Color information estimation program and color information estimation device

Abstract

To provide a dyeing system which can stably measure color information on a dyed resin body.SOLUTION: A control device sets a target color of a resin body. Subsequently, the control device retrieves a plurality of approximation data that is job data with which the condition accords from a plurality of job data stored in database, under the condition that color data satisfies at least specification using the set target color as a reference. The control device generates an estimation expression indicating a correlation of the amount of the ink printed on a base body, and color data of the resin body dyed by using the base body printed with the corresponding amount of ink, on the basis of the plurality of retrieved approximation data. The control device estimates at least any one of the amount of ink required for being printed on the base body for dying the resin body to the target color, and the color of the resin body to be died when a prescribed amount of ink is printed on the base body, as color information, by the generated estimated expression.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a color information estimation program and a color information estimation device for estimating color information in a dyeing process of dyeing a resin body. [Background technology]

[0002] Various techniques have been proposed for dyeing resin bodies such as plastic lenses. For example, in a dyeing method known as the dip dyeing method, the resin body is dyed by immersing it in a dyeing solution. However, in the dip dyeing method, it is difficult to improve the working environment, and it is also difficult to dye some resin bodies (such as lenses with a high refractive index).

[0003] Therefore, a technique has been proposed in which a dye is transferred to the surface of a resin body and the resin body to which the dye is attached is heated to dye the resin body. For example, in the dyeing method described in Patent Document 1, a sublimable dye is applied (printed) to a substrate by an inkjet printer. Next, with the resin body and substrate arranged in a vacuum, the sublimable dye applied to the substrate is sublimated, thereby transferring the dye to the resin body. Next, the resin body is heated, thereby fixing the dye to the resin body. Note that the method of transferring a sublimable dye to a resin body by a vapor phase transfer method and dyeing the resin body is called a vapor phase transfer dyeing method.

[0004] Also, a technique has been proposed that aims to dye a resin body appropriately in a planned color. For example, the dyeing system described in Patent Document 2 measures the color of a resin body that is actually dyed by using a determined amount of dye (ink). Next, the dyeing system aims to make the color of the resin body that will be dyed thereafter closer to the planned color by correcting the amount of dye that will be determined thereafter based on the measured color and the planned color. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-127722 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-021183 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] For example, the color of the dyed resin body may not be the expected color depending on the individual differences of the printing device, the installation environment of the dyeing system, the individual differences of the heating means for heating the resin body, etc. Furthermore, in order to change the color of the dyed resin body, it is necessary to change the amount of ink used (for example, the total amount of ink ejected per unit area, and the mixed amount of multiple types of ink, etc.). If the amount of ink used changes, various conditions in the dyeing process (for example, the temperature rise when the dye is heated and fixed to the resin body, etc.) change, and as a result, the degree of dyeing of the resin body may change. In particular, in the vapor phase transfer dyeing method, ink containing a sublimable dye is used. Therefore, if the temperature rise when the dye is heated and fixed changes, the degree of re-sublimation of the dye also changes. Therefore, when adopting the vapor phase transfer dyeing method, it was difficult with the conventional technology to accurately estimate at least one of the amount of ink required to dye the resin body in the desired color and the color of the resin body that will be dyed when the expected amount of ink is printed (hereinafter referred to as "color information").

[0007] A typical object of the present disclosure is to provide a color information estimation program and a color information estimation device that are capable of more accurately estimating information about a color when a resin body is dyed by a vapor phase transfer dyeing method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A color information estimation program provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a printing step of printing ink containing a dye onto a substrate by a printing device, and a transfer step of transferring the dye contained in the ink onto a resin body in a state in which the resin body is placed opposite the substrate on which the ink has been printed; a dye fixing process for fixing the dye onto the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred; and a color information estimation program executed by a color information estimation device for estimating color information, which is information regarding color, in a dyeing process of a resin body, the dye fixing process including: a dye fixing process for fixing the dye onto the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred; wherein a database stores a plurality of sets of job data, each set including ink amount data, which is data regarding the amount of ink printed onto the base body in a dyeing process previously performed, and color data measured on the resin body dyed by the base body; and a target color setting step for setting a target color of the resin body by executing the color information estimation program by a control unit of the color estimation device, on the condition that the color data satisfies at least a regulation based on the set target color, The color information estimation device executes the following steps: an approximate data search step for searching for multiple approximate data that are job data that meet conditions from among multiple job data stored in the database; an estimation equation generation step for generating an estimation equation that indicates a correlation between the amount of ink printed on a base and the color data of a resin body to be dyed by the base based on the multiple approximate data searched in the approximate data search step; and a color information estimation step for using the estimation equation generated in the estimation equation generation step to estimate, as the color information, at least one of the amount of ink that needs to be printed on the base to dye the resin body to a desired color and the color of the resin body that will be dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on the base.

[0009] A color information estimation device provided by a typical embodiment of the present disclosure is a color information estimation device that estimates color information, which is information about a color in a dyeing process of a resin body, including a printing process of printing ink containing a dye onto a substrate by a printing device, a transfer process of transferring the dye contained in the ink onto the resin body in a state in which the resin body is placed facing the substrate on which the ink has been printed, and a dye fixing process of fixing the dye onto the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred. A database stores a plurality of job data sets, each set including ink amount data, which is data on the amount of ink printed onto the substrate in a dyeing process previously performed, and color data measured on the resin body dyed by the substrate, and a control unit of the color estimation device includes a target color setting step of setting a target color of the resin body, and a dye fixing step of fixing the dye onto the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred. The method includes an approximate data search step of searching for multiple approximate data, which are job data that meet the conditions, from among multiple job data stored in the database, on the condition that the color data satisfies a specification based on the set target color, at least; an estimation equation generation step of generating an estimation equation indicating the correlation between the amount of ink printed on the base and the color data of the resin body to be dyed by the base, based on the multiple approximate data searched in the approximate data search step; and a color information estimation step of using the estimation equation generated in the estimation equation generation step to estimate, as the color information, at least one of the amount of ink that needs to be printed on the base to dye the resin body to the target color and the color of the resin body to be dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on the base.

[0010] According to the color information estimation program and color information estimation device of the present disclosure, information about the color when a resin body is dyed by a vapor phase transfer dyeing method can be more accurately estimated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a dyeing system 1. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of a staining tray 80 with two lenses L placed thereon, as viewed from diagonally above right. [Diagram 3] 13 is a flowchart of a color information estimation process executed by a control device (color information estimation device) 70. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a job data list display screen 100. [Diagram 5] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a measured color data display screen 120. [Figure 6] 11 is a flowchart of a provisional estimation job data acquisition process executed in the color information estimation process. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a provisional estimation job display screen 130. [Figure 8] 11 is a flowchart of an estimation process executed in the color information estimation process. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a color estimation screen 200 immediately after it is displayed. [Figure 10] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a search condition setting screen 300. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a color estimation screen 200 after color information and ink amounts have been estimated from the state shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] <Summary> The color information estimation device exemplified in the present disclosure estimates information (color information) about color in a dyeing process of a resin body. The dyeing process includes a printing process, a transfer process, and a dye fixing process. In the printing process, ink containing dye is printed on a substrate by a printing device. In the transfer process, the dye contained in the ink is transferred to the resin body in a state where the resin body is opposed to the substrate on which the ink is printed. In the dye fixing process, the resin body to which the dye has been transferred is heated to fix the dye to the resin body. The database stores a plurality of job data including a set of data on the amount of ink (ink amount data) printed on the substrate in a dyeing process performed in the past and color data measured on the resin body dyed by the substrate. The color information estimation device executes a target color setting step, an approximate data search step, an estimation formula generation step, and a color information estimation step. In the target color setting step, a control unit of the color information estimation device sets a target color of the resin body. In the approximation data search step, the control unit searches for multiple pieces of approximation data, which are job data that meet the condition, from among multiple job data stored in the database, on the condition that the color data meets at least a regulation based on a set target color. In the estimation formula generation step, the control unit generates an estimation formula indicating a correlation between the amount of ink printed on the base and the color data of the resin body dyed by using the base on which the corresponding amount of ink is printed, based on the multiple approximation data searched in the approximation data search step. In the color information estimation step, the estimation formula generated in the estimation formula generation step is used to estimate, as color information, at least one of the amount of ink required to be printed on the base to dye the resin body to the target color and the color of the resin body that will be dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on the base.

