Information processing apparatus, information processing method, printing system, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11847369-B2
Application number	US-202217891221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2022
Priority date	Aug 20, 2021
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

An information processing apparatus generates a code for identifying images in imposition image data representing an image print region, determines candidate regions so that codes in print regions in pages represented by the imposition image data will not be printed at a same position, generates print data based on the imposition image data so that the code will be placed in at least one of the determined candidate regions. For the print data, up to a predetermined number of pages represented by pieces of the imposition image data, a print position of the code is same in a first page and a following second page. When a predetermined number of pages represented by the pieces of the imposition image data is reached, the print position of the code is different in the first page and the second page. The generated print data is output to a printing apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
one or more circuits; or
one or more processors and at least one memory, the at least one memory being coupled to the one or more processors and, having stored therein, instructions executable by the one or more processors,
wherein at least one of the one or more circuits or the execution of the instructions causes the information processing apparatus to function as:
a code generation unit configured to generate a code for identifying one or more images in a piece of imposition image data representing a print region with the images arranged therein;
a determination unit configured to determine candidate regions in the print region serving as candidates for placing the code, so that the codes in the print regions in pages represented by a plurality of pieces of the imposition image data will not be printed at a same position;
a print data generation unit configured to generate print data based on the imposition image data so that the code will be placed in at least one of the candidate regions determined by the determination unit, wherein the print data generation unit generates the print data so that, up to a predetermined number of pages represented by pieces of the imposition image data, a print position of the code is same in a first page and a second page following the first page and, at a point at which the predetermined number of pages represented by the pieces of the imposition image data is reached, the print position of the code is different in the first page and the second page; and
an output unit configured to output the generated print data to a printing apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit excludes, from the candidate regions, an image placement region in the piece of the imposition image data where the images are placed.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit excludes, from the candidate regions, a region determined as a defect region by a sensor that checks a printed state and obtained from the printing apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit excludes, from the candidate regions, a region to print various check patterns for checking printing performance.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein, in a case when the region to print the various check patterns and the print position of the code overlap, the print data generation unit generates the print data so that the code will be preferentially printed.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the various check patterns include a check pattern for adjusting relative print positions for a plurality of ink colors to be used in printing, a nozzle check pattern for checking whether an ink is normally ejected from nozzles of a print head, or a color monitoring pattern for checking a hue or a density of print regions for the nozzles of the print head.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the print data generation unit generates the print data so that the code will be printed in the region where the images are placed by using an invisible ink.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the print data generation unit generates the print data so that the code will be printed by using an invisible visible ink and multiplexing.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus performs transfer-type printing using intermediate transfer members attached intermittently to a surface of a transfer drum, and
the predetermined number of pages represented by pieces of the imposition image data is the number of the intermediate transfer members.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the printing apparatus includes line heads that perform full-line multi-head printing on a print medium in a sheet form or a print medium in a web form.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the printing apparatus includes a line head that performs serial printing in which the line head is moved relative to a print medium in a sheet form or a print medium in a web form.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the candidate regions are unit grid cells divided so as to have a length greater than or equal to a size of an ejection substrate forming the line head.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the candidate regions are unit grid cells divided so as to have a length greater than or equal to a size of the code.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the print data generation unit places a plurality of the codes in a page represented by a piece of the imposition image data.

15. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
generating an inspection code to be sent to a printing apparatus, the inspection code containing information on original image data of a piece of imposition image data representing one or more arranged images;
determining a candidate region in the piece of the imposition image data for placing the code; and
generating print data so that the code will be placed in the candidate region determined in the determining,
wherein the determining includes determining the candidate region so that print positions of the codes to be placed in a plurality of pieces of the imposition image data representing a plurality of pages are not a same position, and
the generating includes generating the print data so that, up to a predetermined number of pages represented by pieces of the imposition image data, a print position of the code is same in a first page and a second page following the first page and, at a point at which the predetermined number of pages represented by the pieces of the imposition image data is reached, the print position of the code is different in the first page and the second page.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to operate as:
a code generation unit configured to generate a code for identifying one or more images in a piece of imposition image data representing a print region with the images arranged therein;
a determination unit configured to determine candidate regions in the print region serving as candidates for placing the code, so that the codes in the print regions in pages represented by a plurality of pieces of the imposition image data will not be printed at a same position;
a print data generation unit configured to generate print data based on the imposition image data so that the code will be placed in at least one of the candidate regions determined by the determination unit, wherein the print data generation unit generates the print data so that, up to a predetermined number of pages represented by pieces of the imposition image data, a print position of the code is same in a first page and a second page following the first page and, at a point at which the predetermined number of pages represented by the pieces of the imposition image data is reached, the print position of the code is different in the first page and the second page; and
an output unit configured to output the generated print data to a printing apparatus.

17. A printing system comprising:
an information processing, wherein the information processing apparatu

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Tanaka Wakako
• Nakamura Takashi
• Sumi Naoki

Classifications

• G06F3/1243 Primary

  Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning · CPC title

• G06F3/121 Primary

  Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted · CPC title

• G06K15/102

  using ink jet print heads · CPC title

• G06F3/1285

  Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server · CPC title