JP2013116605A - Print control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print control device which can determine a region where glossiness is deteriorated before printing.SOLUTION: The print control device includes: a generation means for generating print data from image data; a print means for transferring ink to a recording sheet by a thermal head based on the print data generated by the generation means; a determination means for determining whether there is high-density region having a predetermined density or more about the print data; and a notification means for, when it is determined that there is the high-density region, notifying a user that non-glossy region where glossiness is reduced is generated.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control apparatus capable of extracting or displaying a non-gloss area where glossiness is low when printing is performed.

  Many printers capable of printing out image data captured by a device having image input means such as a digital still camera, a digital video camera, and a mobile phone have been commercialized.

  As an example of a printing method employed in a printing apparatus used for printing image data such as a photograph taken by a device having the image input means, a thermal transfer method can be cited.

  The thermal transfer printing apparatus uses a recording paper having a dye-receiving layer on its surface, and selectively drives a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction of the thermal head, whereby the dye layer of the ink ribbon is recorded on the recording paper. Heat transfer to the dye image-receiving layer. At the same time, the recording paper is transported in the sub-scanning direction of the thermal head to perform dot-line printing on the recording paper and form an image on the recording paper.

  A sublimation type thermal transfer printing apparatus is a system in which an ink ribbon sublimated from a solid to a gas is dyed on a recording paper. By controlling the number of times the voltage is applied to the heating element and changing the density of one pixel, it is possible to express a smooth and rich gradation image, which is suitable for photographic printout. When full-color printing is performed, full-color printing is realized by sequentially printing using an ink ribbon in which three sublimation dye layers of yellow, magenta, and cyan are arranged.

  The operation of applying a voltage to the heating element of the thermal head is referred to as energization, and the number of energizations is referred to as the energization number. Generally called the number of pulses. For example, when the number of energization times of the highest density is 255 times, gradation control is performed from 0 to 255 times the number of energization times per pixel. The number of energizations is increased in the high concentration portion, and the number of energizations is decreased in the low concentration portion. The concentration and the number of energizations are close to proportional.

  When printing by such a printing method, unevenness may occur on the recording paper and the glossiness may be lowered. Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for smoothing unevenness and improving glossiness by adding a step of further heating the recording paper after printing.

JP-A-11-170585

A method for smoothing the unevenness of the recording paper once generated has already been proposed, but it was not possible to judge whether the recording paper had unevenness before printing and the glossiness was lowered.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to determine an area where glossiness is lowered before printing.

In order to achieve the above object, the printing control apparatus of the present invention provides
A generating unit that generates the print data from the image data, a printing unit that transfers ink to recording paper by a thermal head based on the print data generated by the generating unit, and a predetermined density for the print data Determining means for determining whether or not there is a high density area, and notifying means for notifying the user that a non-gloss area having low glossiness is generated when it is determined that the high density area exists. It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to grasp an area where glossiness is lowered before printing.

It is a flowchart for extracting a non-glossy area. It is an external appearance block diagram of the cartridge used for a printing apparatus and a printing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state where a cartridge is mounted on a printing apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process of the printing apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the recording paper before and after printing. It is a graph which shows the relationship between a density gradation value and the energization frequency. It is a figure for demonstrating the case where a non-gloss area | region is extracted from the image of a total of 25 pixels of 5 pixels by 5 pixels. This is an extraction portion of each color when a non-gloss region is extracted from a natural image. It is a flowchart which performs extraction display of a non-gloss area | region. It is a display example when extracting and displaying a non-gloss area. It is a graph which shows the relationship between a density | concentration and the energization frequency when extracting and displaying a non-gloss area | region.

  With reference to FIGS. 1-12, the printing apparatus which is an example of embodiment for implement | achieving this invention is demonstrated.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing a cross section of the recording paper before printing and after printing.

  FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the recording paper before printing. It is composed of a 602 receiving layer on which a dye of an ink ribbon is dyed on a synthetic paper as a 601 base paper. The dye on the ink ribbon sublimates and moves to the 602 receiving layer, thereby dyeing the recording paper. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the recording paper when low density printing is performed. Reference numeral 603 denotes a portion where the ink ribbon dyes the receiving layer. FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the recording paper when high density printing is performed. In the high density portion, the recording paper is exposed to high heat.

