IP Library Granted Patent US 12,014,094
Granted Patent B2
US 12,014,094 · App. 17/215,216 · Granted Jun 18, 2024

Support program, information processing device, and printing method

Inventor: Yoshito Hosomizo (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G06F3/1219G06F3/1229G06F3/1257G06K15/1836
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,014,094
App. No.
17/215,216
Granted
Jun 18, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A non-transitory computer readable medium stores a program causing a computer installed an information processing device to execute a process for supporting a printer connected to the information processing device. The process includes, in a case where a print instruction causing the printer to print an image is sent to a general-purpose print program pre-installed in an operating system of the information processing device, and in a job based on the print instruction, a saving mode is selected, acquiring intermediate image data corresponding to the image to be printed from the general-purpose print program, performing an adjustment for saving colorant for the acquired intermediate image data, and outputting print data which is generated by rasterizing the intermediate image data adjusted in the adjustment so that the print data is transmitted from the information processing device to the printer.

Claims (39)

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a support application program causing a computer installed an information processing device to execute a process for supporting a printer connected to the information processing device, the process comprising:

in a case where a print instruction causing the printer to print an image is sent to a general-purpose print program of an operating system of the information processing device, and in a job based on the print instruction, a saving mode for reducing a usage amount of a colorant is selected,

acquiring intermediate image data corresponding to the image to be printed according to the print instruction from the general-purpose print program of the operating system, the intermediate image data being generated with a format which the general-purpose print program of the operating system complies with;

performing an adjustment for reducing a usage amount of colorant for the intermediate image data acquired from the general-purpose print program of the operating system and having the format which the general-purpose print program of the operating system complies with;

generating print data by rasterizing the adjusted intermediate image data adjusted by the support application program; and

outputting the generated print data so that the print data generated by the support application program is transmitted from the information processing device to the printer.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises:

in response to a request from an application program installed in the information processing device, receiving selection information on whether or not the saving mode is selected via a user interface of the information processing device; and

passing the received selection information to the application program as a response to the request,

the selection information is included in the print instruction sent from the application program, and

the computer executes the acquiring and the adjustment in a case where, when receiving the print instruction, the print instruction includes the selection information indicating that the saving mode is selected.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises:

in response to a request from an application program installed in the information processing device, passing an input request of selection information on whether or not the saving mode is selected to the application program,

when the input request is received by the application program, the application program receives the selection information via a user interface of the information processing device and includes the selection information in the print instruction,

the computer executes the acquiring and the adjustment in a case where when receiving the print instruction, the print instruction includes the selection information indicating that the saving mode is selected.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises:

receiving selection information on whether or not the saving mode is selected via a user interface of the information processing device; and

storing the selection information received in the receiving in a memory of the information processing device, and

the computer executes the acquiring and the adjustment in a case where when receiving the print instruction, the selection information indicating that the saving mode is selected is stored in the memory.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein in the transmitting of the print data by the information processing device, the print data transmitted to the printer is accompanied with a command of an instruction for saving the colorant.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 5 , wherein in the transmitting of the print data by the information processing device, whether or not to transmit the command to the printer is determined according to a model of the printer which is a destination of the print data.

7. An information processing device comprising a computer, wherein

an operating system of the information processing device includes a general-purpose print program,

a support application program available for printing using a printer connected to the information processing device is installed in the information processing device, and

the computer executes:

in a case where a print instruction causing the printer to print an image is output to the general-purpose print program, and in a job based on the print instruction, a saving mode for reducing usage amount of a colorant is selected,

acquiring process of acquiring intermediate image data corresponding to the image to be printed according to the print instruction from the general-purpose print program, the intermediate image data being generated which a format which the general-purpose print program of the operating system complies with;

an intermediate adjustment process of performing an adjustment for reducing the usage amount of the colorant for the intermediate image data acquired from the general-purpose print program of the operating system and having the format which the general-purpose print program of the operating system complies with;

a generating process of generating print data by rasterizing the adjusted intermediate image data adjusted by the support application program; and

an output process in which the support application program causes the information processing device to transmit the generated print data generated by the support application program to the printer.

8. A printing method of causing a printer to perform printing based on print data generated by an information processing device to which the printer is connected, the information processing device including:

an operating system including a general-purpose print program; and

a support application program available for printing using the printer and installed in the information processing device,

the printing method comprising:

in a case where a print instruction causing the printer to print an image is sent to the general-purpose print program, and in a job based on the print instruction, a saving mode for reducing a usage amount of a colorant is selected,

acquiring intermediate image data corresponding to the image to be printed according to the print instruction from the general-purpose print program, the intermediate image data being generated with a format which the general-purpose print program of the operating system complies with;

performing an adjustment for reducing the usage amount of the colorant for the intermediate image data acquired from the general-purpose print program of the operating system and having the format which the general-purpose print program of the operating system complies with;

generating print data by rasterizing the adjusted intermediate image data adjusted by the support application program; and

outputting the generated print data so that the print data generated by the support application program is transmitted from the information processing device to the printer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2021
From: HOSOMIZO, YOSHITO
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 055749/0922 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-224713 · Dec 12, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020025804 · Jul 1, 2020
Related Publication 20210216256A1 · Jul 15, 2021