JP2004220327A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system printing an object while maintaining an aspect ratio with setting different from a sheet standard and a margin defined by layout information by the use of the previously stored layout information. <P>SOLUTION: When a sheet standard and/or a margin is set such that the printing is executed on a sheet of a prescribed standard with no margin, a print target image wherein the object is magnified or reduced while maintaining the aspect ratio (length/width) and is laid out to the whole drawing area larger than the sheet is formed, and the formed print target image is printed (S160). When the sheet standard and/or the margin is set such that the printing is executed on the sheet of the prescribed standard with the margin, the print target image wherein the object is magnified or reduced while maintaining the aspect ratio and is laid out to the drawing area smaller than the sheet is formed, and the formed print target image is printed (S150). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a printing system that prints an object such as an image based on layout information stored in advance has been known. Such layout information defines, for example, a paper standard, an arrangement of objects, a background image, and the like. Hereinafter, a description will be given on the assumption that layout information is defined for each paper standard. In this specification, “paper standard” is a standard that defines the length and width of paper, and is not limited to the standard, but is used in a concept that includes informal specifications such as manufacturer standards. When an object is to be drawn on a sheet (for example, B5) of a standard different from the sheet standard (for example, A4) specified by the layout information, the layout of the object must be specified again based on the layout information. Must.
[0003]
Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique for performing processing such as enlargement or reduction on an object when the shape of the object does not match the shape of a drawing space such as a screen or paper when drawing the object using a computer. ing.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-62-152078
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 cannot perform printing with a layout having no margin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system that prints an object using layout information stored in advance and maintaining an aspect ratio with a setting different from a paper standard and a margin specified by the layout information. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, a printing system according to the present invention includes a layout storage unit for storing layout information, an object input unit for inputting an object, and at least a paper standard and / or a margin. Print setting means and print image forming means for forming an image to be printed based on layout information, an object and printing conditions, wherein the print setting means prints on a sheet of a predetermined standard without margins. Or, when a margin is set, an object to be printed is formed by enlarging or reducing the object while maintaining the aspect ratio over the entire drawing area larger than the sheet, and the print setting unit has a margin on a sheet of a predetermined standard. When paper specifications and / or margins are set to print in Print image forming means for forming a print target image in which an object is enlarged or reduced while maintaining an aspect ratio in an area, and a print job output means for outputting a print job for printing the print target image; And printing means for printing a print target image based on the job.
[0007]
When the paper standard and / or margin is set to print on a paper of a predetermined standard without a margin, the object is enlarged or reduced while maintaining the aspect ratio (vertical / horizontal) over the entire drawing area larger than the paper. By forming the allocated print target image and printing the formed print target image, the aspect ratio can be set to any standard paper even if the layout information specifies that the layout is to be printed on a predetermined paper with a margin. To print the object without margins.
When the paper standard and / or margin is set so that printing is performed on a paper of a predetermined standard with a margin, an object to be printed is formed by enlarging or reducing an object while maintaining an aspect ratio in a drawing area smaller than the paper. Then, by printing the formed print target image, even if the layout information stipulates that the layout is to be printed on a predetermined sheet without a margin, the aspect ratio is maintained on a sheet of an arbitrary standard with a margin. Objects can be printed. That is, according to the printing system of the present invention, it is possible to print an object by using the layout information stored in advance and maintaining the aspect ratio with a setting different from the paper standard and the margin specified by the layout information. .
[0008]
Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, the print image forming means, when no margin is set by the print setting means, uses a priority information attached to the object created by the digital camera to draw out of the sheet. It is characterized in that an area is set. By setting the drawing area that protrudes from the paper using the priority information attached to the object created by the digital camera, it is possible to prevent the main part of the object, that is, the main part of the subject from being printed.
