Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To verify temporal changes in inspection results.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus includes: inspecting means configured to inspect a printed material produced through printing means based on a read image of the printed material; management means configured to manage information relating to the inspection results by the inspecting means; generating means configured to generate data for displaying information indicating temporal changes in the inspection results, based on the information managed by the management means; and output means configured to output the data in order to display the information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to processes involving inspection of printed matter. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known inspection devices that automatically inspect the quality of printed matter by comparing a reference image, which is a standard for inspecting printed matter, with an inspection target image obtained by scanning the printed matter.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes that the inspection results are displayed on a display unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-187085 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In Patent Document 1, only past test results similar to the currently set test contents are displayed. Therefore, the method described in Patent Document 1 does not allow the user to check the change in the test results over time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing device disclosed herein is characterized by having an inspection means for inspecting a printed matter based on a read image of the printed matter printed by a printing means, a management means for managing information of the inspection results obtained as a result of the inspection by the inspection means, a generation means for generating data for displaying information showing changes in the inspection results over time based on the information managed by the management means, and an output means for outputting the data in order to display the information. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to check changes in test results over time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a print inspection system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a print inspection apparatus. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the print inspection device. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a graph showing a change over time in the test NG rate. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a tolerance corresponding to an inspection NG rate. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a graph showing changes over time in the test NG rate for a plurality of test items. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining another example of a method for setting a tolerance. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of print inspection. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a graph showing the change over time in the test NG rate. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the print inspection device. [Figure 11] 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of print inspection. [Figure 12] 11 is a table for explaining switching of processes according to the inspection mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the technology of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Each of the following embodiments does not limit the technology of the present disclosure, and not all of the combinations of features described in each embodiment are necessarily essential to the solution of the technology of the present disclosure. In addition, various forms within the scope of the gist of the technology of the present disclosure are also included in the technology of the present disclosure. In addition, parts of each of the following embodiments can be appropriately combined.

[0010] <Embodiment 1> In the first embodiment, a method for inspecting printed matter is described in which the inspection results for each inspection item are visualized and displayed so that the change over time can be confirmed during the inspection. Also, a method is described in which a threshold value is set for each inspection item, and the inspection level for each inspection item is controlled based on the result of comparing the inspection result with the threshold value.

[0011] [Inspection system overview] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a print inspection system 100 that performs print inspection according to this embodiment. The print inspection system 100 includes a printing device 110, a reading device 120, a print inspection device 130, a display device 140, and a network 150 such as a LAN.

[0012] The printing device 110 is a device in which an electrophotographic printing unit prints an image on paper. The printing method is not limited to electrophotographic printing, and may be inkjet printing or other printing methods.

[0013] The reading device 120 has at least a reading unit such as a line sensor or a scanner, and is a device that reads the printed matter obtained by printing performed by the printing device 110 with the reading unit and generates a read image of the printed matter.

[0014] The print inspection device 130 is a device that inspects a printed matter obtained by printing with the printing device 110. The print inspection device 130 inspects the printed matter by comparing a reference image for inspection with a read image obtained by reading the printed matter with the reading device 120. The reference image can be generated based on RIP data or by scanning a printed matter without defects.

[0015] The display device 140 is a device that displays an operation screen for inspecting prints, the status of various settings, the status of ongoing processing, inspection results, error status, etc. The display device 140 is realized, for example, by a monitor of a liquid crystal type or the like.

[0016] The printing device 110, the reading device 120, the print inspection device 130, and the display device 140 are connected to each other via a network 150 such as a LAN, and communication of image data, information, and various parameters is carried out between each device.

[0017] The print inspection system 100 will be described as including the printing device 110, the reading device 120, the print inspection device 130, and the display device 140, but all of the devices do not need to exist in the same system. The print inspection system 100 may be configured with only some of the devices, and the other devices may communicate with the print inspection system 100 and exchange information as necessary. The printing device 110, the reading device 120, the print inspection device 130, and the display device 140 will be described as existing as individual devices, but multiple devices among the devices included in the print inspection system 100 may be realized by one device. For example, the display device 140 may be incorporated as a part of the print inspection device 130, or the printing device 110, the reading device 120, the print inspection device 130, and the display device 140 may be configured as one device, and the configuration of the devices is not limited.

[0018] [Hardware configuration] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the print inspection device 130. The print inspection device 130 also functions as an information processing device, and includes a CPU 211, a ROM 212, a RAM 213, an auxiliary storage device 214, a communication I / F 215, and a bus 216.

[0019] The CPU 211 realizes each function of the print inspection device 130 by controlling the entire print inspection device 130 using computer programs and data stored in the ROM 212 or the RAM 213. Note that the print inspection device 130 may have one or more dedicated hardware or a GPU (graphic processing unit) different from the CPU 211. At least a part of the processing by the CPU 211 may be performed by the GPU or the dedicated hardware. Examples of the dedicated hardware include an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), and a DSP (digital signal processor).

[0020] The ROM 212 stores programs that do not require modification. The RAM 213 temporarily stores programs and data supplied from an auxiliary storage device 214, and data supplied from the outside via a communication I / F 215. The auxiliary storage device 214 is composed of, for example, a hard disk drive, and stores various data such as image data. The bus 216 connects each part of the device to transmit information.

[0021] The communication I / F 215 is used for communication with an external device. For example, when connecting to an external device via a wired connection, a communication cable is connected to the communication I / F 215, and when having a function of wirelessly communicating with an external device, the communication I / F 215 includes an antenna.

[0022] The print inspection device 130 is connected to input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse via a communication I / F 215. The communication I / F 215 accepts various user instructions, such as input of values ​​for various settings and selection of various buttons, entered using the input device.

[0023] Furthermore, the print inspection device 130 is connected to the display device 140 via a communication I / F 215. The CPU 211 causes the display device 140 to display various operation screens relating to the inspection, various display screens such as inspection results, etc. via the communication I / F 215. The CPU 211 also functions as a display control unit that controls the screens displayed on the display device 140. Note that the display device 140 and the input device may be an integrated device, or the display device 140 and the input device may be realized by a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet.

[0024] The function of the print inspection device 130 is realized according to the hardware configuration of FIG. 2. The process flow and algorithm in the print inspection device 130 are operated by a PC (personal computer), a dedicated computer, or an internal built-in circuit. That is, each functional unit, means, method, and algorithm described in this embodiment is realized by software or hardware. The calculation of each unit is performed by a calculation device such as the above-mentioned CPU or GPU, and the data to be used is read and written using a memory such as a RAM or ROM or a large-capacity storage HDD. Although FIG. 2 shows the hardware configuration of the print inspection device 130, the other devices constituting the print inspection system 100 are also assumed to have the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 2. Each function in each device is realized by the control of a computer.

[0025] [Function configuration] 3 is a block diagram showing each function of the print inspection device 130. The print inspection device 130 has an inspection unit 301, an inspection NG rate calculation unit 302, an inspection NG rate management unit 303, an inspection result visualization unit 304, an inspection result determination unit 305, an inspection control unit 306, and an output unit 307.

[0026] The inspection unit 301 obtains a read image obtained by reading the printed matter to be inspected by the reading device 120 as an image of the printed matter to be inspected. The printed matter to be inspected is a printed matter obtained as a result of printing by the printing unit of the printing device 110. The read image is, for example, an image generated by the reading unit of the reading device 120 reading the printed matter to be inspected at a reading resolution of 600 dpi.

[0027] When multiple inspection items are set, the inspection unit 301 inspects each of the multiple inspection items. The inspection items include, for example, inspection items related to image quality defects such as streaks and dots, and inspection items other than image quality defects such as misalignment of print position and folded corners of paper. The inspection unit 301 judges whether the inspection is OK or NG for each inspection item, and outputs the judgment result. Alternatively, the inspection unit 301 may be configured to output the inspection OK as the inspection result of the printed matter to be inspected only when none of the inspection items is judged NG in the scanned image of the printed matter to be inspected, and to output the inspection NG if even one of the inspection items is NG.

[0028] The inspection unit 301 judges whether the inspection is OK or NG by comparing the scanned image of the printed matter to be inspected with the reference image. The reference image is an image generated in advance by scanning multiple sheets of printed matter without defects that have the same pattern as the printed matter to be inspected, and synthesizing the multiple images obtained as a result. Alternatively, the reference image may be generated from RIP data or the like used in printing to obtain the printed matter to be inspected.

[0029] The test NG rate calculation unit 302 receives the result of the test by the test unit 301, ie, whether the test is OK or NG, and calculates the test NG rate as information representing the test result. The test NG rate is a value indicating the ratio of the number of tests that were judged to be NG in the past tests to the number of past tests at the time of calculation. The test NG rate calculation unit 302 manages the total number of past tests and the number of tests that were judged to be NG in the past tests for each test item, and calculates the test NG rate for each test item.

[0030] For example, assume that inspection unit 301 inspects 100 printed materials for the streak inspection item and judges one of them to be NG. In this case, inspection NG rate calculation unit 302 calculates the inspection NG rate for streak inspection to be 1%. Alternatively, if inspection unit 301 inspects the printed material to be inspected for each inspection item and judges that any of the inspection items is NG, it may output the inspection NG as the inspection result corresponding to the printed material. In this case, if inspection unit 301 inspects 200 printed materials and judges that any inspection item is NG for only one printed material, inspection NG rate calculation unit 302 calculates the inspection NG rate to be 0.5%.

[0031] When calculating the inspection NG rate, the inspection NG rate calculation unit 302 may use various values ​​as a parameter, such as the total number of inspections in the past, the total number of areas inspected, the total number of inspection items, etc.

[0032] The test NG rate management unit 303 acquires the test NG rate calculated by the test NG rate calculation unit 302 each time, and stores the test NG rate in a storage unit such as the auxiliary storage device 214 in association with the test number at the time of calculation. In this way, the test NG rate management unit 303 stores data on the test NG rate from the past, going back a certain period from the latest test number, to the latest, and manages the transition of the test NG rate in chronological order.

[0033] The test result visualization unit 304 is a generation unit that generates data for visualizing the change over time in the test NG rate, using information on the transition of the test NG rate from the past to the latest, managed by the test NG rate management unit 303. Specifically, the data is created so that a screen of a graph showing the change over time in the test NG rate is displayed on the display device 140.

[0034] Each time the test result visualization unit 304 generates data, the output unit 307 outputs the generated data to the display device 140 and displays a graph showing the change in the test NG rate over time. The display device 140 receives the graph of the test NG rate created by the test result visualization unit 304 and displays it on the screen. In this way, by displaying the change in the test NG rate over time in a graph, the user can grasp the change in the test results over time for each test item in real time even during the test. An example of a graph showing the change in the test NG rate over time will be described later.

[0035] The inspection result determination unit 305 determines whether the calculated inspection NG rate exceeds a permissible value, as will be described in detail later.

[0036] When the inspection NG rate satisfies a predetermined condition, the inspection control unit 306 performs control so as to change the inspection level of the inspection by the inspection unit 301. For example, the inspection control unit 306 relaxes the inspection level (lowers the inspection level) so that the inspection unit 301 can easily determine that the inspection is OK.

[0037] The inspection level indicates the detection accuracy of defects such as streaks and misaligned printing. For example, there are cases where the inspection level can be set in multiple stages for each inspection item. In this case, the inspection control unit 306 can change the inspection level to a more lenient level by changing the value indicating the stage of the inspection level.

[0038] Alternatively, the inspection control unit 306 may control the inspection level by changing the parameters used in the inspection of each inspection item. For example, in the case of a streak inspection item, an image processing filter (LoG filter (Laplacian Of Gaussian Filter)) is used to emphasize the width of the streak to be detected. The inspection control unit 306 can control the inspection level of the streak inspection item to be relaxed by adjusting the setting value of the image processing filter. In addition, in the inspection of the print misalignment inspection item, if the amount of deviation between the reference image and the scanned image of the inspection target is equal to or greater than a threshold, the inspection is determined to be NG. The inspection control unit 306 can control the inspection level of the print misalignment inspection item to be relaxed by adjusting this threshold.

[0039] In this manner, in this embodiment, the inspection level of the inspection item is controlled in response to a change in the inspection NG rate during the inspection. By controlling in this manner, the print inspection device 130 can continue the inspection without terminating the inspection midway.

[0040] Each functional unit included in the print inspection device 130 is realized by the CPU 211 executing a predetermined program, but is not limited to this. For example, hardware such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) for accelerating calculations may be used. Each functional unit may be realized by collaboration between software and hardware such as a dedicated IC, or some or all of the functions may be realized only by hardware. In this embodiment, the print inspection device 130 is described as a single device, but any functional unit included in the print inspection device 130 may be realized using a similar hardware configuration realized in any device of the print inspection system 100.

[0041] [Graph showing changes in test NG rate (when there is one test item)] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information generated by the test result visualization unit 304, which indicates the change over time in the test NG rate for a certain test item. The horizontal axis of the graph in FIG. 4 indicates the test number. The test number is a unique value assigned consecutively to each test, and a smaller test number value indicates an older test than a larger value. In the graph in FIG. 4, the further to the right of the horizontal axis, the more recent the test, which is the date and time the test was performed. The vertical axis of the graph indicates the test NG rate corresponding to the test number. The test NG rate corresponding to the test number is the ratio of the number of tests determined to be NG to the number of tests performed in the past at the time of execution of the test indicated by the test number.

[0042] Figure 4(a) is an example of a graph showing normal times when the NG test rate changes little over time. From the graph in Figure 4(a), it can be seen that even near the most recent test number, there is little change in the NG test rate from the past, and that the NG test rate has not changed significantly from the past.

[0043] FIG. 4(b) is an example of a graph in which the test NG rate changes significantly over time and an abnormality occurs. In FIG. 4(b), it can be seen that the test NG rate changes significantly compared to the past near the latest test number. In this way, the change in the test NG rate during the test is different between when no abnormality occurs (normal case) and when an abnormality occurs. When the test unit 301 obtains the results of the latest test, the test NG rate at the time of the test is calculated. Then, each time the test NG rate is calculated, the test result visualization unit 304 generates a graph up to the latest test number, and the graph is displayed on the display device 140. Alternatively, the graph may be displayed on the display device 140 so that the graph is updated at regular intervals. Alternatively, the test NG rate may be updated at regular intervals.

[0044] [How to determine abnormalities in the test NG rate (when there is one test item)] Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method in which the test result determination unit 305 determines whether an abnormality has occurred by using the calculated test NG rate. Fig. 5 shows a graph showing the transition of the test NG rate when there is one test item, and the allowable value for that test item.

[0045] The inspection result determination unit 305 determines whether the absolute value of the inspection NG rate exceeds a tolerance. The tolerance is set in advance for each inspection item for which the inspection NG rate is calculated, or for each sheet. As shown in FIG. 5(a), an inspection NG rate that exceeds the tolerance is called an abnormality. A state in which the inspection NG rate is higher than the tolerance indicates a situation in which the yield (productivity) is poor. On the other hand, an inspection NG rate that is equal to or lower than the tolerance is called normal. In this embodiment, the inspection result determination unit 305 is described as determining whether the inspection NG rate exceeds the tolerance, but the inspection result determination unit 305 may determine whether other values ​​exceed the tolerance.

[0046] For example, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the test result determination unit 305 may determine whether the amount of change (rate of change) in the test NG rate exceeds a tolerance. In this case, if the amount of change in the test NG rate exceeds the tolerance, it is called abnormal, and if the amount of change in the test NG rate is equal to or less than the tolerance, it is called normal. The tolerance in Fig. 5(b) is set in advance for each test item or each sheet for which the test NG rate is calculated, similar to the tolerance in Fig. 5(a).