[0013] According to the color information estimation program and color information estimation system disclosed herein, an estimation formula for estimating color information is generated based on job data including a set of ink amount data and color data from dyeing processes carried out in the past. Therefore, color information can be more accurately estimated while suppressing the influence of changes in the degree of dyeing caused by individual differences in printing devices, installation environments of dyeing systems, individual differences in heating means for heating resin bodies, and the like.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the technology disclosed herein, an estimation formula for estimating color information is generated based on multiple job data (approximation data) whose color data meets a specification based on a set target color. When performing the dyeing process multiple times, if the colors of the resin bodies to be dyed are similar, the amounts of ink used (for example, the total amount of ink ejected per unit area and the mixed amount of multiple types of ink) will naturally be similar. If the amounts of ink used are similar, the degree to which the resin bodies are dyed will also be easily approximated. Therefore, by generating an estimation formula based on multiple job data whose colors are similar, it becomes easier to estimate color information more accurately while suppressing the influence of changes in the degree of dyeing caused by changes in the amount of ink used.

[0015] In the vapor phase transfer dyeing method, when the amount of ink used changes, the degree of re-sublimation of the dye in the dye fixing process also changes. In contrast, according to the technology of the present disclosure, an estimation formula is generated based on multiple job data in which the degree of re-sublimation of the dye is also similar. Therefore, the technology of the present disclosure is particularly useful when using the vapor phase transfer dyeing method. Furthermore, in the transfer process, when the dye is transferred to the resin body in a state in which the resin body faces the substrate on which the ink is printed in a non-contact manner, the change in the degree of dyeing caused by the change in the amount of ink used is likely to be large compared to when the resin body is in contact with the substrate. Therefore, the technology of the present disclosure is even more effective when the resin body is opposed in a non-contact manner. However, the technology of the present disclosure is also effective when the transfer process is performed by contacting the substrate with the resin body. In addition, the technology of the present disclosure can be effectively used when dyeing a resin body with a dyeing method other than the vapor phase transfer dyeing method.

[0016] The job data referenced to generate the estimation formula may be data of a dyeing process previously performed by the same dyeing system as the dyeing system that uses the color information estimated by the estimation formula. In this case, the color information can be more accurately estimated while suppressing the influence of changes in the degree of dyeing caused by differences in dyeing systems.

[0017] The control unit may further execute a provisional estimation equation generating step of generating a provisional estimation equation indicating a correlation between the amount of ink printed on the base and color data of the resin body dyed by using the base on which the corresponding amount of ink is printed, based on a plurality of provisional estimation job data. The provisional estimation job data is job data of a dyeing process in which it is determined that no poor fixation of the dye to the resin body has occurred. The plurality of provisional estimation job data includes a plurality of job data in which at least one of the type and amount of ink used is different from each other. In the estimation equation generating step, an estimation equation may be generated based on the provisional estimation equation and a plurality of approximation data.

[0018] The provisional estimation formula shows the correlation between the ink amount and the color data on the assumption that the dye does not fix poorly to the resin body. When the dye does not fix poorly, the color information can be estimated by the provisional estimation formula. However, in an actual dyeing process, the degree of fixation failure of the dye to the resin body often changes depending on the color of the resin body to be dyed. Therefore, the approximate data searched according to the target color may be job data in which the dye has fixed poorly according to the color to be dyed. Therefore, when the estimation formula is generated, the provisional estimation formula and the searched multiple approximate data are both referred to, and an estimation formula is generated that is based on the provisional estimation formula and appropriately takes into account the influence of the dye fixation failure according to the color to be dyed. As a result, the accuracy of the color estimation is further improved.

[0019] A specific method for generating the estimated formula based on the provisional estimated formula and the retrieved multiple approximate data may be appropriately selected. For example, an equation showing the correlation between the color data obtained by the provisional estimated formula and the error of the color data of the retrieved approximate data may be generated as the estimated formula. In this case, the estimated formula is generated in which the influence of poor fixation of the dye corresponding to the color to be dyed is appropriately taken into consideration.

[0020] The multiple provisional estimation job data may include job data (hereinafter referred to as "clear data") that is the result of performing heating similar to the dye fixing process on a resin body to which no dye has been transferred. When the resin body is heated in the dye fixing process, a phenomenon in which the resin body slightly discolors (referred to as "yellowing" or the like) may occur. By including the clear data in the provisional estimation job data, a provisional estimation formula is generated that also reflects the effect of discoloration of the resin body due to the dye fixing process. As a result, it becomes easier to further improve the accuracy of color estimation.

[0021] In the provisional estimation formula generating step, a provisional estimation formula may be generated for each of a plurality of types of resin body materials based on provisional estimation job data for the same material. In the estimation formula generating step, an estimation formula may be generated based on a provisional estimation formula for a material for which color information is to be estimated and a plurality of approximation data. Even when the same color is to be dyed to a resin body, different inks may be used if the resin body materials are different. In addition, even when the same ink is used to dye resin bodies made of different materials, the dyeing condition may change depending on the material. In response to this, by generating a provisional estimation formula for each of a plurality of types of resin body materials based on provisional estimation job data for the same material, it becomes easier to estimate color information appropriately depending on the material.

[0022] The control unit may further execute a provisional estimation process setting step of automatically setting dyeing process parameters necessary for acquiring each of the plurality of provisional estimation job data. In this case, the dyeing process is performed according to the automatically set parameters, so that appropriate provisional estimation job data is easily acquired and stored in the database. This makes it easier to estimate color information with higher accuracy using a simple procedure.

[0023] The plurality of provisional estimation job data may include job data obtained by performing a dyeing process using a single color ink for each of the plurality of colors of ink. In this case, when generating the provisional estimation formula, data can be processed for each color of ink, making it easier to generate the provisional estimation formula more appropriately.

[0024] Furthermore, the multiple provisional estimation job data may include multiple job data obtained by performing the dyeing process multiple times while changing the density of a single color of ink. In this case, it becomes easier to generate an appropriate provisional estimation formula that takes into account the change in density of the single color of ink.

[0025] However, the method of acquiring the provisional estimation job data may be changed. For example, job data acquired by using ink of multiple colors may be included in at least a portion of the multiple provisional estimation job data.

[0026] The database may store a plurality of job data in a state in which the material of the dyed resin body can be identified when each job data is created. In the approximation data search step, a plurality of approximation data may be searched from the plurality of job data, provided that the job data is for the same material as the material of the specified resin body. As described above, even when the same color is dyed on the resin body, different inks may be used if the material of the resin body is different. Also, even when the same ink is used to dye resin bodies made of different materials, the dyeing condition may change depending on the material. In response to this, an estimation formula is generated based on approximation data for the same material as the material of the specified resin body, and color information is estimated based on the generated estimation formula, making it easier to estimate color information appropriately depending on the material.

[0027] It is also possible to change the conditions for searching for approximate data from among multiple job data. For example, at least one of the following conditions may be added to the search conditions for approximate data according to an instruction input by the user: the diopter in the case where the resin body is a lens is within a specified range; the time when at least one of the various dyeing processes is performed is within a specified range; the total amount of ink used is within a specified range; and the devices used in the various processes are the same. In this case, approximate data that is closer to the desired dyeing conditions is searched for, which makes it easier to further improve the accuracy of color estimation. At least one of the multiple "specified ranges" described above may be predetermined or may be arbitrarily specified by the user.

