Printer, printing system, and card manufacturing method

• US 9,955,044 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G-Printec, Inc. (Kanematsu Corporation)
• Original Assignee: G-Printec, Inc. (Kanematsu Corporation)
• Inventors: Ihara, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Madelein
• Application Number:
  US15/216,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/028 by thermal printers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6027 Correction or control of colour gradation or colour contrast H04N1/6058 takes precedence

Abstract

An input unit receives first image data to be printed with a first ink. A luminance value calculator calculates the luminance value of each pixel included in the first image data. A luminance value converter converts the luminance value to a value which is equal to or greater than a previously-set luminance setting lower limit, and is equal to or less than a previously-set luminance setting upper limit. A printing unit prints a first image based on the first image data with the luminance values converted by the luminance value converter on a print body with a first ink, and prints a second image based on second image data on the print body with a glossy second ink to form a glossy image including the first and second images superimposed on the print body.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

an input unit configured to receive first image data;

a luminance value calculator configured to calculate the luminance value of each pixel included in the first image data;

a luminance value converter configured to convert the luminance value to a value which is equal to or greater than a previously-set luminance setting lower limit and is equal to or less than a previously-set luminance setting upper limit; and

a printing unit configured to print a first image based on the first image data with the luminance values converted by the luminance value converter, on a print body with a first ink, the first ink being a color ink including yellow, magenta, and cyan inks, and to print a second image based on second image data on the print body with a second ink, the second ink being metal ink containing metal particles or flakes, to form a glossy image including the first and second images superimposed on the print body.

2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the luminance setting lower limit is configured based on a first reflection density value and a second reflection density value, and the luminance setting upper limit is configured based on a third reflection density value and a fourth reflection density value, wherein

the first reflection density value is the density value of the first image when the first image is seen in a first direction;

the second reflection density value is the density value of the glossy image when the glossy image is seen in the first direction,

the third reflection density value is the density value of the first image when the first image is seen in a second direction, in which the first image is visually recognized with stronger reflected light than in the first direction, and

the fourth reflection density value is the density value of the glossy image when the glossy image is seen in the second direction.

3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the luminance value converter is configured to convert the luminance value to the luminance setting lower limit, when the luminance value is less than the luminance setting lower limit, and to convert the luminance value to the luminance setting upper limit, when the luminance value is greater than the luminance setting upper limit.

4. The printer according to claim 1, wherein

the luminance value converter is configured to convert the luminance value to a value which corresponds to the luminance value and is equal to or greater than the luminance setting lower limit, when the luminance value is less than a correction lower boundary value, which is set greater than the luminance setting lower limit and less than the luminance setting upper limit;

and

the luminance value converter is configured to convert the luminance value to a value which corresponds to the luminance value and is equal to or less than the luminance setting upper limit, when the luminance value is greater than a correction upper boundary value, which is set greater than the correction lower boundary value and less than the luminance setting upper limit.

5. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the luminance value converter is configured to convert each luminance value to a value equal to or greater than the luminance setting lower limit and equal to or less than the luminance setting upper limit, based on the maximum and minimum value of the luminance values.

6. A printing system comprising:

a printer; and

a printer driver configured to send image data to the printer, wherein

the printer driver comprises;

an input unit configured to receive first image data;

a luminance value calculator configured to calculate the luminance value of each pixel included in the first image data; and

a luminance value converter configured to convert the luminance value to a value which is equal to or greater than a previously-set luminance setting lower limit and is equal to or less than a previously-set luminance setting upper limit; and

the printer comprises a printing unit configured to print a first image based on the first image data with the luminance values converted by the luminance value converter, on a print body with a first ink, the first ink being a color ink including yellow, magenta, and cyan inks, and to print a second image based on second image data on the print body with a second ink, the second ink being metal ink containing metal particles or flakes, to form a glossy image including the first and second images superimposed on the print body.

7. A method of manufacturing a card, comprising:

calculating the luminance value of each pixel included in first image data;

converting the luminance value to a value which is equal to or greater than a previously-set luminance setting lower limit and is equal to or less than a previously-set luminance setting upper limit; and

printing a first image based on the first image data with the luminance values converted on a card material with a first ink, the first ink being a color ink including yellow, magenta, and cyan inks, and printing a second image based on second image data on the card material with a second ink, the second ink being metal ink containing metal particles or flakes, to manufacture a card with a glossy image formed thereon, the glossy image including the first and second images superimposed on the card material.