JP2000001025A - Imaging apparatus and control method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform proof printing and document printing after confirming finish while preventing double transfer of image data by providing a print sustaining means for interrupting print operation temporarily after proof printing and resuming print operation based on a user command. SOLUTION: At the time of print operation, an image is stored at first in an image memory 18. At the time of proof print operation, first part is printed at a print section 14 and print operation is interrupted temporarily at the end of printing. A control section 11 displays an indication screen at an operating section 12 and requests user's designation for alteration of parameters, residual print under confirmed finish state, cancel, and the like. Since user's designation is performed on the imaging apparatus side after confirming finish, the user can confirm finish easily using a proof. Furthermore, processing time is shortened because double transmission of image data is not required.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of easily printing a proof and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a large number of documents are printed using an image forming apparatus such as a printer (including printing of a large document and printing of a plurality of copies), if there is an error in parameter setting at the time of printing, the printing is performed. It is necessary to discard the completed document and print again, which wastes resources and time.

For this reason, when printing a large number of documents, it is generally necessary to print only one copy (one sheet) of the document as a proof, check the finishing result, and then start the remaining printing. Is being done.

In addition, when performing color printing, it is necessary to print the proof first, regardless of the document amount, check the color tone, and then perform the remaining printing.

When printing such a proof, a host (PC or the like) sets parameters for printing and then requests printing of one copy (or one sheet). A print request will be made. Therefore, the image data is transferred twice between the host and the image forming apparatus, and the user needs to move between the host and the image forming apparatus. In addition, parameters may be incorrectly set after confirmation of the proof, and the user's labor for printing is great.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-257 discloses an image forming apparatus capable of omitting parameter resetting.
No. 59 is disclosed. This image forming apparatus temporarily suspends the job when paper or toner runs out during execution of a print command from an external application apparatus, resets the remaining print processing after replenishing paper or toner, and resets parameters. It can be restarted without need. However, this image forming apparatus cannot confirm the finish using a proof, and requires a restart instruction from an external application apparatus to restart a job, and a user needs to move between the two apparatuses. .

[0007]

As described above, the conventional image forming apparatus uses a proof to confirm the finish and then prints the remaining documents. Copy one document (or one
), And after the confirmation, the rest is printed, so that the image data transfer between the host and the image forming apparatus is performed twice, and it is necessary for the user to move between them both times. There was a lot of trouble.

[0008] In addition, there is a case where parameters are erroneously set after checking the proof, and in such a case, the finish check itself using the proof becomes meaningless.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus which can print a proof and print a document after finishing the proof by a simple operation without performing double transfer of image data, and a control method therefor. The purpose is to do.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, received image data or image data obtained by reading a document is stored in an image memory and stored in the image memory. In an image forming apparatus that performs printing based on image data, a print interrupting unit that temporarily interrupts a printing process after printing a proof, and restarts or cancels the printing process that is temporarily interrupted by the printing interrupting unit based on a user instruction. And a printing continuation unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the proof is formed of one of printed output sheets.
It is the first sheet or the first copy.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises parameter changing means for changing a parameter when performing the printing process. The parameter is changed based on a user's instruction after temporarily suspending.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the printing continuation means is provided when a user's instruction is not given for a predetermined time or more after the temporary suspension of the printing process by the printing interruption means is started. Is characterized in that a process selected in advance between restart and cancellation of the printing process is automatically executed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for storing received image data or image data obtained by reading an original in an image memory and performing printing based on the image data stored in the image memory. In the control method,
Immediately after the image forming apparatus starts the printing process and prints the proof, the printing process is temporarily stopped, and the temporarily stopped printing process is restarted or canceled based on a user's instruction.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the proof is one of printed output sheets.
It is the first sheet or the first copy.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, after the print processing is temporarily interrupted, a change in a parameter when the print processing is performed by a user is accepted,
When a parameter is changed, a printing process including proof printing is performed using the changed parameter.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, when there is no user instruction for a predetermined time after the temporary suspension of the printing process is started, the printing process is resumed and canceled. Wherein a process selected in advance is automatically executed.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention and a control method therefor will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 includes a bus 10, a control unit 11, an operation unit 12, and a Net.
It comprises an I / F 13, a printing unit 14, an image reading unit 15, an image processing unit 16, an image forming unit 17, and an image memory 18, and the other units are connected via a bus 10.

The control section 11 controls the entire image forming apparatus 1 and is composed of a CPU, a memory, software and the like. The operation unit 12 is a keyboard or a touch panel for allowing a user to input instructions and information.
Reference numeral 13 denotes an interface for exchanging image data and the like with a not-shown host (PC or the like) connected via the network 20. A printing unit 14 prints raster image data stored in the image memory 18 on paper. It is. The image reading unit 15 optically reads a document and converts it into raster image data, and the image processing unit 16 performs corrections such as shading correction on the raster image data read by the image reading unit 15 and processes such as enlargement, reduction, and rotation. I do. The image forming unit 17 expands the PDL (page description language) image data received by the Net I / F 13 into raster image data, and the image memory 18 expands the raster image data processed by the image processing unit 15 or the raster image data. This is a memory for temporarily storing raster image data.

The image forming apparatus 1 receives image data transmitted from a host (not shown) via a network 20 and prints the image data. It operates as a multifunction machine of a printer or a copier, such as acquiring and printing data and printing an image read by the image reading unit 15, and can print a proof by each operation.

Here, the processing until the image forming apparatus 1 issues a print request in each of the above operations will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing until the image forming apparatus 1 issues a print request.

When the process is started (step 101) and the user sends a print request from the client (YES in step 102), the client performs an operation of designating parameters for printing (step 10).
3) Send a print request together with the image data (step 104). This print request is sent to the network 20
And is received by the image forming apparatus 1 through the process (step 110).

On the other hand, if the user does not send a print request from the client (N in step 102)
O) The user performs an operation for specifying parameters for printing on the image forming apparatus 1 (step 105). Here, when the image data to be printed is read from the document (YES in step 106), the document reading unit 15 is caused to read the document (step 107), and when the document is not used (NO in step 106). The image data is retrieved from a host (not shown) via the network 20 (step 108). When the image forming apparatus 1 acquires the image data from the document or the host, it issues a print request (step 109) and ends the processing (step 110).

The parameters set by the user include, in addition to the proof specification, the number of copies, print density, paper tray selection, paper fold specification for folding the paper in two or three (saddle staple), confidential documents and confidential documents. Specification, punching, stapling, paper output tray specification, sorting,
There are cover insertion, OHP interleaving, N-up print designation, and the like. In the case of printing a color document, there are further things such as hue, saturation, and color balance.

Next, the printing process of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a printing process of the image forming apparatus 1, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a touch panel at the time of confirming a finish by a proof.

When the image forming apparatus 1 starts processing (step 201) and receives a print request sent from the host in step 104 of FIG. 2, or when the image forming apparatus 1 itself issues a print request in step 109 (FIG. 2). Step 20
(YES at 2), the image memory 18 performs processing such as expansion of the image received by the image forming unit 17 or shading correction on the image read by the image processing unit 16 and the like, and
(Step 203).

Next, printing of a plurality of copies is designated by parameters designated by the user (YE at step 204).
S), proof printing is designated (YE in step 205)
S) If the proof is set to be valid (YES in step 206), the printing unit 14 performs the printing process of the first copy (step 207).

When printing of the first copy is completed (step 20)
8 is YES), the printing is temporarily interrupted (step 209),
The instruction screen 30 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the touch panel of the operation unit 12 (Step 210).

Here, when the user presses the "parameter change" key 32 on the instruction screen 30 (N in step 211).
O), a screen (not shown) for changing the parameter is displayed on the touch panel, and when the parameter is changed, the process returns to step 207 to print the first copy again with the changed parameter.

On the other hand, when the user presses the "print remaining" key 33 on the instruction screen 30 (YES in step 211,
The printing unit 14 prints the remaining number of copies of the designated number of copies (YES in step 212) (step 213), and ends the printing process (step 216).

When the user presses the "cancel" key 31 of the instruction screen 30 (YES in step 211,
(NO in step 212), the control unit 11
Then, a cancel process such as discarding the image data stored in is performed (step 214), and the printing process is terminated (step 216).

If the number of copies is not specified (NO in step 204), no proof is specified (NO in step 205), or if proof invalidation is set (NO in step 206), The proof, that is, the normal print processing for continuously printing the designated number of copies without performing the temporary stop processing after the printing of the first copy is performed (step 215), and the print processing ends (step 216).

By the way, if the first copy as a proof is printed, the printing process is temporarily interrupted, and the user is prompted to confirm the finish, and no operation is performed by the user, If the printing process is temporarily suspended, another job cannot be executed. In such situations, the user may have inadvertently specified a proof (e.g., used the settings of another user that was used immediately before).
In many cases, it is not desirable to keep printing temporarily suspended. Therefore, a predetermined time limit may be provided for temporarily suspending the printing process, and the printing process may be restarted when the predetermined time has elapsed.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the printing process of the image forming apparatus 1 when a time limit is provided.
The image forming apparatus 1 starts processing (step 30).
1) When the print request sent by the host is received or the image forming apparatus 1 itself generates a print request (YES in step 302), the image received by the image forming unit 17 or read by the image processing unit 16 is read. Processing such as shading correction is performed on the image and stored in the image memory 18 (step 303).

Here, when the proof printing is not performed according to the parameters specified by the user (step 3
04 (NO at step 30), and normal print processing is performed (step 30).
5), the printing process ends (step 306).

On the other hand, if proof printing is to be performed using parameters specified by the user (YES in step 304, designation of a plurality of copies, designation of proof printing, proof effective setting)
The printing unit 14 performs the printing process of the first copy (step 30).
7).

When printing of the first copy is completed (step 30)
8 is YES), the printing is temporarily interrupted (step 309),
The instruction screen 30 is displayed on the touch panel of the operation unit 12 (Step 310).

Here, the user operates the instruction screen 30 (YES in step 311), and presses the "parameter change" key 32 (NO in step 312). When the parameter is changed, the process returns to step 307 to change the parameter. The first copy is printed again with the later parameters.

On the other hand, when the user presses the "print remaining" key 33 (YES in step 312, step 313).
And the printing unit 14 prints the remaining number of copies of the designated number of copies (step 314), ends the printing process (step 317), and presses the "cancel" key 31 (YES in step 312; N in step 313
O), the control unit 11 performs a canceling process such as discarding the image data stored in the image memory 18 (step 315), and ends the printing process (step 31).
7).

In the state where the instruction screen 30 is displayed on the touch panel (step 310), if there is no operation by the user (NO in step 311), the control waits for the elapse of a predetermined time (NO in step 316). Has elapsed (YES in step 316), the printing unit 14 prints the remaining number of copies of the specified number of copies (step 314), and ends the printing process (step 317).

In the above embodiment, the first copy is printed as a proof, but the proof may be only the first copy. Whether the proof is the first copy or the first proof can be arbitrarily switched by the user, as well as by designating a parameter. For example, this is the first copy when stapling, punching, attaching a cover, or the like is specified, and the first copy when it is sufficient to check the density or the like in another document.

In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the printing is resumed when the predetermined time has elapsed while the printing is temporarily stopped. However, when the predetermined time has elapsed, the printing is canceled. Such a configuration can be adopted, and both of them can be selected and set in advance.

Further, when the image forming apparatus 1 has a plurality of paper discharge destinations, for example, when it has a top tray (not shown) and a bin (not shown), the proof is output to the top tray, and the remaining number of copies is stored in the bin. It is also possible to switch the output destination such as outputting.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing is suspended while the image data is stored in the image memory in a state where the printing of the proof is completed, and the printing is resumed after the user confirms the finish. At the same time, the image forming apparatus is configured to give a user's instruction after the finish confirmation, so that the user can confirm the finish by proof and obtain an intended output, thereby wasting paper and the like. Since each operation can be performed on the image forming apparatus side, there is no need for the user to frequently move between the apparatuses even when image data is sent from the host and printed.

Further, since double transfer of image data by printing a proof is not required, the processing time is short, and this is more effective especially when performing color printing with a large amount of image data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing until the image forming apparatus 1 issues a print request.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a printing process of the image forming apparatus 1.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a display example of a touch panel when a finish is confirmed by a proof.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a printing process of the image forming apparatus when a time limit is provided.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Bus 11 Control part 12 Operation part 13 NetI / F 14 Printing part 15 Image reading part 16 Image processing part 17 Image forming part 18 Image memory 20 Network 30 Instruction screen 31 “Cancel” key 32 “Parameter change” key 33 “Print the rest” key

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuko Iida 134 Kobecho, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Yokohama Business Park East Tower 13F Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP04 BB10 HN04 HN15 HN19 HN20 HN24 KK04 KK12 5C062 AA05 AB17 AB20 AB22 AB38 AB42 AC07 AC23 BA00 BA04 5C073 AB01 CC01

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for storing received image data or image data obtained by reading a document in an image memory and performing printing based on the image data stored in the image memory. An image forming apparatus comprising: a print suspending unit for temporarily suspending a process; and a print continuing unit for resuming or canceling a print process temporarily suspended by the print suspending unit based on a user's instruction. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proof is a first sheet or a first copy of a printed output sheet. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a parameter changing unit configured to change a parameter when performing the printing process, wherein the parameter changing unit performs the parameter setting based on a user's instruction after the printing suspending unit suspends the printing process. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is changed. 4. The printing continuation means, if a user's instruction has not been given for a predetermined time or more since the temporary suspension of the printing processing by the printing interruption means has been started, selects between restarting and canceling the printing processing in advance. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing is automatically executed. 5. A control method for an image forming apparatus, wherein received image data or image data obtained by reading a document is stored in an image memory, and printing is performed based on the image data stored in the image memory. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: temporarily stopping a printing process immediately after a device starts a printing process and printing a proof; and restarting or canceling the temporarily stopped printing process based on a user's instruction. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the proof is a first sheet or a first set of printed output sheets. 7. After the printing process is temporarily interrupted, a parameter change by the user when the printing process is performed is accepted, and when the parameter is changed, printing including proof printing is performed with the changed parameter. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the processing is performed. 8. When a user's instruction has not been given for a predetermined time since the temporary suspension of the printing process has started, automatically executing a process selected in advance from among restarting and canceling the printing process. The control method for an image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: