operates the image forming machine 11. The host terminal 13 is, for example, a terminal placed under the control of the maker of the image forming machine 11 or a technician having expert knowledge. The operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13 respectively include communication units 12a and 13a. Here, communication between the image forming machine 11 and the operation terminal 12 may be wireless communication in accordance with a predetermined standard. The operation terminal 12 is also connected to the host terminal 13 so as to be capable of data communication, as described later. In this embodiment, the communication unit 12 a of the operation terminal 12 also contributes to data communication with the host terminal 13. Similarly, the host terminal 13 may be provided with the communication unit 13a. The communication unit 13 a of the host terminal 13 appropriately contributes to data communication with the operation terminal 12. Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the host terminal 13 can be connected to the image forming machine 11 so as to be able to perform data communication as appropriate.

  Other means may be used for data communication between the operation terminal 12 and the image forming machine 11 and data communication between the operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13. For example, so-called near-field wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used for data communication between the operation terminal 12 and the image forming machine 11 between the operation terminal 12 and the image forming machine 11. Wired communication means such as a cable may be used for the operation terminal 12 and the image forming machine 11. Further, in the data communication between the operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13, the wide area communication network W can be used. For the wide area communication network W, a system such as the Internet or a wide area network (WAN) can be used.

  The host terminal 13 and the image forming machine 11 may be connected to be capable of data communication. In this case, the wide area communication network W can also be used for data communication between the host terminal 13 and the image forming machine 11. The image forming machine 11 and the operation terminal 12, the operation terminal 12 and the host terminal 13, and the host terminal 13 and the image forming machine 11 may be appropriately connected in a data communicable state. Also, these connections may be connected as needed, and do not have to be always connected.

  The operation terminal 12 includes a condition information acquisition unit 12 b and a condition information transmission unit 12 c. The condition information acquisition unit 12 b executes a process of acquiring condition information for creating update information. Here, the condition information for creating the update information may be determined in advance. Examples of the condition information include items such as product information of the image forming machine 11, position information of the image forming machine 11, media information for image formation, image material information, temperature information and humidity information. In addition, the inclination of the image forming machine 11, vibrations generated in the image forming machine 11, etc. may be included in the condition information. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the condition information for creating the update information is acquired by the operation terminal 12 and transmitted to the host terminal 13. That is, condition information of a predetermined item is acquired by the operation terminal 12 and transmitted to the host terminal 13. The host terminal 13 creates update information based on the condition information acquired by the operation terminal 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the host terminal 13 includes a condition information storage unit 13 b and an update information storage unit 13 c. The condition information storage unit 13 b executes a process of storing condition information. The update information storage unit 13c stores update information created based on the condition information stored in the condition information storage unit 13b.

  For example, the host terminal 13 may incorporate a program configured to create update information for optimizing control based on condition information. In this case, the processing based on the program is executed to create update information based on the condition information.

  Also, the host terminal 13 can be managed by, for example, the maker of the image forming machine 11 or a technician with specialized knowledge. A manufacturer or an engineer having specialized knowledge may create update information for optimizing control of the image forming machine 11 based on the condition information stored in the condition information storage unit 13 b. In this case, for example, when the condition information is recorded in the condition information storage unit 13b, the host terminal 13 executes a process for transmitting the fact that the condition information is recorded to the person in charge of creating the update information. It may have a function. Thereby, the person in charge is urged by the host terminal 13 to create update information based on the condition information. The update information created by the person in charge is stored in the update information storage unit 13c.

  In the flow shown in FIG. 2, the update information created by the host terminal 13 is sent back to the operation terminal 12. Next, at the stage of the update process, the operation terminal 12 transmits the update information to the image forming machine 11. The generated update information is stored in the update information storage unit 22c in the control device 22 (see FIG. 1). Then, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a is updated by the updating unit 22d. Thus, the control of the image forming machine 11 by the control device 22 is optimized based on the condition information.

<< Processing of Image Forming System 10 >>
As shown in FIG. 2, in the image forming machine 11, the image forming process is executed under control based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a. When the user wants to optimize control of the image forming process, the user acquires various condition information for creating update information regarding the image forming machine 11 by the operation terminal 12. Next, the acquired condition information is transmitted to the host terminal 13 by the operation terminal 12. For example, the operation terminal 12 may execute processing for requesting the host terminal 13 to create update information based on the condition information transmitted by the condition information transmission unit 12 c. The host terminal 13 creates update information for optimizing the control of the image forming machine 11 based on the condition information. Then, according to the request process of the operation terminal 12, the created update information is sent back to the operation terminal 12. Then, based on the update information created by the host terminal 13, the setting information of the image forming machine 11 is updated.

  In this image forming system 10, the update information is created under the management of a manufacturer who manages the host terminal or a technician who has specialized knowledge of the image forming machine 11. Therefore, the control of the image forming machine 11 can be updated to the optimized state without the engineer coming to the place where the image forming machine 11 is placed.

