JP2000118073A - Image recording method and medium recording image recording program - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To reproduce a high-quality image by preventing back-side-down when performing double-sided printing. When an image output command is issued to a personal computer, image information managed by the personal computer is developed into bitmap data as print data. If the print command is duplex printing, the printer driver performs reverse processing of the reverse image and reverse side detection of whether the front image and the reverse image overlap, and detects whether the front image and the reverse image overlap. The recording position of the photographic image area recorded on the back side is moved so as not to overlap the image area recorded on the front side, thereby preventing the photographic image from being recorded at the same position on the front side and the back side of the recording paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image recording method and a medium in which an image recording program is recorded to prevent a back image from being printed when a color image or the like is printed on both sides of a recording sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When printing image information created by a host computer, the image information is transferred to a printer connected to the host computer for printing. A personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) is often used as the host computer. 2. Description of the Related Art Printers have become more sophisticated, and in recent years, some printers have a double-sided printing function of recording image information on both the front and back sides of a recording sheet. When printing image information created by a personal computer using a printer with this double-sided printing function, the printing instruction of the personal computer specifies whether to print on both sides or only one side, and the printer sends the image information according to the specified printing instruction. Print on recording paper.

Image information created on a personal computer is handled as electronic data. Image information is often managed as different electronic data depending on the type of image.For example, character image information encodes information on character size, line thickness, color, type, and position. to manage. On the other hand, photographic image information generally manages by encoding rectangular bitmap data and information relating to positions. The image information managed according to the type of the image is printed by software called a printer driver.

[0006] The procedure of the printing process in such a conventional printing system will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Upon receiving the print command, the printer driver first performs a bitmap development process (step S11). This bitmap development processing is processing for developing image information managed for each type of image into bitmap data in page units as if the character image were a photographic image. Since the character image information is encoded, the character image information is developed into bitmap data corresponding to each code, and is synthesized with bitmap data corresponding to photographic image information. The synthesized bitmap data indicates an output image to be recorded on recording paper, and is generated for each page. The bitmap image representing the content of each page is represented by RGB colors of red R, green G, and blue B. Thereafter, the printer driver converts the image into CMY colors of cyan C, magenta M, and yellow Y by color correction processing (step S12), and further converts the image into CMYK colors including black K by undercolor removal processing (step S13). Then, it is determined whether the print command from the personal computer is one-sided printing or two-sided printing (step S1).
4) In the case of single-sided printing, the printer driver performs normal halftone processing (step S15), and in the case of double-sided printing, the printer driver performs double-sided halftone processing (step S1).
6) Send to the connected printer. The printer that has received the developed bitmap data selects one-sided printing or two-sided printing based on the instructed information and prints it on recording paper.

[0005] Double-sided printing can use recording paper more effectively than single-sided printing, but has a problem in image quality. This is a “floating phenomenon” in which image information printed on the back side of the recording paper is printed on both sides so that the image information can be seen through the front side. This phenomenon will be described using an ink jet printer as an example. Various materials are used as recording paper for ink jet printers, and plain paper used in copiers and the like is inexpensive and widely used. Coated paper is one of the types of paper from which a good image can be obtained by the ink jet method, which is coated with SiO ₂ or CaO
A fine particle such as dispersed in a hydrophilic binder is applied to the surface of the recording paper to form a coat layer,
Excellent ink absorbency and fixability. An ink jet printer is a method in which an image is formed on recording paper by ejecting ink droplets, but it requires time for drying in order to absorb and fix the ink droplets recorded on the recording paper. When the coated paper is compared with the plain paper, the plain paper has poor ink drop absorbency and fixability and requires a long time for drying.
When the ink droplets are not dried, the ink droplets diffuse into the recording paper and penetrate to the back surface. The ink droplets that have permeated to the back surface become a back-transferred image and cause image quality deterioration. In particular,
When an image is recorded at the same position on the front surface and the back surface, the image quality is further deteriorated because ink droplets are mixed inside the recording paper.

