JP5451361B2 - Printer and printing control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer that prints ink on an ink ribbon by transferring it onto a recording medium using a thermal head, and a printing control method.

  In general, some printers that output an image using paper and ink as a medium are equipped with a function of inserting an image captured by a digital camera or the like into a frame or the like and printing it.

  In such a printer, development of a printer that allows a user to select a frame color from several choices using a display function and print the frame in the color selected by the user is underway.

  A conventional printer has been proposed that includes a color adjusting device that allows a user to freely change the color of an image without being limited by a special printing method such as a frame. In a printer equipped with this color adjustment device, the user can print an image of a desired color by designating the hue of the image using the display of the hue circle displayed on the display screen. Yes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2005-27052

  However, considering the installation of a conventional color adjustment device in a thermal printer that prints the dye surface by thermally sublimating the ink ribbon with a thermal head, there is a concern that the following image quality degradation may occur. The

  For example, when the user selects a color and the printing environment is a low-temperature and low-humidity (low-temperature and low-humidity) environment, the YUV value of the user-selected color is high, that is, if the color is light, Fading is likely to occur at the location where the color is printed.

  In the case of a high temperature and high humidity (high temperature and high humidity) environment, when the Y value of the color selected by the user is low, that is, when the color is dark, wrinkles are likely to occur at a portion where the color is printed. There is a problem.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printer and a print control method that enable a user to select a color suitable for a printing environment so that printing can be performed with high image quality.

In order to achieve the above object, a printer of the present invention comprises a selection unit that selects a background color to be printed together with image data in a printer that prints ink on an ink ribbon onto a recording medium by a thermal head. The information on the print environment includes an acquisition unit for acquiring an environmental temperature, and a control unit that restricts colors that can be selected by the selection unit based on the information on the print environment acquired by the acquisition unit. And

In order to achieve the above object, a printing control method of the present invention is a printing control method for printing an image by transferring ink on an ink ribbon onto a recording medium by a thermal head and printing the image together with image data. A selection step for selecting a background color, an acquisition step for acquiring an environmental temperature as information about the printing environment, and a color that can be selected by the selection step based on the information about the printing environment acquired by the acquisition step. And a control step for limiting.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer and a print control method that enable printing with high image quality by enabling selection of a color suitable for the printing environment.

(A) (B) is a schematic block diagram which shows the sublimation type printer concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a sublimation printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a side door opened. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a sublimation printer according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user interface display for selecting a synthesis format with a general image in the sublimation printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the user interface display for selecting the background color in the synthesis | combination with a general image in the sublimation type printer concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between an environment and a background color selection pattern in the sublimation type printer concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A), (B), and (C) are explanatory diagrams showing background color selection patterns in the sublimation printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the user interface display of background color selection in the sublimation type printer concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the warning by the user interface display of background color selection in the sublimation type printer concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between an example of a synthesized image and the number of each direction lines in the sublimation type printer concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the conditions regarding the image data of the general image inserted in a synthesized image in the sublimation type printer concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the pattern of the printing environment referred in the background color selection in the sublimation type printer concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the conditions of the image data printing environment for determining the pattern of background color selection in the sublimation type printer concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the background color selection pattern in the sublimation type printer concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the compositing possible mode process performed with the sublimation type printer concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 and FIG.

  In the schematic configuration explanatory diagram of the thermal printer (sublimation printer) in FIG. 1A, 201 is a paper cassette on which recording paper P is stacked. This thermal printer is a printer that prints on a recording medium by thermally melting or sublimating ink on an ink ribbon with a thermal head. When a printing operation is performed by this thermal printer, only the uppermost recording sheet is separated from the bundle of recording sheets P stacked on the sheet cassette 201 by the sheet feeding roller 202 and the separating member 203. The separated sheet of recording paper P is conveyed to the thermal head 204 and the platen roller 205.

  In this thermal printer (sublimation type printer), the ink sheet 206 of the first color is superimposed on the recording paper P, and the thermal head 204 and the platen roller 205 are pressed against each other. At the same time, in this thermal printer, the recording paper P is conveyed by rolling in a state where the recording paper P is sandwiched between a pair of capstan rollers 207 and a pinch roller 208 provided downstream in the printing direction.

