Patent Grant
11225085
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese patent application No. 2019-028926, filed on Feb. 20, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to image processing for a printing execution unit configured to print an image by forming dots on a printing medium.
A printer configured to print an image by ejecting ink from nozzles of a printing head is known.
In the printer, for example, when a temperature of the ink is relatively low, a viscosity of the ink is increased, so that delay in ink supply from an accommodation part of the ink to the printing head is likely to occur. When the delay in ink supply occurs, an image quality is deteriorated due to thinning of a printed image, for example.
JP-A-2004-66550 discloses technology of, when the number of continuous ejections of dots counted in a band is larger than a threshold value corresponding to a temperature of the printing head, increasing the number of passes to print the band.
However, according to the aforementioned technology, it is not sufficiently considered how to divide the band when increasing the number of passes to print the band. For this reason, when the number of passes to print the band is increased, an image quality of an image to be printed may be deteriorated.
The present disclosure discloses technology capable of avoiding a situation where an image quality is deteriorated so as to avoid delay in ink supply, while avoiding the delay in ink supply.
The technology of the present disclosure may be implemented as following application examples.
A control device for a printing execution device includes:
The control device is configured to:
The control device is configured to
According to the above configuration, in the second case in which the specific condition is satisfied, the partial image is printed by the plurality of partial printings including the first partial printing and the second partial printing. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the delay in ink supply, as compared to a case in which the partial image is printed by single partial printing. Also, in the second case, the image data is analyzed to determine the first area, which is to be printed by the first partial printing, and the second area, which is to be printed by the second partial printing, of the partial image. For this reason, it is possible to reduce a case where a boundary between the first area and the second area is noticeable, as compared to a case in which the first area and the second area are configured as preset areas. Therefore, while avoiding the delay in ink supply, it is possible to avoid a situation where an image quality is deteriorated so as to avoid the delay in ink supply.
In the meantime, the technology of the present disclosure may be implemented in a variety of forms, such as a printing apparatus, a control method of the printing execution unit, a printing method, a computer program for implementing functions of the apparatus and method, a recording medium having the computer program recorded thereon, and the like.
A-1: Configuration of Printer 200
Hereinbelow, an embodiment is described.
The printer 200 includes, for example, a printing mechanism 100, a CPU 210 as a controller of the printer 200, a non-volatile storage device 220 such as a hard disk drive, a volatile storage device 230 such as a RAM, an operation unit 260 such as buttons and a touch panel for acquiring a user's operation, a display unit 270 such as a liquid crystal monitor, and a communication unit 280. The communication unit 280 includes a wired or wireless interface for connection to a network NW. The printer 200 is communicatively connected to an external apparatus, for example, a terminal apparatus 300 via the communication unit 280.
The volatile storage device 230 provides a buffer area 231 for temporarily storing therein a variety of intermediate data that are generated when the CPU 210 performs processing. In the non-volatile storage device 220, a computer program PG and a control table group TG are stored. In the first embodiment, the computer program PG is a control program for controlling the printer 200. The computer program PG and the control table group TG may be provided while being stored in the non-volatile storage device 220 upon shipment of the printer 200. Instead of this configuration, the computer program PG and the control table group TG may be downloaded from a server or may be provided while being stored in a DVD-ROM and the like. The CPU 210 is configured to execute the computer program PG, thereby executing image processing to be described later, for example. Thereby, the CPU 210 controls the printing mechanism 100 to print an image on a printing medium (for example, sheet). The control table group TG includes a table that is to be used in image processing, for example, a determination threshold value table TT, which will be described later.
The printing mechanism 100 is configured to form dots on a sheet M by using inks (ink droplets) of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K), thereby performing color printing. The printing mechanism 100 includes a printing head 110, a head drive unit 120, a main scanning unit 130, a conveyor unit 140, an ink supply unit 150 and a temperature sensor 170.