In order to solve this problem, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
In the printing system disclosed in JP-A-332024,
When an instruction for single-sided printing is received, printing is performed at a normal density by applying normal halftone processing, but when an instruction for double-sided printing is received, the halftone processing is controlled and the light transmittance of the recording paper is controlled. , The recording density is automatically adjusted so as to decrease, and the amount of ink penetrating into the recording paper is reduced to prevent back fogging.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
As shown in JP-A-32024, it is premised that a reverse edge is always generated when performing double-sided printing, and printing is performed so that the recording density is always low, so that the image density decreases when performing double-sided printing, There is a disadvantage that the reproducibility of the image is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording method and a medium on which an image recording program is recorded, in which the above disadvantages are improved, and a high-quality image can be reproduced by preventing the back side when performing double-sided printing. It is assumed that.

[0009]

According to an image recording method of the present invention, in an image recording method capable of at least double-sided printing, image information recorded on both surfaces at the same position on a front surface and a back surface is detected, and the detected image is detected. It is characterized by predicting whether or not image quality degradation due to back fogging will occur based on the information, and adjusting the layout of at least one of the front and back recording images when predicting the occurrence of image quality degradation due to back fogging. And

Preferably, the image information indicates whether or not images to be recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position exist.

The image information may indicate an area of an image area recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position.

Further, it is preferable that the image information indicates an image type of an image recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position.

Further, the medium on which the image recording program according to the present invention is recorded is a medium on which an image recording program to be executed to enable at least double-sided printing by a computer is recorded on both sides at the same position on the front and back sides. Image information, and predicts whether image quality degradation due to back-filling will occur based on the detected image information, and when it is predicted that image quality degradation due to back-filling will occur, at least one of the front surface and the back surface A program for executing the function of adjusting the layout of the recorded image.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image recording method according to the present invention is controlled by a personal computer when an image output command is issued when image information created by the personal computer is transferred to a printer having a duplex printing function and printed. The present image information is developed into bitmap data which is print data. Next, the printer driver determines whether the print command is one-sided printing or two-sided printing. If the printing command is one-sided printing, the printer driver performs CMY color (C: cyan,
M: magenta, Y: yellow, and then to CMYK (C: cyan, M: magenta, Y: yellow, K: black) by under color removal processing, and then perform halftone processing. When the print command is double-sided printing, the printer driver performs a process of inverting the back surface image and a process of detecting a back-side fluctuating area as to whether or not the front image and the back image overlap. The printer driver compares the photographic image area recorded on the front side of the recording paper with the photographic image area recorded on the back side of the recording paper to detect whether or not the areas overlap, and performs this detection when performing the back-floating area detection processing. Adjust the layout based on the results. In the layout adjustment, the recording position of the photographic image area recorded on the back side is moved so as not to overlap the image area recorded on the front side. In this way, it is possible to prevent a photographic image from being recorded at the same position on the front and back surfaces of the recording paper, and to obtain a high quality output image.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) 1 is connected to a printer 2 and transfers image information created by the personal computer 1 to the printer 2 for printing. The personal computer 1 includes a CPU 3 for managing the operation of the entire apparatus, a ROM 4 in which an operation program of the CPU 3 is stored, a RAM 5 used as a work memory of the CPU 3, a display unit 6, an operation unit 7 having a keyboard and the like. A hard disk 8 for temporarily storing an image to be displayed on a display unit and a control program for image recording processing such as a printer driver, a CD-ROM driver 9, and a printer interface 10 for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the printer 2.
Having. The CD-ROM 11 read by the CD-ROM driver 9 stores a control program for image recording processing.

When an image output command is issued to the personal computer 1, the printer driver reads the specified image information as a recorded image, performs various processes, and transmits the processed image to the printer 2. The image information managed by the personal computer 1 is managed as different electronic data according to the type of image. The character image information encodes and manages information relating to character size, line thickness, color, type, and position, and the photographic image information encodes and manages rectangular bitmap data and information relating to position.

