JP7698761B2 - Inspection Systems - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an inspection system that inspects images on a sheet.

Conventionally, there is known an inspection system that inspects an image on a sheet by reading the sheet on which an image is formed by a printer with a scanner disposed after the printer and analyzing the read image. For example, the color of the image can be inspected by comparing the read image of three color components (e.g., red (R), green (G), and blue (B)) in bitmap format with the corresponding reference image. Sheets that are detected as defective as a result of the inspection can be discharged to a destination for defective sheets to distinguish them from normal sheets.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for inspecting only an area of an image to be inspected that is specified by a user via a user interface. Patent Document 1 also describes that if the specified inspection target area includes a blank area of the document or a gradation patch area for proofreading, the user is prompted to change the designation of the inspection target area, and that these areas may be cut off in post-processing.

JP 2021-187071 A

However, it is not easy for the user to accurately specify via the UI the areas to be inspected or the areas to be excluded from inspection. For example, if a portion of a sheet is cut in post-processing, the portion removed by cutting does not affect the quality of the final product. Therefore, if the excluded area is not specified accurately, sheets may be judged to be defective even though they are in fact perfectly fine as a product, resulting in a poor yield of the product and reduced usability.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present disclosure aims to improve usability related to the inspection of images on sheets.

According to one aspect, an inspection system includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, a reading unit that reads the image formed on the sheet, and a controller. The controller acquires reference image data for an image inspection that inspects the image formed on the sheet, executes the image inspection on the reading result by the reading unit based on the acquired reference image data, and controls a display to display a preview screen related to the image inspection. When the image includes a mark indicating a cutting position of the sheet, the preview screen includes a main image that includes the mark, and an additional image that is added to the main image and indicates a second area outside a first area corresponding to the sheet after cutting.

The present disclosure can improve usability related to inspecting images on sheets.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a first portion of a configuration of an inspection system according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second part of the configuration of an inspection system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of an operation unit and a control device. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of an inspection controller. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a print setting screen according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of the configuration of an examination setting screen according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the configuration of an examination setting screen according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the configuration of an examination setting screen according to the first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a job execution process according to the first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed flow of an examination setting process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a confirmation message that may be displayed in the second embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed flow of an examination setting process according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a confirmation message that may be displayed in the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of an examination setting screen according to the third embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed flow of an examination setting process according to a third embodiment.

The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

1. System Overview
1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing a configuration of an inspection system 100 according to an embodiment. With reference to Fig. 1A, the inspection system 100 includes an operation unit 20, an image forming device 30, a control device 40, and an inspection device 50. With reference to Fig. 1B, the inspection system 100 further includes a stacker 60 and a finisher 70.

(1) Operation Unit The operation unit 20 includes an input device and an output device, and provides a user interface (UI) to the user. The operation unit 20 accepts user input via the input device, and transmits an input signal corresponding to the accepted user input to the control device 40. The operation unit 20 also outputs information from the output device based on an output signal received from the control device 40 (for example, causes an image to be displayed on a display, or causes a sound to be output from a speaker).

(2) Image Forming Apparatus The image forming apparatus 30 is an apparatus (also called a printer) that forms an image on a sheet. In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 30 is a color printer capable of forming a color image. In another embodiment, the image forming apparatus 30 may be a monochrome printer. The image forming apparatus 30 includes image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K, an intermediate transfer body 6, a transfer unit 7, a fixing unit 8, a cleaner 9, two paper feed cassettes 11, and a feed mechanism.

Image forming unit 10Y forms a yellow (Y) toner image on intermediate transfer body 6. Image forming unit 10M forms a magenta (M) toner image on intermediate transfer body 6. Image forming unit 10C forms a cyan (C) toner image on intermediate transfer body 6. Image forming unit 10K forms a black (K) toner image on intermediate transfer body 6. Image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K have the same configuration, so the configuration of image forming unit 10Y will be described as an example here. Image forming unit 10Y includes a photosensitive drum 1, a charger 2, an exposure unit 3, and a developing unit 4. Photosensitive drum 1 is a drum-shaped photosensitive body having a photosensitive layer on its surface. Photosensitive drum 1 rotates around the drum axis in the direction of arrow R in the figure. Charger 2 uniformly charges the surface of rotating photosensitive drum 1. The exposure unit 3 irradiates the photosensitive drum 1 with laser light in accordance with image data (representing a yellow image in this case) input from the control device 40. The laser light output from the exposure unit 3 scans the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 1 in the drum axial direction, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The development unit 4 develops the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 by supplying toner (yellow in this case) to the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. As a result, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The yellow toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in the image forming unit 10Y is transferred to the intermediate transfer body 6. Furthermore, the magenta, cyan and black toner images formed on the surfaces of the respective photosensitive drums in the image forming units 10M, 10C and 10K are transferred to the intermediate transfer body 6 in order in a form superimposed on the yellow toner image. As a result, a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer body 6. The intermediate transfer body 6 is an endless belt member that rotates in a clockwise direction in the figure. The intermediate transfer body 6 transports the full-color toner image to the transfer section 7 (transfer position).

Each paper feed cassette 11 contains a stack of sheets. A sheet is picked up from one of the paper feed cassettes 11 by a pickup roller 12 and transported along a transport path 13. Under the control of the control device 40, the sheet is transported to the transfer position in accordance with the timing when the toner image on the intermediate transfer body 6 reaches the transfer position.

The transfer unit 7 transfers the toner image carried on the intermediate transfer body 6 to the sheet at the transfer position. The fixing unit 8 includes a heater and a pressure roller. The fixing unit 8 heats the toner image transferred to the sheet with the heater and presses it with the pressure roller. This melts the toner on the sheet and fixes the toner image to the sheet. The cleaner 9 is disposed downstream of the transfer position on the trajectory of the intermediate transfer body 6, and removes the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 6 after the toner image is transferred.

The conveying path 13 branches into conveying paths 14 and 15 downstream of the fixing device 8. The sheet that has passed through the fixing device 8 is conveyed from the conveying path 13 to the conveying path 15. When the rear end of the sheet enters the conveying path 15, the conveying direction is reversed, and the sheet is discharged from the discharge rollers 17 to the inspection device 50. Through this conveying, the sheet is discharged with the side on which the image is formed facing downward (called face down). When double-sided printing is performed, the sheet that entered the conveying path 15 is conveyed to the conveying path 16, and then returns from the conveying path 16 to the conveying path 13, where it passes through the transfer position again in an inverted state. At the transfer position, a toner image is formed on the back side of the sheet by the transfer unit 7, and the toner image is fixed to the sheet by the fixing device 8. The sheet with images formed on both sides is discharged from the discharge rollers 17 to the inspection device 50.