Condition information
Here, as the condition information for creating the update information, the product information of the image forming machine 11, the position information of the image forming machine 11, the image forming media information, the image material information, the temperature information and the humidity information are exemplified. These pieces of information will be described below.

  Here, the product information of the image forming machine 11 is, for example, information for specifying the model of the image forming machine 11. The product information of the image forming machine 11 includes a model number and a part number for specifying the model of the image forming machine 11. Further, when a product number or a product ID for specifying the image forming machine 11 is given to the image forming machine 11, the product number, the product ID and the like are used as product information of the image forming machine 11. It can be used.

  The position information of the image forming machine 11 is, for example, position information of a place where the product is installed. The position information may be, for example, GPS information acquired by GPS (Global Positioning System).

  The image formation media information is, for example, information on a medium (a medium 40 in the example shown in FIG. 1) on which an image is formed. Paper, special paper, special supplies, etc. may be selected as appropriate.

  Art material information is, for example, information on an art material used to form an image. For example, the image material includes ink, toner, ribbon, etc., depending on the image forming machine 11. Further, the ink, toner, and ribbon may sometimes require fine adjustment depending on the material used. In this case, if the product can be specifically identified, control of the image forming machine 11 can be embodied. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 1, ink information is recorded in the ink cartridge 33. The ink is applied to the ink cartridge 33 through the reading device 35 provided in the ink cartridge mounting portion 21c3.

  The temperature information and the humidity information are, for example, information related to the temperature and humidity of the place where the image forming machine 11 is installed. Here, information obtained by a thermometer or a hygrometer installed at the place where the image forming machine 11 is installed may be temperature information or humidity information.

  The condition information for creating the update information includes product information of the image forming machine 11, position information of the image forming machine 11, media information for image formation, image material information, temperature information, and information as exemplified by humidity information. By this, control can be optimized to a fine level.

  Here, the process executed by the condition information acquisition unit 12b of the operation terminal 12 may include, as described above, the user's input of condition information, data acquisition from a thermometer, a hygrometer, a GPS receiver, etc. . The process for acquiring the condition information may be embodied by, for example, a process by software based on a program defined in advance on the operation terminal 12. As a result, acquisition of condition information by the operation terminal 12 and input work by the user are simplified or saved.

  For example, in obtaining the product information of the image forming machine 11, the condition information acquiring unit 12b may be set so that the product information of the image forming machine 11 is input. In this case, the product information of the image forming machine 11 may be input by the user. In addition, the condition information acquisition unit 12 b may display a list of product information stored in advance on the operation terminal 12 so that the user can select the product information of the image forming machine 11.

  In addition, the control device 22 may have a product information storage unit 22 h storing product information of the image forming machine 11. In this case, the condition information acquisition unit 12b may be set to acquire the product information of the image forming machine 11 from the product information storage unit 22h. That is, it is preferable that the model number and the product ID are stored in advance in the control device 22 of the image forming machine 11. The operation terminal 12 may be configured to automatically acquire and obtain a predetermined model number and a product ID (product information) from the control device 22 through communication with the image forming machine 11.

  In the acquisition of the position information of the image forming machine 11, for example, the operation terminal 12 may be provided with a GPS receiver 12d. The condition information acquisition unit 12 b may use information acquired by the GPS receiver 12 d of the operation terminal 12 as position information of the image forming machine 11. The operation terminal 12 is operated in the same space as the place where the image forming machine 11 is disposed. Therefore, the position information of the operation terminal 12 can be treated as the position information of the image forming machine 11. Alternatively, a tablet terminal or a mobile terminal provided with a GPS receiver may be used as the operation terminal 12 by installing software having a function as the condition information acquisition unit 12b in a general-purpose terminal. In this case, there is no need to attach a GPS receiver to the image forming machine 11. Also, many tablet terminals and mobile terminals have a built-in GPS receiver and are generally used. Under such circumstances, position information of the image forming machine 11 can be obtained by using a GPS receiver built in the tablet terminal or the mobile terminal. In this case, it is not necessary to specially attach a GPS receiver to the image forming machine 11, and the cost of the image forming machine 11 can be suppressed low.

  Further, the image forming machine 11 may be provided with a placement unit 21 d for placing the operation terminal 12 at a predetermined position. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is provided at a predetermined position of the top plate of the case 21 a of the image forming machine 11 or the like. By providing such a placement unit 21 d, more appropriate position information can be obtained when the position information of the image forming machine 11 is obtained from the GPS receiver of the operation terminal 12. Further, the placement unit 21 d may be provided with a signal transmitter 21 d 1 that sends a predetermined signal to the operation terminal 12. For example, a noncontact IC card may be embedded in the placement unit 21d as the signal transmitter 21d1. In this case, when receiving the signal from the signal transmitter 21 d 1, the condition information acquiring unit 12 b may acquire position information obtained from the GPS receiver of the operation terminal 12 as position information of the image forming machine 11. In this case, position information obtained when the operation terminal 12 is placed on the predetermined placement unit 21 d can be used as position information of the image forming machine 11. For this reason, more appropriate position information can be obtained as the position information of the image forming machine 11.

