JP2016175350A - Printer, printing system and printing program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To count formed images in a page unit at least for each color without deteriorating the performance for forming images in accordance with image data transmitted from a print control device.SOLUTION: A printer comprises: an image formation part which forms an image for each color in accordance with image data for each color transmitted from a print control device and page information in a page unit indicating at least the color of the image data; and a counter control part which counts the images in a page unit formed for each color by the image formation part on the basis of the page information for each color.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a printing system, and a printing program.

  In the field of large-sized printing apparatuses for office use and business use, large-scale and long-time printing work is executed. For this reason, not only printers with lease contracts but also sold printers are charged according to the amount of use of the devices in order to perform regular maintenance and inspection.

  Conventionally, a printing apparatus is generally provided with a page counter and charged according to the number of printed pages. In a printing job, the method of updating the page counter by the printing apparatus itself every time page printing is completed is simple. However, in this method, it is difficult to perform a fine response according to the print type, so the print control apparatus often instructs the printing apparatus to update the page counter.

  For example, in the case of monochrome printing, since printing is performed using only black toner, the print charging counter is updated (1 UP) and the black toner counter used for maintenance / inspection is updated (1 UP). In the case of color printing, the print billing counter is updated (2UP) in order to realize color printing using toner other than black toner, and all printing used for printing other than the black toner counter used for maintenance and inspection is performed. The toner counter is updated (1UP). As described above, various counter updates and rules are applied to the accounting counter depending on the printing type.

  Also, for example, when the last page of double-sided printing is blank or when inserting a slip sheet from an inserter, it is common that the charging counter is not updated because no printing operation is involved. As described above, in order to update the counter value such as billing according to the detailed rules, conventionally, an instruction for counter update is transmitted from the print control apparatus to the printing apparatus.

  However, in the conventional counter update technology, the print control apparatus needs to prepare a counter update command (instruction) and transmit a plurality of counter update commands to the printing apparatus in synchronization with the progress of printing. When a plurality of commands need to be transmitted for printing one page, a command transmission interruption is applied to the printing apparatus, and there is a fear that the printing performance may be deteriorated. A decrease in printing performance is more likely to occur as the printing system used in business becomes faster.

  For example, in a high-speed printing apparatus that needs to complete the imaging process in N seconds per page, when the imaging process takes N seconds and the counter update time is 1/20 N seconds, the printing exceeds 20 pages. May cause intermittent printing. Here, the decrease in printing performance has a correlation with the number of interruptions of the counter update command for the printing apparatus, and is likely to deteriorate in proportion to the number of counters instructed to be updated by the printing control apparatus. On the other hand, if the counters to be updated are reduced, it is difficult to charge according to the detailed rules according to the usage status of the printing apparatus, even if the deterioration of the printing performance can be prevented.

  In addition, a method of preventing a decrease in print performance by instructing counter updating in units of jobs instead of in units of pages is conceivable, but the effect cannot be expected when the print job processes a fragmented job. A printing job for processing a small-sized job is a case where a large number of people print a small number of pages such as a receipt in an office.

  For example, a task of executing N jobs for one page is the same as updating a counter for N pages for each page and from the viewpoint of printing performance. Further, when updating a counter for a large number of N-page print jobs in units of jobs as in a DTP job, a counter update instruction is transmitted to the printing apparatus at the job end timing. Therefore, since the counter is not updated until the job is completed, there is a problem that if the maintenance staff recognizes the billing information using the display device during printing, there is a high possibility that the billing will be wrong.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus that determines whether output of image data is a plain state, performs processing related to image formation based on the determination result, and counts the number of output sheets for charging image output. Is disclosed.

