JP2007033883A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus, enabling a person who requires printing to select the setting of printing by automatically forming one or a plurality of candidates of the combination of the setting of printing, when printing an original within the desired printing charge specified by the person who requires printing. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus has a detection means for detecting whether it is one among the number of sheets of the original, the size of the original for each page or a color original or a monochrome original, when it receives the printing requirements for original group from the person who requires printing; a storage means for storing information of every page detected about the original; a managing means for managing the sum of money to be collected by each page classified by the sort of paper to be printed, the size thereof, selection on color or monochrome printing and further, selection on 4 or 6-color printing, when the color printing is selected; and a selection means for selecting the candidates of the combination of the setting of printing, which allows the person who requires printing to select the setting of printing, by giving one or a plurality of candidates of the combination of the setting on the kind of copying paper, the size thereof, the number of pages to be printed on a sheet of paper, the selection on color or monochrome printing and the selection on 4 or 6-color printing, when the color printing is selected, according to the desired sum of printing charge designated by the person who requires printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine including a fee collection device for collecting a usage fee necessary for printing.

  In recent years, street (convenience store etc.) print services using an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine equipped with a fee collection device for collecting a usage fee required for printing have been provided.

  With the widespread use of high-function digital multifunction peripherals, the print settings that a user can select when copying a document are becoming more detailed and tend to be diversified. When considering the use of an image storage device for street printing at a convenience store or the like by a general user, there are not a few users who demand that copying as easily and inexpensively as possible.

  For this reason, many proposals have been made to guide and follow the print setting work contents required at the time of printing by displaying on the UI, and to reduce the printing cost borne by the user.

For example, in the proposal shown in Patent Document 1 below, the number of sheets output required for image formation desired by the user is calculated for each sheet, and the result. Based on pre-stored charge information (charge per sheet of various sheets), a charge borne by the user for performing desired image formation is calculated. Based on the calculation result, a combination of image forming modes is automatically set such that the fee charged by the user is minimized.
JP 2002-044303 A

  As digital multifunction devices used for street (convenience stores, etc.) print services become more advanced, the print settings that users can set during printing have become more detailed, but the print settings required by users The work is also complicated.

  As described above, there are proposals or implementations for guiding and following the print setting work procedure required by the user through UI display, but there are few that are explicit and reduce the work load on the user side. In addition, there have been few proposals for simultaneously solving the simplification of the print setting work required by the user and the reduction of the cost required for printing.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and automatically selects one or a plurality of print setting combination candidates at the time of document printing within a desired print fee designated by a print requester. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be created and selected by a print requester.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an image forming apparatus is as follows.

An image forming apparatus comprising a fee collection device for collecting a usage fee,
Means for allowing the print requester to specify the desired printing fee for printing the manuscript;
A calculation means for calculating the number of documents when a document print request is detected;
Determining means for determining whether each page of the document is a color or monochrome document;
Detecting means for detecting a document size for each page of the document;
When the print request is detected, the desired printing fee information designated by the print requester, the number information obtained for the original, the color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, and the original size information for each page are stored. Storage means for
Management means for associating and managing print setting information set at the time of printing and billing information when using various settings included in the print setting information;
Based on the document information stored in the storage unit, the print setting information managed by the management unit, and the billing information, the print setting is set to be equal to or less than the desired print fee included in the document information. Printing setting combination candidate calculating means for calculating one or a plurality of combination candidates,
Display means for making the print requester refer to one or a plurality of combination candidates calculated by the print setting combination candidate calculation means;
A selection means for causing the print requester to select any print setting from one or a plurality of combination candidates calculated by the print setting combination candidate calculation means;
Print execution means for executing print processing of the document based on the print settings selected by the print requester by the selection means;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

  That is, upon receiving a print request for a document group from a print requester, detection means for detecting the number of documents, the document size for each page, and a color / monochrome document, and information for each page detected for the document Storage means for storing, management means for managing the amount to be collected for each page according to selection of paper type, size, color / monochrome print for printing, and selection of 4/6 color printing at the time of color printing, and further printing According to the requested print amount specified by the client, the combination of the type and size of paper to be copied, the number of pages to be printed on one sheet, selection of color / monochrome printing, and selection setting of 4/6 color printing at the time of color printing is selected. An image forming apparatus comprising: one or a plurality of print setting combination candidate selection units that are selected by a print requester It is intended to provide.

It is considered that the following effects can be obtained by the present invention.
-It is possible to reduce the work load for the print requester to perform complicated settings regarding the image forming mode.
-Print processing can be performed according to the amount requested by the print requester.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the constituent elements described in this embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them.

<Description of device>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an image forming apparatus. An image forming unit 110 includes an input unit 111 and an output unit 112.

  Reference numeral 120 denotes a request for printing an original from the requester, and the desired print fee information designated by the requester, the number information obtained for the original, the color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, and the original size information. It is a detection part which detects. A display unit 130 performs display on the UI.

  The management unit 140 includes information on the type of paper used as the print medium, size information on the paper used as the print medium, color / monochrome information for each page, color number information used for color, single-sided / double-sided printing selection information, and per page. The print setting information 141 including page number information to be displayed and the charge information 142 when using various print settings included in the print setting information 141 are managed in association with each other.

  Reference numeral 150 denotes a setting unit that sets print settings used when executing printing. The calculation unit 160 calculates the amount of money required for printing based on each piece of information detected by the detection unit 120, the print setting information 141 managed by the management unit 140, and the billing information 142. Create a combination candidate.

  Reference numeral 170 denotes a storage unit which stores each piece of information detected by the detection unit 120 in the storage area 180.

  FIGS. 2A and 2B are examples of a list of combinations of print setting information of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. (1) is a list of combinations of print setting information when the print requester selects color / monochrome information as an important print setting item, and (2) is a request for printing original size information as an important print setting item. 10 is a list of combinations of print setting information when the user selects.

  Further, (2)-(a) and (2)-(b) in FIG. 2B are examples of combinations of print settings created according to a desired print fee designated by the print requester.

  FIG. 3 is a transition diagram of the UI screen when using the designated fee printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  A screen 300 is a confirmation screen as to whether or not to use the designated fee printing system. Reference numeral 301 denotes a message field. When the print requester presses a “Yes” button 302, a screen 310 is displayed according to a path 0010. When the “No” button is pressed, the print system exits from the designated charge system according to the route 0011.

  A screen 310 is a screen for executing reading of a document to be printed. Reference numeral 311 denotes a message field. When the print requester presses a “read” button 312, the set original is read, and a screen 320 is displayed according to a path 0020.

  A screen 320 is a screen that prompts the print requester to input a print amount. Reference numeral 321 denotes a message field. When the “next” button 322 is pressed after the print requester has entered a desired print amount, a screen 330 is displayed according to a path 0030.

  The screen 330 is a screen for selecting the print setting information to be emphasized when calculating the print setting combination candidate and executing the calculation process. Reference numeral 331 denotes a message field, and the print requester selects print setting information to be emphasized in 332.

  For example, when the print requester requests printing of a plurality of A4 size color / monochrome mixed originals, if the original size is selected at 332, one page / sheet for A4 size single-sided or double-sided printing, or A3 A print setting combination candidate calculation process is performed after taking into account a combination of print settings of either 2 pages / sheets in single-sided or double-sided printing. When the “Calculate” button 333 is pressed, a calculation process is executed.

  When one or a plurality of print setting combination candidates are created as a result of the execution of the calculation process, a screen 340 is displayed according to the path 0040.

  The screen 340 is a screen that displays the created print setting combination candidates and allows the print requester to select and execute a print process. A message field 341 displays print setting combination candidates created in 343.

  When the print requester selects a desired combination of print settings from 342 and presses a “print” button 345, print processing is executed according to a path 0050. When the “Stop” button 345 is selected, the print system exits from the designated charge system according to the route 0052.

  When a “return” button 344 is pressed, a screen 330 is displayed according to a route 0051.

