Information processing device, control method thereof, and program

Abstract

To provide a mechanism that can prevent failures in measurement due to crumples or corner bending generated when setting a sheet to a measurement unit manually and also improve convenience for a user at the same time.SOLUTION: The present information processor detects whether a sheet is set in a measurement unit on the basis of a condition of detection and measures a patch formed in the sheet by using the measurement unit when the processor has detected the set sheet. The present information processor sets a first detection condition for detecting setting of the sheet in the measurement unit and a second detection condition for detecting not-setting of the sheet in the measurement unit on different conditions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for verifying color accuracy of a printer, a control method thereof, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, in commercial color printers, color management (color calibration) is periodically performed to ensure a certain color reproducibility. Color management is performed, for example, by comparing a target color (target color) defined in a printing certification such as JapanColor with a color actually printed by the printer (printed color), and checking that the color accuracy meets the acceptance criteria. If the color accuracy does not meet the acceptance criteria, in order to improve the color accuracy, it is necessary to recreate the print profile or perform correction processing using the color correction function of the printer, but these are time-consuming operations and thus it is required to perform them efficiently. In Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed in which verification of the color accuracy (color verification) of a printer is performed at a plurality of printing times, and based on the verification results, the execution cycle of the correction work is determined and the history of the verification results is displayed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above-mentioned conventional technology has the following problems. For example, when obtaining print colors in color verification, a chart with color patches corresponding to the target color is printed using a printer, and the chromaticity value of each color patch is measured with a measuring instrument. When measuring using a sheet-through type manual measuring instrument, the user has to set the paper (sheet) into the measuring instrument one sheet at a time, and if the paper is fed too early after setting the paper, wrinkles or corner folds in the paper occur, resulting in measurement failures. On the other hand, if the paper is fed too late after setting the paper, there is a delay before measurement occurs, resulting in poor user convenience. The above-mentioned conventional technology has not considered the above-mentioned problems, so there is room for improvement regarding measurement failures due to wrinkles or corner folds in the paper and user convenience.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of at least one of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a mechanism that simultaneously prevents measurement errors caused by wrinkles or corner folds when manually setting a sheet on a measuring instrument and improves user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is, for example, an information processing device, The sheet is on the measuring instrument For paper feeding Set A detection means for detecting whether a sheet has been discharged from the measuring instrument, seat but set It is said that When detected The aforementioned Patches formed on the sheet The chromaticity value is measured by the aforementioned measuring instrument A measuring means for taking measurements, and a sheet on the measuring instrument For paper feeding It is set In the first cycle The first detection condition to be detected, and the measuring instrument from The seat Discharge is indicated by a second cycle that is shorter than the first cycle. Second detection condition to be detected and To determine control Equipped with control means, The detection means determines, when the first detection condition is met, that a sheet has been set in the measuring device for paper feeding, and when the second detection condition is met, that a sheet has been ejected from the measuring device. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent measurement errors caused by wrinkles or corner folds when manually setting the sheet on the measuring instrument, while simultaneously improving user convenience. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the overall configuration of a color verification system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A figure showing an example of patch signal values ​​and color characteristics of a color verification chart according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a color verification device and control device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the main functional configuration of a color verification device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5A] A sequence diagram showing the processing flow in a color verification system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5B] A sequence diagram showing the processing flow in a color verification system according to one embodiment. [Figure 6A] A diagram showing an example of a display unit 105 according to one embodiment. [Figure 6B] A diagram showing an example of a display unit 105 according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the paper detection execution instruction interval (detection conditions) in the paper detection unit 404 according to one embodiment. [Figure 8A] A sequence diagram showing the processing flow in a color verification system according to one embodiment. [Figure 8B] A sequence diagram showing the processing flow in a color verification system according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the paper detection execution instruction interval (detection conditions) in the paper detection unit 404 according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of a display unit 105 according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example configuration of a measuring instrument according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] A flowchart illustrating the basic processing steps of an information processing device according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] A flowchart showing the processing procedure of the measurement processing of the information processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential for the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <Embodiment 1> <System Configuration> First, referring to FIG. 1, a configuration example of the color verification system according to the present embodiment will be described. When verifying color accuracy in the present color verification system, first, a predetermined chart is printed and output from a printer to be verified. Next, color patches on the printed chart are color-measured by a colorimeter, and the obtained color-measurement data is transmitted to the color verification device 100. Then, the color verification device 100 checks the deviation (color accuracy) between the printed color and the target color. Note that the color patches arranged on the chart are also referred to as color samples or color specimens, and are simply referred to as "patches" in this specification.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, in the present color verification system, the color verification device 100 and bases 1 to 3 are connected by a network 160. Base 1 includes a control device 110, a monitor 120, printers 1 to 3 (130a to 130c), and measuring devices 1 to 3 (150a to 150c). Also, each of bases 2 and 3 includes a control device, a monitor, a printer, and a measuring device. Hereinafter, the relationship between base 1 and the color verification device 100 will be described as an example.

[0012] The color verification device 100 compares a predefined target color (target color) with the color actually printed by the printer (printed color) to verify whether the color accuracy meets the acceptance criteria. The color verification device 100 is connected to the control device 110 via the network 160 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0013] The control device 110 is connected to printers 130a to 130c within site 1 via a communication network such as an intranet, enabling mutual communication. It issues print commands to each printer and also centrally manages the color accuracy of each printer. In addition, when issuing print commands, it is possible to receive print jobs from, for example, a client terminal (not shown), divide the print job into predetermined units (e.g., copies or pages), and distribute the print commands to multiple printers. A print job includes a PDL data section that describes drawing commands for objects of various attributes such as text, graphics, and photographs on a page-by-page basis, and print setting information that specifies printing conditions such as paper size and type, and double-sided / single-sided printing. By distributing a single print job to multiple printers, the printing time and printing waiting time can be reduced. The monitor 120 is connected to the control device 110 and displays various user interface screens (UI screens).

[0014] Printers 1-3 (130a-130c) print color images onto paper based on print jobs from the control device 110, for example, using electrophotographic process technology. The paper in this embodiment includes various types of sheets such as plain paper, cardboard, and OHP sheets. Printers 1-3 may be monochrome printers or printers based on other image forming technologies such as inkjet. Furthermore, printers 1-3 may be multifunction devices that have copy and fax functions in addition to print functions.

[0015] Measuring instruments 1-3 (150a-150c) are spectrometers that measure the chromaticity value of an object based on the reflectance or transmittance of visible light with wavelengths of approximately 400nm to 700nm. Measuring instruments 1-3 are provided, for example, at each location, and the wavelengths obtained for each patch of a chart printed from printers 1-3 are converted to values ​​in, for example, L*a*b* color space or XYZ color space to obtain colorimetric data. Figure 2(a) shows an example of a chart. Figure 2(b) shows the target chromaticity values ​​in RGB values ​​corresponding to each patch (patch numbers 1-736) of the chart. The target chromaticity values ​​may be converted from RGB to the CMYK color space and stored.

[0016] Measuring instruments 1-3 are measuring instruments that incorporate line sensors and area sensors for scanning the chart. For example, a sheet-through type automatic document reading measuring instrument can pre-scan the chart by incorporating a line sensor, allowing it to detect the position of the patch to be measured before measurement. Similarly, a measuring instrument that can automatically feed paper and perform continuous measurement can pre-scan the chart by incorporating an area sensor, allowing it to detect the position of the patch to be measured before measurement. In the case of a sheet-through type automatic document reading measuring instrument, it is connected to the control device 110 by means of, for example, USB, and the user manually sets the chart printed from the target printer into the measuring instrument. There is no particular intention to limit the method of connection between measuring instruments 1-3 and the control device 110; for example, they may be connected via a network such as wired or wireless LAN. After that, the measuring instrument starts feeding the chart and measures the chromaticity value of each patch on the chart to obtain color measurement data as shown in Figure 2(c). The acquired color measurement data is transmitted to the color verification device 100 via the control device 110. Furthermore, if the color verification device 100 is installed at one of the locations 1 to 3, the color verification device 100 and the measuring instrument may be directly connected at that location, and the color verification device 100 may acquire color measurement data without going through the control device 110.

[0017] Network 160 can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), the internet, or an intranet, and may be wired or wireless. Locations 1-3 (170a-170c) correspond to the locations of printing companies where printers are installed. For example, location 1 could be a printing site in Tokyo, location 2 in Osaka, and location 3 in Fukuoka. Note that the color verification system configuration shown in Figure 1 is just one example, and the number of locations and the configuration of equipment within each location can be changed as appropriate. For example, the color verification device 100 could be directly connected to the control device 110 and measuring instruments 1-3 via a communication network such as an intranet, and the configuration could manage the color accuracy of multiple printers 1-3. Alternatively, for example, an information processing device equipped with the functions of both the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 could be provided at each location, and this information processing device could manage the color accuracy of multiple printers within that location.

[0018] <Hardware configuration of the information processing device> Next, with reference to Figure 3, the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to this embodiment will be described. The information processing device according to this embodiment corresponds to at least one of the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 described above, and is implemented, for example, by a general-purpose notebook / desktop personal computer or a tablet terminal.

[0019] The color verification device 100 and the control device 110 each include a CPU 101, ROM 102, RAM 103, HDD 104, display unit 105, operation unit 106, network interface 107, and external device interface 108. Each of the units 101 to 108 is connected to each other via a system bus 109 so that data can be exchanged between them.

[0020] The CPU 101 is an arithmetic processing unit that controls the entire device and executes the various processes described below based on the programs stored in the ROM 102. The ROM 102 is read-only memory and stores boot programs, processing programs, character data, character code information, etc. The RAM 103 is random access memory and is used as work memory when the CPU 101 executes various programs. It is also used as a data storage area for image files received from the network I / F 107. The HDD 104 is used to store the results of calculations performed by the CPU 101, various programs, various information files, etc.

[0021] The display unit 105 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays a user interface screen for making various settings and checking the status of the device. The operation unit 106 is composed of a keyboard and buttons and is used by the user to input various setting values ​​and perform resets. The network interface 107 is an interface for connecting the device to the network 160. Through this network interface 107, the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 can send and receive various information with external devices, respectively. The external device interface 108 is an interface for connecting external devices such as measuring instruments 1 to 3 via a communication bus such as USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0022] <Software configuration of information processing equipment> Next, with reference to Figure 4, the software configuration of the information processing device (color verification device 100 / control device 110) according to this embodiment will be described. Here, only the main functional configurations of the present invention will be described. Therefore, other configurations are not excluded.

[0023] The color verification device 100 / control device 110 includes a color verification specification registration unit 401, a UI control unit 402, a data acquisition unit 403, a paper detection unit 404, a measurement unit 405, a verification processing unit 406, and a setting processing unit 407. Each of these functional units is realized by the CPU 101 executing a predetermined program. Each functional unit will be described below.

[0024] The color verification specification registration unit 401 registers, for each type of color verification, a chart containing patches of various colors corresponding to the target chromaticity value, a printer for performing color verification, measuring instruments used for color verification, and tolerance values ​​for color verification. Specifically, for charts to be registered, the image data is associated with information indicating the structure of the chart, such as the number and size of patches in the chart (chart configuration information), and the chart is saved on the HDD 104. Charts are broadly divided into default charts that comply with print certifications such as JapanColor, and custom charts that are uniquely defined by the user. Default charts are registered in advance, for example, when installing the color verification program, prior to the start of use. Custom charts are registered at any time based on user input via the operation unit 106. For the printer to perform color verification, the printer to be performed is registered from among the printers 130a, 130b, and 130c connected to the control device 110. In addition, the measuring instruments to be used for color verification are registered from among the measuring instruments 150a, 150b, and 150c used for color verification. The tolerance value used in color verification is a value used to check whether the color accuracy meets the acceptance criteria by comparing the target color (target color) defined in printing certifications such as JapanColor with the color actually printed by the printer (printed color). For example, when making a judgment based on the difference (color difference) between the chromaticity value (target value) of the target color (target value) and the chromaticity value (measured value) of the printed color, the color difference value is registered as the tolerance value, and if it is within the tolerance value, it is determined that the color accuracy meets the acceptance criteria. When performing color verification, the user selects a color verification specification from among the color verification specifications registered in the color verification specification registration unit 401, and the color verification is started.

[0025] The UI control unit 402 controls the display of a user interface screen that allows the user to check the status of each device in the color verification system, input and select various setting values, and issue instructions to start various processes. The displayed user interface screen will be described later. The data acquisition unit 403 acquires various information and data used by the measurement unit 405 and the verification processing unit 406, which will be described later.

[0026] The paper detection unit 404 detects whether a chart printed from printer 130a (or printers 130b, 130c) has been set in measuring instrument 150a (or measuring instruments 150b, 150c) according to predetermined detection conditions (first detection conditions). Furthermore, after the measurement is completed by the measuring unit 405 (described later) and the chart is ejected, it detects whether the user has removed the chart from the measuring instrument according to predetermined detection conditions (second detection conditions). In other words, the paper detection unit 404 detects charts (sheets) that are manually placed by the user on measuring instruments 150a, 150b, and 150c before the start of measurement, and also detects that the charts ejected by the user after measurement have been removed from the measuring instrument.

[0027] After the paper detection unit 404 detects that the chart has been set, the measuring unit 405 instructs the system to pre-scan the chart. The measuring instrument 150a then pre-scans the chart to detect the number of patches (number of patches vertically and horizontally) and their position information for each patch placed on the chart. Subsequently, the system instructs the system to measure the chart, and the measuring instrument 150a measures the chromaticity value of each patch on the chart.

[0028] The verification processing unit 406 uses the color measurement data received from the measuring instrument 150a to perform a verification process to determine whether the color accuracy of the target printer meets the acceptance criteria. The setting processing unit 407 sets various parameters related to the verification process based on user selections via a predetermined user interface screen.

[0029] <Configuration of the measuring instrument> Next, with reference to Figure 11, an example of the configuration of the measuring instrument 150a according to this embodiment will be described. Since measuring instruments 150a, 150b, and 150c each have similar configurations, the configuration of measuring instrument 150a will be described as representative here.

[0030] The measuring instrument 150a comprises a main body 1100, a button 1101, an LED display unit 1102, and a paper feed slot 1105. The main body 1100 is equipped with a sensor that detects when a sheet 1103, such as a chart, is set in the paper feed slot 1105, which is an opening, and pulls the detected sheet 1103 into the main body. Furthermore, the main body is provided with an illumination unit that irradiates illumination light onto the object and a light receiving unit that receives the reflected light from the object in response to the illumination light. The color measurement (measurement) of the object can be performed with the configuration of these illumination and light receiving units. The measurement results are output to the control device 110.

[0031] Button 1101 is a start button for initiating the retraction of the sheet 1103 to be measured, which has been set in the paper feed slot 1105 by the user. The user can start the measurement by pressing button 1101 after setting the sheet 1103 to be measured. In addition to the manual start command by pressing button 1101 by the user, the measuring instrument 150a according to this embodiment also has a function to automatically start retracting the sheet 1103. Switching between manual and automatic operation can be set using the measurement options screen shown in Figure 10, which will be described later. Details will be described later.

[0032] The LED display unit 1102 includes multiple indicators such as LED (light-emitting diode) lamps, each of which is controlled to be lit, off, or blinking according to the state of the measuring instrument 150a. Although LEDs are used as an example here, there is no intention to limit the present invention, and other types of display units, such as liquid crystal displays, can also be applied. For example, the LED display unit 1102 indicates whether or not a sheet 1103 is set in the paper feed slot 1105 by the state in which it is lit.

[0033] As shown in 1104, the user manually places the sheet 1103 into the measuring instrument 150a. In this case, if the automatic sheet retraction function is enabled, retraction into the machine may begin before the user releases their hand from the sheet 1103. If retraction begins while the user's hand is still in contact with the sheet 1103, it can cause wrinkles and corner folds, shifting the position of the patch group formed on the sheet 1103 and making accurate measurement impossible. Therefore, it is desirable for the measuring instrument 150a to wait a sufficient amount of time after the sheet 1103 has been placed in the paper feed slot 1105 for the user to release their hand from the sheet 1103 before starting retraction. In other words, it is desirable for the measuring instrument 150a to determine that a sheet is present not immediately after the sheet 1103 is placed, but after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

[0034] On the other hand, after measurement, the sheet 1103 is ejected from the main unit 1100. However, in order to perform the next measurement, it is necessary to remove the sheet 1103, and in this case as well, the sheet 1103 is detected using a sensor provided on the main unit 1100. However, as described above, unlike the case where the retraction starts when it is detected that a sheet has been set, when detecting that a sheet has been removed, it is desirable to determine that there is no sheet immediately after the sheet is removed and prompt the user to set the sheet to be measured next. In other words, when detecting that a sheet has been removed, it is desirable to quickly detect that there is no sheet without causing any delay.

[0035] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the conditions for detecting that a sheet (chart) is set (first detection condition) and the conditions for detecting that a sheet is not set (second detection condition) are set to be different from each other. As a result, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent measurement errors caused by wrinkles or corner folds when manually setting the sheet on the measuring instrument, while simultaneously improving user convenience. The specific method will be described below.

[0036] <System-wide processing sequence> Next, with reference to Figures 5A and 5B, the processing sequence for performing color verification in the color verification system according to this embodiment will be described. The processing sequence described below assumes a case where multiple color verifications are performed by outputting multiple charts to the printer 130a using the measuring instrument 150a. Furthermore, the various operation screens described below are examples of those displayed on the display unit 105 of the color verification device 100, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be displayed on the display unit 105 of the control device 110 or other display units. In the following description, the symbol "S" means step.

[0037] First, in S501, the color verification specification registration unit 401 starts registering the color verification specification based on user input. When a user who wants to register a color verification specification selects the color verification specification registration button 601 on the main menu screen shown in Figure 6A(a), the system transitions to the color verification specification registration screen shown in Figure 6A(b). These UI screens are controlled by the UI control unit 402.

[0038] In the color verification specification registration screen shown in Figure 6A(b), selecting a color verification specification to register / edit in display areas 603-606 transitions to the detailed color verification specification selection screen shown in Figure 6(c). Display areas 603 and 604 show already registered color verification specifications, while display areas 605 and 606 show unregistered specifications. Selecting an already registered color verification specification allows for editing, and selecting an unregistered item allows for the registration of a new color verification specification. The detailed color verification specification selection screen in Figure 6A(c) includes display areas 607-610, where settings related to the color verification specification can be configured.

[0039] Selecting "Select Chart" in display area 607 on the detailed color verification specification selection screen in Figure 6A(c) transitions to the chart selection screen shown in Figure 6A(d). The user selects the chart to be used for color verification from display areas 611 to 614 on the chart selection screen shown in Figure 6A(d). "Chart 1" and "Chart 2" in display areas 611 and 612 of the chart selection screen in Figure 6A(d) are pre-registered standard charts defined by print certification such as JapanColor. When the user selects the chart input button 615, the user can input various information necessary for registering a custom chart. Specifically, registration is completed by entering the name, number of patches, patch size, and paper size / type for the custom chart to be registered, and uploading image data. Chart images are created in file formats such as TIFF, PDF, and JPEG. As a result, the chart is registered in "Unregistered" in display areas 613 and 614 of the chart selection screen in Figure 6A(d). The list of registered charts and the chart configuration information for each chart are collectively referred to as "Chart Information".

[0040] Next, in S502, the data acquisition unit 403 acquires from the control device 110 a list of printers 1 to 3 managed by the control device 110, and information indicating the status of each printer (hereinafter referred to as "printer status information"). Here, the printer status information includes information such as power status (ON / OFF), presence or absence of malfunction, and the processing status of print jobs (printing / standing). It is assumed that the control device 110 periodically accesses printers 1 to 3 to acquire and maintain this printer status information. In the following, the list of printers and the printer status information for each printer will be collectively referred to as "printer information".

[0041] Next, in S503, the color verification specification registration unit 401 accepts the selection of "Printer Selection" in the display area 608 of the detailed selection screen shown in Figure 6A(c). Upon accepting "Printer Selection," the UI control unit 402 transitions to the printer selection screen shown in Figure 6A(e) and executes a process to accept the selection of the printer to be color verified (hereinafter referred to as "Target Printer"). Specifically, the UI control unit 402 accepts the user's selection via the UI screen displayed on the display unit 105, and the setting processing unit 407 sets the printer related to that selection (in this case, Printer 1) as the Target Printer.

[0042] Figure 6A(e) shows the printer selection screen when the user selects a target printer. In the display areas 616-618 of the printer selection screen, a list of printers that may be processed (in this case, printers 1-3) is displayed according to the printer information acquired in S502. At this time, based on the printer status information, a display process is performed to indicate whether a printer is printable or not, for example, printers that are not printable are grayed out. In the printer selection screen of Figure 6A(e), only printer 2 is grayed out, indicating that printer 2 is not printable.

[0043] Next, in S504, the data acquisition unit 403 acquires from the control device 110 a list of measuring instruments 1 to 3 managed by the control device 110, as well as specification information for each measuring instrument and information indicating the status of each measuring instrument (hereinafter referred to as "measuring instrument status information"). Here, the specification information is information that indicates the specifications of each measuring instrument, such as the compatible paper size, minimum patch size, and minimum / maximum number of patches per sheet of paper (per page). In addition, for measuring instruments with accessories, the specification information also includes differences in specifications depending on the presence or absence of accessories. Here, accessories refer to measuring rulers, automatic paper feed units, etc. A measuring ruler is a device that assists the sliding motion during measurement, enabling stable color measurement in handheld measuring instruments. A position sensor on the underside of the measuring instrument detects the stripes on the ruler, allowing the user to detect the direction in which they are measuring (measuring from left to right, or from right to left, etc.). The automatic paper feed unit is a device that automatically takes in charts printed from a printer into the measuring instrument, enabling continuous color measurement. The instrument status information includes, for example, information such as power status (ON / OFF) and connection status. The control device 110 is assumed to have acquired and retained the specification information and instrument status information by accessing instruments 1-3 in advance or periodically. The list of instruments, along with the specification information and instrument status information for each instrument, are collectively referred to as "instrument information."

