The present invention relates to an image outputting system, which includes an image outputting apparatus and a controlling apparatus, which is coupled to the image outputting apparatus so as to develop first-type image data into second-type image data serving as an output possible format in the image outputting apparatus and sends the second-format image data to the image outputting apparatus.
In recent years, the image outputting apparatus, such as, for instance, a color laser printer employing an electro-photographic method, a compound apparatus having functions of a color laser printer, a scanner, a copier, a facsimile, etc. (hereinafter, referred to as a color laser printer as a whole), has been improved in its capability of producing a high quality image, and further, in its capability of speedily outputting a high quality color image without increasing its cost. Further, various kinds of finishers to be coupled to the color laser printer have been devised, and as a result, it becomes possible for the color laser printer to create and output printed products in such a output manner that various kinds of processing, such as a stapling, etc., are applied to the printed products. Reflecting such the recent trends, the color laser printer has been employed for the outputting use of final printed products, for instance, in a small-lot printing field, etc.
On the other hand, according to the proliferation of the DTP (Desk Top Publishing), etc., the image data are created on a client terminal, serving as an external terminal device including a personal computer, etc., by conducting an editing operation to be executed on the imaging software. Such the image data are to be elements of the image forming operation (hereinafter, referred to as elementary data) and includes vector data (the first-type image data) and raster data (the second-type image data). The vector data are called vector graphics, which represent each of objects as the image shown in FIG. 11 by using an aggregation of depicting information including coordinates of points and parameters for equations of lines and surfaces coupling objects to each other, painting colors (in FIG. 2, represented by the gradation values of dot percent for each of YMCK colors), special effects, font information representing a shape of character and its size, etc. While, the raster data are called bitmap graphics, in which one raster line is constituted by a plurality of pixels arrayed at predetermined intervals (resolution) in a horizontal direction, and further, a plurality of raster lines are also arranged at predetermined intervals in a vertical direction, and each of pixels is represented by using depicting information represented by gradation values. Further, the setting information including the first predetermined conditions, such as, for instance, image forming conditions with respect to the color adjustment, the layout such as allotment of the images, etc., the second predetermined conditions, such as, for instance, outputting conditions with respect to the output mode, such as a proofing, a stapling, a folding, etc., and the number of output copies, and a name, a name of terminal device, date-and-time information as an attribute information, are attached to the elementary data.
Then, the outputting operation of the printing products is conducted on the basis of the elementary data. Concretely speaking, at first, the controlling apparatus coupled to the color laser printer receives the elementary data and the setting information from the terminal device through the network, and then, applies the color adjustment processing and the allotment processing to the elementary data so as to develop (convert) them into the printing data serving as image data having an output possible format for the color laser printer (the second-type image data), namely, for instance, halftone dot image data in which dots are formed within a predetermined area as shown in FIG. 13 (pixels in 5×5 area in the drawing) so as to express light and shade. according to the area of the dots. In other words, the elementary data are converted to the halftone dot image data, based on the first predetermined conditions indicated in the setting information. Then, the color laser printer conducts the image forming operation of the halftone dot image data based on the second predetermined conditions to output the printing products.
Incidentally, when conducting the abovementioned image outputting operation, to illuminate the waste of printing products due to a certain defect generated in the printed contents, such as, for instance, a color defect, etc., which is found after print outputting operations of plural copies are completed, there has been a function of “proofing” in which only one copy to be used for confirmation of the printed contents is printed. According to the proofing, it becomes possible to reduce the waste of printing products, since only one copy is outputted from the color laser printer in order to confirm the contents of the printed copy and then a plurality of copies are outputted from the color laser printer.
As a result of the proofing, however, sometimes, it becomes necessary to change the image forming conditions with respect to the color adjustment, the layout such as allotment of the images, etc., serving as the first predetermined conditions in regard to the developing operation. It is impossible, however, for the operator to directly modify the halftone dot image data in order to cope with the abovementioned changing operation. Accordingly, to cope with such the changing operation, the operator had to stop the outputting operation based on the halftone dot image data concerned, and had to move from the place where the color laser printer is installed to the place where the terminal device is installed, in order to conduct the operation for changing the image forming conditions, the operation for adding the changed image forming conditions to the elementary data, and the operation for sending the elementary data added with the changed image forming conditions to the controlling apparatus, at the terminal device, and then, had to again conduct the developing operation mentioned in the above at the controlling apparatus. As described in the above, according to the conventional method, it had taken much time and labor to change the image forming conditions.
Further, as a function of the proofing, for instance, Patent Document 1 sets forth the feature for conducting proofing operations with respect to all of the printing modes so as to make it possible to select a preferable printed result from them. However, this feature requires the developing operations and outputting operations in regard to all of the printing modes, resulting in a large amount of waste of time and expendable supplies.
[Patent Document 1]    Tokkaihei 11-134147 (Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication)