JP2002326403A - Imaging apparatus, imaging method and imaging program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus, an imaging method and an imaging program in which imaging efficiency can be enhanced. SOLUTION: A compressing/extracting section A4 compresses data and a data manager section A5 attaches a data name to the compressed data before it is stored in a storage buffer C3. The compressing/extracting section A4 extracts compressed data selected for a user from the compressed data stored in the storage buffer C3, a developing section A2 develops the extracted data and a printer engine B1 prints the developed data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program capable of compressing and holding print data, reusing the data, and printing the same data as many times as necessary. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printer, when printing once printed data, a print command and print data are received again from a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as "PC") and printing is performed. That is, in the conventional printer, even when print data of the same content is printed again, a print command and print data are always received before printing and printing is performed.

[0003]

However, in this case, when printing a frequently used format document, a print command must be repeatedly issued from the PC side, which is inefficient. In addition, there is a problem in that various print test documents and the like cannot be printed unless they are connected to a PC, which takes time and effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program capable of improving the efficiency of image formation.

[0005]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, comprising: a compression unit for compressing data; a storage unit for storing data compressed by the compression unit; A selecting unit for selecting data stored in the storing unit; a decompressing unit for decompressing the data selected by the selecting unit; and an image forming unit for forming an image based on the data decompressed by the decompressing unit. It is characterized by the following.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the selecting means adds a data name to the data when the data is stored in the storing means. Means, and display means for displaying the data name added by the data name adding means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, further comprising a deletion unit for deleting data stored in the storage unit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the image forming apparatus further includes a determination unit configured to determine whether the data is compressed by the compression unit. It is characterized by.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming method comprising: a compression step of compressing data; a storage step of storing the data compressed in the compression step; and a selection step of selecting the data stored in the storage step. A decompression step of decompressing the data selected in the selection step; and an image forming step of forming an image based on the data decompressed in the decompression step.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming method according to the fifth aspect, the selecting step adds a data name to the data when storing the data in the storing step. And a display step of displaying the data name added in the data name adding step.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming method according to the fifth or sixth aspect, further comprising a deleting step of deleting the data stored in the storing step.

An image forming method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the image forming method according to any one of the fifth to seventh aspects, further comprising a determining step of determining whether to compress the data in the compression step. It is characterized by.

An image forming program according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is an image forming program which is read and executed by a control unit of an image forming apparatus, and stores a compression module for compressing data, and data compressed by the compression module. A decompression module that decompresses the data selected by the decompression module, a decompression module that decompresses the data selected by the decompression module, and forms an image based on the decompression data by the decompression module. And an image forming module.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming program according to the ninth aspect, the selection module adds a data name to the data when the storage module stores the data. And a display module for displaying the data name added by the data name addition module.

An image forming program according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the image forming module according to the ninth or tenth aspect, further comprising a deletion module for deleting data stored in the storage module.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming program according to any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects, the image forming program further comprises a determining module for determining whether the data is compressed by the compression module. It is characterized by.

[0017]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer to which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected.

The image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is a printer 18. A computer 100 connected to the printer 18 includes a microprocessor (hereinafter, referred to as a “CPU”) 1 as a central processing unit and a read-only memory (hereinafter, referred to as a control memory).
A keyboard controller (hereinafter referred to as “KBC”) 4 to which a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as “RAM”) 3, a writable random access memory (hereinafter referred to as “RAM”) 3 and a keyboard (hereinafter referred to as “KB”) 5 are connected. A mouse controller (hereinafter, referred to as “MSC”) 6 to which a mouse 7 as a device for indicating an operation target position is connected;
A PC card controller (hereinafter, “PCC”) that drives a PC card device 9 that reads a CMCIA standard PC card
C) 8, a buffer memory 10 used for temporarily storing various data and the like, and a display device controller (hereinafter, referred to as "CRTC") 11 for driving a display device 12.
And a printer controller that controls the printer
"PRTC") 13 and Floppy (registered trademark)
Disk drive (hereinafter referred to as “FDD”) 15 or hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as “HDD”) 1
6 (hereinafter referred to as “P”).
UC ”), CPU1, ROM2, RAM
3, a system bus 17 for connecting the KBC 4, the MSC 6, the PCCC 8, the buffer memory 10, the CRTC 11, the PRTC 13 and the PUC 14 to each other.