[0028] The control unit may execute a candidate exclusion step of excluding job data designated by an operator from among a plurality of job data stored in the database, from candidates to be searched for as approximate data in the approximate data search step. By excluding job data with low reliability (e.g., job data in which the dyeing result is significantly different from that expected) from the search target for approximate data, the operator can reduce the possibility that the accuracy of color estimation will be reduced due to job data with low reliability.

[0029] The control unit may execute a data automatic deletion step of deleting job data from the database in order of oldest creation date when the number of the plurality of job data stored in the database exceeds an upper limit.Furthermore, the control unit may execute a deletion target exclusion step of excluding job data designated by an operator from the plurality of job data stored in the database from the targets to be deleted in the automatic deletion step.In this case, an excessive increase in the amount of data stored in the database is suppressed, and job data determined to be necessary for color estimation continues to be appropriately stored in the database.

[0030] <Embodiment> A typical embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The dyeing system 1 dyes a resin body automatically and continuously. In this embodiment, the resin body to be dyed is a plastic lens L (see FIG. 2, etc.) used for glasses. However, at least a part of the technology exemplified in this disclosure can also be applied to dyeing a resin body other than the lens L. For example, at least a part of the technology exemplified in this disclosure can be applied to dyeing various resin bodies such as goggles, mobile phone covers, light covers, accessories, toys, films (e.g., thickness 400 μm or less), and plate materials (e.g., thickness 400 μm or more). The resin body to be dyed also includes a resin body attached to a member different from the resin body (e.g., wood or glass, etc.). In addition, the dyeing system 1 of this embodiment dyes multiple resin bodies while continuously conveying them. However, at least a part of the technology exemplified in this disclosure can also be adopted in a dyeing system that conveys and dyes resin bodies one set at a time. In addition, the technology exemplified in this disclosure can also be applied to a case where an operator himself performs at least a part of multiple dyeing steps.

[0031] (System Configuration) The system configuration of a dyeing system 1 of this embodiment will be outlined with reference to Fig. 1. The dyeing system 1 of this embodiment includes a conveying device 10, a printing device 30, a transfer device 40, a dye fixing device 50, a color data measuring instrument 60, and a control device (color information estimation device) 70.

[0032] The conveying device 10 conveys a dyeing tray 80 (see FIG. 2) on which a lens L, which is a resin body, is placed, to each device in the dyeing system 1. In detail, the conveying device 10 of this embodiment conveys a plurality of dyeing trays 80 continuously within the dyeing system 1. The conveying device 10 of this embodiment conveys the dyeing tray 80 in the order of the printing device 30, the transfer device 40, the dye fixing device 50, and the color data measuring instrument 60 (that is, from left to right in FIG. 1).

[0033] The printing device 30 executes a printing process. In the printing process, the printing device 30 prints ink containing dye onto a sheet-shaped substrate. In this embodiment, the substrate is made of paper or a metallic film (made of aluminum in this embodiment) of appropriate hardness. However, other materials such as a glass plate, heat-resistant resin, and ceramics can also be used as the substrate material. In the dyeing system 1 of this embodiment, in order to appropriately transfer the dye onto the lens L while preventing the dye from coagulating, the dye of the substrate is heated in a state in which the substrate and the lens L are spaced apart (non-contact) and opposed to each other in a vacuum (including a near-vacuum) environment, so that the dye is transferred (deposited) onto the surface of the lens L (the dyeing method in this embodiment is called a vapor-phase transfer dyeing method). Therefore, an inkjet printer that prints ink containing a sublimation dye onto the substrate is used for the printing device 30. The printing device 30 performs printing based on print data created by a control device 70, which is an information processing device (in this embodiment, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as "PC")). As a result, an appropriate amount of ink (dye) is attached to the appropriate position of the substrate. It is also easy to create a dye-coated substrate for gradation dyeing. It is also possible to change the configuration of the printing device 30. For example, the printing device may be a laser printer. In this case, the toner ink may contain a sublimable dye.

[0034] The transfer device 40 executes a transfer process. In the transfer process, the transfer device 40 transfers the dye attached to the substrate (i.e., the dye contained in the ink printed on the substrate) from the substrate to the lens L in a state where the substrate is opposed to the lens L without contacting the substrate, by a vapor phase transfer method in this embodiment. However, it is also possible to change the method of transferring the dye to the lens L. For example, the dye may be transferred from the substrate to the lens L in a state where the dye of the substrate and the lens L are in contact with each other.

[0035] The dye fixing device 50 executes a dye fixing process. In the dye fixing process, the dye fixing device 50 heats the lens L to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer device 40, thereby fixing the dye attached to the surface of the lens L to the resin body. The dye fixing device 50 of this embodiment heats the lens L by irradiating the lens L with laser light, which is an electromagnetic wave. However, it is also possible to change the configuration of the dye fixing device 50. For example, a device (e.g., an oven) that irradiates the lens L with electromagnetic waves other than laser light may be used as the dye fixing device.

[0036] The color data measuring instrument 60 measures color data of the lens L dyed by the printing process by the printing device 30, the transfer process by the transfer device 40, and the dye fixing process by the dye fixing device 50. The color data measuring instrument 60 of this embodiment is a spectrometer that measures the spectrometer spectrum of the lens L (specifically, the transmission spectrum in this embodiment) as color data. Therefore, compared to the case where an RGB camera or the like is used, the color data is acquired in a state where the influence of disturbance light such as a lighting environment is suppressed. Even if the lens L is dyed using a plurality of dyes, the spectrometer spectrum, which is the distribution of intensity for each wavelength, is acquired, so that the color data of the dyed lens L is appropriately acquired. Using the acquired spectrometer data, values ​​of the CIEL*a*b* color system, the XYZ color system, the L*C*h color system, the Munsell color system, and the like may be used. However, a device other than a spectrometer (for example, an RGB camera, etc.) may be used as the color data measuring instrument.

[0037] The control device 70 is responsible for various controls in the dyeing system 1. In this embodiment, the control device 70 functions as a color information estimation device that estimates information about the color in the dyeing process executed by the dyeing system 1 (hereinafter referred to as "color information"). Although details will be described later, in this embodiment, at least one of the amount of ink that needs to be printed on the base to dye the lens L (resin body) in a target color and the color (measured color data) of the lens L that will be dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on the base is estimated as the color information.

[0038] The control device 70 can be various information processing devices (for example, at least one of a PC, a server, and a mobile terminal). The control device 70 includes a controller (for example, a CPU, etc.) 71 that controls the control, and a database 72 that stores various data (for example, job data, etc., described later). The configuration of the control device 70 can be changed. First, a plurality of devices may cooperate to function as the control device 70. For example, a control device that controls various controls in the dyeing system 1 and a control device that includes the database 72 may be different devices. In addition, controllers of a plurality of devices may cooperate to execute various controls in the dyeing system 1. For example, at least one of the conveying device 10, the printing device 30, the transfer device 40, the dye fixing device 50, and the color data measuring device 60 often includes a controller. In this case, the controller of the control device 70 and the controller of the other device may cooperate to control the dyeing system 1.

[0039] The dyeing system 1 includes a reading unit 2 that reads information about the lens L to be dyed for each unit (including a dyeing tray 80 and a lens L placed on the dyeing tray 80) that is transported. As an example, the reading unit 2 in this embodiment is an identifier reading unit that reads an identifier provided for each unit (e.g., each dyeing tray 80) that is transported. The unit is identified by the identifier read by the reading unit 2. By identifying the unit, data on the planned color (the color to be dyed) corresponding to the lens L included in the unit, data on the amount of ink printed on the base to dye the lens L to the planned color, color data measured by a color data measuring instrument 60 for the dyed lens L, and the like are managed.

