Print Control Device, Printing Device, Data Processing Method, and Print Control Device Configuration Method

Abstract

Colorful printing using more colors based on data for printing with a single color or few colors is enabled. A printer control unit 15 includes a print data acquisition unit 15 c, print data processing unit 15 d, and print control unit 15 e. The print data acquisition unit 15 c acquires data for a print object and a command specifying the print position of the print object. Based on the print position specified by the command acquired by the print data acquisition unit 15 c, the print data processing unit 15 d applies a process setting an attribute of the print object, or a process replacing the print object with another print object.

1 . A print control device that outputs data to be printed in more print colors than the input print data when print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors is input, the print control device comprising:
 an acquisition means that acquires data denoting a print object contained in the print data, and a command specifying the print position of the print object; and   a processing means that, based on the print position specified by the command acquired by the acquisition means, executes a print control process including a process that determines an attribute of the print object or a process that replaces the print object with a different print object.   
     
     
         2 . The print control device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the print position of the print object, and the content of the process executed by the processing means on the print object, are set relationally; and   in the print control process, the processing means executes a process on the print object according to the content set relationally to the print position the command specifies for the print object.   
     
     
         3 . The print control device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the print control process, the processing means sets the print color of the print object to a color set according to the print position specified by the command acquired by the acquisition means.   
     
     
         4 . The print control device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the print control process, the processing means determines the print color of the print object based on the content of the print object and the print position specified by the command acquired by the acquisition means.   
     
     
         5 . The print control device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the command is a command that, for a printout printed in page units, specifies the print position of the print object on the page.   
     
     
         6 . A print control device that outputs data to be printed in more print colors than the input print data when print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors is input, wherein:
 the print data includes data denoting a print object and a command specifying the print position of the print object;   the print control device comprising   a configuration means that, when a configuration command that configures processing the print objects printed at each print position relationally to a pattern related to a combination of plural print positions is input, configures the process applied to the pattern and the print objects based on the configuration command;   an acquisition means that acquires data denoting the print objects and a command specifying the print positions of the print objects; and   a processing means that, when the print positions of the plural print objects specified by plural commands acquired by the acquisition means match the pattern, executes a print control process including a process that determines an attribute related to printing the print object, or a process that replaces the print object with a different print object.   
     
     
         7 . The print control device described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the configuration means sets an attribute of the printing format of the print objects printed at the print positions relationally to the pattern based on the configuration command; and   the processing means executes a print control process that sets an attribute set relationally to the print positions specified by the commands as an attribute related to printing each of the print objects.   
     
     
         8 . The print control device described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the attribute the processing means sets is an attribute specifying one or more of the print color of the print object, the printed size, a print style, a font used in printing, the type of symbol or barcode used in printing, a background color, and a foreground color.   
     
     
         9 . The print control device described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the pattern is a combination of plural print positions; and   the processing means executes the print control process when the print positions of plural print objects specified by the plural commands acquired by the acquisition means match the combination of the pattern.   
     
     
         10 . The print control device described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the processing means executes the print control process when the print position of a print object including text specified by the command matches the combination of the pattern.   
     
     
         11 . A print control device that outputs data to be printed in more print colors than the input print data when print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors is input, wherein:
 the print data includes data denoting a print object to be printed and a command specifying the print position of the print object; and   a pattern related to a combination of plural print positions is set;   the print control device comprising an acquisition means that acquires data denoting the print objects and a command specifying the print positions of the print objects; and
 a processing means that, when the print positions of the plural print objects specified by plural commands acquired by the acquisition means match the pattern, executes a print control process including a process that determines an attribute about printing of the object, or a process that replaces the print object with another print object. 
   
     
     
         12 . The print control device described in  claim 11 , wherein:
 an attribute related to a printing format of the print object is set for each print position relationally to the pattern; and   in the print control process, the processing means determines an attribute set relationally to the print positions specified by the commands as an attribute related to printing each of the print objects.   
     
     
         13 . The print control device described in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the attribute the processing means determines is an attribute specifying one or more of the print color of the print object, the printed size, a print style, a font used in printing, the type of symbol or barcode used in printing, a background color, and a foreground color.   
     
     
         14 . The print control device described in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the pattern is a combination of plural print positions; and   the processing means executes the print control process when the print positions of plural print objects specified by the plural commands acquired by the acquisition means match the combination of the pattern.   
     
     
         15 . The print control device described in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the processing means executes the print control process when the print position of a print object including text specified by the command matches the combination of the pattern.   
     
     
         16 . A printing device having a print means that prints in plural colors, and printing with more print colors than the number of print colors in the input print data based on input of print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors, the printing device comprising:
 an acquisition means that acquires data denoting a print object contained in the print data, and a command specifying the print position of the print object;   a processing means that, based on the print position specified by the command acquired by the acquisition means, executes a print control process including a process that determines an attribute of the print object or a process that replaces the print object with a different print object; and   a print control means that prints the print object denoted by the data acquired by the acquisition means at the print position specified by the command by the print means to reflect processing by the processing means.   
     
     
         17 . A printing device having a print means that prints in plural colors, and printing with more print colors than the number of print colors in the input print data based on input of print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors, wherein:
 the print data includes data denoting a print object and a command specifying the print position of the print object;   the printing device comprising a configuration means that, when a configuration command that configures processing the print objects printed at each print position relationally to a pattern related to a combination of plural print positions is input, configures the process applied to the pattern and the print objects based on the configuration command;
 an acquisition means that acquires data denoting the print objects and a command specifying the print positions of the print objects; and 
 a processing means that, when the print positions of the plural print objects specified by plural commands acquired by the acquisition means match the pattern, executes a print control process including a process that determines an attribute related to printing the print object, or a process that replaces the print object with a different print object; and 
 a print control means that prints the print object denoted by the data acquired by the acquisition means at the print position specified by the command by the print means to reflect processing by the processing means. 
   
     
     
         18 . A printing device having a print means that prints in plural colors, and printing with more print colors than the number of print colors in the input print data based on input of print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors, wherein:
 the print data includes data denoting a print object to be printed and a command specifying the print position of the print object; and   a pattern related to a combination of plural print positions is set;   the print control device comprising an acquisition means that acquires data denoting the print objects and a command specifying the print positions of the print objects;
 a processing means that, when the print positions of the plural print objects specified by plural commands acquired by the acquisition means match the pattern, executes a print control process including a process that determines an attribute related to printing the print object, or a process that replaces the print object with a different print object; and 
 a print means that prints the print object denoted by the data acquired by the acquisition means at the print position specified by the command to reflect processing by the processing means. 
   
     
     
         19 . A data processing method that outputs data to be printed in more print colors than the input print data when print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors is input, the data processing method comprising:
 acquiring data denoting a print object contained in the print data, and a command specifying the print position of the print object;   and executing a print control process including a process that determines an attribute of the print object or a process that replaces the print object with a different object based on the print position specified by the acquired command.   
     
     
         20 . A data processing method that outputs data to be printed in more print colors than the input print data when print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors is input, wherein:
 when data denoting a print object to be printed and a command specifying the print position of the print object are included in the print data, a pattern related to a combination of plural print positions is set;   the data processing method comprising:   acquiring data denoting the print objects and a command specifying the print positions of the print objects; and   executing a print control process including a process that determines an attribute related to printing the print object, or a process that replaces the print object with another print object, when the print positions of the plural print objects specified by the acquired plural commands match the pattern.   
     
     
         21 . A configuration method of a print control device that outputs data to be printed in more print colors than the input print data when print data to be printed in one or a plurality of print colors is input, comprising:
 when data denoting a print object and a command specifying the print position of the print object are included in the print data, inputting to the print control device a configuration command that configures processing the print objects printed at each print position relationally to a pattern related to a combination of plural print positions; and   the print control device acquiring data denoting the print objects and a command specifying the print positions of the print objects; and
 executing a print control process including a process that determines an attribute related to printing the print object, or a process that replaces the print object with another print object, when the print positions of the plural print objects specified by the acquired plural commands match the pattern.