JP5697104B2 - Printing system, printing method, printing control apparatus, inkjet recording apparatus, printing control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system that performs form overlay printing, a printing method, a printing control apparatus, an inkjet recording apparatus, a printing control method, and a program.

  In an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with a line-type recording head (line-type recording head), as a correction process executed for specific nozzles, an image shift process for reducing the nozzle load and density unevenness correction for each nozzle And head shading processing. The image shift process is a process for reducing the load on a specific nozzle by appropriately shifting the image data to be printed in the nozzle direction in accordance with the image shift amount set for each nozzle set in the printing apparatus. The image shift amount is managed by the printing apparatus main body, and is changed at an arbitrary timing such as a predetermined number of pages (Patent Document 1). On the other hand, in the head shading process, density unevenness in a printing result is reduced by performing image correction in units of nozzles for variations in output characteristics (print density) generated in units of nozzles (Patent Document 2). ).

JP 07-047714 A JP 2003-231245 A

  However, when the above two processes are combined, there may be a case where it is not possible to obtain a process result that has been appropriately obtained when each process is executed alone. For example, it is assumed that the head shading process has been applied to form data used for form overlay printing. Here, if the image shift amount of the image shift processing considered when the form data to which the head shading processing has been applied is subjected to the head shading processing and the image shift amount at the time of form overlay printing are different, the print result Therefore, the effect of correcting the density unevenness expected in the form data cannot be obtained. Further, it is conceivable that the recording head differs depending on the exchange of the user or the like when creating the form data and when printing the form overlay. In that case, the density characteristics when applying the head shading process differ between form data creation and form overlay printing, and the effect of correcting density unevenness expected for form data can be obtained. It will disappear.

  An object of the present invention is to solve such conventional problems. In view of the above points, the present invention provides a printing system, a printing method, a printing control apparatus, an inkjet recording apparatus, a printing control method, and a program for preventing deterioration in printing quality in a form overlay to which head shading processing and image shift processing are applied. The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the printing system according to the present invention is capable of executing form overlay printing in which overlay data is combined with form data using an inkjet recording head, and in the arrangement direction of nozzle rows of the inkjet recording head. wherein a form data image printing system capable of printing of shifting of, on the basis of the corresponding density characteristic information to each nozzle of the nozzle array, each the plurality of image shifting amount for the arrangement direction of the nozzle row A correcting unit that performs corresponding head shading correction on the form data; a selecting unit that selects form data corresponding to an image shift amount from a plurality of form data corrected by the correcting unit; and the selecting unit. and the selected form data to and the overlay data , Characterized in that it comprises a printing unit for performing pre-Symbol form overlay printing, a.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a decrease in print quality in a form overlay to which head shading processing and image shift processing are applied.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration inside each of a host PC and a printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the procedure of a process when the transmission request | requirement of HS correction data is performed. It is a figure which shows the procedure of the acquisition process of an image shift amount. It is a figure which shows an HS correction data set. It is a figure which shows an image shift amount data set. It is a figure which shows the procedure of a form data creation process. It is a figure which shows a form data file. It is a figure which shows the procedure of the form overlay printing process by the side of host PC. It is a figure which shows the procedure of the form overlay printing process by the printing apparatus side. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the concept of the parameter in the process of S705.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solution means of the present invention. . The same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

[System configuration]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printing system includes a host PC 101 that is a print control apparatus that generates print data, and a printing apparatus 102 that can execute form overlay printing in accordance with an instruction from the host PC 101. In this embodiment, an example of the printing apparatus 102 will be described as an inkjet recording apparatus. The host PC 101 and the printing apparatus 102 can communicate with each other via the connection cable 103. The printing apparatus 102 performs form overlay printing on a recording medium 104 such as printing paper based on the form data and document data received from the host PC 101. Form overlay printing is a printing method in which form data representing a form portion is created in advance, and postscript data (original data) such as numerical values and character strings is synthesized (overlaid) at a predetermined location of the form data. Form overlay printing is also referred to as variable printing or variable printing.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the internal block configuration of each of the host PC 101 and the printing apparatus 102. The host PC 101 is, for example, a general personal computer. The CPU 220 executes various programs stored in a storage area such as a RAM under the control of an operating system (OS) to realize the operation of this embodiment.

  In the host PC 101, a PCI bus and an ISA bus, which are local buses, are hierarchically configured via a host / PCI bridge 221 and a PCI / ISA bridge 228 to constitute a system bus as a whole. Each block in the host PC 101 exchanges data with each other via the system bus. Note that a high-speed memory (not shown) called an L2 cache is connected to the system bus, and stores codes and data that the CPU 220 always accesses.

  The memory 222 is a storage area for temporarily storing execution programs such as an operating system (OS), application programs, and printer drivers. The memory 222 is also used as a working memory area for executing each program. The memory 222 also stores RGB image data drawn by an application program, ink color data corresponding to each ink color of each recording head of the printing apparatus 102 that has been color space converted from the RGB image data, and the like. In this embodiment, the ink color data is multi-value image data corresponding to each ink color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

  The PC 101 develops on the memory 222 all the data corrected based on the head shading (HS) correction data acquired from the printing apparatus 102, the print data binarized by the error diffusion method, and the like. Then, the data is transmitted to the printing apparatus 102 via the communication interface 223. The communication interface 223 is, for example, a USB or a network, and is connected to the PCI bus.

  The CRTC 224 is a video controller that reads display bitmap data written in the VRAM 225 by the CPU 220 and transfers it to a display 226 such as a CRT, LCD, or PDP. The user can recognize, for example, the processing progress or processing result of the print job instructed to be printed on the display 226.

  The ROM 229 stores a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) program for controlling input / output devices such as the input device 232 and the FDD 231, an initialization program at power-on, a self-diagnosis program, and the like. Here, the input device 232 is, for example, a keyboard or a pointing device. For example, the user can instruct printing on the printing apparatus 102 using the input device 232. The EEPROM 230 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory for storing various parameters used permanently, and stores, for example, print characteristic data of each recording head.

  An operating system (OS), various application programs, a program for executing each process of FIG. 3, a printer driver corresponding to the printing apparatus 102, etc. are read from the HDD 227 to the memory 222 and executed by the CPU 220. The HS correction data acquisition process shown in FIG. 3 may be automatically performed when the printing apparatus 102 is newly connected to the host PC 101, or automatically when a recording head described later is replaced by the user. Alternatively, it may be performed manually by the user at a desired timing.

  The printing apparatus 102 includes a ROM 203 that stores print data and the like, a RAM 202 that stores a control program, a communication apparatus 204 that serves as an interface that communicates with the host PC 101, and a recording head control unit 205 that drives and controls each recording head. . In addition, the printing apparatus 102 includes a device driving unit 206 that drives and controls an actuator for conveying a recording medium, and a memory that controls reading and writing (R / W) of HS correction data from the memories 208 to 211 in each recording head. A control circuit 207 is included. The CPU 201 executes various programs stored in the RAM 202 to realize the operation of this embodiment. The printing apparatus 102 is equipped with line type recording heads (hereinafter simply referred to as recording heads) corresponding to nozzle rows of four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. In this embodiment, the four colors will be described. However, a color other than the four colors such as light cyan or a special color ink according to a specific purpose may be included. Each recording head is detachably attached to a carriage or the like.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration of the printing apparatus 102 according to the present exemplary embodiment. The printing apparatus 102 performs recording by ejecting ink from the recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y to the recording medium P based on the recording data to be printed transmitted from the host PC 101. The recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y corresponding to each of the four plurality of colors are sequentially arranged along the conveyance direction (arrow A direction) of the recording medium P. The recording heads are arranged in the order of the black ink recording head 22K, the cyan ink recording head 22C, the magenta ink recording head 22M, and the yellow ink recording head 22Y with respect to the transport direction. The recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y are so-called full-line recording heads, and are arranged side by side in parallel over the entire recording width with respect to the conveyance direction of the recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus 10 performs recording by ejecting ink from an ink ejection port (nozzle) by driving a heater provided in each recording head without moving each recording head during recording.

  Accompanying recording by the recording head, foreign matters such as dust and ink droplets may adhere to the surface (nozzle surface) having the nozzles of the recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y to change the ejection state, which may affect recording. . Therefore, the recovery unit 40 is configured in the printing apparatus 102 so that ink can be stably ejected from the recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y. By periodically cleaning the nozzle surface by the recovery unit 40, it is possible to maintain or recover a good ink discharge state from the nozzles of the recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y. Further, the recovery unit 40 includes a cap 50 for removing ink from the respective ink discharge port surfaces of the four recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y during the cleaning operation. The cap 50 is configured for each of the recording heads 22K, 22C, 22M, and 22Y, and includes a blade, an ink removing member, a blade holding member, a cap, and the like.

  The recording medium P, which is roll paper, is supplied from the roll paper supply unit 24 and is conveyed in the direction of arrow A by the conveyance mechanism 26 configured in the printing apparatus 102. The transport mechanism 26 includes a transport belt 26a for placing and transporting the recording medium P, a transport motor 26b for rotating the transport belt 26a, a roller 26c for applying tension to the transport belt 26a, and the like. When recording, when the recording medium P being conveyed reaches below the recording head 22K, black ink is ejected from the recording head 22K based on the recording data sent from the host PC 101. Similarly, ink of each color is ejected in the order of the recording heads 22C, 22M, and 22Y, and color recording is performed on the recording medium P. Further, the printing apparatus 102 includes ink tanks 28K, 28C, 28M, and 28Y that store ink to be supplied to each recording head, a pump that can replenish ink to each recording head, and a pump that performs a cleaning operation. Etc. are configured.

  Reference is again made to FIG. As the memories 208 to 211 in each recording head, for example, an EEPROM which is a rewritable nonvolatile memory is used. In each of the memories 208 to 211, the corresponding print head ID and HS correction data are written in advance before the operation of the present embodiment, such as at the time of manufacture and shipment. The print head IDs are assigned so that they do not overlap with the print heads of the same color and do not overlap with the print heads of other colors. Here, the HS correction data represents density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle array of the recording head corresponding to each ink color. Due to manufacturing errors, the ink ejection characteristics vary from nozzle to nozzle. When performing head shading correction on image data to be printed or the like, density correction is performed for each nozzle so as to approach the ideal density with reference to density characteristic information. Naturally, when the user replaces the recording head, the density characteristic information is different. Accordingly, the printing apparatus 102 stores HS correction data representing density characteristic information together with the recording head ID in the memories 208 to 211 in each recording head.

  Next, in order for the host PC 101 to perform head shading (HS) processing on the form data, the host PC 101 makes a transmission request for HS correction data stored in the memories 208 to 211 of each recording head to the printing apparatus 102. The operation in the case of failure will be described with reference to FIG. The processing of FIG. 3 is realized by the CPU 220 executing a printer driver read into the memory 222, for example. The process of FIG. 3 is performed when the head shading process is executed, for example, in addition to the execution of form overlay printing. Alternatively, when the host PC 101 is activated, the host PC 101 may recognize the connection of the printing apparatus 102 and execute the processing in FIG. 3, or the printing apparatus 102 detects that the recording head has been replaced by the user. In this case, the host PC 101 may execute the processing of FIG.

  First, the CPU 220 requests HS correction data for each ink color from the printing apparatus 102 (S301). In response to a request from the host PC 101, the printing apparatus 102 acquires the print head ID and HS correction data corresponding to each ink color from the memories 208 to 211 and transmits them to the host PC 101. The CPU 220 acquires recording head IDs and HS correction data for all ink colors of the printing apparatus 102 (S302: an example of first acquisition). The CPU 220 associates the print head ID with the HS correction data for each ink color, and saves it as a HS correction data set in a storage area such as the memory 222 or the HDD 227 (S303).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for requesting acquisition of each image shift amount pattern for the image shift in the nozzle arrangement direction determined by the printing apparatus 102. The printing apparatus 102 may shift the visually inconspicuous level, for example, the nozzle assignment of the recording data by one nozzle in order to prevent the used nozzles from being biased. The image shift amount is the displacement amount of the nozzle. The operation when the host PC 101 requests the printing apparatus 102 to transmit the number of image shift amount patterns stored in the printing apparatus 102 and the image shift amount corresponding to each pattern will be described. The process illustrated in FIG. 4 is realized by the CPU 220 executing a printer driver read into the memory 222, for example.

  In step S <b> 401, the CPU 220 requests the printing apparatus 102 to acquire an image shift amount. In step S <b> 402, the CPU 201 of the printing apparatus 102 receives a predetermined number n of image shift amount patterns and each pair of image shift amounts Sn in response to a request for acquiring the image shift amount from the host PC 101. Reply to the PC 101 (an example of second acquisition). In S403, the CPU 220 associates the image shift amount pattern number n acquired in S402 with each image shift amount Sn corresponding to the number of patterns, and stores it in a storage area such as the ROM 229 as an image shift amount data set.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an HS correction data set stored in a storage area such as the memory 222 and the HDD 227 in the process of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, one recording head ID is associated with one HS correction data corresponding to the recording head ID. FIG. 5 shows an HS correction data set for all ink colors of the printing apparatus 102. However, when there are a plurality of printing apparatuses from which HS correction data is acquired, the HS correction data set shown in FIG. 5 may be stored for each printing apparatus. Further, when the recording head is replaced in a printing apparatus that has already acquired HS correction data, the CPU 220 acquires HS correction data again.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image shift amount data set stored in a storage area such as the ROM 229 in the process of FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the image shift amount pattern number n and the image shift amount Sn corresponding to the number of patterns are associated with each other and stored as an image shift amount data set. For example, when the number of image shift patterns n = 3, the image shift amounts S1 to S3 are stored as an image shift amount data set. The image shift amount is an amount represented by the number of nozzles. For example, the image shift amount S1 = + 3 nozzles, the image shift amount S2 = 0 nozzles, and the image shift amount S3 = -3 nozzles are set. The image shift amount data set may be unique in the number of patterns n in one printing apparatus 102 or may be variable. If the shift amount is variable even if the number of patterns is fixed, the CPU 220 may acquire the image shift amount data set from the printing apparatus 102 each time.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing in which the CPU 220 stores form data in a storage area such as the memory 222 or the HDD 227 in the host PC 101. The process illustrated in FIG. 7 is realized by the CPU 220 executing a printer driver read into the memory 222, for example.

  In step S701, the CPU 220 creates a form data file and sets an area for storing the form data file and a file name. In this embodiment, a user who registers form data sets a storage area and a file name on the user interface provided from the printer driver. In step S702, the CPU 220 determines whether to apply the head shading process (HS process) to the print image data (form data). If the CPU 220 determines that the HS process is to be applied, the process proceeds to S703. If the CPU 220 determines that the HS process is not to be applied, the process proceeds to S708. This determination may be made by the CPU 220 in accordance with, for example, setting contents predetermined in an application for executing form overlay printing, or may be judged by the CPU 220 in accordance with user settings on the user interface screen.

  In S703, the CPU 220 obtains HS correction data necessary for applying the HS processing. At this time, the HS correction data may already be acquired by the process shown in FIG. In step S <b> 704, the CPU 220 acquires an image shift amount Sn for n patterns held by the printing apparatus 102. At this time, the image shift amount may already be acquired by the process shown in FIG. In step S <b> 705, the CPU 220 creates print image data Dn by applying HS processing for n image shift amount patterns to the print image data. When applying the HS processing, the HS correction data acquired in S703 and S704 and the image shift amount of each pattern are used. The process of S705 will be described in detail. FIG. 12 shows the concept of parameters in the processing of S705. When the image shift amount pattern is three patterns “−3, 0, +3”, the CPU 220 applies three HS processes corresponding to the image shift pattern to the print image data (form data) 1101. Print image data 1103, 1104, and 1105 are created and stored as form data 1102 in a storage area such as the ROM 229. In FIG. 12, reference numeral 1107 denotes HS correction data which is density characteristic information (data in which a correction amount is set for each nozzle) corresponding to each nozzle in the nozzle row of the recording head. In the nozzle number 1108, the range of the used nozzles (HS application range A) when the image shift of the shift amount “−3” is performed by the printing apparatus 102 is 1109 (nozzle numbers 1 to 32), and the shift amount “0”. The range of nozzles used (HS application range B) when the image shift of “” is performed by the printing apparatus 102 is 1110 (nozzle numbers 4 to 35), and the image shift of the shift amount “3” is performed by the printing apparatus 102. The range of used nozzles (HS application range C) when broken is 1111 (nozzle numbers 7 to 38).

