JP2005135073A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system that allows a user to output various image images by optimum color processing without performing special processing with application software or a printer driver.
A client computer that makes a profile generation request, connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol, a server that generates a profile according to a request from the client computer, and a print that prints print data transmitted from the client computer Consists of devices.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly to a server that generates profile data according to a request from a client computer and a printing system that prints using a profile.

  In a conventional printing system, when outputting a document created by an application or image data captured by an image input device, an object such as a character, graphic, or image is output for each data output by a driver or printing device. They are classified into types and output after color conversion by color processing suitable for each object. These color processes can be changed by the user, and the user can select a color process that the user likes.

  Further, when outputting by the optimum color processing in the conventional technology, the user finely adjusts the color on the application or driver, and the print setting and printing are repeated until the optimum color is obtained. In order to solve these problems, in the driver, on the driver, multiple types of processing results with slight changes in color, brightness, etc. are reduced and output to a single sheet, and the output results are viewed. Some drivers allow the user to select optimal color settings.

Further, there is an image format in which input information is attached to image data in the image input device. These image data are corrected according to the attached input information, and can be output with optimum color settings.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-284873

  However, in these methods, the operation burden on the user is large, and an optimum output cannot be obtained without some knowledge of color processing. In addition, there are various image formats attached to information at the time of input, and since these image formats are updated, it is not always possible to perform optimal color correction unless the printer driver or application software is upgraded. was there.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and a user computer can generate a profile suitable for image data when selected by a UI without special processing by application software or a printer driver. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system that can reduce the burden on the user.

To achieve the above object, the printing system according to claim 1 is connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol, and requests a service from the server computer that provides various services. In a printing system comprising a client computer that performs printing and a printing device that prints print data transmitted from the client computer,
The client computer includes a command generation unit that generates a profile generation request command, a profile generation request command that transmits the profile generation request command and print data to the server computer, and a print data transmission unit that transmits the print data together with the profile data to the printing apparatus. With
When the server computer receives the print data and the profile generation request transmitted from the client computer, the server computer transmits a profile generation unit that generates a profile and the profile generated by the profile generation unit to the client computer that has made the profile generation request. Transmission means for
In the printing apparatus, profile color processing means for receiving profile data and print data transmitted from the client computer and performing color processing of image data according to the profile data, and output means for outputting the color processed data to a printer engine It is equipped with.

  In the printing system according to claim 2, the command generation unit generates a command according to a selection unit that allows a user to select a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, and a command corresponding to the selected print image quality. It is provided with means for generating a command only when it is determined whether it is necessary.

  In the printing system according to claim 3, when the profile generation unit analyzes the received print data and determines that the image data is included, the profile generation unit is more appropriate for the image analysis unit that analyzes the image data. Means for generating a profile are provided.

In the printing system according to claim 4, a server computer for providing various services, a client computer for requesting services from the server computer, and the client connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol In a printing system including a printing apparatus that prints print data transmitted from a computer,
The client computer includes a command generation unit that generates a profile generation request command, a profile generation request unit that transmits a profile generation request command and print data to the server computer, and a print data transmission unit that transmits print data to a printing apparatus. ,
When the server computer receives the print data and the profile generation request transmitted from the client computer, the server computer generates a profile, attaches the profile generated by the profile generation unit to the received print data, and A transmission means for transmitting to the client computer that has made the generation request;
The printing apparatus includes profile color processing means for receiving print data transmitted from the client computer and performing color processing of image data in accordance with profile data, and output means for outputting the color processed data to a printer engine. Is.

  In the printing system according to claim 5, the command generation unit generates a command according to the selection unit by which the user selects a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, and the selected print image quality. It is provided with means for generating a command only when it is determined whether it is necessary.

  In the printing system according to claim 6, the command generation unit generates a command according to the selection unit by which a user selects a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, and the selected print image quality. It is provided with means for generating a command only when it is determined whether it is necessary.

  As described above, if the present invention is organized and summarized, it can be integrated into the following configurations.

