Printed matter processing apparatus, storage medium, and printed matter processing method

Abstract

The present application relates to a printed matter processing apparatus, a storage medium, and a printed matter processing method. A printed matter processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires image data of an environment in which a printed matter is to be placed; a processor; and a display unit. The processor performs processing of: inputting the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, displaying a composite image obtained by compositing the printed matter in the image data in such a manner that a state in which the printed matter is placed in the environment corresponds to a printing condition of the printed matter, changing the printing condition of the printed matter and displaying in accordance with a user operation, thereby determining the printing condition of the printed matter, and outputting the printing condition of the printed matter without outputting the image data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a printing material processing apparatus, a storage medium, and a printing material processing method. Background Technology

[0002] There has been a long-standing demand for a feature that allows users to preview the printed image on a screen before it is actually printed on paper.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an information processing apparatus capable of displaying a print preview image reflecting the accurate printing position of the printing medium relative to the printing surface. The information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit for acquiring edge setting information set based on individual differences of an image forming apparatus equipped with a supply unit for supplying a recording medium; a calculation unit for calculating the printing position based on the edge setting information acquired by the acquisition unit and edge setting information related to printing data of the printing object; and a display control unit for displaying a preview image related to the printing data on a display unit based on the printing position calculated by the calculation unit.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-165008

[0005] When printing materials are set up at event venues, it is difficult to control the image when setting up the printing materials, resulting in the following problems: trial printing in multiple sizes, setting up the printing materials on the spot at the venue and correcting the size before printing, or setting up the materials with inappropriate sizes directly. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to eliminate unnecessary printing and obtain printed materials suitable for environments such as event venues when printing printed materials.

[0007] The invention described in Scheme 1 is a printing processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit for acquiring image data of an environment in which the printing material is placed; a processor; and a display unit, wherein the processor performs the following processing by executing a program: inputting the image data acquired by the acquisition unit; displaying a composite image of the printing material obtained by synthesizing the printing material in the image data in a manner that corresponds to the printing conditions of the printing material; changing and displaying the printing conditions of the printing material according to user operation; thereby determining the printing conditions of the printing material; and outputting the printing conditions of the printing material without outputting the image data.

[0008] In the invention described in Scheme 2, the acquisition unit searches for and acquires the image data from the network in the printing processing apparatus described in Scheme 1.

[0009] In the invention described in Scheme 3, in the printing processing apparatus described in either Scheme 1 or 2, the printing conditions include at least one of the following: size, color, pattern, font, and resolution of the printed matter.

[0010] In the invention described in Scheme 4, in the printing processing apparatus described in any of Schemes 1 to 3, the processor performs the following processing: at least calculates the adaptation size of the printed material relative to the image data of the environment from the input image data, synthesizes the printed material in the image data with the calculated adaptation size, and displays it on the display unit.

[0011] In the invention described in Scheme 5, in the printing processing apparatus described in Scheme 4, the processor performs the following processing: calculating the appropriate size based on the known size of the object within the image data.

[0012] In the invention described in Scheme 6, in the printing processing apparatus described in Scheme 4, the processor performs the following processing: calculating the adaptive size from the image data using a machine learning model.

[0013] In the printing processing apparatus described in any one of Schemes 1 to 3, the processor of Scheme 7 further performs the following processing: adjusting at least one of the parameters including hue, chroma, and brightness of the composite image as a whole according to the user operation and displaying it on the display unit, and outputting the printing conditions of the printed matter without adjusting the parameters.

[0014] In the invention described in Scheme 8, in the printing material processing apparatus described in Scheme 7, the processor further performs the following processing: changes the printing conditions of the printed material based on the adjustment of the parameters according to user operation and displays the changes, without adjusting the parameters and outputting the changed printing conditions to the printer.

[0015] In the invention described in Scheme 9, in the printing processing apparatus described in either Scheme 1 or 2, the acquisition unit acquires photographic data of the environment as the image data.

[0016] In the printing processing apparatus described in either Scheme 1 or 2, when image data of the environment is not available, the acquisition unit acquires image data of an environment similar to the environment described in Scheme 10.

[0017] The invention described in Scheme 11 is in the printing material processing apparatus described in any of Schemes 1 to 10, wherein the printed material is any one of postage, wallpaper, poster, or cover.

[0018] The invention described in Scheme 12 is a storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to perform the following steps: inputting image data of an environment for setting up a printed matter; displaying a composite image obtained by synthesizing the printed matter in the image data in a manner that corresponds to the printing conditions of the printed matter when it is set in the environment on a display unit; and changing and displaying the printing conditions of the printed matter according to user operation, thereby determining the printing conditions of the printed matter, and outputting the printing conditions of the printed matter without outputting the image data.

[0019] The invention described in Scheme 13 is a printing processing method, which includes the following steps: inputting image data of the environment in which the printing material is set; displaying a composite image obtained by synthesizing the printing material in the image data in a manner that corresponds to the printing conditions of the printing material; and changing and displaying the printing conditions of the printing material according to user operation, thereby determining the printing conditions of the printing material, and outputting the printing conditions of the printing material without outputting the image data.

[0020] Invention Effects

[0021] According to the invention described in claims 1, 2, 12, and 13, even when it is difficult to obtain an image for setting up the printed material, a suitable printed material can be obtained.

[0022] According to the invention described in the third embodiment, it is also possible to determine at least one of the following: size, color, pattern, font, and resolution of the printed matter.

[0023] According to the invention described in embodiments 4, 5, and 6, the size of the printed matter can also be determined.

[0024] According to the invention described in claims 7 and 8, it is also possible to simulate the entire synthesized image as an object, thereby obtaining a suitable printed material.

[0025] According to the invention described in claim 9, it is also possible to obtain suitable printed materials using photographic data of the environment.

[0026] According to the invention described in the 10th embodiment, suitable printed materials can be obtained even when there is no image data of the environment.

[0027] According to the invention described in claim 11, it is also possible to obtain any one of the following: a poster, wallpaper, poster, or cover. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures.

[0029] Figure 1This is a system architecture diagram of the implementation method;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a simulated illustration of the image of the object to be posted in the implementation method;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of the printing material processing apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the user operation processing in the implementation method.

[0033] Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 (b) is an illustration of the venue photo search method for the implementation method;

[0034] Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 (b) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the determination of the synthesis location in the implementation method;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the processor's processing in the implementation method;

[0036] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram of the display screen of the display device according to the embodiment.

[0037] Figure 9 (a) and Figure 9 (b) is a simulation illustration of a variant example.

[0038] Symbol Explanation

[0039] 10-Printing processing device (computer), 12-Printer, 13-Network server, 14-Network, 16-Processor, 18-ROM, 20-RAM, 22-Communication I / F, 24-Input device, 26-Display device, 28-Storage device, 62-Posting material. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the printed matter processing system according to this embodiment. The printed matter processing system of this embodiment includes a printed matter processing device 10 and a printer 12.

[0042] The printing material processing device 10 determines the printing conditions for printed materials placed in a specific environment such as an event venue, and outputs printing control data to the printer 12. The printer 12 prints and outputs the printed materials according to the printing control data from the printing material processing device 10. The printed materials placed in a specific environment such as an event venue are arbitrary, such as banners or strips posted in the event venue, wallpaper or posters pasted on the walls of a specific facility, or covers placed on tables.

[0043] In this embodiment, banners and other printed materials posted at the event venue are used as examples of printed materials, but the description is not limited to this.

[0044] The printing processing device 10 inputs image data 50 representing the event venue and printing content 52 of the printed materials set by the user.

[0045] Image data 50 is, for example, a photograph of the event venue. Image data 50 includes the location or area where the posted items should be displayed. Furthermore, it preferably includes, for example, a subject used to estimate the actual size of the event venue. The location where the posted items should be displayed is the location or area for setting up banners or strips on the stage, or the location or area for setting up billboards, etc.

[0046] Furthermore, the subjects used to estimate the actual dimensions of the event venue are subjects whose dimensions are standardized or normalized, or subjects whose dimensions are known. Examples of suitable subjects include, for instance, the height of stages in each category of buildings such as sports fields, traffic lights, traffic signs, stadiums, or theaters; lighting fixtures; office desks or cabinets; musical instruments such as pianos, violins, and guitars; emergency exit signs; fire extinguishers or fire hydrants; and backpacks. Additionally, subjects categorized by gender, age, or ethnicity, and vehicles categorized by type, such as cars, trucks, buses, and trams, can also be used. As described later, the subjects used to estimate the actual dimensions of the event venue are used to estimate the actual dimensions of the posters, and the images of the posters are composited into image data 50.

[0047] The printed content 52 refers to the content to be printed on the poster, such as words, slogans, mottos, event details, schedules, and the order of ceremonies. Figure 1 As an example of printed content, the English word "Happy" was cited.

[0048] If image data 50 and printed content 52 are input, the printing processing device 10 simulates the size, font, color, etc. of the poster when the printed content is printed on the poster and posted at the event venue, and synthesizes it into image data 50 and displays it. Figure 1 As an example, four composite images are shown.

[0049] Image 54 is an image synthesized with image data 50, assuming that a poster with printed content 52 is affixed to the event venue at an initial size. The initial size is the size of the poster calculated to be suitable for the actual size of the event venue obtained by the print processing device 10 from the image data 50, and is a size that can be appropriately changed by user operation instructions.

[0050] Furthermore, image 56 is an image synthesized with image data 50, conceived as a smaller version of the poster than image 54, and posted at the event venue.

[0051] Furthermore, image 58 is an image composited with image data 50, which is designed to maintain the size of the poster as in the case of image 56 and change the font of the printed content.

[0052] Furthermore, image 60 is an image composited with image data 50, which is designed to maintain the size and font of the poster as in the case of image 58 and change the background color of the printed content.

