JP2001270163A - Imaging apparatus and method for outputting image data - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems that it is difficult to arrange the output of each job when a plurality of print jobs are outputted continuously because a plurality of jobs are outputted on a sheet discharge tray while being overlapped and that it is required to confirm all outputs in order to know what image is printed for each job. SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus comprises means 102 for inputting/ outputting image data and setting of print job to/from a removable memory means 103 for storing image data and setting of a plurality of print jobs, means for selecting one or more of print job from the plurality of print jobs stored in the memory means, and means 105 for controlling print operation of the image data stored in the memory means on a recording sheet according to setting of one or more print job selected by the print job selecting means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image data output method, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and an image data output method capable of selectively executing a plurality of print jobs. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when photographing with a digital camera and printing image data stored in a memory medium such as a smart media, the image data is transferred to a personal computer and then output to a printer or a dedicated digital camera is used. Output has been mainly performed using a dedicated printer that can be connected to the camera body or smart media. In addition, there is known a technique in which, in addition to image data, image attribute data, print settings, and the like are stored in a smart medium in accordance with a specific format, and printing is performed in accordance with the stored print job settings during printing.

[0003]

However, for example, when performing printing in accordance with a plurality of print jobs having different images to be printed and different numbers of prints, such as in the case of additional printing, it takes a great deal of trouble. In addition, when a plurality of print jobs are output in succession, outputs for a plurality of jobs are output on the discharge tray in an overlapping manner, and it has been difficult to organize the outputs for each job. Further, in order to know what image was printed for each job, it was necessary to check all outputs.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of selectively executing a plurality of print jobs with a simple configuration and an image forming apparatus capable of selectively executing image data. To provide an output method.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and an image data output method capable of easily sorting the outputs of a plurality of print jobs.

[0006]

In order to solve such a problem, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises:
A memory input / output unit for inputting / outputting image data and print job settings from a detachable memory unit for storing image data and a plurality of print job settings; and one of a plurality of print jobs stored in the memory unit A print job selecting means for selecting the above print job, and control for printing the image data stored in the memory means on recording paper in accordance with the settings of one or more print jobs selected by the print job selecting means. And control means.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is the first invention.
And outputting a sheet representing a job boundary between print jobs.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is the first invention.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sorter unit having a plurality of bins, and outputting to a different bin for each print job. An image data output method for printing the image data stored in the memory means on recording paper in accordance with one or more print job settings selected by When there is a next print job, the method includes a step of determining the presence or absence of the next image from the print job, a step of reading image data, and a step of printing based on the image data.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for outputting image data for printing image data stored in a memory means on recording paper in accordance with one or more print job settings selected by a print job selecting means. Reading a print job data; and outputting a sheet representing a job boundary if a next print job exists in the print job data;
The method further comprises: judging the presence or absence of the next image from the print job, reading image data, and printing based on the image data.

Further, the program stored in the storage medium according to claim 6 includes a step of reading a print job designated by the user stored in the detachable memory means mounted thereon, and there is a next job. And when the output of the partition paper is designated, outputting the partition paper and printing the next job.

According to the image forming apparatus and the image data output method of the present invention, a plurality of print jobs can be selectively and continuously executed. Further, it is possible to easily sort outputs of different jobs.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The control unit 101 controls and manages the operation of each unit of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and includes a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits. The operation unit 102 includes the control unit 1
01 to specify various operations.
For example, it is provided with an LCD and various operation buttons. The memory unit 103 stores image data and data related thereto, and includes a memory card used as an image storage medium of a digital camera and an external device itself having an image data input / output I / F. .

The related data stored together with the image data includes attribute data of each image and print job settings. The memory input / output unit 104 is a unit related to input / output for reading image data and data related thereto from the memory unit 103 and writing the image data to the memory unit. The printer unit 105 prints images stored in the memory unit 103 on recording paper according to information specified by the operation unit 102 and print designation information stored in the memory unit 103.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a memory structure of image data stored in the memory unit shown in FIG. 1 and data related thereto. The memory 201 has basic information 202,
Three types of data, additional information 203 and image information 204, are stored. The basic information 201 includes information such as the number of images and an address where each image information is stored. The additional information 203 includes a plurality of print job information 205 for printing the stored image, together with additional information such as various attribute data of each image.

Each print job represents the number of prints for each image, and print job 1 (206)
Indicates that the job is to print one image, two images 2, one image 4, and three images 7. Operation unit 10
In 2, the user can select one or more jobs from a plurality of print job designations, and can print out from the printer unit 105 according to the selected job.

The contents of the print job are created by a digital camera or personal computer and written in the memory unit, or the data input from the operation unit 102 is written in the memory unit 103 via the control unit 101 and the memory input / output unit 104. It is also possible.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for a plurality of selected print jobs. When a plurality of print jobs are selected and print start is instructed, the process proceeds to step 301, where the selected print job data is read. Then, the process proceeds to step 302, where the presence or absence of the next print job is determined based on the print job data. If the next job exists, step 30
Then, the process proceeds to step 3 where it is determined from the print job whether there is an image to be printed next.