The conveyor unit 140 is configured to convey the sheet M in a conveying direction (+Y direction, in
The ink supply unit 150 is configured to supply ink to the printing head 110. The ink supply unit 150 includes a cartridge mounting unit 151, tubes 152, and a buffer tank 153. A plurality of ink cartridges KC, CC, MC, YC in which inks are accommodated is detachably mounted to the cartridge mounting unit 151, and the inks are supplied from the ink cartridges. The buffer tank 153 is arranged above the printing head 110 mounted to the carriage 133, and is configured to temporarily accommodate therein each ink of CMYK to be supplied to the printing head 110. The tube 152 is a flexible tube configured to interconnect the cartridge mounting unit 151 and the buffer tank 153 and becoming a flow path of the ink. The ink in each ink cartridge is supplied to the printing head 110 through the cartridge mounting unit 151, the tube 152 and the buffer tank 153. The buffer tank 153 is provided with a filter (not shown) for removing foreign matters mixed in the ink.
Positions of the nozzle rows NC, NM, NY, NK in the main scanning direction are different, and positions thereof in a sub-scanning direction overlap each other. For example, in the example of
Each nozzle NZ is connected to the buffer tank 153 through an ink flow path (not shown) formed in the printing head 110. Actuators (not shown, piezoelectric elements, in the first embodiment) for ejecting the inks along the respective ink flow paths in the printing head 110 are provided.
The head drive unit 120 (
The temperature sensor 170 is a well-known temperature sensor including a temperature measurement resistance member and the like, and is provided in the vicinity of the printing head 110 of the printer 200. The temperature sensor 170 is configured to output a signal indicative of a temperature of the printing head 110 of the printer 200.
A-2. Outline of Printing
The CPU 210 is configured to print a printed image on the sheet M by alternately executing more than once partial printing of causing the printing head 110 to eject the inks to form dots on the sheet M while causing the main scanning unit 130 to perform the main scanning, and a sub-scanning (conveyance of the sheet M) by the conveyor unit 140.
In the partial image of
As shown in
In
Here, when the ink is ejected from the nozzles NZ during the printing, the ink is reduced in the buffer tank 153 (
The delay in ink supply is likely to occur when flowability of the ink is lowered. For example, the lower a temperature (hereinafter, also referred to as ‘head temperature Th’) of the printing head 110 of the printer 200 (the printing mechanism 100) is, the more the delay in ink supply is likely to occur. The reason is that as the head temperature Th is lowered, a viscosity of the ink is increased, resulting in a decrease in flowability of the ink. Here, a cumulative-used amount TA of ink is an index value indicative of a cumulative-used amount of a specific ink (any one of C, M, Y and K) up to now since the manufacturing of the printer 200. The larger the cumulative-used amount TA of ink is, the more the delay of specific ink supply is likely to occur. The reason is that as the cumulative-used amount TA of ink increases, an accumulation amount of foreign matters in a filter for removing the foreign matters in the ink increases, resulting in an increase in flow path resistance of the ink and a decrease in flowability of the ink. Also, the more a used amount of the specific ink to be used for partial image printing in the single partial printing is, the more the delay of specific ink supply is likely to occur. The reason is that since the specific ink is used in a short time, the specific ink supply cannot keep up with the used amount.
In image processing to be described below, a scheme for avoiding the delay in ink supply is made. Specifically, when printing a specific partial image (the partial image PI3, in the example of
A-3. Image Processing
In S105, the CPU 210 controls the conveyor unit 140 to convey (feed) one sheet M from a print tray (not shown) to a predetermined initial position.
In S110, the CPU 210 acquires partial image data, which corresponds to a partial image to be printed by the single partial printing, as notice partial image data, and stores the same in the buffer area 331. For example, the CPU 210 acquires the notice partial image data by receiving the notice partial image data from the terminal apparatus 300. The notice partial image data is RGB image data. The RGB image data includes a plurality of pixel values, and each of the plurality of pixel values indicates a pixel color with color values of RGB color coordinate system (also referred to as ‘RGB values’). RGB values of one pixel include values of three color components of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) (hereinbelow, also referred to as ‘R value, G value and B value’), for example. In the first embodiment, the number of gradations of each component value is 256 gradations.
In the meantime, the partial image corresponding to the notice partial image data is also referred to as ‘notice partial image’. The partial printing for printing the notice partial image is also referred to as ‘notice partial printing’.
In S115, the CPU 210 controls the conveyor unit 140 to convey the sheet M so that a position of the printing head 110 relative to the sheet M in the conveying direction is to be a position in which the notice partial image is to be printed. For example, when the second partial printing and thereafter is the notice partial printing, the sheet M is conveyed by the nozzle length D, as can be seen from
In S120, the CPU 210 executes condition determination processing. The condition determination processing is processing of determining whether a specific condition, which indicates that the ink supply from the ink supply unit 150 to the printing head 110 in the notice partial printing may be delayed, is satisfied.