[0053] Based on user input, the printed material processing device 10 sequentially displays the composite images 54, 56, 58, and 60 obtained through simulation on a display device to prompt the user. By visually recognizing these composite images 54, 56, 58, and 60, the user can confirm the situation of the event venue where the posted material was displayed, and determine whether the size, font, and background color of the posted material are suitable for the environment of the event venue.

[0054] More specifically, when a user visually recognizes the composite image 54 on the display device, as a poster placed on the stage of an event venue, it may appear too large due to the surrounding objects being obscured. In this case, the user issues an operation instruction to the print processing device 10 to reduce the size of the poster.

[0055] The printed material processing device 10 receives a reduction operation instruction from the user regarding the size of the posted material, reduces the size of the posted material by a specified amount or the amount indicated by the operation instruction to create a posted material image, and combines it with the image data 50 of the event venue to create a composite image 56, which is then redisplayed on the display device.

[0056] Next, when the user visually recognizes the composite image 56 on the display device, it determines that the size of the poster posted at the event venue is appropriate. However, if it determines that the font of the characters on the poster is inappropriate, it sends an operation instruction to the printing processing device 10 to change the font of the poster.

[0057] The printed material processing device 10 receives a change operation instruction from the user regarding the font of the poster, changes the font of the poster to another font to create a poster image, and combines it with the image data of the event venue to create a composite image 58, which is then redisplayed on the display device.

[0058] Next, when the user visually recognizes the composite image 58 on the display device, it is determined that the font of the poster posted at the event venue is appropriate. However, if the user wants to try to change the background color of the poster, an operation instruction to change the background color of the poster is sent to the printing processing device 10.

[0059] The printed material processing device 10 receives a background color change instruction from a user, changes the background color of the poster to create a poster image, and composites it with the image data 50 of the event venue to create a composite image 60, which is then displayed on a display device. For example, the background color is changed from blue to orange to create the composite image 60.

[0060] When the user visually recognizes the composite image 60 on the display device, it determines that the original blue color is more suitable than orange as the background color for the poster to be displayed at the event venue. Furthermore, if it is ultimately determined that the composite image 58 is the most suitable poster to be displayed on the stage of the event venue, an operation instruction for that content is issued to the print processing device 10. Figure 1 In the image, a thick border is displayed around the composite image 58, indicating that the user ultimately selected composite image 58 as the most suitable image.

[0061] Alternatively, the printing processing apparatus 10 can display the composite images 54-60 side-by-side on the display device instead of displaying them one by one on the display device, so that the user can directly compare and observe the composite images 54-60.

[0062] The printing processing apparatus 10 receives instructions from the user and determines the size, font, and background color of the poster specified in the composite image 58 as the printing conditions for the poster. It then outputs printing control data containing these printing conditions to the printer 12. The printer 12 outputs the poster 62 based on the printing control data from the printing processing apparatus 10. The printer 12 is preferably, for example, a large-format printer capable of printing banners or streamers, but is not limited to this.

[0063] Thus, in this embodiment, the printing processing apparatus 10 simulates the state of the material when it is posted in the environment in the composite image and provides a preview to the user. The user can visually recognize the composite image while changing various printing conditions such as the size of the material or the font and color, and search for the most suitable printing conditions for posting.

[0064] Therefore, in this embodiment, efficient printing of posters is possible even when it is difficult to obtain the image when setting up the printing material.

[0065] In this embodiment, the printing processing device 10 displays composite images 54-60 of the event venue image data 50 and the poster image on a display device to prompt the user. However, it should be noted that the printer 12 only outputs printing control data containing the printing conditions of the poster, and only prints the poster. That is, the printing object of the printer 12 is always the poster, i.e., the actual object posted at the event venue, not the event venue image data 50 or any of the composite images 54-60.

[0066] Figure 2 Only changes to the printing conditions of the posting in the printing processing device 10 are extracted and displayed. The user determines the printable content 52 of the posting and inputs it into the printing processing device 10. The printable content 52 is, for example, "Happy", input from the keyboard, etc. At this time, the user can specify the font and background color of the characters as initial values, or the default font and background color can be used.

[0067] Furthermore, the printing processing device 10 searches for and acquires image data of the event venue, calculates the appropriate size of the poster relative to the acquired image data of the event venue, and generates a poster image 54a. For example, when it is a banner posted on the stage of the event venue, the size of the event venue stage is calculated, and the appropriate size of the banner posted on the stage is calculated as a length of 10m, a width of 1m, etc., and the printing content 52 is configured according to the calculated appropriate size to generate an initial image 54a. The initial image 54a is composited with the image data 50 of the event venue and displayed on the display device as a composite image 54. The composite position of the image 54a relative to the image data 50 of the event venue is determined by the user while visually recognizing the image data 50, and an operation instruction is issued to the printing processing device 10.

