Control method

Abstract

To provide a technology that allows a user to easily input information related to image quality abnormality.SOLUTION: A control method for specifying image quality abnormality generated by an image forming apparatus makes a display part display: a first screen including a plurality of images for printing indicated by print data to be imaged by the image forming apparatus and configured to receive, from a user, a first instruction including selection of a first image for printing corresponding to a sheet image in which image quality abnormality has occurred, from among the plurality of images for printing; a second screen configured to display the first image for printing and receive, from the user, a second instruction of indicating a specified region equivalent to a region including an image within the first image for printing corresponding to an image in which image quality abnormality has occurred in the sheet image; and a third screen configured to display the first image for printing and receive, from the user, a third instruction of indicating a superimposed position at which image quality abnormality is superimposed on the first image for printing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a control method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus, abnormalities may occur in the image quality printed on a sheet, such as the image being printed with misalignment. When such an image quality abnormality occurs, appropriate measures such as cleaning or part replacement are required according to the type of the image quality abnormality.

[0003] Generally, since the user is not familiar with image quality abnormalities, the user does not know what measures to take. Therefore, the user inquires with a service technician. However, when the user does not know the type of the image quality abnormality, the user cannot properly convey the image quality abnormality to the service technician. If the service technician cannot identify the type of the image quality abnormality, the service technician may not be able to visit the user with the parts necessary for dealing with the image quality abnormality. In that case, since the service technician needs to make a revisit, the service cost for the service technician increases. Also, for the user, the time until the image forming apparatus can be used increases uselessly.

[0004] Therefore, it is conceivable that the user sends the image in which the image quality abnormality has occurred to the service technician. In this case, although it is possible for the service technician to identify the type of the image quality abnormality, security problems may occur due to sending the image.

[0005] From such a background, several techniques for identifying the type of an image quality abnormality without sending the image in which the image quality abnormality has occurred to the service technician have been proposed. As such a technique, there is an image forming apparatus that shows a plurality of images of occurrence examples of image quality abnormalities and allows the user to select from them. Also, an image forming apparatus is known that allows the user to input the type of an image quality abnormality and the position information where the image quality abnormality has occurred.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-102843 Patent Document 2 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-223807 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] However, in the above-described technology, depending on the type of image quality abnormality, the user's input operation may become complicated.

[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a technology that enables a user to easily input information regarding an image quality abnormality. Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The image forming apparatus according to the embodiment includes an image forming unit, a display unit, a region specifying unit, a superimposition position specifying unit, and a transmission unit. The image forming unit forms a print image indicated by image data on a sheet. The display unit displays the print image. The region specifying unit causes a user to specify a region within the print image displayed by the display unit. The superimposition position specifying unit causes the user to specify a superimposition position for superimposing a same-shaped region having the same shape as the specified region specified by the region specifying unit on the print image. The transmission unit transmits user-specified information indicating the specified region and the superimposition position to a host device. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 3B

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Figure 4B

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 5C

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] In the image forming apparatus of the embodiment, a user can easily input information regarding image quality abnormalities. Hereinafter, the image forming apparatus of the embodiment will be described in detail.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a side view of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an image formation control unit 100 and a printer unit 18. The image formation control unit 100 controls the printer unit 18 and the like. The image formation control unit 100 controls the conveyance of a medium (hereinafter referred to as "sheet") in the printer unit 18. The control of the conveyance of the sheet is to control the conveyance timing of the sheet, the stop position of the sheet, the conveyance speed of the sheet, and the like.

[0013] The paper feed cassette 516 stores sheets. As the sheets, materials such as paper and plastic film are used, for example.

[0014] The printer unit 18 is an example of an image forming unit. The printer unit 18 performs an image forming operation. For example, the printer unit 18 forms an image indicated by image data on a sheet. In the following description, forming an image on a sheet is also expressed as printing. The printer unit 18 includes an intermediate transfer belt 21. The printer unit 18 supports the intermediate transfer belt 21 with a driven roller 41, a backup roller 40, and the like. The printer unit 18 rotates the intermediate transfer belt 21 in the direction of arrow m.

[0015] The printer unit 18 includes four sets of image forming stations 522, 622, 722, and 822. Each of the image forming stations 522, 622, 722, and 822 is for forming images of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black), respectively. The image forming stations 522, 622, 722, and 822 are arranged below the intermediate transfer belt 21 along the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 21.

[0016] Hereinafter, among the image forming stations 522, 622, 722, and 822, the Y (yellow) image forming station 522 will be described as an example. Note that since the image forming stations 622, 722, and 822 have the same configuration as the image forming station 522, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0017] The image forming station 522 includes a charging charger 26, an exposure scanning head 27, a developing device 28, and a photoreceptor cleaner 29. The charging charger 26, the exposure scanning head 27, the developing device 28, and the photoreceptor cleaner 29 are arranged around the photoreceptor drum 24 that rotates in the direction of arrow n.

[0018] The image forming station 522 includes a primary transfer roller 30. The primary transfer roller 30 faces the photoreceptor drum 24 via the intermediate transfer belt 21.

[0019] The image forming station 522 charges the photoreceptor drum 24 with the charging charger 26 and then exposes it with the exposure scanning head 27. The image forming station 522 forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum 24. The developing device 28 develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum 24 using a two-component developer formed of toner and carrier.

[0020] The primary transfer roller 30 primarily transfers the toner image formed on the photoreceptor drum 24 to the intermediate transfer belt 21. The image forming stations 522, 622, 722, and 822 form color toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 21 by the primary transfer roller 30. The color toner image is formed by sequentially overlapping toner images of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). The photoreceptor cleaner 29 removes the toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum 24 after the primary transfer.

[0021] The printer unit 18 includes a secondary transfer roller 32. The secondary transfer roller 32 faces the backup roller 40 via the intermediate transfer belt 21. The secondary transfer roller 32 collectively secondarily transfers the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 21 to the sheet. In the following description, when the term "toner image" is used, it may refer to either a color toner image or a toner image of only one color. The toner image may be a toner image using a decolorizing toner.

[0022] The conveyance path 533 is the conveyance path from the confluence portion 544 to the branching portion 644. The conveyance path 633 is the conveyance path that passes through the duplex printing device 38 and is the conveyance path from the branching portion 644 to the confluence portion 544. The conveyance path 733 is the conveyance path from the branching portion 644 to the paper discharge tray 20.

[0023] The leading edge of the sheet taken out from the paper feed cassette 516 or the manual feed tray 716 is abutted against the portion where the two registration rollers 31 that are stopped are in contact. The inclination of the sheet abutted against the registration rollers 31 is corrected. The image forming control unit 100 starts the rotation of the registration rollers 31 in accordance with the position of the toner image on the rotating intermediate transfer belt 21 and moves the sheet to the position of the secondary transfer roller 32. The image forming control unit 100 secondarily transfers the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 21 to the sheet by the secondary transfer roller 32. The image forming control unit 100 conveys the sheet to the conveyance path 533 and forms an image by fixing the toner image on the sheet by the fixing device 34. The image forming control unit 100 discharges the sheet by conveying the sheet with the formed image to the conveyance path 733.

[0024] In the case of double-sided printing, the image forming control unit 100 conveys the sheet with the image formed on the front surface to the conveyance path 733. After the entire sheet has passed through the branch portion 644, the image forming control unit 100 switches back and conveys the sheet to the conveyance path 633. Thereafter, the image forming control unit 100 conveys the sheet to the merging portion 544 via the conveyance path within the double-sided printing device 38, and conveys it to the conveyance path 533 via the registration roller 31. Then, the image forming control unit 100 forms an image on the back surface of the sheet by fixing the toner image with the fixing device 34. The image forming control unit 100 discharges the sheet by conveying the sheet with the image formed on the back surface to the conveyance path 733.

