Colorimeter, color measurement system, and communication method

Abstract

The present invention provides a colorimeter, a color measurement system, and a communication method capable of transmitting color measurement data through appropriate wireless communication corresponding to each color measurement mode. The colorimeter (10) includes: a color measurement unit (12) that performs color measurement; a first wireless communication unit (41) that performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard; a second wireless communication unit (42) that performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard; and a processing unit (20) that performs control processing of the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit. When performing color measurement through the first color measurement mode, the processing unit (20) performs processing of transmitting, by using the first wireless communication, the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement through the first color measurement mode, and when performing color measurement through the second color measurement mode, the processing unit (20) performs processing of transmitting, by using the second wireless communication, the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement through the second color measurement mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a colorimeter, a color measurement system, a communication method, and the like. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a colorimeter for performing color measurement of a color measurement object such as a printed matter has been known. Since the colorimeter is used in various places such as during negotiations in a conference room and during inspections in a printing factory, it is desired to use it in a cableless form. For example, in Patent Document 1, a colorimeter that can be connected to a personal computer via wireless LAN is disclosed. In Patent Document 1, the colorimeter and the personal computer are connected by wireless communication of one method.

[0003] There is a colorimeter that can perform color measurement in multiple color measurement modes. However, a method for realizing appropriate wireless communication corresponding to the color measurement mode of such a colorimeter has not been proposed.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020-71083 Summary of the Invention

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a colorimeter including: a color measurement unit that performs color measurement; a first wireless communication unit that performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard; a second wireless communication unit that performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard; and a processing unit that performs control processing of the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit. When performing color measurement in a first color measurement mode, the processing unit performs processing of transmitting color measurement data obtained by color measurement in the first color measurement mode using the first wireless communication, and when performing color measurement in a second color measurement mode, the processing unit performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data obtained by color measurement in the second color measurement mode using the second wireless communication.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a color measurement system including: the above-described colorimeter; and a terminal device that communicates with the colorimeter.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a communication method, which is a communication method in a colorimeter. When performing color measurement using the color measurement unit of the colorimeter in a first color measurement mode, color measurement data obtained by color measurement in the first color measurement mode is transmitted using wireless communication based on a first wireless communication standard, that is, first wireless communication, and when performing color measurement using the color measurement unit in a second color measurement mode, the color measurement data obtained by color measurement in the second color measurement mode is transmitted using wireless communication based on a second wireless communication standard, that is, second wireless communication. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] Figure 1 It is a structural example of a colorimeter.

[0009] Figure 2 It is a diagram showing the appearance of a colorimeter and the structure of a color measurement system including the colorimeter and a terminal device.

[0010] Figure 3 It is a diagram showing the appearance of a colorimeter.

[0011] Figure 4 It is a flowchart for explaining the processing of this embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 It is a flowchart for explaining the specific processing of this embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 It is an example of a setting screen for a color measurement mode.

[0014] Figure 7 It is a flowchart for explaining the detailed processing of this embodiment.

[0015] Figure 8 It is an example of a screen after power-on.

[0016] Figure 9 It is an example of a screen for the color measurement mode.

[0017] Figure 10 It is an example of a screen for the first group of color measurement modes.

[0018] Figure 11 It is an example of a screen for the second group of color measurement modes.

[0019] Figure 12 It is an example of a screen for the second group of color measurement modes.

[0020] Figure 13 It is an example of a screen for the second group of color measurement modes. Detailed implementation mode

[0021] The present embodiment described below is not an embodiment that unduly limits the content described in the technical solution. In addition, not all of the structures described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential structural elements.

[0022] 1. Colorimeter

[0023] Figure 1FIG. 0 is a diagram showing a structural example of the colorimeter 10 of the present embodiment. The colorimeter 10 includes a color measurement unit 12, a processing unit 20, and a communication unit 40. In addition, the colorimeter 10 can include an operation unit 13, a storage unit 30, and a display unit 36. Further, the colorimeter 10 is connected to the terminal device 60 by wireless communication, and the terminal device 60 includes a processing unit 62, a display unit 66, and a communication unit 70. Additionally, the colorimeter 10 and the terminal device 60 are not limited to Figure 1 the structure, and various modifications such as omitting some of its structural elements or adding other structural elements can be implemented.

[0024] The color measurement unit 12 performs color measurement. For example, the color measurement unit 12 performs color measurement on a color measurement object such as a printed matter and outputs a color measurement value as the color measurement result. The color measurement unit 12 can be implemented by a color measurement sensor or the like. As the color measurement sensor, for example, a spectroscopic sensor can be used. For example, as the color measurement sensor, a spectroscopic sensor made based on MEMS (Micro ElectroMechanical Systems) that can be mass-produced through a wafer-level process can be used. The spectroscopic sensor is, for example, a sensor that measures the reflected spectroscopic spectrum. Specifically, the spectroscopic sensor can be implemented by components such as a light source implemented by, for example, an LED, an optical filter that reflects light from the light source on the measurement surface and inputs and selects and switches the wavelength of the reflected light, and a light receiving device that measures the amount of light of the reflected light that has passed through the optical filter. As the optical filter, a wavelength filter using multiple interference of two opposing reflection surfaces, i.e., a Fabry - Perot etalon element, can be used. By using the spectroscopic sensor to measure the reflected spectroscopic spectrum of the amount of light of the reflected light at each wavelength, the color measurement of the target color is achieved. Additionally, the color measurement sensor that implements the color measurement unit 12 is not limited to such a spectroscopic sensor, and for example, it can also be implemented by an image sensor or the like. Further, the color measurement unit 12 can also employ a component that performs color measurement not only on the reflected light but also on the transmitted light.

[0025] The processing unit 20 performs various processes such as control processing of each part of the colorimeter 10. For example, the processing unit 20 performs control processing of the communication unit 40. In addition, the processing unit 20 performs input processing of operation information from the operation unit 13, reading processing of information from the storage unit 30, writing processing of information to the storage unit 30, display processing of information to the display unit 36, etc. The processing unit 20 can be implemented by a processor. For example, each process of the present embodiment can be implemented by a processor that operates based on information such as a program, and a memory that stores information such as a program. The memory is the storage unit 30. The processor can implement the functions of each part by independent hardware, or can also implement the functions of each part by integrated hardware. For example, the processor includes hardware, which can include at least one of a circuit for processing digital signals and a circuit for processing analog signals. For example, the processor can also be composed of one or more circuit devices and one or more circuit elements mounted on a circuit board. The processor can also be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), for example. However, the processor is not limited to the CPU, and various processors such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) can also be used. In addition, the processor can also be a hardware circuit formed by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). In addition, the processor can also include an amplification circuit, a filter circuit, etc. for processing analog signals.

[0026] The operation unit 13 is an operation interface for inputting operation information of the user. The operation unit 13 can be implemented by an operation device. Taking the example described later Figure 2 as an example, the operation unit 13 can be implemented by operation devices such as a color measurement button 14, a cross key 15, a power button 16, a return button 17, etc. However, the operation devices for implementing the operation unit 13 are not limited to these operation devices.

[0027] The storage unit 30 stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 30 stores programs and data. The storage unit 30 functions as a working area for the processing unit 20, the communication unit 40, etc., for example. For example, the storage unit 30 as a memory can be a semiconductor memory such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), etc., can also be a register, or can also be a hard disk device, etc. For example, the storage unit 30 as a memory stores commands that can be read by a computer, and by executing these commands by the processing unit 20 as a processor, the processing of each part of the processing unit 20 is realized. The commands here can be a set of commands constituting a program, or can also be commands that instruct the hardware circuit of the processor to operate.

