JP2001192164A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a proper print by performing post-processing such as a stapling function, a punching function and the like according to the state of a recording sheet transferred with an image. SOLUTION: A post-processing determining part 216 interprets a command from a host device 100, and compares the post-processing condition designated by the command with combination of pieces of information on the printing direction, a designated size, a staple portion, a pattern, both-sided printing designation, a stitching direction and recording sheets actually set in a paper feed tray to determine whether stapling and punching can be done or not. When saddle two-spot stitching and punching are simultaneously designated by the host device 100, the punching function is released to prevent boring of disadvantageous holes in the printed recording sheet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a digital copying machine or a printer having a stapling function and a punching function, and more particularly to an appropriate processing such as a stapling function and a punching function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In digital copiers and printers, as shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-261415, one or two places on the top and bottom, right and left of a recording paper on which an image is transferred and conveyed. One having a staple function to bind one corner portion and a punch function to make a hole in the rear end of the conveyed paper is used. The image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-261415 discriminates the character string direction of an image to be copied, performs appropriate rotation processing, and performs stapling of recording paper aligned in a certain direction. ing.

[0003]

When a document created by a host computer is printed by a printer, the user generally does not consider which size of recording paper is set in a paper feed tray of the printer in which direction. Print. Particularly, in recent years, printing is often performed in a network environment, and there is often no printer device nearby. Therefore, printing is often performed without being aware of the state of recording paper in a paper feed tray of the printer device. Further, by placing various types of paper on a paper feed tray and storing the characteristics of the paper in the printer device, more advanced paper handling is required.

In such an environment, when a printer having a post-processing device such as a staple function or a punch function is used to designate and print a staple function or the like, the printer device performs stapling as specified. Therefore, depending on the case, stapling may be performed in a direction not intended by the user. Also, if you print with staple punch specified for a document while the application is running, and then print another document in the same application without changing the driver settings, in some cases the previous settings are not intended to remain alive Post-processing may be performed by the method.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which can solve such a problem and perform post-processing such as a stapling function and a punching function in accordance with the state of a recording sheet onto which an image has been transferred to obtain a proper printed matter. It is intended for.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of paper feed units capable of horizontally or vertically placing recording paper on a paper feed tray depending on a paper size; An image forming unit having a rotation sort function of copying image data by alternately changing the direction of each set of recording paper one by one, and transferring input image data to recording paper fed from each paper feeding unit; A stapling function that can bind the rear end of the recording paper on which the image has been transferred and conveyed from the near side to the back, oblique, vertical, front, two places, and two places in the middle. In an image processing device equipped with a punch function for punching holes and a paper output unit with a shift function for sorting the conveyed recording paper to the left and right, printing options for staples and punches specified together with image data are stored in advance. Was done And judging whether the staple and punch from printing direction designated size and the staple points and pattern and binding direction combination information.

[0007] When the binding at the middle two positions and the punch are designated at the same time, the punch is released, and when the binding at the middle two positions is designated when the single-sided printing is designated, the staple designation is released.

[0008] Further, the staple designation is released except when long edge binding is designated in double-sided designation in the case of designating two middle stitches perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recording paper,
The stapling designation is released except when short edge binding is designated in double-sided designation when the middle two bindings are designated horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper.

When the punch is designated, the shift operation of the recording paper is canceled. Further, when a print option for staple, punch, and double-sided printing that is impossible for the quality of the recording paper is specified, the specified print option is canceled.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A printer according to the present invention has a printer controller and an image forming unit. The printer controller has a host interface for transmitting and receiving print data and commands from a host device, an image forming unit, a memory, and an image forming unit interface. The image forming unit has an image data developing unit and a post-processing determining unit. The image data developing unit interprets the print data transmitted from the host device and develops the image data into image data. The post-processing determination unit interprets the command sent from the host device, checks whether a combination of stapling, punching, and rotation sorting has occurred, determines whether stapling is possible, and necessity of 180-degree rotation, and staples. Or a punch instruction and a 180-degree rotation instruction. In the memory, various combinations indicating whether or not staples and punches can be properly performed on various staples and punch patterns are stored as lookup tables. The image forming unit interface sends image data to the image forming unit and exchanges various commands and information with the image forming unit.

The image forming unit has an image processing main control unit, a plurality of paper feeding units, a plotter, and a paper discharging unit. The image processing main control unit receives an instruction from the printer controller and controls the image forming process of the plotter, the sheet feeding process of the sheet feeding unit, and the sheet discharging process of the sheet discharging unit. The plotter has a rotation sort function for copying image data by alternately changing the direction of horizontal and vertical recording paper of the same size, for example, A4 size, one copy at a time. Is transferred to the recording paper fed from the printer. The paper discharge unit has a staple processing unit and a punch processing unit. The staple processing unit performs stapling to bind one or two places of the recording paper on which the image is transferred and conveyed by the plotter, and the punch processing unit performs punching for making a hole in the rear end of the conveyed recording paper.

When print data is sent from the host device to the printer device together with printing condition and post-processing condition commands, such as whether or not double-sided printing is possible, including the printing direction, paper size, staple, punch location, and binding direction, the image forming unit is controlled by the image forming unit. The image data developing unit interprets the sent print data and develops the data into image data. The post-processing determination unit interprets the transmitted command, and performs post-processing conditions specified in the command, such as a staple pattern, a print direction, a specified size, a staple location, a pattern, and a double-sided specification of a lookup table stored in a memory. From the combination of the binding direction and information such as recording paper actually set in the paper feed tray of the paper feed unit of the image forming unit, it is determined whether staples and punches are possible and the necessity of 180-degree rotation. When staple or punch is possible, staple or punch is set, and when it is necessary to rotate 180 degrees, 180-degree rotation is set. When the post-processing condition is set, if the host device specifies the middle two-position binding and the punch at the same time, the designation of the punch is released, and the designation of the middle two-position binding is prioritized, and the middle two-position binding is performed. In this case, the inconvenience of making a hole in the end of the recording paper 230 is prevented. Also,
If two-sided binding is specified when single-sided printing is specified, the staple specification by the two-pointed binding is released. That is, the middle two-position binding is a case where the right and left spreads can be made on both sides. Since there is no meaning in single-sided printing, stapling due to the middle two-point binding is prevented. When this process is completed, the image creating unit sends the image data developed by the image data developing unit and the processing conditions set by the post-processing determining unit to the image forming unit, prints the recording paper, and staples or punches according to the set conditions. Execute.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a printer device 200 that prints image data sent from the host device 100 has a printer controller 210 and an image forming unit 220.
The printer controller 210 is a host interface 2 that transmits and receives print data and commands from the host device 100.
11, an image forming unit 212, a memory 213, and an image forming unit interface 214. The image forming unit 212 includes an image data expanding unit 215 and a post-processing determining unit 216. The image data developing unit 215 interprets the print data sent from the host device 100 and develops the data into image data. The post-processing determination unit 216 interprets the command sent from the host device 100, checks whether a combination of stapling, punching, and rotation sorting has occurred, and determines whether or not stapling is possible.
The necessity of 0-degree rotation is determined, and an instruction for staple or punch and an instruction for 180-degree rotation are issued. The memory 213 stores various combinations indicating whether or not staples and punches can be properly performed on various staple and punch patterns. The image forming unit interface 214 sends image data to the image forming unit 220 and exchanges various commands and information with the image forming unit 220.

The image forming section 220 has an image processing main control section 221, a plurality of paper feed sections 222 a to 222 d, a plotter 223, and a paper discharge section 224. The image processing main control unit 221 receives an instruction from the printer controller 210 and
3 controls the image forming processing, the paper feeding processing of the paper feeding units 222a to 222d, and the paper discharging processing of the paper discharging unit 224. Paper feed unit 22
The paper feed trays 2a and 222b are configured such that, for example, recording paper of A4 size or less can be placed horizontally and vertically. The plotter 223 has a rotation sort function of copying image data by alternately changing the direction of the horizontal and vertical recording papers of the same size, for example, A4 size one copy at a time, and converts the image data sent from the printer controller 210 into each copy. Paper feed unit 222a-
The image is transferred to the recording paper fed from 222d. Paper discharge unit 22
Reference numeral 4 includes a staple processing unit 225 and a punch processing unit 226. The stapling unit 225 performs stapling to bind one or two places of the recording paper on which the image has been transferred and conveyed by the plotter 223, and the punching unit 226 performs a punch for making a hole in the rear end of the conveyed recording paper. Do.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stapling process performed by the stapling unit 225 includes stapling patterns 1, 3, 11, and 2 at right and left upper and lower positions of the recording paper 230 on which the image is transferred. 9 and the pattern 1 for stapling the upper, lower, left and right two positions one by one
5, 13, 5, 7; patterns 0, 4, 8, 12 for stapling the position of each corner one by one;
Pattern 2 that staples the parts at the same time
A pattern 10 for simultaneously stapling two places, a pattern 14 for simultaneously stapling two places on the upper side, a pattern 6 for simultaneously stapling two places on the lower side, and a middle two-point binding pattern for simultaneously stapling two places at the center. There are 18 ways of 16,17.