In S220, the CPU 210 acquires the cumulative-used amount TA of each ink to be used for printing from the non-volatile storage device 220. The cumulative-used amount TA of ink is recorded for each ink of CMYK in a predetermined area of the non-volatile storage device 220. The CPU 210 calculates a used amount of ink of each color on the basis of the number of dots formed by the printing and updates the cumulative-used amount TA of ink whenever executing the printing, for example. In S220, for example, in the case of monochrome printing, the cumulative-used amount TA of black (K) ink is acquired, and in the case of color printing, the cumulative-used amount TA of each ink of CMYK is acquired.
In S230, the CPU 210 acquires, based on the head temperature Th and the cumulative-used amount TA of ink, a determination threshold value JT corresponding to each ink to be used for printing, from the determination threshold value table TT. In the determination threshold value table TT of
In the determination threshold value table TT, the larger the cumulative-used amount TA of ink is, the smaller the determination threshold value JT is. Also, the lower the head temperature Th is, the smaller the determination threshold value JT is.
In S240, the CPU 210 calculates a used amount IU of ink of each ink of CMYK to be used for printing of the notice partial image by using the notice partial image data. The used amount IU of ink is calculated as follows. For example, the control table group TG of the non-volatile storage device 220 includes a look-up table (not shown) in which RGB values and used amounts of inks of CMYK are associated with each other. The CPU 210 refers to the look-up table to specify used amounts of inks for each pixel of the notice partial image data, and calculates a sum value of the used amounts of inks for each pixel, as the used amount IU of ink.
In S250, the CPU 210 determines whether the used amount IU of ink is greater than the determination threshold value JT, for at least one ink to be used for printing. When it is determined that the used amount IU of ink is greater than the determination threshold value JT, a large amount of ink is ejected in a short time, so that the delay in ink supply may occur. For this reason, when it is determined for at least one ink to be used for printing that the used amount IU of ink is greater than the determination threshold value JT (S250: YES), the CPU 210 determines in S270 that the specific condition is satisfied. When it is determined for all inks to be used for printing that the used amount IU of ink is equal to or smaller than the determination threshold value JT (S250: NO), the CPU 210 determines in S260 that the specific condition is not satisfied. When the determination as to whether the specific condition is satisfied is made, the condition determination processing is over.
When the condition determination processing is over, it is determined in S125 of
Specifically, in S127, the CPU 210 generates dot data by using the notice partial image data. Specifically, the CPU 210 executes color conversion processing on the notice partial image data to convert values of a plurality of pixels included in the notice partial image data from RGB values into CMYK values. The CMYK values are color values including a plurality of component values (component values of C, M, Y and K) corresponding to a plurality of color materials to be used for printing. The color conversion processing is executed with reference to a profile (not shown) in which correspondence relation between RGB values and CMYK values is defined. The CPU 210 executes halftone processing on the notice partial image data (CMYK image data) after the color conversion processing. Thereby, dot data indicative of a formation state of dot is formed for each color material to be used for printing and for each pixel. The formation state of dot may take two states of “dot” and “no dot” or four states of “large dot”, “medium dot”, “small dot” and “no dot”. The halftone processing is executed according to a dithering method or an error diffusion method.
In S130, the CPU 210 supplies the generated dot data to the printing mechanism 100 to cause the printing mechanism 100 to execute the partial printing. In this way, in the normal partial printing, the notice partial image is printed by single partial printing. When the previous partial printing is the forward printing, the backward printing is executed, and when the previous partial printing is the backward printing, the forward printing is executed. Thereby, the notice partial image is printed on the sheet M.
When it is determined that the specific condition is satisfied (S125: YES), the CPU 210 executes special partial printing in S132 to S150. In the special partial printing, the notice partial image is printed on the sheet by two partial printings, i.e., the first partial printing and the second partial printing.
In S132, the CPU 210 executes image division processing. The image division processing is processing of dividing the notice partial image into a first area PA1 to be printed by the first partial printing and a second area PA1 to be printed by the second partial printing (
In S135, the CPU 210 generates dot data by using the notice partial image data, like in S127.
