JP2001080180A - Calibration method, information processing device and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly read by a scanner used for calibration of a printer and to always perform high-precision calibration. SOLUTION: When a patch printed by a printer to be calibrated is read by a scanner and a luminance signal obtained by the reading is converted into a density signal, a luminance / density conversion table used for the calibration is preliminarily calibrated. Is given. That is,
A luminance signal obtained by reading a predetermined patch and (S51),
By creating a new brightness / density conversion table from the relationship between the density data corresponding to the patch and (S52),
The brightness / density conversion table used for reading by the scanner is set to be appropriate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a calibration method, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing system, and more particularly, to printing in a printing apparatus such as a color printer connected to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer via a network. The present invention relates to calibration that is performed to stably maintain desired characteristics.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is generally known that a printing apparatus may change its printing characteristics depending on environmental conditions such as the temperature and humidity of the environment in which it is used. In addition to such environmental conditions, printing characteristics may change as a result of use for a certain period. This is because, in the case of an electrophotographic printing apparatus, for example, the photosensitive characteristics of the photosensitive drum change due to aging due to the above-mentioned environmental conditions and use, and as a result, such as the gradation property observed in a printed image or the like, The printing characteristics change from desired ones. Further, it is known that, in an ink-jet type printing apparatus, for example, a change in the ejection characteristics of a print head causes a change in the above-described printing characteristics.

On the other hand, it is conventionally known that calibration is performed for such a change in printing characteristics. In addition, the environment in which the calibration is performed is not only performed for the change in the print characteristics of the individual printing apparatuses as described above, but also uses a plurality of printing apparatuses. The above-described difference in the print characteristics may cause a problem. Even in such a case, calibration is performed to reduce the variation in the print characteristics among the printing apparatuses. The execution of such calibration is basically performed based on a user's instruction input. For example, when the user observes that the gradation of an image to be printed is not what is desired, the user may perform calibration on an operation screen displayed on a printing device or a personal computer (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “PC”). Instructs execution.

In the calibration, generally, first,
A patch for each predetermined density is printed by a printer to be calibrated, read by a reading device such as a scanner, and calibration data is created based on the read result.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the accuracy of reading by a scanner when reading a patch is insufficient, the change in printing characteristics occurring in a printed patch is not sufficient. May not be detected sufficiently. For this reason, there has been a problem that the calibration based on the result becomes inappropriate.

Further, in a print system in which a plurality of scanners can be used via a network, there is a problem that management of the plurality of scanners is relatively complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to make reading by a reading device used for calibration appropriate and always perform high-precision calibration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a calibration method, an information processing device, and an information processing system that can perform the calibration.

[0008]

For this purpose, the present invention provides a calibration method for calibrating a printing apparatus, which comprises providing a reading apparatus for reading a predetermined image printed by the printing apparatus. Scanner calibration is performed on the density measurement characteristic of the reading device, the density of the predetermined image is measured by the reading device that has been subjected to the scanner calibration, and calibration is performed on the calibration of the printing device based on the reading result. And a step of creating application data.

An information processing apparatus for calibrating a printing apparatus, comprising: reading control means for controlling a reading apparatus for reading a predetermined image printed by the printing apparatus; and a scanner relating to a density measurement characteristic of the reading apparatus. Under the control of the scanner calibration executing means for performing calibration and the reading re-control means, the printing is performed based on the density measurement result measured by the reading device which has been subjected to the scanner calibration by the scanner calibration executing means. And a calibration data creating means for creating calibration data related to the calibration of the apparatus.

An information processing system having a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus for calibrating the printing apparatus, wherein the reading control means controls a reading apparatus for reading a predetermined image printed by the printing apparatus. A scanner calibration executing means for performing scanner calibration relating to a density measurement characteristic of the reading apparatus, and a measurement performed by the reading apparatus which has been subjected to scanner calibration by the scanner calibration executing means under the control of the reading control means. And a calibration data creating means for creating calibration data for the calibration of the printing apparatus based on the density measurement result.

