JP2001328322A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer in which high speed printing is carried out utilizing the performance of a print mechanism effectively. SOLUTION: The printer having a print mechanism available in 1UP/2UP color print mode and monochromatic print mode is arranged such that printing is carried out in monochromatic print mode (type number=0) based on monochromatic page data when one page data to be processed included in print job data is monochromatic page data, and printing is carried out in 2UP color print mode (type number=1-3) based on two page data when two page data to be processed include color page data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a printing mechanism in which the processing speed of monochrome printing and the processing speed of color printing are different.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, some color printing apparatuses have both a color printing mode and a monochrome printing mode having different processing speeds. For example, in recent years, most of commercially available color laser beam printers are configured such that a single sheet of paper is fed (“supplied”) as shown schematically in FIG. Processing for forming a toner image is sequentially performed (“Y” (yellow), “M” (magenta), “C” (cyan), “K” (black)), and one color-printed sheet 15 (b), and one sheet is fed ("feed"), as schematically shown in FIG. 15B.
Only a process (“K”) for forming a K color toner image on the transfer medium is performed, and monochrome printing 1 is performed.
A monochrome print mode in which sheets are discharged ("discharge").

[0003] Conventionally, such a color printing apparatus includes:
The apparatus cannot switch between the color print mode and the monochrome print mode in a print job. However,
In this apparatus, processing of a print job including N pages including only one page requiring color printing requires the same time as processing of a print job of N pages requiring all pages for color printing. Will be.
For this reason, printing apparatuses and printing systems that can switch between a color printing mode and a monochrome printing mode in page units have been proposed. For example, a host computer that determines whether each page requires color printing and notifies the printing device of the determination result, and a printing device that switches the print mode for each page according to the notified determination result Has also been proposed.

Further, in order to prevent the time required for processing a print job from being lengthened by the time required for switching the print mode, when a monochrome page is continuously received, the mode is changed from the color print mode to the monochrome print mode. A printing apparatus in which switching is performed has also been proposed.

[0005]

Some color printing apparatuses having both a color printing mode and a monochrome printing mode having different processing speeds as described above include a predetermined size (1/1 of a maximum printable paper size). 2) When printing on the following multiple sheets is instructed, the maximum paper size is 1
2. Description of the Related Art There is an apparatus that prints each page on two sheets supplied in a continuous manner without gaps in a single process similar to the case of printing on a sheet. Printing according to this procedure is generally called 2UP printing, and some printing apparatuses capable of performing 2UP color printing and 2UP monochrome printing are also known as 2UP printing.
A printing apparatus that can perform only UP color printing is also known.

A printing apparatus capable of 2UP color printing and switching the print mode within one print job is not known, but a printing apparatus capable of 2UP color printing is used for printing color pages. It can be configured so that the processing is performed in the color print mode and the monochrome page processing is performed in the monochrome print mode. However, a printing apparatus having such a configuration takes longer to process a certain print job than a printing apparatus having a conventional configuration in which the print mode cannot be switched within one print job.

For example, the first of the contents that can be printed in monochrome
Consider a case where a page and a second page for which color printing is to be performed are printed. Two pages of data defining the contents of the first page and the second page, respectively, are given to a printing apparatus having a conventional configuration as data to be printed in the color print mode. Therefore, the printing device is 2UP
The print job is processed in the color print mode.

On the other hand, a printing apparatus configured to print each page in the print mode for the type of the page prints the first page in the monochrome print mode and prints the second page in the 2UP color print mode. Printing is performed in a normal color print mode (hereinafter, referred to as 1UP print mode). Therefore, even if the time required to switch the print mode is “0”, it takes extra time to process the print job by the time required for printing in the monochrome print mode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus which performs printing at high speed by effectively utilizing the performance of a printing mechanism.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a printing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a printing apparatus having a predetermined size.
A first color printing function for performing color printing on a sheet of paper;
A color printing mechanism having a second color printing function for performing color printing on a sheet of paper, and a monochrome printing function for performing monochrome printing on one sheet of a predetermined size in a shorter time than the first color printing function; A receiving unit for receiving print job data including a plurality of page data defining print contents for one page, and each time the page data is received by the receiving unit, the page data can be printed by the monochrome printing function. Data type determining means for determining whether the page data is monochrome page data or color page data that cannot be printed by the monochrome printing function;
The color printing mechanism sequentially prints the contents specified by some page data received by the receiving means with reference to the determination result by the data type determining means. When one unprocessed page data received in the past is monochrome page data, the color printing mechanism performs monochrome printing using the monochrome printing function based on the monochrome page data, and the receiving unit receives the most recently received page data. If the two unprocessed page data include color page data, the color printing mechanism performs color printing by the second color printing function based on the page data, and the receiving unit receives the color data in the past. There is only one unprocessed page data, and that page data is a color page When was over data includes the page data processing unit to perform color printing by the first color printing function to color printing mechanism on the basis of the color page data.

As is apparent from this configuration, in the printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when processing print job data including color page data, printing can be performed faster than the first and second color printing functions. The monochrome printing function may be used. Therefore, the present printing apparatus is compared with a printing apparatus in which the printing function (print mode) is not switched.
Processing of the print job data is completed earlier.

In realizing the printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, a job type recognizing means for recognizing whether or not the print job data received by the receiving means requests double-sided printing is added. In addition, a color printing mechanism having a reversing function of reversing a sheet for performing printing on an unprinted side of a printed sheet is used, and print job data is recognized by a job type recognizing unit as a page data processing unit. If it is recognized that double-sided printing is requested, the unprocessed two page data most recently received by the receiving means and used for printing on the back side of the sheet are monochrome page data. And when the two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the paper are both monochrome page data. 2 by the monochrome printing function in the color printing mechanism based on their two monochrome page data
Two pages of unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the paper,
When two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the back side of the paper include color page data, and when two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the paper include color page data When the data is included, means for causing the color printing mechanism to perform two-page color printing by the second color printing function based on the two page data may be used.