[0068] If the printing processing device 10 receives an operation instruction from the user regarding a size change of the composite image 54, such as an instruction to reduce the size, it changes the appropriate size of the banner posted on the stage from 10m in length and 1m in width to 8m in length and 80cm in width, and generates image 56a by configuring the print content 52 according to the changed size. Image 56a is composited with the image data 50 of the event venue and displayed on the display device as composite image 56. The composite position of image 56a relative to the image data of the event venue is the position previously determined by the user and to which the operation instruction is issued to the printing processing device 10.

[0069] If the printing processing device 10 receives an operation instruction from the user to change the font, it maintains the appropriate size of the banner posted on the stage at a length of 8m and a width of 80cm, and changes the font of the printed content 52 to generate image 58a. Image 58a is composited with the image data of the event venue and displayed on the display device as composite image 58. The composite position of image 58a relative to the image data of the event venue is the position previously determined by the user and to which the operation instruction was issued to the printing processing device 10.

[0070] If the printing processing device 10 receives a further operation instruction from the user to change the background color, it maintains the size and font of the banner posted on the stage and changes the background color of the printed content 52, for example, from blue to orange, to generate image 60a. Image 60a is composited with the image data of the event venue and displayed on the display device as composite image 60. The composite position of image 60a relative to the image data of the event venue is the position previously determined by the user and to which the operation instruction was issued to the printing processing device 10.

[0071] If the user ultimately determines that the composite image 58 is the most suitable image, the printing processing device 10 will determine the dimensions (length 8m, width 80cm), font, and background color (blue) of the image 58a used when creating the composite image 58 as the printing conditions, and output the printing control data to the printer 12. The printing control data does not contain information related to the image data of the event venue.

[0072] In this example, the user essentially determines one printing condition by selecting the most suitable composite image from a plurality of composite images 54-60. However, depending on the situation, it is also possible to determine a plurality of printing conditions by selecting a plurality of composite images. However, from the viewpoint of eliminating unnecessary printing, an upper limit can be set.

[0073] Next, the specific structure of the printing material processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described.

[0074] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of the printing processing apparatus 10. The printing processing apparatus 10 is composed of a computer and includes a processor 16, a ROM 18, a RAM 20, a communication interface (I / F) 22, an input device 24, a display device 26, and a storage device 28.

[0075] The processor 16 reads the program stored in the program memory such as ROM 18, and uses RAM 20 as working memory to execute the program, thereby performing various processes. Specifically, the processing of the processor 16 is as follows.

[0076] • Search and retrieve image data of the event venue

[0077] • Enter print content

[0078] • Generate a composite image showing the state of the poster when it is posted at the event venue and display it on display device 26.

[0079] • Generate a composite image based on changes in the printing conditions of the posted material according to user input and display it on the display device 26.

[0080] • Determine the printing conditions of the posted material based on user input and output the printing control data to the printer 12

[0081] The communication I / F 22 sends and receives data with the printer 12 and the network server 13 via the network 14. The processor 16 connects to the network server 13 via the communication I / F 22 and the network 14 to search for and acquire image data of the event venue. Furthermore, the processor 16 outputs printing control data to the printer 12 via the communication I / F 22 and the network 14.

[0082] Input device 24 is used to input search keywords and printouts when searching for image data of the event venue. Input device 24 consists of a keyboard or mouse, touch panel, scanner, etc.

[0083] The display device 26 may be composed of a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, or it may be composed of a touch panel.

[0084] The storage device 28 is composed of HDD or SSD, etc., and stores the input image data, printing content, composite images, printing conditions, etc.

[0085] Network 14 can be wired / wireless, or it can be a public / private line. An example of network 14 is a wireless LAN (local area network).

[0086] Figure 3 In this configuration, the printing processing device 10 and the printer 12 are connected via network 14. Alternatively, the user terminal, printing processing device 10, and printer 12 can also be connected via network 14. In this case, the user terminal can be responsible for... Figure 3 The input device 24 and display device 26 of the printing processing apparatus 10 are described. The user terminal can be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, or a PC or tablet terminal, etc.

[0087] Furthermore, as described later, processor 16 uses a machine learning model to calculate the actual dimensions of the event venue and its posters from images of the event venue, but the learning dataset can be obtained from other server computers connected to network 14. The learning dataset and various parameters of the machine learning model can be stored in storage device 28.

[0088] Next, the processing of this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0089] Figure 4 This is a processing flowchart of this embodiment, and it is an operation flowchart for the user using the printing processing device 10.

[0090] First, the user determines the posters that should be posted at the event venue (S101). Specifically, this includes banners and the like that posted on the stage at the event venue.

[0091] Next, the user searches for photos of the event venue from the web server 13 (S102). The search can be performed using any keywords related to the desired event venue. For example, if the event venue is a specific venue, specifically a specific school, the input could be "●Kawaichi Junior High School," etc. Furthermore, the search can include the purpose of the event in the search keywords, such as "●Kawaichi Junior High School Entrance Ceremony," etc. Of course, if a photo of the event venue already exists, it can be used without performing a search.