[0044] Next, in S505, the color verification specification registration unit 401 accepts the selection of "Measuring Instrument Selection" in the display area 609 of the detailed selection screen shown in Figure 6(Ac). Upon accepting "Measuring Instrument Selection," the UI control unit 402 transitions to the measuring instrument selection screen shown in Figure 6A(f) and executes a process to accept the selection of a measuring instrument to be used to measure the chromaticity value of the chart. Specifically, the UI control unit 402 accepts the user's selection via the UI screen displayed on the display unit 105, and the setting processing unit 407 sets the measuring instrument related to the selection as the measuring instrument to be used for chart measurement. Figure 6A(f) shows the measuring instrument selection screen when the user selects a measuring instrument. In the display areas 619 to 621 of the measuring instrument selection screen, measuring instruments that may be processed (here, measuring instruments 1 to 3) are listed according to the measuring instrument information acquired in S504. At this time, based on the measuring instrument status information, a display process is performed to show whether the instrument is usable or unusable, for example, by graying out unusable measuring instruments. In the instrument selection screen shown in Figure 6A(f), only instrument 2 is grayed out, indicating that instrument 2 is unavailable.

[0045] Next, in S506, the color verification specification registration unit 401 accepts the selection of "Input Tolerance Value" in the display area 610 of the detailed selection screen shown in Figure 6A(c). Upon accepting the selection of "Input Tolerance Value," the UI control unit 402 transitions to the tolerance value input screen shown in Figure 6B(g) and executes a process to accept data such as the target chromaticity value for each patch and the tolerance values ​​for the verification items in the chart used. Specifically, the UI control unit 402 accepts the user's selection via the UI screen displayed on the display unit 105, and the setting processing unit 407 sets the target chromaticity value and the tolerance values ​​for the verification items related to that selection. Figure 6B(g) shows the tolerance value input screen when the user inputs the tolerance values ​​for the verification items. Verification items include, for example, the average value of the color difference ΔE for each patch, the maximum value of the color difference ΔE, and the color difference ΔE of a single color (CMYK), and tolerance values ​​are set according to each verification item. The user pre-sets the tolerance values ​​according to the verification items via such a UI screen. Here, the color difference ΔE is the straight-line distance between the target chromaticity value in the L*a*b* color space and the chromaticity value (measured value) indicated by the colorimetric data, and can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (1).

[0046]

number

[0047] Here, we assume that tolerance values ​​for color difference are set for each verification item, as shown in the color verification settings screen in Figure 6B(g). In this case, if the average color difference ΔE for each patch is within ±4.0, the maximum color difference ΔE is within ±10.0, and the color difference ΔE for monochromatic (CMYK) (ΔE_monochromatic) is within ±5.0, it will pass (OK). On the other hand, if any of the verification items exceed the tolerance value, it will fail (NG).

[0048] Next, in S507, the verification processing unit 406 starts color verification based on user input. When a user who wants to start color verification selects the color verification button 602 on the main menu screen shown in Figure 6A(a), the UI control unit 402 transitions to the color verification specification selection screen shown in Figure 6B(h). Subsequently, in S508, when either display area 625 "Color Verification Specification 1" or 626 "Color Verification Specification 2" on the color verification specification selection screen in Figure 6B(h) is selected, the verification processing unit 406 generates a measurement job corresponding to each color verification specification and sends it to the control device 110. Once the measurement job is generated, the printer to be color verified, the measuring instrument to be used, the chart to be used for color verification, and the tolerance values, which were registered in the steps of S501 to S506, are uniquely determined.

[0049] Next, in S509, the control device 110 sends print jobs for multiple charts to the target printer (in this case, printer 130a) based on the received image data. Upon receiving the print jobs, in S510, printer 130a executes the printing process based on the print jobs and outputs the multiple charts.

[0050] Next, in S511, the control device 110 checks whether there are any usable measuring instruments among those connected to the control device 110 (here, measuring instruments 150a, 150b, and 150c). Specifically, the control device 110 checks the measuring instrument status information to determine which measuring instruments are usable. Here, it is assumed that measuring instrument 1 (measuring instrument 150a) is usable.

[0051] Next, in S512, the paper detection unit 404 transmits a paper detection instruction to the measuring instrument 150a according to predetermined detection conditions. The detection conditions for the paper detection instruction will be explained using Figure 7. As shown in 701, the time interval for the paper detection instruction for paper reset detection (no paper detection) is predetermined to be 0.5 seconds, and in S527, which will be described later, the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction is set to 0.5 seconds. In other words, the control device 110 has the paper detection unit 404, which is the second detection condition, repeatedly transmit a paper detection instruction to the measuring instrument 150a according to the time interval of 0.5 seconds for the paper detection execution instruction. Paper reset detection is the detection that paper has been removed from the target measuring instrument.

[0052] The HDD 104 of the control device 110 has parameters related to state transitions as shown in Table 1. "isNextPage" is a parameter used to notify the start of the paper removal check. "State" is a parameter that represents the state of the internal measuring instrument. "isOldPaperRemoved" is a parameter that holds whether or not the paper has been removed. In S512 above, "State" is set to "CheckingOldPaperRemoved" to indicate that the paper removal check is in progress. Detailed explanations will be given in each step below.

[0053] [Table 1]

[0054] Next, in S513, the measuring instrument 150a checks whether paper is loaded in the measuring instrument according to the paper detection instruction in S512 for paper reset detection. The measuring instrument 150a is equipped with a paper detection sensor, which can be used to detect whether paper is loaded in the measuring instrument. Then, in S514, the measuring instrument 150a transmits the result of the paper reset detection in S513 to the control device 110. If the detection result in S513 is "no paper", the control device 110 sets "isOldPaperRemoved" stored in the control device 110's HDD 104 to "True", indicating that the paper has been removed. The control device 110 also sets "isNextPage" to "True", causing the LED on the measuring instrument to light up blue, notifying the user that paper can now be loaded. The paper reset detection result is repeatedly notified in response to the paper reset detection instruction in S512.

[0055] Next, in S515, the measuring instrument 150a detects when the user presses the measurement start button on the measuring instrument, and upon detection, notifies the control device 110 of the selection to start measurement. The control device 110 sets the "State" held in the HDD 104 to "ReadyToPreScan," indicating that it is waiting for PreScan. Alternatively, the display unit 105 may be used to display a measurement option screen as shown in Figure 10, allowing the user to switch the automatic paper feeding setting. If the "Automatic" button shown in 1001 of Figure 10 is selected, the process in S515 is skipped, and the process proceeds to S516 without detecting the press of the measurement start button. In other words, if the "Automatic" button 1001 is selected, the setting is configured to automatically start reading after detecting the paper set in the measuring instrument. On the other hand, if the "Manual" button shown in 1002 of Figure 10 is selected, the process proceeds to S516 after detecting the measurement start button in S515. In other words, if the "Manual" button 1002 is selected, the device will be set to detect and start reading the paper that has been placed in it after the start button has been selected.

[0056] Next, in S516, the paper detection unit 404 refers to "isOldPaperRemoved" stored in the HDD 104 of the control device 110 and determines whether "isOldPaperRemoved" is "True," which indicates that the paper has been removed. If it is "True," the process proceeds to S517; otherwise, it proceeds to S518.

[0057] In S517, if the UI control unit 402 determines that "isOldPaperRemoved" is "False," indicating that paper removal has not been performed, it notifies the user to remove the chart that was left ejected last time, as shown in Figure 6B(k). Then, the control device 110 sets "State" to "Waiting," indicating that it is waiting, and returns the process to S515.

[0058] On the other hand, in S518, if the paper detection unit 404 determines in S516 that "isOldPaperRemoved" is "True," indicating that the paper has been removed, it switches the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction to paper set detection. As shown in 702 of Figure 7, the time interval for paper set detection (paper presence detection) is predetermined to be 5 seconds, so the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction (first detection condition) is set to 5 seconds. Unlike paper reset (second detection condition), in paper set, the paper is pulled into the measuring instrument after the paper is detected, so this ensures that the user has enough time to release the paper. For example, if the user who is placing the paper is still touching the paper when it is being pulled in (for example, holding the paper), the paper may shift due to the user's force during the pull-in process, potentially leading to measurement errors due to wrinkles or corner folds. Therefore, it is desirable that the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction for paper set detection ensures that the user has enough time to release the paper after setting it in the measuring instrument. On the other hand, for paper reset detection, the user removes the paper from the measuring instrument, and no paper is subsequently re-inserted. Therefore, it is desirable to issue instructions at the shortest possible time intervals to reduce delays. Subsequently, in S519, the paper detection unit 404 repeatedly transmits paper detection instructions to the measuring instrument 150a according to the 5-second time interval for paper detection execution instructions set in S518.

[0059] Subsequently, in S520, the measuring instrument 150a detects whether or not paper is set in the measuring instrument, similar to S513. If the detection result is no paper, the measuring instrument 150a notifies the control device 110 of "no paper," and the UI control unit 402 of the control device 110 prompts the user to measure the color of the chart printed from the target printer. Specifically, it displays a guidance screen as shown in Figure 6B(j) to prompt the user to set the printed chart in the measuring instrument. On the other hand, if the detection result is paper present, the measuring instrument 150a notifies the control device 110 of "paper present." The paper set detection result is repeatedly notified in accordance with the instruction interval for paper set detection in S519.

[0060] Next, in S521, if the control device 110 receives a "Paper Available" notification in S520, it sends a pre-scan instruction to the measuring instrument 150a for the chart printed from the target printer. Following the pre-scan instruction, in S522, the measuring instrument 150a performs a pre-scan of the chart. By first performing a pre-scan, it detects the location of the patches to be measured in S525, which will be described later. Subsequently, in S523, after the pre-scan is complete, the measuring instrument 150a sends image data corresponding to the obtained chart to the control device 110. Then, in S524, the control device 110 sends a measurement instruction to the measuring instrument 150a for the chart printed from the target printer. The control device 110 also sets the "State" to "ReadyToMeasure," indicating that it is waiting for measurement.

[0061] Next, in S525, the measuring instrument 150a measures the chromaticity value of each patch on the chart. Subsequently, in S526, after the measurement is complete, the measuring instrument 150a sends a measurement completion notification and the obtained color measurement data to the control device 110. Then, in S527, the paper detection unit 404 switches the time interval for paper detection execution instructions to paper reset detection. As explained using Figure 7 as an example, the time interval for paper reset detection is 0.5 seconds, so the time interval for paper detection execution instructions is set to 0.5 seconds. The control device 110 also sets "isOldPaperRemoved" stored in the HDD 104 to "False" to indicate that paper removal has not been performed, and sets "isNextPage" to "False". As a result, the LED of the measuring instrument lights up red to notify the user that the paper remains ejected.

[0062] Next, in S528, the control device 110 checks whether all charts listed in the measurement job generated in S508 have been measured. In S529, the control device 110 receives color measurement data (measurement results) from the measuring instrument 150a and transfers the data to the color verification device 100. In S530, the verification processing unit 406 uses the data to perform a process to verify the color accuracy of the printer associated with the corresponding measurement job.

[0063] Subsequently, in S531, the UI control unit 402 displays the verification results on the display unit 105 and terminates the processing of this sequence. Figure 6B(i) shows the report result screen displaying the verification results. As shown in Figure 6B(i), the average value, maximum value, and single-color (CMYK) color difference for each patch are displayed, along with the pass / fail (OK / NG) result for each verification item. Note that since Figure 6B(i) displays the verification results for each patch, it is desirable to allow the user to scroll or perform other operations to display the verification results of other patches. Alternatively, the verification results of the patches included in the chart may be displayed as a list, with OK and NG distinguishable on the list, and by selecting a predetermined patch, the detailed verification results for that patch, as shown in Figure 6B(i), may be displayed. Such a report result screen allows the user to understand the color variation status of the target printer. If the verification result is unsuccessful (NG), the printer's color variation can be suppressed to within specifications by recreating the print profile or performing correction work using the printer's color correction function.

[0064] The above describes the overall processing flow in the color verification system according to this embodiment. The control device 110 may, in conjunction with the display prompting the user to measure the color of the chart, issue a preparation instruction to the selected measuring instrument and perform calibration before the start of measurement. Furthermore, in S518, a configuration was described in which the time interval for paper detection is switched to 5 seconds for paper setting, making the detection interval during paper setting (5 seconds) longer than the detection interval during paper reset (0.5 seconds). However, there is no intention to limit the present invention, and a configuration where the detection interval is the same but a waiting time is provided after detection only during paper setting is also possible.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Table 2, an example was described in which the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction when paper is detected (paper set detection) is set to 5 seconds, and the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction when no paper is detected (paper reset detection) is set to 0.5 seconds. By setting the paper detection interval to be longer than the no-paper detection interval, the user is given time to set the paper in the measuring instrument, allowing for ample time to set the paper and preventing measurement errors caused by wrinkles or corner folds in the paper. On the other hand, by setting the no-paper detection interval to be short, it is possible to quickly detect and control the notification of the no-paper detection result in S514 from the start of no-paper detection in S512. As a result, when the user removes the paper, the system can quickly transition to the measurement standby state (the LED on the measuring instrument lights up blue), improving user convenience. Also, as shown in Table 2, as a modification, the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction when paper is detected may be set to 2 to 10 seconds, and the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction when no paper is detected may be set to less than 2 seconds.

[0066] [Table 2]

[0067] <Processing procedure of information processing device> Next, with reference to Figures 12 and 13, the processing procedure of the information processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. Here, the processing of the information processing apparatus including the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 will be described. Note that the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 at one location may be integrated and provided as an information processing apparatus, or they may be provided as separate devices as shown in Figure 1. Here, the processing will be described as that of the information processing apparatus, but if the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 are provided separately, communication between the devices will be performed as needed between each process. The basic processing flow is the same, so here it will be described as that of the information processing apparatus.

[0068] (Basic Flow) First, referring to Figure 12, the processing procedure for the basic flow of the color verification process of the information processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be explained. The process described below is realized by the CPU 101 of the information processing apparatus, which includes the color verification device 100 and the control device 110, reading the control program stored in the ROM 102 and HDD 104 into the RAM 103 and executing it. In the case where the color verification device 100 and the control device 110 are provided separately, the processes S1001, S1002, S1005, and S1006 are executed by the color verification device 100, and the processes S1003 and S1004 are executed by the control device 110, but this is not particularly limited.

[0069] In S1001, the color verification specification registration unit 401 registers the color verification specifications according to the user input. As explained using Figures 5A and 5B, here the selection of the chart to be printed, the selection of the printer, the selection of the measuring instrument to measure the printed chart, and the setting of tolerance values ​​are performed. Subsequently, in S1002, the color verification specification registration unit 401 generates a measurement job according to the registered contents. The generated job is notified to the measurement unit 405 (or the control device 110).

[0070] Next, in S1003, the measurement unit 405 prints the specified chart on the specified printer (for example, printer 130a) according to the generated measurement job. Then, in S1004, the measurement unit 405 performs measurements on one or more printed charts. Details of the measurement process will be described later with reference to Figure 13.

[0071] Once the measurement of one or more printed charts is complete, in S1005 the verification processing unit 406 performs color verification using the measurement results notified from the measurement unit 405. Here, a process is executed to verify the color accuracy of the printer associated with the corresponding measurement job. Then, in S1006, the UI control unit 402 displays the verification results on the display unit 105 and terminates the process of this flowchart.

[0072] (Measurement process) Next, with reference to Figure 13, the processing procedure for the measurement process of the information processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. The process described below is realized by the CPU 101 of the information processing apparatus, which includes the color verification device 100 and the control device 110, reading the control program stored in the ROM 102 and HDD 104 into the RAM 103 and executing it. Here, an example of measurement using the measuring instrument 150a will be described.

[0073] When the measurement process begins, in S2001 the paper detection unit 404 starts detecting a paper reset (no paper). Specifically, the paper detection unit 404 sets the time interval for paper detection execution instructions to 0.5 seconds and repeatedly notifies the measuring instrument 150a of paper detection instructions according to the set time interval. In response to this notification, the measuring instrument 150a outputs whether or not a chart has been detected by a sensor located near the paper feed slot of the measuring instrument 150a. In S2002, the paper detection unit 404 determines whether or not a paper reset has been confirmed according to the response from the measuring instrument 150a. If a paper reset is confirmed, the process proceeds to S2003; otherwise, the determination in S2002 is repeated. If a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of this determination and a paper reset has not been confirmed, that is, if a sheet such as a chart has not been removed from the paper feed slot 1105 of the measuring instrument 150a, an error may be determined and the process may proceed to S2012. Alternatively, a message prompting the user to remove the paper may be displayed on a display unit such as the monitor 120, or the LED display unit 1102 of the measuring instrument 150a may be controlled to light up to indicate that the paper has not been removed.

[0074] In S2003, the paper detection unit 404 starts detecting whether paper is set (paper present). Specifically, the paper detection unit 404 lights up an arbitrary LED on the LED display unit 1102 in blue for the measuring instrument 150a, sets the time interval for paper detection execution instructions to 5 seconds, and repeatedly notifies the measuring instrument 150a of the paper detection instruction according to the set time interval. It receives a response from the measuring instrument 150a as in S2001 above. Subsequently, in S2004, the paper detection unit 404 determines whether the paper set has been confirmed according to the response from the measuring instrument 150a. If the paper set is confirmed, it proceeds to S2005; otherwise, it repeats the determination in S2004.

[0075] In S2005, the measurement unit 405 determines whether the paper feed setting is set to automatic or manual. As explained using Figure 10, this setting is determined based on whether the "Automatic" button 1001 or the "Manual" button 1002 is set on the measurement options screen. These settings are stored, for example, in the HDD 104, and the measurement unit 405 makes the determination by referring to the setting information in the HDD 104. If the paper feed setting is set to automatic, the process proceeds to S2006; if it is set to manual, the process proceeds to S2011. In S2011, the measurement unit 405 determines whether the user has pressed button 1101 on the measuring instrument 405a to issue a start command. If a start command has been issued, the process proceeds to S2006. On the other hand, if no start command has been issued after a predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to S2012.

[0076] In S2006, the measurement unit 405 instructs the measuring instrument 150a to perform a pre-scan. The measuring instrument 150a starts pulling in the set chart and performs a pre-scan. The pre-scan detects the number of patches (number of patches vertically and horizontally) and their position information on the chart. Subsequently, in S2007, the measurement unit 405 compares the data with that of the chart selected in S1001 to determine whether the pre-scan was successful. If successful, the process proceeds to S2008; otherwise, the process proceeds to S2012.

[0077] In S2008, the measurement unit 405 instructs the measuring instrument 150a to measure the chart. The measurement unit 150a performs the chart measurement and notifies the information processing device of the measurement data. Upon receiving the measurement data, the paper detection unit 404 determines that the measurement of the chart is complete, and in S2009, it starts detecting a paper reset (no paper) to confirm that the ejected chart has been removed. Then, in S2010, the measurement unit 405 determines whether the measurement of all charts included in the measurement job has been completed. If it has not been completed, the process returns to S2002; if it has been completed, the process of this flowchart ends.

[0078] On the other hand, if the start command is not accepted in S2011 or if the pre-scan fails, the UI control unit 402 determines in S2012 that there is an error, displays this information on the monitor 102 or display unit 105, and terminates the processing of this flowchart. If the process terminates with an error, the color verification in S1005 is skipped, and an error is output as the result output in S1006.

[0079] According to this embodiment, when measuring the color of color patches placed on a chart printed from a printer, the detection of no paper and the detection of paper presence are controlled under different conditions at the time interval of the paper detection execution instruction. This achieves both prevention of measurement errors caused by wrinkles or corner folds when manually setting the sheet in the measuring instrument and improvement of user convenience.

[0080] <Embodiment 2> Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described below. In Embodiment 1 described above, when measuring the color of a color patch, the detection interval for detecting paper presence is set to be longer than the detection interval for detecting no paper, in the time interval of the paper detection execution instruction, thereby enabling both the prevention of measurement errors due to wrinkles or corner folds in the paper when feeding and user convenience. However, in the case of detecting paper presence, if paper is set towards the end of the time interval of the paper detection execution instruction (5 seconds in the example of Embodiment 1) (for example, after 4.5 seconds), paper feeding will start immediately, and will begin after 0.5 seconds. As a result, there is a possibility that paper feeding will start before the user has properly set the paper, and there is a risk that measurement errors due to wrinkles or corner folds in the paper when feeding may not be prevented. Therefore, in this embodiment, we will focus on this point and set the detection intervals for detecting no paper and detecting paper presence to be the same, while setting the number of consecutive detections for detecting paper presence to be greater than the number of detections for detecting no paper. This will describe an embodiment that enables both the prevention of measurement errors due to wrinkles or corner folds in the paper when feeding and user convenience.