With this configuration, a printing apparatus capable of processing print job data for double-sided printing at a high speed can be obtained.

A printing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a first color printing function for performing color printing on one sheet of a predetermined size, and two sheets of a predetermined size in substantially the same time as the first color printing function. A color printing mechanism having a second color printing function for performing color printing on a sheet of paper and a monochrome printing function for performing monochrome printing on one sheet of a predetermined size in a shorter time than the first color printing function; Receiving means for receiving print job data including a plurality of page data defining print content for one page, and a monochrome printing function capable of printing the page data by a monochrome printing function each time the receiving means receives the page data Data type determining means for determining whether the data is page data or color page data which cannot be printed by the monochrome printing function; Each time two page data are received by the receiving unit, two intermediate codes (intermediate codes for two pages) are generated by processing the two page data with reference to the determination result by the determining unit. Means that, of the two page data to be processed, the previously received page data is color page data and the other page data is monochrome page data, 2 based on those page data
Color intermediate codes are generated, otherwise,
For each of the two page data to be processed, an intermediate code that generates a color intermediate code when the page data is color page data, and generates a monochrome intermediate code when the page data is monochrome page data When both the generating means and the two intermediate codes generated by the intermediate code generating means are monochrome intermediate codes, the color printing mechanism performs monochrome printing with a monochrome printing function based on each monochrome intermediate code. When both the intermediate codes are color intermediate codes, and when the two page data are a monochrome intermediate code and a color intermediate code, the color printing mechanism uses the second color printing function based on those intermediate codes. An intermediate code processing means for performing color printing; Provided.

In the printing apparatus having this configuration, the first color printing function is used when each page data in the print job data is faithfully processed according to the data type. Occasionally, color pages and monochrome pages are printed by the second color printing function. Therefore, according to the printing apparatus of the first aspect, the processing of the print job data is completed at high speed.

In the printing apparatus, for example, when print job data in which the first to third pages are color pages and the fourth to sixth pages are monochrome pages are given,
After the printing of the first page and the second page as the color pages is performed by the second color printing function, the printing of the third page as the color page and the printing of the fourth page as the monochrome page are performed in the second color printing. Then, the printing of the fifth and sixth pages is performed by the monochrome printing function.

This print job data has the same color printing mechanism, and when processing page data that requires color printing, the first or second color printing function is used to process page data that can be printed in monochrome. At times, a printing apparatus using a monochrome printing function (in other words, a printing apparatus using a conventional technique) performs processing in second color printing, first color printing, and monochrome printing × 3. As described above, when the present printing apparatus is used, when each page data in the print job data is faithfully processed according to the data type (when each page data is processed by the printing apparatus using the conventional technology), When printing color page data for which the first color printing function is to be used, printing of color pages and monochrome pages is performed using the second color printing function. Therefore, if the present printing apparatus is used, the processing of the print job data is completed at a very high speed.

In realizing the printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, a job type recognizing means for recognizing whether or not the print job data received by the receiving means requests double-sided printing is added. In addition, a color printing mechanism having a reversing function of reversing the sheet for performing printing on the unprinted surface of the printed sheet is used, and print job data is recognized by the job type recognizing means as the intermediate code generating means. Is recognized as requiring double-sided printing, two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the sheet most recently received by the receiving unit, and the back side of the sheet A unit that operates with two unprocessed page data to be used for printing as processing targets can be used.

With this configuration, a printing apparatus capable of processing print job data for double-sided printing at a high speed can be obtained.

A third printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a first color printing function for performing color printing on one sheet of a predetermined size, and a plurality of predetermined values of a predetermined size in substantially the same time as the first color printing function. A color having a second color printing function for performing color printing on the same number of sheets of paper as n and a monochrome printing function for performing monochrome printing on one sheet of a predetermined size in a shorter time than the first color printing function A printing mechanism,
A receiving unit for receiving print job data including a plurality of page data defining print contents for one page, and each time the page data is received by the receiving unit,
Refer to the data type determining means for determining whether the page data is monochrome page data that can be printed by the monochrome printing function or color page data that cannot be printed by the monochrome printing function, and refer to the determination result by the data type determining means Means for sequentially causing the color printing mechanism to print the contents specified by some of the page data received by the receiving means, and the unprocessed continuous data received most recently by the receiving means. For the monochrome page data, the color printing mechanism performs monochrome printing based on the page data using the monochrome printing function.
For individual page data, a page data processing unit is provided for causing the color printing mechanism to perform color printing by the second color printing function based on the page data.

Also in the printing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, when processing print job data including color page data, a monochrome printing function capable of performing printing faster than the first / second color printing function is used. Sometimes. Therefore, the printing apparatus can process the print job data faster than a printing apparatus in which the print function (print mode) is not switched. In the printing apparatus, for example, when print job data in which the first to p-th (p <n) pages are color pages and the p-th to q-th pages are monochrome pages, the pages are color pages. First
When printing the p-th page, the p-th page
After the printing of the first to n-th pages is performed at the same time, printing by the monochrome printing function is performed. Therefore, the first / second color printing function is used when the same color printing mechanism is provided and page data requiring color printing is to be processed,
Assuming that there is a printing apparatus that uses the monochrome printing function when processing page data that can be printed in monochrome, if this printing apparatus is used, the pages from the (p + 1) th page to the nth page will be used more than if the printing apparatus is used. Is not performed by the monochrome printing function, the processing of the print job data is completed earlier.

In realizing the printing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, a job type recognizing means for recognizing whether or not the print job data received by the receiving means requests double-sided printing is added. In addition, a color printing mechanism having a reversing function of reversing a sheet for performing printing on an unprinted side of a printed sheet is used, and print job data is recognized by a job type recognizing unit as a page data processing unit. If it is recognized that the two-sided printing is requested, the unprocessed continuous back side monochrome page data most recently received by the receiving unit and the unprocessed unprocessed monochrome page data most recently received by the receiving unit are received. For monochrome table data for continuous tables, the monochrome printing function is applied to the color printing mechanism based on the page data. The monochrome printing is performed, and n consecutive page data for the back side, starting with the unprocessed, color page data most recently received by the receiving unit, and the unprocessed most recently received by the receiving unit, Consecutive n for the surface, starting with color page data
With respect to individual page data, if means for causing the color printing mechanism to perform color printing by the second color printing function based on the page data is used, print job data requesting double-sided printing can be processed at high speed. A printing device is obtained.

In realizing the printing apparatus according to each aspect of the present invention, each page data in the print job data includes data type information indicating whether the page data is monochrome page data or color page data. And a means for determining whether each page data received by the receiving means is monochrome page data or color page data based on data type information included in the page data. Can be adopted.

That is, in realizing the printing apparatus of each aspect of the present invention, the data type determining means is to actually check the contents of the page data to determine whether the page data is monochrome page data or color page data. May be used, or the print job data supply source (host computer) may determine whether each page data is monochrome page data or color page data. good. In implementing the printing apparatus according to each aspect of the present invention, the color page data and the monochrome page data may be data in different languages, but it is not necessary to set both page data in different languages.

[0025]

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

First, a hardware configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown, the printing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment includes a control unit 11, a control panel 12, and a color printing mechanism 13. The control unit 11 includes a host interface circuit 111, a CPU 112, a RAM 11
3, a memory control unit 115, a ROM 116, and an interface circuit unit 117. Control panel 12
Are connected to the interface circuit unit 117, and the color printing mechanism 13 is connected to the interface circuit unit 117 and the memory control unit 115. The printing apparatus 10 is used by being connected to a host computer 20 in which a printer driver 30 for the printing apparatus 10 is installed.

The color printing mechanism 13 is a mechanism for actually performing color printing or monochrome printing on a sheet under the control of the control unit 11, and includes a sheet feeding device, a sheet conveying mechanism, a print engine, and the like. The control panel 12 is an interface between the user and the printing device 10. The control panel 12 includes a plurality of buttons for designating the operation contents of the printing apparatus 10, some LEDs for displaying the operation state of the printing apparatus 10, and a liquid crystal panel.

The host interface circuit 111 in the control section 11 is a circuit for receiving print job data (details will be described later) transmitted by the host computer 20 and the like. R
The OM 116 is a nonvolatile memory in which programs and the like are stored. The CPU 112 is a control circuit that controls the components in the control unit 11 in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 116 to cause the color printing mechanism 13 to execute printing in various print modes (details will be described later).

The RAM 113 is a memory for temporarily storing print job data received by the host interface circuit 111, intermediate codes generated by the CPU 112 based on the print job data, and the like. Memory control unit 11
Reference numeral 5 denotes a circuit that performs processing for transferring data from the host interface circuit 111 to the RAM 113 and processing for transferring data from the RAM 113 to the print engine in the color printing mechanism 13 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 112. The interface circuit unit 117 includes several interface circuits used by the CPU 112 to exchange information with the control panel 12 and the transport mechanism in the color printing mechanism 13.

Next, a description will be given of print job data received by the printing apparatus 10 and a print mode used in printing by the printing apparatus 10.

The print job data received by the host interface circuit 111 includes a job control command and a plurality of page data. Here, the page data is
This is data in which the print content of one page is defined in a high-level language. The job control command is information for designating conditions (such as double-sided printing / single-sided printing, paper size, etc.) commonly used for processing each page data.

Each page data in the print job data received by the host interface circuit 111 includes, at the head thereof, data type information indicating whether or not the page data is data to be subjected to color printing. Have been. Printer driver 3 in host computer 20 described above
No. 0 has a function of creating and transmitting print job data having the above configuration in accordance with an instruction (print request) from an application given via the OS.

The printing apparatus 10 has a function of performing printing in a monochrome print mode, a 1UP color print mode, and a 2UP color print mode.

In the 1UP color printing mode, as schematically shown in FIG. 2A, one sheet of paper is fed ("supplied") and a toner image of each color is formed on a transfer medium. The processing is performed sequentially (“Y”, “M”, “C”, “K”),
In this mode, one sheet on which color printing has been performed is discharged ("discharge"). The 2UP color print mode is
As schematically shown in FIG. 2B, two sheets of paper are fed (“supplied”), and processing for forming toner images of each color for two pages on a transfer medium is sequentially performed. ("Y
Y "," MM "," CC "," KK ") and two color-printed sheets are discharged (" discharge "), that is, the 2UP color print mode is the 1UP color print mode. This is a print mode in which the same procedure as in the above is performed on two sheets instead of one sheet.The paper size used in the 2UP color print mode is the printing apparatus 10 (1UP color print). Mode), it is limited to less than half of the maximum printable paper size.

In the monochrome printing mode, as shown schematically in FIG. 2C, only the process for forming a K color toner image on the transfer medium is performed, and the paper on which monochrome printing has been performed is performed. This is the mode that is ejected. That is, printing in the monochrome printing mode is completed at a higher speed than printing in the 1UP / 2UP color printing mode because the number of steps for forming a toner image is small. In the monochrome printing mode, during continuous printing, as schematically shown in FIG. 2D, printing is performed according to a procedure that can be considered that the feeding time of the second sheet is “0” (first sheet). During printing (“K”), the second sheet is fed (“feed”) at the same time, so the first printing (“K”)
Is performed, the printing of the second sheet (“K”) is immediately performed).