According to the above arrangement, after performing a scanner calibration relating to the density measurement characteristic to a reading device for reading a predetermined image in order to calibrate the printing device, the reading device reads the predetermined image. Therefore, it is possible to perform reading that faithfully reflects the print density characteristics of the printing apparatus appearing in the predetermined image.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The information processing system according to the present embodiment is configured by connecting a server PC 1, a client PC 4 and a printer 2 via a network 5. The system further includes a client P (not shown).
C4 and a plurality of printers 2 are connected. In this information processing system, usually, a user processes documents processed by various applications on the client PC 4,
An image or the like can be printed out by selecting one of the plurality of printers 2 connected to the network 5.

The server PC 1 supplies various data such as files in response to a request from the client PC 4 connected to the network. Further, in the present embodiment, the server PC 1 executes processing such as creation of a calibration table of the printer 2 which will be described later with reference to FIG. 2, and a software program therefor is installed.

A scanner 3 is connected to the server PC 1. The scanner 3 reads a document by a scanner driver in the server PC 1 and can input the read data to the server PC 1. The read document data is processed as a document, an image, or the like in the server PC1 or the client PC4. The scanner 3 is also used to read the density of patches in calibration of the printer 2 as described later. Further, in the present embodiment, the calibration of the scanner 3 is also performed for this calibration, and the server PC 1 is provided with a scanner calibration data storage unit 11 for that.

In the client PC 4, the user:
According to various applications, processing corresponding thereto can be performed, and for printing, for example, creation and editing of a document, an image, and the like, and an instruction to execute printing to the printer 2 can be performed.

A plurality of printers are connected to the network 5 as described above.
The printing can be executed by any instruction of the plurality of client PCs connected to the PC. The printer 2 of the present embodiment uses an electrophotographic laser beam. The printer 2 includes a calibration data storage unit 21 for storing data for the calibration. That is, each of the printers 2 is a part to be calibrated for appropriately maintaining print characteristics in the print system configured in the present embodiment, and the server PC 1 executes the calibration created by the calibration process. Printer 2 using table as calibration data
, And the table is stored in the storage unit 21. When the calibration is performed, the scanner 3 is also calibrated as described above. The printer 2 performs gamma conversion on the image data using the calibration table obtained as described above, that is, the calibration table that is the gamma correction table in the present embodiment, and generates print data.

In this embodiment, the printer is
Although a laser beam is used, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this. For example, another system such as an ink jet system may be used.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the calibration is performed by the server PC 1 under the instruction of the system administrator.
On the other hand, the normal printing is executed in each client PC 4 and the selected printer 2 under the instruction of the user.

The calibration of this embodiment based on the above configuration will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for creating a calibration table and the like executed by the server PC1.

First, in step S21, a printer to be calibrated is selected, and the selected printer is instructed via the network 5 to print the patch data and the patch data. The selection of the printer is made according to the rules of network management, but the description is omitted here.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the patch data. As shown in FIG. 3, the patch data according to the present embodiment includes three vertical pages in one page of a sheet on which the patch is printed.
A patch composed of a total of 1024 sections of 2.times.32 is formed. One section corresponds to one of magenta, cyan, yellow or black corresponding to the color of each toner in the printer 2, and the number indicated in each section indicates the arrangement position of each section in the patch. It shows information. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 4, the numbers indicate density data (gradation data) for printing each section. For example, the tone value at the array position “0” is “0”, the tone value at the array position “32” is “128”, and the tone value at the array position “63” is “25”.
As shown in FIG. 4, the gradation value of this embodiment takes any one of 0 to 255 as 8-bit data for each color. In the case of being expressed by a number, the gradation value corresponding to the arrangement position in Fig. 4 may be changed according to the above-mentioned number of bits. Are arranged at the same position in the vertical direction and continuously in the horizontal direction to form one block having the same gradation value.

In the patch of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 3, each block has a number indicating the arrangement position of 0 to 31.
(The gradation values are 0 to 124) and the relatively low density highlight blocks, and the above numbers are 33, 35, 37,.
1, 63 (gradation values are 132, 140, 148... 236,
244, 255) are classified into relatively high density shadow blocks. The highlight block and the shadow block are all arranged in the entire vertical direction of the patch (32 blocks), and are alternately and repeatedly arranged in the horizontal direction. In this case, as is clear from the drawing, the shadow block has the same block pattern repeated twice in the vertical direction. The highlight block is a pattern in which the gradation value for each block arrangement periodically changes in the pattern repeated in the horizontal direction.

