Stability display method and stability display apparatus

Abstract

The disclosed method and apparatus execute a printing step for setting a printing condition concerning at least one of a printing machine, a dot pattern, printing paper and ink, and printing an image having a plurality of different dot percentages with the printing condition set; a profile creating step for creating a profile showing printing stability in form of a relationship between the printing condition and each of the dot percentages by measuring a print image obtained in the printing step; a calculating step for deriving printing stability for each color area of an image to be printed, from image data of the image to be printed, the printing condition in time of printing and the profile; and a displaying step for displaying the printing stability of each color area, obtained in the calculating step, of the image to be printed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings several forms which are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a printing machine to which this invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an imaging unit along with a paper discharge mechanism such as a paper discharge cylinder;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a principal electrical structure of the printing machine;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a profile creating process;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of stability calculating and display processes;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a display screen of a control panel;

FIG. 7A is a schematic view showing a display of stability on the display screen of the control panel; and

FIG. 7B is a schematic view showing another display of stability on the display screen of the control panel.

Claims

1. A stability display method comprising: a printing step for setting a printing condition concerning at least one of a printing machine, a dot pattern, printing paper and ink, and printing an image having a plurality of different dot percentages with the printing condition set;a profile creating step for creating a profile showing a degree of printing stability in form of a relationship between said printing condition and each of the dot percentages by measuring a print image obtained in said printing step;a calculating step for deriving a degree of printing stability for each color area of an image to be printed, from image data of the image to be printed, the printing condition in time of printing and said profile; anda displaying step for displaying the degree of printing stability of each color area, obtained in said calculating step, of the image to be printed.

2. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein said image having a plurality of different dot percentages comprises an image with dot percentages changing successively and gradually.

3. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein said degree of printing stability is a proportion of the number of prints having color tones fitting into a target range to a predetermined number of prints.

4. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein said degree of printing stability is a degree of color tone distribution.

5. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein said degree of printing stability is the number of prints made from start of printing until color tones stabilize.

6. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein said degree of printing stability includes a proportion of the number of prints having color tones fitting into a target range to a predetermined number of prints, a degree of color tone distribution, and the number of prints made from start of printing until color tones stabilize.

7. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein said displaying step for displaying the degree of printing stability displays areas on the image expected to have degrees of stability less than a predetermined degree.

8. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein, after said displaying step, the printing condition in time of printing is changed and said calculating step and said display step are executed again.

9. A stability display method as defined in claim 1, wherein: said printing step is executed to set a plurality of different printing conditions successively, and print the image having a plurality of different dot percentages with each of the printing conditions; andsaid profile creating step is executed to create a profile capable of coping with each of said plurality of different printing conditions.

10. A stability display apparatus comprising: a profile storage device for setting a printing condition concerning at least one of a printing machine, a dot pattern, printing paper and ink, and storing a profile showing a degree of printing stability determined in form of a relationship between said printing condition and each dot percentage by measuring an image with the printing condition set and having a plurality of different dot percentages;a calculating device for deriving a degree of printing stability for each color area of an image to be printed, from image data of the image to be printed, the printing condition in time of printing and the profile stored in said profile storage device; anda display device for displaying the degree of printing stability of each color area, calculated by said calculating device, of the image to be printed.