If the next image does not exist, the job is terminated, and the process returns to step 302 to proceed to the next job. If the next image exists,
In step 304, image data is read, and in step 305, printing is performed for a designated number of sheets. After that, the process returns to step 303 and proceeds to processing of the next image.

(Second Embodiment) As a second embodiment, an example is shown in which, when a plurality of jobs are printed, a partition paper indicating a job break is output between the outputs of each job. 4 will be described. When a plurality of print jobs are selected and print start is instructed, the process proceeds to step 401, where the selected print job data is read. Then, the process proceeds to step 402, where the presence or absence of the next print job is determined based on the print job data. If the next job exists, step 40
In step 3, a partition sheet is output, and the presence or absence of an image to be printed next is determined from the print job. If the next image does not exist, the job ends, so the process returns to step 402 and proceeds to the processing of the next job. If the next image exists, the flow advances to step 405 to read the image data, and prints the specified number of images in step 406. Thereafter, the process returns to step 404, and proceeds to processing of the next image.

In the above-described embodiment, only the number of prints of each image is dealt with as the content of the print job. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the specification can be handled.

[0022]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, image data and print job settings are input from removable memory means for storing image data and a plurality of print job settings. Memory input / output means for outputting, print job selecting means for selecting one or more print jobs from a plurality of print jobs stored in the memory means, and setting of one or more print jobs selected by the print job selecting means Control means for controlling the printing of the image data stored in the memory means on the recording paper in accordance with the above. This has the effect that it can be easily performed. Therefore, for example, when an image taken by a digital camera is printed and distributed to a plurality of persons, such as a reprint, since the image is different for each distribution destination, a print job corresponding to each distribution destination is created and continuous printing is performed. Then, additional printing can be easily realized.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the control means performs control for outputting a sheet representing a job boundary between print jobs, so that a device such as a sorter is not connected. This has the effect that the output of a plurality of jobs can be easily sorted.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the sorter unit having a plurality of bins is provided and the output is performed to a different bin for each print job, the sorting of the output of the plurality of jobs is facilitated. It has the effect of.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the step of reading the print job data and the step of judging the presence or absence of the next image from the print job when the next print job exists in the print job data. ,
Since the method includes a step of reading image data and a step of printing based on the image data, setting of a plurality of print jobs and setting of image data for each print job can be performed.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a step of reading print job data, a step of outputting paper representing a job boundary when a next print job exists in the print job data, The method includes a step of determining the presence or absence of an image from a print job, a step of reading image data, and a step of printing based on the image data, so that output of image data that can be easily sorted for each job can be realized.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 6,
Reading a print job specified by the user stored in the attached detachable memory means; and outputting a partition sheet when there is a next job and a partition sheet output is specified. And a step of printing a job, so that a plurality of print jobs can be selectively and continuously executed. Further, it is possible to easily sort outputs of different jobs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a memory structure for storing image data and data related thereto.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a plurality of selected print jobs.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for outputting a partition sheet between a plurality of selected print job outputs.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 control unit 102 operation unit 103 memory unit 104 memory input / output unit 105 printer unit 201 memory 202 basic information 203 additional information 204 image information 205 print job information 206 print job contents 301 print job data reading processing 302 determination of presence / absence of next print job Processing 303 Determination processing of the presence / absence of the next image to be printed 304 Next image data reading processing 305 Printing processing for a specified number of sheets 401 Print job data reading processing 402 Determination processing of the next printing job presence 403 Partition paper output processing 404 Next printing Image presence / absence determination processing 405 Next image data reading processing 406 Printing processing for specified number of sheets

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A memory input / output unit for inputting / outputting image data and print job settings from a detachable memory unit for storing image data and a plurality of print job settings; Print job selecting means for selecting one or more print jobs from the print jobs; and image data stored in the memory means on recording paper in accordance with one or more print job settings selected by the print job selecting means. An image forming apparatus, comprising: control means for controlling printing. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls to output a sheet representing a job boundary between print jobs. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sorter having a plurality of bins, and outputting to a different bin for each print job. 4. An image data output method for printing image data stored in a memory means on recording paper in accordance with one or more print job settings selected by a print job selection means. Reading, when the next print job exists in the print job data, judging the presence or absence of the next image from the print job; reading the image data; and printing based on the image data. A method of outputting image data, comprising: 5. An image data output method for printing image data stored in a memory means on recording paper in accordance with a setting of one or more print jobs selected by a print job selecting means, the method comprising the steps of: Reading, outputting a sheet representing a job boundary when the next print job is present in the print job data, determining whether there is a next image from the print job, and reading image data And a step of printing based on the image data. 6. A step of reading a print job designated by a user stored in a detachable memory means mounted thereon, and, when a next job is present and a partition paper output is designated, the partition paper is removed. Outputting the next job and printing the next job.