(1) A server computer that provides various services, a client computer that requests services from the server computer, and a print that prints print data transmitted from the client computer, connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol In a printing system composed of devices,
The client computer includes a command generation unit that generates a profile generation request command, a profile generation request command that transmits the profile generation request command and print data to the server computer, and a print data transmission unit that transmits the print data together with the profile data to the printing apparatus. With
When the server computer receives the print data and the profile generation request transmitted from the client computer, the server computer transmits a profile generation unit that generates a profile and the profile generated by the profile generation unit to the client computer that has made the profile generation request. Transmission means for
In the printing apparatus, profile color processing means for receiving profile data and print data transmitted from the client computer and performing color processing of image data according to the profile data, and output means for outputting the color processed data to a printer engine A printing system comprising:

  (2) The command generation means determines a selection means for selecting a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, whether to generate a command according to the selected print image quality, and only when it is determined necessary. The printing system according to (1), wherein a command is generated.

  (3) The profile generation means generates an appropriate profile by the image analysis means for analyzing the image data when the received print data is analyzed and determined to contain image data. 1) The printing system as described.

(4) A server computer that provides various services, a client computer that requests services from the server computer, and a print that prints print data transmitted from the client computer, connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol In a printing system composed of devices,
The client computer includes a command generation unit that generates a profile generation request command, a profile generation request unit that transmits a profile generation request command and print data to the server computer, and a print data transmission unit that transmits print data to a printing apparatus. ,
When the server computer receives the print data and the profile generation request transmitted from the client computer, the server computer generates a profile, attaches the profile generated by the profile generation unit to the received print data, and A transmission means for transmitting to the client computer that has made the generation request;
The printing apparatus includes a profile color processing unit that receives print data transmitted from the client computer and performs color processing of image data according to the profile data, and an output unit that outputs the color processed data to a printer engine. A printing system featuring.

  (5) The command generation unit determines whether the user generates a command according to the selection unit that selects a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, and whether the command is generated according to the selected print image quality, and only when it is determined to be necessary. The printing system according to (4), wherein a command is generated.

  (6) When the profile generation unit analyzes the received print data and determines that the image data is included, the profile generation unit generates an appropriate profile for each image data by the image analysis unit that analyzes the image data. (4) The printing system according to (4).

  As described above, the client computer can generate a profile suitable for image data when selected by the UI without special processing by application software or a printer driver, thereby reducing the burden on the user. can do.

  In addition, since the profile generation server is requested to generate a profile, it is possible to generate an optimal profile for various image images, and an output can be performed by an optimal color process.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the system configuration of this embodiment. It consists of a profile generation server on the Internet, a client computer connected to an intranet that can be connected only through a router, and a printing device. In the client computer, input / output of information and transmission of print data are performed via a network in accordance with a user operation. The profile generation server generates profile data in accordance with a service request from the client computer, and transmits the profile data to the client computer. The printing apparatus performs color processing on the print data transmitted from the client computer according to the profile data and prints the print data.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the printing system described in this embodiment.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 101 denotes a client computer. Reference numeral 102 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) that performs arithmetic processing and control of the client computer 101. Reference numeral 103 denotes a network I / F for inputting / outputting information with a device such as a printing apparatus connected to the network. Print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus 201 via the network I / F 103. A ROM 104 stores a control program in the client computer 101. A temporary storage RAM 105 is used by the CPU 102 and the like. A hard disk (HD) 106 stores a file created by an application of a client computer. Reference numeral 107 denotes print data that is stored in the hard disk 106 and includes a page description language instruction group for printing by a printer. Reference numeral 108 denotes profile data that is stored in the hard disk 106 and includes conversion information for color processing.

  The CPU 102, printer I / F 103, ROM 104, RAM 105, and hard disk 106 are connected by a bus 109.

  Reference numeral 201 denotes a printing apparatus. Reference numeral 202 denotes a network I / F for inputting / outputting information to / from a device such as a client computer connected to the network. Print data from the client computer 101 is received via the network I / F 202.

  A RAM 203 temporarily stores various information. A RAM 203 stores a reception buffer 204 that stores print data transmitted from the client computer 101 and received via the network I / F 202, a profile memory 205 that stores profile data received together with the print data, an intermediate code inside the printer, and the like. Frame buffer 206 and raster memory 207 for storing data obtained by developing the intermediate code.

  Reference numeral 208 denotes a ROM that stores the control code of the CPU 211 in the printing apparatus 201. Reference numeral 209 denotes a color conversion processing unit that converts the RGB color data of the print data transmitted from the client computer 101 into YMCK color data using the profile data stored in the profile memory 205 and stored in the ROM 208. A decompression processing unit 210 decompresses the intermediate code stored in the ROM 208 and stored in the frame buffer 206 and stores it in the raster memory.