The CPU 1 performs various calculations and logical judgments, and controls various components connected to this bus via a system bus 17 to control the entire apparatus. ROM2
Is a control program for various processes, for example, a CPU
1 stores a control program preliminarily recording various control procedures performed by the control program 1. The RAM 3 is used when executing the control procedure stored in the ROM 2, and is used as a temporary storage device for various types of data from each component and a work memory for the arithmetic and logical decisions of the CPU 1. KBC4 is KB
Key code conversion processing (conversion processing to internal code) for the input symbol from No. 5 is executed. CPU on KB5
Various key groups for giving instructions to the device 1 are arranged.

The MSC 6 controls the coordinates of the mouse cursor, controls the pressing of buttons, and the like. The PCCC 8 controls the loading of information in the PC card mounted on the PC card device 9. The PC card device 9 is a device that reads a compact flash (registered trademark) card, a smart media card, or the like inserted. The CRTC 11 controls the positioning of the character string to be displayed at the cursor position on the screen, or refers to the internal character generator,
Convert character data to dot pattern data,
Display control for displaying character information or image information is performed.

The display device 12 is a display device using a cathode ray tube CRT or a liquid crystal or a light emitting diode.
The C13 analyzes the image data, character data, control data, and the like sent from the CPU 1 via the system bus 17, and drives the printer 18.

The system bus 17 is a bus used for transmitting and receiving various data and control signals, and has functions of an address bus, a control bus, and a data bus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the printer 18 shown in FIG.

The printer 18 roughly includes a controller section A, a printer engine section B, and a RAM section C, which are interconnected by a system bus D.

The controller section A is composed of a liquid crystal or the like, and has a display section A1 for displaying various messages, and a developing section A2 for expanding print data and finally converting the print data into bit data.
And an operation key unit A for performing various settings of the printer 18
3, a compression / decompression unit A4 for compressing data stored in an input buffer C1 described later or decompressing compressed data stored in a storage buffer C3 described later;
The data name transmitted from the computer 100 is transmitted from the computer 100 to a data manager unit A5 for displaying the data name of the compressed data on the display unit A1 or selecting desired data in cooperation with the key operation unit A3 in a printer without the display unit A1. And a communication controller A6 for receiving various commands and transmitting a status based on the commands to the computer 100.

The printer engine unit B receives the expanded data and executes the actual printing.
Consists of one. The printer engine B1 includes a print head control, a platen roll, a printer cover, a drive system motor,
It controls and manages paper supply and discharge and power management.

The RAM section C is roughly divided into a buffer section having an input buffer C1, an expansion buffer C2 and a storage buffer C3, and a memory section having a main memory C4, an information memory C5 and a use state memory C6.

The input buffer C1 temporarily stores data received from the computer 100, and the expansion buffer C2 is a buffer used to expand the data stored in the input buffer C1 into final print data. The storage buffer C3 compresses and stores data stored in the input buffer C1. The data manager A5
Manages data compressed and stored in the storage buffer C3.

The main memory C4 is used for performing various processes. The information memory C5 stores, for example, information set by a key operation on the operation key section A3. The number of print dots is calculated and the result is accumulated.

The operation of the printer 18 configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for setting a flag for determining whether to print or compress the print data transmitted from the PC 100 as it is.

First, it is determined whether the user sets the data save flag or the normal print flag (step S1). When the user sets the data save flag, the data save flag is set using the operation key section A3 (step S2), and the flag setting is ended. On the other hand, when the user sets the normal print flag, the operation key A3 is used. The normal print flag is set in the set A3 (step S3).
3) End the flag setting.

In a printer having a touch-type display panel, the above-described two flags may be displayed, and one of the flags may be set by a user's touch.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a data compression process for compressing data transmitted from the PC 100.

First, the data manager unit A5 determines whether to compress data transmitted from the PC 100 based on the flag set by the operation key unit A3 (step S11). Is not compressed, the data manager unit A5 outputs a normal printing operation command to the printer engine B1 (step S12), the printer engine B1 performs normal printing (step S13), and terminates this processing. I do.

On the other hand, in step S11, the PC 10
When compressing the data transmitted from 0, the data is input to the input buffer C1, and is compressed by the compression / decompression unit A4.
Compresses the data (step S14), the data manager A5 adds a data name to the compressed data (step S15), and stores the compressed data with the data name added to the storage buffer C3 (step S16). ), End this processing. Here, in the case of a printer that does not include the display unit A1, since the user cannot confirm the data name even if the data name is added in step S14, the operation key unit A3 has the “ Compressed data is assigned to operation keys such as "A", "B", and "C". In this case, for example, if the operation key “A” is pressed, the compressed data assigned to the operation key “A” is called from the accumulation buffer C3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing process or a deleting process of the compressed data stored in the storage buffer C3.