[0081] The basic configuration and control of the color verification system, which are the same as those of Embodiment 1 described above, will be omitted. The overall configuration of the color verification system according to this embodiment is the same as that of Embodiment 1 described above, so the explanation will be omitted. The hardware configuration of the color verification device 100 and control device 110 according to this embodiment is the same as that of Embodiment 1 described above, so the explanation will be omitted. The main functional configuration and processing procedures of the color verification device 100 and control device 110 according to this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1 described above, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0082] <System-wide processing sequence> Referring to Figures 8A and 8B, the processing flow in the color verification system according to this embodiment will be explained. The following explanation will focus on the differences from Embodiment 1 described above. In the processing sequence described below, it is assumed that multiple color verifications are performed by outputting multiple charts to the printer 130a using the measuring instrument 150a. In addition, the various operation screens described below will be explained as examples displayed on the display unit 105 of the color verification device 100, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be displayed on the display unit 105 of the control device 110 or other display units. In the following explanation, the symbol "S" means step. From the start of registration of the color verification specification in S801 to the confirmation of the connection of the measuring instrument in S811, the explanation is omitted as it is the same as S501 to S511 in the sequence diagram of Figure 5A described in Embodiment 1 above.

[0083] In S812, the paper detection unit 404 transmits a paper detection instruction to the measuring instrument 150a. As explained using Figure 9 as an example, as shown in 901 and 902, the time interval for the paper detection execution instruction in this embodiment is preset to 0.5 seconds for both paper reset detection and paper set detection. Therefore, the paper detection unit 404 repeatedly transmits the paper detection instruction to the measuring instrument 150a in accordance with the 0.5-second time interval for the paper detection execution instruction. In addition, the parameters related to the state transition held in the HDD 104 of the control device 110 are the same as in Table 1 of Embodiment 1 above, and "State" is set to "CheckingOldPaperRemoved" to indicate that paper removal is being checked.

[0084] Next, in S813, the measuring device 150a checks whether or not paper is set in the measuring device. The measuring device 150a is equipped with a sensor that detects paper, and uses this sensor to check whether or not paper is set in the measuring device. In S814, the measuring device 150a transmits the detection result from S813 to the control device 110. As explained using Figure 9 as an example, the number of consecutive paper detections for paper reset detection is preset to 1. Therefore, if the detection result from S813 is "no paper", the control device 110 increments the no paper count until the no paper count reaches 1 consecutive paper detection. In other words, since the number of consecutive paper detections is preset to 1, the control device 110 determines that the paper has been removed from the measuring device with one no paper detection. After that, the control device 110 sets "isOldPaperRemoved" stored in the HDD 104 to "True". Furthermore, by setting "isNextPage" to "True," the control device 110 lights up the LED on the measuring instrument 150a in blue, notifying the user that the paper is ready to be loaded.

[0085] From the selection of the measurement start button in S815 to the error notification in S817, the sequence is the same as S515 to S517 in the sequence diagrams of Figures 5A and 5B described in Embodiment 1 above, so the explanation is omitted. In S818, if the paper detection unit 404 determines in S816 that "isOldPaperRemoved" is "True," indicating that the paper has been removed, it switches the number of consecutive paper detections to the paper set detection setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting setting in Subsequently, as shown in 912-915, a detection command is issued every 0.5 seconds, and when the chart is detected, the chart retraction begins. Therefore, after the user places the chart on the measuring instrument 150a, the user is given some time to release their hand from the chart.

[0086] In S819, the paper detection unit 404 sends a paper detection instruction to the measuring instrument 150a. As shown in Figure 9 as an example, in 901 and 902, the time interval for paper detection execution instructions is preset to 0.5 seconds for both paper reset detection and paper set detection, similar to S812. Therefore, the paper detection unit 404 repeatedly sends paper detection instructions to the measuring instrument 150a in accordance with the 0.5-second time interval for paper detection execution instructions. Subsequently, in S820, the measuring instrument 150a detects whether or not paper is set in the measuring instrument 150a, similar to S813. If the detection result is "no paper", it notifies the control device 110 of "no paper", and the UI control unit 402 of the control device 110 prompts the user to measure the color of the chart printed from the target printer. Specifically, it displays a guidance screen as shown in Figure 6B(j) to prompt the user to set the printed chart in the measuring instrument.

[0087] On the other hand, as illustrated in Figure 9, the number of consecutive paper detections for paper set detection is preset to 5. Therefore, if the detection result is "paper present," the control device 110 increments the "paper present" count. Subsequently, the paper detection instruction in S819 is repeatedly given, and the detection result is repeatedly transmitted from the measuring instrument 150a to the control device 110. Each time the detection result is "paper present," the "paper present" count is incremented. When the "paper present" count reaches the number of consecutive paper detections (5), the measuring instrument 150a notifies the control device 110 of "paper present." Note that the notification of "paper present" from the measuring instrument 150a to the control device may be given when the number of consecutive paper detections reaches the set number (in this case, 5), or it may be given each time "paper present" is detected. If notification is given each time "paper present" is detected, the control device 110 may count the number of times.

[0088] From the pre-scan instruction for the chart in S821 to the measurement completion notification in S826, the process is the same as S521 to S526 in the sequence diagram of Figure 5B described in Embodiment 1 above, so the explanation is omitted. In S827, the paper detection unit 404 switches the number of consecutive paper detections to the paper reset detection setting. As shown in Figure 9 as an example, as shown in 901, the number of consecutive paper detections is predetermined to be 1, so the number of consecutive paper detections is set to 1. The control device 110 also sets "isOldPaperRemoved" held in the HDD 104 to "False" to indicate that paper removal has not been performed. The control device 110 also sets "isNextPage" to "False" to light up the LED of the measuring instrument red, notifying the user that the paper remains ejected. From the confirmation of the number of measured sheets in S828 to the display of the color verification result in S831, the process is the same as S528 to S531 in the sequence diagram of Figure 5B described in Embodiment 1 above, so the explanation is omitted.

[0089] The above describes the overall processing flow in the color verification system according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in Table 3, the time interval for paper detection execution instructions is set to be the same for paper presence detection and paper absence detection, and an example has been described in which the number of consecutive paper detections when paper presence is detected is set to 5 times and the number of consecutive paper detections when paper absence is detected is set to 1 time. By increasing the number of consecutive paper detections when paper presence is detected compared to the number of consecutive paper absence detections, the user is given time to set the paper in the measuring instrument, and by setting the paper with ample margin, measurement errors due to paper wrinkles or corner folds can be prevented. On the other hand, by setting the number of consecutive paper absence detections to be set to a low number, it is possible to quickly detect and control the notification of the paper absence detection result in S814 from the start of paper absence detection in S812. As a result, when the user removes the paper, the system can quickly transition to the measurement standby state (the LED of the measuring instrument lights up blue), improving user convenience. Also, as shown in Table 3, as a modification, the number of consecutive paper detections when paper presence is detected may be set to 3 to 10 times and the number of consecutive paper detections when paper absence is detected may be set to 1 to 2 times.

[0090] [Table 3]

[0091] According to this embodiment, when measuring the color of color patches placed on a chart printed from a printer, the time interval between paper detection execution instructions for paperless detection and paper presence detection is set to be the same, while the paperless detection and paper presence detection are controlled under different conditions during the number of consecutive paper detections. This makes it possible to prevent measurement errors caused by wrinkles or corner folds in the paper during feeding, even when paper is set towards the end of the time interval for paper detection execution instructions, while also ensuring user convenience.