That is, in the patch of this embodiment, each block corresponding to a 32-step gradation value is arranged at four positions as a highlight block, while each block corresponding to a 16-step gradation value is set as a shadow block. Are arranged in eight places. The difference in the number of tone values between the highlight block and the shadow block is because finer density change, that is, information on print characteristic change is required in the highlight portion on the lower density side. . The reason why the number of pattern arrangements of the shadow blocks is increased is that the variation in reading by the scanner tends to be larger in the shadow portion than in the highlight. According to such a patch configuration, highly accurate calibration can be performed with a small number of patches.

In the above description, the patch data is supplied from the server PC 1 to the printer 2 via the network 5. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the printer 2 forms the patch data in the format shown in FIG. May be held, and patch data may be generated based on the information in response to an instruction from the server PC1. The above information of the printer 2 depends on the command system of the printer 2, but the description is omitted here.

When the printing of the patch in step S21 described above is completed, the patch density is measured using the scanner 3 as a densitometer in step S22.

That is, the administrator of the server PC 1 sets the paper on which the above-described patch is printed on the scanner 3 and causes the scanner 3 on the server PC 1 to perform reading by the scanner driver. The scanner 3 inputs the density of each section in the patch as R, G, B signals and transfers these to the server PC1. In the server PC1, in response to these input values, in the highlight block, patch data of each color of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) is determined based on the arrangement information of each block. The average of the input values of four sections each having the same gradation value is calculated, while the average of the input values of eight sections having the same gradation value is similarly calculated for each color for the shadow block. As a result, R, G, and B signal values corresponding to 48 tone values in the patch are obtained for each of the colors C, M, Y, and K.

Further, these R, G, B signal values are converted into density signal values by a luminance / density conversion table which has been subjected to scanner calibration in advance, as described later. Finally, the current output density characteristics of the printer 2 (print characteristics of the present embodiment) consisting of 48 density values for each of C, M, Y, and K colors can be obtained.

The creation of a brightness / density conversion table for the scanner 3, that is, scanner calibration when the scanner of this embodiment is used as a densitometer will be described with reference to FIG.

A luminance density conversion table is created for each of C, M, Y, and K. This table indicates that when the input value of the scanner for a certain block in the scanner calibration patch is x and the actual density of the block obtained from the density data is y, y is output for the input x. It is configured to As a result, when the input characteristics of the scanner change or when the scanner type is different, the scanner correction is performed again to obtain a universal relationship of luminance density conversion.

In this embodiment, when measuring the patch density, the R data generated by the scanner to measure the C patch density, the G data to measure the M patch density, and the Y patch density are measured. The B data is used for measurement, and the G data is used for measuring the K patch density.
Therefore, the luminance density conversion table is based on the values of the R, G, B luminance data corresponding to the C, M, Y, and K patches, respectively, and the density information loaded as described below. K is created for each.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a process for creating a luminance / density conversion table. First, step S5
In step 1, a predetermined patch is read using the scanner 3 to be subjected to scanner calibration, and a luminance signal value is obtained. This predetermined patch is an array of patches like the one shown in FIG. 3, is printed in advance by offset printing or the like, and is different from the one printed in step S21. The configuration of the scanner calibration patch need not necessarily be the same as that shown in FIG.

In step S52, the measurement result in step S51 is displayed as shown in FIG. In order to measure the density with high accuracy using a scanner, it is necessary to use the input range of the scanner efficiently. This is because when the measurement result is such that the output values in a certain range are the same as in the <bad example> shown in FIG. 15, an effective correction process cannot be performed within this range. Therefore, in order to perform high-accuracy density measurement using a scanner, the measurement result in step S51 needs to be as shown in <correct example> shown in FIG.

If the side color result for each of C, M, Y, and K displayed on the left side of FIG. 15 is the same as the output level in a certain input range as in the bad example shown on the right side of FIG. It is recommended to the user that the processing of S51 is redone again.

When the reading result is as shown in <Bad example> in FIG. 15, the reading result is improved by changing the reading conditions of the scanner, for example, the resolution, the color processing condition, and the color matching condition. May be possible.