[0009]
Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, the print image forming unit sets a drawing area that protrudes from a sheet according to the characteristics of the printing unit when no print margin is set by the print setting unit. . By setting the drawing area that protrudes from the sheet according to the characteristics of the printing unit, it is possible to prevent printing with a margin despite setting without a margin. More specifically, for example, the ink jet printer engine has a characteristic that a margin is formed due to skewing or the like of the paper unless the width of the ink ejected from the paper (protrusion width) is set to 3 mm or more on each side. Suppose that. Even if such a printer engine is set to have no margin, if the left and right protrusion widths are set to 2 mm each according to the layout information with no margin and the left and right protrusion widths are set to 2 mm, the margin is set. It is formed. However, if printing is performed with the protrusion width set to 3 mm for each of the left and right sides according to the characteristics of the printer engine, a margin is not formed as set.
[0010]
Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, when a layout with a margin is defined by the layout information and a margin is set by the print setting unit, the print image forming unit sets the aspect ratio to a drawing area smaller than the paper. It is characterized in that the printing object image is formed while maintaining and enlarging or reducing the entire object. Layout information that defines a layout with a margin is a layout in which the entire object is printed. Therefore, by forming the print target image by enlarging or reducing the entire object while maintaining the aspect ratio in a drawing area smaller than the paper, the layout information is originally printed even if the paper standard is changed. The specified area can be printed.
[0011]
Further, according to the printing system of the present invention, the print image forming unit sets the aspect ratio to a drawing area smaller than the paper when the layout without a margin is specified by the layout information and the margin is set by the print setting unit. A print target image is formed by maintaining or enlarging or reducing the central portion of the object, and the outer edge of the object that is not allocated to the drawing area by the print image forming means is defined as an area where the layout information protrudes from the paper. It is characterized in that it corresponds to the region where Layout information defining a layout without a margin is a layout in which the outer edge of an object is not printed. Therefore, even if a layout is set without a margin, the outer edge of an object that is not allocated to a drawing area by the print image forming unit corresponds to an area defined as an area where the layout information protrudes from the sheet. It is possible to print only the area originally specified to be printed with the information.
[0012]
Each function of the plurality of means provided in the present invention is realized by a hardware resource whose function is specified by the configuration itself, a hardware resource whose function is specified by a program, or a combination thereof. The functions of the plurality of means are not limited to those realized by hardware resources which are physically independent of each other.
Further, the present invention can be specified not only as an invention of an apparatus, but also as an invention of a program, an invention of a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and an invention of a method.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the printing system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The printing system 10 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a display 14, a keyboard 15, a mouse 16, a hard disk 17, a printer 18, and the like. Objects such as image data and their layout information are stored in the RAM 13, the ROM 12, and the hard disk 17. The user inputs desired printing conditions from the keyboard 15 and the mouse 16. The CPU 11 forms a print target image to be output to the printer 18 by executing a program stored in the ROM 12 and the hard disk 17. In the printer 18, ink corresponding to the image to be printed is sprayed on the paper. These programs and various data may be input by downloading from a predetermined server via a network, or may be input by reading from a computer-readable storage medium such as a removable memory (not shown). Note that the printing system of the present invention may be realized as a stand-alone printer that includes a display, a jog key, and the like, and that can set layout information and the like. The printing method of the printer 18 is not limited to the ink jet method.
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a data flow diagram of the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image file is an image input from a memory card, a hard disk, an image scanner, a network, or the like. This image is input as image data representing RGB gradation values, YCbCr gradation values, and the like for each pixel. The printing conditions include the size of the sheet to be printed and a margin indicating the interval between the edge of the sheet and the edge of the print area, and are set by the user. The CPU 11 executes the program to create print layout information from the image file name, layout information, and print conditions (process 24), and forms print target image data from the image data and the print layout information (process 24). 25) Output to the printer 18. The printer 18 converts the image data to be printed from the RGB color space to the CMYK color space, creates binary print data by a dither method or the like (process 26), and sprays ink on paper based on the print data. (Step 27).
[0015]
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the layout information 30. The layout information 30 includes information that defines a layout when an image is printed on paper. The layout information 30 includes a paper size, a margin indicating the interval between the edge of the paper and the edge of the print area, a file name of the image to be printed, It is composed of upper left and lower right coordinates of the image frame, which is the outer edge of the area, fitting rules, alignment rules, and the like. Here, in the layout information 30, the image frame coordinates are uniquely determined by the margin.