  Reference numeral 604 denotes a portion where the ink ribbon dyes the receiving layer. When printing at a high density, a convex or concave step is formed in a portion exposed to high heat by the heating element of the thermal head as in 605. In FIG. 6, it is expressed as a convex step. The interval between the heating elements is about 30 μm to 40 μm and cannot be visually confirmed. However, this unevenness has a problem that light is diffusely reflected and glossiness is lowered. As described above, the region where the glossiness is lowered due to the unevenness is referred to as a non-glossy region in the following description.

  FIG. 7A is a graph showing the relationship between the concentration and the number of energizations.

  The operation of applying a voltage to the heating element of the thermal head is called energization, and the number of energizations is called the number of energizations or the number of pulses. For example, when the number of energization times of the highest density is 255 times, the density gradation is controlled by setting the number of energization times per pixel from 0 to 255 times. The density is controlled by increasing the number of energizations in the high concentration portion and decreasing the number of energizations in the low concentration portion. The density gradation and the number of energizations are close to proportional. In this description, the density gradation is described by a method of controlling the number of energizations to the heat generating element of the thermal head, but it may be controlled not by the number of energizations but by the energization time.

  Reference numeral 701 denotes a line indicating the relationship between the density gradation and the number of energizations. The horizontal axis represents density gradation values normalized from 0 to 255. The vertical axis represents the number of energizations corresponding to the concentration. The relationship between the density gradation value and the number of energizations is almost proportional, and the higher the density, the greater the number of energizations.

  Reference numeral 702 denotes a threshold value for a non-gloss region where the number of energizations is high and the glossiness decreases. That is, when the number of energizations increases beyond the intersection of 702 and 701, that portion becomes a non-glossy region. When the glossiness is lowered, the print quality is also lowered.

  In this embodiment, it is possible to present the non-glossy area to the user by determining the occurrence of such a non-glossy area before printing, and correction such as a decrease in density so that the non-glossy area does not occur. It is also possible to do.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an external configuration of the printing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment, the ink cartridge 210 used in the printing apparatus 200, and the recording paper cartridge 209.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printing apparatus 200 includes a housing 201 on the printing apparatus side in which the side surface is opened and closed and the ink cartridge 210 and the recording paper cartridge 209 can be attached / detached (attached / removable) in the direction of the arrow 220. Yes. A display unit 202 and an operation unit 203 are disposed on the upper portion of the housing 201. The display unit 202 includes a display screen such as an LCD, and displays a menu for inputting image data and setting data necessary for printing. The operation unit 203 includes a power button 204 for instructing to turn on / off the power of the printing apparatus, and a determination button 205 for selecting various menus displayed on the display unit 202. Further, a left / right key 206 and an up / down key 207 for moving the cursor displayed on the display unit 202 to a desired position are arranged around the determination button 205.

  The ink cartridge 210 contains an ink ribbon to which ink is applied. The recording paper cartridge 209 contains roll paper (a band-shaped recording medium wound around a roller) as recording paper. Further, before the recording paper cartridge 209 is mounted on the printing apparatus 200, the roll paper is sealed by the recording paper cartridge 209, and the user does not touch the roll paper directly. . At the time of printing, the roll paper is pulled out from the recording paper cartridge 209, and the ink applied to the ink ribbon is transferred to the roll paper by the thermal head of the printing apparatus to perform printing.

  An ink ribbon used in a thermal transfer printing apparatus is used to protect yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) sublimation dye layers and image forming layers that form images on recording paper. An overcoat layer (a heat-meltable resin material clear layer) is arranged in the surface order. In addition, since a plurality of colors of ink are arranged, markers for detecting the cueing position of the ink ribbon are arranged between the ink ribbons of each color and the overcoat layer (the leading Y color marker). Is a double line). However, the configuration of the special color ink ribbon dedicated to monochrome images is not limited to this.

  In order to form one image, a thermal transfer process is sequentially performed on a sheet of paper with a set of three dye layers of Y, M, and C and a protective layer of an overcoat layer. Therefore, Y / M / C colors and overcoat layers are repeatedly arranged on the ink ribbon in the ink ribbon cartridge as many as the number of printable sheets.