  However, if an instruction to count an image in units of pages for each color of image data is transmitted from the print control apparatus to the printing apparatus, the printing speed of a plurality of pages by the printing apparatus may be reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and counts the formed page unit image at least for each color without degrading the performance of forming an image according to the image data transmitted from the print control apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus, a printing system, and a printing program that can be used.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides color data according to image data for each color transmitted from the print control apparatus and page information in units of pages indicating at least the color of the image data. An image forming unit that forms an image for each color; and a counter control unit that counts, for each color, a page unit image formed by the image forming unit for each color based on the page information.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to count the formed page unit images at least for each color without degrading the performance of forming an image according to the image data transmitted from the print control apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration example of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of the functions of the printing system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a counter update sequence in the printing system of the comparative example. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a counter update sequence in the printing system according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which the counter control unit updates the counter value using page information. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing in which the counter control unit updates the toner counter using the update table. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating processing in which the counter control unit searches for corresponding page information from the job ID and the page ID.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing system will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1 includes printing apparatuses 3a, 3b, and 3c to which a printing control apparatus 2 is connected. The plurality of print control apparatuses 2 are respectively connected to a plurality of terminals (host systems) 10 via a network 12 such as a LAN.

  The printing apparatuses 3a, 3b, and 3c have different operation specifications, for example. For example, the printing apparatus 3a operates as a full color printer, the printing apparatus 3b operates as a monochrome printer, and the printing apparatus 3c operates as a spot color. Hereinafter, like the print control apparatus 2 and the like, those having substantially the same hardware configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, when any one of a plurality of configurations such as the printing apparatuses 3a, 3b, and 3c is not specified, the printing apparatus 3 may be simply abbreviated.

  Each terminal 10 causes the print control apparatus 2 connected to any of the printing apparatuses 3a, 3b, and 3c that execute the print job to cause any of the printing apparatuses 3a, 3b, and 3c to execute the print job. A print job is transmitted via the network 12.

  The print control apparatus 2 sequentially processes print jobs in the order of transmission. Specifically, the print control device 2 designates image data for each color in page units (or print paper units), page information in page units indicating at least colors of the image data (see Table 1), and a paper source. To the printing apparatus 3 and information for designating the paper discharge destination.

  The printing apparatus 3 is provided with a plurality of paper feeding devices and paper ejection devices. The printing device 3 performs printing on the printing paper fed from the paper feeding device and stores the printing paper in the paper discharging device. More specifically, the printing apparatus 3 notifies the print control apparatus 2 of a bitmap image transfer request necessary for starting page printing in accordance with image data and page information received from the connected print control apparatus 2. To do.

  When the printing control apparatus 2 receives a bitmap image transfer request from the printing apparatus 3, the printing control apparatus 2 transfers a bitmap image necessary for the requested printing to the printing apparatus 3. The printing device 3 forms the transferred bitmap image on the printing paper fed from the paper feeding device. The printing device 3 discharges the printed printing paper to a paper discharge device.

  The printing apparatus 3 also updates values of various charging counters and the like at a timing according to its operation specifications and printing progress according to the contents of the page information transmitted prior to printing from the printing control apparatus 2. . The updated values of various charging counters can be displayed on a display unit 31 (described later) such as an OCP (operator control panel) provided in the printing apparatus 3. In addition, a charging counter value acquisition command is prepared in the printing apparatus 3, and the printing control apparatus 2 transmits a charging counter value acquisition command to the printing apparatus 3, whereby various charging counter values held by the printing apparatus 3 are stored. Can also be displayed on the display of the terminal 10.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration example of the printing apparatus 3 according to the embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the printing apparatus 3 includes an input unit 30, a display unit 31, a communication unit 32, a printing device main body 33, a storage unit 34, and a control unit 35. The input unit 30 is, for example, an input key or a switch, and accepts a user input to the printing apparatus 3. The display unit 31 is, for example, an OCP (operator control panel). Note that the input unit 30 and the display unit 31 may be integrated by a touch panel or the like.

  The communication unit 32 is an interface that communicates with the outside, and transmits and receives data via the network 12 such as a LAN. The printing apparatus main body 33 forms a full-color image using, for example, four color developers of Y, M, C, and K. The printing apparatus main body 33 may form an image using two or one color developer.

