JP2005157745A - Print system, print apparatus, print controller and print apparatus control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology to simplify separation treatment for the recycle of print sheets. <P>SOLUTION: A print system is disclosed which is provided with a print controller for generating print data based on plotting data and a print apparatus for performing print to print sheets based on the print data. This print system is further provided with a separation information print setting accepting means for accepting the setting of the print of information related with the separation of print sheets, a separation information generating means for generating information related with the separation of print sheets based on the plotting data or the print data and a separation information printing means for printing the generated information related with separation on the print sheets according to the accepted separation information print setting. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly to a printing system that performs printing with sorting information for recycling printing paper.

  Increasingly, printing paper that has been used for printing and is no longer needed is recycled. Conventionally, printing paper has been collected separately from other paper such as newspaper, cardboard, and cardboard in order to improve the recycling process, but in recent years, the separation for collection has become more subdivided. It has come to be.

  For example, in order to optimize the ink removal process for reproduction, etc., even if it is printing paper, it is classified into double-sided printing and single-sided printing, or the amount of toner used even in single-sided printing, etc. Sorting is done accordingly.

  When sorting is performed according to the amount of toner used for printing, for example, the printed area is sorted based on the entire surface / part, or the printed area is more than half / less than the printing paper. And so on. In the future, the classification criteria may be further subdivided. For example, the printing area may be classified into 5% or less, 20% or less, 50% or less, etc. of the printing paper. It is done.

  However, regardless of whether it is clear that the image is printed on the entire surface, such as when printing a photographic image, it is not easy to determine which classification category the printed material belongs to in other documents. There is also a big difference.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for facilitating a sorting process for recycling printing paper.

In order to solve the above problem, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
A printing system comprising: a printing control device that generates print data based on drawing data; and a printing device that performs printing on printing paper based on the printing data,
A sorting information print setting accepting unit for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
A sorting information generating means for generating information on sorting of printing paper based on drawing data or printing data;
A printing system is provided, comprising: a sorting information printing unit that prints the generated sorting information on the printing paper according to the received sorting information printing setting.

  By collecting and collecting printing paper with reference to the printed sorting information, sorting processing for recycling printing paper becomes easy.

In order to solve the above problem, according to a second aspect of the present invention,
A printing apparatus that performs printing on printing paper based on print data received from a print control apparatus,
A sorting information print setting accepting unit for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
Sorting information generating means for generating information on sorting of printing paper based on print data;
There is provided a printing apparatus, comprising: a sorting information printing unit that prints the generated sorting information on the printing paper according to the received sorting information print setting.

Moreover, according to the 3rd aspect of this invention in order to solve the said subject,
A print control device that generates print data to be output to a printing device based on drawing data,
A sorting information print setting accepting unit for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
Sorting information generating means for generating information on sorting of printing paper based on drawing data;
There is provided a print control apparatus comprising: a classification information adding unit that adds information on generated classification to print data for generating data for printing according to the received classification information print setting, and the present invention. According to the fourth aspect of
A printing apparatus control program for causing a computer to execute processing for generating print data to be output to a printing apparatus based on drawing data,
A sorting information print setting accepting process for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
A separation information generation process for generating information on the separation of the printing paper based on the drawing data;
There is provided a printing apparatus control program for causing a computer to execute classification information addition processing for adding generated classification information to print data for generating data for printing according to received classification information print settings. The

  Here, the classification information received by the classification information print setting receiving unit or the like can include information on the ratio of the print area to the printing paper or the amount of the image forming medium used for printing.

Also, the classification information print setting accepted by the classification information print setting accepting means, etc.
Settings regarding the display mode of the classification information to be printed, settings regarding the print position of the classification information, and settings for not printing the classification information can be included.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a hardware configuration of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

  As shown in the figure, the printing system includes a computer 30 for realizing various processes using application software, a printing process using a printer driver, and the like, and a printer 10 connected to the computer 30. In the present embodiment, the computer 30 functions as a print control apparatus that generates print data and transmits it to the printer 10. The printer 10 functions as a printing apparatus that performs printing based on the received print data. The configuration of the printing system is not limited to this.