For staple patterns 0 to 17 that determine the staple position, staples and punches can be properly performed in a designated printing direction (portrait, landscape), paper size, and paper feeding direction. FIGS. 3 to 6 show various combinations indicating whether or not the combination is possible. 3 to 6, "release" indicates that staples are released because staples are physically impossible in a target direction, and "0 /
180 ”is the recording paper 2 for stapling in the desired direction.
30 indicates a rotation angle at which 30 is rotated, and “release binding” indicates that staples are released because there is a contradiction between the binding direction of double-sided printing and the binding direction of staples. The staple parameters for the patterns, print directions (portrait, landscape), paper size, and paper feed direction shown in FIGS.
It is stored in advance in the memory 213 of the printer controller 210 as d.

The printer device 20 constructed as described above
The operation when printing the print data sent from the host device 100 at 0 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the user creates a document or a drawing on the host device 100 and gives a print instruction, the printer driver of the host device 100 is activated and the print setting process is started (step S1). In the print setting process, the user sets the printing conditions (portrait / landscape) and the paper size, and the printing conditions and post-processing conditions such as whether double-sided printing is possible or not, including staples, punch locations and binding directions, by setting the application or the printer driver. When specified, the printer driver generates print data and print condition and post-processing condition commands based on the set information and document information (step S2). The host device 100 transfers the generated print data and command to the printer device 200 via the printer interface (Step S).
3). Host interface 21 of printer device 200
1 receives the transferred print data and command and sends it to the image creating unit 212 (step S4). Image creation unit 212
The image data developing unit 215 interprets the sent print data and develops it into image data (step S5). Further, the post-processing determination unit 216 interprets the transmitted command, and stores post-processing conditions, such as staple patterns, specified in the command and the look-up tables 217a to 217d shown in FIGS. Printing direction, designated size, staple location, pattern, double-sided designation, binding direction, and actually paper feed units 222a to 222d of image forming unit 220
The combination of information such as the recording paper 230 set in the paper feed tray is compared to determine whether staples and punches are possible.
The necessity of the 80-degree rotation is determined (step S6). If staple or punch is possible, staple or punch is set, and if it is necessary to rotate 180 degrees, 180-degree rotation is set (step S7). When the post-processing conditions are set, if the middle two-position bindings 16 and 17 and the punch are specified at the same time by the host device 100, the specification of the punch is canceled and the specification of the middle two-position bindings 16 and 17 is prioritized. In addition, the inconvenience of making a hole in the end of the recording paper 230 at the time of the middle binding 16 and 17 is prevented. Also, if the middle two-position bindings 16 and 17 are designated when single-sided printing is designated, the staple designation by the middle two-position bindings 16 and 17 is released. That is, binding in the middle two places 16, 17
Is a case in which double-sided pages can be opened on both sides. Since there is no meaning in single-sided printing, stapling by binding at two middle positions 16 and 17 is prevented. Furthermore, unless the long edge bind is specified in the double-sided specification when the middle two-point binding is specified in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper 230, the staple is specified by the middle two-point binding. Is released, and if a non-short edge bind is specified in the double-sided specification when the middle two-position binding is specified horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper 230, staples with the middle two-point binding are specified. Cancel the specification.