  Reference numeral 212 denotes a rotation shaft of a roller around which roll paper is wound. When the recording paper cartridge 209 is mounted on the printing apparatus 200, the rotation axis is coupled to a rotation mechanism of a paper feed motor included in the printing apparatus 200. The rotation is controlled. Reference numerals 213 and 214 denote rotation axes of an ink ribbon supply roller and a take-up roller, respectively. When the ink cartridge 210 is mounted on the printing apparatus 200, the rotation shaft 214 of the take-up roller is coupled to the rotation mechanism of the ink ribbon winding motor included in the printing apparatus 200, and the rotation is controlled by the printing apparatus 200.

  Reference numeral 215 denotes a printed recording sheet, which is printed on the printing apparatus and then stacked on the upper sheet stack of the printing apparatus as shown in the figure.

  The configuration of the printing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printing apparatus 200.

  A main controller 301 controls the entire printing apparatus 200 and performs system control and arithmetic processing according to various programs. The main controller 301 reads a program stored in a memory (not shown), and controls and calculates each block based on the read program, thereby realizing processing described later. The controller 301 performs processing on the image data to generate image data necessary for the printing process. An image data input unit 313 reads image data from a memory card inserted in a card slot included in the printing apparatus 200. In addition, a USB A connector terminal (not shown) which is an input / output I / F of the printing apparatus 200 and a USB mini-B connector terminal (not shown) of the digital camera can be connected by a cable. In this case, the printing apparatus side functions as a host device, and a printing operation can be performed from the digital camera side. Next, by connecting a USB B connector terminal, which is an input / output I / F of the printing apparatus, to a PC (Personal Computer), the printing apparatus side functions as a device device, and a printing operation can be performed from the PC side. .

  Reference numeral 316 denotes a thermal head. When a heating element (not shown) arranged in the main scanning direction generates heat, the ink applied to the ink ribbon is sublimated and printed on the roll paper. Reference numeral 315 denotes a head drive circuit that drives a heating element built in the thermal head 316. Printing is performed by a driver controller 314 connected to the main controller 301 controlling the head drive circuit 315 using image data recorded in a bitmap format.

  Reference numeral 305 denotes a roll paper transport motor driver for driving the drive motors 306 and 307. The drive motors 306 and 307 are coupled to a curl correction roller, a grip roller, a paper discharge roller, a paper discharge kick roller, and the like, which will be described later, via a rotation mechanism, and convey these roll papers by driving these rollers. .

  A paper feed motor driver 308 controls the rotation of the paper feed motor 309. In a state where the cartridge 210 is mounted, roll paper is wound by the paper feed motor 309 and is coupled to the roller 212 shown in FIG. The rotational driving of the roller 212 is controlled by 308.

  Reference numeral 310 denotes a cutter motor driver. The cutter motor driver 310 controls the cutter blade that constitutes the cutter unit and the cutter motor 311 that drives the cutter receiving blade to cut the roll paper.

  Reference numeral 303 denotes a roll paper detection sensor, which detects that the roll paper disposed in the recording paper cartridge 209 has been pushed out and that the leading end has been discharged from the cartridge outlet.

  Reference numeral 304 denotes a roll paper cueing sensor, which is arranged behind a platen roller provided to face the thermal head 316, and the leading end of the roll paper drawn from the recording paper cartridge 209 passes behind the platen roller at the start of printing. Detects passing.

  Reference numeral 312 denotes a display control unit that performs control for displaying on the display unit 202 a menu for inputting image data to be printed and setting data necessary for printing. The 203 operation unit is a part for inputting various instructions from the user.

  Although not shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3, the printing apparatus 200 stores a power supply circuit for supplying power necessary for operation, various ICs, a circuit board on which electric elements are mounted, and the like. Yes.

  4 is a cross-sectional view of the printing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the side of the printing apparatus 200 with the recording paper cartridge 209 and the ink cartridge 210 mounted thereon. The configuration of each unit that operates when the printing apparatus 200 performs print processing will be described with reference to FIG. In the above description, the same reference numerals are assigned to the components already described, and the description is omitted here.