[0092] Next, the user starts the processing program (application) installed on the printing processing device 10 and inputs the printable content 52 to be printed on the poster from the input device 24 (S103). The printable content 52 can be a word, slogan, motto, ceremony sequence, etc. Here, it is assumed that the English word "Happy" is input. If the printable content 52 is input, the processor 16 stores it in the storage device 28 and displays it on the display device 26. The printing medium to be printed can also be determined and input along with the printable content 52. For example, "banner", "strand", "billboard", etc. In addition, the basic shape of the poster can also be input. For example, "rectangle", "horizontal strip", "vertical strip", etc.

[0093] The user confirms the printed content 52 displayed on the display device 26 (S104). If the printed content 52 is correct, the user proceeds to the next step. If it is incorrect, the user inputs appropriate changes from the input device 24.

[0094] After confirming the print content 52, the user inputs the venue photos searched and obtained in S102 as image data 50 of the event venue from the input device 24 (S105). At this time, the input device 24 functions as the image data acquisition unit 50. Alternatively, multiple image data obtained through the search can be displayed on the display device 26, and the user can select any image data by clicking on it with a mouse or the like.

[0095] Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 (b) schematically illustrates the processes S102 and S105. For example... Figure 5As shown in (a), if a user inputs "●Kawaichi First Middle School Entrance Ceremony" as a search keyword 30 from the input device 24, the processor 16 accesses the web server 13 to obtain multiple image data that match the search keyword, and displays these image data as thumbnails 32 on the display device 26. The web server 13 can be a server computer for an SNS (Social Networking Service), or it can be a server computer of a company that manages the print processing device 10. In the latter case, the image data previously processed by the print processing device 10 and its historical data can be managed together as metadata.

[0096] If a user selects any one of the multiple image data displayed as thumbnails 32 by clicking the mouse, then as Figure 5 As shown in (b), the processor 16 enlarges the image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail and displays it on the display device 26. Furthermore, when metadata exists in the selected image data, the processor 16 also displays that metadata. The metadata may include, for example, the shooting location, shooting date and time, weather, and printing data. Printing data refers to data related to the printing conditions of the poster when the image data was previously used for printing. Printing data may include, for example, paper size, paper type, font size, and font category. It should be noted that the paper size, or paper type, font size, and font category, are not related to the image data but rather to the poster composited into the image data. By visually recognizing the metadata, the user can obtain useful information about the poster to be printed, and may even attempt to set conditions similar to the metadata.

[0097] Back to Figure 4 If image data 50 of the event venue obtained through the search is acquired, the processor 16 processes the image data 50 to calculate the size of the event venue, especially the size of the stage where the posters are posted, and calculates the size of the posters posted in the event venue.

[0098] When calculating the dimensions of the event venue and the posters, processor 16 utilizes a machine learning model. The learning data used to build the model consists of multiple photographs of posters, such as banners or streamers, that can be produced using a large-format printer. As the learning dataset for these photographs, attribute data such as the dimensions of the posters, graphics, and text, including font size, font type, and the dimensions of other subjects photographed in the photographs, are prepared.

[0099] Other subjects are preferably objects with standardized dimensions or objects of known dimensions. Examples of standardized objects include sports fields, traffic lights, and traffic signs.

[0100] Furthermore, examples of objects with known dimensions include famous buildings such as the Tokyo Tower and the Tokyo Dome. Objects with defined standard dimensions can also be used. Examples of objects with defined standard dimensions include stages for each category of buildings such as stadiums or theaters, lighting fixtures, desks or filing cabinets in offices, musical instruments such as pianos, violins, or guitars, emergency exit signs, fire extinguishers or fire hydrants, and backpacks. Moreover, objects categorized by gender, age, or ethnicity, or by type of transportation such as cars, trucks, buses, or trams, can also be used.

[0101] By utilizing machine learning models based on these training datasets, it is possible to infer the dimensions of event venues and the size of graphic text from photos lacking size data. Furthermore, it is also possible to infer the font type of banners, etc.

[0102] As a preprocessing step for utilizing the machine learning model, object recognition is performed to extract subjects from the acquired and input image data 50, searching for subjects to be used in the training dataset. Priority is given to searching for subjects with standardized dimensions and subjects of known dimensions; if these cannot be found, priority is then given to searching for subjects with determined standard dimensions. Furthermore, in the machine learning model, the searched subjects are selected for use in the training dataset, thereby enabling the accurate estimation of the actual dimensions of the event venue, as well as the actual dimensions and fonts of the posters displayed there.

[0103] As an example, if photos of stages and banners or pennants posted on stages are used as the learning dataset for machine learning from various event venue photo data, and these photos are input, a machine learning model is generated that outputs the size of the posted items, as well as the font type and font size of the posted items. Processor 16 inputs the event venue photos acquired and input in S105 as input data to this machine learning model, and outputs the size of the posted items, as well as the font type and font size of the posted items, as output data. Processor 16 inputs the learning dataset into the learner to create a machine learning model, in other words, to create a size estimation model, but the learner can utilize, for example, a neural network (NN) or a convolutional neural network (CNN). However, the machine learning model in this embodiment is not limited to a specific model.

