Printer

Abstract

To prevent printing of an unintended blank table.SOLUTION: A printer 1 printing based on printing data comprises: a first calculation part 21 calculating a printing amount of the printing data as a first printing amount; a generation part 22 generating rule-mark-deleted printing data removing rule marks from the printing data when the calculated first printing amount is more than a prescribed first threshold value; a second calculation part 23 calculating a printing amount of the rule-mark-deleted printing data generated by the generation part 22 as a second printing amount; and an image processing part 24 setting original printing data corresponding to the rule-mark-deleted printing data to be excluded from printing when the calculated second printing amount is less than a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing device that prevents unintentional printing of blank faces on a substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Inkjet printing devices that perform printing on a printing medium based on image data by inkjet printing are well known.

[0003] In such inkjet printing devices, there have been cases where the image data contains a page that is almost blank, such as a page number, and the printed image is almost meaningless.

[0004] Patent Document 1 proposes a printing machine that reduces paper waste by not printing a plurality of consecutive pages, including the final page, when the amount of printing on those pages is below a certain level. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-160655 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the technology shown in Patent Document 1 determines which pages are necessary and which are unnecessary based on the amount of printing per page. Therefore, there is a problem that a document in which an entire page of a blank table with only item names written in it is printed may be determined to have a sufficient amount of printing depending on the number of ruled lines, and may be printed.

[0007] At this time, the paper cannot be reused because it has already been sufficiently printed, which is to the user's detriment.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a printing device that prevents unintentional printing of blank tables. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the printing device according to the present invention is characterized by: A printing device that prints based on print data, a first calculation means for calculating a print amount of the print data as a first print amount; a generating means for generating ruled line deleted print data by removing the ruled lines from the print data when the calculated first print amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value; a second calculation means for calculating a print amount of the ruled line deletion print data generated by the generation means as a second print amount; an image processing means for excluding original print data corresponding to the ruled line deletion print data from being printed when the calculated second print amount is less than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value; The purpose of this study is to provide Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the features of the printing device of the present invention, unintentional printing of blank tables can be prevented. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a process performed by a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing processing contents in a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent parts and components are designated by the same or equivalent reference numerals throughout the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and may differ from the actual product. In addition, the drawings may include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0013] The embodiments described below are merely examples of devices for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention does not limit the arrangement of each component to that described below. Various modifications can be made to the technical idea of ​​the present invention within the scope of the claims.

[0014] 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a printing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the printing device 1 includes a print job receiving unit 10, a data processing unit 20, and an inkjet head control unit 30.

[0015] The print job receiving unit 10 receives a print job that has been generated using application software or the like in a computer or the like connected via a network (not shown).

[0016] The data processing unit 20 performs processing on the print data for each page included in the print job received by the print job receiving unit 10 so as to prevent printing of blank spaces unintended by the user, thereby generating output image data.

[0017] The inkjet head control unit 30 controls an inkjet head (not shown) based on the output image data output from the data processing unit 20 to perform printing.

[0018] The data processing unit 20 includes a first calculation unit 21, a generation unit 22, a second calculation unit 23, an image processing unit 24, and a storage unit 25.

[0019] The first calculation unit 21 calculates the print amount as a first print amount for each page of print data included in the print job received by the print job receiving unit 10. The print amount indicates the area to be printed within the printable range of the paper to be printed.

[0020] When the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21 is equal to or greater than a predetermined printing amount threshold for removal determination (first threshold), the generation unit 22 generates ruled line deletion print data in which ruled lines are removed from the print data that is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

[0021] The second calculation unit 23 calculates the print amount of the ruled line deletion print data generated by the generation unit 22 as the second print amount.

[0022] When the second printing amount calculated by the second calculation unit 23 is less than the printing amount threshold (second threshold) for determining removal of a specified page from which ruled lines have been removed, the image processing unit 24 excludes from printing the original printing data corresponding to the ruled line deletion printing data that is less than the second threshold.

[0023] The memory unit 25 is composed of a storage medium such as a hard disk drive, and stores a print amount threshold for determining removal (first threshold), a print amount threshold for determining removal of pages from which lines have been removed (second threshold), and a ruled line printing rate threshold indicating the threshold for the proportion of ruled lines.

[0024] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram that illustrates a schematic process performed by the printing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Print data G101 shown in FIG. 2 indicates print data in which the print amount before ruled lines are removed is "100". Print data G101 is an unnecessary page in which the table to be printed is almost blank, and is print data that the user has no intention of printing. Print data G102 indicates print data in which the print amount after ruled lines are removed is "10". It is assumed that memory unit 25 stores a print amount threshold for determining removal (first threshold) as "50", and a print amount threshold for determining removal of pages from which ruled lines have been removed (second threshold) as "20".

[0026] Since the printing amount of image G101 before removal of the lines, i.e., the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21, is "100", the generation unit 22 determines that the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21 is greater than or equal to "50", which is the printing amount threshold (first threshold) for removal determination.

[0027] The generating unit 22 then generates ruled line deleted print data G102 by removing the ruled lines from the print data G101 that is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

[0028] Since the printing amount of the generated line removal printing data G102, i.e., the second printing amount calculated by the second calculation unit 23, is "10", the image processing unit 24 determines that the second printing amount calculated by the second calculation unit 23 is less than "20", which is the printing amount threshold (second threshold) for determining removal of a specified line-removed page.