  The print image data 1103 is created by the CPU 220 executing HS processing corresponding to the HS application range A on the form data on the assumption that the nozzles of the HS application range A 1109 are used. Similarly, the print image data 1104 is created by the CPU 220 executing HS processing corresponding to the HS application range B on the form data on the assumption that the nozzles of the HS application range B 1110 are used. Further, the print image data 1105 is created by the CPU 220 executing HS processing corresponding to the HS application range C on the form data on the assumption that the nozzles of the HS application range C1111 are used.

  In S706, the CPU 220 stores the print head ID, the image shift amount pattern number n, and the HS processed print image data Dn in the form data file. The structure of the form data file at that time will be described later with reference to FIG. In S707, the CPU 220 saves the form data file created in S706 with the storage area and file name specified in S701.

  If it is determined in step S702 that the HS process is not applied, the process proceeds to step S708. In S708, the CPU 220 only saves one piece of normal print image data as a form data file.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the structure of the form data file 800 stored in S706. In the area 801, the print head ID associated with the HS correction data actually applied during the HS processing in the HS correction data set shown in FIG. 5 is stored. The area 802 stores the number n of image shift amount patterns in the information of the image shift amount data set applied to the HS processing. The pattern number n is used as flag data for determining whether HS processing has been performed on print image data when the printing apparatus 102 refers to the form data file 800. In the area 803, the print image data Dn that has been subjected to the HS processing and is generated according to the image shift amount Sn among the information of the image shift amount data set applied to the HS processing is stored. The creation according to the image shift amount refers to a process of shifting by a predetermined number of nozzles in the nozzle arrangement direction. In the area 804, as other information, a form data file, arbitrary data necessary for form overlay printing, and the like are stored.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when form overlay printing is executed in the host PC 101. The processing shown in FIG. 9 is realized by the CPU 220 executing a printer driver read into the memory 222, for example.

  In step S <b> 901, the CPU 220 transmits a form overlay printing start instruction from the host PC 101 to the printing apparatus 102 in response to a user instruction on the user interface screen for performing form overlay printing. At that time, any setting data related to form overlay printing, such as a composition method (OR, MASK) instructed by the user, may be transmitted simultaneously. In step S <b> 902, the CPU 220 transmits the form data file 800 illustrated in FIG. 8 from the host PC 101 to the printing apparatus 102. In step S <b> 903, the CPU 220 transmits overlay data from the host PC 101 to the printing apparatus 102. At that time, the overlay data for the number of pages specified by the user is transmitted to the printing apparatus 102 as print image data.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when form overlay printing is executed in the printing apparatus 102. The process illustrated in FIG. 10 is realized by the CPU 201 executing a program stored in the ROM 203, for example.

  In step S <b> 1001, the CPU 201 receives a form overlay printing start instruction from the host PC 101. At that time, the CPU 201 may simultaneously receive any setting data related to the composite printing, such as the composition method (OR, MASK). The received data is stored in the RAM 202. In step S <b> 1002, the CPU 201 receives the form data file 800 transmitted from the host PC 101 and stores it in the RAM 202.

  In step S1003, the CPU 201 determines whether there is form data to which the HS processing is applied based on the presence / absence of the number n of image shift amount patterns in the form data file 800 received in step S1002. If there is an image shift amount pattern number n, it is determined that there is form data to which the HS processing is applied, and the process proceeds to S1004. If there is no image shift amount pattern number n, it is determined that normal form overlay printing is performed, and the process advances to step S1011.

  In step S <b> 1004, the CPU 201 compares the print head ID in the form data file 800 received in step S <b> 1002 with the print head ID of the print head corresponding to each ink color mounted on the current printing apparatus 102. Determine presence or absence. As a result, if it is determined that there is no difference between the print head IDs, the process proceeds to S1005. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a difference between the print head IDs, the image quality of the form overlay printing result using the print image data to which the HS processing is applied is not guaranteed, so this processing is terminated with form overlay printing as an error. .