(3) Control Device The control device 40 interacts with a user via the operation unit 20 or a host computer 90 described later, and controls the operations of the image forming device 30, the inspection device 50, the stacker 60, and the finisher 70. The control device 40 may be a part of the image forming device 30 or the inspection device 50. For example, when a user requests execution of a print job, the control device 40 controls the image forming device 30 to form an image based on specified input image data on a sheet. The configuration of the control device 40 will be described in more detail later.

(4) Inspection device The inspection device 50 is disposed at a rear stage of the image forming device 30. The inspection device 50 includes a conveying path 51, conveying rollers 52 and 53, a first reading unit 54a, a second reading unit 54b, and an inspection controller 55. The conveying rollers 52 receive the sheet discharged from the image forming device 30 and convey the sheet along the conveying path 51. The first reading unit 54a optically reads an image formed on the lower surface of the sheet passing through the reading position of the first reading unit 54a to generate read image data, and outputs the generated read image data to the inspection controller 55. The first reading unit 54a has, for example, one or more white LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) that irradiate the sheet with white light, and a pixel array of an image sensor that detects the light reflected by the lower surface of the sheet. The image sensor here may be, for example, a contact image sensor (CIS) or a line scan camera. Typically, the image sensor separates the reflected light from the sheet into three color components using RGB color filters and receives the light. Therefore, the read image data output from the first reading unit 54a is data in a raster format that indicates a three-dimensional vector having three color component values of RGB for each pixel. The second reading unit 54b optically reads an image formed on the upper surface of the sheet passing through the reading position of the second reading unit 54b to generate read image data, and outputs the generated read image data to the inspection controller 55. The second reading unit 54b may be configured similarly to the first reading unit 54a, and the read image data output from the second reading unit 54b is also data in a raster format that indicates a three-dimensional vector having three color component values of RGB for each pixel. That is, the inspection device 50 can read the image on the sheet while conveying the sheet. The conveying roller 53 discharges the sheet that has passed through the reading positions of the first reading unit 54a and the second reading unit 54b to the stacker 60. The inspection controller 55 cooperates with the control device 40 to control the operation of the inspection device 50 and inspects the images formed on the sheets. The configuration of the inspection controller 55 will be described in detail later.

(5) Stacker The stacker 60 is a loading device disposed in the rear stage of the inspection device 50. Referring to FIG. 1B, the stacker 60 includes conveying paths 61, 62, 63, and 64, a large-capacity tray 65, and a purge tray 66. The stacker 60 receives the sheet delivered from the inspection device 50 into the conveying path 61. The conveying path 61 branches into a conveying path 62 toward the large-capacity tray 65, a conveying path 63 toward the purge tray 66, and a conveying path 64 toward the finisher 70. For example, a sheet detected as defective as a result of the inspection by the inspection device 50 can be discharged to the purge tray 66 through the conveying path 63 under the control of the control device 40. In addition, a sheet requiring post-processing by the finisher 70 can be discharged to the finisher 70, and the other sheets can be discharged to the large-capacity tray 65.

(6) Finisher The finisher 70 is a post-processing device disposed after the stacker 60. Referring to FIG. 1B, the finisher 70 includes a conveying path 71, discharge trays 72, 73, 74, and a post-processing section 75. The finisher 70 receives a sheet delivered from the stacker 60 into the conveying path 71 and discharges the sheet into any one of the discharge trays 72, 73, and 74. The post-processing section 75 is disposed on the conveying path toward the discharge tray 74 and performs post-processing on one or more sheets. For example, the post-processing section 75 has a mechanism for performing one or more of a binding process for binding a sheet stack with a staple, a bookbinding process for folding the sheet stack in half and binding the sheet stack, and a cutting process for cutting the sheet stack. The post-processing section 75 performs designated post-processing under the control of the control device 40.

2. Example of the configuration of the control device
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the operation unit 20 and the control device 40. Referring to Fig. 2, the operation unit 20 includes a display device 21 and an input device 22. The control device 40 includes a CPU 201, a memory 203, a communication circuit 205, and an image processing unit 207.

The display device 21 is an example of an output device. The display device 21 may form a touch panel together with the input device 22. The input device 22 may include, for example, one or more of an input key, a touch sensor, a button, and a switch. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 20 may further include a microphone and a speaker for audio input and output.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 is a processor that controls the overall operation of the inspection system 100. The CPU 201 may include multiple processors or CPU cores. Note that some or all of the functions described below in relation to the CPU 201 may be realized by a hardware circuit different from the CPU 201.

Memory 203 is a storage device that may include one or more of read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), a solid-state drive (SSD), and a hard disk drive (HDD).

The communication circuit 205 is a circuit for the control device 40 to communicate with other devices. The communication circuit 205 may include a network interface (I/F) that connects to a local area network (LAN). The CPU 201 communicates with a host computer 90, which is a type of information processing device, via the communication circuit 205 and the LAN. The communication circuit 205 may also include a connection I/F that mediates connections between the control device 40 and the operation unit 20, the image forming device 30, the inspection device 50, the stacker 60, and the finisher 70.

The CPU 201 functions as a setting unit 211, a job control unit 213, and a notification unit 215 by executing a control program 221 loaded into the RAM.

The setting unit 211 manages settings related to image formation and inspection in the inspection system 100 in cooperation with the inspection setting unit 312 of the inspection controller 55 described later. The setting unit 211 provides a UI for accepting settings that can be specified by the user via the operation unit 20. The UI provided by the setting unit 211 includes several setting screens that will be described in detail later. The setting unit 211 displays the setting screens on the display device 21 and accepts user input via the input device 22. The setting unit 211 generates setting data 223 according to the accepted user input, and stores the generated setting data 223 in the memory 203.

The job control unit 213 controls the execution of jobs in the inspection system 100. For example, the job control unit 213 accepts a request to execute a print job via the operation unit 20 or the communication circuit 205. The job control unit 213 stores input image data 225 designated as a print target in the memory 203. The image processing unit 207 performs image processing such as rasterization, color space conversion, resolution conversion, and binarization on the input image data 225. The image processing unit 207 may include a raster image processor (RIP) that converts page description language (PDL) data into raster image data in a bitmap format. Then, the job control unit 213 controls the image forming device 30 to form an image based on the input image data 225 processed by the image processing unit 207 on a sheet according to the setting data 223.

When a print job involving inspection is requested, the job control unit 213 controls the inspection device 50 to inspect the image formed on the sheet by the image forming device 30 (hereinafter referred to as the inspected image). For example, the job control unit 213 transmits reference image data 325 representing a reference image serving as a reference for inspection to the inspection controller 55. The reference image data 325 may typically be RGB data in a bitmap format corresponding to the input image data 225. The job control unit 213 also transmits inspection setting data 323 indicating inspection-related settings among the setting data 223 to the inspection controller 55. As will be described in detail later, the inspection controller 55 inspects the inspected image using the reference image data 325 in accordance with the inspection setting data 323, and transmits the inspection results to the control device 40. The job control unit 213 controls the stacker 60 to switch the discharge destination of the sheet based on the inspection results received from the inspection controller 55. For example, as described above, a sheet in which a defect is detected may be discharged to the purge tray 66 of the stacker 60. On the other hand, sheets for which no defects are detected may be discharged, for example, to a tray other than the purge tray 66 (a tray to which normal sheets are discharged).

When a print job that requires post-processing is requested, the job control unit 213 controls the post-processing unit 75 of the finisher 70 to execute the specified post-processing. For example, the job control unit 213 may cause the post-processing unit 75 to execute one or more of a binding process, a bookbinding process, and a cutting process for a sheet stack.

The notification unit 215 uses the display device 21 to notify the user of the results of the print job execution and the inspection results for the inspected image. For example, the notification unit 215 may cause the display device 21 to display the results of pass (normal) or fail (defective) for each sheet subject to inspection. The notification unit 215 may also cause the display device 21 to display the cause of the defect and the detection position of the defect for a sheet in which a defect is detected. The notification unit 215 may notify the user of the inspection result by voice, or may send a message (e.g., in the form of an email) describing the inspection result to the host computer 90.

3. Example of inspection controller configuration
3 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the inspection controller 55. Referring to FIG. 3, the inspection controller 55 includes a CPU 301, a memory 303, and a communication circuit 305.

CPU 301 is a processor that controls the overall operation of inspection device 50. CPU 301 may include multiple processors or CPU cores. Note that some or all of the functions described below in relation to CPU 301 may be realized by a hardware circuit different from CPU 301.

The memory 303 is a storage device that may include one or more of a ROM, a RAM, an SSD, and an HDD. The communication circuit 305 is a circuit that allows the inspection device 50 to communicate with other devices. The communication circuit 305 may include a connection I/F that mediates connections between the inspection device 50 and the operation unit 20, the image forming device 30, the control device 40, the stacker 60, and the finisher 70.

The CPU 301 executes a control program 321 loaded into the RAM, thereby functioning as an inspection unit 311, a transport control unit 313, and a reading control unit 315. The inspection unit 311 includes an inspection setting unit 312.

The inspection unit 311 receives the inspection setting data 323 and the reference image data 325 from the control device 40 along with a control signal instructing the execution of the inspection. As described above, the reference image data 325 may be RGB data in a bitmap format corresponding to the input image data 225, and represents a reference image that serves as a reference for the inspection. The inspection unit 311 stores the inspection setting data 323 and the reference image data 325 in the memory 303. The inspection setting unit 312 adds settings required for the execution of the inspection to the inspection setting data 323 by analyzing the reference image represented by the reference image data 325. Then, the inspection unit 311 starts the execution of the inspection.

Under the control of the inspection unit 311, the transport control unit 313 drives the motor 330 to rotate the transport rollers 52 and 53 so that the sheet is transported along the transport path 51 at the appropriate timing.

The reading control unit 315 controls the first reading unit 54a to optically read the inspection image on the bottom surface of the sheet when the sheet reaches the reading position of the first reading unit 54a. The reading control unit 315 acquires the read image data generated by the first reading unit 54a as a result of the reading. In addition, when both sides of the sheet are to be inspected, the reading control unit 315 controls the second reading unit 54b to optically read the inspection image on the top surface of the sheet when the sheet reaches the reading position of the second reading unit 54b. The reading control unit 315 acquires the read image data generated by the second reading unit 54b as a result of the reading. The reading control unit 315 stores the acquired read image data in the memory 303 as inspection read image data 327. The inspection read image data 327 represents the inspection image (of each surface) of each sheet to be inspected.

The inspection unit 311 inspects the inspection image by comparing the reference image data 325 with the inspection read image data 327. This inspection is also called image inspection. For example, the inspection unit 311 may determine whether the image data satisfies a defect condition that may include at least one of the following, and determine that the inspection image is defective (the inspection image is defective) if the defect condition is satisfied:
- The difference in color between the image to be inspected and the reference image exceeds a threshold value - The positional deviation between the image to be inspected and the reference image exceeds a threshold value - The image to be inspected has a stain or streak of a size exceeding a threshold value - There is a difference in the results of optical character recognition (OCR) between the image to be inspected and the reference image Note that these conditions may be combined in any manner. If the image data does not satisfy the defect conditions, the inspection unit 311 may determine that the image to be inspected is free of defects (normal). The inspection unit 311 performs inspection in this manner for each of the images to be inspected and transmits the inspection results to the control device 40.

<4. Details of test-related settings>
In this embodiment, the inspection-related settings include at least an inspection exclusion area. The inspection unit 311 excludes the image area set as the inspection exclusion area from the inspection of the image to be inspected. For example, the inspection unit 311 does not compare image data with the inspection exclusion area, or does not determine that the sheet is unacceptable even if a defect is detected in the inspection exclusion area based on the comparison.

In addition, the inspection-related settings may include an inspection level. In this case, the inspection unit 311 inspects the image to be inspected at an inspection level set from among a plurality of candidate inspection levels (hereinafter referred to as candidate levels). The higher (stricter) the inspection level is, the smaller the difference between the image to be inspected and the reference image can be detected as a defect. For example, of inspection levels "A" and "B", inspection level "A" is assumed to be higher. In this case, the threshold value used for inspection at inspection level "A" (for example, the threshold value in the above-mentioned defect condition) is smaller than the threshold value used for inspection at inspection level "B". In the following description, the inspection level is represented by an integer value, and a larger number corresponds to a higher inspection level. For example, the inspection level may be one of three candidate levels, level 1 to level 3. The inspection level may be set commonly across all areas other than the inspection exclusion area, or may be set individually for each specific sub-area.

