JPH10143019A - Image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an image processing system to simultaneously output from two units, and to reduce the outputting time, by making several sorting means for first and second image forming device operated as one set of the sorting means, in the case of outputting for sorting plural pages/plural volumes. SOLUTION: In this system, data transmission request is sent from a host computer to a controller 20, and PDL data for 20 pages/5 volumes are input into the controller 20. The controller 20 is allowed to severally set page number count parameter X and the volume numbers count parameter Y to 1. Next, on extending image data of the page 1, it is judged whether the page number count parameter X is <=10 or not. When the page number count parameter X is <=10, the image data of the page 1 are transmitted to the image forming device 30, and when larger than 10, the image data are transmitted to the image forming device 60. In such a manner, volume 1 to 5 of page 1 to 10 for a printer of the image forming device 30, and volume 1 to 5 of page 11 to 20 for the printer of the image forming device 60 is severally output on from the uppermost pin to the lowermost pin.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing system, and more particularly to an image processing system which receives and processes image data from external devices such as various host computers and outputs the processed image data to an external device such as a printer (copier). More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that outputs to a plurality of image forming apparatuses each having a collating function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine connected to a network receives PDL (Postscript Description Language) image data sent from a host computer, converts the data into print data, and sends the print data to the copying machine. There is provided a system for transmitting and printing on a recording medium such as paper. For example, a user having a computer and a copying machine can print out an image created on a host computer by using a controller connected to the network and by using the copying machine as a printer. Will be possible. Recent copiers are equipped with various finishing functions such as a sorting function, a stapling function, and a bookbinding function, and are often used as simple printing systems.

An image processing system in which two copying machines can be connected to one image processing apparatus is also provided.

[0004]

When a job of a plurality of pages and a plurality of copies is printed, collated output can be performed using a staple / sort function. However, this staple / sort function has limitations. For example, in many cases, the number of bins in the sorter is 10 to 20 bins, and when collating jobs whose number exceeds the bin number, the output is divided into several times. For example, when a 30-page copy job is output from a copying machine having a 20-bin sorter function, the operation is temporarily stopped at the time when 10 pages and 20 copies are output, and the output is removed from the bin. The printing is resumed, and the remaining 10 pages and 10 portions are output.

[0005] Similarly, there are cases where the number of sheets loaded per bin exceeds the number of pages loaded in a job. For example, when a copy machine having a sorter function with a stackable number of 50 sheets per bin outputs a job of 70 pages and 10 copies, the operation is temporarily stopped when the 50 pages and 10 copies are output, and the output is stopped. Printing is resumed by removing the remaining 20 pages from the bin and the remaining 20 pages and 10 portions are output.

In the above-described operation, when a large number of jobs are output, the job is divided and output several times, so that the output time is unnecessarily long.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an image processing apparatus capable of connecting two copying machines having a sorter function is provided.
When the collation job is output, if the limit of the sorter function of one copying machine is exceeded, the remaining job can be output from the other copying machine, and the limit of the sorter is exceeded. If it is known in advance, it is possible to provide an image processing system aiming at shortening the output time by allowing two copiers to operate in parallel from the beginning so that two copiers can output simultaneously. is there.

[0008]

Therefore, according to the present invention, in an image processing system comprising an image processing apparatus and first and second image forming apparatuses, the image processing apparatus transmits image data from an external device. Input means for inputting, expanding means for expanding the image data input to the input means into raster image data, storing means for storing the raster image data expanded by the expanding means, and an image read from the storing means First and second output means for outputting data to the first and second image forming apparatuses, respectively, and the first and second image forming apparatuses respectively execute the image processing. Receiving means for receiving image data from the apparatus, image forming means for forming an image based on the received image data, and collating for collating the output recording medium The collating means of each of the first and second image forming apparatuses can be operated as one set of collating means when collating and outputting a job of a plurality of pages and a plurality of copies. The object is achieved by providing an image processing system characterized by the following.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
This will be described in detail based on a plurality of embodiments.

(Embodiment 1) The configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG. The controller 20 has an external interface 125-1 connected to the host computer 10 via the interface 1, and the external interface 25-1 is connected to the CPU bus 4. CPU
A CPU 21 for controlling the operation of the entire device;
A ROM 22 for storing a control program, a RAM 26 used as a work area for work, an HDD controller 23 for controlling an internal hard disk (HD) 24 for storing font data and the like, a selector 27,
IFO1 28-1 and FIFO2 28-2 are connected. Here, the RAM 26 includes a frame memory 26-1 for storing raster image data and a PDL (Postscript).
t Description Language) PDL that holds image data
And a buffer 26-2. Incidentally, instead of storing the raster image data in the frame memory 26-1, it is also possible to store the raster image data in the built-in HD 24.