  The storage unit 34 includes a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and stores a print program executed by the control unit 35 and data used when the control unit 35 executes the program. Further, a storage medium 340 such as a CD-ROM capable of transmitting and receiving programs and data to and from the storage unit 34 is detachably attached to the printing apparatus 3. The control unit 35 includes, for example, a CPU 350 and a memory 352 and controls each unit constituting the printing apparatus 3.

  A printing program executed by the printing apparatus 3 is an installable or executable file and can be read by a computer such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). Recorded on a storage medium (such as storage medium 340) and provided as a computer program product.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of functions of the printing system 1 according to the embodiment. In the print control apparatus 2, the reception unit 20 receives a print job transmitted from the terminal (host system) 10. The drawing unit 21 converts a print page (image) included in the print job into a bitmap image, and stores the converted bitmap image data in the page buffer 22 in units of planes for each color of the image.

  In the case of full-color printing, the page buffer 22 stores a bitmap image for the K (black) plane in the K buffer 220, stores a bitmap image for the Y (yellow) plane in the Y buffer 221, and M (purple). A bitmap image for the plane is stored in the M buffer 222, and a bitmap image for the C (blue) plane is stored in the C buffer 223.

  The creation unit 24 creates page information (Table 1) necessary for the printing apparatus 3 to execute printing. The page management unit 23 outputs the page information created by the creation unit 24 to the print control unit 300 of the printing apparatus 3 in units of pages.

  When all the K, Y, M, and C bitmap images necessary for printing are prepared, the page transmission unit 25 notifies the page management unit 23 that printing is ready. The page management unit 23 transmits a print start instruction for the corresponding print page to the print control unit 300.

  The print control unit 300 transmits a bitmap image transfer request necessary for printing to the page management unit 23 in units of planes according to the contents of the page information received from the page management unit 23. Here, the page information used for print control and counter update described later is a file having N list structures, and the printing apparatus 3 prints the corresponding print page until it is discharged to the discharge apparatus. Hold.

  An update table 308 held by a counter control unit 307, which will be described later, is a table in which operation specifications unique to the printing apparatus are defined as exemplified in Table 3. Each printing apparatus 3 always holds one update table 308.

  When the page transmission unit 25 receives a bitmap image transfer request from the page management unit 23, the page transmission unit 25 reads the bitmap image of the requested plane from the page buffer 22 and transmits it to the image buffer 301 of the printing apparatus 3.

  The image buffer 301 stores the bitmap image received from the page transmission unit 25 in the image buffer of the corresponding plane of the image buffer 301. For example, when a K-plane transfer request is made, the bitmap image of the K-plane is read from the K buffer 220 of the page buffer 22 and stored in the K image buffer 302 of the image buffer 301.

  The bitmap image stored in the image buffer 301 is transferred to the image forming unit 310 via the image transmission unit 309 and used for printing. During full-color printing, bitmap images stored in the K image buffer 302, Y image buffer 303, M image buffer 304, and C image buffer 305 are full color using four color developers of Y, M, C, and K. The image is transferred to the image forming unit 310 that forms an image and used for printing. As described above, the image forming unit 310 forms an image for each color according to the image data for each color transmitted from the print control apparatus 2 and page information for each page indicating at least the color of the image data.

  When the printing of the bitmap image is completed, the status monitoring unit 306 transmits a print completion notification to the print control unit 300. The print control unit 300 requests the counter control unit 307 to perform the necessary counter update, and responds by referring to the already received page information and the update table 308 in which the operation specifications unique to each printing apparatus 3 are defined. Update the counter.

