JP2000355141A - Printing system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically prevent that an image is situated on a binding hole when binding perforation is indicated. SOLUTION: When the perforation due to a perforation unit is indicated, the printing data from a host computer 20 is subjected to contraction processing in a predetermined contraction ratio by the printer CPU 33 of a laser beam printer 1, that is, an image is contracted to a size preventing the breakage of an image caused by perforation and the obtained contracted printing data is supplied to a printer engine 42 through a printing part interface 39 and printing is performed on the basis of the contracted printing data by the printer engine 42.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system and a printing method having a punching function for punching a binding hole.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a printing system having a punching function for forming a binding hole for binding a printed sheet as a printed matter.

[0003]

Since the binding hole is formed at a predetermined position on the sheet, if there is a print image at the binding margin, the binding hole is located on the print image and the image is missing or the binding is not performed. Sometimes, the image disappeared.

[0004] Therefore, the user has to prepare a printed document in consideration of a margin for binding holes in advance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system which solves the above-mentioned problems and which can automatically prevent an image from being positioned on a binding hole when a binding hole is instructed. It is to provide a method.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system having a punching means for punching a binding hole,
A punching designating unit for designating a punching process by the punching unit; a reducing process unit for reducing the print data at a predetermined reduction rate when the punching process is designated by the punching designating unit; Printing means for printing based on the reduced print data obtained by the reduction processing means.

A second aspect of the present invention is a printing system having a perforating means for perforating a binding hole, wherein the perforation specifying means for specifying the perforating processing by the perforating means, and the perforating processing is specified by the perforating specifying means. In this case, the binding margin including the scheduled punching position by the punching means and the printing scheduled area of the image to be printed based on the print data are determined by the determining means. And a printing unit for performing printing based on the reduced print data obtained by the reduction processing unit when the print data is reduced at a predetermined reduction ratio. And

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system having a perforating means for perforating a binding hole, wherein the perforating designating means for designating a perforating process by the perforating means and a width of a binding margin are set. A setting unit configured to determine whether a binding margin having a width set by the setting unit and a print-scheduled area of an image to be printed based on print data overlap each other when a punching process is specified by the punching specifying unit; Determining means for determining, a calculating means for calculating a reduction rate of a print image from the binding margin and the size of the scheduled print area when the determination means makes an affirmative determination; and a reducing rate calculated by the calculating means The present invention is characterized in that there is provided a reduction processing means for reducing the print data, and a printing means for performing printing based on the reduced print data obtained by the reduction processing means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when a punching process is designated, a reducing process step for reducing the print data at a predetermined reduction rate, and a printing step for printing based on the obtained reduced print data. And characterized in that:

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, when a punching process is designated, a step of determining whether or not a binding margin including a scheduled punching position and a scheduled printing area of an image to be printed based on print data overlaps. A reduction processing step of reducing the print data at a predetermined reduction ratio when a positive determination is made, and a printing step of performing printing based on the obtained reduced print data. .

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, when a width of a binding margin is designated and a punching process is designated, a binding margin of a set width and a print-scheduled area of an image to be printed based on print data are set. A determining step of determining whether or not
A calculating step of calculating a reduction rate of a print image from the binding margin and the size of the planned print area when it is determined that the binding margin and the planned print area overlap; and And a printing step for printing based on the obtained reduced print data.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
An embodiment will be described. This is an example of a printing system, and includes a host computer 20 and a laser beam printer 1.
Are connected via the bidirectional interface 45.

The host computer 20 will be described. The host computer 20 has a data processing unit 46, a keyboard 30, a CRT (cathode ray tube) display (CRT) 31, and an external storage device 32.

The data processing unit 46 has a CPU (centra
l processing unit (21) and RAM (random access m)
emory) 22, ROM (read only memory) 23,
A key board controller (KBC) 26, a CRT controller (CRTC) 27, a storage controller 28, and a printer controller (PRTC) 29 are connected to the system bus 2.
5 are interconnected.

The ROM 23 has a photo ROM, a program ROM, and a data ROM. RO for photo
M stores fonts used in document processing, ROM stores a control program and the like, and data ROM stores various data used in document processing, such as various page descriptions. A language program and font rasterizing data are stored.

