Hitachi, Ltd.

Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.

Hitachi Computer Engineering Co., Ltd.

Toshiyuki Yamada

Nobumitsu Kembo

Naoyuki Urata

Takashi Wakabayashi

Tuneo Imai

Hitoshi Tamura

Takeshi Shibuya

Shiro Kofuji

Yukio Yamamoto

Hiroyuki Abiru

Natsuhiko Hirayama

A color printing apparatus includes a printer driver for receiving a print instruction of print data issued from an application program, and for rasterizing the print data to produce con-tone/multi-bits bitmap data and bi-tone/single-bit bitmap data; a page memory for independently storing thereinto both the con-tone/multi-bits bitmap data and the bi-tone/single-bit bitmap data; a control unit for executing a control operation in such a manner that the con-tone/multi-bits bitmap data is converted into con-tone/multi-bits print data, the bi-tone/single-bit bitmap data is converted into bi-tone/single-bit print data, and at least one of the con-tone/multi-bits print data-and the bi-tone/single-bit print data is stored into the page memory in a bitmap format; and an output control unit for reading at least any one of the con-tone/multi-bits print data and the bi-tone/single-bit print data from the page memory, and for logically synthesizing the print data with each other to output the synthesized print data to a color printing unit, reducing the data amount of the bitmap data.

Color printing apparatus

In an image output device a test chartincluding tests chartsof each color is used, and a tone correction table is calculated. The test chartsare patterned in a checkered pattern, each including continuous areasin which the tones increase in steps and reference areasfor comparison with the continuous areas. The reference areasare formed of white ground of paper in a highlight proof part, a solid pattern with a maximum density in a shadow proof part, and halftone dot-concentrated or line screens with a lower resolution than in the continuous areas in a middle proof part. Tone correction values are calculated from characteristic values of the highlight, shadow and middle parts, obtained from visual data of the test chart

Image output device and test chart for the same

A printing control method and apparatus for combining forms data and printing data to produce and output printing images. Forms data are handled as a group of forms data including a plurality of component data groups forming partial form elements and component placement information groups specifying intra-page positions of components. For form selection, component placement selection information is selected in the printing data. Component placement information selected and indicated by this component placement selection information is used for form generation. If a plurality of components are the same in partial form elements, therefore, a plurality of kinds of forms data can use components in common and are administered by only component placement information specifying intra-page positions of respective components. As for forms data needed at the time of printing, therefore, components of form elements are placed and combined in accordance with the component placement information. Combined forms data thus generated and printing data are converted into printing images and outputted. As a result, there are obtained a printing control method and apparatus in which forms data are administered efficiently and used effectively.

Printing control method and apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Hadano, Japan

Toshiyuki Yamada