Further, the color printing mechanism 13 has a function of performing double-sided printing (a mechanism capable of turning over the paper). The paper on which the printing on the back side is performed is turned over, and the printing on the front side is performed. Further, in this printing apparatus, two-sided printing on paper of a size that allows printing in the 2UP color print mode is performed on two sheets (the first sheet and the second sheet) even when the 2UP color print mode is not actually used. ), The printing on the front side of the paper is performed after the printing on the back side (one-sided printing is not performed one by one in principle).

Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the print job data by the printing apparatus 10 will be described in detail.

Under the control of the CPU 112 in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 116, the printing apparatus 10
As shown in (1), the data receiving unit 41 (receiving unit), the job data storage unit 42, the page data interpreting unit 43 (data type determining unit, page data processing unit / intermediate code generating unit), the intermediate code storage unit 44, It functions as a device including the code management / expansion unit 45 (page data processing unit / intermediate code processing unit) and the color printing mechanism 13. Note that the data receiving unit 41 is hardware
Almost corresponds to the host interface circuit 111 and the memory control unit 115. The page data interpretation unit 43
Almost corresponds to CPU 112,
The expansion unit 45 is substantially composed of the CPU 112 and the memory control unit 1.
15 is supported. Also, the job data storage unit 42,
Each of the intermediate code storage units 44 corresponds to one storage area of the RAM 113.

The data receiving section 41 receives the print job data transmitted from the host computer 20 and stores it in the job data storage section 42.

As shown in FIG. 4, the page data interpreting section 43 waits for print job data to be received by the data receiving section 41 (print job data is stored in the job data storage section 42). (Step S10
1). Then, when the print job data starts to be received by the data receiving unit 41 (step S101; YE
S), the page data interpretation unit 43 initializes the variable J to “0” (step S102), and based on the job control command included at the beginning of the print job data, It is determined whether the job data is double-sided print job data requesting double-sided printing or single-sided print job data requesting single-sided printing (step S).
103).

In step S103, the page data interpreting unit 43 also recognizes the paper size requested for printing by the print job data, and executes step S104 only when the paper size can perform 2UP printing.
Execute the process from. In other words, this flowchart is 2
Only the processing procedure executed for print job data that can be used in the UP color print mode is shown.

After recognizing the type of the print job data, the page data interpreter 43 adds “1” to the variable J (step S 104), and stores the most recently received unprocessed data in the job data memory 42. Is specified as data to be processed (hereinafter, referred to as processing target data) (step S105). Next, the page data interpretation unit 43 recognizes whether the processing target data is monochrome data or color data based on the data type information included at the head of the specified processing target data (step S106).

Thereafter, if the print job data is single-sided print job data (FIG. 5: step S110; YES), the page data interpreter 43 determines that M = (J mod
2) M that satisfies +1 is calculated (step S111). That is, the page description language interpreting unit 43 sets M to “1” when J is an odd number, and sets M to “2” when J is an even number. And the page data interpreter 4
3 stores the data type information of the processing target data as data type information #M (step S112).

Next, the page data interpreting section 43 determines whether or not the M value at that time coincides with "2" (step S113). If the M value does not match “2” (step S113; NO), the page data interpretation unit 43 generates an intermediate code for one page corresponding to the data type information #M based on the processing target data. Are stored in the intermediate code storage unit 44 (step S117).
That is, in step S117, if the processing target data is color data, the page data interpretation unit 43 determines that the color intermediate data, which is an intermediate code for one page, is suitable for printing in the 1UP / 2UP color print mode. A code is generated and stored in the intermediate code storage unit 44. On the other hand, if the data to be processed is monochrome data, the page data interpretation unit 43 generates a monochrome intermediate code, which is an intermediate code for one page, suitable for printing in the monochrome print mode, and outputs the intermediate code storage unit 44 To memorize. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the intermediate code for one page is referred to as:
It is simply described as an intermediate code.

Thereafter, the page data interpretation unit 43 creates a print structure for the data to be processed and passes it to the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 (step S118). The print structure created in step S118 includes information indicating where the intermediate code created based on the processing target data is stored in the intermediate code storage unit 44, and the intermediate code is a color intermediate code and a monochrome intermediate code. The information includes information indicating which one of the codes is the code, and information indicating whether the print job data is one-sided print job data or two-sided print job data.

After the execution of step S118, the page data interpretation unit 43 determines whether the processing of all the page data included in the print job data has been completed (step S119). Then, if the processing of all page data has not been completed (step S119; N
O), the page data interpreter 43 determines in step S104
Returning to (FIG. 4), processing is started with the next page data as the processing target data.

The page data interpreter 43 determines in step S1
The M value calculated in step S11 is “2” (step S11).
3; YES), if the data to be processed is not monochrome data (step S114; NO),
The processing from step 117 is executed. That is, the page data interpretation unit 43 generates a color intermediate code based on the processing target data that is the color data, and passes the print structure to the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45. If unprocessed page data remains, the process returns to step S104.

The M value calculated in step S111 is "2"
(Step S113; YES), and when the processing target data is monochrome data (step S114; Y)
ES), the page data interpreting section 43 outputs the data type information #
1, it is determined whether the previous processing target data is monochrome data or color data (step S115).

If the previous processing target data is monochrome data (step S115; monochrome), the page data interpretation unit 43 executes the processing from step S117. On the other hand, if the previous processing target data is color data (step S115; color), the page data interpretation unit 43 generates a color intermediate code based on the processing target data that is monochrome data (step S116).
Then, the process proceeds to step S118.

That is, the one-sided print job data is converted by the page data interpretation unit 43 into the following intermediate code group.

"2K" included in the simplex print job data
FIG. 6A shows data including the +1 "th (K is an integer equal to or greater than" 0 ") page data and the" 2K + 2 "th page data (hereinafter, referred to as two consecutive data). As described above, the page data is classified into four types of continuous data of type # 0 to type # 3 according to the combination of the data types of the page data. The even-numbered monochrome data whose previous page data is color data is converted into a color intermediate code, and the other page data is converted into an intermediate code corresponding to the data type. As a result of the processing, in FIG. 6A, two consecutive data of type # 2, which are hatched,
Only the 2K + 2 "th page data is converted to an intermediate code that does not correspond to the data type.

As a result, as schematically shown in FIG. 6B, the type #
Both the continuous data # 2 and # 3 are converted into two color intermediate codes. Further, the type # 0 bi-continuous data is converted into two monochrome intermediate codes, and the type # 1 bi-continuous data is converted into a monochrome intermediate code and a color intermediate code. Hereinafter, two intermediate codes generated from the two consecutive data are referred to as two consecutive codes.

Returning to FIG. 5, the description of the operation of the page data interpretation unit 43 will be continued.

If the print job data is double-sided print job data (step S110; NO), the page data interpreter 43 calculates M that satisfies M = (J mod 4) +1 (step S121). As described above, in the printing apparatus 10, the two-sided printing on a sheet of a size that can be printed in the 2UP color print mode is performed on two sheets (the first sheet) even when the 2UP color print mode is not actually used.
After printing on the back surfaces of the sheet and the second sheet), printing on the front surfaces of those sheets is performed. This step S1
The M value calculated in 21 is information indicating which data to be processed specifies the content of printing on which surface of which sheet.

After calculating the M value, the page data interpreter 4
3 stores the data type information of the processing target data as data type information #M (step S122). Next, the page data interpretation unit 43 determines that the calculated M value is “3”.
Alternatively, it is determined whether or not “4” (step S12).
3). That is, based on the M value, the page data interpretation unit 43 determines whether the processing target data is page data for the front side or the back side of the second sheet (M = 3, 4), or the front side or the back side of the first sheet. Page data (M = 1, 2)
Is determined.

If the data to be processed is page data for the front side or the back side of the first sheet (step S12)
3; NO), the page data interpretation unit 43 proceeds to step S1.
By executing the processing from step 17, an intermediate code corresponding to the data type of the processing target data is generated. on the other hand,
When the M value is “3” or “4” (step S1
23; YES), that is, if the data to be processed is the front page data (M = 3) of the second sheet or the back page data (M = 4) of the second sheet, the page data interpretation unit 43 Is based on data type information #M,
It is determined whether the processing target data is monochrome data (step S124). If the data to be processed is not monochrome data (step S124; N
O), the page data interpreting section 43 proceeds to step S117, and converts the processing target data (color data) into a color intermediate code.

If the M value is "3" or "4" (step S123; YES), and if the data to be processed is monochrome data (step S124; YES), the page data interpretation unit 43 sets the data type information # Based on (M-2), it is determined whether the data to be processed two or more data before is monochrome data or color data (step S12).
5). That is, the page data interpretation unit 43 determines that the processing target data is page data for the front surface of the second sheet (M = 3).
Is determined based on the data type information # 1 whether the front page data of the first sheet is monochrome data or color data. When the data to be processed is the page data for the back surface of the second sheet (M = 4), the page data interpretation unit 43 outputs the data type information #
2, it is determined whether the page data for the back surface of the first sheet is monochrome data or color data.

If the data to be processed immediately before is monochrome data (step S125; monochrome), the page data interpretation unit 43 executes the processing from step S117. On the other hand, if the data to be processed immediately before is color data (step S125: color), the page data interpretation unit 43 generates a color intermediate code based on the processing data which is monochrome data (step S12).
6) Then, the process proceeds to step S118.

That is, the page data interpreting section 43 operates as follows for double-sided print job data.

"4K" included in the duplex print job data
Data from the +1 "th page data (K is an integer equal to or greater than" 0 ") to the" 4K + 4 "th page data (hereinafter, referred to as 4-continuous data) is as shown in FIG. 7A. According to the combination of data types of each page data, the data is classified into 16 types of continuous data of type # 0 to type # 15.
Converts the monochrome data for the second sheet, in which the page data two pages before is color data, into a color intermediate code for the duplex print job data, and converts the other page data into an intermediate code corresponding to the data type. Convert to code. Accordingly, the monochrome data shaded in FIG. 7A is converted into a color intermediate code by the processing of the page data interpretation unit 43. As a result, four continuous data of each type that may be included in the double-sided print job data includes nine types of four intermediate codes as schematically shown in FIG. 7B. (Hereinafter, referred to as four intermediate codes).

The page data interpreting section 43 repeatedly executes such a process for each page data, and generates an intermediate code for all the page data included in the print job data received by the printing apparatus 10. Upon completion (FIG. 5: step S119; YES), step S1
01 (FIG. 4), and waits for reception of the next print job data.

Next, the operation of the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 waits for the transfer of the print structure from the page data interpretation unit 43 (step S201). Then, when the print structure is passed (step S201; Y
ES), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 determines whether printing to be performed is single-sided printing or double-sided printing based on the information in the print structure (step S202). When the printing to be performed is one-sided printing (step S20)
2; YES), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 determines whether there is only one passed print structure (step S203).

If there is only one print structure (step S203; YES), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45
Expands the intermediate code indicated by the print structure into image data and prints the print data (color print mechanism 13)
(Step S204), and returns to Step S201.

In step S204, if the intermediate code to be processed is a color intermediate code, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 expands the color intermediate code to generate one page of color image data. And
Printing in 1UP color printing mode is performed by the color printing mechanism 1.
3 If the intermediate code to be processed is a monochrome intermediate code, the monochrome intermediate code is expanded to generate monochrome image data for one page, and printing in the monochrome printing mode is performed by the color printing mechanism 1.
3

When the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 determines in step S 203 that only one print structure has been passed, another print structure is given from the page data interpretation unit 43. For a predetermined time. The standby time is set to a time when the branch to the “NO” side is performed in step S203 when the page data has general contents. In other words, step S204 is a step that is hardly executed when the following page data exists, and is executed when the last page is an odd page.