According to the controller 20, the PDL image data sent from the host computer 10 via the interface 1 and the external interface 125-1 is once sent to the PDL buffer 3 via the CPU bus 4.
6-2. The CPU 21 uses the font data and the like in the ROM 22 and the built-in HD 24 to
The PDL image data stored in the buffer 26-2 is developed into raster image data and written into the frame memory 26-1.

The controller 20 can be connected to two image forming apparatuses (printers) 30 and 60, and a selector 27 switches which image forming apparatus to output. For example, when outputting to the image forming device 30, the CPU bus 4, the selector 27, the FIFO2
The raster image data is sent as a formation signal 6 to the printer 30 via 28-2, and an image is formed in the image forming unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 30 based on the signal 6.
The controller 20 and the printer 30 can perform various communications via the interface 3 and the external interface 225-2.

Similarly, when outputting to the image forming apparatus 60, the CPU bus 4, the selector 27, and the FIFO 2 28
The raster image data is sent to the printer 60 as the formation signal 5 via −1, and the image is formed in the image forming unit 61 of the image forming apparatus 60 based on the signal 5. Also, two selectors 27 are connected. There is a setting for transmitting to one of the image forming apparatuses and a setting for transmitting to two image forming apparatuses at the same time. Furthermore, the controller 20 and the printer 60 can perform various communications via the interface 2 and the external interface 225-1.

The printer 30 (and 60) includes an image forming unit 31 (and 61), an operation unit 32 (and 62), and a control unit 33 (and 63). Image formation unit 3
1 (61) has a function of outputting image data sent from the host computer 10 at a resolution of 400 dpi in a color or grace case on a recording medium, and the control unit 33 (63) controls the entire printer 30 (60). The print function is executed in accordance with the contents of communication with the operation unit 32 (62) and the image processing apparatus 20.

Next, the configuration of an image forming apparatus of another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration block diagram for explaining the configuration of the full-color electrophotographic copying machine 31. Reference numeral 51 denotes an automatic document feeder called a DF (Document Feeder). Since the automatic document feeder 51 is used in many commercially available copying machines, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, but a plurality of originals are placed on the original automatic feeder 51 and are transported to the original reading position one by one. Device. An original placed at an original reading position (not shown) is an image reading unit 5 including an optical system (not shown) and a color CCD.
2 and converted into RGB image data,
After being converted into YMCK data by the image processing unit 54 via the switching unit 53, it is sent to the laser driving unit 32.

On the other hand, the image data 3 sent from the image processing device 20 is also converted to YMCK data by the image processing unit 54 via the switching unit 53 and then sent to the laser driving unit 32. When the image forming apparatus 31 operates as a copying machine, the switching section 53 selects the image data 4 from the image reading section 52, and when operating as a printer, selects the image data 3 sent from the image processing apparatus 20. Is done.
The image data sent from the image processing unit 54 is converted into laser light by the laser driving unit 32, and forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum 33.

The sheet on which an image is formed is stored in the upper cassette 35.
Alternatively, paper is fed from the lower cassette 37 and the transfer drum 34
The latent image on the photosensitive drum 33 wound around the toner image becomes a visible image by attaching toner by a developing device (not shown), and becomes a visible image.
At 4 the image is transferred to the paper. The formation, development, and transfer of this latent image are repeated four times while rotating the transfer drum 34 for one sheet of paper for each YMCK.
Is transferred. The sheet on which the toner has been transferred is sent to the fixing device 38. Here, the toner is fused and fixed, and a full-color image is formed. The fixed sheet is sent to the staple sorter unit 40 during normal printing (the same applies to normal copying), and is normally discharged onto the uppermost discharge tray 42-1.

On the other hand, at the time of front-side printing of double-sided printing,
The sheet that has passed through the fixing device 38 is sent to the reversing unit 5,
The traveling direction is reversed, and the sheet enters the double-sided tray 36. At this time, the front image is on the upper side of the paper. On the other hand, the paper fed from the double-sided toner is printed on the back surface along the same route as in the normal printing, and is discharged.