The CPU 21 stores the program R in the ROM 23.
In accordance with a document processing program or the like stored in the OM, document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets), and the like are mixed is executed. Further, the CPU 21 executes, for example, a process of developing (rasterizing) the outline font in the display information RAM area set on the RAM 22, and performs WYSIWYG on the CRT display 31.
(What you see is whatyou get) is possible. Further, the CPU 21 opens various registered windows in accordance with commands specified by a mouse cursor or the like (not shown) on the CRT display 31 and executes various data processing.

The RAM 22 is a RAM that can be expanded by an option RAM or the like, and is used as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 21.

A keyboard controller (KBC) 26 controls key input from a keyboard 30 or a pointing device (not shown). A CRT controller (CRTC) 27 is a CRT display (CRT) 31
Is displayed.

The storage control unit 28 controls access to the external storage device 32. The external storage device 32 includes a hard disk, a floppy disk, and the like. The hard disk stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, and the like. Printer controller (PRT)
C) 29 is connected to the laser beam printer 1 via a predetermined bidirectional interface cable 45, and executes communication control processing with the laser beam printer 1.

The number of external storage devices 32 is not limited to one. At least one external storage device can be connected, and an optional font card and a plurality of external storage devices storing programs for interpreting printer control languages of different languages can be connected in addition to the built-in fonts. It may be configured as follows.

The laser beam printer 1 will be described. The laser beam printer 1 inputs and stores character information (character code), form information, macro instructions, and the like supplied from the host computer 20, and creates and records corresponding character patterns and form patterns according to the information. An image is formed on a recording paper as a medium.

The laser beam printer 1 includes a printer control unit 47, a printer engine 42, and an operation panel 4.
3 and an external storage device 44. The operation panel 43 is provided with switches for operation, an LED display, and the like.

The printer control unit 47 includes a printer CP
U33, RAM 34, ROM 35, input / output unit 38
A printing unit interface 39, a storage control unit 40,
The nonvolatile memory 41 is mutually connected via the system bus 37.

The ROM 35 has a font ROM, a program ROM, and a data ROM. Font RO
M stores font data (including outline font data) and the like used when generating image information as output information, and a program ROM stores a control program and the like. Stores information used on the host computer 20 in the case of a printer having no external memory 44 such as a hard disk.

The printer CPU 33 comprehensively controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 37 according to a control program or the like stored in the program ROM of the ROM 35 or a control program or the like stored in the external storage device 44. It outputs an image signal as output information to the printer engine 2 connected via the printing unit interface 39. The printer CPU 33 can communicate with the host computer 20 via the input / output unit 38, and can notify the host computer 20 of information and the like in the laser beam printer 1.

The RAM 34 is mainly a printer CPU 33
The memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an additional boat (not shown). The non-volatile memory 41 stores the set printer setting information.

The storage control unit 40 controls access to the external storage device 44. The external storage device 40 includes a hard disk, an IC card, and the like, and the hard disk stores font data, form data, and the like. The external storage device 44 is connected as an option, and stores font data (including font data downloaded from the host computer 20 or the like) and an emulation program (20 bytes from the host computer).
Etc.) and form data (host computer 20).
Etc.) are stored.

The number of external storage devices 44 is not limited to one. At least one or more external storage devices can be connected. In addition to built-in fonts, an optional font card and a plurality of external storage devices storing programs for interpreting printer control languages of different languages can be connected. It may be configured as follows.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the laser beam printer 1 of FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes the same part as in FIG.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a laser scanner which scans a laser beam modulated based on an image signal on a photosensitive drum 4A in the printing process unit 4.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a paper feed cassette for storing the sheet material S. Reference numeral 5 denotes a paper feed roller for feeding the sheet materials S separated one by one by a separation claw (not shown) to a pair of registration rollers 6.

Reference numeral 4B denotes a transfer roller, which is a photosensitive drum 4A.
The upper toner image is transferred onto the sheet surface of the sheet material S fed by the registration roller pair 6. A fixing device 7 fixes the toner image on the sheet material S to the sheet surface. Reference numeral 8 denotes a conveying roller pair for conveying the sheet material S after the toner image is fixed.
Reference numeral 9 denotes a pair of paper discharge rollers, which transfer the sheet material S to a paper discharge tray 10.
To discharge to

Reference numeral 11A denotes a punching unit 11A, which is provided between the pair of paper discharge rollers 9 and the pair of paper discharge rollers 9, and includes a punching machine 12, a receiving container 13 for punch residue, an upstream conveying roller pair 14, and a downstream It has a pair of side conveyance rollers 15 and is for punching a binding hole (binding processing portion) in the sheet material S only when the punching is designated. The upstream transport roller pair 14 is for setting the sheet material S on the punching machine 12. The punch 12 punches a binder binding hole in the sheet material S. Punch ground receiving container 13
Is for temporarily storing punch residue (machining waste) coming out of the sheet material S.

Next, the operation of the laser beam printer 1 will be described. Printer CPU 3 in laser beam printer 1
When a print start signal is input to the printer 3, a laser beam (image signal) is emitted from the laser scanner 2, and the sheet material is directed by the paper feed roller 5 from the paper feed cassette 3 to the registration roller pair 6 whose rotation is stopped. Fed.

The laser beam emitted from the laser scanner 2 is scanned on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 4A which is built in the printing process unit 4 and rotates clockwise. Thus, an electrostatic latent image is sequentially formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 4A that is uniformly charged by the primary charger (not shown). Then, this electrostatic latent image is visualized by toner supplied from a developing device (not shown) to become a toner image.

The skew state of the sheet material S fed to the registration roller pair 6 whose rotation is stopped is corrected by the registration roller pair 6. Then, the registration roller pair 6 is rotated at a timing with the toner image on the photosensitive drum 4A, and the sheet material S is sent to a transfer portion between the photosensitive drum 4A and the transfer roller 4B. As a result, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 4A is transferred to the sheet surface.

The sheet material S on which the transfer of the toner image has been completed in the transfer section is sent to a fixing device 7 by a transport conveyor (not shown), and the transferred toner image is fixed on the sheet surface. The sheet material S that has completed the toner image fixing process in the fixing device 7 is sent to the roller pair 9 on the upper portion of the laser beam printer main body 1 by the conveying roller pair 8, and is sent to the upper surface of the laser beam printer main body 1 by the discharge roller pair 9. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 10.

Only when the perforation is designated, the sheet material S which has been subjected to the fixing process of the toner image in the fixing device 7 is discharged to the discharge tray 10 by the discharge roller pair 9 immediately before the punching unit. A binding hole is punched at a predetermined position of the sheet material S by 11A.

The drilling is specified on the CRT display 31 of the host computer 20 using a screen as shown in FIG. Punching (punching) is specified as a setting at the time of printing. The laser beam printer 1 may have a function of designating a hole.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the control program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 35. It is determined whether or not drilling is specified (S11),
If it is determined that punching is specified, the image is reduced to a size such that the image is not lost due to punching (S12), and printing is performed (S13). An example of the image obtained in this way is shown in FIG.

In the image of FIG. 5B, the perforation is not located on the image, and the image obtained by the conventional example (FIG.
As can be seen from comparison with FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the hole is not specified, printing is performed without reducing (S13).

As long as the functions of the present invention are executed, processing can be performed via a network such as a LAN (local area network), whether it is a single device or a system including a plurality of devices. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a system to be performed.

<Second Embodiment> This embodiment is a first embodiment.
In comparison with the second embodiment, conditions for performing image reduction are different. That is, in the first embodiment, the image is reduced only when the perforation is specified, but in the present embodiment, the image is reduced even when the binding margin and the print image overlap. .

FIG. 6 shows a ROM 3 according to the second embodiment.
5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in a program ROM of FIG. It is determined whether or not perforation is specified (S21). If it is determined that perforation is specified, it is determined whether or not the binding margin and the print image overlap (see the diagram on the left side of FIG. 7) (S22). If it is determined that the binding margin and the print image overlap, the image is reduced to a size such that the binding margin and the print image do not overlap (S23), and printing is performed (S24). As a result, a print result as shown in FIG. 7 is obtained. From the image on the right side of FIG. 7, it can be seen that the binding margin and the print image do not overlap, and the image is reduced. On the other hand, if it is determined that the binding margin and the printed image do not overlap,
Printing is performed without reducing the image (S24).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the punching is not designated (S21), printing is performed without reducing the image (S24).

<Third Embodiment> This embodiment is an example in which the user can set the width of the binding margin using the host computer 20 or the like.

FIG. 8 shows a ROM 3 according to the third embodiment.
5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in a program ROM of FIG. It is determined whether or not a binding margin is set (S31). If it is determined that a binding margin is specified, the image is reduced according to the width of the designated binding margin (S32) and printing is performed (S33). As a result, a print result as shown on the right side in FIG. 9 is obtained. From the image on the right side of FIG. 9, the binding margin is set to the specified width, and
It can be seen that the binding margin and the print image do not overlap, and the image is reduced.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the binding margin is not specified, printing is performed without reducing the image (S3).
3).