  The image forming machine 11 may include a GPS receiver 22g. The condition information acquiring unit 12 b may be set to acquire position information of the image forming machine 11 based on information acquired by the GPS receiver 22 g provided in the image forming machine 11. In this case, since position information is obtained from the GPS receiver 22g provided in the image forming machine 11, appropriate position information can be obtained as position information of the image forming machine 11.

  Acquisition of position information of the image forming machine 11 is not limited to this. For example, in the host terminal 13, the product ID of the image forming machine 11 and the position information at which the image forming machine 11 is installed may be associated (registered) in advance. In this case, based on the product ID of the image forming machine 11, the host terminal 13 can be configured to be able to specify the position information of the image forming machine 11.

  In the acquisition of the temperature information or the humidity information, the condition information acquisition unit 12b may be set to receive the temperature information or the humidity information. That is, it is preferable that input items such as temperature information and humidity information are set in processing on software that can function as the condition information acquisition unit 12 b. Then, the user may be allowed to input temperature information and humidity information on the operation screen of the operation terminal 12. Differences such as temperature and humidity may affect the texture in image formation. On the host side, it is difficult to obtain accurate information on the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the image forming machine 11 is placed. Therefore, in the process of the condition information acquisition unit 12b of the operation terminal 12, it is preferable that the user input temperature information and humidity information. For example, the user may input through the operation terminal 12 temperature information and humidity information obtained by a thermometer or a hygrometer installed at the place where the image forming machine 11 is installed.

  The thermometer or the hygrometer may be attached to the image forming machine 11 in advance. In this case, the operation terminal 12 may acquire temperature information and humidity information from a thermometer or a hygrometer attached to the image forming machine 11 in data communication with the image forming machine 11. In addition, a thermometer or a hygrometer installed at a place where the image forming machine 11 is placed may have a function capable of data communication with the operation terminal 12. In this case, the condition information acquisition unit 12b may acquire temperature information and humidity information through communication with a thermometer or a hygrometer. In this case, it is not necessary to input temperature information and humidity information, so the input load on the user is reduced.

  Further, the image forming machine 11 may be equipped with a thermometer or a hygrometer. In this case, the operation terminal 12 may acquire temperature information and humidity information from a thermometer or a hygrometer provided in the image forming machine 11. In the long-term use of the image forming machine 11, there is also a possibility that the thermometer or the hygrometer provided in the image forming machine 11 may break down. Therefore, as described above, even when temperature information or humidity information is acquired from the thermometer or hygrometer provided in the image forming machine 11, it is installed at the position where the user inputs or the image forming machine 11 is placed. It is preferable that a method for acquiring temperature information and humidity information can be selected by communication with a thermometer or a hygrometer.

  In the acquisition of the media information or the drawing material information, the condition information acquisition unit 12b may be set to receive the media information or the drawing material information. Media information, art material information, etc. may be input by the user. In addition, media information, art material information, and the like may be recorded on a label obtained along with the image forming media or the art material. In this case, the condition information acquisition unit 12 b may be set to acquire media information and drawing material information from a label acquired in association with the image forming medium and the drawing material.

Here, the image forming medium is the medium 40 in the form shown in FIG. In this case, the label obtained in conjunction with the image forming medium may be, for example, a label such as a two-dimensional bar code attached to a packaging member for packaging the medium 40.
Also, the image material is ink in the form shown in FIG. In this case, the label obtained in association with the image material may be a label such as an ink cartridge or a two-dimensional bar code attached to the packaging member.

  In this case, media information and art material information are stored in these two-dimensional barcodes. In this case, the condition information acquisition unit 12b may acquire the images of these labels and read the media information from the images of the labels. As described above, a general-purpose tablet terminal or mobile terminal may be employed as the operation terminal 12. A camera is often attached to these general-purpose terminals. The image of the label may be an image captured by a camera attached to the operation terminal 12. When the label is a two-dimensional barcode, media information may be acquired by using a function such as a barcode reader attached to a general-purpose tablet terminal or mobile terminal.

  As described above, the condition information includes, for example, at least one of information item groups consisting of product information of the image forming machine, position information of the image forming machine, media information for image formation, image material information, temperature information, and humidity information. Information items should be included. Thus, based on the information items included in the condition information, update information capable of optimizing control of the image forming machine 11 can be created.

<< Creating update information >>
Next, the host terminal 13 creates update information based on the condition information sent from the operation terminal 12. As described above, the host terminal 13 can be set to create update information based on a predetermined program. The host terminal 13 can also be configured such that a technician having expert knowledge of the image forming machine 11 creates update information based on the condition information. In the host terminal 13, the update information is stored in the update information storage unit 13c.

