Printing system, print controller, printing apparatus, method of controlling printing operation, method of printing, ink cartridge, ink supplier, and recording medium
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorToshiaki Kakutani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique of the present invention uses dark yellow (DY) ink, in addition to a plurality of conventionally used basic color inks including cyan (C) ink, magenta (M) ink, and yellow (Y) ink. The technique may cause a printer to create dots with the DY ink, in place of creation of dots with the Y, C, and M inks. This arrangement enhances the degree of freedom in specification of dot on-off conditions of the respective inks, and relieves the restriction of ink duty, thereby enabling a resulting printed image to have higher picture quality.
Claims55
A printing system comprising a printer that creates dots with a plurality of different inks, so as to print an image on a printing medium, and a print controller that supplies control information to said printer, so as to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks,
- wherein said print controller comprises:
- a dot on-off condition specification unit that specifies dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- and
- a control information output unit that outputs the control information to specify the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink to said printer,
- said printer comprising:
- a control information input unit that receives the control information to specify the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, which is output from said control information output unit;
- and
- a dot formation unit that creates dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, based on the input control information.
A print controller that supplies control information to a printer, which creates dots with a plurality of different inks, in order to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks,
- said printer creating dots with a plurality of basic color inks as well as with a dark ink, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink,
- said print controller comprising:
- a dot on-off condition specification unit that specifies dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, based on input image data;
- and
- a control information output unit that outputs the control information to specify the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink to said printer.
A print controller that supplies control information to a printer, which creates dots with a plurality of different inks, in order to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks,
- said printer creating dots with a plurality of basic color inks, which include at least cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, as well as with dark yellow ink, the dark yellow ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of the yellow ink but a lower lightness than that of the yellow ink,
- said print controller comprising:
- a dot on-off condition specification unit that specifies dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink, based on input image data;
- and
- a control information output unit that outputs the specification of the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink to said printer as the control information.
A printing apparatus that has a print head to create dots with a plurality of different inks on a printing medium, receives control information to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks, and actually creates dots with the plurality of different inks, based on the input control information, so as to print an image,
- said printing apparatus comprising:
- a basic color ink supply unit that supplies a plurality of basic color inks to said print head, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color;
- a dark ink supply unit that supplies a dark ink to said print head, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- a control information input unit that receives the control information with regard to dots of the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink;
- and
- a dot formation unit that drives said print head based on the input control information, so as to create dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink.
A printing apparatus that has a print head to create dots with a plurality of different inks on a printing medium, receives control information to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks, and actually creates dots with the plurality of different inks, based on the input control information, so as to print an image,
- said printing apparatus comprising:
- a basic color ink supply unit that supplies a plurality of basic color inks to said print head, the plurality of basic color inks including at least cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink;
- a dark yellow ink supply unit that supplies dark yellow ink to said print head, the dark yellow ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of the yellow ink inks but a lower lightness than that of the yellow ink;
- a control information input unit that receives the control information with regard to dots of the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink;
- and
- a dot formation unit that drives said print head based on the input control information, so as to create dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink.
A method of creating dots with a plurality of different inks, so as to print an image on a printing medium,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- specifying dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- and
- creating dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, based on the specification of the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, so as to print an image.
A method of supplying control information to a printer, which creates dots with a plurality of different inks on a printing medium, in order to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks and thereby controlling a printing operation of said printer,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) specifying dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- and
- (b) outputting the specification of the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink to said printer as the control information, so as to control the printing operation of said printer.
A method of supplying control information to a printer, which creates dots with a plurality of different inks on a printing medium, in order to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks and thereby controlling a printing operation of said printer,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) specifying dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and dark yellow ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks including at least cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, the dark yellow ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of the yellow ink but a lower lightness than that of the yellow ink;
- and
- (b) outputting the specification of the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink to said printer as the control information, so as to control the printing operation of said printer.
A method of receiving control information to control creation of dots with a plurality of different inks and driving a print head, which creates dots with the plurality of different inks on a printing medium, based on the control information, so as to print an image,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) supplying a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink to said print head, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- (b) receiving the control information with regard to dots of the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink;
- and
- (c) driving said print head based on the input control information to create dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, thereby printing an image.