In S140, the CPU 210 executes dot data distribution processing. The dot data distribution processing is processing of generating first dot data for printing an image in the first area PA1 and second dot data for printing an image in the second area PA2 by using the dot data of the notice partial image.
In S145, the CPU 210 supplies the generated first dot data to the printing mechanism 100 to cause the printing mechanism 100 to execute the first partial printing. When the previous partial printing is the forward printing, the backward printing is executed as the first partial printing, and when the previous partial printing is the backward printing, the forward printing is executed as the first partial printing. Thereby, an image in the first area PA1 of the notice partial image is printed on the sheet M.
In S150, the CPU 210 supplies the generated second dot data to the printing mechanism 100 to cause the printing mechanism 100 to execute the second partial printing. When the first partial printing is the forward printing, the backward printing is executed as the second partial printing, and when the first partial printing is the backward printing, the forward printing is executed as the second partial printing. Thereby, an image in the second area PA2 of the notice partial image is printed on the sheet M.
In S155, the CPU 210 determines whether all partial images of an image to be printed have been printed. When it is determined that all the partial images have been printed (S155: YES), the CPU 210 ends the image processing. When it is determined that there is a partial image not printed yet (S155: NO), the CPU 210 returns to S110.
A-4. Image Division Processing
The image division processing in S132 of
In S310, the CPU 210 executes object specifying processing by using the notice partial image data. For example, the CPU 210 binarizes the notice partial image by classifying the same into white background pixels (i.e., pixels corresponding to an area in which no dot is formed upon printing) and object pixels of colors different from white (i.e., pixels corresponding to an area in which dots are formed upon printing). The CPU 210 executes labeling processing to specify object areas each having a plurality of continuous object pixels. The CPU 210 integrates object areas, which are relatively close to each other, into one object area. For example, in a case in which the partial image PI3 of
In S320, the CPU 210 calculates a used amount IUo of ink of the respective inks of CMYK in each object area. The used amount IUo of ink is an index value relating to an amount of ink to be used for printing of an image in an object area. For example, the CPU 210 specifies used amounts of inks for each pixel in the object area by referring to the look-up table in which the RGB values and the used amounts of inks of CMYK are associated with each other, thereby calculating a summed value of the used amounts of inks for each pixel, as the used amount IUo of ink.
In S330, the CPU 210 selects one notice object area from one or more object areas specified in the notice partial image. For example, in a case in which the partial image PI3 of
In S340, the CPU 210 adds the used amount IUo of ink in the notice object area to a used amount Vt of ink for second partial printing. The used amount Vt of ink is calculated for each ink of CMYK.
In S350, the CPU 210 determines whether the used amount Vt of ink for the second partial printing is greater than a determination threshold value JT, for at least one ink. As used herein, the determination threshold value JT is the same as the determination threshold value JT used in S250 of
When it is determined for all the inks that the used amount Vt of ink for the second partial printing is equal to or less than the determination threshold value JT (S350: NO), the CPU 210 allots the notice object area to the second partial printing, in S360. That is, in this case, the notice object area is classified as an area belonging to the second area PA2 that is to be printed by the second partial printing. After S360, the CPU 210 returns to S330, and selects an object area not processed yet, as a notice object area.
When it is determined for at least one ink that the used amount Vt of ink for the second partial printing is greater than the determination threshold value JT (S350: YES), the CPU 210 allots the notice object area to the first partial printing, in S370. That is, in this case, the notice object area and all object areas not processed yet are classified as areas belonging to the first area PA1 that is to be printed by the first partial printing. After S380, the image division processing is over.
In this way, the object areas are allotted to the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 so that the used amount IUo of ink for the second partial printing is to increase as much as possible within a range not exceeding the determination threshold value JT. In the first embodiment, the determination threshold value JT is set to a value sufficiently greater than a half of a maximum used amount of ink when printing one partial image. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the used amount IUo of ink for the second partial printing is greater than the used amount IUo of ink for the first partial printing.
In a case in which the partial image PI3 of
According to the first embodiment as described above, in a first case in which the specific condition, which indicates that the ink supply may be delayed during the partial printing, is not satisfied (NO in S125 in
For example, according to the first embodiment, the CPU 210 determines a first area PA1 and a second area PA2 so that the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 are respectively to be continuous to the background area BA (also referred to as ‘third area’), in which no dot is formed in any of the first partial printing and the second partial printing, and are not to be continuous to each other (S310 to S380 in
The CPU 210 specifies the plurality of objects (for example, the characters and graphics expressed in the character areas Tx1 to Tx3 and the graphic areas Gr1 and Gr2 in
Also, according to the first embodiment, the CPU 210 calculates the used amount IUo of ink for each of the plurality of object areas in the notice partial image by using the values of pixels included in the notice partial image data (S320 in
Also, according to the first embodiment, the CPU 210 determines the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 so that the amount of ink to be used for printing of the second area PA2 is greater than the amount of ink to be used for printing of the first area PAL In other words, the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 are determined so that the amount of ink to be used for the second partial printing, which is to be executed later, is greater than the amount of ink to be used for the first partial printing, which is to be executed first. As a result, it is possible to further avoid the deterioration in image quality of the printed image.
More specifically, when printing the same area by the two partial printings, the ink attached by the first partial printing permeates into the sheet M, so that the sheet M may be partially extended and deformed. For example, the sheet M may be deformed to approach the printing head 110. In this state, when the second partial printing is executed, the sheet M may contact the nozzle formation surface 111 of the printing head 110. In this case, the sheet M may be smudged or the nozzles NZ on the nozzle formation surface 111 may be damaged. Also, a distance between the nozzle formation surface 111 and the sheet M becomes shorter than expected, so that a spotting position of ink ejected in the second partial printing becomes different from an expected position. As a result, an image quality of an image to be printed may be deteriorated. For this reason, it is preferably to avoid the deformation of the sheet M after the first partial printing by reducing the amount of ink ejected in the first partial printing as much as possible. According to the first embodiment, since the amount of ink to be used for the second partial printing, which is to be executed later, is greater than the amount of ink to be used for the first partial printing, which is to be executed first, it is possible to avoid the above malfunctions.
According to the first configuration, each of the plurality of object areas is determined as any one of the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 so that the amount of ink to be used for printing of the second area PA2 is greater than the amount of ink to be used for printing of the first area PA1 and is smaller than a specific upper limit amount (an amount corresponding to the determination threshold value JT) (S350 in
In a second embodiment, image division processing different from the image division processing (
In S140 of
In S420, the CPU 420 calculates a luminance V of each of the plurality of pixels on the notice row. The luminance V is calculated based on an equation (V=(0.0298912×R)+(0.586611×G)+(0.114478×B)) by using the RGB values (R, G, B). The luminance V is a value having negative correlativity with the density because it becomes smaller as the density increases and becomes larger as the density decreases.
In S430, the CPU 210 calculates a weighted luminance Vw of each of the plurality of pixels on the notice row. The weighted luminance Vw is a value obtained by multiplying a weight W by the luminance V. The weight W is a value that is set according to a position in a direction of a pixel row (Y direction in
In S440, the CPU 210 specifies, as a boundary pixel BP, a pixel having the maximum weighted luminance Vw from the plurality of pixels on the notice row. Since the pixel rows CL1 and CL4 are located in a white background area Bab, the luminance V of all pixels on the pixel rows CL1 and CL4 in
In S450, the CPU 210 determines whether a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is plural, i.e., whether there is a plurality of pixels of which the weighted luminance Vw is greatest. When it is determined that there is a plurality of candidates for the boundary pixel BP (S450: YES), the CPU 210 specifies, as the boundary pixel BP, a pixel closest to the center in the Y direction of the plurality of candidates, in S460. When it is determined that a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is not plural (S450: NO), the CPU 210 skips over S460.
In S470, the CPU 210 determines whether all the pixel rows in the notice partial image have been processed as the notice row. When it is determined that all the pixel rows have been processed (S470: YES), the CPU 210 proceeds to S480. When it is determined that there is a pixel row not processed yet (S470: NO), the CPU 210 returns to S410.
In S480, the CPU 210 divides the notice partial image, based on the boundary pixel BP of each pixel row, thereby determining the first area PA1 and the second area PA2. Specifically, the CPU 210 allots pixels, which are located downstream (upper side in
According to the second embodiment as described above, as shown in
Also, according to the second embodiment, the CPU 210 calculates the weighted luminance Vw of the plurality of pixels by using the luminance V as an index value indicative of a density of each of the plurality of pixels aligned in the Y direction and the weights W corresponding to positions in the Y direction (S420 and S430 in
More specifically, a weight W corresponding to a central portion in a specific direction is greater than weights W corresponding to both end portions in the specific direction (
In a third embodiment, image division processing different from the image division processing (
In S510 of
In S515, the CPU 210 calculates luminance V of each of the plurality of pixels on the notice row. The method of calculating the luminance V is similar to the method of calculating the luminance V in
In S525, the CPU 210 determines whether a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is plural, i.e., whether there is a plurality of pixels of which the luminance Vw is greatest. When it is determined that a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is not plural (S525: NO), the CPU 210 proceeds to S555. When it is determined that a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is plural (S525: YES), the CPU 210 specifies, as the boundary pixel BP, a pixel, of which an adjacent pixel has the lowest luminance, of the plurality of candidates, in S530.
In S535, the CPU 210 determines whether a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is plural, i.e., whether there is a plurality of pixels of which luminance V is greatest and an adjacent pixel has the lowest luminance. When it is determined that a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is not plural (S535: NO), the CPU 210 proceeds to S555. When it is determined that a candidate for the boundary pixel BP is plural (S535: YES), the CPU 210 determines whether the notice row is a first pixel row, i.e., a pixel row located at an upstream end (a left end in
When it is determined that the notice row is a first pixel row (S540: YES), the CPU 210 specifies, as the boundary pixel BP, a pixel closest to the center in the Y direction of the plurality of candidates, in S545. When it is determined that the notice row is not a first pixel row (S540: NO), the CPU 210 specifies, as the boundary pixel BP, a pixel closest to the boundary pixel BP on the previous notice row, for example, a pixel row adjacent to the left side in the third embodiment, in S550.
In S555, the CPU 210 determines whether all the pixel rows in the notice partial image have been processed as the notice row. When it is determined that all the pixel rows have been processed (S555: YES), the CPU 210 proceeds to S560. When it is determined that there is a pixel row not processed yet (S555: NO), the CPU 210 returns to S510.
In S560, the CPU 210 divides the notice partial image, based on the boundary pixel BP of each pixel row, thereby determining the first area PA1 and the second area PA2, like in S480 of
More specifically, with reference to
Also, for example, the plurality of pixels on the pixel row CL6 in
Also, for example, since the pixel row CL7 in
As can be seen from above, in the example of
As can be seen from the descriptions above, according to the third embodiment, the CPU 210 determines the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 so that at least a part of the boundary (for example, the boundary line BLc in
(1) In the object specifying processing (
(2) For example, as described above, when the image data including the drawing commands is used, the first object to be drawn based on the first drawing command and the second object to be drawn based on the second drawing command may overlap each other. For example, the second object is overlapped over the first object, so that a part of the first object is hidden by the second object. In this case, the first object and the second object may not be separated by the white background area BA. Also in this case, the CPU 210 may determine, as the first area PA1, an area (i.e., an area of the first object not hidden by the second object), which includes the first object and does not include the second object, and may determine, as the second area PA2, an area that includes the second object and does not include the first object. In this case, since the boundary between the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 is located at a boundary between the first object and the second object overlapped each other, it is possible to avoid the boundary between the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 from being noticeable.
(3) In the first embodiment, the used amount IUo of ink is used as an index value relating to an amount of ink to be used when printing an object area. However, other index values may also be used. As the other index values, for example, the number of dots to be formed upon the printing or a ratio of the number of dots to a total number of pixels may be used. Also, a size of an object area may be used.
(4) In the first embodiment, the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 are determined so that the amount of ink to be used for printing of the second area PA2 is to be larger than the amount of ink to be used for printing of the first area PAL However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 may be determined so that the amount of ink to be used for printing of the first area PA1 is to be larger than the amount of ink to be used for printing of the second area PA2. Also, the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 may be determined so that the amounts of ink to be used for printing of the two areas PA1 and PA2 are to be the same.
(5) In the image division processing (
(6) In the second and third embodiments, the boundary pixel BP is determined for each pixel row by using the luminance V of each pixel, so that the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 are determined. Instead of this configuration, the luminance V may be calculated for each block (for example, 3 pixels in height×3 pixels in width) including a plurality of pixels and a boundary block may be determined for each block row by using the luminance V, so that the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 may be determined. That is, a size of a unit area for which the processing is executed may be a size of one pixel or a size of multiple pixels.
(7) The image division processing of the first to third embodiments is only exemplary, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The first area PA1 and the second area PA2 may be determined by an algorithm in which the drawing command or the pixel value information such as a pixel value included in the image data is used. For example, as shown in
(8) In the first embodiment, in a case in which the printer 200 receives the dot data from the terminal apparatus 300 and the printing is executed using the dot data, the first area PA1 and the second area PA2 may be determined using the dot data, for example. For example, the CPU 210 executes labeling processing for pixels indicative of the formation of dots by using the partial dot data indicative of the notice partial image, thereby specifying a plurality of dot areas consisting of continuous dots. The CPU 210 may classify the plurality of dot areas into an area belonging to the first area PA1 and an area belonging to the second area PA2, based on sizes (number of pixels) of each dot area, thereby determining the first area PA1 and the second area PA2.
(9) In the respective embodiments, the specific condition indicating whether the delay in ink supply may occur is determined using the head temperature Th, the cumulative-used amount TA of ink and the used amount IUo of ink. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the specific condition may be determined by using only the head temperature Th and the used amount IUo of ink. In this case, for example, in the determination threshold value table TT of
(10) In the printing mechanism 100 of the respective embodiments, the sub-scanning in which the conveyor unit 140 conveys the sheet M to relatively move the sheet M relative to the printing head 110 in the conveying direction is performed. Instead of this configuration, the sub-scanning may be performed by moving the printing head 110 relative to the fixed sheet M in an opposite direction to the conveying direction.
(11) In the special partial printing of the respective embodiments, the notice partial image is printed by the two partial printings that are executed without conveying the sheet M. Instead of this configuration, in the special partial printing, the notice partial image may be printed by three or more partial printings that are executed without conveying the sheet M. For example, when the notice partial image is printed by the three partial printings, the notice partial image is divided into a first area, a second area and a third area by using the notice partial image data. Then, the first area, the second area and the third area may be respectively printed by single partial printing.
(12) As the printing medium, instead of the sheet M, other media such as an OHP film, a CD-ROM, and a DVD-ROM may be adopted.
(13) In the respective embodiments, the device configured to execute the image processing of
As can be seen from the descriptions above, in the respective embodiments, the printing mechanism 100 is an example of the printing execution unit. Like this modified embodiment, when the terminal apparatus 300 executes the image processing, the entire printer 200 configured to execute the printing is an example of the printing execution unit.
(14) The device configured to execute the image processing of
(15) In the respective embodiments, some of the configuration implemented by hardware may be replaced with software, and some or all of the configuration implemented by software may be replaced with hardware. For example, some of the image processing shown in
The present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments and the modified embodiments. The embodiments of the present disclosure are provided so as to easily understand the present disclosure, not to limit the present disclosure. The present disclosure may be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and the present disclosure includes equivalents thereof.
In the above embodiments, the conveyer unit 140 conveying the paper M with the pair of the upstream roller and the pair of the downstream roller is used. A conveyer unit is not limited thereto. For example, a configuration in which the paper M is absorbed on a peripheral surface of an endless belt and the endless belt on which the paper M is disposed is conveyed may be adopted. The endless belt may absorb the paper M with electrostatic chuck or air drawn in through a hole formed on the endless belt. The conveyer may be a stage supporting the paper M and moving in a conveying direction along with the paper M.
An example in which the present invention is applied to the printer performing printing on the paper M by ejecting ink from the nozzle is explained as above. The paper M is not limited to such cut form. For example, as a substitute of the printer for the cut form, the present invention may be applied to a printer for a long paper including a roll paper. The present invention may be applied to a printer performing printing by ejecting ink to a print media other than the recording paper, the print media including a T-shirt, a sheet for an outdoor advertising, a case for a mobile terminal including a smart phone, a cardboard, and a resin material. The present invention may be applied to a printer ejecting liquid other than ink, for example, liquefied resin, and liquefied metal.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2019-028926 | Feb 2019 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10807380 | Arakane | Oct 2020 | B2 |
| 20130083101 | Maehira | Apr 2013 | A1 |
| 20200016910 | Arakane | Jan 2020 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2004-066550 | Mar 2004 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200262213 A1 | Aug 2020 | US |