[0047] Alternatively, the test result determination unit 305 may use both the absolute value of the test NG rate and the amount of change (rate of change) in the test NG rate to determine whether a change in the test NG rate is abnormal. Alternatively, in order to eliminate the effect of small fluctuations in the test NG rate, the test result determination unit 305 may use either method to determine whether an abnormality has occurred, using data after applying processing such as a moving average to the test NG rate. Also, instead of the test NG rate, the number of tests that are NG or the amount of change in the number of tests that are NG may be compared with a tolerance to determine whether an abnormality is normal or abnormal.

[0048] [Graph display example of test NG rate (when there are two test items)] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a graph that represents the change over time in the inspection NG rate for multiple inspection items, generated by the inspection result visualization unit 304. Fig. 6 shows an example of a graph of the inspection NG rate when there are two inspection items, inspection item A and inspection item B. For example, inspection item A is an inspection to see if streaks have occurred (streak inspection), and inspection item B is an inspection to see if print position deviation has occurred (print position deviation inspection). It is assumed that separate tolerances for the inspection NG rate are set for inspection item A and inspection item B.

[0049] Fig. 6(a) shows an example of a graph in which the NG rate for test item A and the NG rate for test item B are both below their respective tolerances during the most recent inspection. Fig. 6(b) shows an example of a graph in which the NG rate for test item A is below its tolerance and the NG rate for test item B exceeds its tolerance during the most recent inspection.

[0050] Fig. 6(c) is an example of a graph in which the NG test rate for test item B is below the tolerance value and the NG test rate for test item A exceeds the tolerance value during the most recent inspection. Fig. 6(d) shows an example of a graph in which the NG test rate for test item A and the NG test rate for test item B both exceed their respective tolerance values ​​during the most recent inspection. In this way, a graph of the NG test rate for each test item can be generated and displayed to the user.

[0051] [Inspection NG rate tolerance] When there are multiple inspection items, the tolerance value of the inspection NG rate may be set to a different value for each inspection item. The inspection result determination unit 305 can determine whether an abnormality has occurred in the inspection for each inspection item by determining whether the tolerance value has been exceeded for each inspection item. For example, the tolerance value of an inspection item related to image quality defects such as streaks and dots, which are more important inspection items, may be smaller than the tolerance value of an inspection item not related to image quality defects such as print position misalignment. By setting and displaying the tolerance value of an important inspection item to a small value, it is possible to promptly alert the user when the NG rate of an important inspection item becomes high. By setting the tolerance value in this way, it is possible to display the inspection result with emphasis on items that directly contribute to image quality.

[0052] Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining another example of a method for setting a tolerance. For example, a tolerance may be set only for an inspection item related to an image quality defect such as a streak, and a tolerance for the inspection NG rate may not be set for an inspection item not related to an image quality defect such as a print position shift. Even in this case, as shown in Fig. 7, a graph showing the time-dependent change in the inspection NG rate for each inspection item may be generated and displayed on a display device, regardless of whether a tolerance is set or not. That is, the inspection control unit 306 may be configured not to control the inspection level for an inspection item for which a tolerance is not set.

[0053] [Print inspection procedure] Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of print inspection in the print inspection device 130. A series of processes shown in the flowchart in Fig. 8 is realized by the CPU 211 reading out a control program stored in the ROM 212 or the auxiliary storage device 214, etc., expanding it in the RAM 213, and executing it. The following will be explained according to the flowchart in Fig. 8. Note that the symbol "S" means a step. The flowchart in Fig. 8 starts after the start of the print inspection process.

[0054] In S801, the inspection unit 301 acquires a scanned image of the printout to be inspected this time, and inspects the inspection items using the scanned image. If there are multiple inspection items, for example, the first inspection item 1 is inspection of streaks, the second inspection item 2 is inspection of misalignment of print position, and so on, and inspection of each inspection item is performed in S801. There may be only one inspection item.

[0055] In S802, the test NG rate calculation unit 302 initializes n, which is a number for identifying a test item. For example, the initial value is set to n = 1. In the next steps S803 to S804, processing is performed for the nth test item n, so the initial value of n is set in this step.

[0056] In S803, the test NG rate calculation unit 302 calculates the test NG rate of the n-th test item n to be processed. Specifically, the test NG rate calculation unit 302 calculates the ratio of the number of tests that have been judged as NG to the total number of tests for the test item n by adding the result of the current test if the test has been judged as NG to the number of tests that have been judged as NG in the past test for the test item n.

[0057] The test NG rate management unit 303 stores the calculated test NG rate in a storage unit such as the auxiliary storage device 214 in association with the test number of the test executed in the immediately preceding S801.

[0058] In S804, the test result visualization unit 304 obtains the test NG rate calculated during the past test of the test item n from the test NG rate management unit 303, and generates a graph showing the change over time in the test NG rate of the nth test item n from the past to the test performed this time. If there are multiple test items and graphs have already been generated for other test items, a graph for the test item n to be processed is added, as shown in FIG.

[0059] In S805, the test result visualization unit 304 determines whether graphs of the test NG rates have been generated for all test items. If graph generation for all test items has not been completed (NO in S805), in S806 the test result visualization unit 304 adds 1 to the current n to update n, and sets the obtained value as the new n. Then, the process returns to S803. In the next steps S803 to S804, processing is performed for the new test item n. On the other hand, if graph generation for all test items has been completed (YES in S805), the process proceeds to S807.

[0060] In S807, the output unit 307 outputs data for displaying the graph generated by the test result visualization unit 304 in order to cause a graph showing the change over time in the test NG rate for all test items to be displayed on the display unit of the display device 140. As a result, the graph generated by repeating S803 to S804 is displayed on the display unit of the display device 140.

[0061] In S808, the test result determination unit 305 determines whether the latest test NG rate calculated in S803 exceeds the tolerance for each test item for which a tolerance is set. That is, it determines whether there is a test item for which an abnormality has occurred in the test NG rate. If there is a test item for which the test NG rate exceeds the tolerance (YES in S808), the process proceeds to S809.

[0062] In S809, the inspection control unit 306 controls the inspection level corresponding to the inspection item whose inspection NG rate exceeds the tolerance. For example, as described above, the inspection control unit 306 controls the inspection level of the inspection item whose inspection NG rate exceeds the tolerance to be relaxed so that the frequency of the inspection being judged as NG is reduced. Then, the process proceeds to S810. If there is no inspection item whose inspection NG rate exceeds the tolerance (NO in S808), S809 is skipped and the process proceeds to S810.

[0063] Examples of the cause of the inspection NG rate exceeding the allowable value and becoming abnormal include temporary causes such as dust adhesion in the printing unit of the printing device 110 or the reading unit of the reading device 120. In the case of a temporary cause, the abnormality may be eliminated during the printing and inspection process, so it may be preferable to continue printing and inspection. On the other hand, when a predetermined number of printed matter is printed by the printing device 110, printing is performed until the number of printed matter determined to be inspection OK reaches the predetermined number of copies. Therefore, if printing is continued while maintaining the conventional inspection level even though the inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value, a large amount of inspection NG printed matter that is not counted in the number of copies will continue to be printed. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value, the inspection level is relaxed and inspection is performed. In addition, by continuing printing in the printing device 110, it is possible to suppress a decrease in productivity of inspection OK printed matter.

[0064] In S810, the inspection unit 301 determines whether inspection of all printed matter has been completed. If there are printed matter that have not been inspected, that is, if inspection of all printed matter has not been completed (S810: NO), the process returns to S801. Then, in S801, a scanned image of the next printed matter to be inspected is obtained, and the processes of S802 to 809 are repeated. On the other hand, if inspection of all printed matter has been completed (S810: YES), the print inspection process ends.

[0065] [Responses for periods when the population for calculating the test NG rate is small] 9 is a diagram showing an example of a graph showing the change over time in the test NG rate when the number of tests, which is the parameter for calculating the test NG rate, is small. The parameter for calculating the test NG rate is the total number of tests performed by the testing unit 301 up to now, and the test NG rate is calculated so that the parameter is smaller for older test numbers and larger for newer test numbers.

[0066] 9, there is a section 902 in which the test NG rate changes significantly across a boundary 901, and a section 903 in which this does not happen. As in section 902, the older the test number is, that is, the smaller the parameter for calculating the test NG rate, the greater the tendency for the test NG rate to fluctuate. For example, in an extreme case where a test NG occurs on the first test, the test NG rate will be calculated as 100%.

[0067] On the other hand, as shown in section 903 in Fig. 9, the NG test rate tends to become more stable as the test number becomes newer, i.e., as the number of tests increases. The NG test rate in the graph in Fig. 4 represents the change over time in the NG test rate after a sufficient number of tests have been performed. As the number of tests increases, the variation in the change in the NG test rate is suppressed.

[0068] The graph of the inspection NG rate generated by the inspection result visualization unit 304 shows changes over time, and is intended to show the user how the inspection NG rate changes when inspections of multiple printed materials are performed continuously. Furthermore, the control of the inspection level is a process of changing the inspection level when an abnormality occurs when inspections of multiple printed materials are performed continuously. For this reason, the inspection result visualization unit 304 may generate a graph excluding the inspection NG rate when the number of inspections is small. Furthermore, the inspection result determination unit 305 may not need to determine whether the inspection NG rate has exceeded the allowable value when the number of inspections is small.

[0069] For example, the minimum number of inspections for calculating the inspection NG rate is set to 10 times (10 printed sheets). The inspection NG rate calculation unit 302 does not need to calculate the inspection NG rate until the minimum number of times is reached. Also, a graph showing the change in the inspection NG rate over time does not need to be generated. Or, even if the inspection NG rate is calculated and a graph is displayed, the inspection result determination unit 305 does not need to determine whether the inspection NG rate has exceeded the allowable value. That is, processing can be performed without controlling the inspection level. The minimum number of times is not limited to 10 times, and may be appropriately set or changed depending on the number of printed sheets, the inspection level, the state of the printing device 110, etc.

[0070] When calculating the test NG rate, the test NG rate calculation unit 302 does not have to calculate the test NG rate using the number of all past tests as a parameter. For example, in S803, the test NG rate calculation unit 302 obtains the number of tests that have been determined to be NG in tests going back 100 tests from the current test. Then, the test NG rate may be calculated by calculating the number of tests that have been determined to be NG for 100 tests. In this way, when calculating the test NG rate, the test NG rate may be calculated by dividing the test NG rate into a certain number of tests. Alternatively, the test NG rate may be calculated by thinning out the determination results from some of the tests. Alternatively, the test NG rate may be calculated by using statistics such as a moving average to prevent excessive test NG rates from being obtained.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, the change over time in the test NG rate during the test can be visualized for each test item and presented to the user, allowing the user to grasp the change in the test result during the test in real time for each test item.