A method of receiving control information to control creation of dots with a plurality of different inks and driving a print head, which creates dots with the plurality of different inks on a printing medium, based on the control information, so as to print an image,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) supplying a plurality of basic color inks and dark yellow ink to said print head, the plurality of basic color inks including at least cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, the dark yellow ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of the yellow ink but a lower lightness than that of the yellow ink;
- (b) receiving the control information with regard to dots of the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink;
- and
- (c) driving said print head based on the input control information to create dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink, thereby printing an image.
An ink cartridge detachably attached to a printing apparatus, which prints an image with at least one ink, said ink cartridge keeping therein at least one ink to be supplied to said printing apparatus,
- said ink cartridge comprising:
- a dark yellow ink reservoir that keeps therein dark yellow ink, the dark yellow ink having:
- (A) a characteristic wavelength region that is mostly in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 500 nm, the characteristic wavelength region strongly absorbing a ray in a visible range to mainly determine the hue of the dark yellow ink;
- and
- (B) a mean value of absorptivity of the ray in the visible range except the characteristic wavelength region, which ranges from 10% to 60%.
An ink supplier that feeds a supply of ink to an ink cartridge, said ink cartridge being detachably attached to a printing apparatus and keeping therein at least one ink used by said printing apparatus, said ink supplier comprising:
- a sealed ink reservoir that keeps an ink in a sealing manner;
- and
- an ink supply unit that feeds a supply of the sealed ink to said ink cartridge,
- wherein the ink sealed in said sealed ink reservoir has:
- (A) a characteristic wavelength region that is mostly included in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 500 nm, the characteristic wavelength region strongly absorbing a ray in a visible range to mainly determine the hue of the ink;
- and
- (B) a mean value of absorptivity of the ray in the visible range except the characteristic wavelength region, which ranges from 10% to 60%.
A recording medium, in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable manner, said specific program actualizing a method of creating dots with a plurality of different inks, so as to print an image on a printing medium,
- said specific program causing a computer to attain the functions of:
- specifying dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- and
- controlling creation of dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, based on the specification of the dot-on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink.
A recording medium, in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable manner, said specific program actualizing a method of supplying control information to a printer, which creates dots with a plurality of different inks on a printing medium, in order to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks and thereby controlling a printing operation of said printer,
- said specific program causing a computer to attain the functions of:
- specifying dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- and
- outputting the specification of the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink to said printer as the control information, so as to control the printing operation of said printer.
A recording medium, in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable manner, said specific program actualizing a method of supplying control information to a printer, which creates dots with a plurality of different inks on a printing medium, in order to control the creation of dots with the plurality of different inks and thereby controlling a printing operation of said printer,
- said specific program causing a computer to attain the functions of:
- specifying dot on-off conditions with regard to a plurality of basic color inks and dark yellow ink based on input image data, the plurality of basic color inks including at least cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, the dark yellow ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of the yellow ink but a lower lightness than that of the yellow ink;
- and
- outputting the specification of the dot on-off conditions with regard to the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink to said printer as the control information, so as to control the printing operation of said printer.
A recording medium, in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable manner, said specific program actualizing a method of receiving control information to control creation of dots with a plurality of different inks and driving a print head, which creates dots with the plurality of different inks on a printing medium, based on the control information, so as to print an image,
- said specific program causing a computer to attain the functions of:
- receiving the control information to control creation of dots with a plurality of basic color inks and a dark ink, the plurality of basic color inks being combined with one another to express achromatic color, the dark ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of one basic color ink selected out of the plurality of basic color inks but a lower lightness than that of the selected basic color ink;
- and
- driving said print head based on the input control information to create dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark ink, thereby printing an image.
A recording medium, in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable manner, said specific program actualizing a method of receiving control information to control creation of dots with a plurality of different inks and driving a print head, which creates dots with the plurality of different inks on a printing medium, based on the control information, so as to print an image,
- said specific program causing a computer to attain the functions of:
- receiving the control information to control creation of dots with a plurality of basic color inks and dark yellow ink, the plurality of basic color inks including at least cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink, the dark yellow ink having a main wavelength region of light absorption substantially identical with that of the yellow ink but a lower lightness than that of the yellow ink;
- and
- driving said print head based on the input control information to create dots with the plurality of basic color inks and the dark yellow ink, thereby printing an image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.