[0029] Therefore, the image processing unit 24 excludes the original print data G101 corresponding to the ruled line deletion print data G102, which is less than the second threshold, from the printing target.

[0030] Here, when the second printing amount calculated by the second calculation unit 23 is less than the printing amount threshold (second threshold) for determining removal of a specified page from which lines have been removed, the image processing unit 24 excludes the original printing data corresponding to the line deletion print data that is less than the second threshold from being printed, but this is not limited to the above.

[0031] For example, the image processing unit 24 may calculate the printing amount of the ruled lines by subtracting the second printing amount calculated by the second calculation unit 23 from the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21, calculate the ratio of the calculated printing amount of the ruled lines to the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21 as the ruled line printing rate, and if the ruled line printing rate is equal to or greater than a ruled line printing rate threshold, exclude the original printing data corresponding to the ruled line deletion printing data that is equal to or greater than the ruled line printing rate threshold from being printed.

[0032] For example, if the ruled line printing rate threshold is preset to "70" (%), in the example shown in Figure 2, the ruled line printing rate is "90" (%) [= (90 / 100) x 100)], so the image processing unit 24 may determine that the ruled line printing rate is equal to or greater than the ruled line printing rate threshold, and exclude from printing the original print data G101 corresponding to the ruled line deletion print data G102, which has a ruled line printing rate equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process performed by the printing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, in step S101, the print job receiving unit 10 receives a print job generated by using application software or the like in a computer or the like connected via a network (not shown).

[0035] In step S103, the first calculation unit 21 reads out, from the storage unit 25, the print amount threshold for removal determination (first threshold) and the print amount threshold for removal determination of the page from which the ruled lines have been removed (second threshold).

[0036] In step S105, the first calculation unit 21 calculates the print amount for one page of print data included in the print job received by the print job receiving unit 10 as a first print amount.

[0037] In step S107, the generation unit 22 determines whether or not the first print amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21 is less than a predetermined removal determination print amount threshold (first threshold).

[0038] If it is determined that the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21 is less than a predetermined printing amount threshold for removal determination (first threshold) (step S107; YES), in step S115, the image processing unit 24 excludes the printing data of the corresponding page that is determined to be less than the printing amount threshold for removal determination (first threshold) from the printing job.

[0039] On the other hand, if it is determined that the first printing amount calculated by the first calculation unit 21 is equal to or greater than a predetermined printing amount threshold for removal judgment (first threshold) (step S107; NO), in step S109, the generation unit 22 generates line-removed printing data in which lines are removed from the printing data that is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

[0040] In step S111, the second calculation unit 23 calculates the print amount of the page from which the ruled lines have been removed, that is, the print amount of the ruled line deletion print data generated by the generation unit 22, as the second print amount.

[0041] In step S113, image processing unit 24 determines whether the print amount of the page from which ruled lines have been removed (the second print amount calculated by second calculation unit 23) is less than a print amount threshold for determining removal of a predetermined page from which ruled lines have been removed (second threshold).

[0042] If it is determined that the print volume threshold for removal determination (second threshold) is exceeded (step S113; NO), then in step S114, the page determined to be above the print volume threshold for removal determination (second threshold), i.e., the original print data corresponding to the line deletion print data, is printed.

[0043] On the other hand, if it is determined that the print volume threshold for removal determination (second threshold) is less than this (step S113; YES), then in step S115, the image processing unit 24 excludes the page determined to be less than the print volume threshold for removal determination (first threshold), i.e., the original print data corresponding to the line deletion print data, from printing.

[0044] In step S116, it is determined whether the print job has a next page. If there is a next page (step S116; YES), the process proceeds to step S105. If there is no next page (step S116; NO), the process proceeds to step S117.

[0045] In step S117, the inkjet head control unit 30 controls the inkjet head (not shown) based on the output image data output from the data processing unit 20 to perform printing. (Additional Note) This application discloses the following inventions. (Appendix 1) A printing device that prints based on print data, a first calculation means for calculating a print amount of the print data as a first print amount; a generating means for generating ruled line deleted print data by removing the ruled lines from the print data when the calculated first print amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value; a second calculation means for calculating a print amount of the ruled line deletion print data generated by the generation means as a second print amount; an image processing means for excluding original print data corresponding to the ruled line deletion print data from being printed when the calculated second print amount is less than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value; A printing device comprising:

[0046] This allows the page to be checked using the print amount ignoring the lines, thereby preventing unintentional printing of blank tables. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 Printing device 10 Print job receiving section 20 Data Processing Section 21 First Calculation Section 22 Generation part 23 Second Calculation Section 24 Image Processing Section 25 Memory section 30 Inkjet head control unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A printing device that prints based on print data, a first calculation means for calculating a print amount of the print data as a first print amount; a generating unit configured to generate ruled line deleted print data by removing the ruled lines from the print data when the calculated first print amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value; a second calculation means for calculating a print amount of the ruled line deletion print data generated by the generation means as a second print amount; an image processing means for excluding original print data corresponding to the ruled line deletion print data from being printed when the calculated second print amount is less than a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value; A printing device comprising:

Images