If two or more print structures have been passed (step S203; NO), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 executes the one-sided printing intermediate code expansion process (step S2).
05).

As shown in FIG. 9, at the time of the one-sided printing intermediate code developing process, the intermediate code managing / developing unit 45 performs the first, second, and third printing structures based on the two most recently passed printing structures.
It is determined whether the third intermediate code is both a monochrome intermediate code, both are a color intermediate code, and a monochrome intermediate code and a color intermediate code, respectively (step S301). Note that the first intermediate code is the first intermediate code passed from the page data interpretation unit 43.
Is an intermediate code corresponding to the print structure
The third intermediate code is the intermediate code corresponding to the print structure passed next to the print structure.

If the two intermediate codes are both monochrome intermediate codes (step S301; monochrome & monochrome), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 converts the monochrome image data for two pages based on those intermediate codes. By sequentially generating and supplying to the color printing mechanism 13, the color printing mechanism 13
The page is printed in monochrome (step S30)
2). If both of the two intermediate codes are color intermediate codes (step S301; color & color),
The intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 generates two pages of color image data based on those intermediate codes and supplies the color image data to the color printing mechanism 13, so that the two-page color printing mechanism 13 uses the two-page color printing mode. Color printing is performed (step S303).

If the first and second intermediate codes are a monochrome intermediate code and a color intermediate code, respectively (step S301; monochrome & color), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 stores the first intermediate code By developing the two intermediate codes while generating the color, color image data for two pages is generated, thereby causing the color printing mechanism 13 to perform two-page color printing in the 2UP color print mode (step S304). That is,
The intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 determines in step S304
The first monochrome intermediate code has K plane data of the content defined by the intermediate code, and has C, M, and Y plane data of the content that is not printed (formed of toner image). Create color image data.

As described with reference to FIG. 6, the page data interpreter 43 generates two types of continuous data from each type of continuous data. There are only two continuous codes whose codes are both color intermediate codes and two continuous codes satisfying the one-sided conversion condition. Therefore, step S203
In the case where the branch to the “YES” side has not been performed (or the branch has been performed an even number of times), the determination target in step S301 is the two intermediates of the above three types. Just the code.

However, “YE” in step S203
If the branch to the S ″ side has been performed an odd number of times, the step S
The first and second intermediate codes to be determined in 301 may be a color intermediate code and a monochrome intermediate code, respectively. In this case, although illustration is omitted,
The intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 causes the color printing mechanism 13 to execute one-page color printing in the 1UP color printing mode and one-page monochrome printing in the monochrome printing mode.

The intermediate code management / expansion unit 45
After execution of any one of steps S302 to S304, the one-sided intermediate code development process ends, and the process returns to step S201.

That is, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45
As shown schematically in FIG. 10, for the two consecutive codes created from the two consecutive data of type # 0 included in the single-sided print job data, each intermediate code is converted to monochrome image data without any change. expand. Then, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 performs 2
The color printing mechanism 13 performs monochrome printing of the page. Further, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 stores the type # 2 or type # 3 included in the one-sided print job data.
For each of the two consecutive codes created from the two consecutive data, the respective intermediate codes are directly developed into color image data. Then, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45
The color printing mechanism 13 performs two-page color printing in the P color printing mode. In addition, for a bicontinuous code generated from the bicontinuous data of type # 1, the first monochrome intermediate code is converted into color image data, and the second color intermediate code is developed into color image data. The color printing mechanism 13 performs two-page color printing in the 2UP color printing mode.

After all, in the printing apparatus 10, FIG.
As schematically shown in FIG. 2, two consecutive data of type # 0 are printed in the monochrome print mode.
For each two consecutive data of type # 1 to type # 3,
Printing is performed in the 2UP color print mode. The time required for printing in the 2UP color print mode is the time required when two consecutive data of type # 1 are printed in the monochrome print mode and the 1UP color print mode (“(1)”), and the time required for type # 2. Is shorter than the time required to print the two consecutive data in the 1UP color print mode and the monochrome print mode (“(2)”). Therefore, according to the printing apparatus 10, the processing of the one-sided print job data is completed at an extremely high speed (performed in a form that effectively utilizes the capability of the color printing mechanism 13).

The intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 determines that the printing to be performed is double-sided printing (FIG. 8: step S
202; NO) Wait for the four print structures to be aligned (step S206), and when the four print structures are aligned (step S206; YES), double-sided printing intermediate code expansion processing (step S207) ).

As shown in FIG. 12, at the time of double-sided printing intermediate code expansion processing, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 determines the second intermediate code and the fourth intermediate code based on the four printing structures.
Whether the second intermediate code (the intermediate code for the back surface of the first sheet and the intermediate code for the back surface of the second sheet) are both monochrome intermediate codes or both color intermediate codes;
It is determined whether each is a monochrome intermediate code or a color intermediate code (step S401).

If the second and fourth intermediate codes are both monochrome intermediate codes (step S401; monochrome & monochrome), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 performs monochrome image processing for two pages based on those intermediate codes. The image data is sequentially generated and supplied to the color printing mechanism 13, thereby causing the color printing mechanism 13 to perform monochrome printing of two pages (the back surfaces of the first and second sheets) in the monochrome printing mode (step S402). Also, those 2
If both of the intermediate codes are color intermediate codes (step S401; color & color), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 generates color image data for two pages based on those intermediate codes and performs color By supplying to the printing mechanism 13, the color printing mechanism 13
Two pages of color printing are performed in the UP color printing mode (step S403).

If the second and fourth intermediate codes are a monochrome intermediate code and a color intermediate code, respectively (step S401; monochrome & color), the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 stores the second intermediate code By developing the two intermediate codes while generating the color, color image data for two pages is generated, thereby causing the color printing mechanism 13 to perform two-page color printing in the 2UP color print mode (step S404).