[0025] Before the image formed in the printer unit 18 is secondarily transferred at the secondary transfer roller 32, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 24 from the exposure scanning head 27. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 24 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 21 as a toner image. Further, the toner image primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 21 is secondarily transferred to the wireless tag sheet conveyed to the position of the registration roller 31.

[0026] Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment will be described.

[0027] In FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming control unit 100, a control panel 13, and a printer unit 18.

[0028] The control panel 13 includes an input key and a display unit. For example, the input key receives an input from the user. For example, the display unit is a touch panel type. The display unit receives an input from the user and performs a display to the user. For example, the control panel 13 displays items related to the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 on the display unit so that they can be set. The control panel 13 notifies the image forming control unit 100 of the items set by the user.

[0029] The image formation control unit 100 includes an arithmetic unit 51 and a storage device 52. The arithmetic unit 51 controls the control panel 13 and the printer unit 18 in accordance with an image processing program stored in the storage device 52.

[0030] The arithmetic unit 51 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like. The storage device 52 is a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or the like.

[0031] The communication unit 53 controls all communications of the image forming apparatus 10. For example, the communication unit 53 performs communication via a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The communication unit 53 receives print data (for example, data described in a page description language, etc.) indicating an image to be printed from a host such as a PC (Personal Computer), and stores the received print data in the storage device 52.

[0032] The image data expansion unit 54 determines print conditions from the print data received by the communication unit 53 and stored in the storage device 52, expands the data into printable data (for example, raster data, etc.) for the printer unit 18, and stores the data in the storage device 52.

[0033] The printer unit 18 includes the fixing devices 34 and 28, the secondary transfer roller 32, and the developing device 28 described above. Note that FIG. 2 shows only a part of the configuration of the printer unit 18 described in FIG. 1. The printer unit 18 forms an image on a sheet based on the data stored in the storage device 52 by the image data expansion unit 54.

[0034] Next, an example of image quality abnormality will be described. In the following description, the image printed by the printer unit 18 on the sheet is referred to as a print image. The image actually printed on the sheet is referred to as a sheet image. Specifically, the print image is the image indicated by the above-described print data.

[0035] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are diagrams showing an example of hot offset, which is one of the image quality abnormalities. Hot offset is an image quality abnormality in which the toner moves to the roller constituting the fixing device 34 and the image is soiled.

[0036] FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a print image. The print image includes an image 210. The image 210 is an image showing the character string "user print image". FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a sheet image in which hot offset has occurred. The sheet image includes an image 211 and an image 212.

[0037] The image 211 is an image in which a part of the "user print image" has moved to the roller constituting the fixing device 34 and is missing. The image 212 is an image in which the toner that has moved to the fixing device 34 has adhered to the latter half of the sheet that passes after the image 211 has passed through the fixing device 34. Thus, hot offset is an image quality abnormality in which the image adheres to a position shifted in the conveyance direction of the sheet on which the image is printed.

[0038] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams showing an example of ghost, which is one of the image quality abnormalities. Ghost is an image quality abnormality in which an electrostatic latent image indicating a print image remains on the photosensitive drum 24, and unevenness occurs in the image printed thereafter due to this electrostatic latent image. This unevenness is often seen when the image printed thereafter is a halftone image (lightened).

[0039] FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a print image. The print image includes an image 220 and an image 230. The image 220 is an image showing the character string "user print image". The image 230 is a diagram showing a solid image.

[0040] FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a sheet image in which ghosting has occurred. FIG. 4B includes an image 221 and an image 231. The image 221 has no abnormality and is printed as the image 220. On the other hand, in the image 232, the string "USER PRINT IMAGE" is printed unevenly. Thus, hot offset is an image quality abnormality in which unevenness occurs at a position shifted in the conveyance direction of the medium on which the image is printed.

[0041] Both hot offset and ghosting are image quality abnormalities in which an image reappears in its original size. Therefore, as in the prior art, it is troublesome and difficult for the user to input the image itself. Furthermore, even if the user simply specifies the position, the service person cannot be informed of what kind of abnormality it is.