  The computer 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31 that executes various programs, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 32 that temporarily stores data and programs, various data and various programs for controlling the computer 30, and the like. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 33 that is stored in a nonvolatile manner and an interface 34 that controls transmission / reception of data to / from a peripheral device such as the connected printer 10 are provided.

  The computer 30 includes a display device 21 such as a color display, an input device 22 such as a mouse and a keyboard, a media reading device 23 that reads data from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, and a built-in or external auxiliary storage device 24. Connected. Of course, the configuration of the computer 30 is not limited to this. For example, a communication control device for connecting to a computer network such as the Internet may be provided.

  The printer 10 is, for example, a laser type page printer. A laser type color page printer includes a cartridge filled with toner in a housing, and performs printing by transferring the toner to a printing medium such as printing paper.

  However, the printing method of the printer 10 is not limited to this. For example, an inkjet serial printer or a printer using another printing method may be used.

  The printer 10 includes an interface 11 that controls transmission and reception of data with the computer 30, a CPU 12 that executes various programs, a RAM 13 that temporarily stores print data and the like, various data and various programs that control the printer 10, and the like in advance. ROM 14, a toner cartridge, a photosensitive drum, a laser beam irradiation mechanism, a paper feed mechanism, a paper supply / discharge mechanism for performing a print medium supply / discharge process, and the like, and an instruction from a user are received. An operation panel 16 is provided. Of course, the configuration of the printer 10 is not limited to this.

  Next, functional configurations realized in the computer 30 and the printer 10 by the printing system will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

  As shown in the figure, an application unit 310 and a printer driver unit 320 are constructed on the computer 30.

  The application unit 310 has a function for causing the computer 30 to perform processing for creating and editing a document. The CPU 31 executes a word processor program, a graphics processing program, and the like read by the RAM 32, thereby executing the processing on the computer 30. Built in.

  The printer driver unit 320 performs processing for controlling the printer 10 to execute printing. Specifically, when a print instruction is received from the user, the drawing data of the document generated by the application unit 310 is read and converted into print data in a format that can be interpreted by the printer 10 according to the print settings. Transmit to the printer 10. Here, the drawing data is data described in the specifications defined by the operating system that manages the system of the computer 30. The print data is described in a page description language, for example, and is composed of a command group for controlling the printer 10. Alternatively, there is a printer driver unit 320 that develops image data and uses the image data as print data.

  For this reason, the printer driver unit 320 includes a user interface unit 321 for receiving print instructions, print settings, and the like from a user, and a print processing unit 322 for processing generation, management, transmission, and the like of print data.

  The printer driver unit 320 is constructed on the computer 30 by the CPU 31 executing a printer driver program read by the RAM 32. The printer driver program for this purpose can be distributed by recording it on a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The printer driver program can be installed in the computer 30 by reading the recording medium with the media reader 23. It can also be installed via a computer network such as the Internet.

  In FIG. 2, a print control unit 110, a print execution unit 120, and a user interface unit 130 are constructed on the printer 10.

  The print control unit 110 interprets the print data transmitted from the computer 30 and performs control for causing the printer 10 to perform printing based on the print data.

  The print execution unit 120 executes printing by the print engine 15 on a print medium such as print paper in accordance with an instruction from the print control unit 110.

  The user interface unit 130 receives an instruction from the user via the operation panel 16.

  Next, characteristic processing of the printing system according to the present invention will be described. The printing system performs a process of accepting settings related to printing of classification information, a process of generating classification information, and a process of printing classification information. Here, the sorting information is information that is referred to when the printing paper is sorted, and is information related to the amount of toner used for printing. Specifically, it can be information based on the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper, the amount of toner used for printing, the number of dots printed, and the like. However, it is not restricted to these.

  The classification information is expressed by a predetermined rank, for example, 5% or less, 5-20%, 20-50%, etc. even if a numerical value of the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper, for example, 3% is used as it is. May be. In the case of representing by rank, it is possible to associate the rank with a symbol such as an icon and display the sorting information by the symbol. Further, the classification information may be displayed as a code such as a barcode.

  What sort information is printed and how it is printed are determined based on settings from the user.

  In addition, as other incidental information, for example, information on duplex / single-sided printing, color / monochrome printing, and the like may be included in the classification information. These are pieces of useful information for sorting printing paper. For example, when an ink jet printing mechanism is employed in the print engine 15, information regarding the amount of ink is used instead of the amount of toner.

  In other words, according to the present invention, when a document being processed by the application unit 310 is printed by the printing system, the user sets whether or not to print with classification information, and when classification information is added, classification is performed. It is possible to set the content of information. When the setting is made to print with classification information, the printing system generates classification information according to the contents of the set classification information and includes it in the print data. When the printer 10 performs printing in accordance with the print data, a print result with classification information can be obtained.

  Among the processes performed by these printing systems, the process for printing the classification information is performed by the printer 10. The process for accepting the settings for printing the classification information and the process for generating the classification information include the computer 30 and the printer 10. It is performed in either. The document drawing data generated by the application unit 310 is converted into print data by the printer driver unit 320, and the process in which the printer 10 executes printing based on the print data is performed in a conventional manner.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a pattern indicating whether either the computer 30 or the printer 10 performs the setting reception process and the classification information generation process regarding the printing of the classification information. It is assumed that which pattern the printing system adopts is determined in advance by, for example, which of the computer 30 and the printer 10 performs image data development in the printing system.

  The pattern A is a pattern in which the computer 30 performs a setting reception process for printing classification information, and the printer 10 performs a classification information generation process. Such a pattern is a printer driver unit 320 of the computer 30 in a printing system equipped with a so-called intelligence printer that develops print data described in a page description language generated by the computer 30 into image data on the printer side. This can be realized by providing a setting reception function for printing classification information and providing the print control unit 110 of the printer 10 with a generation function for classification information.

  In the pattern A, the user interface unit 321 of the printer driver unit 320 displays a classification information print setting screen 500 as shown in FIG. 4 on the display device 21, for example, and accepts settings related to printing of classification information from the user.

  The classification information print setting screen 500 includes a column 501 for instructing whether or not to print the classification information, a column 502 for specifying the classification information criterion, a column 503 for specifying the rank of the display, and a display. A field 504 for designating a form to be displayed, a field 505 for designating whether to display other information, and a field 506 for designating a printing position.

  In the column 502 for specifying the classification information standard, either the ratio of the printing area to the printing paper area or the amount of toner used for printing can be specified.

  A column 503 for designating the rank of the display can specify any one of no stage, two stages, three stages, and five stages. Here, “no step” means that the numerical value of the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper is used as it is, and “2” to “5” means that the numerical value is expressed by the corresponding rank among the ranks of the designated steps. . It should be noted that the range of each stage and the like can be set independently by the user with a “set” button. For example, when the rank of the ratio of the printing area is two stages, it can be 50% or less and 50 to 100%, or 20% or less, or 20 to 100%.

  A column 504 for designating a display form can designate whether the value of the classification information is displayed as a numerical value, a symbol, or a barcode. The symbols and the like to be displayed can be set independently by the user using the “Setting” button.

  In a field 505 for designating whether or not to display other information, it is possible to set whether or not to display the distinction between duplex / single-sided printing and the distinction between color / monochrome printing. This is because it may be possible to perform classification based on such information.

  In a column 506 for specifying a printing position, one of upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right of the printing paper can be specified. If the user wants to print at another position, the user can make a setting independently by using a “set” button.

  The print processing unit 322 of the printer driver unit 320 draws a document when receiving an instruction to print the classification information in the column 501 for instructing whether or not to print the classification information on the classification information print setting screen 500. When transmitting the print data described in the page description language generated based on the data to the printer 10, the fact that the classification information is printed and the contents set on the classification information print setting screen 500 are set to the print control unit of the printer 10. 110 is notified.

  When receiving this notification, the print control unit 110 measures the number of dots to be printed when the received print data is expanded into image data. Since the size of one dot and the amount of toner used per dot are known, the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper and the amount of toner used for printing are obtained based on this measurement. Can do. In the case of a printing system in which the size of one dot and the amount of toner used per dot are variable, these values are acquired in consideration of the size and the amount of toner for each dot. May be.

  Then, the image data corresponding to the acquired value is generated based on the notified setting, and the print result with the classification information added can be obtained by superimposing and printing on the image data based on the print data.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing result with classification information. In FIG. 6A, the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper is specified in the column 502 for specifying the classification information standard, the non-step is specified in the column 503 for specifying the rank of the display. A numerical value is specified in a column 504 for specifying a display form, a display is specified in a column 505 for specifying whether to display other information, and a lower right corner of the printing paper is specified in a column 506 for specifying a printing position. This is an example.

  For example, when the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper is specified in the column 502 for specifying the classification information, and the two levels are specified in the column 503 for specifying the rank of the display, the display form is displayed. When a numerical value is specified in the column 504 for specifying the classification, the classification information is printed as “50% or less”, and when a symbol is specified in the column 504 for specifying the display form. As shown in FIG. 6B, the classification information is printed with a symbol corresponding to “50% or less”, for example, “□”.

  Next, the pattern B will be described. The pattern B is a pattern in which the printer 10 performs both the setting reception process regarding classification information printing and the classification information generation process. Such a pattern is used to print classification information on the user interface unit 130 of the printer 10 in a printing system equipped with a so-called intelligence printer that develops print data described in a page description language into image data. This is realized by providing a setting accepting function for the print control unit 110 and a function for generating classification information. In this case, a conventional printer driver unit 320 of the computer 30 can be used.

  The user interface unit 130 of the printer 10 displays, for example, a menu as shown in FIG. 5 on the operation panel 16 and accepts settings from the user. The content of the setting to be accepted can be the same as that of the pattern A. However, the contents that can be set may be simplified in consideration of the operability of the operation panel 16.

  When the print control unit 110 of the printer 10 receives an instruction to print the classification information, when the print data is received from the computer 30, the print control unit 110 measures the number of dots to be printed when the print data is expanded into image data. Since the size of one dot and the amount of toner used per dot are known, the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper and the amount of toner used for printing are obtained based on this measurement. Can do. In the case of a printing system in which the size of one dot and the amount of toner used per dot are variable, these values are acquired in consideration of the size and the amount of toner for each dot. May be.

  Then, the image data corresponding to the acquired value is generated based on the notified setting, and the print result with the classification information added can be obtained by superimposing and printing on the image data based on the print data.

  The pattern C is a pattern in which the computer 30 performs both the setting reception process and the classification information generation process regarding the printing of the classification information. In such a pattern, in the printing system including a so-called host-based printer that develops drawing data into image data on the computer side, the printer driver unit 320 of the computer 30 receives a setting reception function and classification for printing classification information. This can be realized by providing an information generation function. In this case, a conventional printer 10 can be used.

  The user interface unit 321 of the printer driver unit 320 can accept the settings regarding printing of the classification information in the same manner as the pattern A.

  The print processing unit 322 of the printer driver unit 320 measures the number of dots to be printed when developing the drawing data into image data. Since the size of one dot and the amount of toner used per dot are known, the ratio of the printing area to the area of the printing paper and the amount of toner used for printing are obtained based on this measurement. Can do. In the case of a printing system in which the size of one dot and the amount of toner used per dot are variable, these values are acquired in consideration of the size and the amount of toner for each dot. May be.

  Then, based on the setting received by the user interface unit 321, image data corresponding to the acquired value is generated, and print data superimposed on the image data based on the drawing data is generated.