After executing any one of steps S402 to S404, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 performs the same processing as in steps S401 to S404 on the first intermediate code and the third intermediate code. To print the front surfaces of the first and second sheets (step S411).
414). Then, after executing any one of steps S411 to S414, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45
Ends the double-sided printing intermediate code development process, and returns to step S201 (FIG. 8).

That is, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45
Indicates each type of 4 generated from double-sided print job data.
When processing a continuous code, as shown schematically in FIG. 13, a monochrome intermediate code (a hatched monochrome intermediate code) in which the corresponding surface of the second sheet is a color intermediate code is a color image. Convert to data. With the conversion into color image data, the intermediate code management / expansion unit 45 performs printing in accordance with the two intermediate codes that would otherwise be printed in the 1UP color print mode and the monochrome print mode. The printing mechanism 13 is caused to perform the printing in the 2UP color printing mode.

Therefore, in the printing apparatus 10, FIG.
As schematically shown in FIG. 4, for each of four consecutive data of type # 1, type # 4, and type # 5 in the double-sided print job data, the 2UP color print mode is used for printing on the back side, The two-sided printing is performed according to the procedure in which the monochrome print mode is used for printing (the procedure in which the type numbers are described as “1, 4, 5”). Also, type # 2,
For each of four consecutive data of type # 8 and type # 10, a procedure in which the monochrome print mode is used for the front side print and the 2UP color print mode is used for the back side print ("2,8,10" and the like) Double-sided printing is performed according to the described procedure). For each type of continuous data excluding the above-described four types of continuous data and the type # 0 four continuous data, 2 UP is used for printing on the front side and 2 UP for printing on the back side.
Double-sided printing is performed according to the procedure in which the color print mode is adopted (the procedure described as “other”).

The time required for printing in each procedure is, as shown in the figure, when four consecutive data of each type are processed according to the data type of each page data (“(1) , "(8)"). Therefore, according to the printing apparatus 10, the processing of double-sided print job data (double-sided printing) is completed at a very high speed.

<Modification> Printing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment
0 can perform various deformations. For example, even when the first and second intermediate codes determined in step S301 are a color intermediate code and a monochrome intermediate code, respectively, two-page color printing in the 2UP color print mode is performed. Printing device 10
May be configured. Further, the printing apparatus 10 (the page description language interpreting unit 4) performs processing for generating the intermediate code from the page data in accordance with the data type of the page data.
3) and convert to image data 2
If the intermediate codes consist of a color intermediate code and a monochrome intermediate code, two pages of color image data are generated from them, and the printing apparatus 10 ( The intermediate code management / expansion unit 45) may be configured.

In addition, no matter what the data type of the page data is, the same type of intermediate code (intermediate code that can perform color designation) is generated, and the two intermediate codes to be converted into image data are color page data and The printing apparatus 10 is configured such that when it is created from monochrome page data, two pages of color image data are generated from those intermediate codes and printing is performed in the 2UP color print mode. Is also good. That is, when the intermediate code is expanded, the printing apparatus 10 is controlled so that the printing mode to be used is determined based on the number of prepared intermediate codes, the data type of the original page data, and the like. You may comprise.

When monochrome page data is continuously received, processing of each monochrome data is performed in the monochrome print mode. When color page data is received, the color page data and the next color page data are processed. The printing apparatus 10 may be configured so that the processing with the color page data or monochrome page data received by the printer 10 is performed in the 2UP color print mode.

The printing apparatus 10 receives the data type information from the host computer 20.
The printing apparatus 10 may be an apparatus that performs the same processing without receiving the data type information from the host computer 20. That is, by checking the received page data itself, it is determined whether or not the page data is to be printed in color, and the page data to be printed in color and the page data to be printed in monochrome are arranged. In case, 2 based on those page data
The printing apparatus 10 may be configured to perform printing in the UP color print mode. Even when the printing apparatus 10 is such an apparatus, the process of generating the intermediate code from the page data may be performed according to the determination result of the type of the page data. Even if there is, the same type of intermediate code (intermediate code that can perform color designation) may be generated.

Further, it is natural that the technology used in the printing apparatus 10 may be applied to a printing apparatus capable of performing nUP color printing. That is, when the print job data includes color page data that needs to be printed by the color print function, printing of page data of n pages including the color page data is performed by nUP.
The printing apparatus 10 may be modified so that printing on monochrome page data that is performed by color printing and that is not performed by the nUP color printer is performed by monochrome printing.

[0090]

According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, a print job in which color pages and monochrome pages are mixed can be processed at an extremely high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a print mode of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a page data interpretation unit.

FIG. 5 shows an operation procedure of a page data interpretation unit,
FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation performed by a page data interpreter on one-sided print job data.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the page data interpretation unit for double-sided print job data.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an overall operation procedure of an intermediate code management / expansion unit.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a one-sided printing intermediate code expansion process executed by an intermediate code management / expansion unit.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the intermediate code management / expansion unit for one-sided print job data.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment with respect to one-sided print job data.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a double-sided printing intermediate code expansion process executed by an intermediate code management / expansion unit.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the intermediate code management / expansion unit for one-sided print job data.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment for double-sided print job data.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a color printing procedure and a monochrome printing procedure in a general color laser beam printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 printing device 11 control unit 12 control panel 13 color printing mechanism 20 host computer 30 printer driver 111 host interface circuit 112 CPU 113 RAM 115 memory control unit 116 ROM 117 interface circuit unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification FI theme coat ゛ (reference) G06F 3/12 B41J 3/00 MSF term (reference) 2C061 AR01 AR03 HH03 HH08 HK03 HK04 HK11 HN02 HN15 2C062 RA06 2C087 AA15 AB05 AC08 BD01 BD12 BD13 CA03 CA05 CB03 CB12 CB13 DA02 DA16 2C362 CA16 CA21 CB41 CB74 5B021 AA01 BB01 FF03 LG07

