Image output controller

Abstract

An image output controller is capable of directly or indirectly controlling a printer printing a color chart and a color measuring apparatus carrying out color measurement for the color chart. When color authentication is executed for an optionally set image, a process is carried out in relation to user's setting or automatic optimization including at least one of a printing position of the color chart, a layout of the color chart and a color value of the color chart. The printer is controlled according to a printing condition based on the user's setting or the automatic optimization so that the color chart is printed on a sheet of predetermined printing paper. The color measuring apparatus is controlled so as to carry out color measurement for the printed color chart.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear upon reviewing the following description of the preferred embodiment, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an arrangement of an image output (printing) system which is one embodiment of an image output controller of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are perspective, plan and side views of a printer employed in the system respectively;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a basic processing procedure of image processing (proof producing process);

FIG. 4 shows an example of color chart selected and set by the user at step S1 in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5A to 5C show option of color chart layout of the color chart;

FIG. 6 shows one form in the case where printing and color measurement are simultaneously carried out;

FIG. 7 shows an example of proof (certificate of color authentication) produced with completion of step S812 in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 8A to 8D show a frame format of a modified form of the proof (certificate of color authentication) to be produced;

FIGS. 9A to 9D show a frame format of another modified form of the proof (certificate of color authentication);

FIG. 10 shows an example of processing table used in the process related to automatic optimization with respect to parameters of the color chart;

FIG. 11 shows a modified form of the process related to the automatic optimization; and

FIGS. 12A to 12D show another modified form of the process related to the automatic optimization.

Claims

1. An image output controller which is capable of directly or indirectly controlling a printer printing a color chart comprised of an optionally settable color chart and a color measuring apparatus carrying out color measurement for the color chart, wherein: when color authentication is executed for an optionally set image, a process is carried out in relation to user's setting or automatic optimization including at least one of a printing position of the color chart, a layout of the color chart and a color value of the color chart;the printer is controlled according to a printing condition based on the user's setting or the automatic optimization so that the color chart is printed on a sheet of predetermined printing paper; andthe color measuring apparatus is controlled so as to carry out color measurement for the printed color chart.

2. The image output controller according to claim 1, wherein when at least a result of the color measurement is normal, the image which is an object of the color chart and color authentication is printed on a single sheet of paper or in continuity on a plurality of sheets of paper.

3. The image output controller according to claim 1, further comprising a color determining unit which determines whether the result of color measurement is normal, depending upon whether the result of color measurement is within a predetermined allowable color range, wherein: when the color determining unit determines that the result of color measurement by the color measuring apparatus is not normal, printing of the image which is the object of the color chart is canceled when the printing is scheduled after printing of the color chart or interrupted in a case where the image is being printed after the color chart has been printed; andat least when the color determining unit determines that the result of color measurement is normal, the image which is the object of the color chart is printed together with a result of determination by the color determining unit.

4. The image output controller according to claim 1, further comprising a color determining unit which determines whether the result of color measurement is normal, depending upon whether the result of color measurement is within a predetermined allowable color range, wherein: at least when the color determining unit determines that the result of color measurement is not normal, the image which is the object of the color chart is printed together with a result of determination by the color determining unit and a portion which is not normal is indicated so as to be visually recognizable.

5. The image output controller according to claim 1, further comprising a processing program including a plurality of predetermined processes which are uniquely set so as to correspond to a plurality of predetermined conditions respectively, the image output controller determining which one of the processes of the processing program corresponds to a process related to automatic optimization of at least one of a printing position of the color chart, a layout of the color chart and a color value of the color chart, refers to the processing table, thereby executing the process corresponding to the determined condition.

6. The image output controller according to claim 1, which detects a layout of the image which is an object of the color chart in case of a process related to automatic optimization of the printing position of the color chart, prints the color chart on a space area when the image layout to be detected has the space area, and prints the color chart on an end of the paper when the image layout has no space area.

7. The image output controller according to claim 1, which detects an allowable color measurement range of the color measuring apparatus in case of a process related to automatic optimization of the printing position of the color chart and carries out a location correction when the printing position of the color chart is outside the allowable color measurement range to be detected, so that the printing position of the color chart falls within the allowable color measurement range to be detected.

8. The image output controller according to claim 1, which is on standby in a process related to at least one of user's settings of the printing position of the color chart, the layout of the color chart and the color value of the color chart, until receiving a predetermined instruction of termination in a state where at least one of the user's settings of the parameters is allowable.

9. The image output controller according to claim 1, wherein in a process related to the user's setting or automatic optimization of the color value of the color chart, a color value of any combination or a color value of an optimum combination based on a predetermined condition is selected as a color value of the color chart, the color value being selected from choices including at least a color chart group defined by a color ratio of a monochromatic phase to a reference color and a color chart group related to a specific color sample.

10. The image output controller according to claim 1, wherein: the printer repeats both printing while paper feed is stopped and paper feed every line in a widthwise direction of the paper perpendicular to a direction of paper feed, thereby printing any image on predetermined printing paper; andin a process related to automatic optimization of the layout of the color chart, in order that a printing position of the printer and a color measuring location of the color measuring apparatus may be consistent with each other, the number of color charts per unit width in the feed direction of the printing paper is automatically set according to a time ratio of a printing time while feed of the printing paper is stopped and a time necessary for the color measuring apparatus to scan one widthwise line of the printing paper.

11. The image output controller according to claim 1, wherein even while the printer is printing another image on the same paper after printing of the color chart, the color measuring apparatus is provided so as to be capable of carrying color measurement for the color chart simultaneously the printing.

12. A method of image output control for directly or indirectly controlling a printer printing a color chart comprised of an optionally settable color chart and a color measuring apparatus carrying out color measurement of the color chart, the method comprising: carrying out a process related to user's setting or automatic optimization including at least one of a printing position of the color chart, a layout of the color chart and a color value of the color chart when color authentication is executed for an optionally set image;printing the color chart on a sheet of predetermined printing paper according to a printing condition based on the user's setting or the automatic optimization; andcarrying out color measurement for the printed color chart by the color measuring apparatus.