  In FIG. 4, reference numeral 401 denotes a paper transport path that passes when the roll paper 413 contained in the recording paper cartridge 209 is pulled out to the printing position 411 at the time of printing. Reference numeral 402 denotes an exit of the roll paper 413 of the recording paper cartridge. The roll paper 413 wound around the roller 212 is pulled off by the separation member 414, and is drawn out of the cartridge 210 from the cartridge outlet 402 and passes through the paper conveyance path 401.

  Reference numerals 403-1 and 403-2 denote a curl correction roller and a curl correction driven roller, which correct the curl of the roll paper 413. Reference numerals 404-1 and 404-2 denote pinch rollers and grip rollers, which are arranged at positions facing each other via the roll paper 413, and sandwich the front and back surfaces of the roll paper 413. When the pair of rollers rotate in the forward direction (the pinch roller 404-1 rotates counterclockwise toward the paper surface), the roll paper 413 drawn from the cartridge 210 is conveyed toward the printing position 411. .

  When the recording paper cartridge 210 is mounted on the printing apparatus 200, the housing of the cartridge 210 that has covered the ink ribbon 415 at a position corresponding to the printing position 411 is removed. The ink ribbon 415 is exposed outside the cartridge 210.

  Reference numeral 405 denotes a platen roller which maintains a state in which the ink ribbon 415 and the roll paper 413 are overlapped with the thermal head 316 shown in FIG. 3 at the printing position 411. Reference numeral 412 is linked to a control mechanism of a head up / down motor (not shown) that moves up and down by a head position defining member.

  A paper discharge roller 406 conveys the roll paper 413 in the paper discharge direction. Reference numeral 407 denotes a paper discharge kick roller, which has a concavo-convex portion and kicks the printed and cut roll paper 413 onto a paper stack described later. The paper discharge roller 406 and the paper discharge kick roller 407 are arranged at positions facing each other via the roll paper 413, and sandwich the front and back surfaces of the roll paper 413.

  A gear train 408 transmits the operation of the cutter motor 311 to the cutter unit. Reference numerals 409 and 410 denote a cutter blade and a cutter receiving blade constituting the cutter unit, which are arranged at positions facing each other across the paper conveyance path of the roll paper 413. The cutter blade 409 and the cutter receiving blade 410 are driven by a gear train 408, and the roll paper 413 is cut by scissoring the upper and lower blades.

  Reference numeral 416 denotes a paper feed spring that presses the paper feed roller 102 and the rotary shaft roller 212 of the roll paper unit. As a result, the printing paper moves in the paper feeding direction as the paper feeding roller 102 rotates.

  The image data printing process will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the paper feed motor rotates, the roll paper 413 is pulled out and conveyed to the pinch roller 404-1 and the grip roller 404-2 (step S501). Subsequent sheet conveyance is performed by the grip roller 404-2 that is driven and controlled by the drive motors 306 and 307, which are stepping motors (step S502). The drive motors 306 and 307 are rotationally driven by the number of steps of the pulse signal sent out from the roll paper transport motor driver 314, and perform position control in an open loop after detecting the leading edge position of the paper. In the printer apparatus of this embodiment, the paper feed of 0.0845 mm is realized by 3 steps of the pulse signal.

  The leading edge of the paper sent by the grip roller 404-2 is detected by the roll paper detection sensor 303 (step S503). The paper is conveyed by the determined number of steps until the image writing position of the roll paper 413 reaches the thermal head 316 (step S504). Next, the ribbon take-up roller rotating shaft 214 is taken up, and Y-color cueing is performed. The Y ribbon cue marker is detected by the ink ribbon cue marker detection sensor (step S505). After the heading of the Y-color ink ribbon is completed, the thermal head 316 that has been retracted during the paper transport and ink ribbon heading is pressed against the platen roller 405 with the roll paper 413 and the ink ribbon 415 sandwiched therebetween.

  Image data is read from the image data input unit 313 and print data is generated by processing of the main controller 301. The generated print data is transferred to the head drive circuit 315 that controls the thermal head 316, and the heating element arranged in the thermal head 316 generates heat by energization of the head control signal. When the ink ribbon is heated, the dye is sublimated and fixed onto the roll paper 413 that is in contact therewith, and printing processing is performed for each line. The grip roller 404-2 feeds paper in synchronization with the energization process of the thermal head 316. For L size paper, the paper is conveyed by about 1500 steps to form an image (step S506). In this step, a yellow (Y) sublimation dye layer is formed on the dye receiving layer of the paper.

