Printing device, control method thereof, and program

Abstract

To provide a printer which can improve color calibration of an image.SOLUTION: A printer 10 comprises: a head 20 which has a nozzle 21 for discharging ink and prints an image E having a plurality of pixels e on a printing medium A with ink based on image data; an input device 14 which can designate the pixel of the image; and a control device 50. The control device executes a determination operation of determining the priority of a designated color being a color of the designated pixel on the basis of information on the designated pixel e1 designated by the input device, a decision operation of deciding a condition of one of the number, the size, as well as the number and the size of a designated patch c being a patch of the designated color according to the priority determined by the determination operation, and a printing operation of printing a patch chart including the designated patch according to the condition on the printing medium.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a conventional printing device is the image processing device described in Patent Document 1. This image processing device prints a plurality of predetermined color patches on a printing medium, measures the printed color patches, and obtains a plurality of colorimetric values. The image processing device then extracts a color patch from the plurality of colorimetric values ​​that has a colorimetric value close to the color of a pixel in the image data to be printed, and converts the color of the image data to be printed based on the colorimetric value of the extracted color patch. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-198079 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the image processing device, the colors of the image data to be printed are calibrated based on the colorimetric values ​​of predetermined color patches. However, there is a risk that the predetermined color patches may not be able to perform appropriate color calibration of the image according to the user's intentions.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that can improve color proofing of an image, a control method thereof, and a program. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A printing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a head having nozzles that eject ink and that prints an image having multiple pixels onto a printing medium using ink based on image data, an input device that can specify pixels of the image, and a control device, wherein the control device performs a determination operation that determines the priority of a designated color, which is the color of a designated pixel, based on information about the designated pixel specified by the input device, a determination operation that determines one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of designated patches, which are patches of the designated color, in accordance with the priority determined by the determination operation, and a printing operation that prints a patch chart including the designated patches in accordance with the condition onto the printing medium.

[0007] A control method for a printing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a control method for a printing device that includes a head that includes nozzles that eject ink and prints an image having multiple pixels onto a printing medium using ink based on image data, and an input device that can specify pixels of the image, and that executes the following operations: a determination operation that determines the priority of a designated color, which is the color of a designated pixel, based on information about the designated pixel specified by the input device; a determination operation that determines one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of designated patches, which are patches of the designated color, in accordance with the priority determined by the determination operation; and a printing operation that prints a patch chart including the designated patches in accordance with the condition onto the printing medium.

[0008] A program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer of a printing device having a head including nozzles that eject ink and that prints an image having multiple pixels onto a printing medium using ink based on image data, and an input device that can specify pixels of the image, to perform the following: a determination operation that determines the priority of a designated color, which is the color of a designated pixel, based on information about the designated pixel specified by the input device; a determination operation that determines one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of designated patches, which are patches of the designated color, in accordance with the priority determined by the determination operation; and a printing operation that prints a patch chart including the designated patches in accordance with the condition onto the printing medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing device that can improve color proofing of an image, a control method thereof, and a program.

[0010] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a printing device according to an embodiment and a modification of the present invention, as viewed from above. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the printing device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method for a printing device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the adding operation. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display device on which an image is displayed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the designated pixel list. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display device on which an image is displayed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a top view of a print medium on which a patch chart according to an embodiment is printed. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a top view of a print medium on which a patch chart has been printed by a printing device according to the second modification. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a top view of a print medium on which a patch chart has been printed by a printing device according to the third modification. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a top view of a print medium on which a patch chart has been printed by a printing device according to the fourth modification. [Figure 12]12(a) to 12(c) are diagrams for explaining the operation of calculating the total number of surrounding pixels by a printing device according to Modification 5. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] <Printing device configuration> 1 and 2, a printing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device that ejects ink from nozzles 21 of a head 20 onto a printing medium A and prints an image E on the printing medium A using the ink. Below, an example in which the printing device 10 is applied to an inkjet printer will be described, but the printing device 10 is not limited to this. The printing medium A is, for example, a sheet of paper, cloth, or the like.

[0013] The printing device 10 is a serial head type and includes a head 20, a platen 11, a tank 12, a display device 13, an input device 14, a colorimeter 15, a transport device 30, a scanning device 40, and a control device 50. The first direction in which the print medium A is transported by the transport device 30 is referred to as the front-to-rear direction. The second direction in which the head 20 is moved by the scanning device 40 is referred to as the left-to-right direction. The direction intersecting (e.g., perpendicular to) the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions is referred to as the up-to-down direction. However, the arrangement of the printing device 10 is not limited to this. The printing device 10 may also be a line head type. In this case, the printing device 10 does not include a scanning device 40, and the head 20 does not move and has a dimension in the left-to-right direction that is longer than the length of the print medium A.

[0014] The head 20 has multiple nozzles 21 and multiple drive elements 24, and the nozzles 21 open to the bottom surface of the head 20. The drive elements 24 are piezoelectric elements, heating elements, electrostatic actuators, etc., and are provided for each nozzle 21. They apply pressure to the ink to eject it from the nozzle 21. The platen 11 has a flat upper surface and defines the distance between the print medium A placed on that upper surface and the bottom surface of the head 20 provided opposite it. The number of tanks 12 is the same as the number of ink colors, for example, four. The four tanks 12 store cyan ink, yellow ink, magenta ink, and black ink, respectively. Each tank 12 is connected to the head 20 by a tube 12a and supplies ink to the nozzles 21 of the head 20 via the tube 12a.

[0015] The transport device 30 has, for example, two transport rollers 31 and a transport motor 32. The two transport rollers 31 are arranged in the front-to-rear direction with the platen 11 sandwiched between them. The transport roller 31 has a shaft extending in the left-to-right direction and is connected to the transport motor 32. The transport roller 31 rotates about the shaft when driven by the transport motor 32, transporting the printing medium A in the front-to-rear direction on the platen 11.

[0016] The scanning device 40 has a carriage 41, two guide rails 42, a scanning motor 43, and an endless belt 44. The carriage 41 carries the head 20 and is supported by the two guide rails 42 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The two guide rails 42 extend in the left-right direction above the platen 11 so as to sandwich the head 20 between them in the front-to-rear direction. The endless belt 44 extends in the left-right direction and is attached to the carriage 41, and is also attached to the scanning motor 43 via a pulley 45. When the scanning motor 43 is driven, the endless belt 44 runs, and the carriage 41 moves back and forth in the left-right direction along the guide rails 42. As a result, the carriage 41 moves the head 20 in the left-right direction.