As described above, the inspection setting unit 312 manages inspection-related settings in cooperation with the setting unit 211 of the control device 40. Some of the settings are accepted via a UI provided by the operation unit 20. However, if the inspection exclusion area is set solely based on user input, there is a risk that usability or productivity will decrease if the area is not specified accurately, for example, a sheet will be determined to be defective even though there is no problem as a deliverable product.

In this embodiment, the inspection setting unit 312 detects a predetermined mark in the reference image or the image to be inspected, and sets an image area based on the detected position of the predetermined mark as the inspection exclusion area. For example, the inspection setting unit 312 may detect the predetermined mark by performing pattern matching to search for a pattern image of the predetermined mark in the reference image data 325. The predetermined mark may be commonly defined across multiple users, or may be unique to a user. In the latter case, the inspection setting unit 312 may accept registration of a pattern image of a user-specific mark via the UI. Image data representing the pattern image may be stored in advance in the memory 303.

As an example, the predetermined mark may be a cut mark (also called a cut register mark) that indicates the cutting position of the sheet. The cut mark is, for example, positioned at a position offset from the four corners of the sheet by the margin to be removed by cutting. Since the portion of the sheet that is removed by cutting does not affect the quality of the final product, excluding the image area outside the cut mark from the inspection can reduce errors in determining the quality of the product. That is, the inspection setting unit 312 determines the area outside the detection position of the cut mark as the image area to be set as the inspection exclusion area. When the cutting process is enabled in the print setting described later, the post-processing unit 75 of the finisher 70 may automatically cut the sheet or sheet stack at the cutting position corresponding to the detection position of the cut mark. As another example, cutting may be performed using a cutter separate from the inspection system 100 instead of being performed by the post-processing unit 75.

As mentioned above, excluding an image area from inspection does not necessarily mean that no inspection-related processing is performed on that image area. For example, the inspection unit 311 may determine whether the above-mentioned defect conditions are met for the inspection excluded area by comparing the reference image data 325 with the inspection read image data 327, and record the determination result in the inspection log. In this case, a sheet in which a defect is detected in the inspection target area may be discharged to the purge tray 66 as a defective sheet, while a sheet in which a defect is detected only in the inspection excluded area may be discharged to a tray for normal sheets. A user or engineer can find out that a potential defect exists in the inspection excluded area by viewing the inspection log.

The setting unit 211 of the control device 40 and the inspection setting unit 312 of the inspection controller 55 can provide the user with various UIs for settings related to image formation and inspection. Below, three examples of the UIs provided to the user and the associated process flows are described with reference to Figures 4 to 12.

<4-1. First Example>
In the first embodiment, the inspection setting unit 312 displays a preview based on the reference image data on the display screen. When the inspection setting unit 312 receives a user input instructing the setting of an inspection excluded area using a predetermined mark, the inspection setting unit 312 sets an image area based on the detection position of the predetermined mark as the inspection excluded area. The inspection setting unit 312 superimposes a marker indicating the image area to be the inspection excluded area, which is determined based on the detection position of the predetermined mark, on the preview of the reference image.

(1) Print setting screen Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a print setting screen according to the first embodiment. The print setting screen 110 shown in Fig. 4 may be displayed on the display device 21 or the display of the host computer 90, for example, when a user instructs the inspection system 100 to execute a print job. The print setting screen 110 includes a first setting button 111, a second setting button 112, a detailed setting section 113, a cancel button 118, and a start printing button 119. The detailed setting section 113 includes a radio button 114, an inspection setting button 115, and a post-processing setting button 116.

The first setting button 111 is a button for specifying the color mode (color or monochrome). The second setting button 112 is a button for specifying the type of sheet to be used for printing. The paper feed cassette 11 from which the sheet is fed may be switched depending on the type of sheet specified using the second setting button 112. The cancel button 118 is a button for canceling the execution of the print job and closing the print setting screen 110. The start print button 119 is a button for instructing the execution of the print job.

In the detailed settings section 113, the radio button 114 is an object for selecting whether or not to enable inspection of images formed on sheets in a print job. The inspection settings button 115 is a button for calling up a settings screen for inspection-related settings. When the user operates the inspection settings button 115, the print settings screen 110 transitions to the inspection settings screen 120 shown in FIG. 5A. The post-processing settings button 116 is a button for calling up a settings screen for setting post-processing such as binding, bookbinding, and trimming.

(2) Examination setting screen Fig. 5A is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of the configuration of the examination setting screen according to Example 1. Referring to Fig. 5A, the examination setting screen 120 includes a preview section 121, a pull-down menu 122, check boxes 123, a cancel button 128, and a start printing button 129.

The preview section 121 is a section in which a preview of the reference image is displayed. The preview section 121 may be considered to be a preview screen related to the image inspection. In the example of FIG. 5A, the reference image displayed in the preview section 121 includes four cut marks M1. Here, the four cut marks M1 are each in the form of two overlapping L-shapes, but are rotated 90 degrees from each other. The pull-down menu 122 is an object that allows the user to set a desired inspection level of the image inspection from among multiple candidate levels. In the first embodiment, the inspection level selected via the pull-down menu 122 can be commonly applied to all image regions other than the inspection exclusion area. The check box 123 is an object for enabling automatic setting of the inspection exclusion area using a predetermined mark (e.g., a cut mark). In the example of FIG. 5A, the check box 123 is checked, so the automatic setting of the inspection exclusion area is enabled. Therefore, in the preview section 121, a marker 124a is superimposed on the preview of the reference image (also called the main image) to indicate an image area determined based on the detection position of the cutting mark M1 with hatching. The marker 124a is also called an assigned image in the sense that it is assigned to the main image and displayed in the preview section 121. In the example of FIG. 5A, the marker 124a indicates an outer area (second area) that occupies an outer side of an area (first area) corresponding to the sheet after cutting. The first area is a rectangular area inside the marker 124a. The user can understand on the screen that the image area covered by the marker 124a is set as an inspection excluded area and is excluded from image inspection. For example, the inner boundary of the marker 124a may approximately match the cutting line in the subsequent cutting.

It can be said that the check box 123 is an object for allowing the user to set whether or not to exclude the second region from image inspection. When the check box 123 is checked, the inspection setting unit 312 accepts the user setting to exclude the second region from image inspection. When the check box 123 is not checked, the inspection setting unit 312 accepts the user setting to not exclude the second region from image inspection. When the inspection setting unit 312 accepts the user setting to exclude the second region from image inspection via the check box 123, when a cutting mark is detected in the reference image, the indicator 124a may be displayed in the preview section 121. The indicator 124a indicates an automatically detected inspection excluded area. When a cutting mark is not detected in the reference image (or when a cutting mark is not included in the image), the indicator 124a may not be displayed in the preview section 121.