[0072] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a tolerance is set for each inspection item, and the inspection level can be controlled for each inspection item based on the result of comparing the inspection result with the tolerance. As a result, if the inspection situation changes during the inspection, the inspection and printing can be continued by controlling the inspection level to be lowered, etc. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in productivity of printed matter in the printing device.

[0073] In the above description, an example was shown in which a graph of the test NG rate was displayed on the display device 140, but the display destination of the graph is not limited to the display device 140. Alternatively, the output unit 307 may output data for displaying the graph to a printing device, and the printing device may print a graph showing the change over time in the test results and present it to the user as a test report or the like.

[0074] Furthermore, the method of visualizing the change over time in the test results, such as the test NG rate, is not limited to the line graph as shown in FIG. 4. Other methods, such as bar graphs and discrete point graphs, may also be used. Alternatively, it is not necessary to show the results as a graph, as long as the change over time in the test results is visualized. For example, there is no problem with showing the change in the test NG rate in a table format so that it can be seen.

[0075] Furthermore, when there are multiple test items, the test NG rates for multiple test items may be displayed together in one graph, or a graph may be created for each test item and displayed, as in Figure 6. In this case, a graph may be generated for each test item, or multiple test items may be grouped into multiple groups and a graph may be generated for each group.

[0076] Also, when the test NG rate exceeds a tolerance, a process may be performed to notify the user that the tolerance has been exceeded. For example, the process may be performed by coloring the line on a graph showing the test result of the corresponding test item, notifying the user by a dialogue, or notifying a mobile terminal or the like.

[0077] Also, an anomaly detection button may be provided on the screen displaying the information on the time-dependent change in the test NG rate, and a user visually checking the graph of the change in the test NG rate may manually change the test level by pressing the anomaly detection button on the same screen.

[0078] Furthermore, when the inspection level is loosened so that the inspection is more likely to be judged as OK because the inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value, the printing device 110 may be controlled to change the paper discharge destination of the printed matter that is judged as OK from the one before the inspection level was loosened. By changing the paper discharge destination, the printed matter inspected at the different inspection levels can be managed separately. Furthermore, when the inspection level is changed to be looser while printing a printed matter of multiple pages, the printing device 110 may control to discard the pages that were printed before the inspection level was changed. Then, the printing device 110 may reprint the discarded printed matter from the first page so that all pages included in one copy of the printed matter are inspected at the same inspection level. This allows one copy of the printed matter to be inspected with a unified inspection mode.

[0079] In the above description, the test result presented to the user during the test is, as an example, the test NG rate. The test result, which is the value on the vertical axis of the graph, may be something other than the test NG rate, as long as it is information that can express the trend of the test by the test unit 301 during the test. For example, the test OK rate, which indicates the ratio of OK tests to the number of tests, the number of NG tests, the number of OK tests, etc. can be used as the value on the vertical axis of the graph.

[0080] In S808 of FIG. 8, the inspection result determination unit 305 determines whether the inspection NG rate exceeds a tolerance value, and switches processing depending on the determination result. Alternatively, a threshold value different from the tolerance value may be set, and in S808, the inspection result determination unit 305 may determine whether the inspection NG rate exceeds the threshold value. If the determination in S808 is YES, the inspection level is adjusted to be lenient. If the inspection level is lenient, it is possible that the quality of the printed matter related to that inspection item may decrease. For this reason, in the case of an important inspection item, the threshold value may be set higher than that for unimportant inspection items, and the determination in S808 may be performed.

[0081] Furthermore, the inspection level may be controlled in multiple stages. That is, multiple thresholds (tolerance values) may be set for each inspection item. For example, a first threshold and a second threshold greater than the first threshold may be set, and when the inspection NG rate exceeds the second threshold, the inspection level may be controlled to be more lenient than when the inspection NG rate exceeds the first threshold.

[0082] <Embodiment 2> In the first embodiment, a method for continuing inspection and printing by lowering the inspection level when a value indicating the inspection result during the inspection exceeds a tolerance value has been described. Depending on the printed matter, it may be necessary to continue the inspection while maintaining a desired inspection level without lowering the inspection level. Therefore, in this embodiment, a print inspection device 130 is described that can set an inspection end mode that ends inspection and printing when a value indicating the inspection result during the inspection exceeds a tolerance value. This embodiment will be described mainly with respect to differences from the first embodiment. Portions not specifically mentioned have the same configuration and processing as the first embodiment.

[0083] [Functional configuration of the print inspection device] 10 is a block diagram for explaining the functions of the print inspection device 130 of this embodiment. The same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the explanation thereof will be omitted. In addition to the functional units explained in the first embodiment, the print inspection device 130 of this embodiment has an inspection mode setting unit 1001, an inspection mode acquisition unit 1002, and an inspection end instruction unit 1003.

[0084] The print inspection device 130 of this embodiment is configured to be able to set the inspection mode to either an inspection end mode or an inspection continuation mode. The inspection end mode is a mode in which inspection and printing are terminated when the inspection NG rate during the inspection exceeds a tolerance. The inspection continuation mode is a mode in which inspection and printing are continued even if the inspection NG rate during the inspection exceeds a tolerance.

[0085] The inspection mode setting unit 1001 sets in advance either an inspection end mode or an inspection continuation mode. For example, the inspection mode selected by the user is set. The inspection mode set by the inspection mode setting unit 1001 is stored in the RAM 213 or the auxiliary storage device 214.

