JP2000201248A - Image storage device, control method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To improve operability of a personal box provided in a copying apparatus. A copying apparatus connected to a host computer via a network includes a large-capacity hard disk. Hard disk 3
04 includes a personal box area 901 having a plurality of storage areas associated with each user. In this copying apparatus, when a plurality of image data to be printed are selected from the personal box, control is performed to prohibit changing the print mode set by the host computer 1000.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image storage device for storing image data in a storage area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a large-capacity hard disk (HD)
There is a digital copier equipped with. This large-capacity hard disk is mainly used for performing an electronic sort function.

The electronic sort function is to read out images of all originals to be copied, store the image data on a hard disk, and repeatedly print out the image data in a page order. This makes it possible to discharge copy sheets in a sorted state without having a sorter device having a plurality of bins.

A digital copying machine receives PDL (page description language) data from a host computer via a network, develops the data from the PDL into a bitmap image, temporarily stores the data in a hard disk as described above, and reads the image from the memory. Can be printed out.

Furthermore, recently, a digital copying machine having a personal box function has been proposed. The personal box function divides the storage area of the hard disk into individuals, stores the image received from the host computer in an area (personal box) designated by the host computer, and prints the image from the personal box. It is.

When printing image data from a personal box, a user designates a personal box from the operation unit of the digital copying machine and selects desired image data from image data stored in the designated personal box. And print it out.

[0007] The image data stored in the personal box is stored in association with a print mode (number of output image data, paper size of recording paper to be output, paper discharge processing, etc.) set in advance by the host computer. The digital copying machine prints image data based on a print mode set in advance by the host computer.

[0008] When printing image data from a personal box, it is proposed to select a plurality of desired image data from the image data stored in the personal box and print out a plurality of image data at a time. Have been.

It has also been proposed that a print mode set by a host computer can be changed from an operation unit of a digital copying machine.

[0010]

However, a plurality of desired image data are selected from the image data stored in the personal box, and the print mode set by the host computer is changed from the operation unit. In this case, the user has to grasp all print modes of a plurality of desired image data and change the print mode. Therefore, when a plurality of image data are to be printed out at one time, the operation to be performed by the user becomes complicated. Therefore, it is desired to improve the operability of the personal box.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention is capable of storing a plurality of series of image data in a storage area, and setting an image forming mode corresponding to each series of image data. Storage means for storing, a first step for selecting any of the plurality of series of image data stored in the storage area, and a series of image data selected in the first step A second step for changing the image forming mode corresponding to the first step, and a step of changing the first step to the second step in response to the selection of two or more series of image data in the first step. And a control means for executing a third step of prohibiting the transition to the step of (1), and an image storage device provided therewith.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a copying apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An automatic document feeder (DF) 280 is provided above the copying apparatus 100. Platen glass 2
Reference numeral 01 denotes a table on which a document is placed. The scanner 202 includes a document illumination lamp 203, a scanning mirror 204, and the like.

The scanner 202 is reciprocally scanned in a predetermined direction by a motor (not shown). The reflected light of the original is scanned by a scanning mirror 20.
The light passes through the lens 207 through 4 to 206 and forms an image on the CCD sensor in the image sensor unit 208.

An exposure control unit 209 is composed of a laser, a polygon scanner, or the like, and converts a laser beam 219, which is converted into an electric signal by the image sensor unit 208 and modulated based on an image signal subjected to predetermined image processing, into a photosensitive member. Irradiate the drum 211.

Around the photosensitive drum 211, a primary charger 212, a developing device 213, a transfer charger 216, a pre-exposure lamp 214, and a cleaning device 215 are provided.

In the image processing section 210, the photosensitive drum 211 is rotated by a motor (not shown) in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, and after being charged to a desired potential by the primary charger 212, the exposure control section 209 is controlled. Is irradiated, and an electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 211 is developed by the developing device 213 and is visualized as a toner image.

On the other hand, pick-up rollers 225, 226, and 2 from the right cassette deck 221, the left cassette deck 222, the upper cassette 223, or the lower cassette 224.
The recording paper fed by the paper feed rollers 27 and 228
The toner image is sent to the main body by 29, 230, 231, 232, fed to the transfer belt by the registration roller 233, and the visualized toner image is transferred to the recording paper by the transfer charger 216. After the transfer, the photosensitive drum is moved to the cleaner device 2.
15 removes the residual toner, the pre-exposure lamp 214
As a result, residual charges are erased. The recording paper after the transfer is separated from the photosensitive drum by the separation charger 217 and sent to the fixing device 235 by the transfer belt 234. In the fixing device, the toner is fixed by pressure and heat, and is discharged outside the main body 100 by a discharge roller 236.

The main body 100 is equipped with a deck 250 capable of storing, for example, 4000 recording sheets. The lifter 251 of the deck 250 rises according to the amount of the recording paper so that the recording paper always contacts the pickup roller 252, and the recording paper is sent to the main body by the paper feed roller 253. Further, a multi-bypass tray 254 capable of storing 100 recording sheets is provided.

Reference numeral 237 denotes a paper discharge flapper,
The path on the 38 side and the path on the discharge path 243 side are switched. 240
Denotes a lower conveyance path, which guides the recording paper sent out from the paper discharge roller 236 to a re-feeding path 241 by turning over the recording paper through a reversing path 239. The recording paper fed from the left cassette deck 222 by the feed roller 230 is also guided to the refeed path 241.

Reference numeral 242 denotes a re-feed roller for re-feeding the recording paper to the image forming unit 210. 244 is a discharge flapper 23
7 is a discharge roller that discharges the recording paper switched to the discharge path 243 side by the discharge flapper 237 outside the apparatus. When recording on both sides (duplex copy),
By raising the discharge flapper 237 upward, the copied recording paper is transported by the transport path 238, the reverse path 239, and the lower transport path 240.
Through the sheet re-feeding path 241. At this time, the trailing edge of the recording paper is completely pulled out of the transport path 238 by the reversing roller 245, and the recording paper is pulled into the reversing path 239 to a position where the recording paper is bitten by the reversing roller 245, and the reversing roller 245 is rotated in reverse. Send to pass 240.

When the recording paper is reversed and discharged from the main body, the discharge flapper 237 is raised upward and the reversing roller 24 is rotated.
5, the trailing edge of the recording paper is drawn into the reversing path 239 to a position where the rear end of the recording paper remains on the conveying path 238,
5, the recording paper is turned over and sent out to the discharge roller 244 side.

The paper discharge processing device 290 stacks and arranges recording paper discharged one by one from the copier 100 on the processing tray 294. When the discharge of a part of the image formation is completed, the recording paper bundle is stapled and discharged to the discharge tray 292 or 293.
Discharge in bundles. The discharge tray 293 is controlled to move up and down by a motor (not shown), and moves to the position of the processing tray before the start of the image processing operation.

Reference numeral 291 denotes a paper tray on which separator sheets to be inserted between the discharged recording sheets are stacked. Reference numeral 295 denotes a Z-folding machine that Z-folds the discharged recording sheets. Reference numeral 296 denotes a bookbinding machine that performs bookbinding by folding a part of the discharged recording paper at the center and performing stapling;
The bound sheet bundle is discharged to a discharge tray 297.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a control configuration in the copying apparatus 100. The CPU 171 performs basic control of the copying apparatus 100. A ROM 174 in which a control program is written, a work RAM 175 for performing processing, and an input / output port 173 are connected to the CPU 171 via an address bus or a data bus.

The input / output port 173 includes the copier 100
And a sensor (not shown) for detecting the position of the paper are connected. The CPU 171 controls input and output sequentially through the input / output port 173 according to the contents of the ROM 174 to execute an image forming operation.

An operation unit 172 for displaying the status of the copying apparatus 100 is connected to the CPU 171. Also, CP
U171 includes an image processing unit 170 that performs processing on the signal converted into the electric signal by the image sensor unit 208.
And an image memory unit 3 for storing the image data processed by the image processing unit 170.

The external I / F processing unit 4 expands PDL data from the host computer 1000 as an external device into bitmap data, and outputs the expanded data to the image memory unit 3.

The image memory unit 3 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The image memory unit 3 includes a page memory unit 301 including a memory such as a DRAM, a memory controller unit 302, a compression unit 303, and a hard disk (hereinafter, HD).
304.

In the image memory unit 3, the binary image data from the external I / F processing unit 4 or the image processing unit 170 is transferred to the page memory unit 301 via the memory controller unit 302.
The writing process is performed so as to write to Further, a process of reading image data to the printer unit 2 is performed.

The image memory unit 3 accesses the HD 304, which is a large-capacity storage medium, for input and output of image data. In the compression unit 303, HD3
A compression process and a decompression process are performed in accordance with input / output of image data to / from the image data 04.

The memory controller 302 generates a DRAM refresh signal for the page memory 301. Further, the external I / F processing unit 4, the image processing unit 170, and the H
The access from the D 304 to the page memory unit 301 is arbitrated. Further, in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 171, control is performed on a write address to the page memory unit 301, a read address from the page memory unit 301, a read direction, and the like. Accordingly, the CPU 171 performs layout processing by arranging a plurality of document image data in the page memory unit 301, processing for outputting image data to the printer unit 2, processing for cutting out and outputting only a part of an image, and processing for rotating an image. Control to perform processing.

The configuration of the external I / F processing unit 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The external I / F processing unit 4 includes a host computer 10
Image data from the image memory unit 3
The image data is output to the printer unit 2 via the.

The external I / F processing unit 4 includes a core unit 406, a facsimile unit 401, a hard disk 402 for storing communication image data of the facsimile unit, a computer interface unit 403 for connecting to the host computer 1000, and a formatter unit 404. , An image memory unit 405.

The facsimile unit 401 is connected to a public line via a modem (not shown), and receives facsimile communication data from the public line and transmits facsimile communication data to the public line.

The facsimile unit 401 is a facsimile function, which performs processing on facsimile image data stored in the hard disk 402 so as to perform facsimile transmission at a specified time or to transmit image data in response to an inquiry about a specified password from the other party. Is performed.

Thus, when the facsimile function is performed on the image data once stored in the hard disk 402, the facsimile transmission can be performed without using the image memory unit 3.

Computer interface unit 403
Is an interface unit for performing data communication with the host computer 1000, and has a local area network (hereinafter, LAN), a serial I / F, a SCSI I / F, a centro I / F for inputting data to a printer, and the like. The status of the copying apparatus 100 is notified to the host computer 1000 via the computer interface unit 403, and image data read by the copying apparatus 100 is transferred to the host computer based on an instruction from the host computer 1000. Further, it receives image data from the host computer 1000.

Since the print data notified from the host computer 1000 via the computer interface unit 403 is described with a dedicated printer code, the formatter unit 404 converts the code into raster image data. Also, the formatter unit 404
Performs raster image data development in the image memory unit 405. Thus, the image memory unit 405
Is used as a memory for developing raster image data. When the image read by the copying apparatus 100 is sent to the host computer 1000 via the computer interface unit 403 (image scanner function), the image data from the image memory unit 3 is expanded and sent to the external computer 1000. It is also used in a case where the data is converted into a data format and transmitted from the computer interface unit 403.

The core unit 406 includes a facsimile unit 401,
A computer interface unit 403, a formatter unit 404, and an image memory unit 405 are connected, and control and manage data transfer with the image memory unit 3. Thus, even if the external I / F processing unit 4 has a plurality of image output units or one image transfer path to the image memory unit 3, exclusive control, Image output is performed with priority control.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the operation unit 172 of the copying apparatus. The power lamp 621 is a lamp for indicating that the power is on. The power switch 613 is turned on / off in accordance with switching of the power supply on / off.
The ten keys 622 are used for inputting numerical values such as setting of the number of images to be formed and setting of an operation mode. It is also used to enter a telephone number on the facsimile setting screen.

The clear key 623 is used for clearing the settings entered with the ten keys 622. A reset key 616 is used to return the set number of images to be formed, the operation mode, the selected paper feed stage, and other modes to default values.

When the start key 614 is depressed, an image forming operation is started. At the center of the start key 614, there are red and green LEDs (not shown) indicating whether or not the image forming process can be started. When the image forming operation cannot be started, the red LED is turned on. When the image forming operation can be started, the green LED is turned on.

The stop key 615 is used to stop the copying operation. When another key is pressed after the guide key 617 is pressed, a description of a function that can be set by the key is displayed on the display panel 620. To cancel the guide display, the guide key 617 must be
Press.

The user setting key 618 is
Used when the user changes the setting of. The settings that can be changed by the user include, for example, the time until the settings for the copying apparatus 100 are automatically cleared and the reset key 61.
This is the setting of the default value of the mode when 6 is pressed. When the interrupt key 619 is pressed during the image forming operation, other image forming operations are stopped, and copying can be performed without using the automatic document feeder 280.

The display panel 620 is composed of a liquid crystal or the like, and the display contents are switched according to the setting mode in order to facilitate detailed mode setting. The screen is a touch panel, and the function is executed by touching the frame of the displayed function.

The display panel 620 of FIG. 5 displays a copy operation mode setting screen. In display panel 620, keys 624, 625, 626, 627, 628,
629, 630 and 631 are displayed. The user sets the mode for the copying apparatus 100 by pressing these keys.

A two-sided printing setting key 624 is a key for setting two-sided printing. The "one-sided-two-sided mode" for outputting two one-sided originals as a two-sided original, and the "two-sided-sided output" for outputting a two-sided original as a two-sided original. These keys are used to set a "double-sided mode" and a "double-sided-single-sided mode" for outputting two-sided originals as two single-sided originals.

A key 627 is a key for selecting a sheet, and keys 628, 629, 630, and 631 are keys used for setting a copy magnification of a copy operation.

An application mode key 626 is used to set a pamphlet mode for performing image forming processing in an order suitable for creating a pamphlet, to set a multiplex operation, a reduction layout mode, an enlargement layout mode, and to cover a recording sheet. This key is used to set an advanced function mode such as a cover / insert mode for inserting paper. Application mode key 62
By pressing 6, a screen for setting each application function mode as described above is displayed on the display panel 620. The user sets the application function mode on this screen.

Keys that cannot be used among the keys displayed on the display panel 620 are indicated by dotted lines (shaded) to indicate that the keys cannot be operated.

In the upper part of the display panel 620, the contents of the set copy operation and the current operation state are displayed in a range where one line can be displayed. FIG. 5 shows a copy A setting screen.

In the lower part of the display panel 620, the operation states of the other function modes are displayed in a range that can be displayed in one line. FIG. 5 shows that copy B is being output to the printer unit.

In FIG. 5, a copy A function key 601, a copy B function key 604, a facsimile function key 607, a printer function key 610, and a personal box key 634, which will be described later, are used for setting various functions of a copying operation and a system operation. These are function keys used when switching the display content of the display panel 620 of the operation unit.

These function keys are constituted by translucent key buttons, and inside the keys there are display lamps (not shown) such as LEDs. When the user selects one of these keys, only the lamps inside the keys corresponding to the selected operation screen are turned on, and the lamps inside the other keys are turned off. You. The green LEDs 603, 606, 609, 612, and 633 arranged on the right side of these function keys are controlled to be turned on so as to indicate the operation status of each function.

For example, the user presses the copy B function key 604 to display the copy B operation screen on the display panel 620. While copy B is in standby, copy B LED 60
6 is turned off. When the copy B is in the output operation as in the example of FIG. 5, the LED 606 of the copy B is controlled to blink. The image of copy B is stored in the HD 30 of the image memory unit 3.
The lighting control is performed when the printing operation of the copy B is not performed.

The LED 609 of the fax function key is also provided.
Is controlled to blink during communication operation, during printing operation, and during reading of received data.
Lighting control is performed when a fax image is stored in 02.

601, 604, 607, 610, 634
Red LEDs 602, 6 located to the left of the key
05, 608, 611, and 632 are controlled to turn on when an abnormality occurs in each function.

For example, when an abnormality such as a paper-out interruption or a JAM occurs in copy B, the LED 605 of copy B is controlled to blink. At this time, by pressing the copy B function key 604 to switch to the copy B function, the display panel 620 displays an abnormal state of the copy B, and the details thereof can be known.

The above-mentioned function keys 601, 60
4, 607, 610, and 634 can be pressed regardless of the operation status, and the operation unit is switched by changing the content displayed on the display panel 620.

Keys that are not in the display panel 620, such as the stop key 615, start key 614, reset key 616, described above, include a copy A function key 601, a copy B function key 604, a fax function key 607, a printer function key 610, An operation corresponding to a function selected from personal box keys 634 described later can be performed.

Accordingly, for example, as shown in FIG.
When the operation screen of is displayed on the display panel 620,
Pressing the stop key 615 does not stop the copy B output operation.

To stop the copy operation of copy B while the operation screen of copy A is displayed on display panel 620, press copy B function key 604, switch the operation screen, and then press the stop key. By pressing the button 615, the copying operation of copy B is stopped.

Since the contents changed by the user setting key 618 are reflected on the function selected at the time of the change, it is possible to set each function independently.

FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG.
A method of setting double-sided printing will be described with reference to FIG. Double-sided printing means printing on both sides of a recording sheet, for example, outputting two single-sided originals as one double-sided original.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a basic screen of the display panel 620 of the operation unit described with reference to FIG. When the user presses the duplex print setting key 624 on the screen, the screen is switched to the screen shown in FIG. FIG. 7 shows a screen 700 for setting duplex printing.

In this embodiment, a method for printing a single-sided document on both sides will be described. When the user presses the setting key 701 in FIG. 7, the setting key 701 is displayed in a black-and-white inverted state, and becomes selectable. When the user presses the OK key 702 in this state, the screen is switched from the screen 700 to the screen shown in FIG.

The screen 800 shown in FIG. 8 is the same as the screen 70 shown in FIG.
8 is a screen for setting the way of opening the finish of the copy output in the double-sided printing setting selected at 0. FIG. 8 is a screen for setting the way of opening the finish when a single-sided original is printed on both sides. Is shown.

The user uses the setting key 801 or the setting key 802 on the screen 800 to select between left and right opening or up and down opening. Note that the document direction in this embodiment is defined as shown in FIG.

The left-right opening refers to a state like a book (for example, a book) that opens left and right in the document direction as shown in FIG. The vertical opening is a state like a vertical opening (for example, a calendar) in the document direction as shown in FIG.

For example, when the user presses the setting key 801 on the screen 800 in FIG.
Is displayed in black and white inverted, and becomes a state where it can be selected as a left-right opening finish. When the setting key 802 is depressed, the setting key 802 is inverted between black and white, so that the setting key 802 can be selected as a vertically opened finish. The cancel key 804 is displayed on the screen 80 in FIG.
0 is a key used to cancel the setting made by the user and return to the screen 700 of FIG.

When the user sets the setting key 801 or the setting key 8
When the user selects “02” and presses the OK key 803, the screen switches to the screen shown in FIG.
4 is displayed in reverse black and white, indicating that the setting for double-sided printing has been completed. Then, when the user presses the start key 614 of the operation unit in this state, the copying apparatus 100 starts a copying operation based on the setting of double-sided printing performed by the user on the screens of FIGS.

Note that the document orientation automatic detection button 805 shown in FIG.
Is a button for selecting whether or not to perform automatic document orientation detection. When the user presses the document orientation automatic detection button 805, the image is displayed in reverse black and white as shown in FIG. When the user presses the button 805 again in a state where the button is displayed in black and white inverted, the black and white inverted display of the button is released, and the setting is made such that the automatic detection of the document orientation is not performed.

An operation method for performing a reduced layout will be described with reference to FIG. Screen 130 shown in FIG.
0 is a screen displayed on the display panel 620, and is a screen displayed when the user presses the application mode key 626 of the operation unit shown in FIG.

When the user presses a reduced layout button 1301 on the screen 1300 in FIG. 13, a document size selection screen (not shown) is displayed. When the user specifies a document size on this screen, the reduced layout shown in FIG. The screen is switched to the selection screen 1400.

A reduced layout selection screen 14 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 00 denotes a screen for selecting a layout type.
The 2in1 button 1401, the 4in1 button 1402, and the 8in1 button 1403 are buttons for selecting a layout type.

When the 2in1 button 1401 is pressed by the user, the copying apparatus 100 is set to automatically reduce the read document by two pages on the selected sheet and to form and output an image. A 4in1 button 1402 is a button for performing settings for automatically reducing the size of a read document by 4 pages on a selected sheet and forming and outputting an image. 8i
An n1 button 1403 is a button for performing settings for automatically reducing an image of a read document by eight pages on a selected sheet and forming and outputting an image.

A double-sided document button 1406 is used to read a document printed on both sides. When the button is pressed by the user, the automatic document feeder 280 scans both sides of the document.

A double-sided copy button 1404 is a button for performing double-sided setting. When the user presses the button, the copying apparatus 100 outputs a double-sided output. Binding button
Reference numeral 1405 denotes a button for setting a pamphlet mode. When the button is pressed by the user, the copying apparatus 100 outputs in the pamphlet mode.

The brochure mode will be described with reference to FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 42, when eight pages of one-sided original of A4 size are output in the brochure mode, two pages of A3-sided two pages are provided as shown on the right side of FIG. The order of reading image data from the memory at this time is as follows.

First, after the image data of all the originals has been read into the memory, the image data corresponding to the first and eighth pages of the original are read out and copied onto the surface of A3-size recording paper. Then, the image data of the second and seventh pages is copied on the back surface of A3. Similarly, the image data of the third and sixth pages is copied on the front surface of the next A3 size recording paper, and the image data of the fourth and fifth pages are copied on the rear surface.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to read all originals into the memory first, and then read the originals in an arbitrary page order according to the output mode such as the pamphlet mode.

When the user presses the bookbinding button 1405, a detailed setting key is displayed as shown in a screen 1500 in FIG.
1407 is shaded to prohibit the setting made with the detailed setting button 1407.

A cancel key 1409 is used to cancel the reduced layout mode. When the user presses a cancel key 1409, the application screen 13 shown in FIG.
Return to 00.

In the reduced layout selection screen 1400, the user selects the 2in1 button 1401 and does not press the bookbinding button 1405.
When is pressed, the screen switches to the screen shown in FIG.

The screen shown in FIG. 16 is a 2in1 layout order setting screen 1600. Buttons 1601 and 1602 are buttons for selecting in what order the read images are to be formed on paper.

When the button 1601 is selected by the user, the first page of the read document is laid out on the left side of the output sheet, and the second page is laid out on the right side of the output sheet. When the user selects the double-sided document setting button 1406 on the reduced layout selection screen 1400 in FIG. 14, the front side of the document is laid out on the left side, and the back side of the document is laid out on the right side.

When the button 1602 is selected by the user, the first page of the read document is laid out on the right side of the output sheet, and the second page of the document is laid out on the left side of the output sheet. When a two-sided original is set on the reduced layout selection screen 1400, the front side of the original is set to the right side.
The back side of the document is laid out on the left side.

A button 1604 is used to select whether or not to perform automatic document direction detection. 16 users
When the 04 button 1604 is pressed, the button 1604 is displayed in reverse video, and a setting is made to perform automatic document direction detection. When the user presses the button 1604 again in a state where the button is inverted, the inverted display of the button 1604 is released, and the setting is made such that the automatic detection of the document orientation is not performed.

When the user presses the OK key 1603, the layout is set in the layout order selected by the button 1601 or 1602, and the screen returns to the reduced layout selection screen 1400. Then, on the screen 1400, the user presses the OK key 140.
8 and press the start key 61 after selecting the output paper.
When 4 is pressed, the reduced layout is performed in the layout type and layout order set by the user.

On the reduced layout selection screen 1400, the 4in1 button 1402 or the 8in1 button 14
With 03 selected, 1407 advanced setting button 1407
When is pressed, a Nin1 layout order selection screen 1700 as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed. The user can select a layout order from any of the four layout orders displayed on 1701, 1702, 1703, and 1704 on this screen.

For example, when four originals are read and laid out, the output sheet is divided and referred to as upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. If the user selects the button 1701, the first page of the original is displayed at the upper left. The second page of the manuscript is laid out in the order of the upper right, the third page of the manuscript is laid out in the lower left, and the fourth page of the manuscript is laid out in the lower right (hereinafter referred to as a Z-type reduced layout).

If the button 1702 is selected by the user, the first page of the document is laid out in the order of upper right, the second page of the document is upper left, the third page of the document is lower right, and the fourth page of the document is lower left. Hereinafter, this is referred to as an inverted Z-type reduced layout.)

If the user selects the button 1703, the first page of the original is laid out in the order of upper left, the second page of the original is lower left, the third page of the original is upper right, and the fourth page of the original is laid out in the lower right ( Hereinafter, this is referred to as an inverted N-type reduced layout.)

If the button 1704 is selected by the user, the first page of the original is laid out in the order of upper right, the second page of the original is lower left, the third page of the original is upper left, and the fourth page of the original is laid out in the order of lower left (hereinafter referred to as “lower left”). , N-type reduced layout).

A button 1706 is a button for selecting whether or not to perform automatic document direction detection. When the user presses the button 1706, the button 1706 is
Is displayed in reverse video, and is set to perform automatic document orientation detection.
Then, when the user presses the button 1706 again in a state where the button 1706 is inverted, the inversion of the button is canceled, and the automatic setting of the document direction is not performed.

When the user presses the OK key 1705,
The layout is set in the order of layout selected by one of the buttons 1701, 1702, 1703, and 1704, and the screen returns to the reduced layout selection screen 1400. When the user presses an OK key 1408 on the screen 1400 and selects an output sheet and then presses a start key 614, the reduced layout is performed in the layout type and layout order set by the user.

Next, the application screen 1300 shown in FIG.
Now, an operation flow when the enlarged layout is selected by the user will be described. When the enlarged layout button 1303 is selected by the user, an enlarged layout selection screen 1800 shown in FIG. 18 is displayed.

1to2 button 1801, 1to4 button 1802, both sides 1t
An o2 button 1803 and a double-sided 1to4 button 1804 are buttons for selecting the type of enlarged layout.

A 1to2 button 1801 is a setting button for splitting and reading two images, that is, a left image and a right image, for one read document, and outputting each of the images to an output sheet one by one.

The 1to4 button 1802 divides and reads four images of an upper left image, an upper right image, a lower left image, and a lower right image from one read original, and reads one image at a time. These are setting buttons for sequentially outputting to output paper.

A two-sided 1to2 button 1803 is a setting button for dividing and reading two images of a left side image and a right side image of one original on both front and back sides, and outputting each of the images to an output sheet one by one. .

The two-sided 1to4 button 1804 is used to divide and read a single document into four images, an upper left image, an upper right image, a lower left image, and a lower right image, on the front and back sides, respectively, in the read order. This is a setting button for outputting to an output sheet one by one. The double-sided button 1805 is a button for performing double-sided output setting.

When the user selects the 1to2 button 1801 or the double-sided 1to2 button 1803 on the enlarged layout selection screen 1800 and presses the OK key 1806, the 1to2 button shown in FIG.
A final document layout setting screen 1900 is displayed.

This screen is for setting whether or not there is an image on the back side of the final document. When the user selects the button 1901, a setting is made such that the back side of the final document is not read. When the user selects 1902, the back side of the final document is set to be read.

When the 1to2 button is selected by the user on the enlarged layout selection screen 1800, the button 1902 is shaded and cannot be set.

Buttons 1903 and 1904 are used to display two images on the final reading surface of the final document (corresponding to the front surface of the final document if button 1901 is set, or the back surface of the final document if button 1902 is set). This button is used to select whether or not there is one. When the button 1903 is selected by the user, reading of two images for one document is performed for all documents. When the button 1904 is selected, only one image is read on the final reading surface of the final document.

The screen 1900 has a setting for preventing the blank page from being ejected when the reading operation of the two images is performed when there is only one image on the last page of the final document. It is a screen to be performed.

Next, an enlarged layout order selection screen 2000 displayed when the user presses the detailed setting button on the enlarged layout selection screen 1900 will be described with reference to FIG.

Buttons 2001 and 2002 are used to select the order of reading the original to be read, from the left image or the right image. When the button 2001 is selected by the user and the OK key 2003 is pressed, the image is set to be read from the image on the left (hereinafter, referred to as “image”).
This is referred to as a left-right type enlarged layout. ). If the user selects the button 2002 and presses the OK key 2003,
It is set to read from the right image (hereinafter referred to as right-left reduced layout).

When the user presses the OK key 2003, the display returns to the application screen 1300. When the start key 614 is pressed while the screen 1300 is displayed, reading is performed in the order set by the user, and layout is performed.

Next, on the enlarged layout selection screen 1800,
1to4 button 1802 or double-sided 1to4 button 180 depending on the user
A 1to4 final document layout selection screen 2100 displayed when 4 is selected and the OK key 1806 is pressed will be described with reference to FIG.

A screen 2100 in FIG. 21 is a screen for setting whether or not there is an image on the back side of the last original as described in FIG. When the user selects the button 2101, the setting is made such that the back side of the final document is not read. If the user selects 2102, the setting is to read the back side of the final document.

If the 1to4 button 1802 is selected by the user on the enlarged layout selection screen 1800,
Button 2102 is shaded and cannot be set.

The buttons 2103, 2104, 2105, and 2106 are used to display the number of images on the final reading surface of the final document (corresponding to the front surface of the final document if the button 2101 is set, and the rear surface if the button 2102 is set). It is a button for selecting whether there is.

When button 2103 is selected by the user,
For all originals, four images are read for one original. When the button 2104 is selected, three images are read for one document from all the documents.

When the button 2105 is selected by the user, two images are read for one document from all the documents. Also, if button 2106 is selected,
For one document, one image is read for all documents.

Next, an enlarged layout order selection screen 2200 displayed on the screen 2100 when the user presses the detailed setting button 2108 will be described with reference to FIG.

Buttons 2201, 2202, 2203, 22 on screen 2200
A button 04 is used to select the order of reading the upper left image, the lower left image, the upper right image, and the lower right image of the original to be read.

When a button 2201 is selected by the user,
The original is read in the order of upper left image → upper right image → lower left image → lower right image (hereinafter, referred to as Z-type reduced layout). When the user selects the button 2202, the setting is such that the image is read in the order of upper right image → upper left image → lower right image → lower left image (hereinafter referred to as an inverted Z-shaped reduced layout).

When the button 2203 is selected by the user, the original is read in the order of upper left image → lower left image → upper right image → lower right image (hereinafter referred to as an inverted N-type reduced layout). ). When the button 2204 is selected, the document is set to be read in the order of upper right image → lower right image → upper left image → lower left image (hereinafter, referred to as the image).
N-type reduced layout).

Then, the user inputs the button 220
When one of buttons 1, 2202, 2203, and 2204 is selected and the OK key 2203 is pressed, the screen returns to the application screen 1300. Then, when the start key 614 is pressed by the user while the screen 1300 is displayed, reading is performed in the order set by the user, and layout is performed.

Next, the setting method of the image synthesizing function and the setting / deletion of the form image will be described. Note that the image synthesizing function of the present embodiment means that a plurality of form images (for example, tables and illustrations) are registered images as HD
This is a function of synthesizing a form image and image data read by a scanner, and printing the combined image.

The screen 2300 shown in FIG.
13 is an image synthesizing setting screen of the form image stored in the application image and the read original image data.
At 300, the image composition key 130 is entered by the user.
2 is a screen displayed when 2 is pressed.

On the screen 2300, a list of form images registered in the HD 304 is displayed. In FIG. 23, for example, it is displayed that the number of form images that can be registered in the HD 304 is 100, and the number of each form image is 00 to 99. In the figure, HD30
4 shows that only one form image is registered.

The user selects a desired form image from form images displayed in a list in display area 2307 on screen 2300. The form image selected by the user is displayed in black and white reversed as shown in the figure.

When the user selects a form image and presses an OK key 2306, the image forming setting of the form image selected by the user on screen 2300 and the read original image is set in copying apparatus 100. ,
The screen is switched to the standard screen shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 32, the application mode key 3201 is displayed in black and white inverted to indicate to the user that the application mode is set.

Check copy button 23 on screen 2300
04, before creating an image composite copy of the form image selected by the user and the read original image data,
This button is used to perform trial copying (trial printing).

When the user presses the check copy button 2304, the button 2304 is displayed in black and white inverted.
When the user presses an OK key 2306 with the check copy button 2304 in a black state, the copying apparatus 10 performs a trial copy before creating an image composite copy.
Set to 0.

The cancel button 2301 is a button for canceling the image composition setting. When the user presses the cancel button 2301, the screen returns to the application screen 1300 shown in FIG.

Numerals 2302 and 2303 are buttons for scrolling the screen when displaying a large number of job contents that cannot be displayed on one screen. When the user presses 2302, the screen scrolls up, and when 2303 is pressed, the screen scrolls down.

Further, the registration / deletion button 23
When the button 05 is pressed, the screen shifts to a registered content setting screen 2400 shown in FIG.

Screen 2400 in FIG. 24 is a screen for registering a form image in the selected form location or setting for deleting the selected form image.

In FIG. 24, a registration button 2401 is
This button is used to shift to form registration at the form location selected in FIG. The registration of the form image will be described later. The name registration button 2402 is a button for shifting to registration of the name of the form image selected in FIG.

The delete button 2403 is a button for shifting to the deletion of the form image selected in FIG. Deletion of the form image will also be described later.

Reference numeral 244 denotes a close button. When this button 244 is pressed, the setting of registration / deletion of the form image is not performed, and the screen returns to the image composition setting screen of FIG.

The operation when the user presses the registration button 2401 on the screen 2400 in FIG. 24 will be described. First, when the user presses the registration button 2401 on the screen 2400 in FIG. 24, the screen shifts to a document size setting screen 2500 shown in FIG.

On screen 2500, H as a form image
The user selects a document size of the image data to be registered in D304. Reference numeral 2501 denotes a size display area. The user can select a desired document size by pressing a document size button displayed in the display area 2501. The document size button selected by the user is displayed in black and white inverted.

In the present embodiment, only the A / B size type is used, but an original size of inch size may be selected.

When the OK button 2503 is pressed by the user, the setting is performed according to the document size selected by the user, and a registration form type setting screen 2600 shown in FIG.
Move to 2502 is a cancel button 2502,
This button is used to return to the registered content setting screen 2400 in FIG. 24 without setting the document size.

The form type setting screen 2600 shown in FIG. 26 will be described. Reference numeral 2601 denotes a full-screen synthesis selection button. When the full-screen synthesis selection button 2601 is pressed by the user, the button 2601 is inverted between black and white to be in a selectable state.

Reference numeral 2602 denotes a watermark synthesis selection button.
When the watermark synthesis selection button 2602 is pressed by the user, the button 2602 is inverted between black and white, and becomes selectable. The black-and-white inversion of the full-screen combination selection button 2601 and the watermark-combination selection button 2602 is exclusive, and one of them is in the black-and-white inversion state. In addition, the button in which the black and white is reversed is selected.

Reference numeral 2603 denotes a cancel button. When the cancel button 2603 is pressed, the setting on the screen is not performed, and the screen returns to the original size setting screen 2500 shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 2604 denotes an OK button. When the user selects the entire composition and presses the OK button 2604, the original image to be read is registered as a form image as it is, and the basic screen 2700 shown in FIG. Return.

On the other hand, watermark synthesis is selected, and the OK button 2
If the user presses the button 604, the density of the document image to be read is reduced, the setting is made to register the form image, and the screen returns to the basic screen 2700 shown in FIG.

The basic screen shown in FIG. 27 shows a state of waiting for reading of a form image. In this state, when the user presses start key 614 of copying apparatus 100, copying apparatus 100 starts the original reading process. .

The screen 2800 shown in FIG. 28 is a screen to which the screen shifts after the reading of the form image is completed in the screen of FIG. 27, and the form image of the number 00 displayed in the list in the display area 2807 is read. The image data has been rewritten.

In this embodiment, the form image is re-registered in the area where the form image is stored in advance. However, the user has not registered the form image from among the form images listed on the screen 2300 in FIG. By selecting the form image number and pressing the registration / delete button 2305, the above-described registration setting can be performed, and a new registration of the form image can be performed.

Next, the operation when the user presses the delete button 2403 on the screen 2400 in FIG. 24 will be described. First, when the user presses the delete button 2403 on the screen 2400 in FIG. 24, the form image deletion confirmation screen 2900 in FIG. 29 pops up.

On screen 2900, the user can set whether to delete the form image selected on screen 2300 in FIG. A NO button 2902 on the screen is a button for returning to the setting content selection screen 2400 in FIG. 24 without deleting the form image selected in FIG.

Reference numeral 2901 denotes a YES button for erasing the form image selected in FIG. 23 and returning to the image composition setting screen 2300 in FIG. In this embodiment, since only one form image is registered in the HD 304 as shown in FIG.
When the image is deleted from D304, the image composition setting screen 2300 shown in FIG. 23 becomes a screen as shown in FIG.

Next, the processing when the user presses the image synthesis button 1302 in FIG. 13 during output of a form image (during output of image synthesis) will be described.

If the user presses the image synthesis button 1302 in FIG. 13 during the output of the form image (during the output of the image synthesis), an image synthesis setting screen as shown in FIG. 31 is displayed.

The screen shown in FIG. 31 is different from the screen shown in FIG. 23 in that the display of the registration / delete button 3101 is lightly displayed. Thus, when the display of the button is light, it is in a state where the user does not respond even if pressed (invalid state). As a result, during image synthesis output, the HD 304
The registration or deletion of a form image with respect to is prohibited. If a plurality of form images are registered in the HD 304, the user cannot select any of the form images.

In the present embodiment, during image synthesis output, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the registration / deletion button 3101 on the image synthesis setting screen is disabled, but the registration / deletion button 3101 is disabled only when the form image used for the image synthesis output processing is selected by the user. It may be in an invalid state. In this case, it is impossible to register / delete only the used form image.

Next, a case where the user presses the sort key 625 on the basic screen shown in FIG. 6 will be described.

The sort key 625 is a key for selecting the paper discharge processing. When the user presses the sort key 625, the screen is switched to a paper discharge processing selection screen 3300 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 33, a button 3301 is a button for selecting the sort discharge processing.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a button for selecting a group discharge process.
The button 3305 is used to push one side half of the sheet
This button is used to select a sheet discharging process for folding and discharging the sheet. A button 3304 is a button for selecting a sheet discharging process for punching a sheet and discharging the sheet when discharging the sheet.

A button 3303 is a button for selecting the staple sort discharge processing.
When the button 303 is pressed, the screen is switched to a staple position setting screen 3400 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 34, buttons 3401 and 340
2 is a button for selecting the type of staple,
When the user presses 3401, the setting is to perform single stapling at the corner, and when the user presses the button 3402, the setting is to perform stapling by binding at two places.

Buttons 3403, 3404, 3405, 3
A button 405 is used to set a staple position. A button 3407 is used to set whether or not to perform automatic document orientation detection when staple sorting is selected. When the button 3407 is pressed by the user, the document direction of the document is determined at the time of reading the document, and the buttons 3403, 3404, and 3404 are determined with respect to the determined document direction.
Control is performed so that stapling is performed at the staple position selected by one of 405 and 3405. When the original orientation automatic detection is not performed, the document orientation of the original is not determined, and buttons 3403, 3404, and 340 are applied to the original image.
The stapling is performed at the stapling position selected by any of the 5,3405.

A personal box according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The HD 304 includes a temporary area 900 and a personal box area 901. The temporary area 900 is an area for temporarily storing image data in order to perform electronic sorting, and the image data is deleted after the job is completed.

The personal box area 901 is an area for storing the image data in which the PDL image from the host computer 1000 has been developed in the personal box in the personal box area 901 corresponding to the personal box number received from the host computer 1000. .

As shown in FIG. 35, in the case of a 1 GB hard disk, in this embodiment, 300 MB is allocated to the temporary area 900 and 700 MB is allocated to the personal box area 90.
Divide into 1 and use. Also, if the number of personal boxes is 1
When it is 0, the area of the box owned by each individual or the common box shared and used is 70 MB. Each personal box is numbered, for example, boxes 902, 903, 904, 905,
906 are personal box numbers 0, 1, respectively.
2, 9, and 3.

The user uses the operation unit 172 to select a personal box in which image data to be printed is stored from the personal box area 901.

In the personal box area 901, image data (here, the image data means a series of image data, and the series of image data means data of one job). ) Along with the image data stored in the personal box and related to the print mode necessary for printing (number of output image data sets, paper size of recording paper to be output, single-sided or double-sided output, setting items such as paper discharge processing) Data) and information on the automatic erasure processing of the image data (time when the image data was stored in the box, automatic erasure time).

As described above, in the present embodiment, the data relating to the print mode output from the host computer 1000 together with a series of image data (ie, data for one job) is associated with the series of image data, and It is stored in the area 901. Therefore, when a plurality of documents (image data) are stored in one personal box, the host computer 1
000 (data in this case, initial setting data) are stored. The data relating to the print mode set by the host computer 1000 is retained in the HD 304 until a series of image data corresponding to the data relating to the print mode is deleted from the personal box, and the user performs a predetermined operation (described later). Clear reset button 390
5 is pressed), the data can be immediately read from the HD 304. The screen 380 shown in FIGS.
When the print mode is reset by the user in the operation unit of the copier, which will be described later with reference to FIGS. 0 and 3900, the print mode data set in advance by the host and the print mode reset by the operation unit Both of the data may be stored in the HD 304 so that either one of them can be read from the HD 304 in response to a request from the user. Even in this case, print mode data is stored for each series of image data (for each job).

In each personal box, an automatic erasing function can be set for each box. The automatic erasing function is to automatically erase the image data stored in the personal box from the HD 304 in response to a lapse of a period (for example, 2 hours) from the time when the image data is stored in the personal box to the time when the image data is automatically erased. This is a function for performing automatic data erasure processing. The period until automatic deletion can be set by the user.

By setting the automatic deletion function for the personal box, the HD 304 becomes full of memory due to the image data arbitrarily sent from the host computer 1000, and the desired image data cannot be stored. Can be avoided. The time at which the image data in the personal box is automatically erased differs depending on the time at which the image data is stored in the personal box.

Referring to FIG. 35, the host computer 10
The case where image data is stored in the personal box from 00 will be described. For example, when Mr. Tanaka stores image data in his / her box 903, box number 1 is designated by the host computer 1000.

For example, when Mr. Tanaka stores image data in another person's box, for example, Mr. Kato's box 905, the box number of the box to which the image data is to be sent, that is, the box number 9 is entered into the host computer 1000. Specify from. As a result, the image data created by the user can be stored in another person's box.

The screen shown in FIG. 36 is the main screen 3 of the personal box displayed on the display panel 620 of the operation unit.
600. Screen 3600 is displayed when the user presses personal box key 634 on the operation unit shown in FIG.

A screen 3600 shown in FIG. 36 has, for example, 10 personal boxes, 00 to 10 box numbers for each box, and stores image data input from the host computer 1000 for each individual. This is a screen for displaying that the operation is being performed. Note that the personal box stores image data in a state where PDL data from the host computer 1000 is expanded into bitmap data.

On the screen of the operation unit (not shown), a name is given to each personal box number. For example, in the case of the box number 1, the name "box of Tanaka" is given, and it can be specified that the box is used by Mr. Tanaka.

The percentage displayed at the right end of each box column indicates the ratio of the box used by the box to the hard disk capacity of the entire personal box area. For example, if the hard disk capacity of the personal box area is 700 MB, the box number 01 is 2%, indicating that about 14 MB is used.

Buttons 3602, 3603, 3604, 3
605 is a box number 00, 01, 02,
This button is used to enter a mode for displaying the job contents stored in the job 03.

For example, Mr. Tanaka selects box number 1 on the host computer 1000 side, stores the image data in his / her personal box, and then, on the copying apparatus side 100, stores the image data stored in the personal box. Is printed, the user presses the button 3603 of his / her box number 01 on the screen 3600.

When Mr. Tanaka presses button 3603,
The display switches to a print mode screen for printing image data stored in the personal box. The print mode will be described later.

It is to be noted that a box used by individuals such as box numbers 00, 01, and 02 is not displayed on the screen, instead of a box shared by a plurality of persons, such as a “common box” of box number 03 shown in FIG. If is selected, a password input screen is displayed after the user presses the box number, and the print mode screen is displayed in response to the user inputting the password corresponding to the box on the screen. good.

Further, in this embodiment, the image data received from the host computer is stored in the personal box. However, the image data of the original read by the reading unit of the copying apparatus 100 can be stored in the personal box. May be. Even in such a case, the print mode set by the operation unit 172 and the image data are stored in the personal box area 901 in association with each other, and the image data is stored in the operation unit 172 until the image data is deleted from the personal box. Data relating to the print mode (initial setting print mode data)
304.

Reference numerals 3606 and 3607 denote up and down scroll keys. By pressing these keys, the screen can be scrolled, and the names of box numbers and the used capacity of personal boxes storing image data not displayed on the screen can be viewed. it can.

Reference numeral 3608 denotes a close key. By pressing this key, it is possible to return to the main screen shown in FIG. 360
9 is a fax status key. By pressing this key,
You can check the status of fax transmission and reception.

FIG. 37 shows a personal box print screen (corresponding to a print mode screen) 3700 for displaying a list of image data stored in the personal box selected by the user on the main screen 3600 of the personal box shown in FIG. It is.

For example, in FIG. 37, in the personal box main screen 3600 shown in FIG.
A personal box print screen 3700 displayed when the user presses 605.

The display area 3702 displays a list of information on the image data stored in this box (the stored date, time, document name, and whether or not the data has been printed).

In this embodiment, when printing image data from a personal box, a plurality of image data stored in the personal box (the image data means a series of image data as described above, (A series of image data corresponds to data for one job.)
The user can select a plurality of desired image data (jobs) from among them (for example, two jobs) and print out a plurality of image data (ie, a plurality of jobs) at a time.

Further, a plurality of desired image data (jobs) are selected from a plurality of image data stored in the personal box, and a plurality of image data are
04 can be deleted.

A multiple selection button 3703 is used to print a plurality of image data stored in the personal box at one time (that is, to print a plurality of jobs at a time), or to copy a plurality of image data from the HD 304 at one time. When erasing (that is, erasing a plurality of jobs at a time), a plurality of image data (a plurality of jobs) can be selected from among the image data stored in the personal box. Button.

When the user presses the multiple selection button 3703 and selects a plurality of desired image data from the image data displayed in the display area 3702, FIG.
A plurality of jobs selected by the user are displayed in black and white in reverse as in the screen shown in FIG.

A detailed information button 3704 is used for detailed information (for example, H
A button for shifting to a screen (not shown) that displays the used amount of the image data with respect to the total storage capacity of D304, the number of originals and the number of output copies set in advance by the host computer 1000, and the like.

The up / down scroll button 3705 is used to scroll the screen when displaying a large number of job contents that cannot be displayed on one screen. The close button 3706 is a button for returning to the main screen 3600 of the personal box in FIG.

[0192] The delete button 3707 is displayed in the display area 3702.
This is a button for deleting the image data selected by the user from the personal box.

The print button 3708 is displayed in the display area 37
A button for printing the image data selected by the user on 02.

In this embodiment, the user selects the multiple selection button 3
When only one desired image data is selected on the display area 3702 without pressing the button 703 and the print button 3708 is pressed, a print copy number change screen 380 shown in FIG.
0 is displayed. The user can change the setting of the number of output copies of image data on the screen 3800. Then, the screen is further shifted from the screen 3800 in FIG. 38 to the print mode setting screen 3900 shown in FIG.
In, the user can change the setting of the print mode of the image data.

On the other hand, the user selects the multiple selection button 37
03, a plurality of desired image data is selected on the display area 3702, and a print button 3708 is pressed, without displaying the screen 3800 to prohibit the above-described change of the output number of image data and the setting of the print mode. ,
Printing of the image data is started based on the number of output copies of the image data and the print mode set in the host computer 1000 in advance.

For example, the state of the screen shown in FIG.
After the user presses the multiple selection button 3703, a plurality of jobs in the box (corresponding to a plurality of series of image data)
Of the document name "confidential about organization"
A job consisting of pages and a job consisting of, for example, four pages with a document name of "How to use a personal box"
When the user presses the print button on the screen in a state selected from within the panel, the screen is not changed to the screen (screen 3800, screen 3900) for resetting the print mode, and the "confidentiality regarding organization" is not changed. The image data of the job having the document name of “document name” and the image data of the job having the document name of “How to use the personal box” are sequentially read out from the HD 304, and each is based on the print mode data (initial setting print mode data) preset by the host computer 1000. Print processing is performed.

Regarding the display of the screen, when the user presses the multiple selection button 3703 and then selects a plurality of documents (files) desired by the user from the box and presses the print button, the display panel is pressed. 6
Message screen such as "The number of selected files is 2. There are multiple files and settings cannot be changed. If you want to change print settings, please select only one file." May be displayed to ask the user for confirmation. Then, the printing process may be started when the OK button on the screen is pressed by the user.

Thus, when a user who does not know all the print modes of a plurality of desired image data (ie, a plurality of jobs) prints a plurality of image data at once, the print mode is erroneously changed. To prevent them from doing so.

The print copy change screen 3800 shown in FIG. 38 will be described. This screen is displayed when the user selects only one desired image data on the display area 3702 and presses the print button 3708 on the screen 3700 in FIG. 37 without pressing the multiple selection button 3703. Screen.

In this embodiment, when the screen 3700 is switched from the screen 3700 of FIG. 37 to the screen 3800, the number of output copies of the image data set in the host computer 1000 in advance is displayed on the screen 3800. For example, FIG. 38 shows that the number of output copies of image data set in the host computer 1000 in advance is 100.

With the screen 3800 displayed,
The user can change the number of output copies of image data set in advance by the host computer 1000 by inputting the number of output copies of image data using the ten keys 622 of the operation unit.

The number of output copies of the image data depends on the display area 3
Numerals corresponding to the number of output copies of the image data input by the user using the numeric keypad 622 are displayed in the display area 3801.

When the user inputs the number of output copies of image data using numeric keypad 622 of the operation unit so as to change the number of output copies of image data, and presses OK button 3802, copying apparatus 100 is displayed in display area 3801. The image data is printed with the output number of copies.

The print mode reset button 3803 is
A button for changing the print mode set in the host computer 1000 in advance. When the user presses the button 3803, a print mode setting screen 3900 shown in FIG. 39 is displayed.

A cancel button 3804 is a button for canceling the print processing of the image data. When the user presses the button 3804, the screen returns to the personal box print screen 3700 in FIG. 37 without performing the print processing of the image data. .

Print mode setting screen 3900 in FIG.
Will be described. This screen corresponds to screen 3800 in FIG.
, The print mode reset button 3
This is a screen displayed when 803 is pressed. The user enters the host computer 10 in advance on the screen 3900.
The print mode (number of output copies of image data, paper size of recording paper to be output, single-sided or double-sided output, paper discharge processing, etc.) set at 00 can be changed.

In this embodiment, when the screen 3900 shown in FIG. 39 is displayed, the print mode of the image data set in advance by the host computer 1000 is displayed.

For example, a screen 3900 in FIG. 39 displays a mode in which the number of output copies of image data is 100, the recording paper size to be output is A4, and single-sided output is performed.
It is assumed that the pamphlet mode is selected for the sort setting.

In this case, the print mode preset in the host computer 1000 is such that the number of output copies of image data is 100, all pages to be output are single-sided, and the paper size of the recording paper to be output is A4.

As described above, when the settings for each page to be output are all the same, the user can use the duplex setting button 3901 to reset the settings so that duplex printing is performed for all pages.

Similarly, when all pages to be output have the same paper size, the user can use the paper selection button 3902 to reset the paper size for all pages.

As described above, the brochure mode is set in the host computer 1000 in advance, as described above. In this embodiment, layout processing in a pamphlet mode is performed at the time of developing from PDL data into bitmap data. Further, since the image data developed in the layout is stored in the HD 304, the sort selection button 3903 is shaded so that the user cannot reset the sort at the time of output.

That is, the CPU 171 has already performed predetermined processing (layout processing such as ex, Nin1 and synthesis processing with a form image) on the image data selected by the user prior to the storage processing in the HD 304. It is determined whether or not the image data has been edited, and if it is determined that the image data has been edited before the storage processing in the HD 304, a change operation (for example,
What is stored in the HD 304 after the 4-in-1 processing is performed
(for example, resetting to output in 1 or resetting to output the form stored in the HD 304 in a state before the form image is combined), etc. The buttons corresponding to these settings (for example, button 3903 in the figure) are shaded to be in an invalid state (a state in which the user does not respond even if pressed). Irrelevant change operation (for example, resetting the host set to output one copy to output two copies, resetting from one side to duplex printing, changing the size of the sheet to be printed, etc.) Are buttons corresponding to these settings (for example, buttons 3901, 39
02) is controlled to be in a valid state. Therefore, the setting item data related to the sort type included in the data related to the print mode set by the host computer is not in the pamphlet mode, but is temporarily set in the staple sort mode (the binding process is performed on a group of sheets on which images are formed). If the answer is Yes, sort selection button 390
Reference numeral 3 may be set to an effective state without being shaded, and may be reset by the user. For example, in this case, the user can reset the staple sort mode to the non-sort mode or the group sort or the sort mode by pressing the button.

In consideration of faithfully reproducing the image data created by the host computer 1000, whether or not the image data has been edited before the storage processing in the HD 304 as described above. A predetermined process (for example, image data combining process, Nin1 process, enlargement / reduction layout process, image data rotation process, etc.) performed prior to the process of forming an image on a sheet without performing the process of determining Etc.) are set items that cannot be changed by the user, and are controlled so that re-setting related to the predetermined processing on the image data is prohibited in advance, and other settings that are not directly related to the predetermined processing on the image data. Settings, for example, settings relating to the number of output sheets to be image-formed and whether to form images on both sides of the sheet, and The setting related to the alignment process of the formed sheet, the setting related to the size of the sheet to be printed, and the like may be set as setting items that can be changed by the user, and the CPU 171 may control such that the resetting is permitted.

As described above, in this embodiment, the buttons corresponding to the items that cannot be reset by the user (in this case, the sort settings) are shaded.

Note that, as described above, the screen 380 in FIG.
0, the user sets the host computer 100
The number of output copies of the image data set at 0 can be changed.
In this embodiment, the number of output copies of image data can be changed on the screen 3900 as well. In this case, the user sets the number of output copies of image data using the ten keys 622 of the operation unit.

On the screen 3900, when the user resets the print mode and presses the OK button 3904, the copying apparatus 100 prints image data in the print mode set by the user.

A cancel button 3906 is a button for returning to the personal box print screen 3700 without performing image data print processing.

A reset clear button 3905 displays the print mode reset by the user on the host computer 10.
A button for returning to the print mode set at 00. When the user presses the button 3905, the copying apparatus 1
00 returns the print mode of the image data to the print mode set in the host computer 1000, and returns to the print copy number setting screen 3800.

As described above, the print mode data set by the host computer 1000 and stored in the HD 304 together with the image data includes the settings relating to the number of sheets to be formed and the image formation on both sides of the sheets. A plurality of setting item data, such as settings related to whether or not to perform printing, settings related to the alignment processing of an image-formed sheet (non-sort mode, sort mode, staple sort mode, etc.), and settings related to the size of a sheet to be printed are included. Have been. This host computer 1000
The print mode set in advance can be changed by the user for each setting item on the setting screen 3800 or the screen 3900 displayed on the operation panel 620 of the operation unit 172. If any of a plurality of setting items is changed by the user using the operation unit 172 of the copying apparatus, and the user wishes to return to the content set by the host computer 1000 again, the user can change the setting on the screen 3900. By pressing the reset clear button 3905 once, all of the plurality of setting items can be returned to the contents set by the host computer 1000.

As a result, some of the plurality of setting items have been changed by the operation unit 172. However, if it is desired to return to the print mode set by the host computer 1000, the user can change the setting mode for each of the plurality of setting items. The troublesome operation of returning to the contents set by the host computer 1000 each time can be omitted.

Further, when a desired document (image data) is selected and printed from a box shared by a plurality of persons, such as a shared box, of a plurality of personal boxes, the user is required to select a document before printing. If the reset clear button 3905 is pressed once, even if someone has previously changed the print mode of the document using the operation unit 172, the user is not conscious of the change, and the host computer 1000 is not aware of it. The data created by can be output faithfully.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the print mode changed by the user through the operation unit can be collectively returned to the print mode set by the host computer in accordance with a predetermined instruction.

Therefore, when the print mode changed by the operation unit is returned to the print mode set by the host computer, the operation to be performed by the user can be simplified, and the operability for the personal box is improved. .

Next, processing for printing image data stored in a personal box will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. This process is performed every time the print screen 3700 of the personal box shown in FIG. 37 is displayed on the display panel 620 of the operation unit, and is performed by the CPU 171. The program for executing the processing is stored in a ROM
174 is stored as a program code and the CPU
171 reads and executes the code.

First, it is determined whether or not the user has pressed the close button 3706 on the screen 3700 in FIG. 37 (step S4200). If it is determined in step S4200 that the close button 3706 has been pressed by the user, the process ends.

If it is determined in step S4200 that the close button 3706 has not been pressed by the user, it is determined whether the user has pressed the multiple selection button 3703 (step S4201).

At step S4201, multiple selection button 3
If it is determined that 703 has not been pressed, the screen 37
It is determined whether image data has been selected by the user on the display area 3702 of 00 (step S4202).

If it is determined in step S4202 that the image data is not selected by the user, step S4
Return to 200. If it is determined in step S4202 that the image data has been selected by the user, the detailed information of the image data is set to a state where it can be displayed on the operation panel 620 (step S4203).

When the processing in step S4203 is completed,
It is determined whether the detailed information button 3704 has been pressed by the user on the screen 3700 in FIG. 37 (step S42).
04).

If it is determined in step S4204 that the user has pressed the detailed information button 3704,
A display panel 620 displays a screen showing detailed information on the image data selected by the user (for example, the used capacity of the image data with respect to the total storage capacity of the HD 304, the number of originals and the number of output copies set in advance by the host computer 1000). It is displayed above (step S4205).

With the detailed information screen displayed in step S4205, it is determined whether the user has pressed the close button 3706 on the screen 3700 in FIG. 37 (step S4206). Step S4206 is repeated until the user presses the close button 3706 with the detailed information screen displayed.

[0233] In step S4206, the user closes button 3706 with the detailed information screen displayed.
If it is determined that is pressed, the screen returns to the print screen 3700 of the personal box (step S4207),
It returns to step S4200.

If it is determined in step S4204 that the user has not pressed the detailed information button 3704, the user presses the delete button 3707 on the screen 3700.
It is determined whether or not has been pressed (step S4208).

If it is determined in step S4208 that the user has pressed the delete button 3707, the image data selected by the user in step S4202 is deleted from the HD 304 (step S4209), and the process returns to step S4200.

If it is determined in step S4208 that the user has not pressed the delete button 3707, the user presses the print button 370 on the screen 3700.
8 is pressed (step S421).
0).

If it is determined in step S4210 that the user has not pressed print button 3708 on screen 3700, the process returns to step S4200.

If the user presses print button 3708 on screen 3700 in step S 4210, print number setting screen shown in FIG. 38 is displayed on operation panel 620.
3800 is displayed (step S4211). If the user wants to change the number of output copies of image data set in the host computer 1000 in advance, he or she inputs the desired number of output copies using the ten keys 622 of the operation unit 172.

In step S4211, after displaying the number-of-prints setting screen 3800, items that can be reset for the image data selected by the user in step S4202 (number of output copies of image data, paper size, double-sided printing or single-sided printing, sorting) Determination (step S42)
12) is performed, and it is determined whether or not resetting is possible (step S4213).

If it is determined in step S4213 that there is at least one item that can be reset by the user, it is determined whether the reset button 3803 on the screen 3800 in FIG. 38 has been pressed by the user (step S4214).

If it is determined in step S4214 that the user has pressed the reset button 3803 on the screen 3800, a print mode setting screen 3900 is displayed (step S4215). If there is an item that cannot be reset by the user, the corresponding button (for example, button 3903) is shaded at this time to prohibit the user from resetting only this item.