The cancel button 128 is an object for canceling the settings on the inspection setting screen 120 and returning to the print setting screen 110. The print start button 129 is an object for accepting user input to start the execution of a print job that includes an inspection (start the formation of an image).

FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the configuration of the inspection setting screen according to the first embodiment. In the second example, the inspection setting screen 120 includes a preview section 121, a pull-down menu 122, a check box 123, a cancel button 128, and a print start button 129, as in the first example described above. However, in the preview section 121 of the second example, a marker 124b is superimposed on the preview of the reference image (the marker 124b is added to the main image). The marker 124b is an added image that indicates, by hatching, an image area determined based on the detection position of the cutting mark M1. Here, the area indicated by the marker 124b is an outer area that occupies an outer side of the first area corresponding to the sheet after cutting, excluding the small rectangular area occupied by the cutting mark M1. In other words, the area occupied by the cutting mark M1 becomes the inspection target area together with the specified area. The user can see on the screen that the image area covered by this marker 124b is set as an inspection excluded area and is excluded from image inspection, and that the cut mark M1 is to be inspected. The marker 124b is displayed in the preview section 121 when the check box 123 is checked, and indicates the inspection excluded area. When the check box 123 is not checked, a preview of the main image may be displayed in the preview section 121 without the marker 124b.

FIG. 5C is an explanatory diagram showing a third example of the configuration of the inspection setting screen according to the first embodiment. In the third example, the inspection setting screen 120 includes a preview section 121, a pull-down menu 122, a check box 123, a cancel button 128, and a print start button 129, as in the first and second examples described above. However, in the preview section 121 of the third example, a marker 124c is superimposed on the preview of the reference image (the marker 124c is added to the main image). The marker 124c is an added image that indicates, by hatching, an image area determined based on the detection position of the cutting mark M1. Here, the area indicated by the marker 124c is an outer area that occupies the outer side of the cutting mark M1. In other words, the area occupied by the cutting mark M1 becomes the inspection target area together with the specified area. The user can understand on the screen that the image area covered by this marker 124c is set as an inspection excluded area and is excluded from the image inspection, and that the cutting mark M1 is inspected. The indicator 124c is displayed in the preview section 121 when the check box 123 is checked, and indicates the area excluded from inspection. When the check box 123 is not checked, a preview of the main image may be displayed in the preview section 121 without the indicator 124c.

The cut marks M1 shown in Figures 5A to 5C are marks with a predefined shape that indicate the cutting position of the sheet. One of the two L-shaped characters of each cut mark M1 indicates the cutting position, and the distance between the L-shaped character and the other L-shaped character indicates the so-called bleed width. Specifically, when focusing on the main scanning direction (left-right direction in the figure), the pair of L-shaped characters of the left cut mark M1 that are offset to the right and L-shaped characters of the right cut mark M1 that are offset to the left (the pair of L-shaped characters located more inward in the main scanning direction) defines the cutting position in the main scanning direction. Also, when focusing on the sub-scanning direction (up-down direction in the figure), the pair of L-shaped characters of the upper cut mark M1 that are offset to the bottom and L-shaped characters of the lower cut mark M1 that are offset to the top (the pair of L-shaped characters located more inward in the sub-scanning direction) defines the cutting position in the sub-scanning direction. When inspecting whether these cutting positions are properly indicated, at least the portion of the cutting mark M1 that is used to define the cutting position needs to be included in the inspection target area, and the other portion may be included in the inspection excluded area.

That is, in one variation of the first embodiment, at least a portion of the cutting mark M1 (e.g., the edge located on the inside in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction) may be inspected in the image inspection, and the remaining portion may not be inspected. In this variation, the indicators 124b and 124c displayed in the preview section 121 may indicate the second region (e.g., by hatching) such that the second region also includes the portion of the cutting mark M1 that is not inspected in the image inspection.

The area corresponding to the bleed width described above is a margin area set to a predetermined width around the first area. The bleed width is set in advance to avoid the occurrence of a margin at the edge of the cut sheet in the event of a cutting error (misalignment of the cutting position). That is, the main image can also be formed supplementarily in the margin area corresponding to the bleed width. In another variation of the first embodiment, this margin area may also be included in the inspection target area, and the area outside the margin area may be set as an inspection excluded area. In this variation, the indicators 124a and 124b displayed in the preview section 121 may indicate (for example, by hatching) a second area outside the margin area that is not inspected in the image inspection.

In any of the above examples, if it is determined that the main image is located outside the first region, the inspection exclusion area may be set as the region excluding the main image. In this further variation, the indicators 124a-124c displayed in the preview section 121 may indicate (e.g., by hatching) a second region excluding the main image that is not inspected in the image inspection.

(3) Job Execution Processing Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of job execution processing according to the first embodiment. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed here that only one side of each sheet is the subject of inspection. In the following description, processing steps are abbreviated as S (step).

The job execution process in FIG. 6 is started in response to the control device 40 accepting a print job involving an inspection in S110. The setting unit 211 calls the inspection setting unit 312 of the inspection controller 55 for the inspection-related settings. In S115, the inspection setting unit 312 acquires reference image data representing a reference image for the inspection. For example, the inspection setting unit 312 may request the job control unit 213 to send reference image data, and receive the reference image data provided by the job control unit 213 in response to the request. Next, in S120, the inspection setting unit 312 executes the inspection setting process. The flow of the inspection setting process executed here will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 7. The inspection setting unit 312 notifies the job control unit 213 that the settings for the inspection have been completed. The job control unit 213 sends the input image data to the image forming device 30 and starts the image forming operation.

In S130, the image forming device 30 forms an image (inspection image) on a sheet based on the input image data received from the control device 40. In S135, the reading control unit 315 of the inspection device 50 waits for the sheet on which the inspection image is formed. For example, when a sensor arranged in the conveying path 51 detects a sheet, the process proceeds to S140. In S140, the first reading unit 54a of the inspection device 50 optically reads the inspection image formed on the sheet that has reached the reading position to generate inspection read image data. Next, in S145, the inspection unit 311 inspects the inspection image by comparing the inspection image represented by the inspection read image data with the reference image represented by the reference image data for the area other than the inspection excluded area. For example, if the difference between the two images satisfies the above-mentioned defect condition, the inspection unit 311 determines that the inspection image has a defect. Also, if the difference between the two images does not satisfy the defect condition, the inspection unit 311 determines that the inspection image has no defect. Next, in S150, the inspection unit 311 transmits the inspection results to the job control unit 213. The job control unit 213 stores the inspection results received from the inspection unit 311 in the memory 203. The job control unit 213 can also control the stacker 60 to discharge the sheet in which a defect has been detected to the purge tray 66. Next, in S155, the inspection unit 311 determines whether there is a next page to be processed in the job being executed. If there is a next page, the process returns to S130. If there is a next page, the process proceeds to S160.