  After the Y color printing process is completed, the thermal head 316 is retracted, and the grip roller 404-2 is driven to rotate about 1500 steps in the opposite direction to that during the printing process. Then, the roll paper 413 is conveyed in the returning direction until the writing position of the first image surface of the roll paper 413 comes to the position of the heating element of the thermal head 316 (step S507).

  Similarly to step S505, while winding the ribbon take-up roller rotating shaft 214, the marker of the M color ink ribbon is detected and cueing is performed (step S508). Printing processing is performed with the M color ink ribbon in the same manner as in step S506 so as to overlap the image formed in Y color (step S509). After the printing process, as in step S507, the roll paper 413 is returned to the image writing position (step S510). In this step, a magenta (M) color sublimable dye layer is formed. From the C printing process steps S511 to S513, the same process as the M printing process steps S508 to S510 is performed to form an image on the dye receiving layer of the roll paper 413. In this step, a cyan (C) sublimable dye layer is formed.

  Subsequently, cueing of the overcoat layer of the ink ribbon is performed (step S514), and the resin material clear layer (overcoat layer) forms a transparent protective layer on the paper surface by the heat generated by the heating element of the thermal head 316. However, the overcoat layer finishes the printing process at a position where the paper has been fed by about 1500 steps from the image writing position (step S515).

  A process for extracting a non-gloss area from image data to be printed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the density of each color and the number of energizations of an image of 25 pixels of 5 pixels vertically and 5 pixels horizontally. The flow of the present invention will be described using the flowchart of FIG. 1 and the image of FIG.

  The non-glossy region extraction is started (step S101).

  First, the density value of each yellow pixel is calculated from the image data to be printed (step S102). FIG. 8A is a diagram describing the yellow color density value calculated for each pixel. Next, the number of energizations is calculated from the density value of each yellow pixel (step S103). The number of energizations is obtained from the correspondence between the concentration and the number of energizations shown in FIG. At this time, the number of times of energization may be finely adjusted from the thermal head temperature obtained from a thermistor (not shown) mounted on the thermal head or from the temperature inside the printing apparatus obtained from the thermistor provided in the printing apparatus 200. . For example, when the temperature of the thermal head is high or the temperature inside the printing apparatus is high, the output density is made constant and the output density is made constant. The energization count calculated in step S103 is the energization count after fine adjustment.

  FIG. 8B shows the number of energizations calculated for each pixel. From the energization count value, pixels that are equal to or greater than the threshold value are extracted (step S104). The threshold value of the number of energizations in the yellow non-gloss area is set to 240. In that case, the lower right pixel shown in 801 is a non-glossy region.

  Next, the density value of each magenta color pixel is calculated from the image data to be printed (step S105). FIG. 8D shows the magenta density value calculated for each pixel. The number of energizations is calculated from the density value of each pixel of magenta color (step S106). As with the yellow color, the number of energizations after fine adjustment by the thermal head temperature and the temperature inside the printer.

  FIG. 8E shows the number of energizations calculated for each pixel. From the energization count value, pixels that are equal to or greater than the threshold value are extracted (step S107). The threshold value of the number of energizations in the magenta non-gloss area is set to 230. In that case, the upper left four pixels indicated by reference numeral 802 are non-glossy regions.

  Further, the density value of each cyan pixel is calculated from the image data to be printed (step S108). FIG. 8G shows the cyan density values calculated for each pixel. The number of energizations is calculated from the density value of each cyan pixel (step S109). Similarly to the yellow and magenta colors, the number of energizations after fine adjustment based on the thermal head temperature and the temperature inside the printer.

  FIG. 8H shows the number of energizations calculated for each pixel. From the energization count value, pixels that are equal to or greater than the threshold value are extracted (step S110). The threshold value for the number of energizations in the cyan non-gloss area is set to 200. In that case, the upper right nine pixels shown in 803 are non-glossy regions.

  Finally, the non-gloss areas extracted in (Step S104) (Step S107) (Step S110) are added and combined (Step S111). The 14 pixels painted black in FIG. 8J are non-glossy areas.

  Note that printing corresponding to the density value is executed by energizing the heating element of the thermal head based on the data indicating the number of energizations calculated here and driving the thermal head.