  Reference numeral 211 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) that performs arithmetic processing and control of the printing apparatus 201. An engine I / F 212 inputs and outputs signals to and from the printer engine 213. A printer engine 213 forms a latent image on a photosensitive drum by a known electrophotographic process based on the image data, transfers the image onto a sheet, fixes the image, and performs printing.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing in the client computer 101 of this embodiment. When the user executes printing with the image data as it is or inserted into the document on the client computer 101, the print quality setting of the print driver is displayed (S401), and the setting waits from the user (S402). The print quality is set by the user using the UI shown in FIG. When the user selects the highest image quality, a profile request command is generated to request the profile generation server to generate a profile (S403). The created profile request command and print data are transmitted to the profile generation server via the network I / F 103 (S404), and the system waits for profile data reception (S405). When the profile data transmitted from the profile generation server is received, the profile data is stored in the hard disk 106 of the client computer 101 (S406). The stored profile data is attached to the print data (S407), and the print data attached with the profile data is transmitted to the printing apparatus (S408). On the other hand, if the user selects a quality other than the highest image quality, the print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus and the process ends (S409).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing in the profile generation server of this embodiment.

  When print data is received by the profile generation server (S501), data analysis is performed (S502), a profile generation command is checked (S503), and if it is a profile generation command, image data is detected from the print data (S503). S504). If image data is included, image analysis processing is performed on the image data (S505), profile data is generated (S506), and is transmitted to the client computer that issued the profile generation command (S507). On the other hand, if it is not a profile generation command, other processing is performed (S508), and the process ends.

  FIG. 11 shows an example of a correction method in image analysis processing.

  First, in order to increase the processing speed, the image data is subsampled and reduced to reduce the number of pixels (step 1). Next, a frequency distribution (histogram) of gradation values for each color component of the image data is obtained (step 2). That is, when the image data is represented by red, green, and blue components, a red tone value distribution, a green tone value distribution, and a blue tone value distribution are obtained.

  Then, by analyzing the histogram obtained in step 2, it is determined whether or not the image data has an appropriate gradation characteristic, and color tone correction processing is performed as necessary (steps 3, 4, and 5). . The contents of general color tone correction processing include dynamic range correction, color balance correction, tone curve correction, and the like. Profile data is generated based on these correction results.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing in the printing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

  When the printing apparatus receives the data (S601), the data is analyzed (S602). If the data is profile data (S604), the color conversion process is changed (S605), and the process returns to the data analysis again. If it is not profile data but image data (S606), color conversion processing using profile data is performed on the image data (S607), and the generated intermediate data is stored in the frame buffer 206 (S608). Return to analysis. If it is not image data, other processing is performed (S609), and the process returns to data analysis. When the paper discharge command is recognized in the data analysis (S603), the intermediate code of the frame buffer 206 is expanded in the raster memory 207, and the data is transferred to the printer engine 213 via the engine I / F 212 and printed (S610).

  FIG. 7 is an example of data generated by the profile generation server and the client computer. When the received print data is input to the image analysis processing, the profile generation server performs image analysis processing on the three image data, generates a profile, and outputs the generated profile to the client computer. In the client computer, the profile transmitted from the profile generation server is attached to the print data.

  In the first embodiment, printing is performed with the profile data attached to the print data. However, in the present embodiment, the profile data is further attached to each image data, and the profile data suitable for each image data is used. Color processing is performed to enable output with more optimal colors.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing in the client computer 101 of this embodiment. When the user executes printing on the client computer 101 with the image data as it is or inserted into a document, the print quality setting of the print driver is displayed (S801), and the setting is waited for from the user (S802). The print quality is set by the user using the UI shown in FIG. When the user selects the highest image quality, a profile request command is created to request the profile generation server to generate a profile (S803). The created profile request command and print data are transmitted to the profile generation server via the network I / F 103 (S804), and the printer waits for reception of print data (S805). When the print data transmitted from the profile generation server is received, the print data is transmitted to the designated printing apparatus (S806). On the other hand, if the user selects a quality other than the highest image quality, the print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus and the process is terminated (S807).

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing in the profile generation server of this embodiment. When the profile generation server receives data (S901), it analyzes the data (S902), checks whether it is a profile generation command (S903), and if it is a profile generation command, detects image data from the print data (S904). ). If image data is included, it is checked whether the image data is attached to the input information (S905). The image data attached with the input information is the image analysis process 1 (S906), and the image data without the input information is the image analysis process. 2 (S907), image analysis is performed to generate profile data (S908). The generated profile data is attached to the image data (S909). The same processing is performed on all the image data, and the image data is transmitted to the client computer 101 that has issued the print data with the profile data attached to each image data (S910). On the other hand, if it is not a profile generation command, other processing is performed (S911), and the process ends.