Further, in the case of the normal sort printing of a plurality of pages and a plurality of copies, each copy sent to the staple sorter unit 40 includes the respective discharge trays 42-1, 42-2, 42-3.
And output. In short, the output of one copy of a plurality of pages is stacked on each paper discharge tray.

Further, in the case of group sort printing of a plurality of pages and a plurality of copies, each page sent to the staple sorter unit 40 corresponds to each of the discharge trays 42-1, 42-2,
The output is distributed to 2-3. In short, a plurality of copies of the output are stacked on each paper discharge tray for each page.

The above-described normal sort print and group sort print are collectively called "sort print".
Although FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram, only three discharge trays are drawn. However, the number of discharge trays is actually 10 or 25.

The staple sorter unit 40 is provided with a stable unit 41, which has a stapling function for sheets stacked on the respective discharge trays 42-1 to 4-3. Usually, this function is used in combination with the sheet print function, and is therefore called a "staple sort print function". For example, when combined with normal sort printing, stapling is performed for each output of one copy of a plurality of pages, and a plurality of copies are obtained.

Further, the staple sorter unit 40 has a paper discharge sensor 43, and the paper sent to the staple sorter unit 40 is supplied to each of the paper discharge trays 42-1 and 42.
-2, 42-3 to detect whether or not the sheet is normally discharged.

Next, the operation when a job that exceeds the number of bins of the sorter of one image forming apparatus is collated and output will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram in which a state in which two image forming apparatuses are connected to the controller is virtualized in one image forming apparatus. FIG. 3A shows a printer 130 provided with a 5-bin sorter 140.
And a printer 2 equipped with a sorter 270 having 5 bins
An actual state in which two image forming apparatuses 60 are connected to the controller 20 is shown. As shown in FIG. 3B, the two image forming apparatuses operate as one virtual image forming apparatus as a printer 380 including a sorter 390 having 10 bins.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a page 5 from the host computer 10.
9 is a flowchart of a processing sequence when collation data is output. First, a data transmission request is issued from the host computer to the controller 20 (step S1).
0), PDL data of 10 copies of 5 pages is input to the controller (step S11). The controller 20 sets both the page count parameter X and the copy count parameter Y to 1 (step S12). Next, the image data of the first page is developed (step S13), and it is determined whether or not the number-of-copies count parameter Y is 5 or less (step S14).

If the copy count parameter Y is 5 or less, the image data of the first page is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 30 (step S15). If the copy count parameter Y
Is larger than 5, it is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 60 (step S16). Next, it is determined whether or not the specified number of copies of the image data of the first page have been transmitted (step S17). If data transmission for the designated number of copies has not been completed, 1 is added to the number-of-copy count parameter Y, and data transmission for the remaining number of copies is repeatedly performed (step S18). If the data transmission for the designated number of copies has been completed, it is confirmed whether or not the transmission of the data of all the input pages has been completed (step S19). If not, 1 is added to the page number count parameter X. (Step S20), the data of the next page is expanded (Step S13), and the process is repeated until the data transmission of all pages is completed. If the data transmission for all pages has been completed, the process ends (step S21).

FIG. 5 shows the result actually output in the case of FIG. First, the printer 130
The first copy of page 1 is output to the uppermost bin of the sorter 140 of
The fifth copy is output to the bottom bin in order. Next, the sixth copy of the first page is output to the uppermost bin of the sorter 270 of the printer 260, and the tenth copy is sequentially output to the lowermost bin.
In this way, the process is repeated until all the data of the first to fifth pages are output for the designated number of copies. Finally, as shown in FIG. 3, the first to fifth copies of pages 1 to 5 are output to the printer 130 from the uppermost bin to the lowermost bin, and the printer 260 outputs The 10th to 10th copies are output from the top bin to the bottom bin.

Next, a case will be described where only one of the two connected image forming apparatuses outputs an error when some error has occurred and output is not possible. FIG. 6 shows the data of 10 copies of 5 pages in the printer 13.
It is a flowchart of a processing sequence when outputting from only 0.

First, a data transmission request is issued from the host computer to the computer 20 (step (S30)).
The PDL data of page 10 of the controller 5 is input (step S31). The controller 20 sets the total page count parameter N to 0 (step S32), and sets both the page count parameter X and the copy count parameter Y to 1 (step S33).

Next, the data of the first page is developed (step S).
34), the data of the first copy of one page is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 30 (step S35). It is determined whether or not the copy count parameter Y is 5 (step S36). If it is not 5, 1 is added to the copy count parameter Y (step S37), and the data of the second copy of the first page is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 30. (Step S35), the copy count parameter Y
Is repeated until the value becomes 5. When the number-of-copies count parameter Y reaches 5, it is determined whether or not the transmission of the data of all the input pages has been completed (step S38). The parameter Y is set to 1 (step S39), and the data of the next page is developed (step S3).
4).

When the transmission of the input data of all pages is completed, 5 is added to the total copy count parameter N (step S40). Next, it is determined whether or not the total copy count parameter N matches the designated copy count (step S41). If they do not match, it is checked whether all the five sheets of five pages discharged to the bin of the sorter have been removed (step S42). If they have been removed, the page count parameter X and the copy count parameter have been removed. Y is set to 1 (step S33), and step S3
The processes from 3 to S41 are repeated. If the discharged paper remains in the bin of the sorter, the processing is suspended until it is removed.

At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a warning message for removing the paper discharged to the bin of the sorter is displayed on the screen (not shown) of the host computer or on the display panel of the image forming apparatus. (Not shown). If the total number of copies parameter N matches the specified number of copies, the output of the specified number of copies of all the input pages ends, and the process ends (step S43).

Next, a description will be given of the operation when the maximum number of stacked sheets per bin is 10 and a job exceeding the number of stacked sheets is collated and output; FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a processing sequence when collation data is output. First, the host computer issues a data transmission request to the controller 20 (step S50).
PDL data of five copies of a page is input (step S5).
1). The controller 20 sets a page number count parameter X
And the copy count parameter Y are both set to 1 (step S52).

Next, the image data of the first page is developed (step S53), and it is determined whether or not the page number count parameter X is 10 or less (step S54). If the page count parameter X is 10 or less, the image data of the first page is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 30 (step S55). If the page number count parameter X is larger than 10, it is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 60 (step S56). Next, it is determined whether or not the specified number of copies of the image data of the first page have been transmitted (step S57). If data transmission for the designated number of copies has not been completed, 1 is added to the number-of-copies count parameter Y, and data transmission for the remaining number of copies is repeated (step S58). If the data transmission for the designated number of copies has been completed, it is confirmed whether or not the transmission of the data of all the input pages has been completed (step S59). If not, 1 is set to the page number count parameter X. Add (Step S
60), the data of the next page is expanded (step S5).
3) The process is repeated until data transmission for all pages is completed. If the data transmission for all pages has been completed, the process ends (step S61).

FIG. 9 shows the results actually output. First, the first copy of page 1 is output to the uppermost bin of the sorter 130 of the printer 1, and the fifth copy is output sequentially to the lowermost bin. Next, the sorter 1 of the printer 130
The first page of the second page is output to the uppermost bin of the printer 40, and the fifth set is output to the lowermost bin in order.
For 0, the first to fifth copies of pages 1 to 10 are output from the uppermost bin to the lowermost bin. Similarly, the first copy of page 11 is output to the uppermost bin of the sorter 270 of the printer 260, and the fifth copy is output sequentially to the lowermost bin.

In this way, the processing is repeated until all the data of the 11th to 20th pages are output for the designated number of copies. Finally, as shown in FIG.
Output the first to fifth copies of pages 1 to 10 from the uppermost bin to the lowermost bin.
The fifth copy is output from the top bin to the bottom bin.

(Embodiment 2) Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described. First, differences from the first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, when a collated output of a job that exceeds the maximum number of stacked sheets and the number of bins of one image forming apparatus is output, the excess is continuously output from another image forming apparatus. Although the case where the number of bins of the sorter of one image forming apparatus is exceeded is output here, the excess is output to another image forming apparatus. The case where two image forming apparatuses operate in parallel will be described. FIG. 10 shows five pages 10
It is a processing sequence flowchart at the time of collating and outputting data of a set.

FIG. 10 shows a state in which 5 pages 1
It is a flowchart of the processing sequence in the case of collating and outputting zero copy data. First, a data transmission request is issued from the host computer to the controller 20 (Step S).
70), PDL data of 10 copies of 5 pages is input to the controller (step S71). The controller 20 sets both the page count parameter X and the copy count parameter Y to 1 (step S72). Next, the image data of the first page is developed (step S37). Next, the image data of the developed first page is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 30 (step S74), and is also transmitted to the image forming apparatus 60 (step S75).

