Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device which forms a stereo image on a storage medium.SOLUTION: When stereo image data is included in input image data, an information processing device makes a stereo image formed on a storage medium on the basis of the stereo image data included in the input image data. When the stereo image data is not included in the input image data, the information processing device generates the stereo image data on the basis of the input image data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to techniques for forming stereoscopic images. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an image forming system that forms an image on a recording medium using color inks for image formation, such as cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink, and white ink for base formation. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a white or clear spot color image layer is generated based on a user input, and the generated spot color image layer is included in a print job. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-107198 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 generates white, clear, and metallic special color image layers, but does not consider forming a three-dimensional image on a recording medium.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to form a three-dimensional image on a recording medium. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the information processing device of the present invention is characterized by having: a control means for forming a stereoscopic image on a recording medium based on first stereoscopic image data included in the input image data when the input image data includes stereoscopic image data; and a generation means for generating second stereoscopic image data based on the input image data when the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a three-dimensional image can be formed on a recording medium. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image forming system. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a recording medium having a foam layer. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a process of generating stereoscopic image data based on color image data. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a process of generating stereoscopic image data based on white image data. [Figure 6] Flowchart showing a process for generating stereoscopic image data [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of a user interface [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a process of generating stereoscopic image data based on color image data. [Figure 9] Flowchart showing a process for generating stereoscopic image data DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Each embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not necessarily limit the present invention. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in each embodiment are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention.

[0010] [First embodiment] In this embodiment, a three-dimensional image is printed using a recording medium having a foam layer and foam-promoting ink. The foam-promoting ink is ejected from a print head onto the recording medium and penetrates into the foam layer of the recording medium. When the foam layer into which the foam-promoting ink has penetrated is heated, the foam material contained in the foam layer expands, forming convex portions. In this embodiment, the foam-promoting ink is colorless and does not affect the color of the color image even when used in combination with color ink, but the foam-promoting ink may also be colored.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image forming system 1 according to this embodiment. The image forming system 1 forms images on roll paper (continuous paper) P, which is a recording medium on which continuous images can be formed. The image forming system 1 is configured by connecting, from upstream along the transport direction of the roll paper P, a paper feeder 10, an image forming device 20, and a winding device 30. The paper feeder 10 supplies the roll paper P to the image forming device 20. The paper feeder 10 rotates the paper core of the roll paper P around a rotation axis 11, thereby transporting the roll paper P wound around the paper core toward the image forming device 20 at a constant speed via multiple rollers (e.g., transport rollers, paper feed rollers, etc.). The image forming device 20 controls the formation of images on the roll paper P supplied from the paper feeder 10. The image forming device 20 transports the roll paper P on which an image has been formed toward the winding device 30. The winding device 30 winds the roll paper P transported from the image forming device 20 into a roll around the paper core. 1, the roll paper P is held in a roll shape by being wound around a paper core of a rotating shaft 31. The winding device 30 rotates the roll paper P transported on the paper core around the rotating shaft 31, and the roll paper P passes through multiple rollers (e.g., transport rollers, paper discharge rollers, etc.) and is wound around the rotating shaft 31 at a constant speed as a roll paper product P'.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 20. The image forming apparatus 20 includes a paper transport unit 21, an image forming unit 22, a communication unit 23, a control unit 24, a storage unit 25, and an operation display unit 26. The paper transport unit 21 is a transport mechanism for the roll paper P in the image forming apparatus 20. The paper transport unit 21 transports the roll paper P transported from the paper feeder 10 to the image forming unit 22 using multiple rollers, and transports the roll paper P that has passed through the image forming unit 22 to the winding device 30. The image forming unit 22 forms an image on the roll paper P supplied from the paper feeder 10 based on print data corresponding to an output instruction from the user. The image forming unit 22 has print heads corresponding to four color inks: cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), a white ink for forming a base, and a foaming-promoting ink. The image forming unit 22 transports the roll paper P on which the image has been formed toward the winding device 30. The communication unit 23 is configured with a communication control card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card. The communication unit 23 transmits and receives various data to and from external devices (e.g., personal computers) connected to a communication network such as a LAN or WAN (Wide Area Network). The control unit 24 is configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The CPU of the control unit 24 reads various programs, such as system programs and processing programs, stored in the storage unit 25, loads them into the RAM, and executes various processes according to the loaded programs. The control unit 24 can perform image formation processing to execute an image formation job (hereinafter referred to as a job) in response to a user's instruction. The storage unit 25 is configured with a non-volatile semiconductor memory (flash memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. The storage unit 25 stores various programs, such as system programs and processing programs, executed by the control unit 24, and various data required to execute these programs. Note that although the image forming apparatus 20 in this embodiment functions as an information processing apparatus having the control unit 24, a separate information processing apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus 20 may also function as the control unit 24.