This process is repeated until all the page data is completed (steps S8, S5 to S7). When a series of setting processing is completed, the image creation unit 212
15 and the processing conditions set by the post-processing determination unit 216, the image processing main control unit 221 of the image forming unit 220.
(Step S9). The image processing main control unit 221 causes the plotter 223 to form an image based on the sent image data, and prints the image on the recording sheet sent from the sheet feeding unit 222 (step S10). When the image data of all pages is printed (step S11), the image processing main control unit 221 outputs the paper discharge unit 224 according to the set processing conditions when staple or punch is set in the transmitted processing conditions.
The staple processing unit 225 and the punch processing unit 226 perform stapling or punching, and then discharge the paper (steps S12 and S13). When performing punching in this post-processing, if a shift operation is performed in which the conveyed recording paper is sorted left and right and sorted, the alignment of the holes becomes poor. Therefore, when performing punching, the shift operation of the recording paper is canceled. When the staple or the punch is not set, the shift operation of the recording paper is executed (step S1).
4).

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to the case where plain recording paper 230 is set in the paper feeding units 222a to 222d, the recording paper 2 to be set in the paper feeding units 222a to 222d is described.
In addition to plain paper, there are also perforated paper and OH
P, colored paper, recycled paper, label paper for stickers, etc. are set, and the recording paper 2 of the paper quality designated by the host device 100 is set.
30 can be printed. When the quality of the recording paper 230 to be printed can be designated in this manner, the memory 213 of the printer controller 210 can appropriately staple or punch various staple and punch patterns as shown in FIGS. In addition to storing various combinations indicating whether or not printing is possible, as shown in FIG. 8, printing options that are impossible according to the paper quality and each paper quality are stored. That is, there is no impossible print option for plain paper, recycled paper and colored paper, but punch is not required for punched paper, so punch is specified as an impossible print option. For OHP, punch and staple are specified. In addition, the back side printed paper and the label sheet for sticker are specified as print options where double side printing is not possible, and are stored in the memory 213 as the lookup table 217e.

The printer device 20 constructed as described above
The operation when printing the print data sent from the host device 100 at 0 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the user prepares a document or drawing on the host device 100 and gives a print instruction, the printer driver of the host device 100 is activated and the print setting process is started (step S21).
In this print setting process, the user sets the application or printer driver to set printing conditions (posture / landscape), paper size and paper quality, staples, punch locations and binding directions, and whether or not double-sided printing is possible and post-processing conditions. Is designated, the printer driver generates print data and a command for print conditions and post-processing conditions based on the set information and document information (step S22). The host device 100 transfers the generated print data and command to the printer device 200 via the printer interface (Step S23). The host interface 211 of the printer device 200 receives the transferred print data and command and sends it to the image creating unit 212 (Step S24). The image data developing unit 215 of the image creating unit 212 interprets the transmitted print data and develops the image data into image data (step S2).
5). Then, the post-processing determination unit 216 determines whether an impossible print option is specified by comparing the specified paper quality with the look-up table 217e shown in FIG. 8 stored in the memory 213 (step S26). For example, when OHP is specified as the paper quality, impossible punch, staple, or double-sided printing is specified as a print option, or when back side printed paper or label paper for stickers is specified, If possible double-sided printing is specified as a print option, the specified print option is canceled (step S27). In this way, a print option according to the paper quality can be executed.

If an impossible print option is not specified for the specified paper quality, the post-processing determination unit 2
16 interprets the transmitted command, and determines the post-processing conditions specified in the command, for example, the staple pattern, the print direction and the specified size of the look-up tables 215 to 218 shown in FIGS. The staple location, the pattern, the double-sided designation, the binding direction, and the combination of information such as the recording paper 230 actually set in the paper feed trays of the paper feed units 222a to 222d of the image forming unit 220 are compared to determine whether staples and punches are possible. And the necessity of 180-degree rotation is determined (step S28). If staple or punch is possible, staple or punch is set, and if it is necessary to rotate 180 degrees, 180-degree rotation is set (step S29).