Next, in step S53, the density data of each color of C, M, Y, and K obtained by previously measuring the scanner calibration patch used in step S51 with a separately prepared densitometer or the like is loaded. I do. Note that this concentration data is stored on the server PC after the above measurement.
1 is stored in advance. That is, the scanner calibration patch and the density data stored in the server PC1 are associated as a fixed relationship, and the calibration in the next step S54 is performed based on this relationship.

That is, in step S54, based on the relationship between the luminance signals R, G, and B read in step S51 and the density signals C, M, Y, and K loaded in step S53, step S22 is performed. Create a luminance density conversion table used in. This process means that the scanner 3 has been calibrated.

Scanning (reading) by the scanner 3 is performed via the scanner driver configured on the server PC as described above. However, setting of scan resolution, color processing conditions, color matching conditions, and input area settings are performed. The designation is also performed via this scanner driver.

When reading by the scanner 3 calibrated as described above (step S22) is completed, the server PC1 creates a calibration table in step S23. FIG. 6 (a),
(B) and (c) are diagrams illustrating this table creation.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the output density characteristics of the printer 2 obtained by reading in step S22 described above. It should be noted that the output density characteristic is schematically shown for only one color for simplification of the drawing. In the following description, similarly, the table creation processing for only one color will be described.

The output density characteristic shown in FIG. 6A is obtained by the 48 density values obtained in step S22 and the interpolation calculation using them. In the present embodiment, calibration is performed on the printer exhibiting such characteristics in order to update the content of the γ correction table used to generate the print data based on the output farmability characteristics. Specifically, the contents of the γ correction table are as shown in FIG. 6B so that the input / output relationship of the γ correction table is linear as shown in FIG. 6C. That is, FIG.
The contents of a table having an input / output relationship shown in FIG. 6B which is an inverse function of the input / output function shown in FIG.

After the creation of the calibration table, the server PC 1 downloads the calibration data to the printer 2 via the network 5 in step S24.

A processing procedure when downloading the calibration data in the printer 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, it is determined in step S71 whether data has been received. If data reception is determined, data analysis is performed in step S72. If it is determined in this analysis that the calibration data has been downloaded (step S73), the process proceeds to step S7.
In 4, the calibration data is stored in the calibration data storage unit 21 as described above.
By storing the calibration data, the γ correction table is updated, that is, the γ correction table is calibrated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S73 that the data is not calibration data but other data, processing corresponding to the data is performed in step S75.

As described above, the processing shown in FIG. 7 not only downloads calibration data but also general
This shows a process when some data is downloaded from the server PC 1 or the client PC 4.
For example, when print data is downloaded to the printer 2 for normal printing, the print data is downloaded according to the procedure shown in FIG. That is, step S
If it is determined in step 72 that the download of the print data is performed, in step S75, the analysis of the print data, the configuration of the page layout, the image processing, and the print processing based on these processes are performed.

An example of processing for performing predetermined image processing on print data downloaded from the PC 1 or the like to generate binary data used for printing will be described with reference to FIG.

First, in step S81, color fine adjustment is performed on the input signals R, G, and B. The color fine adjustment is for performing luminance correction and contrast correction. Next, a color matching process is performed in step S82. This corresponds to the server PC 1 or the client PC 4
This is a process performed to match the tint of a color expressed by a monitor (not shown in FIG. 1) used in the above with the tint of a color printed by the printer 2. Further, in step S83, the luminance / density conversion is performed. This processing is performed to convert the luminance signals R, G, and B signals, which are input signals, into density signals C, M, Y, and K signals used in the printer 2.

Next, in step S84, output gamma correction is performed. That is, using the gamma correction table (calibration data) created by the above-described calibration according to the output density characteristics of the printer 2, the 8-bit density signals C, M, Y, and K obtained in step S83.
Is subjected to γ correction.

After the above processing, in step S85, binarization processing for converting the 8-bit signal into a 1-bit signal is performed according to the configuration of the laser beam of the printer 2.
It is known that a laser beam is converted into two or more values depending on the stage in a configuration capable of outputting the laser beam in multiple stages.

The calibration processing of this embodiment and the image processing for printing performed by the printer 2 using the γ correction table updated thereby have been described above with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the calibration processing and the like are performed as an application on the server PC1. Hereinafter, a description will be given from the aspect of the user interface in the above-described calibration application.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views for explaining a user interface relating to calibration according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure, and FIG. 10 is a display example of a monitor in this processing procedure. It is a figure showing a main screen.