[0040] The reading unit 2 in this embodiment is an identifier reader (e.g., a QR code (registered trademark) reader, a barcode reader, an identification hole reader, etc.) that corresponds to the identifier being used. The reading unit 2 may also be a tag reading unit that reads information from a tag to which information can be written (e.g., an IC tag, etc.). In this case, data corresponding to each unit may be stored in the tag. In FIG. 1, of the multiple devices that make up the dyeing system 1, only the reading unit 2 provided in the color data measuring instrument 60 is shown. However, reading units are also provided in parts of the dyeing system 1 other than the color data measuring instrument 60.

[0041] With reference to FIG. 2, the staining tray 80 used in the staining system 1 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the staining tray 80 in a state in which two lenses L are set (placed) and no base body is set. The staining tray 80 of this embodiment includes a tray body 81, a mounting frame 89, and a spacer 87. A resin body to be stained (lens L in this embodiment) is placed on the mounting frame 89. The mounting frame 89 of this embodiment is formed in a ring shape having an outer diameter slightly larger than that of the lens L. The spacer 87 extends upward in a tubular (cylindrical) shape from the outer periphery of the mounting frame 89 at a portion where the lens L is placed. The tray body 81 is formed with a mounting portion 82. The mounting frame 89 and the spacer 87 are detachably mounted on the mounting portion 82. In this embodiment, two mounting portions 82 are formed on one tray body 81. Therefore, a pair of lenses L (left and right) used for one pair of spectacles are dyed in a state in which they are placed on one staining tray 80.

[0042] (Color information estimation processing) A color information estimation process executed by the control device (color information estimation device) 70 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 11. In the color information estimation process, at least one of the amount of ink required to be printed on the substrate to dye the lens in a target color and the color of the lens that will be dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on the substrate (color data estimated to be measured by the color data measuring device 60) is estimated as color information. When an instruction to execute the color information estimation process is input, the controller 71 of the control device 70 executes the color information estimation process shown in Fig. 3 according to a color information estimation program stored in the database 72.

[0043] 3, when the control device 70 starts the color information estimation process, it determines whether or not an instruction for managing job data has been input by a user (e.g., an operator) (S1). The job data includes a set of data on the amount of ink printed on a substrate in a dyeing process carried out in the past (ink amount data) and color data measured by the color data measuring device 60 for a lens dyed by the substrate. In this embodiment, a plurality of job data are stored in the database 72.

[0044] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a job data list display screen 100 displayed on the display device. In the example shown in Fig. 4, each job data includes a "Job No." 101 which is a number for identifying the job data, a "Lens ID" 102 which indicates the material of the lens, a "Color" 13 which indicates the name of the color in the job data, a "Density" 104 which indicates the density of the color, an "Ink" 105 which indicates the ink amount data of each ink used, an "Ink sum" 106 which indicates the total amount of ink used, an "F / G / W" 107 which indicates whether the type of dyeing is full dyeing (F: Full), gradation (G), or W color (W), an "R / L Diameter" 108 which indicates the diameter of the left and right lenses, an "R / L SPH" 109 which indicates the power of the left and right lenses (only the cylindrical power is illustrated in Fig. 4), and a "Measured log" 110 which indicates the color data measured by the color data measuring instrument 60. Each job data also includes other information (for example, information indicating the time of creation or storage, etc.), but detailed description of these will be omitted. Furthermore, the lens material can be set arbitrarily. For example, the lens material may include at least one of CR-39, POLY, MR-7, MR-8, Midindex, etc. The user can also add lens materials.

[0045] 5 shows an example of a measured color data display screen 120 showing details of color data measured by the color data measuring instrument 60 for specific job data. A specific method for expressing color data can be selected as appropriate. As an example, in this embodiment, the color data of each of the left and right lenses "R / L" is expressed by lightness (L*), hue (a*, b*), luminous transmittance (Tv), hue angle (h), and chroma (C*). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the color space chromaticity diagram 121 and the luminous transmittance display section 122 each show a color corresponding to the specified color data.

[0046] However, other values ​​(for example, at least one of the transmittance of a specified wavelength, the color difference between the left and right lenses, and the color difference for specific color data) may be used in addition to the values ​​shown in Fig. 5. Also, the color data may be expressed in a different color system (for example, at least one of the RGB color system and the XYZ color system).

[0047] The job data referred to in the subsequent processes is data on dyeing processes previously performed by the same dyeing system 1 as the dyeing system 1 that uses the color information estimated by the color information estimation process. Therefore, it becomes easier to estimate color information more accurately while suppressing the influence of changes in the degree of dyeing caused by differences in dyeing systems.

[0048] Returning to the explanation of Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the user operates the operation unit (not shown) to specify one of the multiple job data displayed on the job data list display screen 100 or the like, and inputs an instruction to specify the management contents of the job data, thereby causing the control device 70 to execute various management of the job data. If an instruction to specify the management contents has not been input (S1: NO), the process proceeds directly to S3.

[0049] When an instruction to specify the management contents is input (S1: YES), the control device 70 processes the job data according to the input instruction (S2). For example, when an instruction to designate the specified job data as data with low reliability is input, the control device 70 excludes the specified job data from the target of the search process for approximation data used to estimate color information (see S30 in FIG. 8, details will be described later). Therefore, by excluding job data with low reliability (e.g., job data in which the dyeing result is significantly different from that expected) from the target of the search process for approximation data, the user can reduce the possibility that the accuracy of color estimation will be reduced due to job data with low reliability.

[0050] Furthermore, when the number of multiple job data stored in the database 72 exceeds an upper limit, the control device 70 can execute an automatic data deletion process in which job data created oldest first is deleted from the database 72. When an instruction to exclude job data designated by the user from the automatic data deletion process is input in S1, the control device 70 excludes the designated job data from the automatic deletion process by including the specified job data in a keep list that is not subject to the automatic data deletion process. Thus, an excessive increase in the amount of data stored in the database 72 is suppressed, and job data determined to be necessary for color estimation continues to be appropriately stored in the database 72.

[0051] It should be noted that other processes can also be performed in S2. For example, when a search condition for job data is specified in S1, the control device 70 may search for job data that matches the specified search condition from among a plurality of job data and display the job data on the display device. Also, in S2, detailed information on the specified job data (for example, the measured color data display screen 120 shown in FIG. 5) may be output in response to an instruction input by the user.

[0052] Next, the control device 70 judges whether or not an instruction to start the provisional estimation job data acquisition process has been input by the user (S3). The provisional estimation job data is job data for a dyeing process in which it has been determined that there is no poor fixation of the dye to the lens. Although details will be described later, a provisional estimation formula is generated based on a plurality of provisional estimation job data (S6). The provisional estimation formula indicates the correlation between the amount of ink printed on the substrate and the color data measured by the color data measuring device 60 of the lens dyed by the substrate in the case where there is no poor fixation of the dye to the lens. In the estimation process (S8) described later, color information is estimated based on both the provisional estimation formula and job data (approximation data) close to the target color. If an instruction to start the provisional estimation job data acquisition process has not been input (S3: NO), the process proceeds directly to S5. If an instruction to start the provisional estimation job data acquisition process has been input (S3: YES), the control device 70 executes the provisional estimation job data acquisition process (S4).

[0053] The provisional estimation job data acquisition process will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6. First, the control device 70 automatically sets a provisional estimation job that specifies the dyeing process parameters for acquiring provisional estimation job data for each of a plurality of types of lens materials (that is, for at least one of a plurality of types of materials) (S11). As an example, in this embodiment, a plurality of provisional estimation jobs necessary for appropriately generating a provisional estimation formula according to the material are determined in advance for each lens material. The user operates the operation unit to specify the lens material and then inputs a setting instruction for the provisional estimation job. In S11, the control device 70 automatically sets a plurality of provisional estimation jobs for the specified material. The dyeing process is performed according to the automatically set parameters (provisional estimation job), so that appropriate provisional estimation job data is easily acquired and stored in the database 72. This makes it easier to estimate color information with a simple procedure and with higher accuracy.