In S160, the job control unit 213 controls the notification unit 215 to notify the user of the inspection results. For example, the notification unit 215 may display the inspection results on a display. The notification unit 215 may also output a voice message or sound effect indicating the inspection results from a speaker. The notification unit 215 may also transmit a text message describing the inspection results via a network. Note that if no defects are detected on all sheets, the notification unit 215 does not need to issue a notification. Then, the job execution process in FIG. 6 ends.

(4) Inspection Setting Processing Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed flow of the inspection setting processing that can be executed by the inspection setting unit 312 in S120 in Fig. 6. Note that it is assumed here that automatic setting of the inspection excluded area using a predetermined mark is enabled.

First, in S121, the inspection setting unit 312 attempts to detect a predetermined mark in the reference image represented by the reference image data. The subsequent processing branches depending on whether or not a predetermined mark is detected in the reference image in S122. If a predetermined mark is detected, in S127, the inspection setting unit 312 sets an image area outside the first area corresponding to the cut sheet as an inspection excluded area. In this case, a preview in which an added image indicating the inspection excluded area is added may be provided in the preview section 121. If a predetermined mark is not detected in the reference image, S127 is skipped. In this case, a preview in which an added image indicating the inspection excluded area is not added may be provided in the preview section 121. If a predetermined mark is not detected in the reference image, this may include a case where the reference image does not include a predetermined mark, and a case where the reference image includes a predetermined mark but its detection fails. Next, in S129, the inspection setting unit 312 acquires other inspection-related settings, such as an inspection level to be applied to the inspection target area. Then, the inspection setting process in FIG. 7 ends.

<4-2. Second Example>
In the second embodiment, the inspection setting unit 312, in response to detecting a predetermined mark in the reference image, requests the user to confirm that an image area determined based on the detection position of the predetermined mark is to be set as the inspection excluded area. Then, in response to the request, the inspection setting unit 312 accepts a user input instructing the setting of the inspection excluded area. If the user does not intend to set the inspection excluded area, the user may instruct not to set the image area based on the detection position of the predetermined mark as the inspection excluded area. In the second embodiment, the inspection setting unit 312 also displays a preview based on the reference image data on the display screen, as in the first embodiment. For example, the inspection setting unit 312 may superimpose an indicator indicating the detection position of the predetermined mark on the preview of the reference image and request the user to confirm whether or not to set the inspection excluded area.

In the second embodiment, the print setting screen 110 shown in FIG. 4 can be provided via the display device 21 or the display of the host computer 90 for basic settings of a print job. When the user operates the inspection setting button 115, the print setting screen 110 transitions to the inspection setting screen 130 shown in FIG. 8.

8, the inspection setting screen 130 has a similar configuration to the inspection setting screen 120 according to the first embodiment, and includes a preview section 121, a pull-down menu 122, a cancel button 128, and a print start button 129. In addition, in the preview section 121, a marker 135 indicating the detection position of the cut mark M1 in the reference image is superimposed on the reference image.

Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 8, a confirmation message 131, as an example, is superimposed on the inspection setting screen 130. The confirmation message 131 includes a text message that prompts the user to confirm whether or not to set the image area determined based on the detection position of the cutting mark M1, i.e., the area outside the four cutting marks M1, as the inspection excluded area. The user may confirm that the cutting mark M1 has been correctly detected, for example by looking at the indicator 135, and then operate the button 132 to instruct the setting of the inspection excluded area. Alternatively, if the cutting mark M1 has not been correctly detected or if the setting of the inspection excluded area is not intended, the user may operate the button 133 to instruct not to set the inspection excluded area.

In addition, in the preview section 121, instead of (or in addition to) the indicator 135, the indicators 124a, 124b, or 124c described with reference to Figures 5A to 5C may be displayed to indicate image areas that are candidates for setting the inspection exclusion area. In addition, if the cutting mark M1 is not correctly detected, the inspection setting unit 312 may accept user input in the preview section 121 to adjust the position and size of the inspection exclusion area.

(2) Inspection Setting Process In the second embodiment, the print job can be executed in the same manner as the job execution process described with reference to Fig. 6. However, when a print job involving an inspection is executed, in S120, the inspection setting unit 312 executes the inspection setting process described with reference to Fig. 9.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed flow of the inspection setting process according to the second embodiment. First, in S121, the inspection setting unit 312 attempts to detect a predetermined mark in a reference image represented by the reference image data. The subsequent process branches depending on whether or not a predetermined mark is detected in the reference image in S122. If a predetermined mark is detected, in S123, the inspection setting unit 312 asks the user whether to set an area outside the detection position of the predetermined mark as an inspection excluded area. The subsequent process branches depending on whether or not a user input instructing the setting of the inspection excluded area is received in S124. If a user input instructing the setting of the inspection excluded area is received, in S127, the inspection setting unit 312 sets an image area outside the detection position of the predetermined mark as an inspection excluded area. If a predetermined mark is not detected in the reference image or if an instruction is given not to set an inspection excluded area, S127 is skipped. Next, in S129, the inspection setting unit 312 acquires other inspection-related settings, such as an inspection level to be applied to the inspection target area. The test setting process in Figure 9 then ends.

<4-3. Third Example>
In the third embodiment, the inspection setting unit 312 accepts a further user input regarding the exception area in addition to a user input for confirming the setting of the inspection exclusion area using the predetermined mark. Then, the inspection setting unit 312 sets another image area determined based on the further user input as the exceptional inspection target area or the inspection exclusion area. As an example, the inspection setting unit 312 may set an image area determined based on the detection position of the predetermined mark (e.g., an area outside the mark) as the inspection exclusion area, and then set a partial area within the inspection exclusion area as the exceptional inspection target area. As another example, when an instruction is given not to set an image area based on the detection position of the predetermined mark as the inspection exclusion area, the inspection setting unit 312 may set another image area determined based on the further user input as the exceptional inspection exclusion area.