[0013] The operation display unit 26 is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touch panel and includes a display unit 26a and an operation unit 26b. The display unit 26a displays various information on the display screen in accordance with display control signals input from the control unit 24. The operation unit 26b includes various operation keys, such as a numeric keypad and a start key, accepts various input operations by the user, and outputs operation signals to the control unit 24. The operation display unit 26 is used, for example, to set divider information when executing a job. The divider information indicates the insertion position of a divider page to be inserted into the job in advance when the roll paper product P' that has undergone image formation processing needs to be sorted and delivered into multiple reels. The divider information is generated by the user arbitrarily setting conditions such as the number of prints, number of copies, print length, print weight, and print diameter.

[0014] Next, we will explain the operation of the image forming apparatus 20 when it performs image formation processing on roll paper P. First, a user creates job data in an external device, sets the job's print settings and the number of rolls to be delivered, and sends this information to the image forming apparatus 20 via a communications network. The control unit 24 of the image forming apparatus 20 receives the job data sent from the external device via the communications unit 23, as well as a job ticket containing the job's print settings information and the number of rolls to be delivered. The inspection unit 27 checks whether printing has been performed without ink ejection defects. A test pattern for ink ejection defects is printed and scanned by a scanner to check whether the printed image contains any areas with ink ejection defects. If ink ejection defects are detected, appropriate measures are taken, such as performing nozzle maintenance or stopping the image forming apparatus 20.

[0015] 3 is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of a recording medium with a foam layer used in this embodiment. An example of forming a convex shape on the surface of the recording medium will be described. A recording medium with a foam layer 300 has a substrate 310 and a foam layer 32 provided on the substrate 310, the foam layer 32 containing foam particles 33 that expand when heated.

[0016] The substrate 310 functions as a support for supporting the foam layer 32. The type of substrate is not particularly limited. For example, the substrate can be made of paper made from natural pulp, kenaf paper, plastic film sheets such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyester, synthetic fiber, synthetic pulp, or synthetic resin film made into imitation paper, so-called synthetic paper, or nonwoven fabric.

[0017] The foamed layer 32 is a layer provided on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the substrate 310, and contains foamed particles 33 and a binder resin 34. The foamed particles 33 are heat-expandable microcapsules having a capsule-shaped shell layer 35 containing a thermoplastic resin and a volatile material 36 encapsulated within this shell layer 35. When heat is applied to the foamed particles 33, the thermoplastic resin constituting the shell layer 35 softens and the volatile material 36 encapsulated within the shell layer 35 vaporizes, expanding the volume. This causes the foamed particles 33 to expand like a balloon.

[0018] Examples of thermoplastic resins contained in the shell layer 35 include polystyrene, styrene-acrylic acid ester copolymers, polyamide resins, polyacrylic acid esters, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, and polymethyl methacrylate. Other examples include vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile, methacrylic acid ester-acrylic acid copolymers, vinylidene chloride-acrylic acid copolymers, and vinylidene chloride-acrylic acid ester copolymers.

[0019] Examples of the volatile material 36 include low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons such as ethane, ethylene, propane, propene, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane, neopentane, n-hexane, heptane, and petroleum ether. Other examples include chlorofluorocarbons such as CCl3F, CCl2F2, CClF3, and CClF2-CClF2, and tetraalkylsilanes such as tetramethylsilane, trimethylethylsilane, trimethylisopropylsilane, and trimethyl-n-propylsilane. The volatile material 36 is preferably a hydrocarbon having a molecular weight of 120 or less. While there is no particular lower limit for the molecular weight of the volatile material 36, a molecular weight of 50 or more is preferred. The content of the expanded particles 33 in the foam layer 32 is preferably 5% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the foam layer 32.