The printer 2 has a double-sided printing function, and prints an image on a recording sheet by, for example, an ink jet method.
The printing method by this inkjet method is cyan C,
In this method, ink of four colors of magenta M, yellow Y, and black K is ejected from an inkjet head and printed on recording paper. In the process of recording on the recording paper, the recording paper is transported, the ink is ejected while moving the inkjet head in a direction intersecting the transport direction, and an image is recorded in a region where the inkjet head has passed.

The operation when the image information created by the personal computer 1 configured as described above is transferred to the printer 2 and printed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When an image output command is instructed to the personal computer 1, first, image information managed by the personal computer 1 is developed into bitmap data as printing data (step S1). This bitmap data is composed of, for example, 7680 pixels vertically and 5120 pixels horizontally for an A4 size image with a resolution of 720 dots / inch, and each pixel is RG.
Each of the B colors (R: red, G: green, B: blue) has a pixel value of 0 to 255. The pixel value is a density linear signal, and corresponds to white when (R, G, B) = (0, 0, 0), and (R, G, B) = (255, 255, 25)
At the time of 5), it corresponds to black. Next, the printer driver determines whether the print command is single-sided printing or double-sided printing (step S2). If the print command is single-sided printing, the printer driver performs CMY color (C: cyan, M:
Magenta, Y: yellow) (step S5),
Then, CMYK (C: cyan,
M: magenta, Y: yellow, K: black) and then perform halftone processing (steps S6 and S7).

If the print command is for double-sided printing, the printer driver performs a process of reversing the backside image and a process of detecting a back-side concealed area as to whether or not the front side image and the backside image overlap (step S3). Normally, an image type in which the image quality is largely degraded due to the back-side-down is a photographic image, and in the back-side-down area detection processing, information on the photographic image area is to be detected. FIG. 3 shows a state when a photographic image is printed on both sides of the recording paper 13. FIG. 3A schematically shows photographic image areas 14 and 15 recorded on the surface of the recording paper 13. (B) schematically shows a photographic image area 16 recorded on the back of the recording paper 13, and (c) shows a photographic image area 16 recorded on the back of the recording paper 13. It is schematically shown from the front side,
(D) schematically shows a state where the photographic image areas 14 and 15 recorded on the front surface of the recording paper 13 and the photographic image area 16 recorded on the back surface overlap each other. When double-sided printing is instructed and the printer driver prints the photographic image area 16 on the back side of the recording paper 13, the photographic image area 16 is subjected to backside image reversal processing as shown in FIG. The photograph image area 16 shown in (c) is inverted by reversing the position of the photograph image area 16 printed on the front side, that is, the photograph image area 16 of (b) with respect to the horizontal axis.
6 is obtained. The printer driver is
Photographic image areas 14, 1 recorded on the surface of recording paper 13
5 and photographic image area 16 recorded on the back of recording paper 13
Are compared in the back-floating region detection processing to detect whether or not the regions overlap. Then, the printer driver adjusts the layout based on the detection result of the back-flush region detection processing (step S4). For example, as shown in FIG.
When an area 17 in which the photograph image area 14 recorded on the front side and the photograph image area 16 recorded on the back side are overlapped (hereinafter referred to as a “depth-degraded area”) 17 is detected, the layout adjustment processing is performed. As shown in FIG. 4, the recording position of the photographic image area 16 recorded on the back surface is moved downward. For example, in the case of the A4 size recording paper 13, the vertical direction is divided into four parts, the lower part is moved by one quarter downward, and the back-side degraded area 17 after the movement is detected by the back-side lowering area detection processing. If the back fogging degradation area 17 always occurs even after performing this processing, the photographic image area 16 is not recorded on the back surface of the recording paper 13, and the single-sided printing processing is performed for the page. Further, due to the layout adjustment, there may be a case where a part of the photographic image area 16 recorded on the back side cannot be recorded within the range of the recording paper 13. In this case, the page division position is changed so that an unrecordable area is recorded on the next page. In this way, a photographic image is not recorded at the same position on the front and back surfaces of the recording paper 13, and an output image with excellent reproducibility can be obtained.