  Further, in this embodiment, data indicating the number of energizations is used, and pixels having the energization times of a predetermined number or more are determined to be non-glossy areas. However, the present invention is not limited to this method, and it is only necessary to extract high-density pixels or regions that become non-gloss regions. Therefore, for example, it may be determined that a pixel having a density value of each color equal to or higher than a predetermined density set for each color is a non-gloss region.

  Also, even if there is a non-glossy region for only one pixel, there is a high possibility that the user will not recognize that it is non-glossy. For this reason, only an area where a predetermined number or more of high-density pixels are continuous is defined as a non-glossy area, or when there are a predetermined number or more of high-density pixels within a predetermined size area, You may determine with it being a non-gloss area.

  An example of extracting a non-gloss area in the case of a natural image is shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9A shows an original image. FIGS. 9B, 9C, and 9D are images separated into yellow, magenta, and cyan. Reference numeral 901 in FIG. 9F denotes a non-gloss area extracted from the yellow color image in FIG. 9B. FIG. 9G shows a magenta non-gloss area, but there is no non-gloss area. In FIG. 9H, reference numeral 902 denotes a cyan non-gloss area.

  FIG. 9E shows an image obtained by combining the yellow non-gloss area in FIG. 9F and the cyan non-gloss area in FIG. 9H.

  Processing for extracting and displaying a non-gloss area will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 11 is a display example according to the flowchart of FIG.

  A process for extracting a non-glossy region and notifying the user of the non-glossy region before printing is disclosed will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. The user presses the power button 204 of the printing apparatus 200 to activate the printing apparatus 200 and start printing (step S1001). The user inserts an image from the image data input unit 313 and selects the image. For example, an SD card in which an image is stored is inserted into the SD card insertion unit, and an image to be printed is selected using the left / right button 206, the up / down button 207, and the enter button 205 (step S1002).

  Next, a non-glossy portion is extracted from the selected image to be printed (step S1003). Specifically, the non-glossy region is extracted by executing the processing of the flowchart of FIG. Assume that the image in FIG. 9A is selected. It is determined whether a non-glossy portion exists in the selected image (step S104). If not, printing is performed as it is (step S1008). When there is a non-glossy part, in order to notify the user that a non-glossy area will be generated when printing, an image is displayed on the display unit 202 and a non-glossy part is superimposed on the image in a cycle of several seconds. Are switched and displayed (step S1005). FIG. 11B shows a display example. The yellow non-gloss area 1102 and the cyan non-gloss area 1101 are blinked red for a period of several seconds. Next, it is confirmed with respect to the user whether or not correction is performed so that a non-glossy region does not occur (step S1006). FIG. 11C shows a display example for confirming with the user whether or not to correct the density of the non-glossy portion. The user uses the left / right button 206 and the determination button 205 to determine whether or not to correct. In this case, since the density is printed lightly when correction is performed, it is determined whether to perform correction after confirming with the user. A selection input as to whether or not to correct is received from the user (step S1007). When correcting, image correction is performed (step S1007). Details of the correction will be described later with reference to FIG. Printing processing is performed (step S1008). The flow when the non-glossy area is extracted and displayed is ended (step S1009).

  In this embodiment, the yellow color non-gloss area, the magenta color non-gloss area, and the cyan color non-gloss area are combined and displayed on the image, but the correction varies depending on each color, so each color is displayed for several seconds. You may make it do.

  FIG. 12 is a relationship diagram between the density and the number of energizations when density correction is performed.

  When the non-glossy region exists only for the yellow color, correction is performed so that pixels having a threshold 240 or more of the energization frequency of the yellow non-glossy region are saturated at 240 as indicated by 1201. At this time, the relationship between the density of magenta and cyan and the number of energizations is similarly corrected so as to be saturated at 240. This is because if the number of times of energization is corrected with the yellow color alone, the overall color balance is lost due to the relationship between the magenta color and the cyan color.

  When a non-glossy area exists in magenta color alone or in yellow and magenta colors, correction is performed so that pixels having a threshold 230 or more of energization times in the magenta non-glossy area are saturated at 230 as indicated by 1202. . At this time, the relationship between the density of the yellow and cyan colors and the number of energizations is similarly corrected to be saturated at 230. This is because when the number of energizations is corrected for magenta alone, the overall color balance is lost due to the relationship between yellow and cyan.