  For example, when the printing apparatus 3a shown in FIG. 1 performs full-color printing, the counter control unit 307 receives the print completion notification of all the color bitmap images, and the counter of the developer counter for each corresponding color. Update the value. When the printing apparatus 3b performs mono-color printing, the counter control unit 307 updates the counter of the corresponding black developer when receiving a print completion notification of the black plane bitmap image. Further, when the printing apparatus 3c performs spot color (two colors) printing, the counter control unit 307 corresponds to 2 when a black plane bitmap image print completion notification and a purple plane bitmap image are received, for example. Update the color developer counter.

  The counter control unit 307 updates the value of the print billing counter when receiving a print completion notification for all the plain bitmap images used for the print page. For example, when the printing apparatus 3b performs monochrome printing of one page, only the K plane bitmap image is used. Therefore, the counter control unit 307 updates the value of the black developer counter (referred to as a K toner counter) in response to a request from the print control unit 300 when receiving a print completion notification of the K plane bitmap image. Further, the counter control unit 307 updates the value of the print charging counter because printing of one page is completed by the notification of printing completion of the K plane bitmap image.

  In addition, when the printing apparatus 3a performs full-color printing, a full-color hue is obtained by mixing four developers of black (K), yellow (Y), purple (M), and blue (C). All four color developers are used. Therefore, at the time of executing full color printing using all the four color developers, the counter control unit 307 includes a yellow developer counter (referred to as a Y toner counter), a purple developer counter (in addition to the K toner counter). The values of the M toner counter) and the blue developer counter (referred to as the C toner counter) are updated in response to a request from the print controller 300 when printing completion notifications of all plane bitmap images are received. As described above, the counter control unit 307 counts, for each color, the page unit image that the image forming unit 310 forms for each color based on the page information.

  Further, the counter control unit 307 updates the value of the print charging counter because printing of one page is completed by the print completion notification of all the plane bitmap images of K, Y, M, and C. The various counters are updated by using the page information by the counter control unit 307 existing in the printing apparatus 3 in synchronization with the progress of printing.

  Various counter values updated by the counter control unit 307 are transmitted to the display control unit 311 via the print control unit 300. The display control unit 311 displays the received value on the display unit 31. Which plane bitmap image is supported by each printing apparatus 3 is determined by the update table 308 in which operation specifications are defined. The printing apparatus 3 that has received an unsupported plain bitmap image from the print control apparatus 2 may cause the display unit 31 to display a warning message that there is a fear that the printing color may be different.

  Next, the page information described above will be described in detail. Table 1 shows a basic configuration example of page information.

  The page information is transmitted from the print control apparatus 2 to the printing apparatus 3 prior to the print start instruction, and is discarded by the print control unit 300 when the discharge of the corresponding print page is completed. For example, when the printing apparatus 3 is printing 10 pages, the counter control unit 307 holds 1 to 10 page information.

  The page information is used not only for various printing controls but also for updating the counter. Conventional updating of a printing process counter is generally realized by an instruction from a printing control apparatus. In the printing system 1, since the counter control unit 307 uses the page information for updating the counter value, the printing apparatus 3 itself can update a necessary printing process counter including a charging counter as the printing progresses. It has become.

  As shown in Table 1, the page information includes a job ID and page ID indicating the corresponding print page position, and various print information groups such as print image information used for print control. In the following, information used to update the print counter is extracted from the update table 308 and page information on how the print counter value is updated when full-color printing, monochrome printing, and spot color printing are executed in the printing apparatus 3a. To explain.

  Table 2 exemplifies the configuration of page information during full color printing.

  Table 3 illustrates the configuration of the update table 308 of the printing apparatus 3a that performs full-color printing.

  Hereinafter, a method for updating the value of the printing process counter when executing full-color printing will be described with reference to Tables 2 and 3. In the page information during full color printing, as shown in Table 2, the plane data sizes of K, Y, M, and C are all significant (other than 0). The print control unit 300 transmits a bitmap image transfer request to the print control apparatus 2 in accordance with the value of each plane data size.

  The drawing area used for printing is determined by the image data sizes X and Y. The print control unit 300 transmits a transfer request for bitmap images of all K, Y, M, and C when full-color printing is performed. When printing of all the bitmap images K, Y, M, and C is completed, the print control unit 300 makes a counter update request to the counter control unit 307.

  The counter control unit 307 refers to the page information and the update table 308, the K, Y, M, and C plane data sizes corresponding to the page information are significant (other than 0) values, and the update table 308 When the corresponding K, Y, M, C printing is TRUE (support), the corresponding toner counter is updated (+1). In other words, the counter control unit 307 performs, for each color, based on the update table 308 indicating the colors that are allowed to be counted according to a predetermined rule as the colors of images that can be formed by the image forming unit 310 and the page information. Count images per page. Further, the counter control unit 307 also updates (+1) the print charge counter when the corresponding page printing is completed.

  In the case of monochrome printing, only the K plane data size in Table 2 is a significant value (other than 0), and the other plane data sizes are 0. Then, the counter control unit 307 refers to the page information, and if the K plane data size is a significant value (other than 0) and the corresponding K plane printing in the update table 308 is TRUE (support), Y , M and C plane data sizes are 0, so monochrome printing is determined and the K toner counter is updated (+1). Further, the counter control unit 307 also updates (+1) the print charging counter when printing is executed.

  The K, Y, M, and C print fields of the update table 308 in the printing apparatus 3a are all TRUE (support), but the K, Y, M, and C print fields of the update table 308 in the printing apparatus 3b are one field. Only TRUE, and all other fields are FALSE (for example, in the case of a monochrome printing device, only the K print field is TRUE). Therefore, in the page information for the printing apparatus 3b, if the plane data size other than black (K) is a significant value (other than 0), a warning message indicating that fact is displayed on the display unit 31 of the printing apparatus 3b. Let

  In addition, when spot color (two colors) printing is performed such that, for example, yellow highlight is applied to a monochrome page, only the K plane data size and Y plane data size in Table 2 are significant (other than 0) values. And the other plane data size becomes zero. The counter control unit 307 refers to the page information, the K plane data size and the Y plane data size are significant (other than 0), and the corresponding K and Y plane printing in the update table 308 is TRUE (supported). ), Since the plane data sizes of M and C are 0, it is determined that 2-color printing is performed, and the K toner counter and the Y toner counter are updated (+1). Further, the counter control unit 307 also updates (+1) the print charging counter when printing is executed.

  In the K, Y, M, and C print fields of the update table 308 in the printing apparatus 3c, two print fields are TRUE (support), and all other fields are FALSE. Therefore, in the page information for the printing apparatus 3c, if the unsupported plain data size is a significant value (other than 0), a warning message indicating that fact is displayed on the display unit 31 of the printing apparatus 3b.

  In general, the value of the print billing counter has an updated value that varies depending on the type of printing. For example, the weighting is often +1 for monochrome printing and +2 for full-color printing. This is because different charges need to be implemented to use a plurality of developers depending on the contents of printing. The charge amount depending on the print type often takes a value specific to the printing apparatus based on the destination and business contents. Here, in order to simplify the description, the print charge counter is set to +1 regardless of the print type.

  Further, the print charge counter often does not update (does not charge) the value in the case of test printing for print density adjustment or the like. The print control apparatus 2 prepares the information for this in the page information, so that the update of the print billing counter can be suppressed (when the test print field in Table 2 is TRUE, test print is indicated).

  In addition, when the print area is different by about twice, such as A4 paper and A3 paper, the update value of the print billing counter is often changed. For example, if the counter update value when printing on A4 paper is +1, the counter update value when printing on A3 paper is often +2. The counter update control based on the size of the drawing area depending on the paper size is determined according to whether the paper size field in the page information and the long paper double count field in the update table 308 are TRUE. Generally, the paper size information is used for paper supply control from a paper feeding device in printing.