As a specific example, an area where so-called variable data is printed is set as an exceptional inspection target area. Variable printing refers to a printing method in which some of the contents of an image formed on multiple sheets (e.g., an address, a barcode, or a serial number) are made different for each sheet. Print data for variable printing is described, for example, in PPML (Personalized Print Markup Language) and can be composed of master elements and variable elements. The master elements include image data that is common across multiple sheets, and the variable elements include individual image data that differs for each sheet. When the reference image data 325 is described in PPML, the inspection setting unit 312 can determine which partial areas in the image are areas of variable elements (hereinafter referred to as variable areas).

In the third embodiment, the print setting screen 110 shown in FIG. 4 can be provided via the display device 21 or the display of the host computer 90 for basic settings of a print job. When the user operates the inspection setting button 115, the print setting screen 110 transitions to the inspection setting screen 140 shown in FIG. 10.

10, the inspection setting screen 140 has a similar configuration to the inspection setting screen 120 according to the first embodiment, and includes a preview section 121, a pull-down menu 122, a cancel button 128, and a print start button 129. In addition, in the preview section 121, a marker 135 indicating the detection position of the cut mark M1 in the reference image is superimposed on the reference image.

Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 10, a confirmation message 141 as an example is superimposed on the inspection setting screen 140. The confirmation message 141 includes a text message that prompts the user to confirm whether or not to set only the variable area of the area outside the cutting mark M1 as the inspection target area. The user may operate button 142 to instruct the variable area to be set as the exceptional inspection target area, or may operate button 143 to instruct not to make such a setting. When the user operates button 142 to instruct the variable area to be set as the exceptional inspection target area, the inspection setting screen 140 may transition to the inspection setting screen 150 shown in FIG. 11.

Referring to FIG. 11, the inspection setting screen 150 includes a preview section 121, a pull-down menu 152, a pull-down menu 153, a cancel button 128, and a print start button 129. In the preview section 121, a marker 154 indicating an image area determined based on the detection position of the cut mark M1 and a marker 155 indicating a variable area are superimposed on the preview of the reference image. The variable area or other exceptional area may be automatically determined by the inspection setting unit 312 or may be specified by the user (for example, through a drag operation in the preview section 121). The marker 154 is an assigned image indicating a second area that occupies an outer side of the first area corresponding to the sheet after cutting. The first area is a rectangular area inside the marker 154. The image area hatched by the marker 154 is set as an inspection excluded area, but the variable area indicated by the marker 155 is set as an exceptional inspection target area.

Pull-down menu 152 is an object that allows the user to set the inspection level for a normal inspection target area (e.g., an image area inside cut mark M1) from among multiple candidate levels. Pull-down menu 153 is an object that allows the user to set the inspection level for an exceptional inspection target area (e.g., a variable area) from among multiple candidate levels. When multiple exceptional areas are to be inspected, a separate inspection level may be selectable for each exceptional area.

(2) Inspection Setting Process In the third embodiment, a print job can be executed in the same manner as the job execution process described with reference to Fig. 6. However, when a print job involving an inspection is executed, in S120, the inspection setting unit 312 executes the inspection setting process described with reference to Fig. 12.

Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed flow of the inspection setting process according to the third embodiment. First, in S121, the inspection setting unit 312 attempts to detect a specified mark in a reference image represented by the reference image data. The subsequent process branches in S122 depending on whether or not a specified mark is detected in the reference image. If a specified mark is detected, in S123, the inspection setting unit 312 asks the user whether or not to set the area outside the detection position of the specified mark as an inspection exclusion area. The subsequent process branches in S124 depending on whether or not a user input instructing the setting of an inspection exclusion area is received.

If a user input is received instructing not to set an inspection excluded area, in S125 the inspection setting unit 312 accepts further user input regarding the exception area. If an exception area is specified by the further user input, in S126 the inspection setting unit 312 determines the inspection target area or the inspection excluded area based on the specification of the exception area. For example, when instructed to set the variable area as the exceptional inspection target area, the inspection setting unit 312 sets the margin area outside the cut mark as the inspection excluded area, but sets only the variable area of the margin area as the exceptional inspection target area.

If a user input is received in S124 instructing the setting of an inspection exclusion area based on the detection position of a specified mark, in S127 the inspection setting unit 312 sets the entire image area outside the detection position of the specified mark as the inspection exclusion area.

If the specified mark is not detected in S122, or if an exception area is not specified in S125, the inspection setting unit 312 sets the entire area of the inspection image as the inspection target area.

Next, in S129, the inspection setting unit 312 obtains other inspection-related settings, such as the inspection level to be applied to the basic inspection target area and the inspection level to be applied to each of the exceptional inspection target areas. Then, the inspection setting process of FIG. 12 ends.

<4-4. Modified Examples>
In a modified example, the inspection setting unit 312 may accept a user input for setting an additional area within the inspection target area (typically, an area inside the detection position of the predetermined mark) that is not an inspection exclusion area based on the detection position of the predetermined mark. The additional area here may include, for example, one or more of the following:
- Priority inspection areas, where a higher inspection level is set than other areas to be inspected - Simple inspection areas, where a lower inspection level is set than other areas to be inspected - Individual setting areas, where some inspection-related settings differ from other areas to be inspected Further UI may be provided to allow the user to specify individual inspection levels or other settings for these additional areas.

The user input for setting the additional area may be, for example, a drag or touch on the preview section 121 described with reference to Figures 5A to 5C. When accepting such user input, the inspection setting unit 312 may restrict the user input so that the area specification does not overlap the inspection exclusion area. For example, the inspection setting unit 312 may accept the user input as a valid specification of an additional area only when the area specification is completely contained within an inner region that does not overlap the inspection exclusion area. This makes it possible to efficiently set multiple areas.

<5. Summary>
Various embodiments and examples of the technology according to the present disclosure have been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. According to the above-described embodiment, in an inspection system that inspects an image to be inspected formed on a sheet by comparing reference image data with inspection read image data, an image area based on the detection position of a predetermined mark in the image is set as an inspection excluded area. Therefore, which image area should be inspected or excluded from inspection is not inaccurately specified. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately exclude areas that do not affect the quality of the final deliverable from inspection, preventing a deterioration in the yield of the deliverable, and improving usability and productivity.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, when a user input is received instructing the setting of an inspection exclusion area using a specified mark, an image area based on the detection position of the specified mark can be set as the inspection exclusion area. That is, even if a specified mark is included in an image, the user can instruct whether or not to exclude the corresponding image area from inspection. Therefore, the user can cause the system to perform an appropriate inspection according to his or her needs. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, in response to the detection of a specified mark, the user can be requested to confirm that the corresponding image area is to be set as the inspection exclusion area. Therefore, if the specified mark is not included in an image, the user is not requested to confirm, and therefore unnecessary interactions can be avoided and the job can be executed quickly.