[0028] The display unit 36 displays various types of information to the user. The display unit 36 can be realized by various displays such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, for example. The display unit 36 displays, for example, information required for the user to operate the colorimeter 10, various status information of the colorimeter 10, etc.

[0029] The communication unit 40 is a communication interface for performing wireless or wired communication with external devices such as the terminal device 60. The communication unit 40 can be realized by a communication ASIC, a communication processor, etc., such as a communication IC (Integrated Circuit), communication firmware, etc., for example. In the present embodiment, the processing unit 20 performs communication control processing such as information transmission processing and reception processing on the communication unit 40, so that the communication unit 40 sends information to an external device or receives information from an external device.

[0030] Furthermore, the communication unit 40 includes a first wireless communication unit 41 and a second wireless communication unit 42. The first wireless communication unit 41 performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard. The second wireless communication unit 42 performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard. For example, each wireless communication unit may also be implemented by one IC in such a manner that the first wireless communication unit 41 is implemented by a first communication IC and the second wireless communication unit 42 is implemented by a second communication IC. In this case, a first wireless circuit for implementing the first wireless communication unit 41 is provided in the first communication IC, and a second wireless circuit for implementing the second wireless communication unit 42 is provided in the second communication IC. A physical layer circuit, a link layer circuit, etc. for implementing the first wireless communication are provided in the first wireless circuit, and a physical layer circuit, a link layer circuit, etc. for implementing the second wireless communication are provided in the second wireless circuit. Alternatively, the first wireless communication unit 41 and the second wireless communication unit 42 may also be implemented by one communication IC. In this case, a first wireless circuit for implementing the first wireless communication unit 41 and a second wireless circuit for implementing the second wireless communication unit 42 are provided in this communication IC. Details of the first wireless communication unit 41 and the second wireless communication unit 42 will be described later.

[0031] The colorimeter 10 is communicatively connected to the terminal device 60. The terminal device 60 is a communication terminal capable of performing wireless communication of information, and is implemented, for example, by a smart phone, a tablet PC (Personal Computer), or a desktop PC. The terminal device 60 is communicatively connected to the colorimeter 10, for example, by wireless communication.

[0032] The terminal device 60 includes a processing unit 62, a display unit 66, and a communication unit 70. The processing unit 62 performs various processing such as control processing of each part of the terminal device 60. For example, the processing unit 62 performs control processing of the communication unit 70. In addition, the processing unit 62 performs input processing of operation information from an operation unit (not shown) of the terminal device 60, reading processing of information from a storage unit (not shown) of the terminal device 60, writing processing of information to the storage unit, display processing of information to the display unit 66, etc. The processing unit 62 can be implemented by a processor. The display unit 66 displays various information to the user. The display unit 66 can be implemented by various displays such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, for example. The communication unit 70 is a communication interface for performing wireless or wired communication with external devices such as the colorimeter 10. Similar to the communication unit 40 of the colorimeter 10, the communication unit 70 can include a first wireless communication unit that performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard and a second wireless communication unit that performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard.

[0033] Figure 2 、 Figure 3This is a diagram showing the external views of the colorimeter 10 and the terminal device 60, and a structural example of the color measurement system 100. As Figure 2 shown, the color measurement system 100 of the present embodiment includes a colorimeter 10 and a terminal device 60 that communicates with the colorimeter 10. For example, the colorimeter 10 and the terminal device 60 are connected by first wireless communication or second wireless communication. According to this color measurement system 100, the color measurement result in the colorimeter 10 can be displayed on the display unit 66 of the terminal device 60. In addition, according to the color measurement system 100, the user can also operate the terminal device 60 to, for example, cause the colorimeter 10 to perform color measurement, or set the colorimeter 10 to various modes, etc.

[0034] As Figure 2 shown, the colorimeter 10 has, for example, a substantially cubic shape, and a display unit 36, a color measurement button 14, and a cross key 15 are provided on its upper surface. In addition, a power button 16 and a return button 17 are also provided on the upper surface of the colorimeter 10. On the other hand, as Figure 3 shown, a color measurement unit 12 and a movable shutter 18 are provided on the lower surface of the colorimeter 10. The display unit 36 displays various information to the user. The color measurement button 14 is an operation device for the user to instruct the colorimeter 10 to perform color measurement. For example, by the user pressing the color measurement button 14, the colorimeter 10 performs color measurement using the color measurement unit 12. The cross key 15 is an operation device for, for example, indicating directions such as up, down, left, and right. The power button 16 is a button for turning on and off the power of the colorimeter 10. The return button 17 is a button for performing a return operation also called a backward operation. The color measurement unit 12 is implemented by a color measurement sensor as described above, and for example, has a substantially circular shape when viewed from above. The movable shutter 18 protects the color measurement unit 12 when the colorimeter 10 is not in use. For example, when the user does not use the colorimeter 10, the user performs an operation of moving the movable shutter 18 toward the color measurement unit 12 to close the movable shutter 18, so that external impacts and the like are not applied to the color measurement unit 12.

[0035] The colorimeter 10 has a portable shape that allows the user to hold it with one hand to perform color measurement operations. For example, the user holds the side surface of the colorimeter 10 with the thumb, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, etc., and performs operations such as pressing the color measurement button 14 with the index finger or indicating directions through the cross key 15. The terminal device 60 is a communication terminal that can be communicatively connected to the colorimeter 10, and is communicatively connected to the colorimeter 10 by wireless communication. The terminal device 60 has a display unit 66 and also has operation devices such as operation buttons. In addition, the display unit 66 is, for example, a touch panel, and the user performs various operations by touching the display unit 66 that is a touch panel.

[0036] As described above, the colorimeter 10 of the present embodiment includes: a color measurement unit 12 that performs color measurement; a first wireless communication unit 41 that performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard; a second wireless communication unit 42 that performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard; and a processing unit 20 that performs control processing of the first wireless communication unit 41 and the second wireless communication unit 42.

[0037] Moreover, when the color measurement is performed in the first color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 performs a process of transmitting the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the first color measurement mode by using the first wireless communication. For example, the processing unit 20 acquires the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the first color measurement mode using the color measurement unit 12. Then, the processing unit 20 performs a process of transmitting the acquired color measurement data to the terminal device 60 by using the first wireless communication unit 41 and the first wireless communication. In addition, when the color measurement is performed in the second color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 performs a process of transmitting the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the second color measurement mode by using the second wireless communication. For example, the processing unit 20 acquires the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the second color measurement mode using the color measurement unit 12. Then, the processing unit 20 performs a process of transmitting the acquired color measurement data to the terminal device 60 by using the second wireless communication unit 42 and the second wireless communication. The process of transmitting the color measurement data by the first wireless communication and the process of transmitting the color measurement data by the second wireless communication are performed by the communication processing unit 24 of the processing unit 20.

[0038] For example, the standards of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication are different. For example, the wireless communication methods of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication are different. In addition, the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication may be wireless communications with different standard versions. As the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication, for example, various wireless communications such as Bluetooth (registered trademark, the same applies hereinafter), Wi-Fi (registered trademark, the same applies hereinafter), ZigBee (registered trademark), Wi-SUN (registered trademark), IP500 (registered trademark), wireless USB, and UWB can be conceived. Moreover, the communication speeds of the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication are different. For example, the second wireless communication has a higher communication speed than the first wireless communication. In addition, the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication may have different power consumptions. For example, the first wireless communication has a lower power consumption than the second wireless communication.