  The screen 350 is a screen that is displayed according to the path 0051 when a print setting combination candidate that is equal to or less than the input amount cannot be created as a result of the calculation processing. Reference numeral 351 denotes a message screen. When the print requester presses a “return” button 352, a screen 320 is displayed according to a path 0060. When the “quit” button 353 is pressed, the print system exits the designated charge system according to the route 0061.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for detecting the number information of originals at the time of reading a document and color / monochrome determination information determined for each page according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S4001, when the print requester makes a use request for the print system within the specified fee on the screen 300, the display unit 130 displays the screen 310 in response to the use request.

  In step S4002, when a document reading request is made on the screen 310, upon receiving the reading request, the detection unit 120 obtains the number of pieces of information regarding the set document, the color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, and the size information of the document. This is detected (→ step S4003 document reading process execution).

  In step S <b> 4004, the detection unit 120 sends the number information regarding the detected document, the color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, and the document size information to the storage unit 170. The storage unit 170 stores the received number information, color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, and document size information in the storage area 180. When the storage unit 170 notifies the display unit 130 that information related to the document has been saved, the display unit 130 displays a screen 320 and proceeds to A.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for storing desired print amount information and important print setting item information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  When the print requester makes a request for detecting the desired print amount on the screen 320, the detection unit 120 detects the desired print amount in step S5001.

  In step S <b> 5002, the detection unit 120 sends the detected desired print amount information to the storage unit 170. The storage unit 170 stores the received desired printing amount information in the storage area 180 and notifies the display unit 130 to that effect. Upon receiving the notification, the display unit 130 displays a screen 330.

  In step S5003, upon receiving a request for selecting print setting items to be emphasized when calculating print setting combination candidates, in step S5004, the storage unit 170 stores the selected print setting item information to be emphasized in the storage area 180. The data is sent to the calculation unit 160 and proceeds to B.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart at the time of print combination combination candidate calculation according to the embodiment of the present invention. Here, the flowcharts will be described by taking as an example a case where “color / monochrome” is selected as a print setting item to be emphasized on the screen 330.

  When a calculation request is made from the display unit 130 in step S6001, the calculation unit 160 stores information on the number of documents related to the document from the storage area 180, color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, document size information, and desired print amount information, Print setting item information to be emphasized (here, “color / monochrome”) is acquired (step S6002).

  In step S6003, calculation unit 160 extracts color / monochrome information for each page, and inquires management unit 140 for billing information for each case of four colors and six colors. When the management unit 140 sends accounting information for four colors and six colors to the calculation unit 160, the calculation unit 160 calculates the amount based on the extracted color / monochrome information for each page and stores the calculation result information. To the unit 170. The storage unit 170 stores the received calculation result information in the storage area 180.

  In step S6004, the calculation unit 160 inquires the priority order information of the print setting items from the management unit 140.

  When the management unit 140 sends priority order information of print setting items to the calculation unit 160, in step S6005, the calculation unit 160 calculates print setting item combination candidates based on the received priority order information of the print setting items. The total charge amount of each combination candidate is calculated.

  In step S6006, the calculation unit 160 determines whether or not the calculated total charge amount of each print setting item combination candidate is the desired designated amount.

  If there is a print setting item combination candidate whose total billing amount is less than or equal to the desired specified amount, in step S6007, the calculation unit 160 stores information on print setting item combination candidates whose total billing amount is less than or equal to the desired specified amount. The storage unit 170 stores the information in the storage area 180 and informs the display unit 130 of that fact.

  In step S6008, the display unit 130 acquires print setting item combination candidate information from the storage area 180, and displays a list on the screen 340 (to C).

  In step S6006, if there is no print setting item combination candidate whose total billing amount is equal to or less than the desired specified amount, the calculation unit 160 makes a message display request to the effect to the display unit 130, and the display unit 130 displays the screen 350. (Step S6009).

  In step S6010, when the processing continuation request is received, the display unit 130 notifies the storage unit 170 of the fact, and the storage unit 170 deletes the calculation result information of the print setting item combination candidates from the storage area 180, and displays the display unit 130. To tell. The display unit 130 displays the screen 320 (to A).

  In step S6010, upon receiving the processing stop request, the display unit 130 notifies the storage unit 170 of the fact, and the storage unit 170 deletes the calculation result information of the print setting item combination candidates from the storage area 180, and within the designated fee. Exit from the printing system.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart at the time of print processing using the calculation result of the print setting item combination candidates according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S7001, the display unit 130 determines whether there is a request for selecting a print setting item combination candidate. When there is a request for selecting a print setting item combination candidate, the display unit 130 sends the combination candidate information of the selected print setting item to the setting unit 150 (step S7002).

  In step S <b> 7003, the setting unit 150 performs print settings based on the received print setting item combination candidate information, and sends an image formation request to the image forming unit 110.

  In step S7004, the image forming unit 110 executes print processing based on the received print settings, and exits the designated fee printing system.

  If there is no request for selecting a print setting item combination candidate in step S7001, in step S7005, the display unit 130 determines whether or not there is a request to redo processing.

  When there is a request to redo processing, the display unit 130 notifies the storage unit 170 of the fact, and the storage unit 170 deletes the calculation result information of the combination candidate of the print setting item from the storage area 180 and transmits it to the display unit 130. The display unit 130 displays the screen 320 (to A).

  On the other hand, when there is no request for processing re-execution, the display unit 130 notifies the storage unit 170 of the fact, and the storage unit 170 deletes the calculation result information of the combination candidate of the print setting item from the storage area 180 and prints within the designated fee. Exit from the system.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a list of combinations of print setting information of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the combination of the print setting produced according to a certain desired printing charge designated by the print requester in one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a transition diagram of a UI screen when using the designated fee printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for detecting the number information at the time of reading a document and color / monochrome determination information determined for each page according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart when saving desired print amount information and important print setting item information according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a flowchart at the time of print combination combination candidate calculation according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart at the time of print processing using a calculation result of print setting item combination candidates in an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image forming apparatus 110 Image forming part 111 Input part 112 Output part 120 Detection part 130 Display part 140 Management part 141 Print setting information 142 Charge information 150 Setting part 160 Total three parts 170 Storage part 180 Storage area

Claims (5)

An image forming apparatus comprising a fee collection device for collecting a usage fee,
Means for allowing the print requester to specify the desired printing fee for printing the manuscript;
A calculation means for calculating the number of documents when a document print request is detected;
Determining means for determining whether each page of the document is a color or monochrome document;
Detecting means for detecting a document size for each page of the document;
When the print request is detected, the desired printing fee information designated by the print requester, the number information obtained for the original, the color / monochrome determination information determined for each page, and the original size information for each page are stored. Storage means for
Management means for associating and managing print setting information set at the time of printing and billing information when using various settings included in the print setting information;
Based on the document information stored in the storage unit, the print setting information managed by the management unit, and the billing information, the print setting is set to be equal to or less than the desired print fee included in the document information. Printing setting combination candidate calculating means for calculating one or a plurality of combination candidates,
Display means for making the print requester refer to one or a plurality of combination candidates calculated by the print setting combination candidate calculation means;
A selection means for causing the print requester to select any print setting from one or a plurality of combination candidates calculated by the print setting combination candidate calculation means;
Print execution means for executing print processing of the document based on the print settings selected by the print requester by the selection means;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The print setting information set at the time of printing includes paper type information used as a print medium, paper size information used as a print medium, color / monochrome information for each page, color number information used during color, single-sided / double-sided printing selection 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information includes at least page number information to be displayed per page.   The print setting combination candidate calculation means further includes selection means for causing the print requester to select which information of the print setting information is to be emphasized and to calculate the print setting combination candidate. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The print setting combination candidate calculation means includes the print setting information emphasized selected by the print requester by the selection means and the print setting information other than the important print setting information selected by the print requester. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for calculating one or a plurality of print setting combination candidates based on the priority order information.   The priority order information of other print setting information other than the important print setting information selected by the print requester can be set and changed in advance by the setting unit, and in advance by the setting unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set print setting information is managed by the management unit.

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