  By transmitting this print data to the printer 10 and executing printing based on the print data received by the printer 10, it is possible to obtain a print result with classification information added.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a hardware configuration of the printing system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a functional configuration of the printing system. The figure which shows the pattern of the sharing of the process in a printing system. The figure which shows a classification information printing setting screen. The figure which shows the menu displayed on an operation panel. The figure which shows the printing result to which classification information was attached | subjected.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer, 11 ... Interface, 12 ... CPU, 13 ... RAM, 14 ... ROM, 15 ... Print engine, 16 ... Operation panel, 21 ... Display device, 22 ... Input device, 23 ... Media reader, 24 ... Auxiliary memory Device: 30 ... Computer, 31 ... CPU, 32 ... RAM, 33 ... ROM, 34 ... Interface, 110 ... Print control unit, 120 ... Print execution unit, 130 ... User interface unit, 310 ... Application unit, 320 ... Printer driver unit 321 ... User interface unit, 322 ... Print processing unit

Claims (14)

A printing system comprising: a printing control device that generates print data based on drawing data; and a printing device that performs printing on printing paper based on the printing data,
A sorting information print setting accepting unit for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
A sorting information generating means for generating information on sorting of printing paper based on drawing data or printing data;
A printing system comprising: a sorting information printing unit that prints the generated sorting information on the printing paper according to the received sorting information printing setting. The printing system according to claim 1,
The classification information for which the classification information print setting reception unit receives the setting includes:
A printing system comprising information on a ratio of a printing area to printing paper or an amount of an image forming medium used for printing. The printing system according to claim 2,
The classification information print setting received by the classification information print setting reception unit includes:
A printing system including a setting regarding whether a value indicating information on a ratio of a printing area to a printing paper or an amount of an image forming medium used for printing is indicated by a predetermined category or a value. The printing system according to claim 1,
The classification information print setting received by the classification information print setting reception unit includes:
A printing system including a setting relating to a display form of classification information to be printed. The printing system according to claim 1,
The classification information print setting received by the classification information print setting reception unit includes:
A printing system including a setting regarding a printing position of classification information. The printing system according to claim 1,
The classification information print setting received by the classification information print setting reception unit includes:
A printing system including a setting for not printing classification information. A printing apparatus that performs printing on printing paper based on print data received from a print control apparatus,
A sorting information print setting accepting unit for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
Sorting information generating means for generating information on sorting of printing paper based on print data;
A printing apparatus, comprising: a sorting information printing unit that prints the generated sorting information on the printing paper according to the received sorting information printing setting. A print control device that generates print data to be output to a printing device based on drawing data,
A sorting information print setting accepting unit for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
Sorting information generating means for generating information on sorting of printing paper based on drawing data;
A printing control apparatus comprising: sorting information adding means for adding the generated classification information to print data for generating data for printing according to the received classification information print setting. A printing apparatus control program for causing a computer to execute processing for generating print data to be output to a printing apparatus based on drawing data,
A sorting information print setting accepting process for accepting settings for printing information relating to printing paper sorting;
A separation information generation process for generating information on the separation of the printing paper based on the drawing data;
A printing apparatus control program for causing a computer to execute classification information addition processing for adding generated classification information to print data for generating data for printing according to the received classification information print setting. The printing apparatus control program according to claim 9, wherein
In the classification information for accepting settings in the classification information print setting acceptance process,
A printing apparatus control program characterized by including information on a ratio of a printing area to printing paper or an amount of an image forming medium used for printing. In the printing apparatus control program according to claim 10,
In the classification information print setting received in the classification information print setting reception process,
A printing apparatus control program, comprising: a setting indicating whether a value indicating information on a ratio of a printing area to printing paper or an amount of an image forming medium used for printing is indicated by a predetermined category or a value. The printing apparatus control program according to claim 9, wherein
In the classification information print setting received in the classification information print setting reception process,
A printing apparatus control program comprising a setting relating to a display form of classification information to be printed. The printing apparatus control program according to claim 9, wherein
In the classification information print setting received in the classification information print setting reception process,
A printing apparatus control program characterized by including settings relating to the printing position of classification information. The printing apparatus control program according to claim 9, wherein
In the classification information print setting received in the classification information print setting reception process,
A printing apparatus control program including a setting for not printing classification information.

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