[0039] In the first color measurement mode and the second color measurement mode, the methods for performing color measurement on a color measurement object called a color target are different. For example, in the first color measurement mode and the second color measurement mode, color measurement is performed using different methods. As the first color measurement mode and the second color measurement mode, there are, for example, a spot color measurement mode, a line color measurement mode, a first set of color measurement modes based on spot color measurement, or a second set of color measurement modes based on line color measurement, etc. In the first color measurement mode and the second color measurement mode, the amount of color measurement data obtained using the color measurement unit 12 is different. In addition, in the first color measurement mode and the second color measurement mode, the operation methods of the user during color measurement are different. In addition, the color measurement modes are not limited to two color measurement modes, and three or more color measurement modes can also be set.

[0040] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the second wireless communication is a wireless communication with a faster communication speed than the first wireless communication, and the second color measurement mode is a color measurement mode with a larger amount of color measurement data than the first color measurement mode. That is, when the processing unit 20 performs color measurement using the first color measurement mode with a smaller amount of color measurement data than the second color measurement mode, the processing of transmitting the color measurement data using the first wireless communication with a slower communication speed than the second wireless communication is performed. In addition, when the processing unit 20 performs color measurement using the second color measurement mode with a larger amount of color measurement data than the first color measurement mode, the processing of transmitting the color measurement data using the second wireless communication with a faster communication speed than the first wireless communication is performed. If this method is adopted, for the color measurement data of the second color measurement mode with a larger amount of color measurement data, it can be transmitted through the second wireless communication with a faster communication speed, so that the transmission processing of the color measurement data under the wireless communication with an appropriate communication speed corresponding to the color measurement mode can be realized.

[0041] In addition, in the present embodiment, the first wireless communication is, for example, Bluetooth communication, and the second wireless communication is, for example, Wi-Fi communication. For example, when the processing unit 20 performs colorimetry in the first colorimetry mode, it performs the process of transmitting colorimetry data using Bluetooth communication, and when performing colorimetry in the second colorimetry mode, it performs the process of transmitting colorimetry data using Wi-Fi communication. If this method is adopted, for the colorimetry data obtained by colorimetry in the first colorimetry mode, it can be transmitted using Bluetooth communication, which has a slower communication speed but lower power consumption compared to Wi-Fi communication. In addition, for the colorimetry data obtained by colorimetry in the second colorimetry mode, it can be transmitted using Wi-Fi communication, which has higher power consumption but faster communication speed compared to Bluetooth communication. As the Bluetooth standard, for example, various versions of standards such as Ver.4.X, Ver.5.0, or further developed versions of these standards can be adopted. For example, as the Bluetooth standard, the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) standard can be adopted. In addition, as the Wi-Fi standard, for example, various versions of standards such as IEEE802.11n, IEEE802.11ac, IEEE802.11ax, or further developed versions of them can be adopted.

[0042] In addition, in the present embodiment, the first colorimetry mode is, for example, the spot colorimetry mode, and the second colorimetry mode is, for example, the line colorimetry mode. For example, when the processing unit 20 performs colorimetry in the spot colorimetry mode, it performs the process of transmitting colorimetry data using the first wireless communication, and when performing colorimetry in the line colorimetry mode, it performs the process of transmitting colorimetry data using the second wireless communication. As an example, when the processing unit 20 performs colorimetry in the spot colorimetry mode, it performs the process of transmitting colorimetry data using the first wireless communication such as Bluetooth communication with a slower communication speed, and when performing colorimetry in the line colorimetry mode, it performs the process of transmitting colorimetry data using the second wireless communication such as Wi-Fi communication with a faster communication speed. If this method is adopted, in the spot colorimetry mode, the processing unit 20 can transmit colorimetry data through wireless communication suitable for the spot colorimetry mode, and in the line colorimetry mode, it can transmit colorimetry data through wireless communication suitable for the line colorimetry mode. The spot colorimetry mode is, for example, a mode in which colorimetry of, for example, one color is performed through a single spot colorimetry operation by the user. The line colorimetry mode is, for example, a mode in which colorimetry of, for example, multiple colors arranged along a given line is performed through the user's line colorimetry operation. The spot colorimetry operation is, for example, an operation of placing the colorimeter 10 at the position of the color to be measured and causing the colorimeter 10 to perform colorimetry. The line colorimetry operation is, for example, an operation of causing the colorimeter 10 to perform colorimetry while moving the colorimeter 10 along the line when multiple colors are arranged along a given line.

[0043] In addition, when the processing unit 20 sets the first color measurement mode in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, it performs the process of transmitting color measurement data using the first wireless communication. For example, in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, when the user selects the first color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 performs the process of transmitting color measurement data using the first wireless communication. In addition, when the processing unit 20 sets the second color measurement mode in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, it performs the process of transmitting color measurement data using the second wireless communication. For example, in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, when the user selects the second color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 performs the process of transmitting color measurement data using the second wireless communication. If this method is adopted, then when the user sets the color measurement mode in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, for example, the color measurement data obtained in the color measurement mode is transmitted through the appropriate wireless communication corresponding to the color measurement mode. In addition, the setting process of the color measurement mode is implemented by the color measurement mode setting unit 22. For example, the color measurement mode setting unit 22 performs the process of setting the color measurement mode to the first color measurement mode or the second color measurement mode based on the user's operation input using the setting screen of the color measurement mode and the like.

[0044] In this case, the setting screen is, for example, the screen displayed on the display unit 66 of the terminal device 60 that communicates with the colorimeter 10. That is, the setting screen of the color measurement mode is displayed on the display unit 66 of the terminal device 60, and when the user of the terminal device 60 selects the color measurement mode in the displayed setting screen, the color measurement data is transmitted through the wireless communication corresponding to the color measurement mode. If this method is adopted, then the color measurement system 100 can effectively use the display unit 66 of the terminal device 60 to display the setting screen of the color measurement mode, and the color measurement mode is selected through the operation of the user using the setting screen. Then, the colorimeter 10 can transmit the color measurement data to the terminal device 60 through the appropriate wireless communication corresponding to the selected color measurement mode. In addition, a modification in which the setting screen is displayed on the display unit 36 of the colorimeter 10 can also be implemented.

[0045] In addition, the processing unit 20 switches between the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication according to the first colorimetric mode or the second colorimetric mode. For example, the processing unit 20 determines whether the current colorimetric mode is the first colorimetric mode or the second colorimetric mode, and switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication, or from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication according to the determination result. For example, when performing the first wireless communication, if the processing unit 20 determines that the colorimetric mode has become the second colorimetric mode, it switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. In addition, when performing the second wireless communication, if the processing unit 20 determines that the colorimetric mode has become the first colorimetric mode, it switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication. By adopting this method, it is possible to switch from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication, or from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication according to the colorimetric mode, and appropriate wireless communication switching processing corresponding to the colorimetric mode can be achieved.

[0046] In addition, when the processing unit 20 performs colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode, it switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. For example, when the processing unit 20 determines to perform colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode based on the setting of the colorimetric mode in the setting screen, the voice input of the user, the various operation inputs of the user, or the setting made by the system, it switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. For example, when the colorimeter 10 is set to the first wireless communication and performs colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode, it switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. By adopting this method, when performing colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode, the colorimeter 10 switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication, so that the colorimetry data obtained by colorimetry in the second colorimetric mode can be transmitted by the second wireless communication.