[0104] The processor 16 uses a machine learning model to calculate the size of the poster, as well as the font category and font size of the poster, and reflects them in the characters of the printed content 52 as a poster image and displays it on the display device 26.

[0105] The user confirms the size of the poster displayed on the display device 26 (S106) and adjusts the size appropriately as needed (S107). Furthermore, at this point in time, the poster image has not yet been combined with the event venue image data 50, so it is impossible to accurately determine the state of the image representing the state when the poster is displayed at the event venue; therefore, a certain degree of correction is sufficient.

[0106] Next, the user composites the resized poster image with the venue photo input in S105 (S108). The processor 16 displays the venue photo image data 50 and the resized poster image together, and moves the position of the poster image according to the user's operation. For example, the user operates the mouse, which is the input device 24, to drag and drop the poster image to determine the composite position. Alternatively, the user can operate the up, down, left, and right cursor keys to move the poster image up, down, left, and right to determine the composite position. Furthermore, the user can operate the mouse to rotate the image, thereby determining the image's slope. The processor 16 composites the venue photo image data 50 and the poster image at the composite position determined by the user's operation and displays the composite image on the display device 26.

[0107] Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 (b) represents the composite processing of image data 50 from the venue photograph and the poster image. For example... Figure 6 As shown in (a), the image data 50 of the venue photograph and the poster image 54a are displayed juxtaposed on the display device 26. The user, for example, drags and drops the poster image 54a with the mouse to move it to the desired position on the image data 50, specifically to the banner position on the stage. Furthermore, an operation icon 55 for rotating the poster image 54a is displayed near the poster image 54a. By operating this operation icon 55, the user rotates the poster image 54a by the desired angle, determining the slope of the poster image 54a. Figure 6 (b) represents the state after the moved posting image 54a. The processor 16 identifies this position as the synthesis position and stores this position information in RAM 20 or storage device 28. In subsequent simulations, the stored position information is used to perform the synthesis simulation.

[0108] For example, a user can specify a composite position or region in the image data 50 using a mouse or cursor, causing the poster image 54a to automatically move to the position or region specified by the processor 16 for composite. Alternatively, the processor 16 can automatically identify the composite position or region of the poster image 54a within the image data 50 and composite the poster image 54a at that position or region. The identification of the composite position can be performed using the described machine learning. Specifically, the position of a banner on a stage is learned from a learning dataset, the region identified as the banner is extracted from the image data 50, and the poster image 54a is composited.

[0109] Back to Figure 4 If the composite image is displayed on the display device 26, the user confirms the composite image (S109). Then, it is determined whether the composite image is OK (S110). If the composite image is OK, the user inputs the content from the input device 24 (e.g., by operating the "OK" button displayed on the display device 26) to determine the printing conditions (S112).

[0110] On the other hand, if the user determines that the composite image is not OK ("No" in S110), the user inputs the content from the input device 24 (for example, by operating the "Change" button displayed on the display device 26), and issues a change instruction for the size, font, background color, etc. of the posted image 54a (S111). The above process is repeated until the composite image is determined to be OK.

[0111] When making changes, a change menu is displayed on the display device 26. Users can select any one of size, font, or color. If size is selected, a menu for zooming in / out is displayed. If font is selected, a menu for font categories is displayed. If color is selected, a menu for various colors is displayed. Users can then select the desired size, font, and color in sequence.

[0112] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the processing in this embodiment, and it is a flowchart of the processor 16.

[0113] First, the processor 16 receives the print content 52 input from the input device 24 (S201), stores it in the storage device 28, and displays the print content 52 on the display device 26 (S202).

[0114] Next, the processor 16 receives the image data 50 of the venue photos obtained through the search (S203) and stores it in the storage device 28.

[0115] Next, if image data 50 of a meeting venue photo is received, the processor 16 calculates the size of the poster based on the image data of the meeting venue photo and displays it on the display device 26 (S204). This processing is consistent with... Figure 4Corresponding to the processing in S106, the actual dimensions of the event venue and the dimensions of the posters are calculated using a machine learning model. Furthermore, if the user provides a correction instruction for the poster dimensions via input device 24, the correction instruction is received (S205), and the poster dimensions are corrected (S206). Alternatively, since the correction operation is performed simultaneously with visual image recognition and synthesis, this step can be omitted. This step can be omitted when the accuracy of the machine learning model is high.

[0116] Next, the composite position is determined when combining the image data 50 of the venue photograph and the poster image 54a (S207). This process is related to... Figure 4 The processing corresponds to S108 in the above. The determination of the synthesis position is based on either manual determination by the user or automatic determination by the processor 16, but it can also be configured so that the user can select either manual or automatic.

[0117] Specifically, the processor 16 displays "Manual" and "Automatic" buttons on the display device 26. When the user selects manual operation, ... Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 In step (b), the user manually determines the composite position. When the user selects automatic operation, the composite position is calculated using a machine learning model and displayed to the user. Even in the case of automatic determination, it is preferable, for example, to ultimately determine the position through user confirmation. Alternatively, it can be configured as a semi-automatic process, where the machine learning model calculates the composite position or region in the image data 50 and highlights that position or region in the image data 50 to prompt the user.

[0118] Next, the processor 16 stores the determined composite position in RAM 20 or storage device 28, performs image composite on the image data 50 of the venue photo and the resized poster image 54a (S208), and displays the composite image on display device 26 (S209).

[0119] Next, the processor 16 determines whether the composite image is OK based on the user's instruction (S210). That is, an "OK" button and a "Change" button are displayed on the display device 26. If the user operates the "OK" button, the composite image is determined to be OK, and the size, font, and background color of the poster image 54a displayed as the composite image at this time are determined as printing conditions (S212). Furthermore, printing control data containing these printing conditions is output to the printer 12 and the poster is printed (S213). Figure 8 This illustrates a display example on display device 26. For instance, an "OK" button 70 and a "Change" button 72 are displayed at the bottom of the composite image. The user selects any button from input device 24 to input data.

[0120] On the other hand, if the user operates the "Change" button, it is determined that the composite image is not OK ("No" in S210). The processor 16 changes the size, font, color, etc. of the posted image 54a according to the user's operation instructions to recreate the composite image and displays it on the display device 26 (S211). The above process is repeated until the composite image is OK.

[0121] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, the size of the posting image 54a is reduced to set as posting image 56a, the font of posting image 56a is changed to set as posting image 58a, and the background color of posting image 58a is changed to set as posting image 60a, thereby generating composite images 54 to 60 in sequence.

[0122] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto and various modifications can be made.

[0123] For example, in this embodiment, size, font, and color (background color) are exemplified as printing conditions, but in addition to these, patterns or resolutions, paper type, and material may also be included. Regarding patterns or resolutions, machine learning models are used to calculate and set patterns or resolutions as initial values, and various changes can be made according to the user's change operation instructions.

[0124] Furthermore, in this embodiment, image data 50 is obtained by searching for photos of the event venue on the internet. However, if no photos of the event venue exist, image data of venues similar to the event venue can be searched and obtained. For example, if the name of the event venue is "●Kawa First Junior High School," even if no image data of ●Kawa First Junior High School exists, if image data of similar venues such as "●Tada Junior High School" or "●●High School" is found through a search, these will be used as image data of similar environments. Regarding the degree of "similarity," the image data obtained through the search is displayed on the display device 26, and the user can judge it visually.

[0125] The specific processing algorithm is as follows, but it is not limited to this.

[0126] (1) If there are photos of the event venue, use them as image data 50.

[0127] (2) If no photos of the event venue are available, photos of previous event venues will be used as image data.

[0128] (3) If there are no photos of previous event venues, search on the Internet.

[0129] Even if no image data similar to the event venue is found through an internet search, the user is prompted to manually input the actual dimensions of the event venue, the actual dimensions of the stage, etc. However, since no image data 50 is available for synthesis at this time, a default template image close to the actual size is used as image data 50, and a poster image is synthesized from it and displayed on the display device 26.

[0130] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after changing the size, font, color, etc. of the posted image in S211, the overall visual effect, including weather, time of day, season, etc., can be simulated to confirm the visual effect of the composite image obtained by combining the image data 50 and the posted image.

[0131] Specifically, the overall visual effect of the composite image, which adjusts the parameters of the composite image of image data 50 and the image of the poster to accommodate the changing characteristics of light environments such as sunny mornings, noon, evenings, and nights, is confirmed to be in good condition. At this time, the composite images of mornings, noon, evenings, and nights can be displayed side by side and compared. Next, the overall visual effect of the composite image, which adjusts the parameters to include the methods of light entry on cloudy days, rainy days, and different seasons, is confirmed to be in good condition. In these processes, the overall visual effect, i.e., the image data 50 such as the event venue photo used as the background, and the image of the poster are adjusted simultaneously. Here, "parameters" refers to attributes related to the color of the image that can change due to weather, time of day, season, etc., and includes at least one of hue, chroma, and brightness. After adjusting the overall visual effect and having it confirmed by the user, the printing conditions of the poster, excluding the parameters adjusted for the overall effect, are output to printer 12. In addition, although not shown, the printing conditions are not limited to direct output to the printer. For example, they can also be output via an intermediate server.

[0132] This can be configured such that, while adjusting the overall visual effect, parameters specific to the poster image within the composite image can be further adjusted. For example, after adjusting the overall image brightness, the font category of the poster image can be changed. This is because, in low-light conditions such as cloudy or rainy days, the initially set font might give a slightly dark impression; therefore, changing to a different font category ensures relatively clear recognition even in low-light conditions. The changed parameters specific to the poster image are reflected in the overall composite image displayed side-by-side. At this point, the parameters adjusted for the overall image are not reflected in the printing conditions of the poster, but the adjustments made specifically to the poster image are reflected in the printing conditions of the poster (such as changes in font category).