  In step S <b> 1005, the CPU 201 determines whether it is time to switch the image shift amount in form overlay printing. In the present embodiment, the image shift amount is switched in units of pages at an arbitrary timing predetermined in the printing apparatus 102. Therefore, for example, the image shift amount is switched every 10,000 pages. If it is determined in S1005 that it is the switching timing, the process proceeds to S1006. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not the switching timing, the process proceeds to S1007.

  In step S1006, the CPU 201 switches the set image shift amount. In step S <b> 1007, the CPU 201 selects print image data that matches the image shift amount set in the current printing apparatus 102 from the print image data D <b> 1 to Dn that have undergone HS processing of the form data received in step S <b> 1002.

  In step S1008, the CPU 201 synthesizes the print image data of overlay data and the print image data of form data selected in step S1007. The combining process follows the combining method in the print instruction transmitted from the host PC 101 in S1001. In step S <b> 1009, the CPU 201 prints by ejecting ink droplets from the recording head based on the binarized print image data as a synthesis result. In this embodiment, the printing apparatus 102 is described as an inkjet recording apparatus. However, the printing apparatus 102 is a printing apparatus that can apply HS processing and can perform form overlay printing, and can perform image shift. Also, a printing apparatus using a thermal method, a laser beam method, or the like may be used. In this case, the host PC 101 acquires density characteristic information corresponding to the printing apparatus using each recording method from each printing apparatus.

  In step S1010, the CPU 201 determines whether the overlay data page to be combined is the last page. If it is determined that the page is not the last page, the process is repeated from S1005 with the next page as a target of the synthesis process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current page is the last page, the form overlay printing ends normally, and the process ends.

  If the number of patterns n is not included in the form data file 800 in S1003, it is determined that normal form overlay printing is performed, and the process proceeds to S1011. In steps S1011 to S1015, the composition processing is performed on the form data to which the HS processing is not applied. The form data included in the form data file 800 is only one print image data.

  In step S <b> 1011, the CPU 201 determines whether it is time to switch the image shift amount of the printing apparatus 102. S1011 is the same as the description in S1005. If it is determined in S1011 that it is the switching timing, the process proceeds to S1012. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not the switching timing, the process proceeds to S1013.

  In step S1012, the CPU 201 switches the set image shift amount in the same manner as in step S1006. In step S <b> 1013, the CPU 201 synthesizes the overlay image print image data with the form data print image data included in the form data file 800. In step S1014, the CPU 201 performs printing by ejecting ink droplets from the recording head based on the print image data binarized as a combination result, as in step S1009. In step S1015, the CPU 201 determines whether the page of overlay data to be combined is the last page, as in step S1010. If it is determined that the page is not the last page, the process is repeated from S1011 with the next page as the target of the synthesis process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current page is the last page, the form overlay printing ends normally, and the process ends. In S1003, the determination is made based on whether or not the number n of patterns is included in the form data file 800. However, the determination may be made based on whether or not the number n of patterns is 1 or more. In this case, if the host PC 101 does not perform the HS process, the number of patterns n = 0 is set, and if the printing apparatus 102 detects the number of patterns n = 0, the process proceeds to step S1011.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but various modifications and changes other than those mentioned above can be made.

101 Host PC
102 Printing Device 103 Connection Cable 104 Recording Medium

Claims (17)