Claims (7)

[Claims] A first color printing function for performing color printing on one sheet of a predetermined size; and a color printing on the two sheets of the predetermined size in substantially the same time as the first color printing function. A color printing mechanism having a second color printing function and a monochrome printing function for performing monochrome printing on one sheet of the predetermined size in a shorter time than the first color printing function; Receiving means for receiving print job data including a plurality of page data defining contents, and each time page data is received by the receiving means,
A data type determining unit that determines whether the page data is monochrome page data that can be printed by the monochrome printing function or color page data that cannot be printed by the monochrome printing function; and a determination result by the data type determining unit. Means for sequentially causing the color printing mechanism to print the contents defined by some of the page data received by the receiving means with reference to the receiving means, When one unprocessed page data is monochrome page data, the color printing mechanism is caused to perform monochrome printing by the monochrome printing function based on the monochrome page data. The two page data of the processing include the color page data. The color printing mechanism performs color printing by the second color printing function based on the page data, and there is only one unprocessed page data received most recently by the receiving means. When the page data is color page data, the printing apparatus further comprises a page data processing means for causing the color printing mechanism to perform color printing by the first color printing function based on the color page data. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a job type recognizing means for recognizing whether or not the print job data received by the receiving means requests double-sided printing. It has a reversing function of reversing the paper to print on the unprinted side of the paper, and the page data processing means is recognized by the job type recognition means that the print job data requests double-sided printing. If the two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the back side of the sheet, which are received most recently by the receiving means, are both monochrome page data, When the two unprocessed page data to be used are both monochrome page data, based on the two monochrome page data, Color printing mechanism to perform two-page monochrome printing by the monochrome printing function, and two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the paper, or unprocessed data to be used for printing on the back side of the paper. When the color page data is included in the two page data and when the color page data is included in the two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the paper, 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color printing mechanism causes the second color printing function to perform two-page color printing based on individual page data. 3. A first color printing function for performing color printing on one sheet of a predetermined size, and color printing on the two sheets of the predetermined size in substantially the same time as the first color printing function. A color printing mechanism having a second color printing function and a monochrome printing function for performing monochrome printing on one sheet of the predetermined size in a shorter time than the first color printing function; Receiving means for receiving print job data including a plurality of page data defining contents, and each time page data is received by the receiving means,
A data type determining unit that determines whether the page data is monochrome page data that can be printed by the monochrome printing function or color page data that cannot be printed by the monochrome printing function; and a determination result by the data type determining unit. Means for generating two intermediate codes each time two pieces of page data are received by the receiving means, wherein the two pieces of page data are processed, and two intermediate codes are generated.
If the page data received earlier among the page data is color page data and the other page data is monochrome page data, the two color intermediate data are determined based on those page data. Generate code,
Otherwise, a color intermediate code is generated for each of the two page data to be processed when the page data is color page data,
An intermediate code generating means for generating a monochrome intermediate code when the page data is monochrome page data; and a monochrome intermediate code when the two intermediate codes generated by the intermediate code generating means are both monochrome intermediate codes. When the two intermediate codes are both color intermediate codes, and when the two page data are a monochrome intermediate code and a color intermediate code, If the code is a code, an intermediate code processing means for causing the color printing mechanism to perform color printing by the second color printing function based on the intermediate code is provided. 4. A color printing mechanism further comprising: a job type recognizing means for recognizing whether or not the print job data received by the receiving means requests double-sided printing. It has a reversing function of reversing the paper in order to print on the unprinted side of the paper, and the intermediate code generating means is recognized by the job type recognizing means that the print job data requests double-sided printing. In this case, two unprocessed page data to be used for printing on the front side of the sheet most recently received by the receiving unit, and two unprocessed two page data to be used for printing on the back side of the sheet 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the printing apparatus operates by processing page data. 5. A first color printing function for performing color printing on one sheet of a predetermined size, and a number of sheets matching the predetermined plurality of values n of the predetermined size in substantially the same time as the first color printing function. A color printing mechanism having a second color printing function of performing color printing on paper and a monochrome printing function of performing monochrome printing on one sheet of the predetermined size in a shorter time than the first color printing function; Receiving means for receiving print job data including a plurality of page data defining print contents for one page, and each time page data is received by the receiving means,
A data type determining unit that determines whether the page data is monochrome page data that can be printed by the monochrome printing function or color page data that cannot be printed by the monochrome printing function; and a determination result by the data type determining unit. Means for sequentially causing the color printing mechanism to print the contents defined by some of the page data received by the receiving means with reference to the receiving means, For the unprocessed continuous monochrome page data, the color printing mechanism is caused to perform monochrome printing by the monochrome printing function based on the page data, and the unprocessed color data received most recently by the receiving unit is received. For consecutive n page data starting with page data, And a page data processing means for causing the color printing mechanism to perform color printing by the second color printing function based on the page data. 6. A color printing mechanism further comprising job type recognizing means for recognizing whether or not the print job data received by the receiving means requests double-sided printing. It has a reversing function of reversing the paper to print on the unprinted side of the paper, and the page data processing means is recognized by the job type recognition means that the print job data requests double-sided printing. In this case, the unprocessed continuous back and forth monochrome page data most recently received by the receiving means and the unprocessed continuous table monochrome page data most recently received by the receiving means The color printing mechanism performs monochrome printing based on the monochrome printing function based on the page data. N consecutive page data for the back side, starting with the unprocessed, color page data received most recently, and the front side, starting with the unprocessed, color page data most recently received by the receiving means. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, for n consecutive page data, the color printing mechanism performs color printing by the second color printing function based on the page data. 7. Each page data in the print job data includes data type information indicating whether the page data is the monochrome page data or the color page data, and the data type determining unit includes the receiving unit. And determining whether each of the page data received is the monochrome page data or the color page data based on the data type information included in the page data. The printing device according to any one of the above.