JP2001180081A - Imaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging system in which an image can be transferred to an intended transfer sheet when a rear sheet is used even if an imaging apparatus and a host computer exist at places separated physically. SOLUTION: When a user selects execution of print in a host computer 2, sheet information of a sheet feed means in an imaging apparatus, previously designated by a sheet information designating means and stored in a sheet information storing means, is transmitted to the host computer 2 by a sheet information transmitting means and a sheet information acquiring means and then displayed on the host computer 2 by a sheet information displaying means. Consequently, the user can select an intended sheet feed means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and a host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface, and is particularly suitable for a case where transfer is performed using a transfer sheet whose one side has been used. Image forming system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and a host computer are connected, if the image forming apparatus is out of paper, or if it does not have print information or paper suitable for a printing operation, Then, the user must go to the place where the image forming apparatus is present to supply or replace paper, which is inconvenient when the image forming apparatus is physically away from the user. There was a problem.

As a conventional technique for solving this problem, a plurality of paper feeders are provided in the image forming apparatus, and a plurality of paper feeders are provided so that sheets of the same size are stored in the plurality of paper feeders. Even if the paper in one paper source runs out, paper is fed from another paper source to continue printing, or transfer paper of different size is stored in multiple paper sources, In some cases, printing can be performed by switching the paper feeding means according to the content and the printing operation.

[0004] In recent years, from the viewpoint of environmental protection and cost reduction, the number of occasions of printing using backing paper using the back surface of a single-sided used paper as a printing surface has increased. In this case, back paper is set in one of the plurality of paper feeding means, new paper is set in one of the plurality of paper feeding means, and normal printing is performed on the back paper, and important documents are printed on the new paper. Have been done.

[0005] As a first prior art, there is one in which a user can specify a paper feeding means at the time of printing by an image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in a host computer. That is, in the first related art, the host computer includes a user instruction receiving unit, the receiving specifying unit, and the receiving specifying transmitting unit, and the image forming apparatus includes the receiving specifying receiving unit, This means that it has the reception designation execution means.

[0006] As a second prior art, a user is required to:
Some image forming apparatuses can switch to an appropriate paper feeding apparatus according to print information or a printing operation by selecting an automatic selection function of a paper feeding unit by an image forming apparatus driving unit. I do. However, the switching operation is based on only the size of the sheet. That is, in the second conventional technique, the image forming apparatus has a unit capable of performing automatic selection based only on the paper size.

[0007]

However, in the first prior art, it is necessary to confirm which sheet feeding means stores the backing sheet in order to correctly perform the above-mentioned designation, and the image forming method has been described. When the device is physically located at a remote place, there is a problem that the above-mentioned confirmation may be neglected, and an important document may be printed on the backing paper and may have to be printed again. In the second prior art, as described above, in switching of the paper feeding unit by the automatic selection function, consideration is not given to factors other than the paper size, so that printing is performed on paper different from the user's intention. There is a problem that there is a possibility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system capable of selecting a sheet according to a user's intention and performing printing when using a backing sheet. Aim.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus and a host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface.
In an image forming system in which an image forming apparatus performs a transfer operation constituted by image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in a host computer, the image forming apparatus stores a transfer sheet and supplies the transfer sheet to the inside of the image forming apparatus Paper information designating means for designating one or more paper supply means, paper information indicating whether the transfer paper stored in each of the one or more paper supply means has been used on one side, and paper information designation means Paper information storage means for storing the paper information specified by the information processing apparatus, and paper information transmission means for transmitting the paper information stored in the paper information storage means to the host computer. Paper information acquiring means for acquiring the paper information of the image forming apparatus, acquiring the paper information by the paper information acquiring means, and transferring the transfer paper stored in each of the paper feeding means of the image forming apparatus. And displaying whether already used.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus and the host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface, and the image forming apparatus performs a transfer operation constituted by image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in the host computer. In the image forming system, the image forming apparatus stores the transfer paper and supplies the transfer paper to the inside of the image forming apparatus.
One or more paper feeding means, paper information specifying means for specifying paper information indicating whether or not the transfer paper stored in each of the one or more paper feeding means has been used on one side, and paper information specifying means Paper information storage means for storing the specified paper information, and paper supply means storing the paper suitable for the content of the transfer information and the transfer operation from the paper information stored in the paper information storage means, and performing the transfer. A print control unit, wherein the image forming apparatus driving unit receives an instruction as to whether or not transfer to a single-sided used transfer sheet is possible, and designates a single-sided used sheet unavailable designation for designating the instruction. In the case where an instruction not to transfer to a single-sided used transfer paper is designated by the unit and the single-sided used paper unavailable designation unit, a command indicating the gist of the designation is transmitted to the image forming apparatus together with the transfer operation. One side And a print control unit that, when receiving the command, refers to the paper information stored in the paper information storage unit and stores the transfer paper that has been used on one side. The paper is fed from paper feeding means other than the paper feeding means, and the transfer operation is performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming system according to the second aspect, the print control unit refers to the sheet information stored in the sheet information storage unit when a command is received, and determines whether or not one side has been used. The transfer operation is not performed when there is no paper feeding unit in which no transfer paper is stored.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming system according to the third aspect, the image forming apparatus transmits the instruction information and data indicating that there is no transfer sheet in accordance with the instruction operation to the host computer. The image forming apparatus driving unit further includes a process suspension information transmitting unit, and the image forming apparatus driving unit further includes a print paper out-of-print warning unit that displays a warning screen on a host computer by receiving the data. .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus and the host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface, and the image forming apparatus performs a transfer operation constituted by image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in the host computer. In the image forming system, the image forming apparatus stores the transfer paper and supplies the transfer paper to the inside of the image forming apparatus.
One or more paper feeding means, paper information specifying means for specifying whether paper stored in each of the one or more paper feeding means has been used on one side, and paper information specifying means Paper information storage means for storing the obtained paper information; and paper information transmission means for transmitting the paper information stored in the paper information storage means to the host computer. An instruction to determine whether or not transfer to paper is permitted is accepted, and a single-sided used paper unavailable designation unit that specifies the instruction and an instruction to not transfer to the single-sided used paper are specified. Has paper information acquisition means for acquiring paper information of the image forming apparatus, acquires paper information by the paper information acquisition means, and if there is no paper supply means in which transfer paper that is not used on one side is stored, , A warning by the printing paper without warning means is sheet feeding means for the transfer paper not been surface used is stored to display a warning that does not exist, characterized in that it does not transmit the transfer data to the image forming apparatus.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the image forming system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Hereinafter, one-sided used paper is written as backing paper, and paper not used on both sides is written as blank paper. 1 to 4 are configuration diagrams of an image forming system including a host computer 2 and a printer 1 applied as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram of the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 and FIG. 3 are diagrams illustrating a configuration according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the printer 1, FIG. 6 shows an example of storing paper information of the printer 1, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functions of the above.

FIGS. 8, 10 and 13 show the printer driver 2.
8 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of FIG.
FIG. 10 shows the results of the first embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 13 shows the processing operation in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 9 is an example of a screen displayed by the printer driver 202, FIG. 11 is an example of a display screen generated by the printer driver 202 in step S11 in FIG. 10, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when the printer controller 100 performs a process of selecting a paper feed tray when a paper unusable command is included.

(Embodiment 1) <System Configuration> According to FIG.
It comprises a printer 1, a host computer 2, and a bidirectional interface 3. The bidirectional interface is represented by a Centronics interface, a LAN network, an IEEE 1394 or a USB interface, and any interface that functions as a bidirectional interface can be applied to the present invention.

The printer 1 has a paper feeding means 4, a paper information designating means 5, a paper information storage means 6, and a paper information transmitting means 7, and the host computer 2 has a paper information acquiring means 8 and a paper information displaying means 9. It is configured to have.

<Configuration and Operation of Printer 1> Referring to FIG. 5, the printer 1 includes a printer controller 100, an engine 111, and a panel device 112. The printer controller 100 includes a CPU 101, NVRA
M102, program ROM 103, RAM 104, engine I / F 105, panel I / F 106, host I / F
F107 is provided.

The engine I / F 105 includes an engine 111
It is connected to the. The panel I / F 106 is connected to the panel device 112. The host I / F 107 is connected to the host computer 2 via the bidirectional interface 3.
It is connected to the.

The CPU 101 includes a program ROM 103
, The mode instruction from the panel device 112, and the command instruction from the host computer 2 to control the entire controller. The NVRAM 102 is a non-volatile storage device that stores the content of a mode instruction from the panel device 112 and the like.