[0092] The disclosures herein include the following information processing devices, control methods thereof, and programs.

[0093] (Item 1) An information processing device, A detection means for detecting whether or not a sheet is set in the measuring instrument according to detection conditions, A measuring means that, upon detecting the set of sheets, measures the patch formed on the sheet using the measuring instrument, A control means for setting a first detection condition for detecting that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument and a second detection condition for detecting that a sheet is not set in the measuring instrument, with each set of different conditions. An information processing device characterized by comprising:

[0094] (Item 2) The first detection condition and the second detection condition are time intervals during which the information processing device notifies the measuring instrument of an instruction to detect the sheet set in the measuring instrument. The control means sets the first detection condition to a time interval longer than the second detection condition. The information processing apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that the detection means determines whether a sheet is set in the measuring instrument or whether a sheet is not set in the measuring instrument when the conditions set by the control means are met.

[0095] (Item 3) The information processing device according to item 2, characterized in that the control means provides a waiting time after the detection means detects that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument in accordance with the first detection condition.

[0096] (Item 4) The information processing device according to item 2 or 3, characterized in that the control means sets the time interval for the first detection condition to between 2 and 10 seconds, and the time interval for the second detection condition to less than 2 seconds.

[0097] (Item 5) The first detection condition and the second detection condition are the number of times the information processing device has detected the sheet set in the measuring instrument. The control means sets the first detection condition to occur more times than the second detection condition. The information processing apparatus according to item 1, characterized in that the detection means determines whether a sheet is set in the measuring instrument or whether a sheet is not set in the measuring instrument when the conditions set by the control means are met.

[0098] (Item 6) The information processing device according to item 5, characterized in that the time interval between the first detection condition and the second detection condition is the same for the information processing device to notify the measuring device of an instruction to detect the sheet set in the measuring device.

[0099] (Item 7) The information processing apparatus according to item 5 or 6, characterized in that the control means sets the number of times for the first detection condition to 3 to 10 times and the number of times for the second detection condition to 1 to 2 times.

[0100] (Item 8) The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 7, characterized in that when the first detection condition is met, the measuring device starts to retract the sheet set in the measuring device into the machine.

[0101] (Item 9) The information processing apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 8, further comprising setting means for setting whether the detection means detects whether a sheet is set in the measuring instrument in accordance with a start instruction from the user, or whether the detection means automatically detects whether a sheet is set in the measuring instrument.

[0102] (Item 10) The control means is The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 9, characterized in that it notifies whether or not a sheet is set in the measuring device by lighting up an LED provided in the measuring device.

[0103] (Item 11) The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 10, further comprising means for performing color verification of a printing device that has formed a patch on the sheet using the measurement results from the measurement means.

[0104] (Item 12) The aforementioned information processing device is a control device connected via a network to a color verification device that performs color verification. The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 10, characterized in that the control means transmits the measurement results from the measurement means to the color verification device, causing the color verification device to perform color verification of the printing device that has formed a patch on the sheet.

[0105] (Item 13) A method for controlling an information processing device, The detection means includes a detection step in which it detects whether or not a sheet is set in the measuring instrument according to the detection conditions, The measurement means detects the set of sheets and measures the patch formed on the sheet using the measuring instrument; A control means sets a first detection condition for detecting that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument and a second detection condition for detecting that a sheet is not set in the measuring instrument, with each set of different conditions. A control method for an information processing device, characterized by including the following:

[0106] (Item 14) A program for causing a computer to execute each step in a control method for an information processing device, wherein the control method is: The detection means includes a detection step in which it detects whether or not a sheet is set in the measuring instrument according to the detection conditions, The measurement means detects the set of sheets and measures the patch formed on the sheet using the measuring instrument; A control means sets a first detection condition for detecting that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument and a second detection condition for detecting that a sheet is not set in the measuring instrument, with each set of different conditions. A program characterized by including the following.

[0107] <Other Embodiments> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0108] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 100: Color verification device, 110: Control device, 120: Monitor, 130a: Printer 1, 130b: Printer 2, 130c: Printer 3, 150a: Measuring instrument 1, 150b: Measuring instrument 2, 150c: Measuring instrument 3, 160: Network, 170a: Site 1, 170b: Site 2, 170c: Site 3

Claims

1. An information processing device, A detection means for detecting whether a sheet has been set in the measuring instrument for paper feeding or whether a sheet has been ejected from the measuring instrument, A measuring means that, upon detecting that a sheet is set, measures the chromaticity value of the patch formed on the sheet using the measuring instrument, The device includes a control means that controls the setting of a first detection condition, which detects in a first cycle that a sheet is set in the measuring device for paper feeding, and a second detection condition, which detects in a second cycle shorter than the first cycle that a sheet has been ejected from the measuring device. The information processing device is characterized in that the detection means determines that a sheet has been set in the measuring device for paper feeding when the first detection condition is met, and determines that a sheet has been discharged from the measuring device when the second detection condition is met.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means provides a waiting time after detecting that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument according to the first detection condition by the detection means.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means is set to a first period of 2 to 10 seconds for the first detection condition and to a second period of less than 2 seconds for the second detection condition.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the first detection condition is met, the measuring device starts to retract the sheet set in the measuring device into the machine.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting whether the detection means detects whether a sheet is set in the measuring instrument in accordance with a start instruction from the user, or whether the detection means automatically detects whether a sheet is set in the measuring instrument.

6. The control means is The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that it notifies whether or not a sheet is set in the measuring device by lighting up an LED provided in the measuring device.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for performing color verification of a printing apparatus that has formed patches on the sheet using the measurement results from the measurement means.

8. The aforementioned information processing device is a control device connected via a network to a color verification device that performs color verification. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means transmits the measurement results from the measurement means to the color verification device, causing the color verification device to perform color verification of the printing device that has formed a patch on the sheet.

9. A method for controlling an information processing device, The detection means includes a detection step of detecting whether a sheet has been set in the measuring instrument for paper feeding or whether a sheet has been ejected from the measuring instrument, The measurement means, upon detecting that a sheet is set, measures the chromaticity value of the patch formed on the sheet using the measuring instrument. The control means includes a control step of setting a first detection condition to detect in a first cycle that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument for paper feeding, and a second detection condition to detect in a second cycle shorter than the first cycle that a sheet has been discharged from the measuring instrument. A control method for an information processing device, characterized in that, in the detection step, when the first detection condition is met, it is determined that a sheet has been set in the measuring device for paper feeding, and when the second detection condition is met, it is determined that a sheet has been discharged from the measuring device.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute each step in a control method for an information processing device, wherein the control method is: The detection means includes a detection step of detecting whether a sheet has been set in the measuring instrument for paper feeding or whether a sheet has been ejected from the measuring instrument, The measurement means, upon detecting that a sheet is set, measures the chromaticity value of the patch formed on the sheet using the measuring instrument. The control means includes a control step of setting a first detection condition to detect in a first cycle that a sheet is set in the measuring instrument for paper feeding, and a second detection condition to detect in a second cycle shorter than the first cycle that a sheet has been discharged from the measuring instrument. The program is characterized in that, in the detection step, when the first detection condition is met, it is determined that a sheet has been set in the measuring instrument for paper feeding, and when the second detection condition is met, it is determined that a sheet has been ejected from the measuring instrument.

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