  When a cyan non-glossy region exists, correction is performed so that pixels having a threshold of 200 or more of the energization frequency of the cyan non-glossy region are saturated at 200 as indicated by 1203. At this time, the relationship between the density of the yellow and magenta colors and the number of energizations is similarly corrected to be saturated at 200. This is because when the number of times of energization is corrected with cyan alone, the overall color balance is lost due to the relationship between yellow and magenta.

  Generation of a non-gloss area can be prevented by the above correction.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary. Needless to say, the object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a system or apparatus with a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments. In this case, the above functions are realized by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like is used. be able to.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by executing the program code read by the computer. For example, an OS (operating system) running on a computer performs part or all of actual processing based on an instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the processing. Needless to say, it is included.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized. Is also included. That is, after the program code is written in the memory, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and is realized by the processing. This is also included.

(Other examples)
Although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. A part of the above-described embodiments may be appropriately combined.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example of the printing apparatus has been described. However, the printing process is not performed by the printing apparatus, but the printing process is performed by the printing apparatus. The image to be printed is selected, and the image data is converted into print data such as density value data and energization count data. The extraction and display of the glossy area may be performed by an external control device.

  Also, when a software program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied from a recording medium directly to a system or apparatus having a computer that can execute the program using wired / wireless communication, and the program is executed Are also included in the present invention.

  Accordingly, the program code itself supplied and installed in the computer in order to implement the functional processing of the present invention by the computer also realizes the present invention. That is, the computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention is also included in the present invention.

  In this case, the program may be in any form as long as it has a program function, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to the OS.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk or a magnetic tape, an optical / magneto-optical storage medium, or a nonvolatile semiconductor memory may be used.

  As a program supply method, a computer program that forms the present invention is stored in a server on a computer network, and a connected client computer downloads and programs the computer program.

  In the embodiment, an LCD display device in the form of a touch panel is given as an example. However, an operation using a mouse or a device using a display device other than the LCD can be applied.

Claims (11)

Generating means for generating the print data from the image data;
Printing means for transferring ink to recording paper by a thermal head based on the print data generated by the generating means;
Determination means for determining whether or not there is a high density region having a predetermined density or more with respect to the print data;
A printing control apparatus comprising: notification means for notifying a user that a non-glossy area having low glossiness occurs when it is determined that the high density area exists.   The notification means. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position of the non-gloss area is notified by displaying the high density area on a display unit so as to overlap the image of the image data. The printing means prints an image by transferring a plurality of colors of ink to the recording paper,
The generation unit generates print data corresponding to the plurality of colors of ink,
3. The predetermined density is different for each color of ink, and the determination unit determines a high density region that is equal to or higher than a predetermined density for each color of ink. Print control device.   The print control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the notification unit combines a plurality of high density regions determined for each color of the plurality of colors of ink and displays the combined image on the image.   The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit that corrects print data of the high density area in order to prevent occurrence of a non-gloss area.   The printing control apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a selection unit that selects whether or not the correction is performed by the correction unit.   The print control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the generation unit generates print data indicating a density of each pixel for each of the plurality of colors of ink based on the image data. The printing means includes a thermal head having a heating element, and a printing control means for controlling the density by controlling the number of times of energizing the heating element,
The generation unit generates print data indicating the number of energizations for each pixel based on the image data,
The printing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines an area in which the number of energizations per pixel is equal to or greater than a predetermined number as a high density area.   The print control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the determination unit determines that an area where a predetermined number or more of pixels having a predetermined density or more are continuous is a high density area.   10. The determination unit according to claim 7, wherein when there are a predetermined number or more of pixels having a predetermined density or more in a predetermined size area, the determination section determines that the area is a high density area. The print control apparatus according to any one of the above. A control method of a printing control apparatus for controlling printing means having a thermal head,
A generation step of generating the print data from the image data in order to transfer the ink recording paper by a thermal head;
A determination step for determining whether or not there is a high density region having a predetermined density or more with respect to the print data;
A control method for a print control apparatus, comprising: a notification step of notifying a user that a non-glossy region having low glossiness is generated when it is determined that the high-density region is present.

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