Next, it is determined whether or not the reset clear button 3905 has been pressed by the user on the screen 3900 (step S4216). When it is determined in step S4216 that the reset clear button 3905 has been pressed by the user, the mode is released (step S4216).
4217), and the process returns to step S4211.

The mode release in step S4217 means that the print mode reset by the user is released collectively.
This is an operation of returning to the print mode stored in the HD 304 in advance. That is, this is a process for returning the print mode reset by the user to the print mode set in the host computer 1000 in advance.

If it is determined in step S4216 that the reset clear button 3905 has not been pressed by the user, the user presses the OK button 39
04 is pressed (step S421).
8).

At step S4218, user OK
If it is determined that the button 3904 has been pressed, the screen 390 is displayed.
Printing of the image data is started based on the print mode displayed at 0 (step S4219).

[0246] In step S4218, the user sets OK.
If it is determined that the button 3904 has not been pressed, the flow returns to step S4216.

If it is determined in step S4213 that resetting is not possible, the reset button 3803 is shaded to prohibit the user from resetting the print mode, and the user can shift to the print mode setting screen 3900. (Step S4220).

If it is determined in step S4214 that the reset button 3803 on the screen 3800 has not been pressed by the user, or if step S4220 has been performed, it is determined whether the user has pressed the cancel button 3804 on the screen 3800. (Step S4221).

If it is determined in step S4221 that the cancel button 3804 has been pressed by the user, the screen is switched to the personal box print screen 3700 (step S4222), and the flow returns to step S4200.

If it is determined in step S4221 that the user has not pressed the cancel button 3804 on the screen 3800, it is determined whether the user has pressed the OK button 3802 on the screen 3800 (step S422).
4223).

If it is determined in step S4223 that the user has pressed the OK button 3802 on the screen 3800, printing of image data is started based on the number of output copies of the image data displayed on the screen 3800 (step S4219). If it is determined in step S4223 that the user has not pressed the OK button 3802,
It returns to step S4221.

If it is determined in step S4201 that the multiple selection button 3703 has been pressed, the screen 3700
It is determined whether or not a plurality of image data (that is, a plurality of jobs) is selected by the user on the display area 3702 (step S4224).

If it is determined in step S4224 that a plurality of image data has not been selected by the user, the flow returns to step S4200. If it is determined in step S4224 that a plurality of image data has been selected by the user, the user presses the delete button 3
It is determined whether or not 707 has been pressed (step S422)
5).

If it is determined in step S4225 that the delete button 3707 has been pressed by the user, a plurality of image data selected by the user in step S4224 are deleted from the HD 304 (step S422).
6), and return to step S4200.

If it is determined in step S4225 that the user has not pressed the delete button 3707, the user presses the print button 370 on the screen 3700.
8 is pressed (step S422).
7).

If it is determined in step S4227 that the user has not pressed print button 3708 on screen 3700, the process returns to step S4200.

If it is determined in step S4227 that the print button 3708 on the screen 3700 has been pressed by the user, the screen 3700 to the screen 3800, the screen 390
Without performing the display switching operation to 0, the print process is executed for the plurality of image data (that is, the plurality of jobs) selected by the user in step S4224 (step S4228). Then, step S42
Return to 00.

By the above-described processing, the print mode changed by the user through the operation unit can be collectively returned to the print mode set by the host computer in accordance with a predetermined command. Therefore, when the print mode changed by the operation unit is returned to the print mode set by the host computer 1000, the operation to be performed by the user can be simplified.

When printing image data from the personal box, the user can select a plurality of desired image data from the image data stored in the personal box and print out a plurality of image data at a time. Therefore, the operation to be performed by the user can be simplified.

Similarly, a plurality of desired image data can be selected from the image data stored in the personal box, and a plurality of image data can be erased from the HD 304 at one time.

When the user selects a plurality of desired image data from the image data stored in the personal box, control is performed to prohibit the setting change of the print mode set by the host computer 1000. Further, it is possible to prevent a user who does not know all print modes of a plurality of desired image data from changing the print mode by mistake when printing a plurality of image data at a time.

As described above, the operability of the personal box is improved, the operation to be performed by the user is simplified,
The convenience of the personal box can be improved.

A storage medium storing the program codes of software for realizing the functions of the present embodiment described above is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus stores the storage medium in the storage medium. It goes without saying that this is also achieved by reading and executing the stored program code.
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment,
The storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

In the embodiment, the example in which the electrophotographic system using the laser beam is employed for the printing mechanism has been described.
The printing method is not limited to this, and any printing method (for example, an LED printer, a thermal transfer printer, an ink jet printer, etc.) may be adopted.

[0268]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In an image storage device capable of storing a plurality of series of image data in a storage area and storing an image forming mode corresponding to each of the series of image data, the control unit may control the plurality of series of image data stored in the storage area. A step for selecting any of the series of image data, a second step for changing an image forming mode corresponding to the selected series of image data, and two steps in the first step. A third step of prohibiting the transition from the first step to the second step is executed in response to the selection of the above series of image data. To prevent a user who does not know all the image forming modes of data from mistakenly changing the image forming mode when forming a plurality of series of image data at once. Can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a copying apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a copying apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing a detailed description of an image memory unit;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a configuration of an external I / F processing unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation unit of the copying apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for defining a document direction.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining left-right opening.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining vertical opening.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a screen of the operation unit.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a screen of the operation unit.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing a screen of the operation unit.

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating a personal box.

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing a screen of the operation unit.

FIG. 38 is a diagram showing a screen of the operation unit.

FIG. 39 is a diagram showing a screen of the operation unit.

FIG. 40 is a view illustrating a flowchart of a process when printing image data stored in a personal box.

FIG. 41 is a diagram showing a screen of an operation unit.

FIG. 42 is a diagram illustrating a pamphlet mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Image memory unit 4 External I / F processing unit 100 Copying device 304 HD 170 Image processing unit 171 CPU 172 Operation unit 620 Display panel 1000 Host computer

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) G06F 3/12 H04N 1/21 H04N 1/21 G03G 21/00 382

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit capable of storing a plurality of series of image data in a storage area, storing an image forming mode corresponding to each series of image data, and the plurality of image data stored in the storage area. A first step for selecting any of the series of image data, and a second step for changing an image forming mode corresponding to the series of image data selected in the first step. And a third step of prohibiting a transition from the first step to the second step in response to selection of two or more series of image data in the first step. An image storage device, comprising: a control unit that executes the image storage device. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet based on the image data and an image forming mode corresponding to the image data. Can be executed, and in response to the selection of two or more sets of image data in the first step, the third step includes: 2. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein a shift to the second step is prohibited, and the shift is made from the first step to the fourth step. 3. In the third step, a transition from the first step to the second step is permitted in response to a series of image data being selected in the first step. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming mode includes a plurality of setting item data, and in the second step, the setting can be changed for each setting item data. 5. The setting data relating to the number of sheets on which an image is to be formed, setting data relating to whether or not to form an image on both sides of a sheet, and setting data relating to a size of a sheet to be formed with an image. 5. The image storage device according to claim 4, comprising: 6. The image forming mode includes a plurality of setting item data, and in the second step, an operation of changing setting item data related to a predetermined process on image data stored in the storage area is prohibited in advance. 2. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein an operation of changing setting item data irrespective of predetermined processing on the image data is permitted. 7. The image storage device according to claim 6, wherein the setting item data related to the predetermined processing on the image data includes setting data related to a scaling process on the image data. 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the setting item data irrelevant to the predetermined processing on the image data includes setting data on the number of sheets on which an image is to be formed.
The image storage device according to claim 1. 9. The storage unit stores a series of image data output from an external device in the storage area,
2. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein the image forming mode set by the external device is stored in correspondence with the series of image data. 10. The image forming mode includes a plurality of setting item data, and has a determining unit that determines whether there is changeable setting item data among the plurality of setting item data. 2. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein a change operation of the image forming operation mode in the second step is prohibited in accordance with a result of the determination by the determination unit. 11. A method for controlling an image storage device, wherein a plurality of series of image data can be stored in a storage area, and the storage unit stores an image forming mode corresponding to each series of image data. A first step for selecting any of the series of image data stored in the storage area, and an image forming mode corresponding to the series of image data selected in the first step. A second step for making a change; and prohibiting a transition from the first step to the second step in response to selection of two or more series of image data in the first step. And a third step of controlling the image storage device. 12. An image storage device capable of storing a plurality of series of image data in a storage area and having storage means for storing an image forming mode corresponding to each series of image data. A first step for selecting any of the stored series of image data, and changing an image forming mode corresponding to the series of image data selected in the first step. And a third step of prohibiting a transition from the first step to the second step in response to the selection of two or more series of image data in the first step. And a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing the steps.