<Fourth Embodiment> This embodiment is an example in which image reduction is performed only when a binding margin and a print image overlap.

FIG. 10 shows a ROM according to the fourth embodiment.
It is a flow chart which shows an example of a control program stored in 35 program ROM. It is determined whether or not a binding margin has been set (S41). If it is determined that a binding margin has been set, it is determined whether or not the binding margin of the set width and the print image overlap (S42). If it is determined that the binding margin and the print image overlap, an image reduction ratio is calculated so that the binding margin and the print image do not overlap, the image is reduced at the obtained reduction ratio (S43), and printing is performed (S44). . As a result, a print result similar to the print result shown in FIG. 9 is obtained. On the other hand, if it is determined that the binding margin and the print image do not overlap, printing is performed without reducing the image (S4).
4).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the binding margin is not set (S41), printing is performed without reducing the image (S44).

The functions in the first to fourth embodiments described above may be performed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention can be applied to a case where a group of information including a program is supplied to an output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or a floppy disk, or from an external storage medium via a network. Is what is done.

As described above, the storage medium storing the program code of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment is supplied to the system or the apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MP) of the system or the apparatus is supplied.
It goes without saying that the object of the present invention is also achieved when U) reads out and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the new function of the present invention, and 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, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, or the like can be used. it can.

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. It goes without saying that the present invention also includes a case where the system performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that a CPU or the like provided 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.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the print image is reduced and printed with respect to the print data specified to be punched, printing can be performed without any loss of image due to the punching.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to apply reduced printing only when the area of the binding margin and the print image overlap.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the laser beam printer 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen used to specify a hole.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in a program ROM of a ROM 35 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an image obtained in the first embodiment in comparison with an image of a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in a program ROM of a ROM 35 according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image printing method according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in a program ROM of a ROM 35 according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image printing method according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control program stored in a program ROM of a ROM 35 according to the fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Laser beam printer 20 Host computer 33 Printer CPU 47 Printer control unit 11A Perforation unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printing system having a punching means for punching a binding hole, comprising: a punching designating means for designating a punching process by the punching means; and A printing system, comprising: a reduction processing unit configured to reduce print data at a predetermined reduction ratio; and a printing unit configured to perform printing based on the reduced print data obtained by the reduction processing unit. 2. A printing system having a punching means for punching a binding hole, comprising: a punching designating means for designating a punching process by the punching means; and A determining means for determining whether a binding margin including a position to be punched by the punching means and a print scheduled area of an image to be printed based on print data are overlapped; A printing system, comprising: a reduction processing unit configured to reduce print data at a predetermined reduction ratio; and a printing unit configured to perform printing based on the reduced print data obtained by the reduction processing unit. 3. A printing system having a punching means for punching a binding hole, comprising: a punching designating means for designating a punching process by the punching means; a setting means for setting a width of a binding margin; A determination unit configured to determine whether a binding margin having a width set by the setting unit and a print-scheduled area of an image to be printed based on print data overlap when the punching process is specified by the punching specification unit; Calculating means for calculating a reduction ratio of a print image from the binding margin and the size of the scheduled printing area when the determination means makes an affirmative determination; and calculating the print data at the reduction ratio calculated by the calculation means. A printing system comprising: a reduction processing means for performing a reduction processing; and a printing means for performing printing based on reduced print data obtained by the reduction processing means. 4. A printing apparatus comprising: a reduction processing step of reducing print data at a predetermined reduction rate when a punching processing is designated; and a printing step of performing printing based on the obtained reduced print data. A printing method characterized by the above-mentioned. 5. A determination step of determining whether a binding margin including a scheduled punching position and a scheduled printing area of an image to be printed based on print data overlap when a punching process is designated; In this case, the printing system includes a reduction processing step of reducing the print data at a predetermined reduction rate, and a printing step of performing printing based on the obtained reduced print data. 6. When a width of a binding margin is designated and a punching process is designated, it is determined whether or not a binding margin of the set width and a print scheduled area of an image to be printed based on print data overlap. And a calculating step of calculating a reduction ratio of a print image from the binding margin and the size of the planned printing area when it is determined that the binding margin and the planned printing area overlap with each other. A printing system comprising: a reduction processing step of reducing the print data at a reduced reduction rate; and a printing step of performing printing based on the obtained reduced print data.