  The processing of the printing apparatus is the same as that in the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 10 is an example of data generated by the profile generation server. The image data 1 and 3 of the received print data are generated by the image analysis process 2, and the image data 2 attached to the input information is generated by the image analysis process 1, and the profile data is attached to each image data. Is done.

  FIG. 12 shows an example of a correction method in image analysis processing.

  First, in order to speed up the processing, the image data is subsampled and reduced to reduce the number of pixels (step 1). Next, a frequency distribution (histogram) of gradation values for each color component of the image data is obtained (step 2). That is, when the image data is represented by red, green, and blue components, a red tone value distribution, a green tone value distribution, and a blue tone value distribution are obtained. The histogram generated in step 2 is analyzed, and input data such as exposure and shutter speed attached to data input by a digital camera or the like is added (step 3) to generate profile data.

System configuration diagram of the present invention Block diagram of the printing system of the present invention The figure which shows UI which performs the print quality setting of this invention 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing in the client computer according to the first embodiment. The flowchart which shows the process in the profile production | generation server of Example 1. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing in the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. (A), (b) The figure which shows the example of data processed in the printing system of Example 1. 10 is a flowchart showing processing in a client computer according to the second embodiment. Flowchart illustrating processing in the profile generation server according to the second embodiment. (A), (b) The figure which shows the example of data processed in the printing system of Example 2. Image analysis processing flow in printing system of embodiment 1 Image analysis processing flow in printing system of embodiment 2

Explanation of symbols

101 Client computer 102 Central processing unit (CPU)
103 Network I / F
104 ROM
105 RAM
106 Hard disk (HD)
107 Print Data 108 Profile Data 109 Bus 201 Printing Device 202 Network I / F
203 RAM
204 Reception buffer 205 Profile memory 206 Frame buffer 207 Raster memory 208 ROM
209 Color conversion processing unit 210 Development processing unit 211 Central processing unit (CPU)
212 Engine I / F
213 Printer engine

Claims (6)

A server computer that provides various services, a client computer that requests services from the server computer, and a printing device that prints print data transmitted from the client computer, connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol Printing system,
The client computer includes a command generation unit that generates a profile generation request command, a profile generation request command that transmits the profile generation request command and print data to the server computer, and a print data transmission unit that transmits the print data together with the profile data to the printing apparatus. With
When the server computer receives the print data and the profile generation request transmitted from the client computer, the server computer transmits a profile generation unit that generates a profile and the profile generated by the profile generation unit to the client computer that has made the profile generation request. Transmission means for
In the printing apparatus, profile color processing means for receiving profile data and print data transmitted from the client computer and performing color processing of image data according to the profile data, and output means for outputting the color processed data to a printer engine A printing system comprising:   The command generation unit determines whether the user generates a command according to the selected print image quality, using a selection unit that selects a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, and generates a command only when it is determined to be necessary. The printing system according to claim 1.   2. The profile generation unit according to claim 1, wherein the profile generation unit generates an appropriate profile by the image analysis unit that analyzes the image data when the received print data is analyzed and it is determined that the image data is included. Printing system. A server computer that provides various services, a client computer that requests services from the server computer, and a printing device that prints print data transmitted from the client computer, connected to a network that performs network communication according to a predetermined communication protocol Printing system,
The client computer includes a command generation unit that generates a profile generation request command, a profile generation request unit that transmits a profile generation request command and print data to the server computer, and a print data transmission unit that transmits print data to a printing apparatus. ,
When the server computer receives the print data and the profile generation request transmitted from the client computer, the server computer generates a profile, attaches the profile generated by the profile generation unit to the received print data, and A transmission means for transmitting to the client computer that has made the generation request;
The printing apparatus includes a profile color processing unit that receives print data transmitted from the client computer and performs color processing of image data according to the profile data, and an output unit that outputs the color processed data to a printer engine. A printing system featuring.   The command generation unit determines whether the user generates a command according to the selected print image quality, using a selection unit that selects a print image quality using a UI such as a driver, and generates a command only when it is determined to be necessary. The printing system according to claim 4.   The profile generation means generates an appropriate profile for each image data by the image analysis means for analyzing the image data when the received print data is analyzed and determined to contain image data. The printing system according to claim 4.

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