[0042] Next, a user interface for the user to input information regarding the image quality abnormality will be described. In the description of this user interface, a sheet image in which ghosting has occurred will be taken as an example. FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are diagrams showing the screens displayed on the display unit of the control panel 13.

[0043] FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of a selection screen 250. The selection screen 250 is a screen for the user to select a print image corresponding to the sheet image in which the image quality abnormality has occurred. The image formation control unit 100 stores the print image in the storage device 52 every time printing is performed. In addition, the image formation control unit 100 stores, in the storage device 52, the image formation conditions at the time when the print image is printed, linked to the print image. The image formation conditions will be described later.

[0044] The print images are displayed on the selection screen 250 for each job. In the case of FIG. 5A, the print images in two jobs, job A and job B, are displayed. Note that "USER PRINT IMAGE" and "A", "B", etc. in the print images shown in FIG. 5A are not character strings, symbols, etc. for explanation, but are images printed on the sheet.

[0045] Job A is, as an example, a job in which four pages are printed. Printing images 251, 252, 253, and 254 show the printing images in Job A. Printing image 251 is the printing image showing the first page, printing image 252 is the printing image showing the second page, printing image 253 is the printing image showing the third page, and printing image 254 is the printing image showing the fourth page.

[0046] Job B is, as an example, a job in which one page is printed. Printing image 255 shows the printing image in Job B. Printing image 253 is the printing image showing the first page.

[0047] For printing images when the number of pages cannot fit on the selection screen 250 as in Job A, they can be displayed by horizontal scrolling by the user's operation. Also, the printing images of the job next to Job B can be displayed by vertical scrolling by the user's operation. The user selects the printing image corresponding to the sheet image with image quality abnormality on the selection screen 250.

[0048] When a printing image is selected, a region designation screen is displayed. FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an example of the region designation screen 260. The region designation screen 260 is a screen for allowing the user to designate a region within the printing image. The region here is a region including the image within the printing image corresponding to the image with image abnormality in the sheet image. In the following description, the image within the printing image corresponding to the image with image abnormality is expressed as the "abnormality source image".

[0049] As a method of specifying a region, there is a method in which the user traces on the display device with a finger or a stylus pen so as to include an abnormal source image. As described above, since the display device is provided with a touch panel, the image formation control unit 100 can acquire the locus traced with a finger or the like. The specified region is displayed like region 261 as shown in FIG. 5B. When the user completes the specification of the specified region, the user touches the specification completion button 262. Although it is desirable that the user specifies by drawing a closed curve, if the locus traced by the user is not a closed curve, the image formation control unit 100 interpolates between two end points at both ends of the locus with a straight line to form a closed curve.

[0050] When the specification completion button 262 is touched, a superimposition position specification screen is displayed. FIG. 5C is a diagram showing an example of the superimposition position specification screen 270. The superimposition position specification screen 270 is a screen for allowing the user to specify the superimposition position for superimposing a same-shaped region having the same shape as the specified region specified by the region specification screen 260 on the print image. The superimposition position specification screen 270 shown in FIG. 5C shows the superimposition position specification screen after the superimposition position has already been specified.

[0051] As a method of specifying the superimposition position, there are methods in which the user touches the superimposition position or drags the region 261 to the superimposition position. The user specifies the superimposition position where hot offset or ghost occurs. When the superimposition position is specified, the image formation control unit 100 displays the in-region image drawn in the specified region in the same-shaped region superimposed on the superimposition position. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5C, the abnormal source image is displayed on the print image.

[0052] The overlay position specification screen 270 can further specify color and transparency. The color is the color of the in-region image displayed in the region overlaid at the overlay position. That is, it is the color of the in-region image actually printed as a hot offset or a ghost. The user can select a color or choose not to select a color from the color selection button 272. As the color, the user can select any one of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), B (black), and W (white). When not selecting a color, the user selects "as is". In FIG. 5C, each of the colors YMCKW is selectable as an example, but any color can be selectable.