  Next, a counter update sequence in the printing system 1 will be described by taking full color printing of one page as an example. First, a counter update sequence in the printing system of the comparative example will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a counter update sequence in the printing system of the comparative example.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the printing system of the comparative example, first, the terminal 10 transmits a print job start instruction to the print control apparatus 2-1 (S101). Upon receiving the job start instruction, the print control apparatus 2-1 waits for reception of a print page. When the print page transmitted by the terminal 10 is received (S 102), print page data is transmitted to the print apparatus 3-1 (S 103). And a print start instruction (S104). Here, the print page data transmitted from the print control apparatus 2-1 to the printing apparatus 3 includes page information necessary for the printing operation and counter update.

  In addition, the printing apparatus 3-1 itself can transmit all plane image data for executing full-color printing since the K, Y, M, and C plane printing fields of the update table 308 are all (TRUE). I recognize that. The printing apparatus 3-1 makes a transfer request for a bitmap image necessary for printing to the printing control apparatus 2-1 according to the content of the page information received from the printing control apparatus 2-1. Here, since the printing apparatus 3-1 executes full-color printing of one page, it executes a transfer request for all K, Y, M, and C bitmap images.

  Upon receiving the K-plane image transfer request (S105), the print control apparatus 2-1 transmits K-plane image data to the printing apparatus 3-1 (S106). Similarly, Y-plane image transfer request (S107) and image data transmission (S108), M-plane image transfer request (S109) and image data transmission (S110), C-plane image transfer request (S111) and image data transmission When (S112) is executed, all the bitmap images necessary for printing are transmitted to the printing apparatus 3-1, and paper is fed from the paper feeding apparatus and printing is started.

  When the bitmap image printing of the K plane is completed (S113), the print control unit 300 in the printing apparatus 3-1 notifies the page management unit 23 in the print control apparatus 2-1 of the completion of K plane image printing (S114). ). In the printing system of the comparative example, the print control device 2-1 transmits a K toner counter update command to the printing device 3-1 at this timing (S123).

  Similarly, upon completion of Y-plane bitmap image printing (S115), the printing apparatus 3-1 notifies the print control apparatus 2-1 of completion of Y-plane image printing (S116), and issues a Y toner counter update command. This is transmitted to the printing apparatus 3-1 (S124). Further, upon completion of the M-plane bitmap image printing (S117), the printing apparatus 3-1 notifies the print control apparatus 2-1 of the completion of M-plane image printing (S118), and prints an M toner counter update command. The data is transmitted to the device 3-1 (S125). When the C plane bitmap image printing is completed (S119), the printing apparatus 3-1 notifies the print control apparatus 2-1 of the completion of C plane image printing (S120), and prints a C toner counter update command. The data is transmitted to the device 3-1 (S126). Since printing of one page has been completed, the print control unit 300 of the printing apparatus 3-1 also updates the print counter by requesting the counter control unit 307 to update the counter.

  When printing is completed, the printing apparatus 3-1 transmits a paper discharge completion notification to the print control apparatus 2-1 (S 121). The print control apparatus 2-1 notifies the terminal 10 of the end of the job (S 122).

  Next, a counter update sequence in the printing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a counter update sequence in the printing system 1 according to the embodiment. 5 that are substantially the same as the processes shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In the printing system 1 according to the embodiment, the printing process counter including the print charging counter is updated by the printing apparatus 3-1, so that the counter update transmitted by the printing control apparatus 2-1 in the printing system of the comparative example is performed. This instruction (S123 to S127) is not required. That is, since the printing apparatus 3-1 updates the counter using the page information transmitted from the printing control apparatus 2 and the update table 308, it is unnecessary for the printing control apparatus 2 to transmit a counter updating instruction. . In the printing system 1, the command transmission for the four toner counters and the command transmission for the print billing counter are unnecessary, so that the printing performance is prevented from deteriorating.

  When the printing apparatus 3b performs monochrome printing, the counter control unit 307 uses the page information and the update table 308 to update the counter with one update target plane. When the printing apparatus 3c performs spot color (two-color) printing, the counter control unit 307 updates the counter with two update target planes using the page information and the update table 308.

