Generating control data for a printing system

Abstract

A method of generating control data for a printing system includes receiving image data comprising an image to be printed by the printing system, determining a presence of a control mark in the image data, and generating control data for the printing system based on the control mark, the control data including at least an indication of the presence of the control mark.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A printing device, comprising:
 a processor; and   a non transitory memory resource storing machine-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the processor to:
 detect a control mark within image data associated with a print job; 
 generate control data for the print job based on the control mark, wherein the control data includes a location of the control mark within an image to be printed; 
 apply printing fluid to a substrate to generate the image based on the control data; and 
 determine a correction factor for the printing device based on a captured image of the control mark. 
   
     
     
         2 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the correction factor includes an alignment setting adjustment of the printing device. 
     
     
         3 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the correction factor includes a scaling calibration procedure for the printing device. 
     
     
         4 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the correction factor includes a color calibration procedure for the printing device. 
     
     
         5 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the control mark is detected within the image data in response to an instruction that the control mark is within the image data. 
     
     
         6 . The printing device of  claim 1 , wherein the control mark is a component of the image printed on the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The printing device of  claim 6 , wherein the control mark is a hidden non-standard control mark. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory memory resource storing machine-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a processor of a computing device to:
 select a feature from a plurality of features within an image to be printed to be utilized as a control mark for a print job;   generate control data for the print job based on the selected control mark, wherein the control data includes a location of the control mark within the image to be printed; and   determine a correction factor for a printing device based on a captured image of the control mark.   
     
     
         9 . The memory resource of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is to instruct an imaging device to be positioned at a particular location based on the location of the control mark. 
     
     
         10 . The memory resource of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the control data is provided to a pre-print component. 
     
     
         11 . The memory resource of  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the control data is provided to a post-print component. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a printing apparatus to apply printing fluid on a substrate to generate an image portion on the substrate;   a moveable imaging device to capture images of the substrate at a plurality of locations; and   a processor to:
 select a plurality of features from image data of the image portion to be utilized as a control mark for a print job to be performed by the printing apparatus; 
 generate control data for the print job based on the selected control mark, wherein the control data includes a location of the control mark within the image portion; 
 instruct the moveable imaging device to move to a location of the plurality of locations based on the location of the control mark; 
 instruct the moveable imaging device to capture an image of the control mark at the location; and 
 determine a correction factor for a printing apparatus based on the captured image of the control mark. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , comprising a folding apparatus and a cutting apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is to send a portion of the control data to the folding apparatus and the cutting apparatus in response to the moveable imaging device capturing the image of the control mark. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a size of the plurality of features are utilized to perform a scaling calibration procedure to determine the correction factor.