Print Control Apparatus Surface Effect Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gloss control technologies fail to consistently achieve desired surface effects on sheets with large surface irregularities, leading to variations in applied surface effects.
Innovation Solution
A print control apparatus and method that includes a storage unit for surface-effect selection tables, a determining unit to select the appropriate table based on recording medium information, and an image data generating unit to produce image data specifying the type and area of surface effect, enabling precise control of clear toner application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional gloss control technology is used, then the process is simple, but the surface effect varies on sheets with large surface irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-registering multiple types of same surface effects in surface-effect selection tables for different recording medium types before the actual printing process. The determining unit pre-determines the appropriate surface-effect selection table based on recording medium information, and the image data generating unit pre-generates image data with specified surface effect types and areas. This preliminary preparation enables consistent surface effects on sheets with surface irregularities without requiring complex real-time adjustments during printing.
2Reliability
If clear toner is applied to achieve surface effects, then visual and tactual effects are enhanced, but the surface effect varies depending on sheet smoothness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by registering different types of same surface effects in separate surface-effect selection tables for different recording medium types (e.g., glossy paper, matte paper, transparent sheet). The determining unit determines the appropriate surface-effect selection table based on the specific recording medium information, and the image data generating unit generates image data with surface effects adapted to the local characteristics of each sheet type. This ensures that clear toner application produces reliable and consistent surface effects tailored to each sheet's specific smoothness and texture characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A print control apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store therein a plurality of surface-effect selection tables for respective pieces of recording medium information on a recording medium. Different types of same surface effects are registered in each of the surface-effect selection tables. The print control apparatus also includes a determining unit configured to determine a surface-effect selection table corresponding to a piece of recording medium information from the storage unit; an image data generating unit configured to generate image data based on the determined surface-effect selection table and based on gloss-control plane data in which a type of a surface effect to be applied to the recording medium and an area of the recording medium to which the surface effect is to be applied are specified; and an output unit configured to output the image data.