If it is determined by the layout adjustment process that the back-degradation degraded area 17 does not exist, the color correction process, the undercolor removal process, and the halftone process are performed for actually recording with the adjusted layout (steps S5, S6, S7). ). In the color correction processing, the RGB signals of the image subjected to the bitmap development processing are converted into CMY signals of complementary colors. In this color correction processing, generally, a linear approximation, so-called masking method or the like is used, and for example, the following color correction processing is performed.

Yellow = α0 + α1 × r + α2 × g + α3 × b Magenta = β0 + β1 × r + β2 × g + β3 × b Cyan = γ0 + γ1 × r + γ2 × g + γ3 × b

Here, α0 to α3, β0 to β3, γ0
γ3 is a color correction coefficient determined in consideration of the characteristics of the color material of the ink. A method for deriving a color correction coefficient is described in, for example,
As shown in JP-197218, C, M,
The Y signal is selected at an appropriate sampling interval, a mixed-color patch is output, and the least-square method is determined based on a data group of colorimetric values of the mixed-color patch.

Next, a CMY color image is converted into CMYK colors by under color removal processing. In this under color removal processing, a gray component is removed from the CMY signal and replaced with a black component K to generate a black signal K. As the CMY component, a value obtained by subtracting the generated black component K is used. Here, if the signal before undercolor removal processing is Yin, Min, Cin, and the signal after undercolor removal processing is Yout, Mout, Cout, Kout, it is expressed by the following equation.

Kout = min (Yin, Min, Ci
n) × Ratio Yout = Yin−Kout Mout = Min−Kout Cout = Cin−Kout

Here, Ratio represents the amount of substitution of cyan, magenta, and yellow with black, and is 0.0 to 1.0.
Is determined in accordance with the paper quality of the recording paper, ink characteristics, and the like.

In the halftone processing, dither processing is performed. There are various types of dither processing patterns, and representative types include a dot concentration type and a dot dispersion type. FIG. 5 schematically shows both patterns. 5A shows a dot concentration type pattern, and FIG. 5B shows a dot dispersion type pattern. The dither processing is performed in order to generate a pseudo gradation when the number of gradations that can be controlled in one pixel unit of the printer is small, for example, two gradations. That is, if gradation reproduction is performed in units of 4 × 4 pixels, 16 gradations can be reproduced even by using a printer of 2 gradation control. Both the dot concentration type and the dot dispersion type patterns show a case where they are composed of 4 × 4 matrices. For example, a case where ink is printed on a total of 5 pixels is shown. In this case, the density is 5/16 of the density when ink is applied to all 16 pixels.
In the case of the dot concentration type, the ink is recorded as a large ink droplet at the center, and in the case of the dot dispersion type, it is divided into small ink droplets. The user may specify which method to use, and unless otherwise specified, for example, a dot concentration type is used. Here, the case of the dither method is taken as an example of the halftone processing, but for example, an error diffusion method or the like may be used.

The image information on which the halftone processing has been performed as described above is transmitted from the personal computer 1 to the printer 2. When transmitting the image information, the printer driver also transmits information on whether or not to use the double-sided printing function. The printer 2 that has received the bitmap data selects one-sided printing or two-sided printing based on the instructed information, and prints on the recording paper 13 (step S8).

In the above-described embodiment, the case has been described where the recording position of the photographic image area 16 to be recorded on the back surface is moved by the layout adjustment process when the back-facing degraded region 17 is detected by the back-facing region detection process. In the layout adjustment processing, the number of pixels of the back-facing degraded area 17 is counted, the area is detected, the degree of deterioration due to the back-facing is determined based on the size of the detected area, and the back surface is determined according to the degree of deterioration due to the back-facing. The recording position of the photographic image area 16 to be recorded may be moved. In other words, when the area of the rear-wall-degraded area 17 is large, the degree of the deterioration due to the rear-pan-depth is large, and when the area of the back-hole-degraded area 17 is small, the degree of the deterioration due to the rear-pan is small. Therefore, when the area of the detected area 17 is larger than a predetermined area, the recording position of the photographic image area 16 recorded on the back side is moved, and the area of the area 17 is detected. When the area is smaller than the predetermined area, the layout of the photographic image area 16 to be recorded on the rear surface is kept without moving the recording position.

