Image processing apparatus and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025388029-A1
Application number	US-202418895833-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2024
Priority date	Jun 20, 2024
Publication date	Dec 25, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a reading unit, a detection unit, a determination unit, and a processing unit. The reading unit reads an image printed based on predetermined test image data by a thermal printer that performs thermal control according to a thermal history table. The detection unit detects a difference between the image read by the reading unit and a test image represented by the test image data. The determination unit determines a thermal history table for compensating for the difference detected by the detection unit. The processing unit performs a predetermined process for setting the thermal history table determined by the determination unit in the thermal printer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image processing apparatus, comprising:
a reading component configured to read an image printed based on predetermined test image data by a thermal printer that performs thermal control according to a thermal history table; a detector configured to detect a difference between the image read by the reading component and a test image represented by the test image data; a determination component configured to determine a thermal history table for compensating for the difference detected by the detector; and a processing component configured to perform a predetermined process for setting the thermal history table determined by the determination component, in the thermal printer.

2 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the determination component acquires predetermined condition information regarding a printing condition for the image read by the reading component, and determines the thermal history table by taking into account the acquired condition information.

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the determination component uses, as the condition information, information indicating a type of printing paper on which the image read by the reading component is printed.

4 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the determination component uses, as the condition information, information indicating a type of ink ribbon used to print the image read by the reading component.

5 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing component transmits the thermal history table determined by the determination component to the thermal printer.

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the thermal history table comprises data that defines a time for energizing a heating element when forming one dot with a single heating element, a new energization status of each of a plurality of heating elements predetermined as reference elements, and a plurality of energization patterns each having a different past energization history.

7 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing component is further configured to perform thermal control of adjusting a time for energizing a heating element.

8 . An information processing method executed by a computer that controls an image processing apparatus, comprising:
reading an image printed based on predetermined test image data by a thermal printer that performs thermal control according to a thermal history table; detecting a difference between the image read and a test image represented by the test image data; determining a thermal history table that compensates for the difference detected by the detecting; and performing a predetermined process for setting the thermal history table determined by the determining, in the thermal printer.

9 . The image processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
acquiring predetermined condition information regarding a printing condition for the image read by the reading component, and determining the thermal history table by taking into account the acquired condition information.

10 . The image processing method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
using, as the condition information, information indicating a type of printing paper on which the image read is printed.

11 . The image processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
using, as the condition information, information indicating a type of ink ribbon used to print the image read.

12 . The image processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting the thermal history table determined to the thermal printer.

13 . The image processing method according to claim 8 , wherein
the thermal history table comprises data that defines a time for energizing a heating element when forming one dot with a single heating element, a new energization status of each of a plurality of heating elements predetermined as reference elements, and a plurality of energization patterns each having a different past energization history.

14 . The image processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
performing thermal control by adjusting a time for energizing a heating element.

15 . A printer management system, comprising:
a thermal printer and an image processing apparatus configured to communicate with each other via a communication network, the thermal printer includes: a memory that stores a thermal history table; a printer that uses a thermal head to print an image with thermal control according to the thermal history table stored in the memory; and a controller that controls the printer to print an image based on predetermined test image data, the image processing apparatus includes: a reader that reads an image printed by the printer based on the test image data; a detector that detects a difference between the image read by the reader and a test image represented by the test image data; a determination component that determines a thermal history table for compensating for the difference detected by the detector; and a processing component that performs processing to transmit the thermal history table determined by the determination component to the thermal printer, and the thermal printer further includes: a rewriter that rewrites the thermal history table stored in the memory with the thermal history table transmitted from the processing component.

16 . The printer management system according to claim 15 , wherein
the determination component acquires predetermined condition information regarding a printing condition for the image read by the reader, and determines the thermal history table by taking into account the acquired condition information.

17 . The printer management system according to claim 16 , wherein
the determination component uses, as the condition information, information indicating a type of printing paper on which the image read by the reader is printed.

18 . The printer management system according to claim 17 , wherein
the determination component uses, as the condition information, information indicating a type of ink ribbon used to print the image read by the reader.

19 . The printer management system according to claim 15 , wherein
the processing component transmits the thermal history table determined by the determination component to the thermal printer.

20 . The printer management system according to claim 15 , wherein
the thermal history table comprises data that defines a time for energizing a heating element when forming one dot with a single heating element, a new energization status of each of a plurality of heating elements predetermined as reference elements, and a plurality of energization patterns each having a different past energization history.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Fukuhara Takanori

Classifications

• B41J2/3555 Primary

  Historical control · CPC title

• B41J2/365 Primary

  by compensation for variation in temperature · CPC title

• B41J2/362

  Correcting density variation · CPC title