  As described above, since the printing device 3 uses the update table 308, the model dependency of the printing device 3 is absorbed inside the printing device 3, so that the printing control device 2 operates the connected printing device 3. Page information can be transmitted without being aware of the specifications. Here, the printing apparatus 3 can count the formed page unit image at least for each color without degrading the performance of forming an image according to the image data transmitted from the print control apparatus 2. In addition, since the counter update process by the print control apparatus 2 is reduced in the printing system 1, it is possible to prevent a decrease in reliability due to the counter update process.

  Next, a process in which the counter control unit 307 updates the counter value using the page information will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which the counter control unit 307 updates the counter value using page information.

  The counter control unit 307 searches for corresponding page information from the job ID and page ID passed by the update request from the print control unit 300 (S201). Details of the processing in S201 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Then, the counter control unit 307 determines whether or not the corresponding page information (page) exists (S202). The counter control unit 307 determines whether there is valid page information based on whether the return value of the page information update process is NULL. If the return value is NULL, it indicates that page information does not exist.

  If the corresponding page information exists (S202: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S203. If the corresponding page information does not exist (S202: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S214, performs an error process, and ends the process.

  In the process of S203, the counter control unit 307 refers to the K plane data size of the page information and determines whether the data size is a significant value (other than 0). When the data size is 0 (S203: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S205. When the data size is a significant (other than 0) value (S203: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S204.

  In the process of S204, the counter control unit 307 calls the K toner counter update process.

  In the process of S205, the counter control unit 307 refers to the Y plane data size of the page information and determines whether the data size is a significant value (other than 0). When the data size is 0 (S205: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S207. When the data size is a significant (other than 0) value (S205: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S206.

  In the process of S206, the counter control unit 307 calls an update process for the Y toner counter.

  In the processing of S207, the counter control unit 307 refers to the M plane data size of the page information and determines whether the data size is a significant value (other than 0). When the data size is 0 (S207: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S209. If the data size is a significant (other than 0) value (S207: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S208.

  In the process of S208, the counter control unit 307 calls the M toner counter update process.

  In the processing of S209, the counter control unit 307 refers to the C plane data size of the page information and determines whether the data size is a significant value (other than 0). When the data size is 0 (S209: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S211. When the data size is a significant (other than 0) value (S209: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S210.

  In the process of S210, the counter control unit 307 calls a C toner counter update process.

  In the processing of S211, the counter control unit 307 determines whether or not the plane count of the page information indicates 0 (S211). If the plane count is 0 (S211: Yes), the counter control unit 307 terminates the process without executing the print billing counter update process because printing has not been performed. If the plane count is not 0 (S211: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S212.

  In the process of S212, the counter control unit 307 determines whether or not the page information test print indicates TRUE (S212). When the page information test print is TRUE (S212: Yes), the counter control unit 307 performs the process without executing the print billing counter update process because the executed print process is the test print for adjustment. finish. If the page information test print is FALSE (S212: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S213.

  In the process of S213, the counter control unit 307 executes a print charging counter update process (+1) and ends the process.

  Next, a process in which the counter control unit 307 updates the toner counter using the update table 308 will be described in detail. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing in which the counter control unit 307 updates the toner counter using the update table 308. 7 is called when the corresponding plane data size is significant (a value other than 0) in the counter update process. The argument is an ID indicating the counter update target toner.

  In the processing of S300, the counter control unit 307 reads the update table 308 in which the model-specific support information that the printing apparatus 3 itself has is defined, and the counter update target toner passed as an argument and the corresponding update table 308 Starts collation of plain print fields.

  Next, the counter control unit 307 determines whether or not the plain print field of the update table 308 is TRUE (S301). When the plain print field of the update table 308 is TRUE (S301: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S302. If the plain print field of the update table 308 is not TRUE (S301: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S303.