[0047] In addition, when the color measurement in the second color measurement mode by the processing unit 20 is completed, the second wireless communication is switched to the first wireless communication. For example, the processing unit 20 determines whether the color measurement in the second color measurement mode is completed based on whether the transmission of the color measurement data measured in the second color measurement mode is completed, an instruction from the user indicating the completion of the color measurement in the second color measurement mode, etc. Then, when the processing unit 20 determines that the color measurement in the second color measurement mode is completed, it switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication. If this method is adopted, after the transmission of the color measurement data for the second color measurement mode via the second wireless communication is completed, the colorimeter 10 automatically switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication. Therefore, the colorimeter 10 uses the second wireless communication to transmit the color measurement data for the second color measurement mode, for example, and when the transmission is completed, the colorimeter 10 switches to the first wireless communication set by default, for example, thus improving convenience. For example, when the first wireless communication is a wireless communication with lower power consumption compared to the second wireless communication, low power consumption of the colorimeter 10 can be achieved.

[0048] In addition, after the power supply of the colorimeter 10 is turned on, the processing unit 20 starts the wireless communication implemented by the first wireless communication. That is, the processing unit 20 sets the wireless communication to the first wireless communication at startup. Then, when the processing unit 20 performs the color measurement by the second color measurement mode, it switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. That is, the processing unit 20 switches the wireless communication set to the first wireless communication after the power supply is turned on to the second wireless communication. Then, when the transmission of the color measurement data implemented by the second wireless communication is completed, the processing unit 20 switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication. That is, the processing unit 20 switches the second wireless communication used for the transmission of the color measurement data for the second color measurement mode to the first wireless communication. If this method is adopted, the processing unit 20 sets the default wireless communication after the power supply is turned on to the first wireless communication, and when performing the color measurement in the second color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. When the color measurement in the second color measurement mode is completed, the processing unit 20 can implement the switching process of returning from the second wireless communication to the original first wireless communication. Therefore, when the transmission of the color measurement data in the second color measurement mode is required, the wireless communication is set to the second wireless communication, and when it is not, the wireless communication is set to the first wireless communication. Therefore, for example, when the first wireless communication is a wireless communication with lower power consumption compared to the second wireless communication, low power consumption of the colorimeter 10 can be achieved.

[0049] 2. Processing example

[0050] Next, the processing of this embodiment will be specifically described. Figure 4Flowchart for explaining a basic processing example of this embodiment. First, the processing unit 20 determines whether a color measurement operation has been performed (step S1). For example, the processing unit 20 determines whether the color measurement button 14 of Figure 2 has been pressed. Alternatively, the processing unit 20 determines whether the icon of the color measurement button C2 shown in Figure 11 described later on the screen of the display unit 66 of the terminal device 60 has been touched. Thus, the color measurement unit 12 performs color measurement on the color measurement object, and the processing unit 20 obtains color measurement data based on the color measurement value of the color measurement unit 12 (step S2). Next, the processing unit 20 determines what kind of color measurement mode the colorimeter 10 is in (step S3). Then, when the processing unit 20 determines that the color measurement mode is the first color measurement mode, it transmits the color measurement data through the first wireless communication (step S4). For example, the processing unit 20 controls the first wireless communication unit 41 to transmit the color measurement data to the terminal device 60 through the first wireless communication of the first wireless communication standard. On the other hand, when the processing unit 20 determines that the color measurement mode is the second color measurement mode, it transmits the color measurement data through the second communication mode (step S5). For example, the processing unit 20 controls the second wireless communication unit 42 to transmit the color measurement data to the terminal device 60 through the second wireless communication of the second wireless communication standard.

[0051] As described above, in the colorimeter 10 and the communication method of the present embodiment, when the user uses the color measurement unit 12 of the colorimeter 10 and performs color measurement in the first color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 uses the first wireless communication to transmit the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the first color measurement mode, and when the user performs color measurement in the second color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 uses the second wireless communication to transmit the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the second color measurement mode. If this method is adopted, the colorimeter 10 can transmit the color measurement data obtained in each color measurement mode through wireless communication corresponding to the color measurement mode of the colorimeter 10 in such a way that it uses the first wireless communication for transmission in the first color measurement mode and the second wireless communication for transmission in the second color measurement mode. For example, it is assumed that the amount of color measurement data in the second color measurement mode is larger than that in the first color measurement mode, and the communication speed of the second wireless communication is faster than that of the first wireless communication. In this case, the colorimeter 10 uses the first wireless communication with a slower communication speed to transmit the color measurement data of the first color measurement mode with a smaller amount of color measurement data, and uses the second wireless communication with a faster communication speed to transmit the color measurement data of the second color measurement mode with a larger amount of color measurement data. In addition, it is assumed that the power consumption of the first wireless communication is smaller than that of the second wireless communication. In this case, the colorimeter 10 uses the first wireless communication with a smaller power consumption to transmit the color measurement data of the first color measurement mode that can be transmitted even in a low power consumption state, and uses the second wireless communication with a larger power consumption to transmit the color measurement data of the second color measurement mode. If this method is adopted, a colorimeter 10 and its communication method that can transmit color measurement data through appropriate wireless communication corresponding to each color measurement mode can be realized.

[0052] In addition, although this embodiment mainly shows the case where the colorimeter 10 performs color measurement by the user pressing the color measurement button 14 of the colorimeter 10, this method can be replaced, or in addition to this, other trigger forms can be used to make the colorimeter 10 perform color measurement. For example, the colorimeter 10 can also perform color measurement according to an instruction from the user's voice, or perform color measurement according to an instruction from the terminal device 60. Moreover, the colorimeter 10 can also detect the situation of being pressed against an object to perform color measurement. Alternatively, it can be set that the colorimeter 10 continuously repeats color measurement until a predetermined limit time. If a color that matches the reference color is measured, this color is regarded as the color measurement object. If a color that matches the reference color is not measured until the limit time, the colorimeter 10 regards the color that is closest to the reference color among the colors that have been measured within the limit time as the color measurement object.

[0053] Figure 5 A flowchart for explaining a specific processing example of this embodiment. First, the processing unit 20 performs a process of displaying a setting screen for the color measurement mode (step S21). Specifically,Figure 6 The setting screen of the color measurement mode shown is displayed, for example, on the display unit 66 of the terminal device 60. Alternatively, the setting screen of the color measurement mode may also be displayed on the display unit 36 of the colorimeter 10. Next, the processing unit 20 sets the color measurement mode of the colorimeter 10 based on the user's operation input (step S22). For example, when the user selects spot color measurement in the Figure 6 setting screen, the color measurement mode is set to the spot color measurement mode, and when the user selects line color measurement, the color measurement mode is set to the line color measurement mode.

[0054] Next, the processing unit 20 determines whether a color measurement operation has been performed (step S23). If a color measurement operation has been performed, the processing unit 20 acquires color measurement data obtained based on the color measurement value of the color measurement unit 12 (step S24). Then, the processing unit 20 determines whether the color measurement mode is the spot color measurement mode or the line color measurement mode (step S25). Then, when the processing unit 20 determines that it is the spot color measurement mode, it transmits the color measurement data to the terminal device 60 via Bluetooth communication (step S26), and when it determines that it is the line color measurement mode, it transmits the color measurement data to the terminal device 60 via Wi-Fi communication (step S27).

[0055] Since the colorimeter 10 is used in various places, it is required to use wireless communication in a cable-free form. Also, in order to suppress the power consumption of the colorimeter 10, Bluetooth communication such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is desired as the wireless communication. However, although Bluetooth such as BLE has low power consumption, the communication speed is slow, and there is a problem that communication takes too much time when the data volume is large.