[0053] The transparency is the transparency of the in-region image displayed in the region overlaid at the overlay position. That is, it is the transparency of the in-region image actually printed as a hot offset or a ghost. The user can select either semi-transparent or opaque from the transparency button 273. In FIG. 5C, either semi-transparent or opaque is selectable as an example, but any selection method or specification method, such as specifying the transparency as a percentage (%), may be used. Note that the selection of color and the selection of transparency may be optional.

[0054] When the user specifies the overlay position, selects a color and a transparency, and touches the send button 274, user-specified information indicating the region specified on the region specification screen 260 and the overlay position specified on the overlay position specification screen 270 is sent to a server (not shown). The server is configured to be accessible by a service person. The service person can access the server to view the user-specified information.

[0055] The user-specified information includes, in addition to the region and the overlay position, the selected color (including "as is") and the transparency. Note that the selection of color and the selection of transparency may be optional. When no color or transparency is selected, the user-specified information includes information indicating no selection.

[0056] Furthermore, in addition to the user-specified information, condition information indicating the image forming conditions is also transmitted. In the present embodiment, examples of the image forming conditions include transfer temperature, life, primary transfer bias voltage, and printing direction. The transfer temperature is the temperature at which the toner image is fixed to the sheet by the fixing device 34. The life indicates the elapsed time or the number of rotations since the start of use of the photoreceptor drum 24. The primary transfer bias voltage indicates the voltage applied by the charging charger 26. The printing direction indicates the conveyance direction of the sheet when the printer unit 18 forms a print image on the sheet. These image forming conditions are merely examples and are not limited thereto.

[0057] From the above, the service technician can view the area, the overlapping position, the color, the transparency, and the image forming conditions. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen viewed by the service technician. This screen is a screen displayed on, for example, a PC (Personal Computer) or a smartphone.

[0058] In FIG. 6, the service technician viewing screen 300 is composed of a printing direction information 310, an area information 321, an abnormal image information 322, a deviation information 323, and various information columns 330. The printing direction information 310 indicates the printing direction among the image forming conditions by an arrow. The area information 321 indicates the area specified on the area designation screen 260. The area is indicated by a solid line.

[0059] The abnormal image information 322 indicates the overlapping position specified on the overlapping position designation screen 270. The abnormal image information 322 is displayed in the color selected by the color selection button 272 and the transparency selected by the transparency button 273. Also, the area overlapped with the overlapping position is indicated by a broken line. The deviation amount indicates the deviation amount (mm) of the area and the overlapping position with respect to the printing direction.

[0060] The various information columns 330 are columns that display the ID, user name, color, transparency, transfer temperature, life, and primary transfer bias voltage. The ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the image forming apparatus 10. The user name indicates the name of the user of the image forming apparatus 10. The color indicates the color selected by the color selection button 272. The transparency indicates the transparency selected by the transparency button 273. The transfer temperature, life, and primary transfer bias voltage are as described in the above-described image forming conditions.

[0061] By doing so, the service technician can obtain detailed information about the abnormality. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, although the area information 321 and the abnormal image information 322 are displayed for the service technician, since the content of the image is not displayed at all, security can be ensured. Note that the server or the image forming control unit 100 may have a function of estimating the component of the printer unit 18 that caused the image quality abnormality from the deviation amount, color, and transparency, and displaying it on the service technician browsing screen 300.

[0062] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the image forming apparatus 10. This processing is triggered by, for example, a user operation on the control panel 13. The image forming control unit 100 displays a selection screen (see FIG. 5A) (ACT101). When the selection of the print image is completed by the user (ACT102: YES), the image forming control unit 100 displays a region designation screen (see FIG. 5B) (ACT103). When the region is designated by the user (ACT104: YES), the image forming control unit 100 displays a superposition position designation screen (see FIG. 5C) (ACT105).

[0063] The image forming control unit 100 determines whether the selection of the color has been completed by the color selection button 272 (ACT106). If the selection of the color has not been completed (ACT106: NO), the image forming control unit 100 proceeds to ACT108. On the other hand, if the selection of the color has been completed (ACT106: YES), the image forming control unit 100 temporarily stores the information indicating the selected color in the storage device 52 (ACT107).