[0054] FIG. 7 shows an example of a provisional estimation job display screen 130 displayed on the display device. The provisional estimation job display screen 130 shown in FIG. 7 includes a lens material display section 131, a registration time display section 132, a provisional estimation formula generation button 133, and a provisional estimation job display section 135. The lens material display section 131 displays the lens material ("MR-8" in the example shown in FIG. 7) corresponding to the set provisional estimation job. The registration time display section 132 displays the time when multiple provisional estimation job data were acquired (stored) based on the set provisional estimation job. The provisional estimation formula generation button 133 is operated by the user when causing the control device 70 to generate a provisional estimation formula based on the multiple provisional estimation job data acquired. The provisional estimation formula generation button 133 is operated after all provisional estimation job data for the specified material have been acquired (details will be described later). The provisional estimation job display section 135 displays multiple provisional estimation jobs set for the specified material and information indicating whether or not provisional estimation job data based on each provisional estimation job has been acquired. In the example shown in FIG. 7, when provisional estimation job data based on a provisional estimation job has been acquired, "OK" is displayed in "Registered."

[0055] The parameters of the multiple provisional estimation jobs set for each material are set so that at least one of the type of ink and the amount of ink printed on the substrate differs for each printing process included in the dyeing process. Therefore, when multiple provisional estimation job data are acquired based on the multiple provisional estimation jobs, the provisional estimation formula generated from the multiple provisional estimation job data appropriately indicates the correlation between the ink amount and the color of the dyed lens, regardless of the type and amount of ink used.

[0056] In this embodiment, the multiple provisional estimation jobs include a provisional estimation job for performing a lens heating process similar to the dye fixing process on a resin body to which no dye has been transferred (i.e., a provisional estimation job for performing the dye fixing process without using any ink). In the example shown in FIG. 7, the provisional estimation job of "CLR" displayed on the provisional estimation job display unit 135 is set as a provisional estimation job that does not use ink (a job that does not use ink). A process similar to other dyeing processes is performed on the lens based on the job that does not use ink, thereby acquiring job data that does not use ink (hereinafter referred to as "clear data"). Here, when the lens is heated by the dye fixing process, a phenomenon in which the lens slightly discolors (referred to as "yellowing" or the like) may occur. By including the clear data in the provisional estimation job data, a provisional estimation formula that also reflects the effect of discoloration of the resin body due to the dye fixing process is generated. As a result, it becomes easier to further improve the accuracy of color estimation.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple provisional estimation jobs include a provisional estimation job for executing a dyeing process using a single color ink (i.e., each of "RED", "YEL", and "BLU") for each of the multiple colors of ink. That is, in this embodiment, the dyeing process is executed based on each of the multiple provisional estimation jobs that have been set, and provisional estimation job data using a single color ink is obtained for each of the multiple colors of ink. Therefore, when setting a provisional estimation formula based on the provisional estimation job data, data can be processed for each color of ink, making it easier to generate a provisional estimation formula more appropriately.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple provisional estimation jobs include multiple provisional estimation jobs in which the density of a single color of ink is changed and a dyeing process is performed multiple times. In other words, the multiple provisional estimation jobs set in this embodiment include multiple job data obtained by performing a dyeing process multiple times while changing the density of a single color of ink. Therefore, it becomes easier to generate an appropriate provisional estimation formula that takes into account the change in density of the single color of ink.

[0059] Returning to the description of Fig. 6, the control device 70 judges whether an instruction to execute at least one of the plurality of provisional estimation jobs that have been set has been input (S12). In this embodiment, the user can specify at least one of the plurality of provisional estimation jobs by operating the operation unit, and input an instruction to execute the specified provisional estimation job. If an execution instruction has not been input (S12: NO), the process proceeds directly to S19.

[0060] When an instruction to execute a provisional estimation job is input (S12: YES), the control device 70 executes the dyeing process (i.e., the printing process, the transfer process, and the dye fixing process) on the lens based on the parameters of the specified provisional estimation job (S14). The control device 70 acquires color data measured by the color data measuring device 60 (see FIG. 1) on the lens dyed through the dyeing process (if an ink-free job is specified, the lens on which the dye fixing process is performed without using ink) (S15). As a result, provisional estimation job data based on the specified provisional estimation job is generated.

[0061] Next, the control device 70 judges whether the provisional estimation job data generated in S14 and S15 is highly reliable (S16). In this embodiment, the user judges whether the reliability of the provisional estimation job data generated is high by judging whether the condition of the lens that has undergone the dyeing process is good or not, and inputs the judgment result to the control device 70. If the result indicating that the reliability of the provisional estimation job data is high is input (S16: YES), the control device 70 stores the provisional estimation job data generated in S14 and S15 in the database 72 in association with the material (S17). On the other hand, if the result indicating that the reliability of the provisional estimation job data is low is input (S16: NO), the control device 70 excludes the provisional estimation job data generated in S14 and S15 from the data to be referred to in the provisional estimation formula generation process (details will be described later) (S18). As a result, the accuracy of the correlation between the ink amount and the color data indicated by the provisional estimation formula is easily improved.

[0062] If an instruction to end the process has not been input (S19: NO), the processes of S12 to S19 are repeated to obtain multiple pieces of provisional estimation job data. If an instruction to end the process is input (S19: YES), the process returns to the color information estimation process (see FIG. 3).

[0063] Returning to the description of FIG. 3, the control device 70 judges whether or not an instruction to generate a provisional estimated formula has been input by the user (S5). As described above, in this embodiment, the instruction to generate a provisional estimated formula is input by the user operating the provisional estimated formula generation button 133 (see FIG. 7). Note that the provisional estimated formula generation button 133 is operated after all provisional estimation job data for the specified material has been acquired. If an instruction to generate a provisional estimated formula has not been input (S5: NO), the process proceeds directly to the judgment of S7. If an instruction to generate a provisional estimated formula is input (S5: YES), the control device 70 generates a provisional estimated formula indicating a correlation between the amount of ink printed on the substrate and the color data of the resin body dyed by the substrate based on a plurality of provisional estimation job data (S6). The provisional estimated formula indicates a correlation between the amount of ink and the color data when it is assumed that there is no poor fixation of the dye to the lens.

[0064] As described above, in the provisional estimation formula generation process (S6) in this embodiment, a provisional estimation formula is generated for each of a plurality of types of lens materials based on a plurality of provisional estimation job data acquired for the same material. Therefore, a provisional estimation formula appropriate for the material is generated.

[0065] Next, the control device 70 judges whether or not an instruction to execute a color information estimation process has been input by the user (S7). If an instruction has not been input (S7: NO), the process returns to S1 and the processes of S1 to S8 are repeated. If an instruction to execute a color information estimation process has been input (S7: YES), the control device 70 executes the estimation process (S8, see FIG. 8).

[0066] An overview of the estimation process will be described. In the estimation process, first, a plurality of approximation data are searched for based on the target color. As an example, in this embodiment, among a plurality of job data, job data designated by a user is set as reference data. A color (color data) in the set reference data is set as the target color, and approximation data is searched for based on the set target color. Next, based on the searched plurality of approximation data, an estimation formula indicating a correlation between the amount of ink and the color data of the lens is generated. Based on the generated estimation formula, at least one of the amount of ink required to be printed on the substrate to dye the lens to the target color (i.e., the required ink amount) and the color of the lens to be dyed when the planned amount of ink is printed on the substrate (i.e., the dyeing result) (both in this embodiment) is estimated.