The program ROM 103 stores a control program for the printer controller 100.
The RAM 104 is used as a work memory of the CPU 101, an input buffer for input data, a page buffer for print data, and the like.

The engine I / F 105 includes an engine 111
And an interface for communicating commands, status, and print data. The panel I / F 106 is an interface for communicating commands and status with the panel device 112. The host I / F 107 is an interface that communicates with the host computer 2.

When the printer controller 100 receives data, specifically, a character code, a control code, and a control command from the host computer 2 via the host I / F 107, the data is temporarily stored in the input buffer. . Next, the data stored in the input buffer is taken out, and page layout information of the data is stored in the page buffer. When the page buffer is completed for one page, the data in the page buffer is developed in the frame buffer as a bit map. When the development is completed, a feed tray selection command, a discharge tray selection command, and a print command are sent to the engine 111 via the engine I / F 105, and the bitmap data developed in the frame buffer is output as video data.

On the other hand, the engine 111 receives a paper feed tray selection command sent from the printer controller 100,
In accordance with a discharge tray selection command and a print command, paper is fed from a designated paper supply tray, printing is performed in accordance with video data, and output to the designated paper discharge tray.

When the user places the paper in the paper feed tray of the printer 1, the user determines whether or not the paper is back paper by the panel device 1.
Specify from 12. The specifying operation is performed by the paper information specifying unit 5.
Operation. Next, the printer controller 100
Receives information from the panel I / F 106 as to whether or not the sheet is a back sheet, and stores the information in the NVRAM 102. The storage operation corresponds to the operation of the sheet information storage unit 6.

FIG. 6 is an example of storing paper information of the printer 1. It should be noted that the type indicated as normal means blank paper. The same applies to the following cases. For each paper feed tray of the printer 1, information on the paper size and whether the paper is back paper or blank paper is stored in a table format. The controller 100 reads the sheet information from the NVRAM 102 in response to a request from the printer driver 202, and transmits the sheet information to the host computer 2 through the host I / F 107. The read operation and the transmission operation include:
This corresponds to the operation of the sheet information transmitting means 7.

<Structure and Operation of Host Computer 2> FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing functions of the host computer 2. The host computer 2 includes an application 200 and an operating system (hereinafter referred to as an OS).
201, a printer driver 202, a print manager 203, and a network I / F 204.

When printing data, the application 200 sends to the printer driver 202 intermediate print data unique to the OS created via the OS 201. The printer driver 202 converts the received intermediate print data into a printer control command unique to the printer 1, that is,
The print data is converted into final print data and
Send to 3. After temporarily spooling the print data, the print manager 203 sets the network I / F 20
4 is instructed to transmit print data. Network I / F
204 transmits print data to the printer 1 via the bidirectional interface 3.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printer driver 202. When print execution is selected in the application 200, in step S1, the printer driver 20
2 transmits a paper information acquisition request to the printer 1 via the bidirectional interface 3. In step S2, the printer 1 receives the sheet information read from the NVRAM 102. The sheet information acquisition request transmitting operation and the sheet information receiving operation correspond to the operation of the sheet information acquiring unit 8.

In step S3, a display screen is generated based on the sheet information received in step S2. In step S4, the screen generated in step S3 is displayed, and an input from the user is accepted. The generation and display operation corresponds to the sheet information display means 9. FIG. 9 is an example of a screen displayed by the printer driver 202. Whether the paper stored in each tray of the printer 1 is a back paper or a blank paper is displayed. If the user does not want to use the back paper, the user selects the tray storing the blank paper.

In step S5, the printer driver 202 specifies the selected paper feed tray and creates a control command to be transmitted to the printer 1 based on the specified paper feed tray. In step S6, the print data including the control command is transmitted to the print manager 203, and the process ends.

On the screen displayed in step S4, whether the paper stored in each tray of the printer 1 is a backing paper or a blank paper is displayed. , It is possible to know whether the paper in each tray is back paper or blank paper on the host computer 2, and it is possible to select an appropriate tray and execute printing as intended.

(Second Embodiment) <System Configuration> As in the first embodiment, the printer 1 includes a printer 1, a host computer 2, and a bidirectional interface 3. According to FIG. 2, the printer 1
Paper feeding means 4, paper information specifying means 5, paper information storage means 6
And a host computer 2 having a printing control means 10
Is a one-sided used paper unavailable designation command transmission means 1
1 and one-sided used paper unusable designating means 12.

<Configuration and Operation of Printer 1> This is the same as in the first embodiment.

<Structure and Operation of Host Computer 2> This is the same as in the first embodiment.

<Operation in Second Embodiment> According to FIG. 10, when an instruction to perform printing is issued in the application 200, the printer driver 202 generates a screen as shown in FIG. 11 in step S11. The generation screen is provided with means for selecting whether the backing paper can be used or not, and performing input. Step S1
In 2, the screen is displayed. At this time, if the user does not want to use the back paper, the user selects the use of the back paper and gives an instruction.

In step S13, a control command is created. At this time, in step S12, if back sheet unusable is selected and instructed, a back sheet unusable command is included in the control command. The command creation operation corresponds to the operation of the one-sided used / unusable designation unit 12. In step S14, the print data including the control command is transmitted to the print manager 203, and the process ends.
The transmission operation and the transmission operation via the print manager 203 and the network I / F 204 correspond to the operation of the single-sided used paper unavailable designation command transmission unit 11.

Since the user specifies the paper feed tray, it is assumed that sheets are stored in all paper feed trays. According to FIG. 12, when receiving the print data including the back paper unusable command in the control command, the printer controller 100 determines in step S21 that the NV
The paper information stored in the RAM 102 is read. Next, in step S22, a counter variable i is initialized to 1 and the number of paper feed trays is substituted for a variable N. The counter variable in FIG. 12 is the number of times of passing through step S23 in a series of processing operations, that is, step S23,
This represents the number obtained by adding 1 to the number of times the operations in steps S24 and S25 are repeated, and indicates whether a check is being performed to determine which tray is storing paper that is not backing paper. Is represented.
In step S23, i is compared with the value of N. If i is equal to or less than N, the process proceeds to step S24.

In step S24, step S2
Based on the sheet information read in step 1, it is determined whether the sheet stored in the i-th tray is a back sheet. If the storage paper is a backing paper, the process proceeds to step S25, and if not, the process proceeds to step S26. In step S25, 1 is added to i, and the process returns to step S23. In step S26, the i-th tray is selected and the process ends. If i becomes larger than N in step S23, that is, if there is only back paper in the paper feed tray, the process proceeds to step S27, and the process is terminated with the selected tray undecided. It can be seen that the sheets are selected in order from the first sheet feed tray.

The printer controller 100 determines a tray to be selected by the above-described processing. If the tray can be determined, the printer controller 100 transmits a paper feed tray selection command and bitmap data to the engine 111 through the engine I / F 105. The engine 111 feeds paper from the tray selected based on the received command and the bitmap data,
Perform print processing. If the tray has not been determined, the printer controller 100 selects and instructs an appropriate paper feed tray,
Perform print processing. The processing operation and the instruction operation correspond to the operation of the print control unit 10.

(Embodiment 3) <System Configuration> This is the same as the embodiment 2.

<Structure and Operation of Printer 1> This is the same as in the second embodiment.

<Structure and Operation of Host Computer 2> This is the same as in the second embodiment.

<Operation in Third Embodiment> According to FIG. 10, when an instruction is given to perform printing in the application 200, the printer driver 202 generates a screen as shown in FIG. 11 in step S11. The generation screen is provided with means for selecting whether the backing paper can be used or not, and performing input. Step S1
In 2, the screen is displayed. At this time, if the user does not want to use the back paper, the user selects the use of the back paper and gives an instruction.

In step S13, a control command is created. At this time, in step S12, if back sheet unusable is selected and instructed, a back sheet unusable command is included in the control command. The command creation operation corresponds to the operation of the one-sided used / unusable designation unit 12. In step S14, the print data including the control command is transmitted to the print manager 203, and the process ends.
The transmission operation and the transmission operation via the print manager 203 and the network I / F 204 correspond to the operation of the single-sided used paper unavailable designation command transmission unit 11.

Since the user specifies the paper feed tray, it is assumed that the paper is stored in all the paper feed trays. According to FIG. 12, the printer controller 100
Reads out the sheet information stored in the NVRAM 102 in step S21. Next, in step S22, a counter variable i is initialized to 1 and the number of paper feed trays is substituted for a variable N. The counter variable in FIG. 12 indicates a number obtained by adding 1 to the number of times of passing through step S23 in a series of processing operations, that is, the number of times of repeating the operations in steps S23, S24, and S25. In other words, it indicates whether a check is being performed to determine in which tray the non-backing paper is stored. In step S23, i is compared with the value of N. If i is equal to or less than N, the process proceeds to step S24.

In step S24, step S2
Based on the sheet information read in step 1, it is determined whether the sheet stored in the i-th tray is a back sheet. If the storage paper is a backing paper, the process proceeds to step S25, and if not, the process proceeds to step S26. In step S25, 1 is added to i, and the process returns to step S23. In step S26, the i-th tray is selected and the process ends. If i becomes larger than N in step S23, that is, if there is only back paper in the paper feed tray, the process proceeds to step S27, and the process is terminated with the selected tray undecided.

The printer controller 100 determines the selected tray by the above processing. When the tray can be determined, the engine 111 is sent through the engine I / F 105.
To send a paper feed tray selection command and bitmap data. The engine 111 feeds paper from a tray selected based on the received command and bitmap data, and performs print processing. If the tray has not been determined, the printer controller 100 does not output to the engine 111 and stops the printing process. The processing operation and the processing stop operation correspond to the operation of the print control unit 10.

(Embodiment 4) <System Configuration> As in the case of Embodiment 1, the printer 1 includes a printer 1, a host computer 2, and a bidirectional interface 3. According to FIG. 3, the printer 1
Paper feed unit 4, paper information designating unit 5, paper information storage unit 6, print control unit 10, and print processing stop information transmitting unit 1
The host computer 2 includes a single-sided used paper unavailable designation command transmitting unit 11, a print paper-out warning unit 14, and a single-sided used paper unavailable designation unit 12.

<Structure and Operation of Printer 1> This is the same as in the third embodiment.

<Structure and Operation of Host Computer 2> This is the same as in the third embodiment.

<Operation in Embodiment 4> According to FIG. 10, when an instruction to perform printing is given in the application 200, the printer driver 202 generates a screen as shown in FIG. 11 in step S11. The generation screen is provided with means for selecting whether the backing paper can be used or not, and performing input. Step S1
In 2, the screen is displayed. At this time, if the user does not want to use the back paper, the user selects the use of the back paper and gives an instruction.

In step S13, a control command is created. At this time, in step S12, if back sheet unusable is selected and instructed, a back sheet unusable command is included in the control command. The command creation operation corresponds to the operation of the one-sided used / unusable designation unit 12. In step S14, the transfer data including the control command is transmitted to the print manager 203, and the process ends.
The transmission operation and the transmission operation via the print manager 203 and the network I / F 204 correspond to the operation of the single-sided used paper unavailable designation command transmission unit 11.

Since the user specifies the paper feed tray, it is assumed that the transfer paper is stored in all the paper feed trays. According to FIG. 12, the printer controller 10
0 reads out the sheet information stored in the NVRAM 102 in step S21. Next, step S22
, A counter variable i is initialized to 1 and the number of paper feed trays is substituted for a variable N. The counter variable in FIG. 12 is the number of times of passing through step S23 in a series of processing operations, that is, steps S23, S24,
It represents the number obtained by adding 1 to the number of times the operation in step S25 is repeated. In other words, it indicates whether a check is being performed to determine which tray is storing a sheet other than the backing sheet. In step S23, i is compared with the value of N. If i is equal to or less than N, the process proceeds to step S24.

In step S24, step S2
Based on the sheet information read in step 1, it is determined whether the sheet stored in the i-th tray is a back sheet. If the storage paper is a backing paper, the process proceeds to step S25, and if not, the process proceeds to step S26. In step S25, 1 is added to i, and the process returns to step S23. In step S26, the i-th tray is selected and the process ends. If i becomes larger than N in step S23, that is, if there is only back paper in the paper feed tray, the process proceeds to step S27, and the process is terminated with the selected tray undecided.

The printer controller 100 determines the selected tray by the above processing. When the tray can be determined, the engine 111 is sent through the engine I / F 105.
To send a paper feed tray selection command and bitmap data. The engine 111 feeds paper from a tray selected based on the received command and bitmap data, and performs print processing. If the tray has not been determined, the printer controller 100 does not output to the engine 111 and stops the printing process. The processing operation and the processing stop operation correspond to the operation of the print control unit 10.

Further, the printer controller 100 sends information to the host computer 2 via the host I / F 107 to the effect that there is no paper according to the instruction, and the printer driver 202 receives the transmission information and displays a warning screen. Create and display The transmitting operation is performed by the printer 1
The print processing suspension information transmitting means 13 in
The creation and display operations correspond to the print paper out warning means 14 in the host computer 2.

Fifth Embodiment <System Configuration> As in the case of the first embodiment, the printer 1 includes a printer 1, a host computer 2, and a bidirectional interface 3. The printer 1 has a paper feeding unit 4, a paper information designating unit 5, a paper information storage unit 6, and a paper information transmitting unit 7, and the host computer 2 has a paper information acquiring unit 8, a print paper out warning unit 14, It has a single-sided used paper unusable designation means 12.

<Structure and Operation of Printer 1> This is the same as in the first embodiment.

<Structure and Operation of Host Computer 2> This is the same as in the first embodiment.

<Operation in the Fifth Embodiment> According to FIG. 13, when an instruction to perform printing is given in the application 200, the printer driver 202 in the steps S31 and S32 operates as in the case of the second embodiment. A screen such as 11 is generated and displayed, and a user's instruction is accepted. In step S33, it is determined whether or not back sheet unusable is instructed and designated. The generation, display, instruction reception, determination, and designation operation correspond to the operation of the single-sided used paper unavailable designation unit 12. If back sheet unusable is not instructed, the process proceeds to step S41, where the print data is transmitted to the print manager 203, and the process is terminated.

If it is determined in step S33 that back paper cannot be used, the flow advances to step S34. In step S34, a paper information acquisition request is transmitted to printer 1. In step S35, the printer 1
The paper information read from the VRAM 102 is received. The transmission and reception operations correspond to the operation of the paper information acquisition unit 8. In step S36, a counter variable i is initialized to 1 and the number of paper feed trays is substituted for a variable N, as in the case of the second embodiment.

In step S37, the values of i and N are compared. If i is less than or equal to N, the flow advances to step S38. In step S38, based on the sheet information received in step S35, the sheet stored in the i-th tray is
It is determined whether or not it is a backing sheet. If it is a back sheet, the process proceeds to step S39. If it is not a back sheet, the process proceeds to step S40. In step S39, 1 is added to i, and the process returns to step S37. In step S40, a control command designating the i-th tray is created.

In step S41, print data including a control command is transmitted to the print manager 203,
The process ends. If i is greater than N in step S37, the process proceeds to step S42. Step S4
In step 2, a warning screen indicating that there is no tray in accordance with the content of the instruction is displayed and processed. The warning screen display operation corresponds to the operation of the print paper out warning unit 14.

[0066]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus driving means can acquire and display the sheet information of the sheet feeding means of the image forming apparatus. Since the user can go to the place where the image forming apparatus is located, the back paper is stored in the paper feed tray of any paper feeding means in the image forming apparatus on the host computer without having to go to the place where the image forming apparatus is present. , And it is possible to select a sheet feeding means that meets the intention.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus driving means can designate that transfer of one-sided used transfer paper cannot be used. It is possible to instruct the transfer operation without considering whether the single-sided used transfer paper is stored in the paper feed tray of the means.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus system, even if it is instructed that transfer of one-sided used transfer paper cannot be used, if there is no transfer paper in accordance with the instruction contents, Since the execution of the transfer operation is stopped, it is possible to prevent the transfer to the transfer paper different from the user's intention beforehand.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a warning is displayed on the host computer indicating that there is no transfer sheet in accordance with the instruction, so that the user can follow the instruction in the image forming apparatus. It is possible for the host computer to recognize that there is no transfer paper.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming system, when there is no transfer sheet according to the user's intention, useless data transmission is not performed and the image is displayed on the screen of the host computer. Therefore, the user can recognize that the intended transfer sheet does not exist in the discharge tray before transmitting the data to the image forming apparatus, so that the user can take prompt action.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a printer, a host computer, and a bidirectional interface according to a first embodiment which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of a printer, a host computer, and a bidirectional interface according to Examples 2 and 3 which are one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of a printer, a host computer, and a bidirectional interface according to a fourth embodiment which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a printer, a host computer, and a bidirectional interface according to a fifth embodiment which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a storage example of paper information of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a host computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a processing operation of the printer driver according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an example of a screen displayed by a printer driver according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows Examples 2, 3, and 4 as one embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing operation of the printer driver in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an example of a display screen generated by a printer driver in step S1 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an operation when a printer driver selects a paper feeding unit in a case where a back paper unusable command is included in a control command in the second, third, and fourth embodiments of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation of an image forming apparatus driving unit in Example 5 which is an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Host computer 3 Bidirectional interface 4 Paper supply means 5 Paper information designation means 6 Paper information storage means 7 Paper information transmission means 8 Paper information acquisition means 9 Paper information display means 10 Print control means 11 Single-sided used paper unavailable designation Command transmitting means 12 Single-sided used paper unavailable specifying means 13 Print processing stop information transmitting means 14 Print paper out warning means 100 Printer controller 101 CPU 102 NVRAM 103 Program ROM 104 RAM 105 Engine I / F 106 Panel I / F 107 Host I / F 111 engine 112 panel device 200 application 201 operating system 202 printer driver 203 print manager 204 network I / F