[0056] On the other hand, there are modes such as spot color measurement and line color measurement as the color measurement modes of the color measurement method of the colorimeter 10. In spot color measurement, since the colorimeter 10 measures, for example, one color target, the color measurement data volume is about 4 KB, for example. On the other hand, in line color measurement, since the colorimeter 10 continuously measures multiple color targets, the color measurement data volume is about 312 KB in the measurement of 80 color targets, for example. Also, since the actual communication speed of Bluetooth Ver4.0 is about 10 Kbps, when the colorimeter 10 wants to transmit the color measurement data to the terminal device 60, the communication time becomes about 3 seconds in spot color measurement and about 250 seconds in line color measurement. Therefore, when the colorimeter 10 performs communication with a large data volume, it needs to perform wired communication using a USB cable or the like, but in wired communication, the requirements of users who want to use the colorimeter 10 in a cable-free form cannot be met.

[0057] Therefore, in addition to Bluetooth communication, the colorimeter 10 of the present embodiment also implements Wi-Fi communication. Moreover, the colorimeter 10 switches the wireless communication according to the colorimetric data to be transmitted. For example, when the colorimeter 10 is used by wireless communication, the colorimeter 10 and the terminal device 60 are basically connected by Bluetooth communication. Further, when the result of colorimetry is transmitted to the terminal device 60, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication. Thereby, power consumption can be suppressed as much as possible, and the colorimeter 10 can be used in a wireless form without reducing the usability. For example, in the Wi-Fi communication of IEEE802.11ac, when there is one antenna, the actual communication speed becomes about 110 Mbps. Therefore, as described above, when the colorimeter 10 transmits the colorimetric data of the 80-color target colorimetry with a colorimetric data amount of about 312 KB to the terminal device 60 by Wi-Fi communication, the communication time becomes about 0.02 seconds. That is, since the colorimeter 10 can significantly shorten the communication time of about 250 seconds in Bluetooth communication to about 0.02 seconds, the usability of the user is improved.

[0058] Thus, as an interface for wireless connection, in addition to Bluetooth, it also corresponds to Wi-Fi, so that the colorimeter 10 can easily respond in a wireless form even in communication with a large data amount. According to the present embodiment, since the colorimeter 10 switches the wireless communication according to the colorimetric mode as the colorimetric method, the wireless communication can be switched more quickly, for example, during the colorimetry process. Thus, in the present embodiment, by switching the interface for wireless communication by the colorimeter 10 according to the type of the colorimetric method, the power consumption of the colorimeter 10 can be easily suppressed.

[0059] In addition, when updating the firmware loaded in the colorimeter 10, the colorimeter 10 also needs to perform communication of a data file with a large data amount. As an example, the colorimeter 10 needs to perform communication of data with a size of about 1024 KB. Therefore, for example, when the firmware is updated, the usability is further improved by automatically switching from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication.

[0060] Figure 7 FIG. is a flowchart showing a detailed processing example of the present embodiment. First, the processing unit 20 determines whether the power supply of the colorimeter 10 has been turned on (step S31). For example, the processing unit 20 determines whether Figure 2The colorimeter 10 is started for determination by pressing the power button 16. Then, when the power is turned on, the processing unit 20 sets the wireless communication to Bluetooth communication (step S32). That is, the wireless communication of the colorimeter 10 at startup is defaultly set to Bluetooth communication. Then, the processing unit 20 performs the setting of the color measurement mode (step S33). The setting of the color measurement mode can be performed either by the user's selection operation on the color measurement mode setting screen as shown in Figure 6 or by the user's voice input or a predetermined operation of the user using the operation device.

[0061] Next, the processing unit 20 determines whether a color measurement operation has been performed (step S34). If a color measurement operation has been performed, the processing unit 20 acquires the color measurement data (step S35). Then, the processing unit 20 determines whether the color measurement mode set in step S33 is the line color measurement mode (step S36). If it is determined that the set color measurement mode is the line color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 switches the wireless communication to Wi-Fi communication (step S37). That is, the processing unit 20 switches the wireless communication set to Bluetooth communication in step S32 to Wi-Fi communication and transmits the color measurement data via Wi-Fi communication (step S38). Then, the processing unit 20 determines whether the transmission of the color measurement data has been completed (step S39). If the transmission has been completed, the processing unit 20 switches the wireless communication to Bluetooth communication (step S40). That is, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication in step S37 to transmit the color measurement data, and when the transmission is completed, switches to Bluetooth communication, which is the default wireless communication.

[0062] On the other hand, when the processing unit 20 determines in step S36 that the color measurement mode is the spot color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 transmits the color measurement data via Bluetooth communication (step S41). And when the transmission of the color measurement data is completed (step S42), the processing unit 20 ends the processing. Thus, the colorimeter 10 can significantly reduce the power consumption compared with the case of using Wi-Fi communication by transmitting the color measurement data using Bluetooth communication.

[0063] As described above, in the present embodiment, the processing unit 20 switches between the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication according to the first color measurement mode or the second color measurement mode. For example, in Figure 7In a detailed example, the processing unit 20 switches between Bluetooth communication as the first wireless communication and Wi-Fi communication as the second wireless communication according to the spot colorimetry mode as the first colorimetry mode or the line colorimetry mode as the second colorimetry mode. For example, the processing unit 20 determines whether the current colorimetry mode is the spot colorimetry mode or the line colorimetry mode, and switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication, or from Wi-Fi communication to Bluetooth communication according to the determination result. For example, when performing Bluetooth communication, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication when it is determined that the colorimetry mode has become the line colorimetry mode. In addition, when performing Wi-Fi communication, the processing unit 20 switches from Wi-Fi communication to Bluetooth communication when it is determined that the colorimetry mode has become the spot colorimetry mode. If this method is adopted, the colorimeter 10 can implement the switching process of appropriate Bluetooth communication and Wi-Fi communication corresponding to the colorimetry mode. In addition, as described above, the first colorimetry mode and the second colorimetry mode are not limited to the spot colorimetry mode and the line colorimetry mode, and the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication are not limited to Bluetooth communication and Wi-Fi communication.

[0064] For example, as shown in step S36 as Figure 7 described, when performing colorimetry through the line colorimetry mode as the second colorimetry mode, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication as the first wireless communication to Wi-Fi communication as the second wireless communication. For example, when Bluetooth communication is set as the default wireless communication in step S32, as shown in step S36, when it is determined that the colorimetry mode is the line colorimetry mode, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication. If this method is adopted, the colorimeter 10 can achieve low power consumption by setting the wireless communication to Bluetooth communication during normal times, and the colorimeter 10 can use the Wi-Fi communication with a faster communication speed to send the colorimetry data of the line colorimetry mode with a larger data volume to the terminal device 60 by setting the wireless communication to Wi-Fi communication during the line colorimetry mode.

[0065] In addition, after the colorimetry in the line colorimetry mode is completed, the processing unit 20 switches from Wi-Fi communication to Bluetooth communication. For example, the processing unit 20 is in Figure 7In step S39, the transmission of colorimetric data achieved by Wi-Fi communication is completed, and when it is determined that the colorimetry in the in-line colorimetry mode has been completed, as shown in step S40, the communication is switched from Wi-Fi communication to Bluetooth communication. If this method is adopted, the colorimeter 10 performs the transmission of colorimetric data in the in-line colorimetry mode with a large amount of data by Wi-Fi communication with a faster communication speed, and when the transmission of the colorimetric data is completed, the colorimeter 10 switches to Bluetooth communication with a slower communication speed but lower power consumption compared to Wi-Fi communication. Therefore, the colorimeter 10 can prevent the situation where the wireless communication remains set to Wi-Fi communication and will consume power gratuitously.