Update process
In the image forming system 10, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a of the control device 22 is updated based on the update information stored in the update information storage unit 13c. By this processing, the setting information of the control device 22 is updated based on the update information created by the host terminal 13. According to the image forming system 10, the time and effort of the user can be saved in the process of updating the setting information of the control device 22 of the image forming machine 11. In addition, optimization of control of the image forming machine 11 can be realized even if the engineer does not go to the place where the image forming machine 11 is placed. Further, as described above, a portable terminal such as a general-purpose tablet terminal or a mobile terminal can be used as the operation terminal 12. These terminals are widely used in general. Necessary application software can be added, or connection can be made to a web site provided by the host terminal 13, and necessary functions are provided. Therefore, the user does not have to prepare a special terminal for updating the setting of the image forming machine 11. The user can use, for example, a portable terminal used individually as the operation terminal 12. This reduces the cost burden on the user.

  Here, in the process of updating the setting information, as shown in FIG. 2, the update information stored in the update information storage unit 13 c may be stored in the operation terminal 12. In this case, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22 a of the control device 22 may be updated based on the update information stored in the operation terminal 12. In this case, when transmitting the condition information to the host terminal 13, the operation terminal 12 may request the host terminal 13 to return the update information created based on the condition information to the operation terminal 12. . In response to this request, the update information stored in the update information storage unit 13 c may be returned to the operation terminal 12, and the process stored in the operation terminal 12 may be embodied. It is preferable that a storage area for storing the update information be allocated to the operation terminal 12 in advance.

  In this case, since the update information is stored in the operation terminal 12, for example, the user may be able to confirm the update information using the operation terminal 12. Further, the process of updating the setting information may be configured to be executed based on the process of approving in the operation terminal 12 that the setting information is updated. Such approval may be performed by, for example, a user who manages the operation terminal 12.

  Further, in this embodiment, the control device 22 includes the update information storage unit 22c and the update unit 22d. The update information storage unit 22c stores update information for updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a. The update unit 22d executes a process of updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a based on the update information stored in the update information storage unit 22c. In this case, in the process in which the setting information of the control device 22 is updated, the update information is stored in the control device 22. Then, the setting information is updated based on the update information stored in the control device 22.

  FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a modification of the image forming system 10. The apparatus configuration of the image forming system 10 is shown in FIG. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the host terminal 13 may be set so that a plurality of pieces of update information having different contents are created based on the condition information.

In this case, a plurality of pieces of update information are stored in the update information storage unit 13c based on the same condition information. The process of updating the setting information may include the following processes a to c.
a. Processing in which a plurality of pieces of update information are stored in the operation terminal 12 b. Processing in which one update information is selected among a plurality of update information in the operation terminal 12 c. Processing in which setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a of the control device 22 is updated based on one selected update information

  In this case, multiple pieces of update information having different contents are created based on the condition information. Then, the generated update information is stored in the operation terminal 12. Then, in the operation terminal 12, one piece of update information is selected among the plurality of pieces of update information. In this case, the host terminal 13 can create, for example, a plurality of pieces of update information considered to be optimal for the needs of the user from the condition information. Therefore, it is easier for the host terminal 13 to prepare update information than when only one update information is created. In addition, the user's choice increases more than when only one update information is created, and the setting with the update information is more likely to be optimal for the needs.

For example, the following processing may be included in the processing in which one piece of update information is selected from the plurality of pieces of update information in the operation terminal 12.
The process of changing the setting of the control device 22 of the image forming machine 11 according to each update information The process of forming a test image according to the changed setting When configured as described above, the user operates the image forming machine 11 The formed test image can be confirmed. For this reason, it becomes easy to select optimal update information from among a plurality of update information through the operation terminal 12.

  In addition, the operation terminal 12 may be configured to confirm how the image to be formed changes with each update information, without actually changing the setting information of the vibration control apparatus 22. In this case, the explanation of the point that the setting information is changed according to each update information may be displayed on the display of the operation terminal 12. Further, the image created when the setting information is changed according to each update information may be configured to be simulated on the operation terminal 12 and displayed on the display of the operation terminal 12 or the like. When the image forming system 10 is configured in this manner, the user can easily select optimal update information from among a plurality of update information through the operation terminal 12.

  FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the host terminal 13 and the control device 22 of the image forming machine 11 can be communicably connected through a network. In the process of updating the setting information, the update information stored in the update information storage unit 13 c of the host terminal 13 is stored in the vibration control apparatus 22 based on the update information stored in the vibration control apparatus 22. A process of updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a may be executed. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, in the process of updating the setting information, the setting information of the image forming machine 11 may be updated by the host terminal 13 without passing through the operation terminal 12. In this case, the user only needs to send the condition information to the host terminal 13 by the operation terminal 12. Thereafter, the setting of the image forming machine 11 is changed by the host terminal 13. In this case, the operation by the user is simplified. The manufacturer who manages the host terminal 13 can grasp the information of the site where the image forming machine 11 is placed from the condition information sent from the user, and based on this, the engineer of the maker optimizes the setting of the image forming machine 11 Can be achieved.

  FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. In the flow shown in FIG. 5, after the process of updating the setting information is performed, the process of changing the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a of the control device 22 is performed by the operation terminal 12 ing. That is, this means that the setting information after being updated is adjusted by the operation terminal 12. The operation terminal 12 can be operated at the place where the image forming machine 11 is placed. For example, after the setting information is updated, the test image is formed by the image forming machine 11. The user can check the test image and adjust the updated setting information. Therefore, the user can adjust the updated setting information to be more optimal. The basic update of the setting information is performed by the update information created by the host terminal 13. This makes it easy for the user to optimize the setting information.

  FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. In the mode shown in FIG. 6, the operation terminal 12 executes a process of creating evaluation information obtained by evaluating the image formed by the image forming machine main body 21 and a process of transmitting the evaluation information to the host terminal 13. This process may be performed after the process of updating the setting information is performed. Here, in the process of transmitting the evaluation information to the host terminal 13, for example, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 22a when the image evaluated by the evaluation information is formed, and the setting information are set. It is preferable that condition information at the time of the event is associated with the evaluation information and transmitted to the host terminal 13 together with the evaluation information. The host terminal 13 creates an evaluation database 13 d (see FIG. 1) in which setting information, condition information, and evaluation information are associated and stored.

  Thus, after the process of updating the setting information is executed, the image evaluation formed by the image forming machine 11 is fed back to the host terminal 13. Here, in the process of creating the evaluation information, in the image evaluation, a method of giving a score to each of predetermined evaluation items may be adopted. Such points may be scored by the user. Also, for example, in order to create evaluation information, software for evaluating an image may be prepared in advance. The software for evaluating the image may be, for example, photograph data obtained by photographing the image produced by the image forming machine 11 or drawing data produced by the optical scanner based on the image, and the predetermined software The predetermined items may be scored. In this case, the operation terminal 12 may include, in the condition information, photo data obtained by capturing an image created by the image forming machine 11 and drawing data created by an optical scanner based on the image. The host terminal 13 performs a process of scoring predetermined items for evaluating the formed image by software defined in advance based on photo data and drawing data included in the condition information transmitted by the operation terminal 12. It may be executed. Here, although the case where the image forming machine 11 is an inkjet printer is exemplified, when the image forming machine is a 3D printer, the evaluation information to be created may be one obtained by evaluating a shaped object. Also, the image evaluation may be evaluated on the host terminal 13 side based on the picture data and the drawing data included in the condition information transmitted by the operation terminal 12.

  The host terminal 13 may execute, for example, a process of searching for a candidate for setting information from the evaluation database 13 d based on the condition information. Further, the evaluation information recorded in the evaluation database 13 d may include an evaluation value obtained by evaluating the image formed by the image forming machine main body 21. Here, the evaluation value is a predetermined value for evaluating the image formed by the image forming machine main body 21. The evaluation value can be represented by, for example, a predetermined numerical value, a character string, or a symbol. In this case, in the process of searching for the setting information candidate, the host terminal 13 may search for the setting information candidate from the evaluation database 13 d based on the evaluation value obtained by evaluating the image. Furthermore, the host terminal 13 may execute a process of creating update information for updating to the setting information candidate obtained by the process of searching for the setting information candidate.

  The host terminal 13 can be connected to the operation terminals 12 of a plurality of users. For this reason, the evaluation database 13d can be used to organize information by model or by country or region using location information. In the process of searching for setting information candidates, for example, cases in which the condition information is the same or similar in the evaluation database 13 d may be extracted. For example, each item of condition information may be quantified to extract an item having a high matching rate. As described above, according to the process of searching for the setting information candidate from the evaluation database 13d, the process of creating the update information in the host terminal 13 can be saved. Further, in the process of searching for the setting information candidate, for example, the setting information candidate may be searched based on the evaluation value obtained by evaluating the image of the evaluation information. This makes it easy to search for configuration information that meets the needs of the user. A plurality of setting information candidates may be extracted. There may be a difference in the condition information of the searched configuration information. The host terminal 13 may execute a process of correcting the searched setting information based on the difference in the condition information. Further, the host terminal 13 may execute a process of creating update information for updating the setting information stored in the control device 22 based on the searched setting information or the setting information obtained by correcting the searched setting information. .

  FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing another form of the image forming system 10. The condition information may include the inclination of the image forming machine 11 and the vibration generated in the image forming machine 11. The image forming machine 11 is premised to be used with the predetermined reference plane being horizontal. The inclination of the image forming machine 11 is the inclination of the reference surface. The vibration generated in the image forming machine 11 is, for example, a vibration generated when the image forming machine 11 forms an image.

  In order to obtain information on tilt and vibration of the image forming machine 11 (hereinafter referred to as “vibration information” as appropriate), for example, the image forming machine 11 may be provided with an acceleration sensor. When the image forming machine 11 is provided with an acceleration sensor, the inclination and vibration of the image forming machine 11 are acquired based on the acceleration sensor provided in the image forming machine 11. Here, the inclination of the image forming machine 11 is the inclination of a reference surface preset in the image forming machine 11, and can be calculated based on data acquired by the acceleration sensor. As information on the vibration of the image forming machine 11, for example, when the image forming machine 11 forms a predetermined test image, it is preferable to acquire a vibration waveform obtained based on the acceleration sensor.

  In addition, as the operation terminal 12, as described above, a general-purpose tablet terminal or a mobile terminal can be used. Such general-purpose tablet terminals and mobile terminals often include an acceleration sensor. As described above, when the tablet terminal or the mobile terminal in which the acceleration sensor is built in is used as the operation terminal 12, information on the tilt or vibration of the image forming machine 11 can be obtained using the operation terminal 12. For example, the operation terminal 12 may obtain the tilt and the vibration of the image forming machine 11 in a state where the operation terminal 12 is placed on a predetermined placement unit provided in the image forming machine 11. As described above, when using the acceleration sensor incorporated in the operation terminal 12 to obtain the tilt and vibration of the image forming machine 11, the image forming machine 11 does not need to be provided with the acceleration sensor, and the image forming machine The cost of 11 can be kept low. Further, even when the acceleration sensor of the image forming machine 11 is broken, this can be substituted.

  For example, the image forming machine 11 may include an acceleration sensor, and the operation terminal 12 may execute a process of including the inclination obtained based on the acceleration sensor of the image forming machine 11 in the condition information. Further, for example, the image forming machine main body 21 may include the placement unit 21 d on which the operation terminal 12 is placed. In addition, the operation terminal 12 may include an acceleration sensor. Then, the operation terminal 12 may execute a process of including the inclination obtained by the acceleration sensor of the operation terminal 12 in the condition information transmitted to the host terminal 13 while being placed on the placement unit 21 d. In this case, the host terminal 13 can determine how the image forming machine 11 is installed based on the inclinations obtained by these acceleration sensors.

  The host terminal 13 determines, for example, whether or not the inclination obtained by the acceleration sensor is larger than a predetermined threshold. Then, when the inclination obtained by the acceleration sensor is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the process of transmitting a warning to the operation terminal 12 may be set to be performed. That is, when the inclination obtained by the acceleration sensor is larger than a predetermined threshold value, it is suspected that the image forming machine 11 is not properly installed. In this case, it is desirable that the image forming machine 11 be properly installed before changing the control setting of the image forming machine 11. By executing a process of sending a warning to the operation terminal 12, it can be expected that the user of the image forming machine 11 can be properly installed so that the inclination of the image forming machine 11 is eliminated. When the inclination of the image forming machine 11 is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the process of creating the update information may be stopped. When the condition information includes product information of the image forming machine 11, a predetermined threshold value for determining the inclination may be determined based on the product information of the image forming machine 11. The allowable amount for the tilt of the image forming machine main body 21 differs depending on the model of the image forming machine 11. The host terminal 13 can make an appropriate determination according to the image forming machine 11 by setting a predetermined threshold value for determining the inclination based on the product information of the image forming machine 11.

  Next, the vibration of the image forming machine 11 will be described. In this regard, for example, the image forming machine 11 may include an acceleration sensor. The operation terminal 12 executes a process of causing the image forming machine 11 to form a predetermined test image. Then, while the test image is being formed, processing may be performed to include vibration information obtained based on the acceleration sensor of the image forming machine 11 in the condition information.

  In addition, the image forming machine 11 may include a placement unit 21 d on which the operation terminal 12 is placed. The operation terminal 12 may include an acceleration sensor. The operation terminal 12 executes a process of causing the image forming machine 11 to form a predetermined test image while being placed on the placement unit 21 d. Then, while the test image is being formed, processing of including vibration information obtained based on the acceleration sensor of the operation terminal 12 in the condition information is performed.

  The host terminal 13 may be set to execute a process of sending a warning to the operation terminal 12 when the vibration information included in the condition information is larger than a predetermined threshold. That is, it is determined whether the vibration information is larger than a predetermined threshold. For example, vibration information can be grasped as a vibration waveform obtained based on an acceleration sensor. In this case, whether or not the vibration information is larger than a predetermined threshold value can be determined based on, for example, the maximum value of the maximum amplitude or acceleration of the vibration. That is, when the maximum amplitude or acceleration of vibration is larger than a predetermined threshold value, a warning is issued to the operation terminal 12. Here, when product information of the image forming machine 11 is included in the condition information, a predetermined threshold may be determined based on the product information of the image forming machine 11.

  In addition, as another form, as shown in FIG. 1, the host terminal 13 may be connected to the plurality of operation terminals 12 and 12A so as to be capable of data communication as appropriate. In this case, the host terminal 13 may execute a process of transmitting update information created based on the condition information to the operation terminal 12 that has transmitted the condition information among the plurality of operation terminals 12 and 12A. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the host terminal 13 is connected to the plurality of operation terminals 12 and 12A through the wide area communication network W. The host terminal 13 is only connected to the two operating terminals 12 and 12A, but may be connected to more operating terminals 12 and 12A. In this case, information obtained from the plurality of operation terminals 12 and 12A may be collectively recorded in the evaluation database 13d of the host terminal 13 described above. Thus, it is expected that better update information will be created by the process of searching for the evaluation database 13d and creating update information by the host terminal 13.

  Also, the host terminal 13 may execute a process of providing a website having a function capable of uploading the condition information in a state in which the operation terminal 12 can be accessed. In this case, the user accesses the Web site provided by the host terminal 13 using the operation terminal 12, and inputs the condition information for creating the update information according to the format prepared on the Web site. It may be possible to do it. The provision of such a website unifies the form when the user uploads the condition information. Then, in the host terminal 13, information processing such as creation of a database based on the uploaded condition information is facilitated.

  As mentioned above, although one embodiment of the image formation system proposed here was variously described, the image formation system proposed here is not limited to the embodiment mentioned above. Further, the image forming system proposed here can be variously modified, and the respective constituent elements can be appropriately omitted or appropriately combined, unless a particular problem arises.

10 Image forming system 11 Image forming machine 12, 12A Operation terminal 12a Communication unit 12b Condition information acquisition unit 12c Condition information transmission unit 12d GPS receiver 13 Host terminal 13a Communication unit 13b Condition information storage unit 13c Update information storage unit 13d Evaluation database 21 Image forming machine main body 21a Case 21a1 Image forming area 21b Feeding device 21c Image forming unit 21c1 Carriage 21c2 Moving mechanism 21c3 Ink cartridge mounting unit 21c4 Ink supply device 21d Mounting unit 21d1 Signal transmitter 22 Control device 22a Setting information storage unit 22b Control Section 22c Update information storage section 22d Update section 22e Storage section 22f Communication section 22g GPS receiver 22h Product information storage section 31 Inkjet nozzle 32 Guide 33 Ink cartridge 34 Line 35 Reading device 36 Ink Mechanism 38 platen 40 medium W global communication network for adjusting the temperature of the mechanism 37 medium to adjust the degree

Claims (34)