In step S901 in FIG. 9, a main screen is displayed. As shown in FIG. 10, on the main screen, three types of selection menus, "New", "Open measurement data file", and "Delete download data", are displayed. Note that the display screen of this user interface basically includes “next”, “return”, “cancel”,
The user can select any one of “help”, so that the screen can be shifted to another related screen.

When an operation of selecting "new" and pressing "next" on the main screen is performed, the process proceeds to steps S902 to S908. That is, by selecting “new”, it is possible to instruct to newly create the calibration data.

That is, in response to this instruction, step S9
02 to step S908, steps S21 to S21 in FIG.
The processing described above is performed in step S24. First, in step S902, patch data is output to the printer 2 specified as a calibration target. The selection of the printer 2 in this process can be performed by a predetermined operation via the screen displayed in step S902.

Next, in step S905, calibration of the scanner 3 described above with reference to FIG. 5 is performed. Thereby, the reading characteristics of the scanner can be made appropriate before the patch is read. Next, step S907
Then, when the user sets the paper on which the patch is printed on the scanner 3, the patch is read. Then, in step S908, the above-described calibration is performed. This corresponds to steps S23 and S23 described above with reference to FIG.
24 is a process for creating calibration data and downloading the data to the printer 2.

In the monitor display of step S908, a button for moving to the processing of step S909 is displayed, and the operation can be shifted to step S909 by pressing this button. In step S909, the process of storing the measurement data of the patch read in step S907 is enabled. By storing the measurement data of the patch by this processing, the storage file can be used in processing using existing measurement data described later.

After exiting the processing of step S909, the process returns to step S908. Then, step S910
When the end of the application is instructed here, the process ends, and the process returns to step S901 related to the display of the main screen.

When "open measurement data file" is selected on the main screen of step S901 and a "next" press operation is performed, a display for designating measurement data is performed in step S903. When the operation of pressing the “reference” button is performed, the process proceeds to step S906, where the measurement data is read and the result is displayed. With this display, the data measured by the scanner 3 can be examined in detail. Note that this measurement data is data described in the file saved in step S909. In step S908, a calibration table is created and the created table is downloaded using the measurement data of the saved file, which is displayed and checked as described above. Since the user can confirm the measurement data, the user can grasp the state of the printer in detail. By this confirmation, it is also possible to appropriately determine the drum replacement time and the like.

When “delete download data” is selected on the main screen in step S901 and “next” is pressed, the deletion of the calibration data stored in the calibration data storage unit 21 of the printer 2 is performed in step S904. Do. Note that this deletion instruction is given by a command to the printer 2.
A detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when calibrating the printer 2, since the scanner 3 for reading the patch is calibrated in advance, the density of the printed patch is faithfully read. Accordingly, it is possible to perform appropriate calibration of the printer 2 based on the read density.

<Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment described above, each time the printer is calibrated as described with reference to FIG. 9, for example, a scanner calibration patch and the corresponding density data are used. In this embodiment, a brightness / density conversion table is prepared for each type of scanner that may be used. A luminance / density conversion table corresponding to the model is downloaded and used.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information processing system according to this embodiment.

The configuration of the present embodiment is basically the same as the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The difference is that the server PC1 has a plurality of scanner calibration data storage units according to the types of scanners that can be used. In the example shown in the figure, the scanners A, B and C, which are the models of the scanner, have respective storage units 11, 12 and 13. In the example shown in FIG.
1, the scanner A calibration data stored in the storage unit 11, that is, the scanner A brightness / density conversion table is used during calibration of the printer 2 or during normal printing. In addition,
The respective brightness / density conversion tables corresponding to these scanner models are prepared in advance and stored in the respective storage units as described above with reference to FIG.

The calibration for the printer 2 of the present embodiment is basically the same as the processing shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment. The difference is that the brightness / density conversion table used for patch reading in step S22 in FIG. 2 is the brightness / density conversion table stored in the scanner calibration data storage unit 11.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a procedure for downloading the brightness / density conversion table according to the model of the scanner.

First, in step S121, the model of the scanner connected to the server PC1 at that time is specified. This specific processing can be performed by exchanging commands between the server PC1 and the scanner 3 connected thereto or by transmitting and receiving hardware signals, but details thereof will not be described here.

