Printing apparatus and printing system

Abstract

The printing apparatus includes: a printing device which prints onto a prescribed print medium; a print result prediction device which predicts a print result on the print medium and accordingly outputs print result prediction data including image region print result prediction data for an image region and text region print result prediction data for a text region, the image region and the text region being recognized as an image and a text, respectively, by a person viewing a correct print result, the text region print result prediction data including a text code; an image reading device which optically reads in the print result on the print medium and accordingly outputs print result read data, the image reading device being disposed on a downstream side of a printing position of the print medium and on an upstream side of an output position of the print medium in a conveyance path along which the print medium is conveyed; and a print result judgment device which judges a printing failure on the print medium in accordance with the print result prediction data outputted from the print result prediction device and the print result read data outputted from the image reading device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will be explained in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general schematic drawing of an embodiment of a printing system in which a digital television apparatus and a printing apparatus are connected by an on-line system;

FIG. 2 is a general schematic drawing of an embodiment of a printing system in which a digital television apparatus and a printing apparatus are connected by an off-line system;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the general composition of an embodiment of the digital television apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the general composition of an embodiment of the printing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a principal plan diagram showing the disposition of a print unit and an image reading unit in the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a first flowchart showing the sequence of an embodiment of a printing process;

FIG. 7 is a second flowchart showing the sequence of the embodiment of the printing process;

FIG. 8 is a third flowchart showing the sequence of the embodiment of the printing process;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative diagram showing an embodiment of print quality data;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative diagram showing an embodiment of transmission data;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the sequence of an embodiment of a print data creation process;

FIG. 12 is an illustrative diagram showing an embodiment of print result prediction data;

FIG. 13 is an illustrative diagram showing an embodiment of selected print result prediction parameters;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the sequence of an embodiment of a print result prediction data creation process;

FIG. 15 is an illustrative diagram for describing the sequence of print result judgment;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the sequence of an embodiment of a print result judgment process;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the sequence of an embodiment of a print result invalidation process;

FIG. 18 is an illustrative diagram for describing an image region and a text region;

FIGS. 19A to 19C are illustrative diagrams for explaining threshold value prediction parameters;

FIG. 20 is an illustrative diagram of a particular color coordinates system which depicts the relationship between a target color and threshold value designated by the digital television apparatus and a target color and threshold value determined in the printing apparatus;

FIG. 21 is a schematic drawing showing the functional composition of an embodiment of a printing apparatus comprising a line head;

FIG. 22 is a principal plan diagram showing the disposition of the print unit and the image reading unit in the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 21; and

FIG. 23A is a plan perspective diagram showing an embodiment of the line head, and FIG. 23B is a cross-sectional diagram of same.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus, comprising: a printing device which prints onto a prescribed print medium;a print result prediction device which predicts a print result on the print medium and accordingly outputs print result prediction data including image region print result prediction data for an image region and text region print result prediction data for a text region, the image region and the text region being recognized as an image and a text, respectively, by a person viewing a correct print result, the text region print result prediction data including a text code;an image reading device which optically reads in the print result on the print medium and accordingly outputs print result read data, the image reading device being disposed on a downstream side of a printing position of the print medium and on an upstream side of an output position of the print medium in a conveyance path along which the print medium is conveyed; anda print result judgment device which judges a printing failure on the print medium in accordance with the print result prediction data outputted from the print result prediction device and the print result read data outputted from the image reading device.

2. The printing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: the print result judgment device subjects the print result read data of the image region corresponding to the image region print result prediction data to filtering process based on prescribed visual characteristics, and calculates a differential between the image region print result prediction data and the filtered print result read data of the image region; andthe print result judgment device subjects the print result read data of the text region corresponding to the text region print result prediction data to text recognition, and judges whether the text code included in the text region print result prediction data coincides with a text code obtained by the text recognition.

3. A printing system, comprising: a digital data reception device which receives digital data including print contents; andthe printing apparatus as defined in claim 1 which acquires a print content from the digital data reception apparatus through one of cable communication, wireless communication and a storage medium, prints the print content, and judges a printing failure of the print content.

4. The printing system as defined in claim 3, wherein the digital data reception device receives the digital data including the print contents through one of satellite broadcasting, terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting and an electrical communication circuit.