A printer control system and a print control method

Abstract

This invention discloses a printer control system, comprising: an image processing module for real-time detection of print output quality and monitoring of anomalies during the printing process; a behavior analysis module for predicting user printing needs based on user printing history data using a machine learning model, and preloading files or setting relevant printing parameters in advance; an error correction and feedback module for immediately stopping the printing task when the image processing module detects an anomaly; a user interaction module for allowing users to view printing progress and error messages in real time through an interface; and a printer printing control method comprising the following steps: S1: The system reads the image to be printed and performs color analysis on each pixel of the image to obtain the RGB color value I of each pixel. i,c The color complexity C(t) is calculated by obtaining the ideal color value from the reference image. This invention improves printing accuracy and reliability, reduces unnecessary rework and material waste, speeds up printing, and increases efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of printer technology, and in particular to a printer control system and printing control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, printers have become a common output device in modern office environments, and their performance directly affects work efficiency. However, with the increasing complexity of printer functions, users have placed higher demands on print quality, response speed, and ease of operation.

[0003] Currently, when most printers experience printing misalignment or ink spillage, the errors are often only discovered after printing is complete, forcing users to reprint. This not only wastes time but also paper and ink. Existing printers typically have a fixed printing speed. When processing documents with complex colors or intricate images, printing too fast may lead to a decrease in print quality. However, when printing simple documents, a fixed speed may result in wasted resources and prolonged waiting time. Therefore, it is necessary to design a printer control system and printing control method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this section is to outline some aspects of embodiments of the present invention and to briefly describe some preferred embodiments. Simplifications or omissions may be made in this section, as well as in the abstract and title of this application, to avoid obscuring the purpose of these documents; however, such simplifications or omissions should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0005] In view of the problems existing in the above-mentioned printer control system and printing control method, the present invention is proposed.

[0006] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a printer control system and printing control method, which is applicable to solving the problem that when processing documents with complex colors or fine images, excessively fast printing speed may lead to a decrease in print quality, while when printing simple documents, a fixed speed may lead to waste of resources and prolong waiting time.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a printer control system, comprising:

[0008] Image processing module: used to detect the quality of printed output in real time, monitor anomalies during the printing process, and construct color error calculation formulas based on image processing algorithms;

[0009] Behavior analysis module: Based on users' printing history data, it uses machine learning models to predict users' printing needs and preload files or set relevant printing parameters in advance;

[0010] Error correction and feedback module: When the image processing module detects an anomaly, it immediately stops the printing task and provides correction suggestions or automatically adjusts the settings before restarting printing;

[0011] User interaction module: Allows users to view printing progress and error messages in real time through the interface, and make choices based on system suggestions.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, the color error calculation formula is as follows:

[0013]

[0014] f color (i,t) represents the actual color value of pixel i at time t, representing the output of the printed image at the current pixel. E1(i,t) represents the ideal color value of pixel i at time t, which is the color value that the printer should output under ideal conditions; E1(i,t) is the color error of the current pixel, which represents the squared difference between the actual color and the ideal color.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, a local color average error formula is constructed based on the color error calculation formula, and the local color average error formula is as follows:

[0016]

[0017] E2(t) is the average color error of the entire image at time t, representing the average value of the local errors E1(i,t) of all pixels; N is the total number of pixels, used to sum the local errors and normalize them to ensure that the final error result is independent of the image size.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, E2(t) reflects the overall trend of printing deviation of all pixels, and a color error threshold θ is set to ensure printing quality.

[0019] If E2(t)≤θ, the average color error of the image is within an acceptable range, and the system can continue to print normally.

[0020] If E2(t) > θ, the average color error of the image has exceeded the acceptable range, indicating that a color deviation has occurred during the printing process, and the system needs to trigger the corresponding error handling mechanism.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, the color error threshold θ is dynamically adjusted in complex printing tasks, and the formula for the dynamic color error threshold is as follows:

[0022] θ(t)=θ0·(1+α·C(t))

[0023] Where θ0 is the base threshold, α is the adjustment coefficient, and C(t) is the color complexity function, and the formula for the color complexity function is as follows:

[0024]