[0067] An example of a color estimation screen 200 displayed on a display device during the execution of the estimation process will be described with reference to Figs. 9 and 11. In Figs. 9 and 11, frames into which a user can input information are indicated by thick frames, and frames into which information is automatically displayed are indicated by thin frames. The color estimation screen 200 includes a lens material designation section 201 and a color registration section 202. In the lens material designation section 201, the material of the lens for which color information is to be estimated is designated. In the example shown in Figs. 9 and 11, "MR-8" is designated as the lens material. In the color registration section 202, the name of the color (in the example shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the name "COPR") is registered.

[0068] The color estimation screen 200 includes a reference ink amount data display section 210 and a reference color data display section 220. The reference ink amount data display section 210 displays ink amount data included in reference data specified by the user (i.e., job data having color data close to the target color) for each type of ink in each of the multiple ink slots in the printing device 30. The reference color data display section 220 displays color data included in the reference data specified by the user (in this embodiment, color data based on the measurement results by the color data measuring instrument 60). As an example, in this embodiment, the color data is expressed by lightness (L*), hue (a*, b*), luminous transmittance (Tv), hue angle (h), and saturation (C*).

[0069] The color estimation screen 200 includes a search button 251 and a search data number display section 260. The search button 251 is operated by the user to search for approximate data based on a target color from among a plurality of job data. The search data number display section 260 displays the number of searched approximate data. Note that, in the example shown in FIG. 9, the color estimation screen 200 before the search for approximate data is shown, so the search data number display section 260 is blank.

[0070] The color estimation screen 200 includes an ink amount input section 211, a dyeing result estimation execution button 252, and a first estimated color display section 221. In the ink amount input section 211, the user inputs the amount of ink to be ejected from each ink slot in order to estimate the color of the lens that will be dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on a base (i.e., the dyeing result). The dyeing result estimation execution button 252 is operated by the user in order to execute an estimation process of the color of the lens (dyeing result) when the amount of ink inputted in the ink amount input section 211 is printed on the base and a dyeing process is performed. The first estimated color display section 221 displays an estimation result of the color data of the lens that will be dyed when the amount of ink inputted in the ink amount input section 211 is used.

[0071] The color estimation screen 200 includes a color data input section 223, an ink amount estimation execution button 253, an estimated ink amount display section 213, and a second estimated color display section 224. In the color data input section 223, a user inputs color data of a target color in order to estimate the amount of ink (i.e., the required ink amount) required to print on a substrate in order to dye a lens in the target color. The ink amount estimation execution button 253 is operated by a user in order to execute an estimation process of the ink amount required to dye a lens in the color inputted in the color data input section 223. In the estimated ink amount display section 213, an estimation result of the ink amount required to dye a lens in the color inputted in the color data input section 223 is displayed for each ink slot. In the second estimated color display section 224, an estimation result of the color data of the lens to be dyed when the ink of the ink amount displayed in the estimated ink amount display section 213 is used is displayed. Therefore, the color data displayed in the second estimated color display section 224 is approximate to the color data inputted in the color data input section 223. By understanding the color data displayed in second estimated color display section 224, the user can confirm whether or not there is a high possibility that the lens will be dyed in the desired color.

[0072] Color estimation screen 200 includes color space chromaticity diagram 121, luminous transmittance display section 122, and display selection section 240. As described above, color corresponding to specific color data is displayed on each of color space chromaticity diagram 121 and luminous transmittance display section 122. Display selection section 240 is operated by a user to select data indicating a color on color space chromaticity diagram 121 and luminous transmittance display section 122 from among the color data displayed on each of reference color data display section 220, first estimated color display section 221, and second estimated color display section 224.

[0073] The color estimation screen 200 includes a registered ink amount selection section 254, a registration button 255, and a cancel button 256. The registered ink amount selection section 254 is operated by the user to select an ink amount to be registered as a parameter to be used in a subsequent dyeing process, from among the ink amount input in the ink amount input section 211 and the ink amount displayed in the estimated ink amount display section 213. The registration button 255 is operated by the user to register the ink amount selected in the registered ink amount selection section 254. The cancel button 256 is operated by the user when canceling the estimation process.

[0074] The estimation process will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 8 to Fig. 11. First, the control device 70 registers a new color name (Color) in response to an instruction input by the user (S21). As described above, in this embodiment, the user can register a color name by inputting the name of the color into the color registration unit 202.

[0075] The control device 70 sets the job data designated by the user from among the multiple job data stored in the database 72 as reference data (S22). The control device 70 sets the color (color data) in the set reference data as the target color (S23). Therefore, the user can easily set the target color by designating job data having color data close to the target color as reference data. Note that the number of reference data that can be set in S22 may be one or more. When multiple reference data are set, the control device 70 may perform subsequent processing using an average value of the multiple reference data, etc.

[0076] The control device 70 causes the ink amount data and color data contained in the set reference data to be displayed on the color estimation screen 200 (S24). In detail, the control device 70 causes the ink amount data contained in the reference data to be displayed on the reference ink amount data display section 210, and also causes the color data contained in the reference data to be displayed on the reference color data display section 220. Thus, the user can easily compare the data contents of the reference data with the estimation results of color information that will be executed subsequently.

[0077] 9, the control device 70 of this embodiment also presets and displays the ink amount data included in the reference data in the ink amount input section 211. Therefore, when executing the dyeing result estimation process, the user can easily input the ink amount taking into account the ink amount of the reference data into the ink amount input section 211 by simply changing the ink amount preset and displayed in the ink amount input section 211 as appropriate. Furthermore, the control device 70 of this embodiment also presets and displays the color data included in the reference data in the color data input section 223. Therefore, when executing the ink amount estimation process, the user can easily input the color data taking into account the color data of the reference data into the color data input section 223 by changing the color data preset and displayed in the color data input section 223 as appropriate.

[0078] Next, the search process for approximate data (S26 to S30) will be described in detail. In the search process (S26 to S30), job data that matches the condition is searched for as approximate data from among a plurality of job data stored in database 72, under the condition that at least the color data in the job data meets the specification based on the target color set in S23.

[0079] In this embodiment, when the search button 251 (see Figs. 9 and 11) is operated by the user, the control device 70 causes the display device to display a search condition setting screen 300, as exemplified in Fig. 10. The user can specify search conditions for approximate data by operating the operation unit and inputting various instructions on the search condition setting screen 300. When search conditions are specified (S26: YES), the control device 70 sets the specified conditions as search conditions for approximate data (S27). When search conditions are not specified (S26: NO), it is determined whether or not an instruction to execute a search has been input (S28). When an instruction to execute a search has not been input (S28: NO), the processes of S26 to S28 are repeated.

[0080] A method for setting search conditions for approximate data in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 10, a search condition setting screen 300 displays a lens material setting section 301, a hue condition setting section 302, a hue angle condition setting section 303, a luminous transmittance condition setting section 304, a diopter condition setting section 305, a total ink amount condition setting section 306, a concentration condition setting section 307, a staining type condition setting section 308, a timing condition setting section 309, a search button 321, and a cancel button 322. The user can specify search conditions in a desired setting section among the multiple setting sections by checking a check box of a setting section that specifies a search condition among the check boxes attached to each setting section.

[0081] In the lens material setting unit 301, the lens material is specified as a search condition. In this embodiment, the database 72 stores a plurality of job data in a state in which the material of the lens dyed when each job data is created can be identified. When the lens material is specified in the lens material setting unit 301, the control device 70 searches for a plurality of approximation data on the condition that the job data is for the same material as the specified lens material. Even when the same color is dyed on the lens, different inks may be used if the lens materials are different. Also, even when the same ink is used to dye lenses of different materials, the dyeing condition may change depending on the material. In response to this, a process of generating an estimation formula (described in detail later) is executed based on the approximation data for the same material as the specified lens material, so that color information can be easily estimated appropriately depending on the material. Note that the lens material dyed when the reference data is created may be input as a preset in the lens material setting unit 301. In this case, approximation data for the same material as the lens material of the reference data can be more easily searched for.