[0064] The image formation control unit 100 determines whether the selection of the transparency has been completed by the transparency button 273 (ACT108). If the selection of the transparency has not been completed (ACT108: NO), the image formation control unit 100 proceeds to ACT110. On the other hand, if the selection of the transparency has been completed (ACT108: YES), the image formation control unit 100 temporarily stores the information indicating the selected transparency in the storage device 52 (ACT109).

[0065] The image formation control unit 100 determines whether the designation of the overlapping position has been completed (ACT110). If the designation of the overlapping position has not been completed (ACT110: NO), the image formation control unit 100 proceeds to ACT112. On the other hand, if the designation of the overlapping position has been completed (ACT110: YES), the image formation control unit 100 temporarily stores the information indicating the designated overlapping position in the storage device 52 (ACT111).

[0066] The image formation control unit 100 determines whether the transmission button 274 has been touched (ACT112). If the transmission button 274 has not been touched (ACT112: NO), the image formation control unit 100 proceeds to ACT106. On the other hand, if the transmission button 274 has been touched (ACT112: YES), the image formation control unit 100 transmits the user-specified information and the image formation conditions (ACT113) and ends the process.

[0067] The image formation control unit 100 transmits the user-specified information to the above-described server with reference to the information stored in the storage device 52 in ACT107, 109, and 111. Further, the image formation control unit 100 transmits the image formation conditions with reference to the image formation conditions stored in the storage device 52 in association with the print image selected in ACT102.

[0068] In the above ACT107, the image formation control unit 100 stores the color, but if the display unit can perform color display, the area may be displayed in the selected color. In ACT108, the image formation control unit 100 stores the transparency, but the area may be displayed in the selected transparency.

[0069] The information indicating the area to be transmitted as user-specified information and the overlapping position may be, for example, image data indicating the area and the overlapping position. Or, it may be vector data of a closed line indicating the area and the overlapping position.

[0070] According to the embodiments described above, since the user only needs to specify the area and the overlapping position, the user can easily input information regarding image quality abnormality.

[0071] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0072] 10…, 13… control panel, 18… printer unit, 100… image formation control unit, 28… developing device, 32… secondary transfer roller, 34… fixing device, 51… arithmetic unit, 52… storage device, 53… communication unit, 54… image data expansion unit

Claims

1. A control method for identifying image quality abnormalities generated by an image forming apparatus, including a plurality of print images indicated by print data of an object to be formed by the image forming apparatus, and a first screen configured to receive a first instruction from a user including selection of a first print image corresponding to a sheet image in which an image quality abnormality has occurred from among the plurality of print images; a second screen configured to display the first print image and receive a second instruction from the user indicating a region designation corresponding to a region including an image within the first print image corresponding to the image in which the image quality abnormality has occurred in the sheet image; a third screen configured to display the first print image and receive a third instruction from the user indicating a superimposition position where the image quality abnormality is superimposed on the first print image; and a control method for displaying on a display unit.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the second screen is displayed on the display unit in response to receiving the first instruction on the first screen.

3. A control method for identifying image quality abnormalities generated by an image forming apparatus, displaying on a display unit a screen including a print image indicated by print data of an object to be formed by the image forming apparatus, wherein the screen is configured to receive an instruction from a user indicating a superimposition position where the image quality abnormality is superimposed on the print image.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein in response to receiving the instruction, an image in which the image quality abnormality is superimposed on the superimposition position is displayed on the display unit.

5. displaying on a display unit a screen including a plurality of print images indicated by print data of an object to be formed by the image forming apparatus, receiving a first instruction from a user including selection of a first print image from among the plurality of print images, receiving a second instruction from the user indicating a region designation in the first print image, and receiving a third instruction from the user indicating a superimposition position where an image quality abnormality corresponding to the region indicated by the second instruction is superimposed on the first print image.

Images