Print control apparatus, printing system, and print control method

A printing system comprising:

• an information processing apparatus;
• a printing device;
• and
• a print control apparatus that is connected to the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus via a network and controls the printing device, wherein
• the information processing apparatus includes:
• an input unit that receives specification of a color, specification of a type of a surface effect that is a visual or a tactile effect, and specification of a region to which the surface effect is applied, with respect to image data to be input;
• a first generating unit that generates color plane data, gloss-control plane data, and clear plane data in accordance with the specifications received by the input unit, the color plane data being used to attach color toner to a recording medium, the gloss-control plane data being used to generate clear-toner plane data to attach colorless clear toner to the recording medium and containing a gloss control value for specifying a type of the surface effect applied to the recording medium and for specifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium, and the clear plane data containing a density value for specifying a transparent image other than the surface effect;
• and
• a first transmitting unit that transmits the color plane data, the gloss-control plane data, and the clear plane data to the print control apparatus,
• the print control apparatus includes:
• a second generating unit that generates the clear-toner plane data based on the gloss-control plane data and the clear plane data;
• and
• a second transmitting unit that transmits the clear-toner plane data to the printing device, wherein
• when a region where the gloss control value is specified in the gloss-control plane data and a region where the density value is specified in the clear plane data overlap each other, the second generating unit sets a value of the clear-toner plane data to either the gloss control value specified in the gloss-control plane data or the density value specified in the clear plane data, based on a predetermined condition, and
• the printing device stores therein at least one color toner and at least one colorless clear toner and includes:
• an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium based on the color image data and the clear-toner plane data.

A print control method implemented by a print control apparatus that controls the printing device, wherein

• the printing device stores therein at least one color toner and at least one colorless clear toner and forms an image on a recording medium based on color plane data used for attaching the color toner and clear-toner plane data for attaching the clear toner,
• the print control method comprising:
• generating the clear-toner plane data based on gloss-control plane data and clear plane data, the gloss-control plane data containing a gloss control value for specifying a type of a surface effect being a visual or a tactile effect applied to the recording medium and for specifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium, and the clear plane data containing a density value for specifying a transparent image other than the surface effect;
• and
• outputting the clear-toner plane data, wherein
• the generating includes setting, when a region where the gloss control value is specified in the gloss-control plane data and a region where the density value is specified in the clear plane data overlap each other, a value of the clear-toner plane data to either the gloss control value specified in the gloss-control plane data or the density value specified in the clear plane data, based on a predetermined condition.