[0025] Where C(t) represents the overall color complexity of the image at time t during the printing process, reflecting the diversity, variation, and deviation from the target color of the image's colors; N is the total number of pixels in the image, representing the total number of pixels involved in printing for the printed image; I i,c (t) represents the color value of the i-th pixel at time t, and c represents the color channel, usually the RGB channel. c = 1, 2, 3 correspond to the red, green and blue channels respectively. This represents the color value of the i-th pixel in the reference image, where c still represents the RGB channel, representing the color value of each pixel under ideal printing conditions; This represents the absolute difference between the color value of the i-th pixel and its reference color value during the printing process. This difference value is used to measure the degree of deviation between the current printed color and the ideal color.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, a global error adjustment threshold judgment formula is constructed based on the local color average error formula and the color error dynamic threshold formula, and the global error adjustment threshold judgment formula is as follows:

[0027]

[0028] E3(t) represents the adjustment error at time t, which is used for judgment and adjustment; θ(t) is the dynamic adjustment threshold, which is adjusted with time or other parameters in the printing process.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, wherein: in the output result of the global error adjustment threshold judgment formula;

[0030] If E3(t) > 1, it means that the global color error exceeds the acceptable dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t). The system triggers the error handling mechanism, stops printing and issues an alarm to remind the user to check for ink overflow or color misalignment.

[0031] If E3(t)≤1, it means that the global color error is within acceptable range, the printing process continues, and the system does not need to intervene.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, the dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t) is adjusted according to different states of the printing job. Specifically, it is adjusted in real time according to the complexity of the image, color distribution, and printing speed. For complex high-precision printing tasks, the dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t) is set to a small value to ensure output quality. For fast, large-volume low-precision printing tasks, the dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t) is set to a relatively large value to balance speed and quality.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the printer control system described in this invention, the color complexity standard threshold is set to φ in the output result of the color complexity function formula.

[0034] If C(t) > φ, it indicates that the printed image has large color variations and high color complexity, and the system needs to dynamically adjust printing parameters, slow down the printing speed, and improve ink quality.

[0035] If C(t)≤φ, it indicates that the color change of the printed image is small, the color complexity is low, the system speeds up the printing process, and improves efficiency.

[0036] A printer printing control method, applicable to any of the above-mentioned printer control systems, the printing control method comprising the following steps:

[0037] S1: The system reads the image to be printed and performs color analysis on each pixel of the image to obtain the RGB color value I of each pixel. i,c (t), obtaining the ideal color value from the reference image. Calculate the color complexity C(t);

[0038] S2: Calculate the color complexity of the current printing task according to the formula C(t), adjust the threshold θ(t) according to the color complexity, and dynamically adjust the printing parameters of the system.

[0039] S3: During the printing process, the system monitors the output quality in real time through image processing algorithms, calculates the color error E1(i,t) of each pixel, substitutes the pixel error results into the local color average error formula, and calculates the average color error E2(t) of the entire image.

[0040] S4: Determine whether E2(t) exceeds the set threshold based on the threshold θ(t). If it does not exceed the threshold, continue printing. If it does exceed the threshold, pause printing and provide correction suggestions or automatically restart printing.

[0041] S5: Printing complete. The system generates a print quality report and saves the data to optimize subsequent print jobs.

[0042] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By integrating image processing algorithms, real-time quality detection is achieved, effectively detecting output quality problems such as printing misalignment or ink overflow, stopping the print job in real time and alerting the user. This function significantly improves printing accuracy and reliability, reducing unnecessary rework and material waste. The introduction of a color complexity function allows the system to dynamically adjust printing speed and parameters based on the color complexity of the current printed image. When the color complexity is high, the system appropriately reduces the printing speed to ensure image quality; when the color complexity is low, the system can increase the printing speed to improve efficiency. This dynamic adjustment function based on real-time data helps to maximize the balance between quality and efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall framework of a printer control system proposed in this invention;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the steps of a printer printing control method proposed in this invention;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram comparing the performance of a printer control system proposed in this invention with that of a traditional printer control system. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0049] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0050] Secondly, the present invention is described in detail with reference to the schematic diagrams. When detailing the embodiments of the present invention, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged, not according to the usual scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, actual fabrication should include three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth.

[0051] Example 1

[0052] Reference Figures 1-2 As one embodiment of the present invention, a printer control system is provided, comprising:

[0053] Image processing module: Used to detect the quality of print output in real time, monitor anomalies during the printing process, and build a color error calculation formula based on image processing algorithms; By integrating image processing algorithms, the system can monitor the output quality during the printing process in real time, especially common problems such as ink overflow, printing misalignment, and color deviation. This function is used to detect problems in time during the printing process and avoid wasting resources and time.