[0086] An inspection mode acquisition unit 1002 acquires the inspection mode set by the inspection mode setting unit 1001. An inspection end instruction unit 1003 instructs the printing device 110 to end printing when the inspection end mode is set as the inspection mode.

[0087] [Print inspection procedure] 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of print inspection in this embodiment. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, if the inspection result determination unit 305 determines that an abnormality has occurred, the process is switched according to the inspection mode that has been set.

[0088] In S1101, the inspection mode setting unit 1001 sets in advance the inspection mode to either the inspection end mode or the inspection continuation mode.

[0089] Since steps S1102 to S1109 are the same as steps 801 to 808 in FIG. 8, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0090] If the test result determination unit 305 determines in S1109 that there is a test item whose test NG rate exceeds the allowable value (YES in S1109), the process proceeds to S1110. If there is no test item whose test NG rate exceeds the allowable value (NO in S1109), the process proceeds to S1113 to continue the test. S1113 is the same process as S810.

[0091] In S1110, the inspection mode acquisition unit 1002 acquires the inspection mode set in S1101 and switches processing according to the acquired mode. If the inspection mode set in S1110 is determined to be the "inspection continuation mode", the processing proceeds to S1111.

[0092] S1111 is the same process as S809 in Fig. 8. That is, in S1111, the inspection control unit 306 performs control so as to ease the inspection level of the inspection item whose inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value. Then, the process proceeds to S1113 to continue the inspection.

[0093] If it is determined in S1110 that the inspection mode set is the inspection end mode, the process proceeds to S1112. In S1112, the inspection end instruction unit 1003 instructs the printing device 110 to end printing, and ends the currently ongoing printing process. Since the inspection also ends, the flowchart ends. Thus, in this embodiment, when the inspection end mode is set, printing and inspection are ended.

[0094] [Switching processing according to inspection mode] 12 is a table for explaining switching of processes according to the inspection mode. In this embodiment, when the inspection NG rate is equal to or less than the allowable value and normal, control is performed so that inspection and printing are continued regardless of whether the set inspection mode is the inspection continuation mode or the inspection end mode.

[0095] On the other hand, if the inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value and the inspection continuation mode is set, the inspection and printing are continued while controlling the inspection level to be gentler, thereby maintaining the productivity of printed matter.

[0096] Reasons for the inspection NG rate exceeding the allowable value and being determined to be abnormal include malfunctions in the printing unit or transport unit of the printing device 110, or the reading unit (scanner) of the reading device 120. Malfunctions in the printing unit include malfunctions in exposure and recording of the latent image portion, and scratches on the developing roller. In the case of a printing unit that performs printing using an inkjet method, malfunctions in the printing unit include poor ink ejection and a sudden increase in streaks due to dirt adhering to the head face. Malfunctions in the transport unit include continuous adhesion of dirt to members that come into contact with the paper, such as rollers. Malfunctions in the reading unit include dirt adhering to the sensor and continuous streaks caused by scratches on the glass plate.

[0097] If the inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value, productivity can be maintained by lowering the inspection level, but these defects may result in a deterioration in the quality of the printed matter. For this reason, for example, the continuous inspection mode is set for printed matter such as internal documents, where a deterioration in quality is not a problem.

[0098] Furthermore, when the inspection results change during the inspection, it may be preferable to terminate the inspection and printing and perform maintenance on the printing device 110, etc., to ensure the quality of the printed matter. In this case, the inspection end mode is set. When the inspection end mode is set and the inspection NG rate exceeds the allowable value, the inspection and printing are terminated. Therefore, the printing device 110, the reading device 120, etc. can be shut down and operated again after maintenance is performed. When the inspection end mode is set, the inspection level is not controlled to be relaxed, so it is possible to perform operations that emphasize the quality of the printed matter.

[0099] In this manner, in this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately switch between ensuring productivity by continuing inspection at a relaxed inspection level, or terminating printing and inspection in order to ensure the quality of the printed matter rather than productivity.

[0100] <Other embodiments> The present disclosure can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0101] The disclosure of the above-described embodiment includes the following configurations.

[0102] (Configuration 1) an inspection means for inspecting the printed matter based on a read image of the printed matter obtained by printing by the printing means; a management means for managing information on the inspection result obtained by the inspection means; a generating means for generating data for displaying information showing a change over time in the test results based on the information managed by the managing means; an output means for outputting the data to display the information; 13. An information processing device comprising:

[0103] (Configuration 2) The information is a graph showing the change in the test results over time. 2. The information processing device according to configuration 1.

[0104] (Configuration 3) The generating means generates the data for displaying the information for each of the inspection items when the inspection means has a plurality of inspection items. 3. The information processing device according to configuration 1 or 2.

[0105] (Configuration 4) The information includes a tolerance for the inspection result for each inspection item, and the tolerance for an inspection item related to image quality defects is smaller than the tolerance for an inspection item not related to image quality defects. 4. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3.

[0106] (Configuration 5) The generating means generates the data while the inspection by the inspecting means is continuing, The output means outputs the data every time the data is generated. 5. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4.

[0107] (Configuration 6) The generating means includes: The data is generated so that the new test result is included in the information each time the test means performs a test and obtains a new test result. 6. The information processing device according to configuration 5.

