Printing system, printer, printer driver, POS system, colorization setup device, printing control method, colorization setup method, program, and storage medium for storing the program

Abstract

To print in two or more colors based on print data for monochrome printing, a POS application program run by a host outputs monochrome print data. The print data is passed to a service object (SO), a printer driver for the printer. The data processing part of the service object (SO) applies a colorization process according to the content of colorization information, and generates a print command for two-color printing. The colorization process adds color to text or the text background in units containing a specified number of printing lines. The print commands generated by the data processing part are then sent by a command output part to the printer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A printing system that is able to perform printing in two or more colors, comprising: 
 print data fetching means for fetching monochrome print data;    data interpreting and evaluating means for interpreting the fetched monochrome print data and determining if it is text data or image data;    storage means for storing colorization information defining a process for applying a specific colorization process to at least one of the text data or the image data;    print data processing means for applying the specific colorization process to the monochrome print data according to the colorization information based on the result of monochrome print data interpretation and evaluation, and producing color print data for printing in two or more colors; and    printing means for performing the printing of the color print data generated by the specific colorization process.    
     
     
         2 . A printing system as described in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the specific colorization process is applied to a line unit of printing lines contained in the monochrome print data, and    the print data processing means runs the specific colorization process according to the colorization information.    
     
     
         3 . A printing system as described in  claim 2 , wherein the colorization information defines a process for adding a background color to characters contained in the monochrome print data.  
     
     
         4 . A printing system as described in  claim 2 , wherein the colorization information specifies a change in font color for text contained in the monochrome print data.  
     
     
         5 . A printing system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the colorization information defines a process for converting an image contained in the monochrome print data to color.  
     
     
         6 . A printing system as described in  claim 1 , further comprising setting means for enabling a user to set the colorization information using an input device while viewing colorization information for colorizing monochrome print data on a display, and wherein the print data processing means applies the specific colorization process according to the colorization information to the fetched monochrome print data and generates color print data.  
     
     
         7 . A printing system as described in  claim 6 , wherein the setting means comprises: 
 display control means for presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering the colorization information for each of a plurality of specified items; and    input control means for setting the colorization information based on content input to each input field in the data entry screen.    
     
     
         8 . A printing system as described in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of specified items include text-related fields relating to a printing color for text.  
     
     
         9 . A printing system as described in  claim 8 , wherein the text-related fields include a field relating to a text font color.  
     
     
         10 . A printing system as described in  claim 8 , wherein the text-related fields include a field relating to a text background color.  
     
     
         11 . A printing system as described in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of specified items include a field relating to an image printing color.  
     
     
         12 . A printer driver for controlling a printer able to print in two or more colors, comprising: 
 storage means for storing a colorization information defining a specific colorization process to be applied to monochrome print data;    print data processing means for generating color print data for printing in two or more colors according to the colorization information; and    transmission means for sending the color print data to the printer.    
     
     
         13 . A printer that is able to receive externally-generated commands or print data and to print two or more colors, comprising: 
 storage means for storing a colorization information defining a specific colorization process that runs corresponding to a received print command directing monochrome printing;    print data processing means for generating color print data for printing in two or more colors according to colorization information content; and    print control means for printing based on the generated color print data.    
     
     
         14 . A POS system comprising a printing system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the POS system further comprises a POS application execution unit for tabulating sales information based on information of purchased products input from an input device and outputting monochrome print data for printing a receipt.  
     
     
         15 . A colorization setup device for setting colorization information used in a print data processing device for generating color print data for printing in two or more colors from monochrome print data, the colorization setup device comprising: 
 means for presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering colorization information for each of a plurality of specific items;    means for setting the colorization information based on content input to each input field in the data entry screen; and    means enabling referencing the set colorization information by the print data processing device.    
     
     
         16 . A printing control method for controlling printing in two or more colors, comprising: 
 fetching monochrome print data for printing with a single color;    applying a specific colorization process to the monochrome print data, and producing color print data for printing in two or more colors; and    printing the generated color print data.    
     
     
         17 . A colorization setup method for setting colorization information used for producing color print data for printing a receipt in two or more colors from monochrome print data, comprising: 
 presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering the colorization information for each of a plurality of specified items;    setting the colorization information based on a content input to each input field in the data entry screen; and    referencing the set colorization information by rendering a sample of an image of a receipt produced based on the set colorization information.    
     
     
         18 . A colorization setup device for setting colorization information for converting monochrome print data to multichrome print data, comprising: 
 means for presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering the colorization information for each of predetermined information items;    means for setting the colorization information based on the content input into each input field;    means for producing a sample receipt based on the set colorization information, and    means for displaying or printing the sample receipt.    
     
     
         19 . A method of printing in two or more colors in response to monochrome print data, comprising: 
 (a) fetching monochrome print data;    (b) interpreting the fetched print data and determining if the print data is text data or image data;    (c) storing colorization information defining a colorization process to be applied to the text data and/or the image data;    (d) applying said colorization process to the monochrome print data and producing multichrome print data in responsive to step (b) and said colorization information; and    (e) controlling printing means capable of printing in two or more colors in accordance with the multichrome print data obtained in step (d).    
     
     
         20 . A colorization setup method for setting colorization information used for converting monochrome print data to multichrome print data, comprising: 
 (a) presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering the colorization information for each of predetermined information items;    (b) setting the colorization information based on the content input into each input field;    (c) producing a sample receipt based on the set colorization information, and    (d) displaying or printing the sample receipt.    
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable medium embodying a program for executing on a computer a method of controlling printing in two or more colors, the program comprising instructions for: 
 fetching monochrome print data for printing with a single color;    applying a specific colorization process to the monochrome print data, and producing color print data for printing in two or more colors; and    printing the generated color print data.    
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium embodying a program for executing on a computer a colorization setup method for setting colorization information used for producing color print data for printing in two or more colors from monochrome print data of a receipt for printing in a single color, the program comprising instructions for: 
 presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering the colorization information for each of a plurality of specified items;    setting the colorization information based on a content input to each input field in the data entry screen; and    referencing the set colorization information by rendering a sample of an image of a receipt produced based on the set colorization information.    
     
     
         23 . A computer-readable medium embodying a program for executing on a computer a method of printing in two or more colors in response to monochrome print data, the program comprising instructions for: 
 (a) fetching monochrome print data;    (b) interpreting the fetched print data and determining if the print data is text data or image data;    (c) storing colorization information defining a colorization process to be applied to the text data and/or the image data;    (d) applying said colorization process to the monochrome print data and producing multichrome print data in responsive to instruction (b) and said colorization information; and    (e) controlling printing means capable of printing in two or more colors in accordance with the multichrome print data obtained in instruction (d).    
     
     
         24 . A computer-readable medium embodying a program for executing on a computer a colorization setup method for setting colorization information used for converting monochrome print data to multichrome print data, the program comprising instructions for: 
 (a) presenting a data entry screen containing input fields for entering the colorization information for each of predetermined information items;    (b) setting the colorization information based on the content input into each input field;    (c) producing a sample receipt based on the set colorization information, and    (d) displaying or printing the sample receipt.