Next, in step S122, a brightness / density conversion table corresponding to the model of the scanner identified as described above is read from the storage unit shown in FIG. 11 and downloaded.

As described above, the scanner calibration data is prepared in advance for each type of scanner that can be used, and when the patch is read in the calibration of the printer, the scanner calibration data corresponding to the scanner that reads the patch is downloaded. By performing the brightness / density conversion, it is possible to perform patch reading that faithfully reflects the patch density, and to shorten the time required for the calibration process of the scanner.

In the above-described second embodiment, the scanner calibration data is prepared for each scanner model. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Further, scanner calibration data may be prepared for each individual.

<Third Embodiment> In this embodiment, the scanner itself has a scanner calibration data storage unit. The calibration data stored in the storage unit may be generated and generated each time the printer is calibrated as in the first embodiment described above, or may be generated in advance as in the second embodiment. It may be obtained and stored.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information processing system of this embodiment. The system of the present embodiment is basically the same as the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 except that the scanner 3 stores the scanner calibration data as described above.

Also in the present embodiment, under the control of the server PC1, the calibration of the printer 2 is executed in the same procedure as described above with reference to FIG. The difference here is that the scanner calibration data is loaded from the storage unit 31 of the scanner 3 in reading the patch in step S22.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing related to this. First, in step S141, it is determined whether a scan for patch density measurement for printer calibration is performed. This judgment is made by the server PC
The scan can be performed based on information such as command parameters for instructing the execution of the scan from step 1, but a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

If it is determined in step S141 that the scan is not a scan for patch measurement, step S144 is performed.
To perform a normal scan, and then transfer the read data to the PC 1 in step S145. On the other hand, step S
If it is determined in 141 that the scan is for patch measurement, the scanner calibration data is loaded from the storage unit 31 of the scanner 3 in step S142, and then, in step S143, the patch measurement is performed using the brightness / density conversion table. Do a scan for Then, the data read by this scan is transferred to PC1.

According to the present embodiment, since the scanner calibration data is held in the scanner connected to the system, it is possible to omit processing such as specifying the scanner when reading.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the server PC performs the processing related to the calibration, such as the generation of the calibration data. Needless to say, it may be possible to execute the performed processing.

In each of the above embodiments, the server PC
, The calibration table is created, transferred to the printer, and the table is used for image processing in the printer. However, the application of the present invention is, of course, not limited to this. For example, in a configuration in which binarized bitmap data is created in a host device such as a server PC, a calibration table, ie, a calibrated γ table, for example, is stored in the host device. It may be held.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention, as described above,
The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, and the like) or may be applied to an apparatus including one device (for example, a copying machine and a facsimile machine).

Also, in order to operate the various devices so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments, the devices connected to the various devices or the computers in the system are connected to the computer shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5, FIG. , FIG. 9, FIG. 12, and FIG. 14, a software program code for realizing the functions of the respective embodiments described above is supplied, and the computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus is executed according to the stored program. What is implemented by operating the device is also included in the scope of the present invention.

In this case, the program code of the software implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to the computer, for example, the program code The stored storage medium constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for storing such a program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the supplied program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer, or another program. Needless to say, the program code is included in the embodiment of the present invention even when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with application software or the like. Further, the supplied program code is stored in a memory provided on a function expansion board of the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, and then, based on an instruction of the program code, a CPU provided on the function expansion board or the function storage unit. It is needless to say that the present invention includes a case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are implemented by performing a part or all of the actual processing.

[0086]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, after performing a scanner calibration on a reading device for reading a predetermined image in order to calibrate a printing device, the reading device performs the above-described operation. Since the predetermined image is read, it is possible to perform reading that faithfully reflects the print characteristics of the printing apparatus appearing in the predetermined image.