  In the process of S302, the counter control unit 307 updates the corresponding toner counter. In the process of S303, the counter control unit 307 displays a warning message on the display unit 31 and ends the process.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing in which the counter control unit 307 searches for corresponding page information from the job ID and page ID. The counter control unit 307 determines whether or not the page information is complete (the page table constituting the page information is end) (S400). If the page information has not ended (S400: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S401. When the page information is complete (S400: Yes), the counter control unit 307 searches the page information having the job ID and page ID passed from the print control unit 300 to the end of the existing page information. However, if the corresponding page information is not found, the process proceeds to S405.

  In the process of S401, the counter control unit 307 determines whether or not the job ID passed by the update request from the print control unit 300 matches the job ID of the page information. If the job ID passed through the update request matches the job ID of the page information (S401: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S402. If the job ID passed by the update request does not match the job ID of the page information (S401: No), the counter control unit 307 returns to the process of S400.

  In the process of S402, the counter control unit 307 determines whether the page ID passed by the update request from the print control unit 300 matches the page ID of the page information. If the page ID passed by the update request matches the page ID of the page information (S402: Yes), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S403. If the page ID passed by the update request does not match the page ID of the page information (S402: No), the counter control unit 307 proceeds to the process of S404.

  In the process of S404, the counter control unit 307 searches for the next page information by updating the index (+1). In the process of S403, the counter control unit 307 returns a pointer indicating the position information to the print charging counter update process because the page information is the corresponding page information.

  In the process of S405, the counter control unit 307 returns NULL as a pointer indicating the position information to the print charging counter update process. In the print billing counter update process, if NULL is returned, the job ID and page ID passed from the print control unit 300 are likely to be invalid, so error processing is executed and the process ends. (FIG. 6: S214).

  As described above, the printing system 1 includes the counter control unit 307 that counts, for each color, the image in units of pages that the printing apparatus 3 forms for each color based on the page information. The formed page unit image can be counted at least for each color without degrading the performance of forming an image according to the image data.

  Note that when the definition of the update table 308 is changed, the printing apparatus 3 receives the update table 308 changed by the communication unit 32. The printing apparatus 3 may be configured to transmit the result counted by the counter control unit 307 to the printing control apparatus 2 or the terminal 10 through the communication unit 32.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing system 2 Print control apparatus 3a, 3b, 3c Printing apparatus 10 Terminal 12 Network 23 Page management part 24 Creation part 25 Page transmission part 30 Input part 31 Display part 32 Communication part 33 Printing apparatus main body 34 Storage part 35 Control part 300 Printing Control unit 301 Image buffer 307 Counter control unit 308 Update table 310 Image forming unit 311 Display control unit

JP 2004-227530 A

Claims (7)

An image forming unit that forms an image for each color in accordance with image data for each color transmitted from the print control apparatus, and page information in units of pages indicating at least the color of the image data;
A counter control unit that counts, for each color, an image in units of pages that the image forming unit forms for each color; and
A printing apparatus comprising: The counter control unit
Counting an image in units of pages for each color based on at least an update table indicating colors allowed to be counted according to a predetermined rule as colors of images that can be formed by the image forming unit and the page information The printing apparatus according to claim 1. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a communication unit that receives the update table via a network. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that transmits a result counted by the counter control unit to the print control apparatus. A display unit for displaying that the colors indicated by the update table that are allowed to be counted and the colors indicated by the page information do not match when the colors indicated by the page information do not match; The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: A print control device that transmits image data for each color and page information in units of pages indicating at least the color of the image data;
An image forming unit that forms an image for each color according to the image data and the page information transmitted by the print control device;
A counter control unit that counts, for each color, an image in units of pages that the image forming unit forms for each color; and
A printing system comprising: Forming an image for each color in accordance with image data for each color transmitted from the print control apparatus and page information in units of pages indicating at least the color of the image data;
Counting the image of each page to be formed for each color for each color based on the page information;
A printing program that causes a computer to execute.

Images