Printing system, controller, print job creation apparatus, method of executing printing process, and program

A controller for a printing apparatus including a fixed print head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array, said printing apparatus ejecting ink from said plurality of nozzles based on predetermined printing data to perform printing on a printing sheet, said controller comprising:

• a) a storage element for storing predetermined information therein;
• b) a generation element for generating said printing data in accordance with descriptions of predetermined print job data stored in said storage element;
• c) a judgment element for acquiring information about whether said plurality of nozzles are open or closed during a printing process for said print job data in said printing apparatus to judge whether a flushing operation of said plurality of nozzles is needed or not based on said information;
• and
• d) a combination element for combining flushing data with said printing data in accordance with a predetermined condition,
• said flushing data being data for causing the flushing operation in a predetermined timed relationship during the printing process, said flushing data being previously stored in said storage element, said flushing data being combined with said printing data when said judgment element judges that said flushing operation is needed.

A print job creation apparatus for providing print job data to a controller for a printing apparatus including a fixed print head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array, said print job creation apparatus comprising:

• a) a layout element for creating layout data, said layout data representing a layout for a printed material;
• and
• b) a reservation element for creating reservation data, said reservation data specifying a placement reservation position in which a flushing pattern represented by said flushing data is to be placed on said printed material,
• said print job data including said layout data and said reservation data,
• said flushing data being data for causing a flushing operation in a predetermined timed relationship during a printing process,
• said printing apparatus ejecting ink from said plurality of nozzles based on predetermined printing data to perform printing on a printing sheet, said printing apparatus printing said flushing pattern in said placement reservation position when it is judged that said flushing operation is needed,
• said controller including
• a storage element for storing predetermined information therein,
• a generation element for generating said printing data in accordance with descriptions of said print job data stored in said storage element,
• a judgment element for acquiring information about whether said plurality of nozzles are open or closed during a printing process for said print job data in said printing apparatus to judge whether said flushing operation of said plurality of nozzles is needed or not based on said information, and
• a combination element for combining said flushing data previously stored in said storage element with said printing data in accordance with descriptions of said reservation data when said judgment element judges that said flushing operation is needed.

A method of executing a printing process in a printing apparatus, said printing apparatus including a fixed print head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array, said printing apparatus ejecting ink from said plurality of nozzles based on predetermined printing data to perform printing on a printing sheet, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) generating said printing data in accordance with descriptions of predetermined print job data stored in a predetermined storage element;
• b) acquiring information about whether said plurality of nozzles are open or closed during a printing process for said print job data in said printing apparatus to judge whether a flushing operation of said plurality of nozzles is needed or not based on said information;
• c) combining flushing data with said printing data in accordance with a predetermined condition when it is judged in said step b) that said flushing operation is needed;
• and
• d) performing printing based on said printing data in said printing apparatus,
• said flushing data being previously stored in said storage element, said flushing data being data for causing the flushing operation in a predetermined timed relationship during the printing process,
• wherein, when said flushing data is combined with said printing data, printing is done in said step d) based on said printing data with which said flushing data is combined.

A program stored on a computer, said program being executed in said computer thereby to cause said computer to function as a controller for a printing apparatus including a fixed print head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array, said printing apparatus ejecting ink from said plurality of nozzles based on predetermined printing data to perform printing on a printing sheet, said controller comprising:

• a) a storage element for storing predetermined information therein;
• b) a generation element for generating said printing data in accordance with descriptions of predetermined print job data stored in said storage element;
• c) a judgment element for acquiring information about whether said plurality of nozzles are open or closed during a printing process for said print job data in said printing apparatus to judge whether a flushing operation of said plurality of nozzles is needed or not based on said information;
• and
• d) a combination element for combining flushing data with said printing data in accordance with a predetermined condition,
• said flushing data being data for causing the flushing operation in a predetermined timed relationship during the printing process, said flushing data being previously stored in said storage element, said flushing data being combined with said printing data when said judgment element judges that said flushing operation is needed.

A program stored on a computer, said program being executed in said computer thereby to cause said computer to function as a print job creation apparatus for providing print job data to a controller for a printing apparatus including a fixed print head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array, said print job creation apparatus comprising:

• a) a layout element for creating layout data, said layout data representing a layout for a printed material;
• and
• b) a reservation element for creating reservation data, said reservation data specifying a placement reservation position in which a flushing pattern represented by said flushing data is to be placed on said printed material,
• said print job data including said layout data and said reservation data,
• said flushing data being data for causing a flushing operation in a predetermined timed relationship during a printing process,
• said printing apparatus ejecting ink from said plurality of nozzles based on predetermined printing data to perform printing on a printing sheet, said printing apparatus printing said flushing pattern in said placement reservation position when it is judged that said flushing operation is needed,
• said controller including
• a storage element for storing predetermined information therein,
• a generation element for generating said printing data in accordance with descriptions of said print job data stored in said storage element,
• a judgment element for acquiring information about whether said plurality of nozzles are open or closed during a printing process for said print job data in said printing apparatus to judge whether said flushing operation of said plurality of nozzles is needed or not based on said information, and
• a combination element for combining said flushing data previously stored in said storage element with said printing data in accordance with descriptions of said reservation data when said judgment element judges that said flushing operation is needed.