[0016]
Next, the fitting rule will be described. The fitting rule is such that, when the aspect ratio of a rectangular object and its object frame is different, the object is set so that at least one of the two pairs of opposing sides of the object overlaps the object frame without changing the aspect ratio of the object. Is a property that defines the rules for applying to the object frame. Specifically, a case where an object is applied to an object frame will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0017]
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the fitting rule “FitOutside”. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a case where the aspect ratio of the object frame 41 is larger than the aspect ratio of the object 40, and the object 40 is enlarged so that two opposing horizontal sides of the object frame 41 and the object 40 overlap. I do. FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a case where the aspect ratio of the object frame 43 is smaller than or equal to the aspect ratio of the object 40, and the two vertical sides of the object frame 43 and the object 40 overlap each other. The object 40 is enlarged. As described above, when the fitting rule is “FitOutside”, the object 42 or the object 44 after the enlargement is cut off at the upper and lower or left and right ends, and is allocated to the entire frame so that there is no blank space in the object frame.
[0018]
Next, a case where the fitting rule is “FitWithin” will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the fitting rule “FitWithin”. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a case where the aspect ratio of the object frame 45 is larger than the aspect ratio of the object 40, and the object 40 is enlarged so that two opposite vertical sides of the object frame 45 and the object 40 overlap. I do. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a case where the aspect ratio of the object frame 47 is smaller than or equal to the aspect ratio of the object 40, and the object frame 47 and the object 40 are arranged such that two opposite lateral sides of the object overlap each other. To enlarge. When the fitting rule is “FitWithin”, the enlarged object 46 or the object 48 is allocated so that all parts of the object can be seen in the object frame.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the fitting rule when the alignment rule described later is “CenterCenter”.
[0019]
Next, the alignment rule will be described. The alignment rule is a property that determines the arrangement of the object and the object frame, and defines the horizontal and vertical alignment criteria. Hereinafter, some examples will be specifically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing “LeftTop”, in which the upper left points of the object frame 51 and the object 52 are arranged so as to overlap each other, and FIG. 7B is a diagram showing “CenterCenter”. The frame 53 and the object 54 are arranged so that their center points overlap each other. FIG. 7C is a view showing “RightBottom”, and the object frame 55 and the lower right point of the object 56 are arranged so as to overlap each other. As described above, in the alignment rule, the arrangement is determined according to which reference point of the object and the object frame is matched. FIG. 7 illustrates some examples of the alignment rule in the case of the fitting rule “FitOutside”.
[0020]
FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram showing a layout with no margin, and FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram showing a printing result. In the layout with no margin, all four data (upper, lower, right, left) of the layout information are set to 0 or a negative value (-). The margin is a margin between the edge of the paper 61 and the print area 64. If a negative value is set in this data, the print area 64 is printed out of the paper 61 by the absolute value of this data. Is done. By setting an appropriate value for the protruding width, generation of an unintended margin due to skewing or the like of the sheet 61 is prevented. The image 62 set by the image file is enlarged / reduced and applied to the image frame 63 having the outer edge of the print area 64 as a frame in accordance with the fitting rule “FitOutside” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”.
[0021]
FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing a layout with a margin, and FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram showing a printing result. The layout with a margin is realized by setting all four data of the margin of the layout information to be positive values (+). When a positive value is set in the margin, the print area 64 is inside the paper 61 by this data. The image 62 represented by the image file is enlarged / reduced and applied to the image frame 63 having the outer edge of the print area 64 as a frame in accordance with the fitting rule “FitWithin” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”.
[0022]
When the paper size and the margin of the layout information 30 match those of the printing condition, the layout information is used as it is as the printing layout information, and FIG. 8B or FIG. 9B shows the printing result. Note that all of these four margin data are positive values or negative values to 0, and are not mixed.