In the above-described embodiment, when a preview based on the reference image data is displayed on the screen of the display device, the preview screen may be provided with an attached image indicating a second area outside the first area corresponding to the cut sheet. Therefore, the user can easily identify which area corresponds to the cut sheet and which area will be removed by cutting. In addition, the user may be requested on the screen to confirm that the second area is to be set as the inspection exclusion area. Therefore, the user can determine whether or not to set the inspection exclusion area while viewing the preview. For example, a sign indicating an image area determined based on the detection position of a predetermined mark, or a sign indicating the detection position of a predetermined mark, may be superimposed on the preview. Therefore, the user can visually and accurately recognize which part of the reference image or the image to be inspected will be excluded from inspection when determining whether to set the inspection exclusion area.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the area outside the detection position of the specified mark can be determined as the image area to be set as the inspection exclusion area. Therefore, by including the specified mark in the image, it is possible to reliably exclude from inspection parts that do not affect the quality of the final product, such as the margin area of the sheet or the area to be removed by cutting.

Note that, although the present specification has mainly described an embodiment in which the CPU 301 of the inspection controller 55 functions as the inspection unit 311, in other embodiments, the CPU 201 of the control device 40 or the processor of the host computer 90 may function as the inspection unit 311.

Also, in this specification, an example in which the inspection setting unit 312 receives reference image data from the job control unit 213 has been mainly described. In one embodiment, the reference image data may be raster image data in a bitmap format generated from input image data of a print job. In another embodiment, the reference image data may be read image data (which may also be in a bitmap format) generated by the inspection device 50 or another reading device optically reading a reference image formed on a sheet in advance. The reference image data may be generated by averaging the reading results for multiple sheets on which the same reference image is formed. The expression "reference image data corresponding to the input image data" does not limit the format or generation method of the reference image data in any way.

Although the present specification has mainly described an example in which an indicator indicating the inspection excluded area is displayed in the preview section of the inspection setting screen, a similar indicator may be displayed, for example, on a result display screen for allowing the user to view the inspection results. With this configuration, even if the user visually inspects a sheet discharged as a normal sheet and visually observes dirt in the outer region, when the user looks at the indicator on the result confirmation screen, the visually observed dirt is located in the inspection excluded area, and the user can easily determine that the sheet is a normal sheet.

6. Other embodiments
The above-described embodiment can also be realized in the form of a process in which a program for realizing one or more functions is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. Also, the embodiment can be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) for realizing one or more functions.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

10Y, 10M, 10C, 10K: Image forming unit, 20: Operation unit, 21: Display device, 30: Image forming device, 40: Control device, 50: Inspection device, 54a, 54b: Reading unit, 55: Inspection controller, 60: Stacker, 70: Finisher (post-processing device), 75: Post-processing unit, 100: Inspection system, 120, 130, 140, 150: Inspection setting screen, 121: Preview section, 211: Setting unit, 311: Inspection unit, 312: Inspection setting unit, 325: Reference image data, 327: Inspection read image data

Claims (18)

an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet;
a reading unit that reads the image formed on the sheet;
A controller;
Equipped with
The controller:
acquiring reference image data for image inspection for inspecting the image formed on the sheet;
performing the image inspection on the reading result by the reading unit based on the acquired reference image data;
controlling a display to display a preview screen associated with said imaging examination;
When the image includes a mark indicating a cutting position of the sheet, the preview screen
A main image including the mark;
An additional image is added to the main image, the additional image indicating a second area outside a first area corresponding to the sheet after cutting;
Including ,
When it is determined that the main image is located outside the first area, the second area is an area excluding the main image.
Inspection system. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the second region is not inspected in the image inspection. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the second area is an area excluding the mark. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the second region is an area outside the mark. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the added image indicates the second area on the preview screen with hatching. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein if the image does not include a mark indicating a cutting position of the sheet, the controller controls the display to display a preview screen associated with the image inspection that does not include the attached image. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein if the mark is not detected in the image, the controller controls the display to display a preview screen associated with the image inspection that does not include the annotation image. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display to display the preview screen including the added image when a user setting to exclude the second region from the image inspection is accepted. The inspection system according to claim 8 , wherein the preview screen further includes an object for allowing a user to set whether or not to exclude the second region from the image inspection. The inspection system of claim 9, wherein the controller controls the display to display the preview screen including the added image when the mark is detected in the image when the user setting to exclude the second region from the image inspection is received via the object . The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the preview screen further includes an indicator indicating the position of the mark. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the preview screen further includes an object that accepts user input to indicate the start of forming the image on the sheet. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the preview screen further includes an object for allowing a user to set an inspection level for the image inspection. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit reads the image on the sheet while transporting the sheet. The reading unit reads another sheet on which a reference image is formed, and generates the reference image data;
The controller acquires the reference image data generated by the reading unit.
The inspection system of claim 1 . an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet;
a reading unit that reads the image formed on the sheet;
A controller;
Equipped with
The controller:
acquiring reference image data for image inspection for inspecting the image formed on the sheet;
performing the image inspection on the reading result by the reading unit based on the acquired reference image data;
controlling a display to display a preview screen associated with said imaging examination;
When the image includes a mark indicating a cutting position of the sheet, the preview screen
A main image including the mark;
An additional image is added to the main image, the additional image indicating a second area outside a first area corresponding to the sheet after cutting;
Including,
At least a portion of the mark is inspected in the image inspection.
Inspection system. The inspection system of claim 16 , wherein portions of the mark other than the at least a portion are not inspected in the image inspection. an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet;
a reading unit that reads the image formed on the sheet;
A controller;
Equipped with
The controller:
acquiring reference image data for image inspection for inspecting the image formed on the sheet;
performing the image inspection on the reading result by the reading unit based on the acquired reference image data;
controlling a display to display a preview screen associated with said imaging examination;
When the image includes a mark indicating a cutting position of the sheet, the preview screen
A main image including the mark;
An additional image is added to the main image, the additional image indicating a second area outside a first area corresponding to the sheet after cutting;
Including,
the second region is an area outside a margin area that is set to a predetermined width around the first region, and the width of the margin area is set in advance so as to avoid the occurrence of a margin at an edge of the sheet after cutting.
Inspection system.

Images