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and a host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface, and the image forming apparatus performs a transfer operation constituted by image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in the host computer. The image forming apparatus stores at least one transfer sheet and supplies the transfer sheet to the inside of the image forming apparatus; Paper information designating means for designating paper information indicating whether or not the paper has been used on one side; paper information storage means for storing the paper information designated by the paper information designating means; And a sheet information transmitting unit for transmitting the sheet information to the host computer, wherein the image forming apparatus driving unit acquires the sheet information of the image forming apparatus. A sheet information acquiring unit for acquiring the sheet information by the sheet information acquiring unit, and displaying whether or not the transfer paper stored in each of the sheet feeding units of the image forming apparatus has been used on one side; Characteristic image forming system. 2. An image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and a host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface and the image forming apparatus performs a transfer operation constituted by image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in the host computer. The image forming apparatus stores at least one transfer sheet and supplies the transfer sheet to the inside of the image forming apparatus; Paper information designating means for designating whether paper is used on one side or not, paper information storage means for storing paper information designated by the paper information designating means, and paper stored in the storage means A print control unit for selecting a sheet feeding unit in which the content of the transfer information and a sheet suitable for the transfer operation are stored based on the information and performing transfer. Means for accepting an instruction as to whether or not it is possible to perform transfer to a transfer sheet that has been used on one side, and a means for designating the use of a single-sided used paper for designating the instruction; When an instruction not to perform transfer to a single-sided used transfer paper is designated by the user, a single-sided used paper unavailable designation command transmission command is transmitted to the image forming apparatus together with the transfer operation, the command indicating the gist of the designation. The print control means, when the command is received,
With reference to the sheet information stored in the sheet information storage means,
An image forming system wherein a transfer operation is performed by feeding paper from a paper feeding means other than the paper feeding means in which single-sided used transfer paper is stored. 3. The printing control unit, upon receiving the command, refers to the sheet information stored in the sheet information storage unit, and includes a sheet feeding unit that stores transfer paper that has not been used on one side. 3. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the transfer operation is not performed when the transfer operation is not performed. 4. The image forming apparatus further includes a print processing stop information transmitting unit that transmits instruction information and data indicating that there is no transfer sheet along the instruction operation to the host computer. 4. The image forming system according to claim 3, wherein the driving unit further includes a printing paper out-of-print warning unit that receives the data and displays a warning screen on the host computer when the data is received. 5. An image forming system in which an image forming apparatus and a host computer are connected by a bidirectional interface, and the image forming apparatus performs a transfer operation constituted by image forming apparatus driving means incorporated in the host computer. The image forming apparatus stores at least one transfer sheet, and supplies the transfer sheet to the inside of the image forming apparatus. Sheet information designating means for designating whether paper information has been used on one side, sheet information storing means for storing sheet information designated by the sheet information designating means, and sheets stored in the sheet information storing means Paper information transmitting means for transmitting information to the host computer, wherein the image forming apparatus driving means is capable of performing transfer to transfer paper used on one side. Means for specifying that the single-sided used paper cannot be used, and specifying the instruction, and obtaining the sheet information of the image forming apparatus when an instruction not to perform the transfer to the single-sided used paper is specified. A sheet information acquiring unit, wherein the sheet information is acquired by the sheet information acquiring unit. If there is no sheet feeding unit in which the transfer sheet not used on one side is stored, the transfer sheet not used on one side is used. An image forming system, wherein a warning is displayed by a print paper out warning means for displaying a warning that the stored paper supply means does not exist, and transfer data is not transmitted to the image forming apparatus.