Printing system, server, method for controlling the printing system, and computer program for the printing system

Abstract

This provides a technology for adjusting the amount of colorants used in printing distributed images. [Solution] The printing system comprises: a data receiving unit that receives multiple distribution image data from an external device; a usage amount identification unit that identifies the amount of colorant to be used to print the distribution image corresponding to each of the multiple distribution image data; a selection unit that selects one or more distribution image data to be printed on the printing surface from among the multiple distribution image data based on the usage amount identified for each of the multiple distribution image data; and a first printing execution unit that prints at least a portion of one or more distribution images corresponding to the one or more distribution image data onto the printing surface.

Claims

1. A printing system, A data receiving unit that receives multiple distributed image data from an external device, For each of the aforementioned multiple distribution image data, a usage amount identification unit identifies the amount of colorant used to print the distribution image corresponding to the distribution image data, A selection unit that selects one or more distributed image data to be printed on the print surface from among the multiple distributed image data based on the usage amount specified for each of the multiple distributed image data, A first printing execution unit prints at least a portion of one or more distributed images corresponding to the one or more distributed image data on the printing surface, A printing system equipped with the following features.

2. The first printing execution unit is connected to a first colorant cartridge that contains colorants. The aforementioned printing system further, The first colorant cartridge contains a first colorant cartridge, which includes a quantity identification unit that identifies a first quantity capable of identifying the current remaining amount of the colorant, The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects one or more distribution image data from among the plurality of distribution image data based on the amount of use specified for each of the plurality of distribution image data and the first amount.

3. The printing system includes a second printing execution unit in addition to the first printing execution unit. The second printing execution unit is connected to a second colorant cartridge. The quantity identification unit identifies a second quantity, in addition to the first quantity, that can identify the current remaining amount of the colorant contained in the second colorant cartridge. If the remaining amount specified by the first amount is greater than the remaining amount specified by the second amount, the usage amount corresponding to one or more distributed image data is greater than the usage amount corresponding to the distributed image data other than the one or more distributed image data among the multiple distributed image data. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein if the remaining amount specified by the first amount is less than the remaining amount specified by the second amount, the usage amount corresponding to one or more distributed image data is less than the usage amount corresponding to the distributed image data other than the one or more distributed image data among the plurality of distributed image data.

4. The aforementioned printing system further, The system includes a receiving unit that receives inventory information from a management device that manages inventory information including the inventory quantity of each of the multiple colorant cartridges that can be connected to the first printing execution unit, The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects one or more distribution image data from among the plurality of distribution image data based on the usage amount specified for each of the plurality of distribution image data and the inventory information.

5. The inventory information includes a first inventory quantity, which is the inventory quantity of the first colorant cartridge among the plurality of colorant cartridges, and a second inventory quantity, which is the inventory quantity of the second colorant cartridge among the plurality of colorant cartridges. The second inventory quantity is greater than the first inventory quantity. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein in each of the one or more distributed image data, the amount used of the second colorant cartridge having a second inventory is greater than the amount used of the first colorant cartridge having a first inventory.

6. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein each inventory quantity included in the inventory information is the quantity excluding the inventory quantity of colorant cartridges delivered by the automated delivery service.

7. The aforementioned inventory information includes a specific inventory quantity, which is the inventory quantity of a particular colorant cartridge among the multiple colorant cartridges. The aforementioned specific inventory quantity is below the threshold, The printing system according to claim 4, wherein each of the one or more distributed image data uses less colorant contained in the colorant cartridge having a specific inventory quantity than the other distributed image data among the plurality of distributed image data.

8. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the usage amount identification unit identifies the usage amount of the colorant corresponding to each of the plurality of distributed image data by analyzing the plurality of distributed image data received from the external device.

9. The aforementioned printing system further, The external device includes a payment receiving unit that receives payment from each of the plurality of distributed image data for printing the distributed image corresponding to the distributed image data onto the print surface. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the one or more distributed image data satisfies the conditions based on the amount of use specified in the distributed image data, and also satisfies the condition that the consideration corresponding to the distributed image data is equal to or greater than a threshold.

10. The aforementioned selection unit is Using the first condition based on the usage amount specified for each of the multiple distribution image data, two or more distribution image data are selected from the multiple distribution image data. A printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, when two or more distributed image data have the same level of usage, one or more distributed image data is determined by excluding from the two or more distributed image data that satisfy a second condition different from the first condition.

11. It is a server, A data receiving unit that receives multiple distributed image data from an external device, For each of the aforementioned multiple distribution image data, a usage amount identification unit identifies the amount of colorant used to print the distribution image corresponding to the distribution image data, A selection unit that selects one or more distributed image data to be printed on the print surface from among the multiple distributed image data based on the usage amount specified for each of the multiple distributed image data, A data transmission unit transmits print data to a print execution unit for printing at least a portion of one or more distributed images corresponding to one or more distributed image data onto the print surface, A server equipped with the following features.

12. A method for controlling a server, A data reception process that receives multiple distributed image data from an external device, A usage amount determination step for each of the aforementioned multiple distribution image data, which determines the amount of colorant to be used to print the distribution image corresponding to the distribution image data, A selection step of selecting one or more distribution image data to be printed on the print surface from among the multiple distribution image data based on the amount of use specified for each of the multiple distribution image data, A data transmission step of transmitting print data to a print execution unit for printing at least a portion of one or more distributed images corresponding to the one or more distributed image data onto the print surface, A control method comprising:

13. A computer program for a server, The aforementioned computer program controls the server's computer in the following ways: A data receiving unit that receives multiple distributed image data from an external device, For each of the aforementioned multiple distribution image data, a usage amount identification unit identifies the amount of colorant used to print the distribution image corresponding to the distribution image data, A selection unit that selects one or more distributed image data to be printed on the print surface from among the multiple distributed image data based on the usage amount specified for each of the multiple distributed image data, A data transmission unit transmits print data to a print execution unit for printing at least a portion of one or more distributed images corresponding to one or more distributed image data onto the print surface, A computer program that functions as such.

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