  In this thermal printer, the thermal head 204 is controlled to generate heat while conveying the recording paper P as described above, and the ink on the first color ink sheet 206 is thermally transferred onto the recording paper P.

  Next, in this thermal printer, as shown in FIG. 1B, after the first color printing is completed, the thermal head 204 is released from pressure contact in order to print the next color. In this thermal printer, the capstan roller 207 and the pinch roller 208 are rotated in the direction opposite to that during the printing operation to return the recording paper P to the printing start position. Next, in this thermal printer, the second and subsequent colors are printed by the same operation as the first color described above. In this way, this thermal printer performs full color printing by superimposing three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan.

  Further, the thermal printer is configured such that the ink sheet 206 can be inserted from the ink sheet insertion opening 4 by opening the side door 1 as shown in the overall external view of the thermal printer in FIG. This thermal printer is configured such that the paper cassette 201 can be inserted by opening the paper cassette insertion slot lid 5.

  The thermal printer includes a media insertion unit 6 for inserting media on which image data to be printed is recorded.

  In this thermal printer, the display unit 2 is arranged on the upper surface. The display unit 2 displays the status of the printer main body when the power supply unit is activated. Here, the status includes the presence / absence of image data recorded on the medium inserted into the media insertion unit 6, the presence / absence of insertion of the paper cassette 201 or the ink sheet 206, and the like.

  In this thermal printer, the display unit 2 has a touch panel function or a touch pen function. The thermal printer includes an operation unit 3. The operation unit 3 has a function of inputting power ON / OFF, image selection, print setting, and print command transmission commands.

  The thermal printer is configured such that the user operates the operation unit 3 to turn on the power, and operates the display unit 2 to set printing.

  In this thermal printer, various controls (printing control) related to each unit shown in FIG. 3 and the thermal printer as a whole may be controlled by a single block or a plurality of blocks or individually controlled by a dedicated block. good.

  In the printing control of this thermal printer, the image processing unit 36 converts image data to be printed into CMY-based data and performs image correction. In the image processing unit 36, the image data is combined with a composition area for layout, a frame image, a stamp image, and the like, and composite processing for generating composite image data is also performed. When the composite image data generated by the image processing unit 36 is generated, the colors of the composite region, the frame image, and the stamp image are colored with the color selected on the background color selection screen.

  In the printing control of the thermal printer, the environment detection unit 31 acquires (detects) an environment in which the printer body is placed and executes printing, and accumulates information regarding the acquired printing environment (printing environment) in the storage unit 35. The environment detection unit 31 includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor mounted on a substrate or the like in the printer main body. In this thermal printer, information about the environment is the temperature and humidity detected by the environment detection unit 31.

  The thermal printer includes an operation unit 34 that is operated by a user to make settings related to printing, such as turning on and off the power. The operation unit 34 can select a compositable mode process to be printed as a composite image including a part of image data and a layout area. The user can select a desired color by operating the operation unit 34 while viewing the background color selection screen on the display unit.

  This thermal printer is configured to activate a display unit 37 and display information related to printing when the power is turned on by the operation unit 34. In this thermal printer, the head control unit 33 drives and controls the thermal head 204 based on a printing condition (print setting) command input by the user from the operation unit 34 and the display unit 37.

  This thermal printer has a synthesis function for synthesizing an image with a layout pattern selected by the user, or synthesizing and printing a frame, a calendar, or the like on the image. The operation when such a synthesis mode is selected will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The process waits until the user selects the synthesis mode (NO in step S1). When this mode is selected, the process is started (YES in step S1). This composition mode process is a process for printing the image data and a layout template, a frame image, and a stamp image as a composite image.

  When the synthesizable mode process is started, the display unit 37 causes the display unit 2 to stamp various layout patterns (templates) and balloons used for inserting an image to be printed by the user as illustrated in FIG. Image candidates are displayed (step S2).

  Next, when the user selects a layout pattern into which an image to be printed is to be inserted, the display unit 37 can select a more detailed layout from each pattern. The subdivided layouts have different colors and shapes. When a desired layout pattern or stamp image is selected from a plurality of displayed layout patterns or stamp images by the user (step S3), the display unit 37 then displays a background color selection screen. Execute the process. This display process is a process for displaying a color selection screen for selecting the background color or stamp color of the background portion of the layout illustrated in FIG.

  In the display for selecting a color exemplified in FIG. 5, each color can be specified by three-dimensional coordinates like a so-called color solid. In the three-dimensional display for selecting the color shown in FIG. 5, L indicates the luminance of the color, and a and b indicate the color. The L value is brighter as the numerical value is larger and darker as it is smaller. As the value a increases in the positive direction, the color becomes more reddish, and as the value a decreases, the color becomes more green. As the b value is larger in the positive direction, the yellowish color becomes stronger, and as the value is smaller, the bluish color becomes stronger.

  In the display for selecting the color illustrated in FIG. 5, the user can select a desired color as the layout background color or the background color of the stamp image using a finger or a touch pen. In addition to the layout and stamp, the color of the frame image to be combined with the image may be selectable in the same manner.

  In starting the display process for selecting this color, the environment detection unit 31 detects data relating to the environment in which the printer main body is installed (step S4). Then, the display unit 37 changes the display pattern corresponding to the codes on the matrix shown in FIG. 6 as illustrated in FIG. 7 (step S5). In FIG. 7, there are three types of display pattern examples of the background color selection screen, but the number of patterns is not limited to this.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, when the environment sensed by the environment detection unit 31 is a temperature of 20 ° C. and a humidity of 50%, the display method of (B) in FIG. 7 is applied. Further, when the environmental temperature is 26 ° C. and the humidity is 54%, each value is rounded off to set the environmental temperature to 30 ° C. and the humidity to 50%, and the display method of (B) in FIG. 7 is applied.

  With respect to each display method in FIG. 7, the display method (A) is applied in an environment where it is determined that the temperature is low and the humidity is low. However, this restricts a color that tends to be faint, that is, a color having a high Y value from being selected. The display method of FIG. 7C is applied in an environment where it is determined that the temperature is high and high humidity. However, this restricts the selection of a color that tends to cause wrinkles, that is, a color with a low Y value. The relationship between the environment and the display pattern described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 described above is uniquely set for each layout pattern. In short, in each of these display methods, settings are made so as to restrict display of colors that are not suitable for output in the printing environment (printing environment). In the present embodiment, colors that are not suitable for output in the printing environment are not displayed, but may be disabled by other methods (for example, grayout display).

  Using the background color selection screen showing the color range suitable for the printing environment shown in FIG. 7 with reference to the matrix in FIG. 6, the user gives an instruction to select a desired color using the operation unit 34 (step S6). .

  Next, in the image processing unit 36, the display unit 37 displays the combined result of the image in the recording medium processed by the image processing unit 36 and the selected layout with the background color selected in SS6. When the user who has confirmed the preview display issues a print command through the operation unit 34, the head control unit 33 controls the drive of the thermal head 204 to execute a print process (step S7). The mode process ends.

  In addition to the example shown in FIG. 7, the display method of the background color selection screen used in the synthesizable mode processing described above is a format for inputting specific numerical values of color data to be the background color as shown in FIG. It is good also as a display method.

  The display method of the background color selection screen illustrated in FIG. 8 shows a display example for inputting data numerical values based on RGB. However, instead of RGB (RGB space), the format is CMY, or Lab (Lab Space). When the pattern shown in FIG. 8 is displayed, an inputable numerical value range is displayed according to the environment detected by the environment detection unit.

  In the background color selection screen of FIG. 8 displayed in this way, the user operates the operation unit 3 to input a numerical value. The operation unit 3 is configured with buttons and the like that can be used to input numerical values, such as a cross key.

  In the background color selection screen of FIG. 8, when the user inputs a numerical value outside the inputable numerical value range, a display indicating that the input is impossible as illustrated in FIG. 9 is performed and an appropriate input is prompted.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The second embodiment deals with YUV-based image data. First, a high brightness in the main scanning direction and a whitish image are inserted, and second, a luminance in the sub scanning direction. This corresponds to a case where the image is low, that is, an image that tends to be crushed black is inserted.

  In the thermal printer according to the second embodiment, image data recorded on a recording medium inserted in the medium insertion unit 6 as illustrated in FIG. 10 is read on a YUV basis for each pixel. Here, a description will be given of a case in which a thermal printer produces a result of combining line numbers and image data as shown in FIG. 10, for example. It should be noted that, in image data in which main scanning direction m (m is a natural number) line and sub-scanning direction n (n is a natural number) line exist, main scanning direction i (i ≦ m) line, sub-scanning direction j-th line (j The pixel data of ≦ n) is assumed to be [Y ij, U ij, V ij].

  At this time, in the thermal printer, the display unit 2 uses the number of lines satisfying the conditions of Y, U, and V shown in FIG. 11 and the environment pattern detected by the environment detection unit shown in FIG. The color selection screen pattern is determined. At this time, the correspondence examples of the codes in FIG. 13 and the patterns on the background color selection screen are as shown in FIGS. 14 (A), (B), and (C).

  In the case of Condition 1 shown in FIG. 11 in this thermal printer, a case where a whitish image having high luminance in the main scanning direction is inserted is used. Thus, when there are many lines with high luminance in the main scanning direction, common drops are likely to occur. Therefore, in the thermal printer, when the number of lines in the main scanning direction shown in FIG. 13 is satisfied, that is, when the number of lines with high luminance is large, it is necessary to make the common drop that tends to occur inconspicuous with the background color.

  Further, in the case of Condition 2 shown in FIG. 11 in this thermal printer, an image having a low luminance in the sub-scanning direction, that is, an image that tends to be blacked out is inserted. Thus, when there are many lines with low luminance in the sub-scanning direction, tailing is likely to occur. For this reason, in the thermal printer, when the number of lines in the sub-scanning direction shown in FIG. .

  That is, in this thermal printer, it is necessary to make the phenomenon that causes the image quality degradation easily caused by the characteristics of the original image data to be inserted inconspicuous and to avoid the phenomenon such as wrinkles and fading depending on the printing environment. Therefore, in this thermal printer, the pattern set on the background color selection screen is set to one of the patterns illustrated in FIGS. 14A, 14B, and 14C.

  In this thermal printer, when any of the patterns illustrated in FIGS. 14A, 14B, and 14C is set on the background color selection screen, a background color that can cause the image quality to deteriorate is selected by the user. There is nothing to do. Therefore, in this thermal printer, by setting any of the patterns illustrated in FIGS. 14A, 14B, and 14C on the background color selection screen, the image quality can be maintained favorably, and the printing environment can be improved. Phenomena such as fading can be avoided.

  Note that the configurations, operations, and effects of the second embodiment other than those described above are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and thus description thereof is omitted.

Claims (13)

In a printer that prints by transferring ink on an ink ribbon onto a recording medium with a thermal head,
A selection means for selecting a background color to be printed together with the image data;
As information about the printing environment , acquisition means for acquiring the environmental temperature ,
And a control unit that restricts a color that can be selected by the selection unit based on information about the printing environment acquired by the acquisition unit.   The printer according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying colors that can be selected by the selection means.   The printer according to claim 2, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display a color range suitable for a printing environment based on the printing environment acquired by the acquisition unit.   The printer according to claim 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display a color range suitable for a printing environment in the Lab space.   5. The printer according to claim 4, wherein the control unit does not display a color range that is not suitable for a printing environment in the Lab space or displays the range in gray.   6. The printer according to claim 4, wherein the selection unit selects a color by inputting a numerical value of Lab.   The printer according to claim 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display a color range suitable for a printing environment in the RGB space.   The printer according to claim 7, wherein the control unit does not display a range of colors that are not suitable for a printing environment in the RGB space or displays the range in gray.   9. The printer according to claim 7, wherein the selection unit selects a color by inputting RGB numerical values.   The printer according to claim 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display a color range suitable for a printing environment in the RGB space.   The printer according to claim 10, wherein the control unit does not display a range of colors that are not suitable for a printing environment in the RGB space or displays the range in gray.   The printer according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the selection unit selects a color by inputting RGB numerical values. A printing control method for printing an image by transferring ink on an ink ribbon to a recording medium by a thermal head,
A selection step of selecting a background color to be printed together with the image data;
As an information about the printing environment, an acquisition step for acquiring the environmental temperature ;
And a control step of restricting colors that can be selected by the selection step based on information about the printing environment acquired by the acquisition step.

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