As a result, an appropriate calibration of the printer can be performed based on the reading result.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating basic calibration processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing patch data used in the above processing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between an arrangement position of a data section in the patch data and a gradation value.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a brightness / density conversion table creation process used in scanning in the calibration illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are diagrams illustrating the creation of a calibration table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing of the printer related to calibration in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating processing related to normal printing among the processing of the printer.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating processing of an application related to calibration according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed by the application.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a process of downloading a brightness / density conversion table as calibration data in the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating scan processing according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a display example in scanner calibration according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Server PC 2 Printer 3 Scanner 4 Client PC 5 Network 11, 12, 13, 31 Scanner calibration data storage unit 21 Calibration data storage unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP04 AQ05 AQ06 AR01 KK13 KK18 KK25 KK28 KK32 5B057 AA12 BA02 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CE11 CE17 5C077 LL16 LL19 MP08 PP15 PP33 PP37 PP71 PP74 SS01 TT02 5B0 LA12 LB02 NA03 PA03

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A calibration method for calibrating a printing apparatus, comprising: providing a reading apparatus for reading a predetermined image printed by the printing apparatus; and performing scanner calibration on a density measurement characteristic of the reading apparatus. Measuring the density of the predetermined image by the reading device to which the scanner calibration has been performed, and generating calibration data related to calibration of the printing device based on the measurement result. Characteristic calibration method. 2. The calibration according to claim 1, wherein the scanner calibration is performed by updating luminance / density conversion data for converting a luminance signal as a reading result of the reading device into a density signal. Method. 3. The calibration method according to claim 2, wherein the updating of the brightness / density conversion data is performed by creating the data. 4. The update of the brightness / density conversion data is performed by selecting and using brightness / density conversion data corresponding to a scanner related to the scanner calibration from a plurality of brightness / density conversion data prepared in advance. The calibration method according to claim 2, wherein: 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanner calibration is performed by selecting and using scanner calibration data corresponding to the reading device from a plurality of scanner calibration data prepared in advance. The described calibration method. 6. An information processing apparatus for calibrating a printing apparatus, comprising: reading control means for controlling a reading apparatus for reading a predetermined image printed by the printing apparatus; and a scanner relating to a density measurement characteristic of the reading apparatus. Scanner calibration performing means for performing calibration, under the control of the reading re-control means, the printing based on a density measurement result measured by the reading device having been subjected to scanner calibration by the scanner calibration performing means. An information processing apparatus, comprising: calibration data creating means for creating calibration data relating to calibration of the apparatus. 7. The scanner calibration according to claim 1, wherein the scanner calibration is performed by updating brightness / density conversion data for converting a brightness signal as a reading result of the reading device into a density signal. 7. The information processing apparatus according to 6. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the update of the brightness / density conversion data is performed by creating the data. 9. The update of the brightness / density conversion data is performed by selecting and using the brightness / density conversion data corresponding to the reader related to the scanner calibration from a plurality of brightness / density conversion data prepared in advance. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: 10. The scanner calibration by the scanner calibration executing means is performed by selecting and using scanner calibration data corresponding to the reading device from a plurality of scanner calibration data prepared in advance. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein 11. An information processing system comprising a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus for calibrating the printing apparatus, wherein the reading control means controls a reading apparatus for reading a predetermined image printed by the printing apparatus. A scanner calibration executing means for performing scanner calibration relating to a density measurement characteristic of the reading apparatus; and a scanner which performs a scanner calibration by the scanner calibration executing means under the control of the reading control means. An information processing system comprising: calibration data creating means for creating calibration data for calibration of the printing apparatus based on the density measurement result obtained. 12. The scanner calibration according to claim 1, wherein the scanner calibration is performed by updating brightness / density conversion data for converting a brightness signal as a reading result of the reading device into a density signal. 12. The information processing system according to item 11. 13. The information processing system according to claim 12, wherein the update of the brightness / density conversion data is performed by creating the data. 14. The update of the brightness / density conversion data is performed by selecting and using brightness / density conversion data corresponding to a reading device related to the scanner calibration from a plurality of brightness / density conversion data prepared in advance. The information processing system according to claim 12, wherein: 15. The scanner calibration by the scanner calibration executing means is performed by selecting and using scanner calibration data corresponding to the reading device from a plurality of scanner calibration data prepared in advance. The information processing system according to claim 11, wherein 16. A storage medium storing a program readable by an information processing device, the program being a calibration process for calibrating a printing device, the program being a predetermined image printed by the printing device. Preparing a reader for reading the image, performing scanner calibration on the density measurement characteristics of the reader, measuring the density of the predetermined image with the reader that has been subjected to the scanner calibration, and based on the measurement result. And a process for creating calibration data for calibration of the printing apparatus.