[0023]
Next, the print layout information 70 will be described. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the print layout information 70. The print layout information 70 includes a paper size, a margin that is the interval between the edge of the paper and the edge of the print area, a file name of an image to be printed, upper left and lower right coordinates of an image frame, fitting rules, alignment rules, and the like. I have. FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram illustrating print layout information. If the margin data is 0 or a negative value, the printing area 65 is outside the edge of the printing paper 67 by an absolute value, and if the margin data is a positive value, the printing is inside the edge of the printing paper 67 by the absolute value. An area 65 is obtained. The image frame coordinates set the position on the paper of the image frame 66 to which the image is applied. The image 62 is enlarged / reduced according to the fitting rule and the alignment rule as in the layout information 30, and is applied to the image frame 66.
[0024]
Next, generation of print target image data will be described. For the print target image data, RGB tone value or YCbCr tone value data at each coordinate of the paper 67 to be printed is determined based on the print layout information. At that time, the printing system of the present invention does not generate data of coordinates outside the print area 65. FIG. 11B is a schematic diagram illustrating a printing result.
[0025]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a process of creating printing layout information in the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. In S100, the user is caused to select the image layout information 30. Next, in S110, the user is caused to set printing conditions. The size and margin of the paper to be printed are set in the printing conditions. Here, the printing conditions may be set not only by the user, but also by a margin value depending on the characteristics of the printer engine depending on the printer to be used for printing.
[0026]
Subsequently, in step S120, it is determined whether or not the layout information and the values of the sheet and the margin of the printing condition match. If the paper size and the margin match, in step S130, the layout information is used as the layout information for printing. If the paper sizes or the margins do not match, in step S140, it is determined whether or not the values of the margins in the layout information are all 0 or negative, that is, the layout has no margin. If the layout information has a margin, in step S150, print layout information for printing the entire image by enlarging / reducing the entire image without changing the aspect ratio is generated. If the layout information has no margin, in step S160, print layout information for printing the entire layout by enlarging / reducing the entire layout without changing the image aspect ratio is generated.
[0027]
Next, a description will be given of a process when printing is performed under a printing condition with a margin in step S150. First, a process for printing a layout with a margin under a printing condition with a margin will be described. FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram illustrating a layout with a margin, and FIG. 12B is a schematic diagram illustrating an output when printing is performed under printing conditions with a margin. In the layout with a margin shown in FIG. 12A, there is a print area 64 inside the layout information sheet 61 by the margin, and the image 71 matches the print area 64 with the fitting rule “FitWithin” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”. Applied to the image frame. A case in which the layout with a margin is printed under a print condition with a margin will be described. The print area 65 for the print paper 67 is determined from the print paper size and the margin set in the print conditions. Next, in the case of printing with a margin, the outer edge of the print area 65 is used as an image frame, and the entire image 71 is allocated to the image frame according to the fitting rule “FitWithin” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”. As a result, the entire image can be enlarged / reduced and printed in an area smaller than the sheet.
[0028]
Next, a process for printing a layout without a margin under a printing condition with a margin will be described. FIG. 13A is a schematic diagram illustrating a layout without a margin, and FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram illustrating printing under a printing condition with a margin. In the layout with no margin shown in FIG. 13A, there is a print area 64 outside the layout information sheet 61 by the absolute value of the margin, and the image 72 is printed according to the fitting rule “FitOutside” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”. Is applied to the image frame that matches. A case in which the layout without margin is printed under the print condition with margin will be described. The printable area 68 for the printing paper 67 is determined from the printing paper size and the margin set in the printing conditions. Next, a print area 65 that is similar to the image frame in the layout information and that is inscribed in the printable area 68 that is inside the margin of the print paper by the margin is defined. Next, the enlargement / reduction ratio of the image can be obtained from the ratio of the size of the original image frame to the print area 65. The left and right sides are used as the image frame 69 of the layout information for printing. Here, when the image is enlarged / reduced and applied to the image frame 69 while maintaining the aspect ratio by the fitting rule “FitOutside” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”, the image to be printed on the paper in the layout is stored in the print area 65. The image that has been printed out of the paper in the layout is placed outside the print area 65 and is not printed.