[0108] (Configuration 7) The present invention further includes a control means for controlling the inspection level of the inspection means to be changed when the inspection result satisfies a predetermined condition. 7. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6.

[0109] (Configuration 8) The control means controls the inspection means to reduce an inspection level when a value based on the inspection result exceeds a predetermined value, The inspection means continues the inspection at the inspection level changed by the control means. 8. The information processing device according to configuration 7.

[0110] (Configuration 9) The value based on the inspection result is any one of the number of NG judgments made by the inspection means in the inspection, the ratio of the number of NG judgments made by the inspection means in the inspection to the number of inspections, a value indicating the amount of change in the number of NG judgments, or a value indicating the amount of change in the ratio. 9. The information processing device according to configuration 8.

[0111] (Configuration 10) The control means When the inspection means has a plurality of inspection items, it is determined whether the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition for each of the inspection items, and the inspection level of the inspection item determined to satisfy the predetermined condition is changed. 10. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 7 to 9.

[0112] (Configuration 11) The control means controls so that the inspection level is changed only for inspection items related to image quality defects. 11. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 7 to 10.

[0113] (Configuration 12) The apparatus further includes a setting means for setting a first mode for terminating the inspection by the inspection means or a second mode for continuing the inspection by the inspection means, The control means When the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition, if the mode set by the setting means is the second mode, control is performed so that the inspection level is changed. 12. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 7 to 11.

[0114] (Configuration 13) When the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition and the mode set by the setting means is the first mode, the inspection level is not changed by the control means, and the inspection by the inspection means is terminated. 13. The information processing device according to configuration 12.

[0115] (Configuration 14) The printing means includes: If the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition, and if the mode set by the setting means is the first mode, printing is terminated. 14. The information processing device according to configuration 12 or 13.

[0116] (Configuration 15) The inspection result includes at least one of the ratio of the number of times the inspection means judges the inspection to be NG, the ratio of the number of times the inspection means judges the inspection to be OK, and the number of times the inspection means judges the inspection to be OK. 15. The information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 14.

[0117] (Configuration 16) an inspection step of inspecting the printed matter based on a read image of the printed matter obtained by printing by a printing means; a management step for managing information on the inspection result obtained by the inspection step; a generating step of generating data for displaying information showing a change over time in the test result based on the managed information; an output step of outputting the data to display the information; 13. An information processing method comprising:

[0118] (Configuration 17) A program for causing a computer to execute each of the means of the information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 15. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 130 Printing inspection equipment 301 Inspection Department 302 Inspection NG rate calculation section 303 Inspection NG Rate Management Department 304 Inspection Result Visualization Department

Claims

1. an inspection means for inspecting the printed matter based on a read image obtained by reading the printed matter; a management unit that manages first information related to the inspection results obtained by the inspection unit; a generating means for generating data for displaying second information showing changes in the test results over time based on the first information; An information processing device comprising:

2. The second information is a graph showing the change in the test results over time.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

3. When there are a plurality of inspection items of the inspection means, the generation means generates the data for displaying the second information for each of the inspection items.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

4. The second information includes a tolerance for the inspection result for each inspection item, and the tolerance for an inspection item related to image quality defects is smaller than the tolerance for an inspection item not related to image quality defects.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

5. the generating means generates the data while the inspection by the inspecting means continues, The data is output each time the data is generated.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

6. The generating means The data is generated so that the second information includes new test results each time the test means performs a test and obtains new test results.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5,

7. The apparatus further includes a control means for controlling the inspection level of the inspection means to be changed when the inspection result satisfies a predetermined condition.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

8. the control means controls the inspection means to reduce the inspection level when a value based on the inspection result exceeds a predetermined value; The inspection means continues the inspection at the inspection level changed by the control means.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

9. The value based on the inspection result is any one of the number of NG judgments made by the inspection means in the inspection, the ratio of the number of NG judgments made by the inspection means in the inspection to the number of inspections, a value indicating the amount of change in the number of NG judgments, or a value indicating the amount of change in the ratio.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

10. The control means When there are a plurality of inspection items of the inspection means, it is determined whether the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition for each of the inspection items, and the inspection level of the inspection item that is determined to satisfy the predetermined condition is changed.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

11. The control means controls the inspection level so that it is changed only for inspection items related to image quality defects.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

12. The apparatus further includes a setting means for setting a first mode in which the inspection by the inspection means is terminated or a second mode in which the inspection by the inspection means is continued, The control means When the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition, if the mode set by the setting means is the second mode, control is performed so that the inspection level is changed.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

13. If the test result satisfies the predetermined condition and the mode set by the setting means is the first mode, the test level is not changed by the control means, and the test by the test means is terminated.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12.

14. Further, the printing device includes a printing means for printing the printed matter, The printing means If the inspection result satisfies the predetermined condition and the mode set by the setting means is the first mode, printing is terminated.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12.

15. The inspection result includes at least one of the rate at which the inspection means judges the product to be NG in the inspection, the number of times the inspection means judges the product to be NG in the inspection, the rate at which the inspection means judges the product to be OK in the inspection, and the number of times the inspection means judges the product to be OK in the inspection.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

16. an inspection step of inspecting the printed matter based on a read image obtained by reading the printed matter; a management step of managing first information relating to the inspection results obtained by the inspection step; a generating step of generating data for displaying second information showing a change in the test result over time based on the first information; An information processing method comprising:

17. A program for causing a computer to execute each means of the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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