[0082] In the hue condition setting unit 302, a range of hue is specified as a search condition. In the hue angle condition setting unit 303, a range of hue angle is specified as a search condition. In the luminous transmittance condition setting unit 304, a range of luminous transmittance is specified as a search condition. Hue, hue angle, and luminous transmittance are examples of methods for expressing color. The control device 70 searches for multiple pieces of approximate data under the condition that the job data is of a color within the range set in the setting units 302 to 304. In this embodiment, the hue, hue angle, and luminous transmittance of the target color set in S23 are preset and input to the setting units 302 to 304 as the median value of the range of the search condition. Therefore, multiple pieces of approximate data whose color data is close to the target color are easily and appropriately searched for.

[0083] Note that a specific method for searching for approximate data based on a target color can be selected as appropriate. In this embodiment, as described above, a color range is specified as a search condition, and job data of colors within the specified range is searched for as approximate data. However, for example, the search condition may be set so that a predetermined number of job data are searched for as approximate data in order of the closeness of the color data to the target color. Even in this case, approximate data close to the target color is appropriately searched for based on the target color.

[0084] In the diopter condition setting unit 305, the diopter range of the dyed lens is specified as a search condition. The control device 70 searches for multiple pieces of approximation data, with the condition that the data is for lenses with diopters within the range set in the diopter condition setting unit 305. Even if the type and amount of ink used are the same, if the diopter of the lens is different, the degree to which the lens is dyed may change. Therefore, by adding the diopter range to the search conditions, it becomes easier to search for approximation data with conditions close to those of the target dyeing process. As a result, it becomes easier to further improve the accuracy of the color information estimation process described later.

[0085] In the total ink amount condition setting unit 306, the range of the total amount of ink used when creating the job data is specified as a search condition. The control device 70 searches for multiple pieces of approximate data, with the condition that the data uses a total amount of ink within the range set in the total ink amount condition setting unit 306. If the total amount of ink used changes, the degree to which the dye is re-sublimated in the dye fixing process also changes, and the degree to which the lens is dyed is also likely to change. Therefore, by adding the range of the total ink amount to the search conditions, it becomes even easier to search for approximate data whose conditions are close to those of the target dyeing process. As a result, it becomes easier to further improve the accuracy of the color information estimation process described below.

[0086] In the density condition setting unit 307, the range of ink density when the job data was created is specified as a search condition. The control device 70 searches for multiple pieces of approximation data, with the condition that the data is of ink density within the range set in the density condition setting unit 307. When the ink density changes, the degree to which the lens is dyed may also change. Therefore, by adding the range of ink density to the search conditions, it becomes easier to search for approximation data whose conditions are close to those of the target dyeing process. As a result, it becomes easier to further improve the accuracy of the color information estimation process described below.

[0087] In the staining type condition setting section 308, a type of staining (in this embodiment, any one of full staining (F), gradation (G), and W color (W)) is specified as a search condition. The control device 70 searches for multiple pieces of approximate data on the condition that the type matches the type set in the staining type condition setting section 308. In addition, in the time condition setting section 309, a time range in which a process for creating job data (for example, at least one of a staining process and a data storage process) was performed is specified as a search condition. The control device 70 searches for multiple pieces of approximate data on the condition that the job data was created within the time range set in the time condition setting section 309. In addition, the search button 321 is operated by the user to execute a search process for approximate data based on the set search condition. The cancel button 322 is operated by the user when canceling the search process for approximate data.

[0088] Returning to the explanation of Fig. 8, when an instruction to execute a search process for approximate data is input by the user (S28: YES), the control device 70 searches for job data that matches the set search conditions (all search conditions if multiple search conditions are set) from among multiple job data stored in the database 72 as approximate data (S30). Note that in this embodiment, when multiple approximate data are searched, the number of searched approximate data is displayed on the search data number display section 260 (see Fig. 11). Therefore, the user can predict the accuracy of the estimation of color information by knowing the number of searched approximate data.

[0089] Next, the control device 70 generates an estimation equation indicating the correlation between the amount of ink printed on the substrate and the color data of the lens dyed by the substrate based on the multiple approximation data retrieved in S30 (S31). That is, according to the control device 70 of this embodiment, an estimation equation for estimating color information is generated based on job data including a set of ink amount data and color data in a dyeing process performed in the past. Therefore, the color information can be more accurately estimated in a state where the influence of changes in the degree of dyeing caused by individual differences in the printing device 30, the installation environment of the dyeing system 1, individual differences in the heating means for heating the lens in the dye fixing process, etc. is suppressed.

[0090] Furthermore, according to the control device 70 of this embodiment, an estimation formula for estimating color information is generated based on a plurality of job data (approximation data) whose color data meets the regulations based on the target color set in S23. When the dyeing process is performed multiple times, if the colors of the lenses to be dyed are similar, the amount of ink used (for example, the total amount of ink ejected per unit area and the mixed amount of multiple types of ink) will naturally be similar. If the amount of ink used is similar, the degree to which the lenses are dyed will also be easily approximated. Therefore, by generating an estimation formula based on a plurality of job data whose colors are similar, it becomes easier to estimate color information more accurately while suppressing the influence of changes in the degree of dyeing caused by changes in the amount of ink used. Note that in the vapor phase transfer dyeing method, if the amount of ink used changes, the degree to which the dye re-sublimes in the dye fixing process also changes. In contrast, according to the control device 70 of this embodiment, an estimation formula is generated based on a plurality of job data whose degrees of re-sublimation of the dye are also similar. Therefore, the technology disclosed herein is more useful when using the vapor phase transfer dyeing method in particular.

[0091] In addition, in S31 of this embodiment, an estimation formula is generated based on the provisional estimation formula generated in S6 (see FIG. 3) and the multiple approximate data retrieved in S30. As described above, the provisional estimation formula indicates the correlation between the ink amount and the color data when it is assumed that the dye does not fix poorly to the lens. When the dye does not fix poorly, it is possible to estimate color information using the provisional estimation formula. However, in an actual dyeing process, the degree of the dye fixation poor to the lens often changes depending on the color of the resin body to be dyed. Therefore, the approximate data retrieved according to the target color may be job data in which the dye fixation poorly occurs according to the color to be dyed. Therefore, when generating the estimation formula, the provisional estimation formula and the multiple approximate data retrieved are both referenced, and an estimation formula is generated that is based on the provisional estimation formula and appropriately takes into account the influence of the dye fixation poor according to the color to be dyed. As a result, the accuracy of color estimation is further improved. As an example, in this embodiment, an equation indicating the correlation between the color data obtained by the provisional estimation formula and the error of the color data of the retrieved approximate data is generated as the estimation formula. As a result, an estimation formula is generated that appropriately takes into account the effect of poor dye fixation depending on the dyeing color.

[0092] As described above, the database 72 stores a plurality of job data in a state in which the material of the lens dyed when each job data is created can be identified. In S30, a plurality of approximation data are searched from the plurality of job data, on the condition that the job data is for the same material as the specified lens material. As described above, even when the same color is dyed on the lens, different inks may be used if the lens material is different. Also, even when the same ink is used to dye lenses made of different materials, the dyeing condition may change depending on the material. In response to this, an estimation formula is generated based on approximation data for the same material as the specified lens material, and color information is estimated based on the generated estimation formula, making it easier to estimate color information appropriately depending on the material.