[0020] The foam layer 32 contains a binder resin 34 to enhance adhesion to the substrate 310. The binder resin 34 plays an important role in preventing the foam layer 32 from peeling off from the substrate 310 when the foam particles 33 of the foam layer 32 are expanded by heat. The binder resin 34 containing a water-insoluble resin makes the binder resin 34 less likely to be dissolved by the water in the foam-promoting ink, thereby preventing a decrease in adhesion between the foam layer 32 and the substrate 310 due to the foam-promoting ink. For the same reason, even if a water-based ink containing water is applied to the recording medium, a decrease in adhesion between the foam layer 32 and the substrate 310 can be prevented. The water-insoluble resin used here is one that retains 95% or more by mass when immersed in 80°C water for two hours. The water-insoluble resin is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins and urethane resins. Furthermore, the water-insoluble resin is more preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins without ester groups and urethane resins without ester groups. The water-insoluble resin is preferably a non-water-absorbent resin. The content of the water-insoluble resin in the foam layer 32 is preferably 10% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the foam layer 32. The foam layer 32 may contain a water-soluble resin together with the water-insoluble resin, as long as the content is within a range that can prevent the foam layer 32 from peeling off from the substrate 310 when the expanded beads 33 of the foam layer 32 are expanded by heat. The glass transition temperature of the binder resin 34 is preferably -10°C or more and 30°C or less. By setting the glass transition temperature of the binder resin 34 within the above range, it is possible to prevent the binder resin 34 from interfering with the expansion of the expanded beads 33.

[0021] The mass ratio of the expanded beads 33 to the binder resin 34 is preferably expanded beads:binder resin = 5:95 to 90:10. By setting the mass ratio of the expanded beads 33 to the binder resin 34 within the above range, it is possible to improve both the expandability of the expanded beads 33 and the binding ability of the binder resin 34 to the substrate 310. The foam layer 32 may further contain components such as pigments, antioxidants, dyes, surfactants, etc., within the range that does not impair the expandability.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process for generating three-dimensional image data based on color image data. Data for the input color image 401 is vector data input via the communication unit 23. The data format of the input color image 401 is, for example, PDF format. The input image 401 contains color in a star-shaped region. A RIP (Raster Image Processor) processes the data for the input image 401 to generate data for a color image to be printed 402, which is raster data. The data format of the color image to be printed 402 is, for example, TIFF format or RAW format. Data for the three-dimensional image 403 is raster data generated based on the data for the color image to be printed 402, and is data that identifies the bubble region in the recording medium 300 with a foam layer by pixel values. In the three-dimensional image 403, foam-promoting ink is ejected into the star-shaped region. When generating data for the three-dimensional image 403, pixel values ​​of the three-dimensional image 403 are calculated based on pixel values ​​(CMYK values) of the color image to be printed 402. The pixel values ​​of the three-dimensional image 403 can be calculated using, for example, a known technique for converting a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional image so as to increase height information corresponding to areas with high brightness (low density). Alternatively, the pixel values ​​of the three-dimensional image 403 may be calculated so that a predetermined amount of foaming-accelerating ink is ejected onto areas of the printing color image 402 where the pixel value is not 0 and where color ink is to be ejected. The amount of foaming-accelerating ink ejected may be a fixed amount or may be an amount specified by the user via the operation unit 26b. The height of the convex portions in the three-dimensional image may be specified by the user via the operation unit 26b. The input color image 401 may be raster data. In this case, the pixel values ​​of the three-dimensional image 403 can be calculated based on the pixel values ​​of the input color image 401 without performing RIP.

[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates a process for generating stereoscopic image data based on white image data. The data for the input color image 501 and the input white image 502 is vector data input via the communication unit 23. The data format for the input color image 501 and the input white image 502 is, for example, PDF format. The input color image 501 and the input white image 502 may be included in a single PDF file or may be separated into separate PDFs. Raster data for a color image to be printed 503 is generated by RIP for the data for the input color image 501. Raster data for a white image to be printed 504 is generated by RIP for the data for the input white image 502. The data formats for the color image to be printed 503 and the white image to be printed 504 are, for example, TIFF format or RAW format. The data for the stereoscopic image 505 is raster data generated based on the data for the white image to be printed 504, and is data that identifies the foamed region in the recording medium with a foam layer 300 by pixel values. For example, the pixel values ​​of the white image to be printed 504 can be copied and used as the pixel values ​​of the stereoscopic image 403.

[0024] In the example of FIG. 5 , the input color image 501 includes the thin character "STAR," but the input white image 502 does not include the thin character. The reason why the white input image does not include thin characters or lines is to prevent misalignment between the position of the white ink background and the position of the thin characters or lines in color ink when the ink ejection accuracy is not high. In this way, data for the input white image 502 may be created so that the input white image 502 does not include thin characters or lines. By generating data for the three-dimensional image 403 based on data for a printing white image 504 that does not include thin characters or lines, the three-dimensional image 403 also does not include thin characters or lines. This makes it possible to prevent misalignment between the positions of the protrusions created by the foaming-accelerating ink and the positions of the thin characters or lines in color ink.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process for generating stereoscopic image data. The process shown in the flowchart in FIG. 6 starts when a user inputs an instruction via the operation unit 26b and the CPU of the control unit 24 accepts the input instruction. The user's instruction is, for example, performed by selecting a stereoscopic image formation mode or a recording medium for stereoscopic image formation. Hereinafter, each step (process) is represented by adding an S before its reference numeral. In S601, the control unit 24 acquires input image data input via the communication unit 23. In this embodiment, the input image data may be color image data, or may be both color image data and white image data. Alternatively, the input image data may include color image data and stereoscopic image data. In S602, the control unit 24 determines whether the input image data includes stereoscopic image data. If the input image data includes stereoscopic image data, the process proceeds to S611. If the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data, the process proceeds to S603.

[0026] In S603, the control unit 24 determines whether or not white image data is included in the input image data. If the input image data includes white image data, the process proceeds to S605; if the input image data does not include white image data, the process proceeds to S604. In S604, the control unit 24 displays a user interface (UI) on the display unit 26a for receiving an instruction as to whether or not to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data. FIG. 7(a) shows an example of the UI. A button 701 is a button for selecting to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data. A button 702 is a button for selecting to cancel stereoscopic image formation. A display image 703 is a preview image corresponding to the color image data. In S605, the control unit 24 displays a UI on the display unit 26a for receiving an instruction to select whether to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data, generate stereoscopic image data based on white image data, or not generate stereoscopic image data. FIG. 7(b) shows an example of the UI. A button 704 is a button for selecting to generate stereoscopic image data based on white image data. A display image 705 is a preview image corresponding to the white image data.

[0027] In S606, the control unit 24 determines whether an instruction to generate stereoscopic image data based on white image data has been accepted. If an instruction to generate stereoscopic image data based on white image data has been accepted, the process proceeds to S610; if an instruction to generate stereoscopic image data based on white image data has not been accepted, the process proceeds to S607. In S607, the control unit 24 determines whether an instruction to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data has been accepted. If an instruction to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data has been accepted, the process proceeds to S609; if an instruction to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data has not been accepted, the process proceeds to S608.

[0028] In S608, the control unit 24 determines to perform printing using only color image data, or color image data and white image data, without generating stereoscopic image data. In S609, the control unit 24 generates stereoscopic image data based on the color image data. In S610, the control unit 24 generates stereoscopic image data based on the white image data. The method of generating stereoscopic image data is as described above. In S611, the control unit 24 causes the image forming unit 22 to form an image on the recording medium. If the input image data includes stereoscopic image data or if stereoscopic image data has been generated, the stereoscopic image is formed on the recording medium in addition to the color image and the white image. If stereoscopic image data has not been generated, the color image and the white image are formed on the recording medium without forming a stereoscopic image.

[0029] According to the processing of the present embodiment described above, even if the input image data does not contain stereoscopic image data, stereoscopic image data can be generated based on the color image data and white image data contained in the input image data.

[0030] [Second embodiment] In this embodiment, when generating stereoscopic image data based on color image data, thin characters and lines are removed to generate the stereoscopic image data. Note that the configuration of the image forming system 1 in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The following mainly describes the differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment will be described using the same reference numerals.

[0031] 8 is a diagram showing a process for generating 3D image data based on color image data. Data for an input color image 801 and an input white image 802 is vector data input via the communication unit 23. Data for a color image to be printed 803, which is raster data, is generated by RIP for the data for the input color image 801. Data for a white image to be printed 804, which is raster data, is generated by RIP for the data for the input white image 802. Data for a 3D image 805 is generated based on a color image from which thin characters and lines have been removed. Thin characters and lines can be identified, for example, by known edge detection processing.

[0032] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing a process for generating stereoscopic image data. The process shown in the flowchart in Fig. 9 starts when a user inputs an instruction via the operation unit 26b and the CPU of the control unit 24 accepts the input instruction. In S901, the control unit 24 acquires input image data input via the communication unit 23. In S902, the control unit 24 determines whether or not the input image data includes stereoscopic image data. If the input image data includes stereoscopic image data, the process proceeds to S909; if the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data, the process proceeds to S903. In S903, the control unit 24 determines whether or not thin characters or lines are included in the color image. If thin characters or lines are included in the color image, the process proceeds to S904; if thin characters or lines are not included in the color image, the process proceeds to S906.

[0033] In S904, the control unit 24 determines whether or not the input image data includes white image data. If the input image data includes white image data, the process proceeds to S905; if the input image data does not include white image data, the process proceeds to S907. In S905, the control unit 24 determines whether or not the white image includes thin characters or lines. If the white image includes thin characters or lines, the process proceeds to S907; if the white image does not include thin characters or lines, the process proceeds to S908.

[0034] In S906, the control unit 24 generates stereoscopic image data based on the color image data. In S907, the control unit 24 removes thin characters and lines from the color image, and generates stereoscopic image data based on the color image data representing the color image from which the thin characters and lines have been removed. In S908, the control unit 24 generates stereoscopic image data based on the white image data. In S909, the control unit 24 causes the image forming unit 22 to form an image on the recording medium.

[0035] According to the process of the present embodiment described above, even if the input image data does not contain stereoscopic image data, stereoscopic image data can be generated based on the color image data and white image data contained in the input image data. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent misalignment between the positions of protrusions in the stereoscopic image and the positions of thin characters or lines drawn in color ink.

[0036] [Other embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, the user is allowed to select whether or not to generate stereoscopic image data via the UI, but the job information input via the communication unit 23 may also include information indicating whether or not to generate stereoscopic image data based on color image data or white image data.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the image forming device 20 is equipped with four color inks (CMYK), a white ink, and a foaming-promoting ink. However, the inks to be equipped are not limited to the above examples. For example, the image forming device 20 may be equipped with light-colored inks such as light cyan and light magenta, special color inks such as red and green, metallic inks such as gold and silver, clear ink, fluorescent ink, or a reaction liquid for fixing the ink to the recording medium. If the input image data includes special color image data, metallic image data, clear image data, or the like, the stereoscopic image data may be generated based on that image data.

[0038] While the image forming apparatus 20 in the above-described embodiment has a line-type print head configured to span the entire recording width of the recording medium, the print head is not limited to this example. For example, a serial-type print head may be used, which forms an image by reciprocating in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium transport direction and by transporting the recording medium. Furthermore, the recording medium is not limited to roll paper, and may be cut paper.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the stereoscopic image data is generated based on the entire color image or the entire white image, but the stereoscopic image data may be generated based on a partial region of the color image or a partial region of the white image. The partial region may be a region at a fixed position in advance, or may be a region designated by the user via the operation unit 26b. The stereoscopic image data may also be generated based on partial color information designated in the color image.

[0040] In the above-described embodiment, a three-dimensional image is formed using a foaming-promoting ink and a recording medium having a foam layer, but the method for forming a three-dimensional image is not limited to the above example. For example, a three-dimensional image may be formed using ink that hardens when exposed to light such as ultraviolet or visible light, or heat. Furthermore, the printing method may be an electrophotographic method rather than an inkjet method. Furthermore, the recording material used for printing may be toner rather than ink.

[0041] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1. Image forming system 20 Image forming device 24 Control Unit

Claims

1. a control means for forming a stereoscopic image on a recording medium based on first stereoscopic image data included in the input image data when the input image data includes stereoscopic image data; a generating means for generating second stereoscopic image data based on the input image data when the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data; An information processing device comprising:

2. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control means, when the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data, forms a stereoscopic image on a recording medium based on the generated second stereoscopic image data.

3. The image processing device further includes a determination unit for determining whether or not the input image data includes stereoscopic image data. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the generating means generates the second stereoscopic image data based on the input image data when the determining means determines that the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the generating means generates the second stereoscopic image data based on color image data included in the input image data.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the generating means generates the second stereoscopic image data based on white image data included in the input image data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the generating unit generates the second stereoscopic image data based on spot color image data, metallic image data, or clear image data included in the input image data.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the generating means generates the second stereoscopic image data based on color image data when the color image represented by the color image data included in the input image data does not include characters or lines.

8. The information processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, when the color image includes characters or lines, the generation means removes the characters or lines from the color image, and generates the second stereoscopic image data based on color image data indicating the color image from which the characters or lines have been removed.

9. The information processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that when the color image includes characters or lines and the white image indicated by the white image data included in the input image data does not include characters or lines, the generating means generates the second stereoscopic image data based on the white image data.

10. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes a forming means for forming a three-dimensional image using foaming-promoting ink and a recording medium containing a foaming material to form the three-dimensional image.

11. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes a forming means for forming a three-dimensional image by curing ink with light or heat to form the three-dimensional image.

12. A program for causing a computer to function as the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. a control step of forming a stereoscopic image on a recording medium based on first stereoscopic image data included in the input image data when the input image data includes stereoscopic image data; generating second stereoscopic image data based on the input image data when the input image data does not include stereoscopic image data; An information processing method comprising:

Images