In this way, when the area 17 deteriorates slightly, the image quality hardly deteriorates, and an output image can be obtained with a normal layout. When the area 17 deteriorates, the layout is changed. Although different from the usual case, it is possible to obtain a high-quality output image in which the deterioration due to the back-facing is prevented.

A program for realizing the above-described image recording method is stored in the CD-ROM 11, and stored in the CD-ROM 11.
11 is stored in a CD-R in advance.
When the data is read out via the OM driver 9 and stored in the hard disk 8 or when the personal computer 1 performs the printing process, C
By reading the processing program stored in the D-ROM 11 and storing it in the hard disk 8 and performing various processing for printing an image using the stored processing program, desired processing can be easily performed.

[0032]

As described above, the present invention detects image information recorded on both surfaces at the same position on the front surface and the back surface, and determines whether or not image quality degradation due to back-facing occurs based on the detected image information. When it is predicted that image quality deterioration due to back fogging will occur, by adjusting the layout of at least one of the recorded images on the front or back side, image quality deterioration due to back fogging is prevented, and high quality images are stabilized. Can be played.

Also, information indicating whether or not images to be recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position exist as image information, information indicating the area of image areas recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position, and By using the type indicating the image type of the image recorded on both sides at the same position on the recording paper,
It is possible to accurately predict whether or not the image quality degradation due to the back-side depression occurs, and it is possible to stably prevent the image quality degradation due to the back-side depression.

Further, image information recorded on both sides of the front and rear surfaces at the same position is detected, and based on the detected image information, it is predicted whether or not the image quality is deteriorated due to the back-side gliding. Recording an image recording program for executing a function of adjusting a layout of at least one of the recording images on the front surface and the back surface when the occurrence of the image is predicted on a medium, and executing the image recording program recorded on the medium by a computer Accordingly, it is possible to easily prevent the image quality from being degraded due to the back-facing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state when a photographic image is printed on both sides of a recording sheet.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a layout adjustment process.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a pattern of dither processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 personal computer 2 printer 3 CPU 4 ROM 5 RAM 6 display unit 7 operation unit 8 hard disk 9 CD-ROM driver 10 printer interface 11 CD-ROM

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 1/387 G03G 21/00 372 5C076 9A001 F-term (Reference) 2C061 AQ05 AR01 AR03 CJ05 HH03 HJ06 HK11 HN02 HN15 2C062 AA45 2C087 AA15 AB01 AB05 AC07 BC05 BC07 BD24 CA03 CB12 2H027 DA21 FD01 FD03 2H028 BB06 5C076 AA17 AA24 AA40 CA10 CA11 9A001 HH24 JJ35

Claims (5)

[Claims] In an image recording method capable of performing at least double-sided printing, image information recorded on both surfaces at the same position on a front surface and a rear surface is detected, and based on the detected image information, image quality degradation due to back fogging occurs. An image recording method comprising: predicting whether or not image quality is to be degraded due to back-flush, and adjusting the layout of at least one of the front and rear print images. 2. The image recording method according to claim 1, wherein the image information indicates whether images to be recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position exist. 3. The image recording method according to claim 1, wherein the image information indicates an area of an image area recorded on both sides of a recording sheet at the same position. 4. The image recording method according to claim 1, wherein the image information indicates an image type of an image recorded on both sides of the recording paper at the same position. 5. A medium on which an image recording program executed to enable at least double-sided printing by a computer is recorded, image information recorded on both sides at the same position on the front and back sides is detected, and based on the detected image information. A program that executes a function of adjusting the layout of at least one of the front side and the back side of the recorded image when predicting whether image quality deterioration due to back-facing occurs or not; A medium on which an image recording program characterized by being stored is recorded.