[0054] Behavior analysis module: Based on users' printing history data, it uses machine learning models to predict users' printing needs and preload files or set relevant printing parameters in advance;

[0055] Error correction and feedback module: When the image processing module detects an anomaly, it immediately stops the printing task and provides correction suggestions or automatically adjusts the settings before restarting printing;

[0056] User interaction module: Allows users to view printing progress and error messages in real time through the interface, and make choices based on system suggestions.

[0057] The formula for calculating color error is as follows:

[0058]

[0059] f color (i,t) represents the actual color value of pixel i at time t, representing the output of the printed image at the current pixel. E1(i,t) represents the ideal color value of pixel i at time t, which is the color value that the printer should output under ideal conditions; E1(i,t) is the color error of the current pixel, which represents the squared difference between the actual color and the ideal color.

[0060] Based on the color error calculation formula, a local color average error formula is constructed, and the local color average error formula is as follows:

[0061]

[0062] E2(t) is the average color error of the entire image at time t, representing the average value of the local errors E1(i,t) of all pixels; N is the total number of pixels, used to sum the local errors and normalize them to ensure that the final error result is independent of the image size.

[0063] E2(t) reflects the overall trend of printing deviation across all pixels. A higher value indicates greater color deviation in the image and poorer print quality. To ensure print quality, a color error threshold θ is set.

[0064] If E2(t)≤θ, the average color error of the image is within an acceptable range, and the system can continue to print normally.

[0065] If E2(t) > θ, the average color error of the image has exceeded the acceptable range, indicating that a color deviation has occurred during the printing process, and the system needs to trigger the corresponding error handling mechanism.

[0066] In complex printing tasks, the color error threshold θ is dynamically adjusted. The formula for the dynamic color error threshold is as follows:

[0067] θ(t)=θ0·(1+α·C(t))

[0068] Where θ0 is the base threshold, α is the adjustment coefficient, and C(t) is the color complexity function, and the formula for the color complexity function is as follows:

[0069]

[0070] Where C(t) represents the overall color complexity of the image at time t during the printing process, reflecting the diversity, variation, and deviation from the target color of the image's colors; N is the total number of pixels in the image, representing the total number of pixels involved in printing for the printed image; I i,c (t) represents the color value of the i-th pixel at time t, and c represents the color channel, usually the RGB channel. c = 1, 2, 3 correspond to the red, green and blue channels respectively. This represents the color value of the i-th pixel in the reference image, where c still represents the RGB channel, representing the color value of each pixel under ideal printing conditions; This represents the absolute difference between the color value of the i-th pixel and its reference color value during the printing process. This difference value is used to measure the degree of deviation between the current printed color and the ideal color.

[0071] In the output of the color complexity function formula, the standard threshold for color complexity is set to φ;

[0072] If C(t) > φ, it indicates that the printed image has large color variations and high color complexity, and the system needs to dynamically adjust printing parameters, slow down the printing speed, and improve ink quality.

[0073] If C(t)≤φ, it indicates that the color change of the printed image is small, the color complexity is low, the system speeds up the printing process and improves efficiency;

[0074] Improve the automation level of printing jobs and reduce operational complexity.

[0075] A global error adjustment threshold determination formula is constructed based on the local color average error formula and the color error dynamic threshold formula, and the global error adjustment threshold determination formula is as follows:

[0076]

[0077] E3(t) represents the adjustment error at time t, which is used for judgment and adjustment; θ(t) is the dynamic adjustment threshold, which is adjusted with time or other parameters in the printing process.

[0078] In the output of the global error adjustment threshold judgment formula;

[0079] If E3(t) > 1, it means that the global color error exceeds the acceptable dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t). The system triggers the error handling mechanism, stops printing and issues an alarm to remind the user to check for ink overflow or color misalignment.

[0080] If E3(t)≤1, it means that the global color error is within acceptable range, the printing process continues, and the system does not need to intervene.

[0081] The dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t) is adjusted according to different printing job states. Specifically, it is adjusted in real time based on the complexity of the image, color distribution, and printing speed. For complex high-precision printing tasks, the dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t) is set to a small value to ensure output quality. For fast, large-volume low-precision printing tasks, the dynamic adjustment threshold θ(t) is set to a relatively large value to balance speed and quality.

[0082] A printer printing control method, applicable to any of the above printer control systems, includes the following steps:

[0083] S1: The system reads the image to be printed and performs color analysis on each pixel of the image to obtain the RGB color value I of each pixel. i,c (t), obtaining the ideal color value from the reference image. Calculate the color complexity C(t);

[0084] S2: Calculate the color complexity of the current printing task according to the formula C(t), adjust the threshold θ(t) according to the color complexity, and dynamically adjust the printing parameters of the system.