[0066] In addition, as shown in steps S31 and S32 of Figure 7 , after the power supply of the colorimeter 10 is turned on, the processing unit 20 starts Bluetooth communication. That is, the processing unit 20 sets the wireless communication to Bluetooth communication at startup. Then, after performing the colorimetry in the in-line colorimetry mode, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication. That is, the processing unit 20 switches the wireless communication set to Bluetooth communication after turning on the power to Wi-Fi communication. Then, after the transmission of the colorimetric data in the in-line colorimetry mode achieved by Wi-Fi communication is completed, the processing unit 20 switches from Wi-Fi communication to Bluetooth communication. If this method is adopted, the processing unit 20 sets the default wireless communication after turning on the power to Bluetooth communication, and in the case of performing the colorimetry in the in-line colorimetry mode, the processing unit 20 switches from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication, and when the colorimetry in the in-line colorimetry mode is completed, the processing unit 20 performs the switching process of returning from Wi-Fi communication to the default Bluetooth communication. Therefore, when it is necessary to transmit the colorimetric data in the in-line colorimetry mode, the colorimeter 10 is set to Wi-Fi communication with a faster communication speed, and when it is necessary to transmit the colorimetric data in a mode other than the in-line colorimetry mode, the colorimeter 10 is set to Bluetooth communication with a slower communication speed but lower power consumption. For Wi-Fi communication, the power consumption during the standby period is large, but according to BLE of Bluetooth communication, the power consumption during the standby period can be made very small. Therefore, the colorimeter 10 can achieve further low power consumption by setting to Wi-Fi communication during the in-line colorimetry mode and to Bluetooth communication during the period other than the in-line colorimetry mode.

[0067] 3. Colorimetry mode

[0068] Next, the colorimetry mode of the colorimeter 10 of the present embodiment will be described in detail. Figure 8 is an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 36 of the colorimeter 10 after the power supply to the colorimeter 10 is turned on and before the colorimetry starts. In Figure 8In A1, the status of the colorimeter 10 such as the remaining battery level and communication status is displayed. As shown in A1, after the power of the colorimeter 10 is turned on, the wireless communication is set to Bluetooth communication. In addition, since it is before the start of color measurement, the Lab value and the like as the color measurement result are not yet displayed as shown in A2.

[0069] Figure 9 This is an example of a screen that is displayed on the display unit 36 of the colorimeter 10 in the in-line color measurement mode. In the in-line color measurement mode, when the user operates the color measurement button 14 and performs a sliding operation, color measurement of a plurality of colors arranged along a row is performed. For example, by the user pressing the color measurement button 14 at the start point of the row and sliding the colorimeter 10 along the row on which a plurality of colors are arranged, in-line color measurement is performed. In this case, the user can also press the color measurement button 14 again at the end point of the row after pressing the color measurement button 14 at the start point of the row and sliding the colorimeter 10. Alternatively, the user can keep the color measurement button 14 pressed and slide the colorimeter 10 from the start point of the row, and move the finger pressing the button away from the color measurement button 14 at the end point of the row. In addition, one or more colors to be the color measurement object of the colorimeter 10 are set as color targets in an area that is not used when the color measurement object is a product, for example. For example, when the user performs printing on cloth, a color target is printed on the test area for detection, and the colorimeter 10 is used to perform color measurement on the color target. Then, when the cloth is cut to make a product, the part of the test area is discarded by cutting.

[0070] Then, in the present embodiment, as Figure 9 shown in A3, in the in-line color measurement mode, the wireless communication is set to Wi-Fi communication. For example, although the wireless communication is set to Bluetooth communication at the start-up after the power is turned on as shown in Figure 8 A1, when it becomes the in-line color measurement mode, the wireless communication is switched from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication as shown in Figure 9 A3. Thus, in the in-line color measurement mode, when the colorimeter 10 performs color measurement of a plurality of colors, it can use the Wi-Fi communication with a faster communication speed to send the color measurement data of the in-line color measurement mode with a larger data volume.

[0071] On the other hand, in the spot color measurement mode, the user does not perform color measurement on a plurality of colors on the row by a single operation as in the in-line color measurement mode, but presses the color measurement button 14 for each individual color to perform color measurement. In this case, the color measurement data of the spot color measurement mode with a smaller data volume is sent through the Bluetooth communication with a slower communication speed.

[0072] In addition, in the present embodiment, a group color measurement mode for performing color measurement on a plurality of colors is also prepared. Figure 10A screen example of the first color measurement mode for performing color measurement of a color group. Figure 10 The screen example is displayed on the display unit 36. In addition, hereinafter, a reference color of a color to be used as a comparison target is prepared, and a color comparison mode for comparing the color of the reference color and the color to be measured will be described as an example. For example, when the user performs detection using the colorimeter 10, a color corresponding to the reference color is printed as a color patch on the above-described test area. Then, the user who performs the detection operation places the colorimeter 10 on the test area and performs color measurement, and also performs an operation of confirming whether the color difference ΔE between the color to be measured and the reference color is within an allowable value.

[0073] When the first color measurement mode is set as the color measurement mode, the display unit 36 displays Figure 10 the screen shown in B1 of Figure 10 When the color measurement start screen shown in B1 of Figure 10 is displayed on the display unit 36, when the color measurement button 14 is pressed as shown in B2, color measurement of the first color of the color group is performed, and a color measurement result screen of the first color as shown in B3 is displayed on the display unit 36. In the screen of B3, circular first marks for identifying the next color to be measured and number information of the next color to be measured are displayed as shown in B4 and B5. By viewing the number information in B5, the user can identify which color in the color group the next color to be measured is. In the screen of B3, the second color of the color group is the next color to be measured. In addition, in the screen of B3, in the circular first mark shown in B4, a summary color of the next color to be measured is displayed as shown in B6. In addition, in the screen of B3, a second mark of a triangular arrow mark for identifying the color measured this time and number information of the color measured this time are displayed as shown in B7 and B8. For example, in the screen of B3, the first color of the color group is the color measured this time. In addition, in the screen of B3, a summary color of the color measured this time is displayed as shown in B9. In addition, in the screen of B3, the color difference ΔE and the determination result of the color difference ΔE are displayed as shown in B10 and B11. The color difference ΔE shown in B10 is the color difference between the first color that has been measured and the first reference color corresponding to it in the color group. The reference color is the color that is the comparison target of the color to be measured. The determination result shown in B11 is the determination result with respect to the allowable value of the color difference ΔE. Since the color difference ΔE is within the allowable value here, it becomes a judgment of pass (OK).

[0074] In a state where the screen of B3 is displayed on the display unit 36, when the color measurement button 14 is pressed as shown in B13, color measurement of the second color of the color group is performed, and a color measurement result screen of the second color is displayed as shown in B14. In the screen of B14, a circular first mark, number information, and a summary color of the next color to be color-measured are also displayed as shown in B15. In addition, a triangular arrow mark second mark, number information, and a summary color of the color currently color-measured are displayed as shown in B16. For example, in the screen of B14, the third color of the color group is the next color to be color-measured, and the second color of the color group is the color currently color-measured. In addition, in the screen of B14, the color difference ΔE and the determination result of the color difference ΔE are also displayed as shown in B17 and B18. Then, in a state where the screen of B14 is displayed on the display unit 36, when the color measurement button 14 is pressed as shown in B19, color measurement of the third color of the color group is performed, and a color measurement result screen of the third color is displayed as shown in B20.