An image forming machine,
An operation terminal connected in data communication with the image forming machine;
A host terminal connected to the operation terminal so as to be capable of data communication;
The image forming machine is
Image forming machine main body,
Equipped with a control unit,
The controller is
A setting information storage unit storing setting information for setting control of the image forming machine main body;
A control unit configured to control the image forming machine main body based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit;
The operation terminal is
A condition information acquisition unit for acquiring predetermined condition information for updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit;
And a condition information transmitting unit for transmitting the condition information acquired by the condition information acquiring unit to the host terminal.
The host terminal is
A condition information storage unit that stores the condition information transmitted by the condition information transmission unit;
It has an update information storage unit for storing update information created based on the condition information stored in the condition information storage unit,
The setting information stored in the setting information storage unit is set to be updated based on the update information.
Imaging system. The predetermined condition information includes product information of the image forming machine,
The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the condition information acquiring unit is set to input product information of the image forming machine. The predetermined condition information includes product information of the image forming machine,
The control device has a product information storage unit storing product information of the image forming machine, and
The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the condition information acquiring unit is set to acquire product information of the image forming machine from the product information storage unit. The predetermined condition information includes position information of the image forming machine,
The operation terminal comprises a GPS receiver,
The condition information acquisition unit is set to acquire position information of the image forming machine based on the information acquired by the GPS receiver.
An image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The image forming system according to claim 4, wherein the image forming machine is provided with a placement unit for placing the operation terminal at a predetermined position.   The placement unit is provided with a signal transmitter, and the condition information acquisition unit acquires position information from the GPS receiver when the operation terminal receives a signal from the signal transmitter. The imaging system according to claim 5, wherein the imaging system is set. The image forming machine comprises a GPS receiver,
The predetermined condition information includes position information of the image forming machine,
The condition information acquisition unit is set to acquire position information of the image forming machine based on the information acquired by the GPS receiver.
An image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The predetermined condition information includes temperature information,
The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the condition information acquisition unit is set to receive the temperature information. The predetermined condition information includes humidity information,
The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the condition information acquisition unit is set to receive the humidity information. The predetermined condition information includes media information associated with the image forming media,
The condition information acquisition unit is set to receive the media information.
An imaging system according to any one of the preceding claims. The predetermined condition information includes media information associated with the image forming media,
The condition information acquisition unit
The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the system is configured to acquire the media information from a label acquired together with the image forming medium. The label obtained in conjunction with the image forming medium is provided with a two-dimensional barcode in which the media information is recorded,
The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the condition information acquisition unit is set to acquire the media information from the image of the two-dimensional barcode. The predetermined condition information includes image material information associated with the image material,
The condition information acquisition unit is set to receive the image material information.
An image forming system according to any one of the preceding claims. The predetermined condition information includes image material information associated with the image material,
The condition information acquisition unit
The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the image forming material information is set to be acquired from a label acquired together with the image forming material. The label acquired in conjunction with the image material is attached with a two-dimensional barcode in which the image material information is recorded,
The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein the condition information acquisition unit is set to acquire the image material information from an image of the two-dimensional barcode.   The predetermined condition information includes at least one of an information item group including product information of the image forming machine, position information of the image forming machine, media information for image formation, image material information, temperature information, and humidity information. 16. An imaging system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an information item is included. In the process of updating the setting information,
A process in which update information stored in the update information storage unit is stored in the operation terminal;
And a process of updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit of the control device based on the update information stored in the operation terminal.
17. An imaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. The host terminal is
Based on the condition information, a plurality of pieces of update information having different contents are set to be created,
The plurality of pieces of update information are stored in the update information storage unit, and
In the process of updating the setting information,
A process in which the plurality of pieces of update information are stored in the operation terminal;
A process of selecting one of the plurality of pieces of update information in the operation terminal;
And a process of updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit of the control device based on the one update information.
An image forming system according to claim 17. The host terminal is
It is communicably connected to the control device through a network,
In the process of updating the setting information,
A process in which update information stored in the update information storage unit is stored in the control device;
And a process of updating the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit based on the update information stored in the control device.
17. An imaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.   The operation terminal is set to execute a process of changing setting information stored in the setting information storage unit after the process of updating the setting information is executed. An image forming system according to any one of the preceding claims. The operation terminal is
A process of creating evaluation information obtained by evaluating an image formed by the image forming machine main body;
When the image in which the evaluation information is created is formed, the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit, the condition information when the setting information is set, and the evaluation information are associated with each other, Configured to perform the process of sending to the terminal, and
The host terminal is
It is set to create an evaluation database in which the setting information, the condition information, and the evaluation information are associated and stored.
21. An imaging system according to any one of the preceding claims. The host terminal is
The image forming system according to claim 21, configured to search for candidates for setting information from the evaluation database based on the condition information. The evaluation information includes an evaluation value obtained by evaluating an image formed by the image forming machine main body,
In the search process, the host terminal is set to search for a candidate for setting information from the evaluation database based on an evaluation value obtained by evaluating the image.
An image forming system according to claim 21 or 22. The host terminal is set to create update information for updating to the setting information candidate obtained by the search process.
An image forming system according to claim 22 or 23. The image forming machine includes an acceleration sensor,
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the operation terminal is set to execute a process of including, in the predetermined condition information, an inclination obtained based on the acceleration sensor. Imaging system. The image forming machine includes a placement unit on which the operation terminal is placed;
The operation terminal includes an acceleration sensor,
The operation terminal is set to execute a process of including the inclination obtained based on the acceleration sensor in the predetermined condition information while being placed in the placement unit. 24. An imaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding.   The host terminal is set to execute processing of sending a warning to the operation terminal when the inclination included in the predetermined condition information is larger than a predetermined threshold. 25. The imaging system described in 25 or 26. The predetermined condition information includes product information of the image forming machine,
The image forming system according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined threshold is determined based on product information of the image forming machine. The image forming machine includes an acceleration sensor,
The operation terminal is
Processing the image forming machine to form a predetermined test image;
While the test image is being formed, it is set to execute a process of including vibration information obtained based on the acceleration sensor of the image forming machine in the condition information.
An imaging system according to any one of the preceding claims. The image forming machine includes a placement unit on which the operation terminal is placed;
The operation terminal includes an acceleration sensor,
The operation terminal is
A process of causing the image forming machine to form a predetermined test image while being placed in the placement unit;
While the test image is being formed, a process of including vibration information obtained based on the acceleration sensor of the operation terminal in the predetermined condition information is set to be performed.
An imaging system according to any one of the preceding claims.   The host terminal is set to execute processing of sending a warning to the operation terminal when the vibration information included in the predetermined condition information is larger than a predetermined threshold. Item 31. The image forming system described in Item 29 or 30. The predetermined condition information includes product information of the image forming machine,
The image forming system according to claim 31, wherein the predetermined threshold is determined based on product information of the image forming machine. The host terminal is
It is connected to multiple operation terminals to enable data communication,
It is set to execute processing of transmitting update information created based on the condition information to the operation terminal that has sent the condition information among a plurality of operation terminals.
33. An imaging system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. The host terminal is
The web site having a function capable of uploading the condition information is set to execute a process of providing the web site in an accessible state.
An imaging system according to any one of the preceding claims.

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