[0085] S3: During the printing process, the system monitors the output quality in real time through image processing algorithms, calculates the color error E1(i,t) of each pixel, substitutes the pixel error results into the local color average error formula, and calculates the average color error E2(t) of the entire image.

[0086] S4: Determine whether E2(t) exceeds the set threshold based on the threshold θ(t). If it does not exceed the threshold, continue printing. If it does exceed the threshold, pause printing and provide correction suggestions or automatically restart printing.

[0087] S5: Printing complete. The system generates a print quality report and saves the data to optimize subsequent print jobs.

[0088] During use, real-time quality detection is achieved through integrated image processing algorithms, effectively detecting output quality issues such as printing misalignment or ink overflow, stopping the print job in real time and alerting the user. This feature significantly improves printing accuracy and reliability, reducing unnecessary rework and material waste. The introduction of a color complexity function allows the system to dynamically adjust printing speed and parameters based on the color complexity of the current printed image. When color complexity is high, the system appropriately reduces the printing speed to ensure image quality; when color complexity is low, the system can increase the printing speed to improve efficiency. This dynamic adjustment function based on real-time data helps to maximize the balance between quality and efficiency.

[0089] Example 2

[0090] Reference Figure 3 This is the second embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the first embodiment, this embodiment provides experimental comparison data between the present invention and the prior art in order to verify its beneficial effects.

[0091] This embodiment compares two printer systems: a traditional printer system from the prior art and the intelligent printer system invented by our company. During the experiment, 20 print jobs were selected, including complex images, high-resolution documents, and plain text files. The experimental environment was set up under identical network conditions and with the same ink and paper to ensure data consistency and comparability.

[0092] The specific experimental steps are as follows:

[0093] After each print job is completed, the system will automatically check the print quality. If there is ink spillage or misalignment, the system will record it. Our invented system will immediately pause printing and provide correction suggestions when a quality problem is detected; while traditional systems only provide feedback on the problem after printing is finished.

[0094] With its built-in learning model, the smart printer system can analyze user behavior in advance and automatically adjust printing parameters, reducing response time. Traditional systems, on the other hand, rely entirely on manual operation by the user and cannot perform preloading and dynamic adjustment.

[0095] Record the completion time, error rate, system response time, and user feedback rating for each print job. To ensure the comprehensiveness of the experiment, each print job was repeated 5 times, and the average value was recorded.

[0096] Table 1: Performance Comparison Table of the Printer Control System of the Invention and Traditional Systems

[0097]

[0098] As can be seen from Table 1, the printer system using the present invention exhibits significant advantages in print quality, error rate, and response time. This can be analyzed from the following three aspects:

[0099] In terms of print quality: the average quality score of traditional printer systems is 77.6, while the score of the printing system of this invention is as high as 92.4, indicating that the integrated image processing algorithm effectively improves the printing accuracy of the printer. Especially in printing tasks involving complex images and high-resolution documents, the advantages of the printing system of this invention are more significant. The real-time detection function of the printing system of this invention can quickly detect and correct printing errors during the printing process, ensuring that the final output quality is superior to that of traditional printer systems.

[0100] Regarding error rate: the average error rate of traditional printer systems is 10%, while the error rate of the printing system of this invention is only 2.2%. This is mainly attributed to the real-time monitoring and intelligent error correction function of the printing system of this invention, which can adjust or stop printing as soon as a problem occurs, avoiding a large number of errors. This innovative design significantly reduces the need for users to reprint, saving consumables and time.

[0101] Regarding response time: the average response time of traditional printer systems is 10 seconds, while that of the intelligent system is only 4.6 seconds, an improvement of more than 50%. This is because the printing system of this invention can preload files based on user behavior patterns and dynamically adjust printing parameters, which greatly shortens the preparation time for each printing task. When processing complex images and high-resolution documents, the speed optimization effect of the printing system of this invention is even more obvious.

[0102] Analysis of experimental data shows that the printer control system of this invention has significant advantages in improving print quality, error detection and handling, and optimizing response speed. These innovative functions solve key problems in the prior art, and provide a more efficient and accurate solution, especially for complex printing tasks.