[0075] As described above, in Figure 10 the first group color measurement mode, color measurement of a color group composed of multiple colors is performed. Spot color measurement is performed on each color of the color group. In such a first group color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 performs processing of transmitting color measurement data of the color group obtained through the first group color measurement mode using a second wireless communication such as Wi-Fi communication with a relatively high communication speed. For example, when the color group is composed of 16 colors, color measurement data of 16 colors are transmitted using the second wireless communication. By adopting this method, it is possible to transmit color measurement data of a color group of a large number of colors with a large data volume in a short time using the second wireless communication with a relatively high communication speed.

[0076] Figure 11 、 Figure 12 、 Figure 13 are screen examples of the second group color measurement mode for performing color measurement of multiple rows of color groups. In the second group color measurement mode, the color group is composed of multiple rows, and the colors of each row are color-measured by performing line color measurement. Here, a case of performing color measurement of a group of three rows of colors will be described.

[0077] When the second group color measurement mode is set as the color measurement mode, the display unit 36 displays the Figure 11 shown screen. Figure 11 is an example of the screen displayed at the start of color measurement. Figure 11 The screen of Figure 11The color measurement result is not shown in C1. Then, by performing an operation of touching the icon of the color measurement button C2 by the user, the color measurement of the colorimeter 10 is performed. Or, by the user pressing Figure 2 the color measurement button 14, the color measurement of the colorimeter 10 is also performed. In addition, by the user selecting the icons of "Color Measurement", "Comparison", "History", and "Color Sample" shown in C3, the color measurement result screen, the color comparison screen, the history screen of the colors measured in the past, and the selection screen of the color sample book are transferred to. In addition, as shown in C4, status information such as the remaining battery level of the colorimeter 10 is displayed on the screen.

[0078] When the operation of color measurement is performed after the screen at the start of color measurement shown in E1 in Figure 12 is displayed on the display unit 66, the color measurement of the first row is performed. When the color measurement of the first row is completed, the processing unit 20 switches the setting of the wireless communication from Bluetooth communication to Wi-Fi communication, and sends the color measurement data of the first row to the terminal device 60 using Wi-Fi communication. The terminal device 60 that has received the color measurement data of the first row displays the screen of the result of the color measurement on the display unit 66 as shown in E2. Then, as shown in E3, a first mark in a quadrilateral shape for identifying the color of the next row to be color-measured and the summary color of the color of the next row to be color-measured are displayed. In addition, a second mark in a triangular arrow shape for identifying the color of the row that has been color-measured this time and the summary color of the color of the row that has been color-measured this time are also displayed as shown in E4. In addition, the colors that have been color-measured are also displayed as shown in E5. Here, one row is composed of, for example, 12 colors, and these 12 colors are color-measured by the operation of the user performing color measurement described in Figure 9 . In addition, in Figure 12 , the summary of each of the 12 colors is displayed within a square frame. Specifically, the square frame is divided into two by a diagonal line, and the summary color of the reference color is filled in the upper left triangular frame, and the summary color of the color that has been color-measured is filled in the lower right triangular frame.

[0079] In Figure 13 , in the screen of E6, the case where the color measurement of the last third row has been performed is shown as in E7. And, as shown in E8, the display of the case where it is notified that there is no next color group to be color-measured is performed. In addition, in the operation result screen of E9, the case where the number of non-conforming (NG) pieces is 0 is displayed as shown in E10, and the average value of the color differences for all rows is displayed as shown in E11, for example. In addition, the color difference ΔE and the summary color for each color of each row are displayed as shown in E12.

[0080] As described above, in Figure 11 , Figure 12 ,Figure 13 In the second color measurement mode, color measurement of a color group composed of multiple lines is performed, and color measurement is performed on each line. In such a second color measurement mode, the processing unit 20 performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data of the color group obtained through the second color measurement mode using a second wireless communication such as Wi-Fi communication with a relatively high communication speed. If this method is adopted, it is possible to transmit the color measurement data of a color group with a large amount of data in multiple lines in a short time using the second wireless communication with a relatively high communication speed.

[0081] In addition, when the color measurement of all lines of the color group is completed, the processing unit 20 switches from the second wireless communication such as Wi-Fi communication with a relatively high power consumption to the first wireless communication such as Bluetooth communication with a relatively low power consumption. If this method is adopted, it is possible to transmit the color measurement data of a color group with a large amount of data using the second wireless communication with a relatively high communication speed but a relatively high power consumption, and after the transmission of the color measurement data of all lines of the color group is completed, switch to the first wireless communication with a relatively low communication speed but a relatively low power consumption. Thus, the colorimeter 10 can simultaneously achieve the transmission of color measurement data at an appropriate communication speed and the reduction of power consumption of the colorimeter 10. In addition, in the second color measurement mode in which color measurement of a color group with multiple lines is performed, although the color measurement data is transmitted using the second wireless communication each time the color measurement of each line of multiple lines is completed, it is also possible to transmit the color measurement data using the second wireless communication after the color measurement of all lines constituting the group is completed.

[0082] As described above, the colorimeter according to the present embodiment includes: a color measurement unit that performs color measurement; a first wireless communication unit that performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard; a second wireless communication unit that performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard; and a processing unit that performs control processing of the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit. And, when performing color measurement through the first color measurement mode, the processing unit performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data obtained through the color measurement of the first color measurement mode using the first wireless communication, and when performing color measurement through the second color measurement mode, the processing unit performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data obtained through the color measurement of the second color measurement mode using the second wireless communication.

[0083] In this way, according to the present embodiment, the color measurement data in the first color measurement mode is transmitted through the first wireless communication, and the color measurement data in the second color measurement mode is transmitted through the second wireless communication. Thus, it is possible to realize a colorimeter that can transmit color measurement data through appropriate wireless communication corresponding to each color measurement mode.

[0084] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may be that the second wireless communication is a wireless communication with a relatively high communication speed compared to the first wireless communication, and the second color measurement mode is a color measurement mode with a relatively large amount of color measurement data compared to the first color measurement mode.

[0085] If this method is adopted, for the color measurement data of the second color measurement mode with a large amount of color measurement data, it is possible to use the second wireless communication with a faster communication speed for transmission. Therefore, it is possible to implement the transmission process of the color measurement data under wireless communication with an appropriate communication speed corresponding to the color measurement mode.

[0086] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the first wireless communication is Bluetooth communication and the second wireless communication is Wi-Fi communication.

[0087] If this method is adopted, for the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the first color measurement mode, it is possible to transmit it through Bluetooth communication, which has a slower communication speed but lower power consumption compared to Wi-Fi communication. In addition, for the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement in the second color measurement mode, it is possible to transmit it through Wi-Fi communication, which has higher power consumption but a faster communication speed compared to Bluetooth communication.

[0088] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the first color measurement mode is a spot color measurement mode and the second color measurement mode is a line color measurement mode.

[0089] If this method is adopted, in the spot color measurement mode, it is possible to transmit the color measurement data through wireless communication suitable for the spot color measurement mode, and in the line color measurement mode, to transmit the color measurement data through wireless communication suitable for the line color measurement mode.

[0090] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that when the first color measurement mode is set in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, the process of transmitting the color measurement data using the first wireless communication is implemented, and when the second color measurement mode is set in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, the process of transmitting the color measurement data using the second wireless communication is implemented.

[0091] If this method is adopted, when the color measurement mode is set in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, the color measurement data will be transmitted through the appropriate wireless communication corresponding to the color measurement mode.

[0092] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the setting screen is a screen displayed on the display unit of the terminal device that communicates with the colorimeter.

[0093] If this method is adopted, it is possible to display the setting screen of the color measurement mode using the display unit of the terminal device, allow the user to select the color measurement mode using this setting screen, and transmit the color measurement data through the wireless communication corresponding to the selected color measurement mode.

[0094] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the processing unit switches between the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication according to the first colorimetric mode or the second colorimetric mode.

[0095] If this method is adopted, it is possible to switch from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication, or from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication according to the colorimetric mode, thereby realizing the switching process of appropriate wireless communication corresponding to the colorimetric mode.

[0096] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the processing unit switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication when performing colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode.

[0097] If this method is adopted, it is possible to switch from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication when performing colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode, and transmit the colorimetric data through the second wireless communication.

[0098] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the processing unit switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication when the colorimetry in the second colorimetric mode is completed.

[0099] If this method is adopted, after the transmission of the colorimetric data regarding the second colorimetric mode through the second wireless communication is completed, it switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication, thereby improving convenience.

[0100] In addition, in the present embodiment, it may also be that the processing unit starts the wireless communication realized by the first wireless communication after the power of the colorimeter is turned on, switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication when performing colorimetry by the second colorimetric mode, and switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication when the transmission of the colorimetric data through the second wireless communication is completed.

[0101] If this method is adopted, the wireless communication after the power is turned on is set as the first wireless communication, switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication when performing colorimetry in the second colorimetric mode, and when the colorimetry of the second colorimetric mode is completed, it is possible to realize the switching process of returning from the second wireless communication to the original first wireless communication.

[0102] In addition, the present embodiment relates to a colorimetry system, which includes: the colorimeter described above; a terminal device that communicates with the colorimeter.

[0103] If this method is adopted, for example, the user can also operate the terminal device to cause the colorimeter to perform colorimetry, or set the colorimeter to various modes, etc.

[0104] In addition, the present embodiment relates to a communication method, which is a communication method in a colorimeter. In the case of performing color measurement using the color measurement unit of the colorimeter and through the first color measurement mode, color measurement data obtained by color measurement through the first color measurement mode is transmitted using wireless communication based on the first wireless communication standard, that is, the first wireless communication. And in the case of performing color measurement using the color measurement unit and through the second color measurement mode, the color measurement data obtained by color measurement through the second color measurement mode is transmitted using wireless communication based on the second wireless communication standard, that is, the second wireless communication.

[0105] If this method is adopted, a communication method capable of transmitting color measurement data through appropriate wireless communication corresponding to each color measurement mode can be achieved.

[0106] In addition, although the present embodiment has been described in detail as above, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand various modifications that can be implemented without substantially departing from the new matters and effects of the present embodiment. Therefore, all such modification examples are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a term that is recorded at least once together with a more general or synonymous different term in the specification or the drawings can be replaced with that different term anywhere in the specification or the drawings. In addition, all combinations of the present embodiment and the modification examples are also included in the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the structures and operations, etc. of the colorimeter, the terminal device, the color measurement system, etc., and the color measurement method, etc. are not limited to the content described in the present embodiment, and various modifications can be implemented.

[0107] Symbol Explanation

[0108] 10... Colorimeter; 12... Color measurement unit; 13... Operation unit; 14... Color measurement button; 15... Cross key; 16... Power button; 17... Return button; 18... Movable shutter; 20... Processing unit; 22... Color measurement mode setting unit; 24... Communication processing unit; 30... Storage unit; 36... Display unit; 40... Communication unit; 41... First wireless communication unit; 42... Second wireless communication unit; 60... Terminal device; 62... Processing unit; 66... Display unit; 70... Communication unit; 100... Color measurement system.

Claims

1. A chromometer, characterized in that, Comprising: A color measurement unit that performs color measurement; A first wireless communication unit that performs first wireless communication according to a first wireless communication standard; A second wireless communication unit that performs second wireless communication according to a second wireless communication standard; A processing unit that performs control processing of the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit, The color measurement unit performs color measurement through a first color measurement mode and color measurement through a second color measurement mode different from the first color measurement mode, The processing unit determines whether the color measurement is performed through the first color measurement mode or the second color measurement mode, and In the case of performing color measurement through the first color measurement mode, performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement through the first color measurement mode using the first wireless communication, and in the case of performing color measurement through the second color measurement mode, performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data obtained by the color measurement through the second color measurement mode using the second wireless communication.

2. The colorimeter according to claim 1, characterized in that The second wireless communication is a wireless communication with a higher communication speed than the first wireless communication, The second color measurement mode is a color measurement mode with a larger amount of color measurement data than the first color measurement mode.

3. The colorimeter according to claim 2, characterized in that The first wireless communication is Bluetooth communication, The second wireless communication is Wi-Fi communication.

4. The colorimeter according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The first color measurement mode is a spot color measurement mode, The second color measurement mode is a line color measurement mode.

5. The colorimeter according to claim 1, characterized in that When the first color measurement mode is set in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, the processing unit performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data using the first wireless communication, and when the second color measurement mode is set in the setting screen of the color measurement mode, performs processing of transmitting the color measurement data using the second wireless communication.

6. The colorimeter according to claim 5, characterized in that The setting screen is a screen displayed on the display unit of the terminal device communicating with the colorimeter.

7. The colorimeter according to claim 1, characterized in that The processing unit switches between the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication according to the first color measurement mode or the second color measurement mode.

8. The colorimeter according to claim 7, characterized in that When performing color measurement through the second color measurement mode, the processing unit switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication.

9. The colorimeter according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that When the color measurement in the second color measurement mode is completed, the processing unit switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication.

10. The colorimeter according to claim 7, characterized in that After the power supply of the colorimeter is turned on, the processing unit starts wireless communication implemented by the first wireless communication. When performing colorimetry by the second colorimetry mode, it switches from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication, and when the transmission of the colorimetry data implemented by the second wireless communication is completed, it switches from the second wireless communication to the first wireless communication.

11. The colorimeter according to claim 6, characterized in that When performing colorimetry by the first colorimetry mode, it performs the process of using the first wireless communication to send the colorimetry data obtained by the colorimetry of the first colorimetry mode to the terminal device. When performing colorimetry by the second colorimetry mode, it performs the process of using the second wireless communication to send the colorimetry data obtained by the colorimetry of the second colorimetry mode to the terminal device.

12. The colorimeter according to claim 6, characterized in that The processing unit judges whether the colorimetry mode set by the terminal device is the first colorimetry mode or the second colorimetry mode.

13. A color measurement system, characterized in that, Comprising: The colorimeter according to any one of claims 1 to 12; A terminal device that communicates with the colorimeter.

14. A communication method, characterized in that, It is a communication method in a colorimeter. In this communication method, The colorimetry unit of the colorimeter performs colorimetry by the first colorimetry mode and colorimetry by a second colorimetry mode different from the first colorimetry mode. Judge whether the colorimetry is performed by the first colorimetry mode or the second colorimetry mode. When using the colorimetry unit and performing colorimetry by the first colorimetry mode, use wireless communication based on the first wireless communication standard, that is, the first wireless communication, to send the colorimetry data obtained by the colorimetry of the first colorimetry mode, and When using the colorimetry unit and performing colorimetry by the second colorimetry mode, use wireless communication based on the second wireless communication standard, that is, the second wireless communication, to send the colorimetry data obtained by the colorimetry of the second colorimetry mode.

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