This process is repeated until all the page data is completed (steps S30, S25 to S29). When a series of setting processes is completed, the image creation unit 212 compares the image data developed by the image data development unit 215 with the post-process determination unit 216.
Is sent to the image processing main control unit 221 of the image forming unit 220 (step S31). Image processing main controller 2
Reference numeral 21 causes the plotter 223 to form an image based on the sent image data, and prints the image on the recording sheet sent from the sheet feeding unit 222 (step S32). When the image data of all pages is printed (step S33), the image processing main control unit 2
When staple or punch is set in the transmitted processing condition (step S34), the staple or punch is executed by the staple processing unit 225 or the punch processing unit 226 of the paper discharge unit 224 under the set processing condition. And discharge the paper (step S35). When performing punching in this post-processing, if a shift operation is performed in which the conveyed recording paper is sorted left and right and sorted, the alignment of the holes becomes poor. Therefore, when performing punching, the shift operation of the recording paper is canceled. If staple or punch is not set, a shift operation of the recording paper is executed (step S36).

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the staple or punch print option specified together with the image data and the staple information stored in advance in combination with the print direction, the specified size, the staple location, the pattern, and the binding direction are used. Therefore, it is possible to prevent improper stapling and punching of printed recording paper.

In the case where the middle two-position binding and the punching are specified at the same time, the punch is released, so that a double-sided spread can be made on both sides. Can be prevented.

Further, if the stapling at the middle two positions is designated when the single-sided printing is designated, the stapling designation is canceled, so that the stapling at the middle two places which is meaningless in the single-sided printing can be prevented.

In addition, when stapling is not specified unless long edge binding is specified in the double-sided specification in the case where two middle stitches are specified vertically in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper, staple designation is canceled, or horizontal stitching is performed in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper. Unless the short edge binding is specified in the double-sided specification when the middle two-point binding is specified, the staple specification is released, whereby it is possible to prevent in advance from being mistakenly opened.

Further, when the punch is designated, the shift operation of the recording paper is canceled to prevent the holes from being misaligned.

Further, when a print option for stapling, punching, and double-sided printing that is impossible for the quality of the recording paper is specified, the specified print option is canceled to execute an inappropriate print option. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a pattern diagram showing staple positions;

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a first combination indicating whether stapling can be performed properly.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing a second combination indicating whether stapling can be performed properly.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing a third combination indicating whether stapling can be performed properly.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing a fourth combination indicating whether stapling can be performed properly.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram showing paper quality and impossible print options.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100; host device, 200; printer device, 210;
Printer controller 211; host interface 212; image forming unit 213; memory 214; image forming unit interface 215; image data developing unit 21
6; post-processing determination section; 220; image forming section; 221; image processing main control section; 222; sheet feeding section; 223; plotter;
4; paper discharge section, 225; staple processing section, 226; punch processing section.

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C087 AB05 BD01 BD42 BD46 CA03 CB12 DA02 DA16 DA17 3F108 GA02 GA04 GB01 GB07 HA02 HA33 HA39 HA46 5B021 AA01 AA02 BB01 CC05 FF03 KK02 KK06 5C062 AB22 AB29 AB30 AB53 AC10 AC001 AC35 AF10 9

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of paper feed units capable of horizontally and vertically placing recording paper on a paper feed tray depending on the paper size, and changing the direction of horizontal and vertical recording paper of the same size one by one alternately. Image forming unit that has a rotation sort function to copy image data by hand, and transfers the input image data to recording paper fed from each paper feeding unit; and a rear end of the recording paper on which the image has been transferred and conveyed. When viewed from the front, obliquely in the back, vertical in the back, front, binding in two places,
A stapling function capable of binding in two places, a punching function for punching a hole in the rear end of the conveyed recording paper, and a paper ejection unit having a shift function for sorting the conveyed recording paper left and right. The image processing apparatus determines whether staples and punches can be performed based on the staple and punch print options specified together with the image data, and information about combinations of print directions, specified sizes, staple locations, patterns, and binding directions stored in advance. Characteristic image processing device. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
An image processing apparatus for canceling a punch when binding and punching at two positions are specified at the same time. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stapling designation is canceled when the binding at two positions is designated when the single-sided printing is designated. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the long-edge binding is specified in the double-sided specification when the middle two-position binding is specified perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recording paper. An image processing apparatus for canceling staple designation. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein short edge binding is designated by double-sided designation when two middle bindings are designated horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the recording paper. An image processing apparatus characterized in that the staple designation is canceled in other cases. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shift operation of the recording sheet is canceled when a punch is designated. 7. In the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, when a printing option of staple, punch, and double-sided printing that is impossible for the quality of the recording paper is specified, the specified printing is performed. An image processing apparatus for canceling an option.