[0103] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A printer control system, characterized in that, include: Image processing module: used to detect the quality of printed output in real time, monitor anomalies during the printing process, and construct color error calculation formulas based on image processing algorithms; The formula for calculating the color error is as follows: This represents the actual color value of pixel i at time t, and represents the output of the printed image at the current pixel. This represents the ideal color value of pixel i at time t, and represents the color value that the printer should output under ideal conditions. The color error of the current pixel represents the squared difference between the actual color and the ideal color. Based on the color error calculation formula, a local color average error formula is constructed, and the local color average error formula is as follows: Let be the average color error of the entire image at time t, and represent the local error of all pixels. The average value; N is the total number of pixels, used to normalize the sum of local errors to ensure that the final error result is independent of the image size; The This reflects the overall trend of printing deviation across all pixels. To ensure print quality, a color error threshold is set. ; like ≤ At this point, the average color error of the image is within an acceptable range, and the system can continue printing normally. like > The average color error of the image has exceeded the acceptable range, indicating that a color deviation has occurred during the printing process, and the system needs to trigger the corresponding error handling mechanism. Behavior analysis module: Based on users' printing history data, it uses machine learning models to predict users' printing needs and preload files or set relevant printing parameters in advance; Error correction and feedback module: When the image processing module detects an anomaly, it immediately stops the printing task and provides correction suggestions or automatically adjusts the settings before restarting printing; User interaction module: Allows users to view printing progress and error messages in real time through the interface, and make choices based on system suggestions.

2. The printer control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Color error threshold in complex printing tasks It is dynamically adjusted, and the formula for the dynamic adjustment threshold of the color error is as follows: in, It is the basic threshold. It is an adjustment factor. It is the color complexity function, and the formula for the color complexity function is as follows: in, The color complexity represents the overall color complexity of the image at time t during the printing process. Color complexity reflects the diversity, variation, and deviation from the target color of the image's colors. N is the total number of pixels in the image. For the printed image, N represents the total number of pixels involved in the printing process. This represents the color value of the i-th pixel at time t, where c represents the color channel, usually an RGB channel, and c=1,2,3 correspond to the red, green, and blue channels respectively. This represents the color value of the i-th pixel in the reference image, where c still represents the RGB channel, representing the color value of each pixel under ideal printing conditions; This represents the absolute difference between the color value of the i-th pixel and its reference color value during the printing process. This difference value is used to measure the degree of deviation between the current printed color and the ideal color.

3. A printer control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: A global error adjustment threshold judgment formula is constructed based on the local color average error formula and the color error dynamic adjustment threshold formula, and the global error adjustment threshold judgment formula is as follows: This represents the adjustment error at time t; The threshold is dynamically adjusted over time or as other parameters in the printing process change.

4. A printer control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the output of the global error adjustment threshold judgment formula; like A value greater than 1 indicates that the global color error exceeds the acceptable dynamic adjustment threshold. The system triggers the error handling mechanism, stops printing and issues an alarm to remind the user to check for ink spills or color misalignment; like ≤1 indicates that the global color error is within acceptable limits, the printing process continues, and the system does not need to intervene.

5. A printer control system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The dynamically adjusted threshold Adjustments are made based on the different states of the print job, specifically in real time according to the complexity of the image, color distribution, and printing speed. For complex, high-precision printing tasks, the threshold is dynamically adjusted. To ensure output quality, the threshold is dynamically adjusted for fast, high-volume, low-precision printing tasks. Choose a relatively large value to balance speed and mass.

6. A printer control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: In the output of the color complexity function formula, the standard threshold for color complexity is set to... ; like > This indicates that the printed image has large color variations and high color complexity, requiring the system to dynamically adjust printing parameters, slow down the printing speed, and improve ink quality. like ≤ When the color variation in the printed image is small and the color complexity is low, the system can speed up the printing process and improve efficiency.

7. A printer printing control method, wherein the printing control method is applicable to any one of the printer control systems of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The printing control method includes the following steps: S1: The system reads the image to be printed and performs color analysis on each pixel of the image to obtain the RGB color value of each pixel. Obtain the ideal color value by referring to the image. Calculate color complexity ; S2: According to the formula Calculate the color complexity of the current print job and dynamically adjust the threshold based on the color complexity. The printing parameters of the system are dynamically adjusted. S3: During the printing process, the system monitors the output quality in real time through image processing algorithms and calculates the color error of each pixel. Substitute the pixel error results into the local color average error formula to calculate the average color error of the entire image. ; S4: Adjust threshold dynamically judge If the set threshold is exceeded, continue printing if not; otherwise, pause printing and provide correction suggestions or automatically restart printing. S5: Printing complete. The system generates a print quality report and saves the data to optimize subsequent print jobs.

Images