[0093] In detail, in S31 of this embodiment, the lens material of the provisional estimation job data referenced to generate the provisional estimation formula and the lens material of the multiple approximation data are all common. That is, the estimation formula is generated based on the provisional estimation formula for a specific lens material (e.g., the material for which color information is to be estimated) and the multiple approximation data. Therefore, it becomes easier to estimate color information appropriately according to the material.

[0094] Returning to the description of FIG. 8. When the estimation formula is generated in S31, the control device 70 judges whether or not an instruction has been input to estimate the color of the lens dyed when a planned amount of ink is printed on the base (i.e., the dyeing result) (S33). As shown in FIG. 11, when the user wants the control device 70 to estimate the dyeing result, the user inputs the ink amount in the ink amount input section 211 and operates the dyeing result estimation execution button 252. When an instruction to estimate the dyeing result is input (S33: YES), the control device 70 estimates the color (color data) of the lens dyed with the ink amount inputted in the ink amount input section 211 as color information based on the estimation formula generated in S31 (in this embodiment, the estimation formula for the material common to the material of the object of estimating color information) (S34). The estimation result of the color data in S34 is displayed on the first estimated color display section 221.

[0095] The control device 70 also determines whether an instruction to estimate the amount of ink required to be printed on the substrate to dye the lens to a desired color (i.e., the required ink amount) has been input (S36). As shown in FIG. 11, when the user wants the control device 70 to estimate the required ink amount, the user inputs color data of the desired color into the color data input unit 223 and operates the ink amount estimation execution button 253. When an instruction to estimate the required ink amount is input (S36: YES), the control device 70 estimates the amount of ink required to dye the lens to the color input into the color data input unit 223 as color information based on the estimation formula generated in S31 (in this embodiment, the estimation formula for the material common to the material for which color information is to be estimated) (S37). The estimation result of the color data by S37 is displayed on the estimated ink amount display unit 213. The control device 70 also estimates color data of the lens to be dyed when the ink of the ink amount displayed on the estimated ink amount display unit 213 is used based on the estimation formula generated in S31, and displays it on the second estimated color display unit 224.

[0096] As described above, the registered ink amount selection unit 254 is operated by the user to select the ink amount to be registered as a parameter to be used in the subsequent dyeing process from the ink amount inputted in the ink amount input unit 211 and the ink amount displayed in the estimated ink amount display unit 213. When an instruction to actually execute the dyeing process is inputted after the color information is estimated in S34 or S37, the control device 70 actually executes the dyeing process of the lens L based on the ink amount selected by the registered ink amount selection unit 254, and measures color data of the dyed lens by the color data measurement device 60. After that, when the registration button 254 is operated, the control device 70 newly generates job data including information on the ink amount used in the dyeing process and the color data measured by the color data measurement device 60, and stores (registers) the job data in the database 72. As a result, the number of samples of the job data increases, and the estimation accuracy of the color information executed thereafter is improved. When an instruction to end the process is inputted (S39: YES), the estimation process ends, and the process returns to the color information estimation process (see FIG. 3).

[0097] The techniques disclosed in the above embodiment are merely examples. Therefore, the techniques exemplified in the above embodiment can be modified. For example, only some of the techniques exemplified in the above embodiment can be adopted. As an example, in S31 (see FIG. 8) in the above embodiment, an estimation formula showing the correlation between the ink amount and the color data is generated based on a provisional estimation formula and a plurality of approximation data. However, it is also possible to generate an estimation formula based on a plurality of approximation data without using the provisional estimation formula. Even in this case, it becomes easier to estimate color information more accurately in a state where the influence of the change in the degree of dyeing caused by the change in the amount of ink used, etc. is suppressed. In addition, in cases where the influence of the yellowing of the lens in the dye fixing process is small, the provisional estimation job data may not include clear data. The provisional estimation job may be set according to an instruction input by the user (i.e., manually).

[0098] The process of setting a target color in S23 of FIG. 8 is an example of a "target color setting step." The processes of searching for multiple approximate data in S26 to S30 of FIG. 8 are an example of an "approximate data search step." The process of generating an estimated equation in S31 of FIG. 8 is an example of an "estimated equation generation step." The processes of estimating color information in S33 to S37 of FIG. 8 are an example of a "color information estimation step." The process of generating a provisional estimated equation in S6 of FIG. 3 is an example of a "provisional estimated equation generation step." The process of automatically setting a provisional estimation job in S11 of FIG. 6 is an example of a "provisional estimation process setting step." [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1. Dyeing system 30 Printing device 40 Transcription device 50 Dye fixing device 60 Color Data Measuring Instrument 70 Control device (color information estimation device) 71 Controller 72 Database

Claims

1. a printing step of printing the dye-containing ink onto a substrate using a printing device; a transfer step of transferring the dye contained in the ink to the resin body in a state where the resin body faces the substrate on which the ink has been printed; a dye fixing step of fixing the dye to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred; A color information estimation program executed by a color information estimation device that estimates color information, which is information about a color in a dyeing process of a resin body, including: A database stores a plurality of job data sets each including ink amount data, which is data on the amount of ink printed on a substrate in a dyeing process that has been performed in the past, and color data measured on a resin body dyed by the substrate; When the color information estimation program is executed by the control unit of the color estimation device, a target color setting step for setting a target color of the resin body; an approximate data search step of searching for a plurality of approximate data that are job data that meet a condition that color data meets at least a specification based on the set target color from among a plurality of job data stored in the database; an estimation formula generation step of generating an estimation formula indicating a correlation between the amount of ink printed on the substrate and color data of the resin body dyed by the substrate, based on the plurality of approximation data searched in the approximation data search step; a color information estimation step of estimating, as the color information, at least one of the amount of ink required to be printed on the base in order to dye the resin body in a target color, and the color of the resin body dyed when a predetermined amount of ink is printed on the base, using the estimation formula generated in the estimation formula generation step; a color information estimation program for causing the color information estimation device to execute the above steps;

2. 2. The color information estimation program according to claim 1, a provisional estimation formula generating step for generating a provisional estimation formula showing a correlation between the amount of ink printed on the substrate and the color data of the resin body dyed by the substrate, based on provisional estimation job data including a plurality of job data for dyeing processes for which it has been determined that poor fixation of the dye on the resin body has not occurred and which differ from each other in at least one of the type and amount of ink used; The color information estimation program is characterized in that, in the estimation formula generation step, the estimation formula is generated based on the provisional estimation formula and the plurality of approximate data.

3. 2. The color information estimation program according to claim 1, The database stores a plurality of pieces of job data in a state in which the material of the resin body dyed when each piece of job data is created can be identified, A color information estimation program characterized in that in the approximate data search step, multiple approximate data are searched for, provided that the approximate data is job data for the same material as the material of the specified resin body.

4. A printing process in which a dye-containing ink is printed on a substrate by a printing device; a transfer step of transferring the dye contained in the ink to the resin body in a state where the resin body faces the substrate on which the ink has been printed; a dye fixing step of fixing the dye to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred; A color information estimation device that estimates color information that is information about color in a dyeing process of a resin body, comprising: A database stores a plurality of job data sets each including ink amount data, which is data on the amount of ink printed on a substrate in a dyeing process that has been performed in the past, and color data measured on a resin body dyed by the substrate; a control unit of the color estimation device, a target color setting step for setting a target color of the resin body; an approximate data search step of searching for a plurality of approximate data that are job data that meet a condition that color data meets at least a specification based on the set target color from among a plurality of job data stored in the database; an estimation formula generation step of generating an estimation formula indicating a correlation between the amount of ink printed on the substrate and color data of the resin body dyed by the substrate, based on the plurality of approximation data searched in the approximation data search step; a color information estimation step of estimating, as the color information, at least one of the amount of ink required to be printed on the base in order to dye the resin body in a target color, and the color of the resin body dyed when a predetermined amount of ink is printed on the base, using the estimation formula generated in the estimation formula generation step; A color information estimation device characterized by executing the above.

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