[0017] <Control devices, display devices, input devices, colorimeters> As shown in Fig. 2, the control device 50 is, for example, a computer and includes an interface 51, a calculation unit 52, and a storage unit 53. The interface 51 receives various data, such as image data and target color data, from external devices such as a computer, a camera, a communication network, a recording medium, a display, and a printer. The image data is, for example, raster data representing an image E to be printed on a print medium A. The control device 50 may be configured as a single device, or may be configured as multiple devices distributed in a distributed arrangement that work together to perform the operations of the printing device 10.

[0018] The storage unit 53 is a memory accessible from the calculation unit 52 and includes a RAM and a ROM. The RAM temporarily stores various data such as image data and data converted by the calculation unit 52. The ROM stores programs for performing various data processing, predetermined data, and the like. The programs may be stored in an external storage medium different from the storage unit 53 and accessible from the calculation unit 52, such as a CD-ROM.

[0019] The calculation unit 52 includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU or a circuit such as an integrated circuit such as an ASIC. The calculation unit 52 controls each unit by executing a program and performs various operations such as printing. Details of the various operations will be described later.

[0020] Such a control device 50 is electrically connected to the display device 13, the input device 14, and the colorimeter 15. The display device 13 is, for example, a display, and displays the image E to be printed by the printing operation under the control of the control device 50. The input device 14 is, for example, a button, a mouse, or the like, and is operated by a user to input data to the control device 50. The input device 14 may be a touch panel integrated with the display device 13. The input device 14 may be an interface 51 into which information is input from outside. The colorimeter 15 is, for example, a spectrophotometer, and measures the color of the image E on the printing medium A and inputs the measured color to the control device 50.

[0021] The control device 50 is also electrically connected to the transport motor 32 of the transport device 30 via the transport drive circuit 33, and controls the driving of the transport motor 32. This controls the transport of the print medium A by the transport device 30. The control device 50 is also electrically connected to the scan motor 43 of the scanning device 40 via the scan drive circuit 46, and controls the driving of the scan motor 43. This controls the movement of the head 20 by the scanning device 40.

[0022] The control device 50 is also electrically connected to the drive elements 24 via the head drive circuit 25. The control device 50 outputs a control signal for the drive elements 24 to the head drive circuit 25, and the head drive circuit 25 generates a drive signal based on the control signal and outputs it to the drive elements 24. The drive elements 24 are driven in response to the drive signal, causing ink to be ejected from the nozzles 21.

[0023] <Printing operation> In this printing device 10, the control device 50 acquires image data and executes a printing operation based on the image data. For example, the control device 50 ejects ink from the head 20 onto the printing medium A while moving the head 20 to the right or left. The control device 50 then transports the printing medium A forward. In this way, the printing device 10 alternately repeats the movement of the head 20, the ejection of ink, and the transportation of the printing medium A, to proceed with the printing operation of printing an image E on the printing medium A with ink.

[0024] <Printing device control method> The control method for the printing device 10 is executed by the control device 50, for example, in accordance with the flowchart showing an example of the control method in Fig. 3. Here, the control device 50 acquires patch information (step S1). The patch information may be input to the control device 50 via the input device 14, the interface 51, or the like. Alternatively, the patch information may be predetermined and acquired from the storage unit 53, or the like.

[0025] The patch information also includes, for example, the size of the patch to be printed. The patch is a color chart for color proofing, has a predetermined shape such as a rectangle, and includes, for example, a predetermined patch bn and a designated patch c. The size of the predetermined patch bn is a size that allows color measurement by the colorimeter 15, and may be determined in advance according to the resolution of the colorimeter 15. The size of the designated patch c is determined by a determination operation described below.

[0026] Next, the control device 50 acquires the predetermined colors, which are the colors of the predetermined patch group B (step S2). The predetermined patch group B includes multiple types of predetermined patches bn. The predetermined colors, which are the colors of the predetermined patches bn, are determined in advance in a color list, and the color list is stored in the storage unit 53. The predetermined colors are colors that represent the color gamut, which is the range of colors that can be printed by the printing device 10, in stages, and have color values ​​such as device-dependent color coordinates, for example, RGB values ​​in an RGB color space. For example, the predetermined colors are colors in the color gamut of the printing device 10, such as RGB values ​​(0, 0, 0) to RGB values ​​(255, 255, 255), in predetermined increments, for example, 32 increments, and are expressed as (256 / 32+1). 3 In this case, n is a natural number from 1 to 729 in the predetermined patch bn, and the predetermined patch group B has 729 types of predetermined patches bn, that is, predetermined patch b1 to predetermined patch b729.

[0027] For example, 729 predetermined colors are provided for each color difference of a predetermined threshold. The color difference between the multiple predetermined colors is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold. The smallest color difference between two predetermined colors is equal to the predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is a value greater than 0, and the 729 predetermined colors are different from one another. Color difference is the difference between one color value and another color value. For example, color difference is expressed as the inter-color distance, which is the distance between two color coordinates when RGB values ​​are expressed as color coordinates in an RGB color space formed by a linear three-dimensional space of R, G, and B axes. The greater the color difference between two colors, the greater the inter-color distance between the two RGB values, making it easier to distinguish between the two colors.

[0028] Next, the control device 50 executes an adding operation to add to the color list the designated color, which is the color of the designated patch group C (step S3). The designated patch group C includes multiple types of designated patches c, and the designated patches c are patches corresponding to the designated pixel e1 described below.

[0029] This adding operation is performed in accordance with the flowchart showing an example of the adding operation in FIG. 4. Here, the control device 50 performs an acquiring operation to acquire information on a designated pixel e1 designated by the input device 14 (step S10). For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the control device 50 acquires image data of an image E and displays the image E on the display device 13. The image E has a plurality of pixels e divided per unit area. The plurality of pixels e are aligned in the x direction and the y direction intersecting (for example, perpendicular to) the x direction on the display device 13 to form the image E.

[0030] The user specifies one or more pixels e to be used for color calibration in the image E displayed on the display device 13 using the input device 14. The control device 50 acquires the position on the display device 13 specified by the input device 14. The control device 50 designates the pixel e corresponding to this specified position as a designated pixel e1, and acquires its position in the x and y directions, and the color value, such as the RGB value, of the designated color of the designated pixel e1 from the image data. The control device 50 adds the position and color value of the designated pixel e1 to the designated pixel list of FIG. 6 as information about the designated pixel e1, and stores the designated pixel list in the storage unit 53. The position of the pixel e may be represented by the x-rank of the pixels e arranged in the x-direction and the y-rank of the pixels e arranged in the y-direction from a predetermined position in the image E, or by the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate based on a predetermined position in the image E or the display device 13.