A printing system capable of executing form overlay printing in which overlay data is combined with form data using an ink jet recording head, and capable of printing by shifting the image of the form data in the arrangement direction of nozzle rows of the ink jet recording head Because
Correction means for performing, on the form data, head shading correction corresponding to each of a plurality of image shift amounts in the arrangement direction of the nozzle row based on density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle row;
Selecting means for selecting form data corresponding to an image shift amount from a plurality of form data corrected by the correcting means;
By the form data and the overlay data selected by the selection unit, a printing unit for performing pre-Symbol form overlay printing,
A printing system comprising: The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the image shift amount is an amount represented by the number of nozzles in the nozzle row . The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit performs the form overlay printing while switching the image shift amount for each predetermined number of pages. The printing system according to claim 3, wherein the selection unit selects form data corresponding to the switched image shift amount from the plurality of form data. And whether the said head shading correction on the form data has been performed, transmitting means for transmitting the plurality of form data, the data including to the printing unit, according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising a 5. The printing system according to any one of 4 above. When the data transmitted by the transmission means indicates that the head shading correction has been performed on the form data, the selection means selects a form corresponding to the image shift amount from the plurality of form data. 6. The printing system according to claim 5, wherein data is selected. Before Symbol printing system,
Obtaining means for obtaining a density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the prior SL nozzle array from said printing means further comprising a,
The correction unit performs the head shading correction on the form data based on density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle row acquired by the acquisition unit.
The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The correction means stores the corrected plurality of form data in a memory provided in a printing system before starting a recording operation,
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects form data corresponding to the image shift amount from the plurality of form data stored in the memory. . A printing system capable of executing form overlay printing in which overlay data is combined with form data using an ink jet recording head, and capable of printing by shifting the image of the form data in the arrangement direction of nozzle rows of the ink jet recording head A printing method executed in
Based on density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle row, a correction step of performing head shading correction corresponding to each of a plurality of image shift amounts in the arrangement direction of the nozzle row on the form data;
A selection step of selecting form data corresponding to the image shift amount from a plurality of form data corrected in the correction step;
By the selected form data and the overlay data in the selection step, a printing step of performing pre-Symbol form overlay printing,
A printing method characterized by comprising: The correction step stores the corrected plurality of form data in a memory provided in a printing system before starting a recording operation,
The printing method according to claim 9, wherein the selecting step selects form data corresponding to the image shift amount from the plurality of form data stored in the memory. Form overlay printing that combines overlay data with form data can be executed by an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet recording head, and printing in which the image of the form data is shifted in the arrangement direction of nozzle rows of the ink jet recording head is possible. A printing control apparatus capable of communicating with the inkjet recording apparatus in a printing system,
Correction means for performing, on the form data, head shading correction corresponding to each of a plurality of image shift amounts in the arrangement direction of the nozzle row based on density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle row;
Selecting means for selecting form data corresponding to an image shift amount from a plurality of form data corrected by the correcting means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the selected form data and the overlay data by said selection means, prior SL-jet recording apparatus,
A printing control apparatus comprising: The correction means stores the corrected plurality of form data in a memory provided in a printing system before starting a recording operation,
The print control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the selection unit selects form data corresponding to the image shift amount from the plurality of form data stored in the memory. Form overlay printing that combines overlay data with form data can be executed by an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet recording head, and printing in which the image of the form data is shifted in the arrangement direction of nozzle rows of the ink jet recording head is possible. A printing control method executed in a printing control apparatus capable of communicating with the inkjet recording apparatus in a printing system,
Based on density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle row, a correction step of performing head shading correction corresponding to each of a plurality of image shift amounts in the arrangement direction of the nozzle row on the form data;
A selection step of selecting form data corresponding to the image shift amount from a plurality of form data corrected in the correction step;
A transmission step of transmitting the form data selected in the selection step and the overlay data to the inkjet recording apparatus;
A printing control method characterized by comprising: The correction step stores the corrected plurality of form data in a memory provided in a printing system before starting a recording operation,
The print control method according to claim 13, wherein the selecting step selects form data corresponding to the image shift amount from the plurality of form data stored in the memory. The program for functioning a computer as each means of the printing control apparatus of Claim 11 or 12 . Inkjet recording capable of executing form overlay printing in which overlay data is combined with form data using an inkjet recording head , and capable of printing by shifting the image of the form data in the arrangement direction of nozzle rows of the inkjet recording head A device,
Based on density characteristic information corresponding to each nozzle of the nozzle row, a plurality of form data subjected to head shading correction corresponding to a plurality of image shift amounts in the arrangement direction of the nozzle row is used to obtain an image shift amount. An acquisition means for acquiring corresponding form data ;
Printing means for performing the form overlay printing by combining the overlay data with the form data obtained by the obtaining means;
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: Storage means for storing the plurality of form data in a memory before starting a recording operation;
The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the acquisition unit acquires form data corresponding to the image shift amount from the plurality of form data stored in the memory.

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