According to the above-described processing, the image can be printed by enlarging / reducing the central portion of the image while maintaining the aspect ratio in the print area smaller than the paper.
[0029]
Next, a description will be given of a process when printing is performed under a printing condition without a margin in step S160. Here, a process for printing a layout without a margin without a margin will be described. FIG. 14A is a schematic diagram showing a layout without a margin, and FIG. 14B is a schematic diagram showing an output when printing is performed under a printing condition without a margin. In the layout with no margin shown in FIG. 14A, there is a print area 64 outside the layout information sheet 61 by the absolute value of the margin, and the image 72 is printed according to the fitting rule “FitOutside” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”. Is applied to the image frame that matches. A case in which this layout without margins is printed under a print condition without margins will be described. The print area 65 for the print paper 67 is determined from the print paper size and the margin set in the print conditions, and this is used as an image frame. An image is applied to this image frame according to the fitting rule “FitOutside” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter”. Through the above processing, the image can be enlarged / reduced while maintaining the aspect ratio over the entire drawing area larger than the paper.
[0030]
At this time, if the fitting rule “FitOutside” and the alignment rule “CenterCenter” are used, the main position is not printed even if the image has the main position information such as the focused position at the time of shooting due to the margin of the printing condition. In some cases. FIG. 15A is a schematic diagram illustrating a print result in which the main position 80 is not printed on the paper 67 by printing. In such a case, the alignment rule may be changed according to the position of the main position information on the image. FIG. 15B is a schematic diagram illustrating a print result in which the main position 80 is printed on the paper 67. More specifically, when the main position information is at the upper left of the image, the upper left priority information can be printed by setting the alignment rule to “LeftTop” instead of “CenterCenter”.
[0031]
According to the printing system of the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to print an image while maintaining an aspect ratio with a setting different from a paper standard and a margin specified by the layout information using layout information stored in advance. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a data flow diagram of the printing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of layout information.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing “FitOutside” of a fitting rule.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fitting rule “Fit Whithin”.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an alignment rule.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a layout without margins.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a layout without margins.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of print layout information.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing print layout information.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a printing result according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a printing result according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a printing result according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a printing result according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 printing system 21 object data 22 layout information 23 printing condition setting processing 25 print target image data creation processing 26 print data creation processing 27 printing processing 30 layout information 70 printing layout information 80 main positions

Claims (5)

Layout storage means for storing layout information;
An object input means for inputting an object,
Print setting means for setting at least a paper standard and / or a margin;
A print image forming unit that forms a print target image based on layout information, an object, and print conditions, wherein a paper standard and / or a margin is set by the print setting unit so as to print on a paper of a predetermined standard without a margin. Then, the object to be printed is formed by enlarging or reducing the object while maintaining the aspect ratio over the entire drawing area larger than the sheet, and printing is performed on the sheet of a predetermined standard by the print setting unit with a margin. When a paper standard and / or a margin are set, print image forming means for forming an image to be printed in which an object is enlarged or reduced while maintaining an aspect ratio in a drawing area smaller than the paper, and
A print job output unit that outputs a print job for printing a print target image;
A printing unit that prints a print target image based on the print job. The print image forming unit sets a drawing area that protrudes from a sheet using emphasis information attached to an object created by a digital camera when no margin is set by the print setting unit. Item 2. The printing system according to Item 1. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when the print setting unit sets no margin, the print image forming unit sets a drawing area that protrudes from a sheet according to characteristics of the printing unit. 3. The print image forming means enlarges or reduces the entire object while maintaining the aspect ratio in a drawing area smaller than the paper, when a layout with a margin is defined by the layout information and a margin is set by the print setting means. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the printing target image is formed by performing the allocation. The print image forming unit enlarges or enlarges the central portion of the object while maintaining the aspect ratio in a drawing area smaller than the paper, when a layout without a margin is defined by the layout information and a margin is set by the print setting unit. Form the print target image that is reduced and allocated,
5. The peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein an outer edge of the object that is not allocated to a drawing region by the print image forming unit corresponds to a region defined by the layout information as a region protruding from a sheet. The printing system as described.

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