Next, it is determined whether or not half the specified number of copies of the image data of the first page has been transmitted (step S7).
6). If the data transmission for the half has not been completed, 1 is added to the copy count parameter Y, and the data transmission for the remaining copies is repeatedly performed (step S77). If the transmission of half of the data has been completed, it is confirmed whether or not the transmission of the data of all the input pages has been completed (step S78). If not, 1 is added to the page number count parameter X. (Step S79), the data of the next page is expanded (Step S73), and the process is repeated until the data transmission of all pages is completed. If the transmission of the data of all the pages has been completed, the process ends (step S80).

FIG. 11 shows the result actually output by the above processing. First, the printer 130
The first page of the first page is output to the uppermost bin of the sorter 140 of the printer 260, and at the same time, the second page of the first page is output to the uppermost bin of the sorter 270 of the printer 260.
The odd part is output to 30 and the even part is output to the printer 260. In this way, the process is repeated until all the data of the first to fifth pages are output for the designated number of copies. Eventually, as shown in FIG. 11, the printer 130 outputs odd portions of pages 1 to 5 from the uppermost bin to the lowermost bin, and the printer 260 outputs even portions of pages 1 to 5. Output from the top bin to the bottom bin. By operating the two image forming apparatuses in parallel in this manner, the output time is halved compared to the first embodiment, and the output speed is improved.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In an image processing apparatus capable of connecting two image forming apparatuses having a sorter function, when a collation job is output, if the limit of the sorter function of one of the image forming apparatuses is exceeded, the remaining jobs are no longer used. If it is possible to output from one of the image forming apparatuses, and if it is known in advance that the limit of the sorter is exceeded, two image forming apparatuses are operated in parallel from the beginning, so that two Can be output. As a result, the output time can be reduced, and the output speed can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a representation diagram in which two image forming apparatuses are virtualized as one image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a sequence flowchart of a process when a collation job exceeding the number of bins of a sorter of one image forming apparatus is output.

FIG. 5 is an output result diagram when the job in FIG. 4 is output.

FIG. 6 is a processing sequence flowchart when a collation job exceeding the number of bins of a sorter is output when one of the image forming apparatuses is in an output-disabled state;

Fig. 7 Warning message displayed on the screen

FIG. 8 is a processing sequence flowchart in the case where a job whose degree exceeds the maximum number of stacked sheets per bin of the sorter of the image forming apparatus is output.

9 is an output result diagram when the job in FIG. 8 is output.

FIG. 10 is a processing sequence flowchart in a case where two image forming apparatuses perform a forming operation when a job whose degree exceeds the number of bins of the sorter is output;

11 is an output diagram when the job of FIG. 10 is output.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 host computer 20 controller 30 image forming apparatus (printer 1) 60 image forming apparatus (printer 2) 80 image forming apparatus (printer 3) 40 sorter 1 70 sorter 2 90 sorter 3

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image processing system comprising an image processing apparatus and first and second image forming apparatuses, wherein the image processing apparatus is provided with input means for inputting image data from an external device and input to the input means. Expansion means for expanding the image data into raster image data, storage means for storing the raster image data expanded by the expansion means, and image data read from the storage means in the first and second images, respectively. First and second output means for outputting to the forming apparatus, and the first and second image forming apparatuses receive image data from the respective image processing apparatuses. It includes image forming means for forming an image based on image data, and collating means for collating output recording media. An image processing system wherein the collating means of each of the first and second image forming apparatuses can be operated as a set of collating means when outputting. 2. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein when the limit of the number of bins or the number of stacked sheets of the collating means of the first image forming apparatus is exceeded, the excess is used as the second image. An image processing system for outputting from a collating means of a forming apparatus. 3. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein when the limit of the number of bins or the number of stacked sheets of the collating means of the first image forming apparatus is exceeded, the excess is used as the second image. An image processing system capable of selecting whether or not to output from a collating means of a forming apparatus. 4. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein when one of the first and second image forming apparatuses is in an unusable state, the other usable image forming apparatus is formed. An image processing system characterized by outputting only from a device. 5. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein when the limit of the number of bins or the number of stacked sheets of the collating means of the first image forming apparatus is exceeded, the excess is used as the second image. An image processing system which outputs from collating means of a forming apparatus, and wherein the first and second image forming apparatuses operate in parallel.