Print control apparatus, print control method, and computer-executable program

• US 7,436,532 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsujimoto, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): EBRAHIMI DEHKORDY, SAEID
• Application Number:
  US10/412,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20050111015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.13, 358/3.19, 702/27, 702/196, 399/1, 399/401, 271/65, 271/270
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1219 with regard to consumables, e.g. ink, toner, paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1254 Automatic configuration, e.g. by driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1255 Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/005 only locally
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/021 Adaptations for printing on specific media

Abstract

A printer detects characteristics of a sheet before the sheet is conveyed and outputs sheet information to a PC. The PC specifies a type and the like of the sheet on the basis of the sheet information, decides print quality, and performs print setting. Print quality information selected by the user from a plurality of predetermined print quality is received. Whether a mismatch has occurred between the print quality information and the decided print quality or not is discriminated. If it is determined that no mismatch occurs, print data is formed.

Claims

1. A print control apparatus for controlling a printer, comprising:

a first discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether there is a mismatch between a media type sensed at the printer and a media type designated by a user;

a first display unit configured to display a first screen on which a message is displayed indicating that there is a mismatch between the two media types, and on which the user is allowed to select the sensed media type or the designated media type, if said first discrimination unit discriminates that there is a mismatch between the two media types;

a sheet setting unit configured to set the sensed media type or the designated media type as sheet setting, in accordance with the selection made on the first screen displayed by said first display unit;

a second discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether there is a mismatch between the media type set by said sheet setting unit and print quality;

a second display unit configured to display a second screen on which a message is displayed indicating that there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality, and on which the user is allowed to select or not to select adapting of print quality to the media type, if said second discrimination unit discriminates that there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality;

a print quality setting unit configured to set print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the adapting of print quality to the media type is selected on the second screen displayed by said second display unit, or print quality determined based on designation by the user if the adapting of print quality to the media type is not selected on the displayed second screen;

a generation unit configured to generate print data based on the print setting set by said print quality setting unit; and

an output unit configured to output the print data generated by said generation unit to the printer.

2. A print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic media type setting mode, and wherein said first discrimination unit discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the two media types if the automatic media type setting mode is not selected.

3. A print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic print quality setting mode, and wherein said second discrimination unit discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected.

4. A print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with a table indicating matching between media types and print qualities, and wherein said second discrimination unit discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality based on the table.

5. A print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic print quality setting mode, wherein said second discrimination unit discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected and wherein said print quality setting unit sets the print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the automatic print quality setting mode is selected.

6. A print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic media type setting mode and an automatic print quality setting mode, wherein said second discrimination unit discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic media type setting mode is selected and if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected and wherein said print quality setting unit sets the print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the automatic media type setting mode is selected and if the automatic print quality setting mode is selected.

7. A method of a print control apparatus for controlling a printer, comprising:

a first discrimination step of discriminating whether there is a mismatch between a media type sensed at the printer and a media type designated by a user;

a first display of displaying a first screen on which a message is displayed indicating that there is a mismatch between the two media types, and on which the user is allowed to select the sensed media type or the designated media type, if said first discrimination step discriminates that there is a mismatch between the two media types;

a sheet setting step of setting the sensed media type or the designated media type as sheet setting, in accordance with the selection made on the first screen displayed by said first display step;

a second discrimination step of discriminating whether there is a mismatch between the media type set by said sheet setting step and print quality;

a second display step of displaying a second screen on which a message is displayed indicating that there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality, and on which the user is allowed to select or not to select adapting of print quality to the media type, if said second discrimination step discriminates that there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality;

a print quality setting step of setting print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the adapting of print quality to the media type is selected on the second screen displayed by said second display step, or print quality determined based on designation by the user if the adapting of print quality to the media type is not selected on the displayed second screen;

a generation step of generating print data based on the print setting set by said print quality setting unit; and

an output step of outputting the print data generated by said generation step to the printer.

8. A method of a print control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic media type setting mode, and wherein said first discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the two media types if the automatic media type setting mode is not selected.

9. A method of a print control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic print quality setting mode, and wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected.

10. A method of a print control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with a table indicating matching between media types and print qualities, and wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality based on the table.

11. A method of a print control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic print quality setting mode, wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected and wherein said print quality setting step sets the print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the automatic print quality setting mode is selected.

12. A method of a print control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic media type setting mode and an automatic print quality setting mode, wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic media type setting mode is selected and if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected and wherein said print quality setting step sets the print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the automatic media type setting mode is selected and if the automatic print quality setting mode is selected.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executed by a print control apparatus for controlling a printer, the computer program comprising:

a first discrimination step of discriminating whether there is a mismatch between a media type sensed at the printer and a media type designated by a user;

a first display of displaying a first screen on which a message is displayed indicating that there is a mismatch between the two media types, and on which the user is allowed to select the sensed media type or the designated media type, if said first discrimination step discriminates that there is a mismatch between the two media types;

a sheet setting step of setting the sensed media type or the designated media type as sheet setting, in accordance with the selection made on the first screen displayed by said first display step;

a second discrimination step of discriminating whether there is a mismatch between the media type set by said sheet setting step and print quality;

a second display step of displaying a second screen on which a message is displayed indicating that there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality, and on which the user is allowed to select or not to select adapting of print quality to the media type, if said second discrimination step discriminates that there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality;

a print quality setting step of setting print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the adapting of print quality to the media type is selected on the second screen displayed by said second display step, or print quality determined based on designation by the user if the adapting of print quality to the media type is not selected on the displayed second screen;

a generation step of generating print data based on the print setting set by said print quality setting unit; and

an output step of outputting the print data generated by said generation step to the printer.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executed by a print control apparatus for controlling a printer according to claim 13, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic media type setting mode, and wherein said first discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the two media types if the automatic media type setting mode is not selected.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executed by a print control apparatus for controlling a printer according to claim 13, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic print quality setting mode, and wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executed by a print control apparatus for controlling a printer according to claim 13, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with a table indicating matching between media types and print qualities, and wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality based on the table.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executed by a print control apparatus for controlling a printer according to claim 13, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic print quality setting mode, wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected and wherein said print quality setting step sets the print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the automatic print quality setting mode is selected.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executed by a print control apparatus for controlling a printer according to claim 13, wherein said print control apparatus is provided with an automatic media type setting mode and an automatic print quality setting mode, wherein said second discrimination step discriminates whether there is a mismatch between the media type and print quality if the automatic media type setting mode is selected and if the automatic print quality setting mode is not selected and wherein said print quality setting step sets the print setting using print quality determined based on the media type if the automatic media type setting mode is selected and if the automatic print quality setting mode is selected.