[0031] Furthermore, since it is believed that a user will designate pixels e in order of their most noticeable interest, the earlier a pixel e is designated, the more important the pixel e is likely to be. Therefore, the control device 50 is configured to determine that the earlier a pixel e is designated, the higher the user's priority. For example, the control device 50 counts the designation order, which is the order in which the pixel e is designated, and adds the designation order, along with the position and color value of the designated pixel e1, as information about the designated pixel e1 to the designated pixel list of FIG. 6. Then, each time a pixel e is designated by the input device 14, the control device 50 adds the information about the pixel e corresponding to the designated position as the designated pixel e1 to the designated pixel list of FIG. 6 in order, and stores the designated pixel list in the storage unit 53. Here, the designated pixel e1 No. 1 has the designation order 1, the designated pixel e1 No. 2 has the designation order 2, the designated pixel e1 No. 3 has the designation order 3, and the designated pixel e1 No. 4 has the designation order 4.

[0032] The control device 50 then extracts, from among all pixels e in image E, pixels e that have the same color value as the designated color of the designated pixel e1 based on the image data. The control device 50 obtains the number of pixels e as the number of pixels of the designated color and adds the number of pixels to the designated pixel list of FIG. 6 as information on the designated pixel e1. The control device 50 then ranks the pixels in descending order of pixel count. In this way, the more pixels e in the image data that have the same color as the designated pixel e1, the higher the ranking of the number of pixels of the designated color. In the example of FIG. 6, the first designated color, which is the designated color No. 1, has 160 pixels and is ranked second. The second designated color, which is the designated color No. 2, has 10 pixels and is ranked fourth. The third designated color, which is the designated color No. 3, has 300 pixels and is ranked first. The fourth designated color, which is the designated color No. 4, has 20 pixels and is ranked third.

[0033] The control device 50 also obtains the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3 of the designated pixel e1 from among all pixels e in image E based on the image data, and adds this total number to the designated pixel list of FIG. 6 as information about the designated pixel e1. The greater the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3 of the designated pixel e1, the greater the impact on the user's impression of the image E. If the most influential parts can be made to match the user's intentions, the control device 50 can rank the pixels in descending order of total number, as follows: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. The surrounding pixels e2 and e3 are the number of pixels e located around the designated pixel e1 in image E, whose color difference from the designated color of the designated pixel e1 is less than a threshold. Note that because the area of ​​each pixel e is predetermined, the area of ​​the surrounding pixels e2 and e3 may be used as information about the designated pixel e1 instead of the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the pixels e located around the designated pixel e1 include a first surrounding pixel e2 that is adjacent to the designated pixel e1 in image E, and a second surrounding pixel e3 that is adjacent to the designated pixel e1 via a pixel e in image E whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold. In other words, there is no other pixel e between the designated pixel e1 and the first surrounding pixel e2. Furthermore, there is no pixel e between the designated pixel e1 and the second surrounding pixel e3 whose color difference from the designated color is greater than or equal to the threshold. There is at least one pixel e between the designated pixel e1 and the second surrounding pixel e3 whose color difference from the designated color is less than the threshold.

[0035] Here, the control device 50 obtains from the image data the color value and position of pixel e in image E, corresponding to each other. The control device 50 obtains the color difference between the color value of pixel e and the designated color of designated pixel e1. As shown in FIG. 7, the control device 50 searches image E for pixels e whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold, and extracts regions of pixels e of those colors, for example, four regions F1, F2, F3, and F4, from image E. Each region is a closed space containing one or more pixels e, and the color value of the pixel e is close to the designated color because the color difference from the color value of the designated color is less than a threshold. In a region containing multiple pixels e, two pixels e are adjacent to each other in the x or y direction. The control device 50 then obtains region F3, which contains the designated pixel e1, from the four regions F1, F2, F3, and F4. The region F3 has a first surrounding pixel e2 and a second surrounding pixel e3 that are located around the designated pixel e1 and have a color whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold value.

[0036] In this way, the control device 50 obtains the number of first surrounding pixels e2 and the number of second surrounding pixels e3 for the four types of designated pixels e1, No. 1 to No. 4, and obtains their total numbers. In the example of Figure 6, the designated pixel e1, No. 1, has a total number of 10 and is ranked fourth. The designated pixel e1, No. 2, has a total number of 28 and is ranked second. The designated pixel e1, No. 3, has a total number of 35 and is ranked first. The designated pixel e1, No. 4, has a total number of 24 and is ranked third.

[0037] Next, the control device 50 executes a determination operation (step S11). In the determination operation, the control device 50 determines the priority of the designated color of the designated pixel e1 based on the information of the designated pixel e1 designated by the input device 14. For example, the control device 50 assigns the priority based on at least one of the order in which the designated pixel e1 was designated, the ranking of the number of pixels of the designated color, and the ranking of the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3. The control device 50 adds the priority to the designated pixel list as information of the designated pixel e1 and stores it in the memory unit 53.

[0038] In the example of FIG. 6 , the control device 50 calculates the sum of the designated pixel e1's order of designation, number of pixels, and total number, and assigns a higher total rank to the smaller total, and a higher priority to the larger total. That is, the designated pixel e1 with the highest total rank, number 1, has the highest priority. In this case, the total value of the designated pixel e1 No. 1 is 7, which is the sum of 1 for the designated order, 2 for the number of pixels, and 4 for the total. Since the total rank based on this total is second, the priority is second. The designated pixel e1 No. 2 has a total value of 8, which is third, and therefore has third priority. The designated pixel e1 No. 3 has a total value of 5, which is first, and therefore has first priority. The designated pixel e1 No. 4 has a total value of 10, which is fourth, and therefore has fourth priority.

[0039] Next, the control device 50 executes a determination operation (step S12). In the determination operation, the control device 50 determines one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of the designated patches c in the patch chart D according to the priority determined in the determination operation.

[0040] Here, the higher the priority of the designated color of the designated pixel e1, the greater the number of designated patches c of that designated color. In this case, the size of each designated patch c may be, for example, a predetermined size similar to that of the predetermined patch bn. Furthermore, the higher the priority of the designated color of the designated pixel e1, the larger the size of each designated patch c of that designated color. In this case, the numbers of multiple types of designated patches c may be the same. Furthermore, the higher the priority of the designated color of the designated pixel e1, the greater the number of designated patches c of that designated color and the larger the size of each designated patch c. In this way, the higher the priority of the designated color, the greater the total area of ​​the designated patches c of that designated color.

[0041] 6, for the designated patches c No. 1 to No. 4, the control device 50 determines the proportion of the number or size according to the priority. The designated patch c of the first designated color No. 1 is the first designated patch c1, the designated patch c of the second designated color No. 2 is the second designated patch c2, the designated patch c of the third designated color No. 3 is the third designated patch c3, and the designated patch c of the fourth designated color No. 4 is the fourth designated patch c4.

[0042] The control device 50 determines the ratio so that the higher the priority, the greater the proportion of the number or size of the designated patch c. Because the priority corresponds to the sum of the ranks, this sum may be used to determine the ratio. In this case, for example, the control device 50 calculates the ratio of the sum of the ranks No. 1 to No. 4 to the total number of the rank sums. The control device 50 then assigns the ratio to the priority so that the higher the priority, the greater the ratio. Specifically, the total number of the rank sums is the sum of No. 1 (7), No. 2 (8), No. 3 (5), and No. 4 (10), which is 30. The sums of No. 1 to No. 4 are 7, 8, 5, and 10, respectively. Therefore, the ratios are 8 / 30 = 27%, 5 / 30 = 17%, 7 / 30 = 23%, and 10 / 30 = 33%. In contrast, the control device 50 assigns the ratio to the designated patch c according to the priority, rather than the sum of the ranks. That is, the control device 50 assigns the ratio to the designated patch c so that the higher the priority, the greater the ratio. The third designated patch c3, with the highest priority, is assigned the largest percentage, 33%, the second highest percentage, 27%, the third highest percentage, 23%, the third highest percentage, 24%, the fourth highest percentage, 17%, the fourth highest percentage, 44%, the fourth highest percentage, 17%, the fourth highest percentage, 24%, the third highest percentage, 27%, the second designated patch c1, with the second highest priority, 27%, the third highest percentage, 23%, the third highest percentage, 23%, the fourth highest priority, 24%, the fourth highest percentage, 24%, the fourth highest percentage, 27 ...

[0043] When 100% of this ratio is taken as 10, the ratio of the numbers or sizes of the third designated patches c3, the first designated patches c1, the second designated patches c2, and the fourth designated patches c4 is 3:3:2:2. When 100% of the ratio is taken as 20, the ratio of the numbers or sizes of the third designated patches c3, the first designated patches c1, the second designated patches c2, and the fourth designated patches c4 is 7:5:5:3.

[0044] The control device 50 acquires, for example, at least one of the number and size of the designated patches c according to the ratio as a condition, and stores a designated pixel list including this condition in the storage unit 53. The control device 50 also adds the designated color to the color list, stores it in the storage unit 53, and returns to the processing of step S4 in the flowchart of FIG. 3. The control device 50 executes a printing operation to print a patch chart D including the designated patches c according to the condition on the printing medium A (step S4). Specifically, as shown in the example of FIG. 8, the patch chart D is an image representing patches of the predetermined color and the designated color in the color list, and includes predetermined patches bn of the predetermined color and designated patches c of the designated color.

[0045] For example, the predetermined color and the designated color are specified by RGB values, while the printing device 10 prints using four colors of ink: CMYK. In this case, the control device 50 reads the RGB values ​​of the predetermined color and the designated color from the storage unit 53 and converts these RGB values ​​into CMYK values ​​in the CMYK color space, which is the dependent color space of the printing device 10, based on a predetermined correspondence between the RGB values ​​and the CMYK values. The control device 50 then generates image data for a patch chart D based on these CMYK values, the size of the predetermined patch bn acquired in step S1, and the conditions of the designated patch c determined in step S12. The control device 50 prints the patch chart D in the printing area A1 of the printing medium A based on this image data. As a result, the predetermined patch bn and the designated patch c in the patch chart D corresponding to the color list are printed on the same printing medium A.

[0046] The printing medium A on which the patch chart D is printed has a first area Ab in which the specified patch group C is printed, and a second area Ac in which the predetermined patch group B is printed. For example, in the printing area A1, a boundary line A2 is provided between the second area Ac and the first area Ab. The boundary line A2 extends in the front-to-back direction. Note that a portion of the boundary line A2 may be curved left-to-right. This portion extending left-to-right corresponds to the left-to-right length of one patch. The boundary line A2 may also extend left-to-right.

[0047] The second area Ac is located to the left of the boundary line A2, and the first area Ab is located to the right of the boundary line A2. The second area Ac is a single closed area that includes all of the specified patches bn in the specified patch group B. The first area Ab is a single closed area that includes all of the specified patches c in the specified patch group C. In this way, the printing area A1 has one boundary line A2, one second area Ac, and one first area Ab.

[0048] The second area Ac has a plurality of sections divided by a number equal to or greater than the number of predetermined colors, and one predetermined patch bn is arranged in each section. The plurality of sections are equal in size to one another and have a predetermined size. In this second area Ac, one predetermined patch bn is included for each type of predetermined color, and the plurality of types of predetermined patches bn are arranged in the left-right and front-back directions.

[0049] The first area Ab has multiple first sections a1 divided into sections equal to or greater than the number of designated colors, and each first section a1 contains one designated patch c. The higher the priority of the designated color of the designated patch c, the larger the size of the first section a1. In the example of FIG. 8, in the first area Ab, multiple designated patches c corresponding to the designated pixel e1 acquired in S10 are arranged in the rightward and forward and backward directions. Here, for example, the third designated patch c3, the first designated patch c1, the second designated patch c2, and the fourth designated patch c4 are arranged in a predetermined order, such as order of priority. These designated patches c are then repeatedly arranged from top to bottom and left to right. Therefore, designated patches c of the same designated color are dispersed in the patch chart D. In the example of FIG. 8, the priority of the third designated color is higher than the priorities of the other designated colors, and the number of third designated patches c3 of the third designated color is greater than the number of designated patches c of the other designated colors.

[0050] The third specified patch c3, the first specified patch c1, the second specified patch c2, and the fourth specified patch c4 have sizes in a ratio of, for example, 3:3:2:2, according to the ratio determined in S12. Here, the size of the smallest fourth specified patch c4 is equal to or larger than a predetermined size, for example, twice the predetermined size. Therefore, the specified patches c have a size equal to or larger than the predetermined size. In this way, in the patch chart D, the size of the specified patches c varies according to the priority of the specified color in S11. The higher the priority of a specified color, the larger the specified patch c of that specified color.

[0051] Next, the control device 50 measures the patch chart D printed on the printing medium A using the colorimeter 15, and obtains the colorimetric values ​​of the predetermined color of the predetermined patch bn and the designated color of the designated patch c on the patch chart D (step S5). The colorimetric values ​​are expressed in device-independent color coordinates such as Lab values. The Lab values ​​are expressed in L * a * b * The color values ​​are coordinate values ​​in a color space, where L represents lightness, and a and b represent hue and saturation in Cartesian coordinates. The control device 50 associates the RGB values ​​of the predetermined color of the predetermined patch bn and the designated color of the designated patch cm with their Lab values, which are colorimetric values, and stores them in a color list.

[0052] Here, colorimetric values ​​are acquired for each patch. Since multiple designated patches c are arranged per designated color on the patch chart D, multiple colorimetric values ​​are acquired for each designated color. Furthermore, for example, for designated patches c larger than a predetermined size, colorimetric values ​​may be acquired at multiple locations on the designated patch c. In this case, the larger the designated patch c, the more colorimetric values ​​may be acquired. As a result, the higher the priority of a designated color, the more colorimetric values ​​are acquired for the designated patch c per designated color. In this way, when multiple colorimetric values ​​are acquired, the control device 50 calculates the average value of the multiple colorimetric values ​​for each designated color, and stores the Lab value of this average value in association with the RGB value of the designated color in the color list.

[0053] In addition, there are cases where the specified color is the same as the predetermined color. In this case, colorimetric values ​​are obtained for the specified patch c and the predetermined patch bn, which have the same color values. For this reason, the control device 50 calculates the average value of the multiple colorimetric values ​​for each color value, and stores the Lab value of this average value in association with the RGB values ​​of the specified color and the predetermined color in the color list.

[0054] Next, the control device 50 interpolates the predetermined color in the color gamut of the printing device 10 (step S6). For example, the predetermined color in the color list is an RGB value with 32 intervals. To interpolate this predetermined color, the control device 50 obtains the color gamut of the printing device 10 with an RGB value with an interval smaller than the 32 intervals of the predetermined color, for example, an RGB value with 16 intervals. This RGB value with 16 intervals is (256 / 16+1) 3 = 4913 kinds of colors, and has RGB values ​​of 729 kinds of predetermined colors in 32 increments, and RGB values ​​of interpolated colors which are 4184 kinds of colors between these RGB values.

[0055] In the color list, RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​of predetermined colors are associated, and RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​of designated colors are associated. If the RGB values ​​of the designated color do not match the RGB values ​​in 16-step increments, the control device 50 modifies the RGB value of the designated color to the RGB value closest to the RGB value of the designated color among the 16-step increments. As a result, the RGB values ​​in the color list become color values ​​in 16-step increments.

[0056] The control device 50 then acquires Lab values ​​based on the correspondence between the RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​of the predetermined color and the specified color as Lab values ​​corresponding to the RGB values ​​of the remaining interpolated colors and adds them to the color list. As a result, the color list includes the correspondence between the RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​of the predetermined color, the correspondence between the RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​of the specified color, and the correspondence between the RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​acquired based on the predetermined color and the specified color. In this way, in the color list, colors between two predetermined colors are interpolated using the specified color and colors based on the predetermined color and the specified color.

[0057] Next, the control device 50 executes a creation operation (step S7). In the creation operation, the control device 50 creates a color calibration profile based on the color list for converting the colors of the image data into the colors of the image E to be printed by the printing operation so that the colors of the image E become target colors. Here, the target colors are colors input to the control device 50 from the input device 14 and the interface 51, and are colors to be output by an output device such as a display or another printer.

[0058] Specifically, the control device 50 acquires the correspondence between RGB values ​​and Lab values ​​for the target color. The control device 50 then creates an RGB value conversion table that converts the RGB values ​​in the color list into the RGB values ​​of the target color so that the Lab values ​​of the target color match the Lab values ​​in the color list. Furthermore, if the printing device 10 uses four ink colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) for printing, the control device 50 creates a color calibration profile, which is a conversion table that converts the RGB values ​​of the target color in the RGB value conversion table into CMYK values ​​based on a predetermined correspondence, and stores the color calibration profile in the storage unit 53. In this color calibration profile, the RGB values ​​of the image data corresponding to the RGB values ​​in the color list are associated with the CMYK values ​​of the target color so that the color of the image E printed by the printing operation will be the target color.

[0059] When the printing device 10 prints image E based on image data, the control device 50 converts the RGB values ​​of the image data into CMYK values ​​of the target color based on the color calibration profile. Then, the control device 50 prints image E on print medium A based on the CMYK values ​​of the converted image data. This makes it possible to match the color of image E printed by the printing device 10 to the target color. For example, it is possible to match the color hue of image E printed by the printing device 10 based on image data that has been color-calibrated using the color calibration profile to the color hue of image E output by another output device based on image data.

[0060] <Actions and Effects> In the printing device 10, the control device 50 performs a judgment operation to judge the priority of the designated color of the designated pixel e1 based on the information of the designated pixel e1 specified by the input device 14, a determination operation to decide one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of the designated patches c of the designated color according to the priority judged by the judgment operation, and a printing operation to print a patch chart D including the designated patches c according to the condition on the printing medium A.

[0061] The designated patch c printed in this manner is the designated color of the designated pixel e1 designated by the user. For example, the designated patch c is measured, and the color is calibrated based on the colorimetric values. In this case, the designated pixel e1 designated by the user is used for color calibration, so color calibration can be performed appropriately according to the user's intentions.

[0062] Furthermore, at least one of the number and size of the designated patches c is adjusted according to the priority based on the information of the designated pixel e1 designated by the user. For example, the higher the priority, the more the number of designated patches c or the larger the size of the designated patches c. This increases the number of colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c, and by using the average value of these colorimetric values ​​as the colorimetric value, the accuracy of the colorimetric value is improved, thereby enabling the color calibration of the image to be improved in accordance with the user's intentions.

[0063] In the printing device 10, the information about the designated pixel e1 is information about the order in which the designated pixel e1 was specified by the input device 14. In the determination operation, the control device 50 determines that the designated color of a designated pixel e1 that was specified earlier has a higher priority. In this way, the earlier the designated pixel e1 is specified, the more important the designated color of that designated pixel e1 is, and therefore the priority of the designated color is increased. In this case, for example, the higher the priority of the designated color, the more designated patches c for that designated color are increased, or the size of the designated patches c is increased. This increases the number of colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c and improves the accuracy of the colorimetric values, thereby improving color proofing of the image in accordance with the user's intentions.

[0064] In the printing device 10, the information about the designated pixel e1 is information about the number of pixels e of the same color as the designated pixel e1 among the multiple pixels e contained in the image data. In the determination operation, the control device 50 determines that the designated color of the designated pixel e1 with a higher priority is assigned to the color of the designated pixel e1 for which the number of pixels e of the same color as the designated pixel e1 is greater within the range of the image data. In this way, the more pixels e of the same color as the designated pixel e1 in the image E, the more important the designated color of the designated pixel e1 is, and therefore the higher the priority of the designated color. In this case, for example, the higher the priority of the designated color, the more designated patches c for that designated color are increased, or the size of the designated patches c is increased. This increases the number of colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c and improves the accuracy of the colorimetric values, thereby improving the color calibration of the image in accordance with the user's intentions.

[0065] In the printing device 10, the information about the designated pixel e1 is information about the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3 adjacent to the designated pixel e1, which are pixels e whose color difference from the designated color of the designated pixel e1 specified by the input device 14 is less than a predetermined value. The control device 50 assigns a higher priority to the designated color of the designated pixel e1 with a larger total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3. Thus, the more surrounding pixels e2 and e3 in the image E that are similar in color to the designated color around the designated pixel e1, the more important the designated color of the designated pixel e1 is, and therefore the higher the priority of the designated color. In this case, for example, the higher the priority of the designated color, the more designated patches c for that designated color are created, or the size of the designated patches c is increased. This increases the number of colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c and improves the accuracy of the colorimetric values, thereby improving the color calibration of the image in line with the user's intentions.

[0066] In the printing device 10, the patch chart D includes multiple designated patches c of the same designated color, and is arranged so that multiple designated patches c of the same designated color are not adjacent to each other. In this way, multiple designated patches c of the same designated color are dispersedly arranged on the patch chart D, so that errors in the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c caused by their positions on the patch chart D can be reduced.

[0067] In the printing device 10, the patch chart D has a plurality of first sections a1, each of which is divided into a first area Ab by a number equal to or greater than the number of designated colors. One designated patch c is placed in each first section a1, and the size of the first section a1 increases the higher the priority of the designated color of the placed designated patch c. As a result, the larger the size of the designated patch c, the more colorimetric values ​​can be obtained for the designated patch c. By using the average value of these colorimetric values ​​as the colorimetric value, the accuracy of the colorimetric value increases, thereby improving the color proofing of the image.

[0068] <Variation 1> In the printing device 10 according to the first modification, the information about the designated pixel e1 in the above embodiment is information about the variation value of the colorimetric value of the designated patch c of the designated color of the designated pixel e1. In the determination operation, the control device 50 determines that the designated color of the designated pixel e1 with a larger variation value has a higher priority.

[0069] Specifically, in the acquisition operation of step S10 in FIG. 4, the control device 50 acquires the colorimetric value variation value as information on the designated pixel e1 from the storage unit 53, the input device 14, or the interface 51. The colorimetric value variation value is the magnitude of variation in the colorimetric value, and is, for example, the standard deviation of the colorimetric value per color value. The correspondence relationship between the RGB values ​​of the designated color and the colorimetric value variation value of the designated patch c of the designated color is determined in advance as a table or formula. In this correspondence relationship, the smaller the mixture ratio of C, M, K colors in the designated color, the smaller the variation value. In other words, the colorimetric value variation value is smaller when the designated color is a monochromatic color than when it is a mixed color. Furthermore, when the designated color is a mixed color, the more uniform the mixture ratio of C, M, K colors is, the larger the colorimetric value variation value.

[0070] Next, in the determination operation of step S11 in Fig. 4, the control device 50 determines that the greater the variation value of the colorimetric values, the higher the ranking of the variation. Here, when determining the priority of a designated color based only on the ranking of the variation value, the control device 50 increases the priority of the designated color of the designated patch c the higher the ranking of the variation value of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patch c. Furthermore, in addition to the ranking of the variation value, the priority may be determined based on at least one of the ranking of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1, the ranking of the number of pixels, and the ranking of the total number. In this case, the control device 50 calculates the sum of the ranking of the variation value and the ranking of at least one of the rankings of the order of designation, the number of pixels, and the total number, and assigns a higher priority to the colorimetric values ​​that are higher in the total ranking based on the sum.

[0071] In this way, the priority of the designated color of the designated patch c is determined based on the variation value of the colorimetric value of the designated patch c. The larger this variation value, the higher the priority of the designated color, for example, by increasing the number of designated patches c for each designated color or by increasing the size of the designated patches c. This increases the number of colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c and improves the accuracy of the colorimetric values, thereby improving the color proofing of the image.

[0072] <Variation 2> In the printing device 10 according to the second modification, the patch chart D in the above-described embodiment and the first modification has a plurality of second sections a2 in which the first area Ab is divided in the front-to-back direction into the same number of second sections a2 as the number of designated colors. One designated patch c is arranged in each of the second sections a2. The size of the second section a2 increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch c increases.

[0073] In the example of FIG. 9, the first area Ab is divided into four rectangular second sections a2, the same number as the four designated colors acquired in S10 of FIG. 4. These second sections a2 are arranged in the front-to-back direction, with the third designated patch c3, the first designated patch c1, the second designated patch c2, and the fourth designated patch c4 arranged in the second sections a2, starting from the last designated patch a2. The priorities determined in S11 of FIG. 4 decrease in the order of the third designated color, the first designated color, the second designated color, and the fourth designated color. Accordingly, in accordance with the size ratios determined in S12 of FIG. 4, the third designated patch c3 of the third color, the first designated patch c1 of the first color, the second designated patch c2 of the second color, and the fourth designated patch c4 of the fourth color decrease in the order. The smallest fourth designated patch c4 is larger than the predetermined patch bn.

[0074] In this way, the larger the size of the designated patch c, the more colorimetric values ​​can be obtained for the designated patch c. By using the average value of these colorimetric values ​​as the colorimetric value, the accuracy of the colorimetric value is improved, thereby improving the color calibration of the image.

[0075] <Variation 3> In the printing device 10 according to the third modification, in the above-described embodiment and modification 1, the patch chart D has a plurality of third sections a3 obtained by dividing the first area Ab in the front-to-rear direction, and a plurality of fourth sections a4 obtained by dividing the third section a3 in a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction into sections equal in number to the number of designated colors. One designated patch c is arranged in each of the fourth sections a4. The size of the fourth section a4 increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch c increases.

[0076] Here, in the patch chart D, the arrangement pattern of the plurality of fourth sections a4 within the third section a3 may be different between adjacent third sections a3.

[0077] In the example of FIG. 10, the first region Ab is divided into four rectangular third sections a3 in the front-to-back direction, and these third sections a3 are aligned in the front-to-back direction. For the four designated colors acquired in S10 of FIG. 4, the third section a3 is divided into four rectangular fourth sections a4, the same number as the designated colors. These fourth sections a4 are aligned in the left-to-right direction. In the third section a3 that is odd-numbered from the back, the third designated patch c3, the first designated patch c1, the second designated patch c2, and the fourth designated patch c4 are arranged in the fourth section a4, starting from the left. In the third section a3 that is even-numbered from the back, the third designated patch c3, the first designated patch c1, the second designated patch c2, and the fourth designated patch c4 are arranged in the fourth section a4, starting from the right. Furthermore, the third designated patch c3 in the even-numbered third section a3 from the back is located between the odd-numbered third sections a3 from the back in the front-to-back direction, and is also located between the fourth designated patch c4 in the odd-numbered third sections a3 from the back. Furthermore, the third designated patch c3 in the even-numbered third section a3 from the back is located between the odd-numbered third sections a3 from the back in the front-to-back direction, and is also located between the second designated patch c2 in the odd-numbered third section a3 from the back. Thus, the arrangement order of the designated patches c in the odd-numbered third section a3 and the even-numbered third section a3, which are adjacent to each other, is different in the left-to-right direction.

[0078] The priorities determined in S11 of Fig. 4 decrease in the order of the third designated color, the first designated color, the second designated color, and the fourth designated color. Accordingly, according to the size ratios determined in S12 of Fig. 4, the third designated patch c3 of the third color, the first designated patch c1 of the first color, the second designated patch c2 of the second color, and the fourth designated patch c4 of the fourth color decrease in that order. The smallest fourth designated patch c4 is larger than the specified patch bn.

[0079] In this way, since the first area Ab is divided into sections in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, the designated patches c of the same color arranged in the sections are dispersed in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, which reduces errors in the colorimetric values ​​due to position and improves the color calibration of the image.

[0080] <Variation 4> In the printing device 10 according to the fourth modification, in the above-described embodiment and the first modification, the patch chart D has a plurality of fifth sections a5 obtained by dividing the first area Ab in the left-right direction into the same number of fifth sections a5 as the number of designated colors. One designated patch c is arranged in each of the fifth sections a5. The size of the fifth section a5 increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch c increases.

[0081] In the example of FIG. 11, the first area Ab is horizontally divided into four rectangular fifth sections a5, the same number as the four designated colors acquired in S10 of FIG. 4. These fifth sections a5 are lined up horizontally, with the third designated patch c3, the first designated patch c1, the second designated patch c2, and the fourth designated patch c4 arranged in the fifth sections a5, starting from the leftmost fifth section a5. The priorities determined in S11 of FIG. 4 decrease in the order of the third designated color, the first designated color, the second designated color, and the fourth designated color. Accordingly, in accordance with the size ratios determined in S12 of FIG. 4, the third designated patch c3 of the third color, the first designated patch c1 of the first color, the second designated patch c2 of the second color, and the fourth designated patch c4 of the fourth color decrease in the order. The smallest fourth designated patch c4 is larger than the predetermined patch bn.

[0082] In this way, the larger the size of the designated patch c, the more colorimetric values ​​can be obtained for the designated patch c. By using the average value of these colorimetric values ​​as the colorimetric value, the accuracy of the colorimetric value is improved, thereby improving the color calibration of the image.

[0083] <Variation 5> 7, in the search operation for the surrounding pixels e2 and e3 of the designated pixel e1, the control device 50 extracts a region of pixels e of a color whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold value from the pixels e of image E, including the designated pixel e1, and obtains the number of pixels e in that region as the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3 of the designated pixel e1. Alternatively, as in the example of FIG. 9, the control device 50 may obtain, for each pixel e in a direction away from the designated pixel e1, pixels e whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold value, and obtain the number of pixels e as the total number of surrounding pixels e2 and e3 of the designated pixel e1.

[0084] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12(a), the control device 50 acquires from the image data the designated color of a designated pixel e1 designated by the input device 14 in the image E displayed on the display device 13. The control device 50 acquires from the image data the color of each of four pixels e (e21 to e24) adjacent to the designated pixel e1 in the x and y directions. Of the four pixels e, the control device 50 acquires, as the first surrounding pixel e2, the pixel e whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold value. For example, of the four pixels e21 to e24, the color difference between the colors of the first surrounding pixels e22 and e23 and the designated color is less than a threshold value.

[0085] 12(b), the control device 50 acquires the colors of four pixels e adjacent to the first surrounding pixel e22 and the colors of four pixels e adjacent to the first surrounding pixel e23 from the image data. Of these adjacent pixels e, the control device 50 acquires pixels e whose color difference from the specified color is less than a threshold. For example, of the adjacent pixels e, three pixels e31 are acquired as the second surrounding pixel e3.

[0086] 12(c), the control device 50 acquires the colors of the four pixels e adjacent to each of the three second surrounding pixels e31 from the image data. Of these adjacent pixels e, the control device 50 acquires, as the second surrounding pixel e3, the pixel e whose color difference from the designated color is less than a threshold value.

[0087] In this way, the control device 50 sequentially searches for pixels e in image E that are adjacent to each of the designated pixel e1, the first surrounding pixel e2, and the second surrounding pixel e3 and whose color difference from the designated color is less than the threshold, and repeatedly acquires these pixels e as the surrounding pixels e2 and e3. By expanding a single closed range of similar colors centered on the designated pixel e1, it is possible to add colors of pixels e with small color differences, such as gradations, to the color list, thereby improving the color calibration of image E, which has small color differences between pixels e.

[0088] <Other variations> In this embodiment, the control device 50 calculates the sum of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1, the rank of the number of pixels, and the rank of the total number, and assigns a higher priority to the designated pixel e1 based on the sum, but this is not limited to this. The control device 50 may also add the rank of the variation value of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patch c described in Modification 1 to calculate the sum of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1, the rank of the number of pixels, the rank of the total number, and the rank of the variation value of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patch c, and assign a higher priority to the designated pixel e1 based on the sum of the ranks.

[0089] The control device 50 may also calculate a total value by combining any three of the order of designation of the designated pixels e1, the order of the number of pixels, the order of the total number, and the order of the variation values ​​of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c. Specifically, the control device 50 may calculate the sum of the three rankings of the order of designation of the designated pixels e1, the order of the number of pixels, and the order of the variation values ​​of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c, and assign a higher priority to a pixel with a higher total ranking based on the total value. The control device 50 may also calculate the sum of the three rankings of the order of designation of the designated pixels e1, the order of the total number, and the order of the variation values ​​of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c, and assign a higher priority to a pixel with a higher total ranking based on the total value. The control device 50 may also calculate the sum of the three rankings of the order of designation of the designated pixels e1, the order of the total number, and the order of the variation values ​​of the colorimetric values ​​of the designated patches c, and assign a higher priority to a pixel with a higher total ranking based on the total value.

[0090] In the present embodiment, the control device 50 calculates the sum of the designation order, pixel count, and total count of the designated pixel e1, and assigns a higher priority to the designated pixel e1 with a higher total rank based on the sum, but this is not limited to this. The control device 50 may only use the designation order of the designated pixel e1 as the information about the designated pixel e1, and assign a higher priority to the designated pixel e1 with a higher designation order. Alternatively, the control device 50 may only use the pixel count as the information about the designated pixel e1, and assign a higher priority to the designated pixel e1 with a higher pixel count rank. Alternatively, the control device 50 may only use the total count as the information about the designated pixel e1, and assign a higher priority to the designated pixel e1 with a higher total count rank.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the control device 50 calculates the sum of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1, the rank of the number of pixels, and the rank of the total number, and assigns a higher priority to the pixel e1 with a higher total rank based on the sum. However, this is not limited to this. Any two of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1, the rank of the number of pixels, and the rank of the total number may be combined. Specifically, the control device 50 may use only the order of designation of the designated pixel e1 and the rank of the number of pixels to calculate the sum of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1 and the rank of the number of pixels, and assign a higher priority to the pixel e1 with a higher total rank based on the sum. Alternatively, the control device 50 may use only the order of designation of the designated pixel e1 and the rank of the total number to calculate the sum of the order of designation of the designated pixel e1 and the rank of the total number, and assign a higher priority to the pixel e1 with a higher total rank based on the sum. In addition, the control device 50 may only use the ranking of the number of pixels and the ranking of the total number as information for the designated pixel e1, calculate the sum of the ranking of the number of pixels and the ranking of the total number, and assign a higher priority to the pixel with a higher total ranking based on the sum.

[0092] It should be noted that all of the above embodiments may be combined with one another as long as they do not exclude one another. Furthermore, many improvements and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above description. Therefore, the above description should be construed as merely illustrative and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the present invention. Details of the structure and / or function of the present invention may be substantially changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0093] The present invention can be applied to a printing apparatus that can improve the color proofing of an image, a control method thereof, and a program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 10:Printing device 14: Input device 20: Head 53: Storage section

Claims

1. a head having nozzles for ejecting ink and for printing an image having a plurality of pixels on a printing medium using ink based on image data; an input device capable of specifying pixels of the image; a control device; The control device a determining operation for determining the priority of a designated color that is the color of the designated pixel based on information of the designated pixel designated by the input device; a determining operation for determining one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of designated patches, which are patches of the designated color, in accordance with the priority determined by the determining operation; a printing operation for printing a patch chart including the designated patches according to the conditions on the printing medium; A printing device that performs

2. the information about the designated pixels is information about the order in which the designated pixels are designated by the input device; In the determination operation, the control device determines that the designated color of the designated pixel that is designated earlier in the order of priority is higher. The printing device of claim 1 .

3. the information about the designated pixel is information about the number of pixels having the same color as the designated pixel among the plurality of pixels included in the image data; In the determining operation, the control device determines that the designated color of the designated pixel having a larger number of pixels with the same color as the designated pixel in the range of the image data has a higher priority.

3. The printing device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the information on the designated pixel is information on the total number of surrounding pixels that are pixels of a color whose color difference from the designated color of the designated pixel designated by the input device is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the surrounding pixels being adjacent to the designated pixel, and the surrounding pixels that are continuous with the designated pixel via the pixels; In the determining operation, the control device determines that the designated color of the designated pixel having a larger total number of surrounding pixels has a higher priority. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the information on the designated pixel is information on a variation value of the colorimetric value of the designated patch of the designated pixel, In the determination operation, the control device determines that the designated color of the designated pixel having a larger variation value has a higher priority. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the patch chart includes a plurality of designated patches having the same designated color, and the plurality of designated patches having the same designated color are arranged so as not to be adjacent to each other; The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. a storage unit that stores in advance predetermined colors for the patches; the patch chart has a first area including the designated patch and a second area including a predetermined patch which is the patch of the predetermined color; The printing device according to claim 6.

8. the patch chart has a plurality of first sections in which the first area is divided by a number equal to or greater than the number of the designated colors, one of the designated patches is arranged in each of the first sections, and the size of the first section increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch increases; The printing device according to claim 7.

9. a transport device that transports the print medium in a first direction; the patch chart has a plurality of second sections in which the first area is divided in the first direction into the same number as the designated colors, one designated patch is arranged in each of the second sections, and the size of the second section increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch increases; The printing device according to claim 7.

10. a transport device that transports the print medium in a first direction; the patch chart has a plurality of third sections obtained by dividing the first area in the first direction, and a plurality of fourth sections obtained by dividing the third section in a direction intersecting the first direction into the same number of fourth sections as the designated colors, one of the designated patches being arranged in the fourth section, and the size of the fourth section increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch increases; The printing device according to claim 7.

11. The printing device according to claim 10 , wherein in the patch chart, the arrangement patterns of the plurality of fourth sections within the third section are different between adjacent third sections.

12. a carriage that moves the head in a second direction; the patch chart has a plurality of fifth sections in which the first area is divided in the second direction into the same number as the designated colors, one of the designated patches is arranged in each of the fifth sections, and the size of the fifth section increases as the priority of the designated color of the arranged designated patch increases; The printing device according to claim 7.

13. a head including a nozzle for ejecting ink and for printing an image having a plurality of pixels on a printing medium using ink based on image data; an input device capable of specifying pixels of the image, a determining operation for determining the priority of a designated color that is the color of the designated pixel based on information of the designated pixel designated by the input device; a determining operation for determining one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of designated patches, which are patches of the designated color, in accordance with the priority determined by the determining operation; a printing operation for printing a patch chart including the designated patches according to the conditions on the printing medium; A method for controlling a printing device.

14. a head including a nozzle for ejecting ink and for printing an image having a plurality of pixels on a printing medium using ink based on image data; an input device capable of specifying pixels of the image; a determining operation for determining the priority of a designated color that is the color of the designated pixel based on information of the designated pixel designated by the input device; a determining operation for determining one of the conditions of the number, size, or number and size of designated patches, which are patches of the designated color, in accordance with the priority determined by the determining operation; a printing operation for printing a patch chart including the designated patches according to the conditions on the printing medium; A program that executes.

Images