[0133] Figure 9 (a) and Figure 9 (b) schematically represents parameter adjustments for the overall composite image. Figure 9 In (a), the shaded lines used to annotate the poster image 54a indicate changes to the size, font, background color, etc. of the poster image 54a. Thus, let's assume, for example, that the background color of the poster image 54a is set to blue. Figure 9 In (b), the shaded lines used to annotate the overall image indicate the case where the brightness of the composite image of image data 50 and poster image 54a was adjusted as a parameter. The user visually confirms the state of the poster image 54a by adjusting the brightness of the composite image as a whole. If the user determines that the state of the poster image 54a is acceptable even after adjusting the overall brightness, the processor 16 determines the size, font, background color, etc., set in the poster image 54a before brightness adjustment as printing conditions and outputs them to the printer 12. On the other hand, if adjusting the overall brightness results in an unnatural state of the poster image 54a, and the user changes the background color from blue to orange, the processor 16 changes the background color in the poster's printing conditions from blue to orange and outputs it to the printer 12. Furthermore, although not illustrated, printing conditions are not limited to direct output to the printer. For example, they can also be output via an intermediate server.

[0134] Through the above processing, the visual effect of the poster can be evaluated by simulating factors such as weather, time of day, and season, and the most appropriate printing conditions for the poster can be determined.

[0135] Furthermore, processor refers to processors in a broad sense, including general-purpose processors (such as CPU: Central Processing Unit, etc.) or dedicated processors (such as GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, Programmable Logic Device, etc.).

[0136] Furthermore, the actions of the processor can be completed not only by a single processor, but also by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. Moreover, the order of the processor's actions is not limited to the order described in the implementation method and can be appropriately changed.

[0137] The embodiments of the present invention described above are provided for illustrative purposes. Furthermore, these embodiments do not encompass the entirety of the invention, nor do they limit the invention to the disclosed methods. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations will be readily understood. These embodiments were chosen and described to most readily explain the principles and applications of the invention. Thus, those skilled in the art can understand the invention through various modifications that are assumed to be optimized for specific uses of various embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined by the foregoing claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A printing material processing apparatus, comprising: The acquisition department acquires image data of the environment in which the printed material is set. Processor; and Display section, The processor performs the following processing by executing a program: Input the image data acquired by the acquisition unit. The printed material is synthesized from the image data in such a way that the state presented by the printed material when it is placed in the environment corresponds to the printing conditions of the printed material, and the resulting synthesized image is displayed on the display unit. The printing conditions of the printed material are changed and displayed according to the user's operation, thereby determining the printing conditions of the printed material, and outputting the printing conditions of the printed material without outputting the image data.

2. The printing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The acquisition unit searches the network and acquires the image data.

3. The printing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The printing conditions are at least one of the following: size, color, pattern, font, and resolution of the printed material.

4. The printing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The processor performs the following processing: From the input image data, at least the adapted size of the printed material relative to the image data of the environment can be calculated. The printed material is synthesized from the image data according to the calculated suitable size and displayed on the display unit.

5. The printing processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The processor performs the following processing: The adaptive size is calculated based on the known dimensions of the objects within the image data.

6. The printing processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The processor performs the following processing: The adaptation size is calculated from the image data using a machine learning model.

7. The printing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The processor also performs the following processing: The parameters of the synthesized image as a whole, including at least one of hue, chroma, and brightness, are adjusted according to user operation and displayed on the display unit. The printing conditions of the printed matter are output without adjusting the parameters.

8. The printing processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The processor also performs the following processing: The printing conditions of the printed material are changed and displayed based on the parameters adjusted according to user operations. Without adjusting the parameters, the changed printing conditions are output to the printer.

9. The printing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The acquisition unit acquires photographic data of the environment as the image data.

10. The printing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, When image data of the environment does not exist, the acquisition unit acquires image data of an environment similar to the environment.

11. The printing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The printed material is any one of the following: posters, wallpapers, covers, or stickers.

12. A storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to perform the following steps: The steps for inputting image data to set the environment for the printed material; The steps include: synthesizing the printed material from the image data in a manner that corresponds to the printing conditions of the printed material when it is placed in the environment; and displaying the resulting synthesized image on a display unit; and The steps involve changing and displaying the printing conditions of the printed material based on user operations, thereby determining the printing conditions of the printed material, and outputting the printing conditions of the printed material without outputting the image data.

13. A method for processing printed materials, comprising the following steps: The steps for inputting image data to set the environment for the printed material; The steps include: synthesizing the printed material from the image data in a manner that corresponds to the printing conditions of the printed material when it is placed in the environment; and displaying the resulting synthesized image on a display unit; and The steps involve changing and displaying the printing conditions of the printed material based on user operations, thereby determining the printing conditions of the printed material, and outputting the printing conditions of the printed material without outputting the image data.

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