First, the display unit A1 displays a list of the data names of the compressed data stored in the storage buffer C3 (step S21), and the data name of the compressed data to be printed or deleted by the user using the operation key unit A3. Select (Step S
22).

Next, print processing is performed via the operation key section A3.
It is determined which of the delete process and the cancel process has been selected (step S23).

If the result of determination in step S23 is that print processing has been selected, the compression / decompression unit A4 determines in step S22
Decompresses the compressed data selected in (step S24),
The developing unit A2 stores the decompressed data in the main memory C4.
And expands the data in the expansion buffer C2 (step S25). Expansion buffer C
2 is transmitted to the printer engine B1 and printed (step S26), and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S23 is that delete processing has been selected, the compressed data selected in step S22 is deleted (step S27), and processing returns to step S22. At this time, in step S22, the data name of the deleted compressed data is not displayed.

If the result of determination in step S23 is that cancel processing has been selected, this processing ends without executing print processing or delete processing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
The compression / decompression unit A4 compresses the data, the data manager unit A5 adds a data name to the compressed data, and stores the compressed data with the data name added to the storage buffer C3. The compression / decompression unit A4 stores the compressed data. The decompressed data selected by the user is decompressed from the decompressed data, the decompressing unit A2 decompresses the decompressed data, and the printer engine B1 prints the decompressed data. There is no need to send the data, and even if the PC 100 and the printer 18 are not connected, printing can be performed by decompressing the compressed data stored in the storage buffer C3. Therefore, the efficiency of image formation can be improved.
In addition, the labor required for printing can be significantly reduced.

Here, for example, when the data of the print test document is compressed and stored in the storage buffer C3, the test efficiency is significantly improved. Also, since various patterns of the print test document can be created, compressed, and stored in the storage buffer C3, it is very effective for operation confirmation and the like. Also, data in a similar format,
For example, by compressing data in a format such as various application forms and storing it in the storage buffer C3, a desired form can be printed without a PC, and the throughput is greatly improved.

The functions of the above-described embodiments can also be realized by a form of a program which is software, and it goes without saying that the object of the present invention is achieved.

In this case, the program module itself realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the program module constitutes the present invention.

[0048]

As described above in detail, according to the image forming apparatus of claim 1, the image forming method of claim 5, and the image forming program of claim 9, the data is compressed. Is stored, the stored data is selected, the selected data is decompressed, and an image is formed based on the decompressed data. Therefore, there is no need to send data every time printing is performed from a personal computer or the like. Even if it is not connected to a personal computer or the like, it can be printed by decompressing the compressed and stored data. Therefore, the efficiency of image formation can be improved. Further, the labor required for image formation can be drastically reduced.

According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect, the image forming method of the sixth aspect, and the image forming program of the tenth aspect, when data is stored, a data name is added to the data, and the data name is added. Data name is displayed.
Desired data can be easily selected, and the efficiency of image formation can be improved.

According to the image forming apparatus of the third aspect, the image forming method of the seventh aspect, and the image forming program of the eleventh aspect, since the stored data can be deleted, unnecessary data can be organized.

According to the image forming apparatus of the fourth aspect, the image forming method of the eighth aspect, and the image forming program of the twelfth aspect, it is determined whether or not to compress the data. can do. For example, when it is necessary to quickly form an image, the image can be formed without compressing the data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of the printer 18 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of setting a flag for determining whether to print or compress print data transmitted from the PC 100 of FIG. 1 as it is.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a data compression process for compressing data transmitted from the PC 100 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing process or a deleting process of compressed data stored in a storage buffer C3 of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 A1 display section A2 expansion section A3 operation key section A4 compression / decompression section A5 data manager section A6 communication control section B1 printer engine C1 input buffer C2 expansion buffer C3 accumulation buffer C4 main memory C5 information memory C6 usage memory

Claims (12)

[Claims] A compression means for compressing data; a storage means for storing data compressed by the compression means; a selection means for selecting data stored in the storage means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a decompressing unit that decompresses data selected by the selecting unit; and an image forming unit that forms an image based on the data decompressed by the decompressing unit. 2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection means displays a data name added to the data when the storage means stores the data, and a data name added by the data name addition means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a deletion unit for deleting data stored in said storage unit.
The image forming apparatus as described in the above. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether the data is compressed by the compression unit. 5. A compression step of compressing data, an accumulation step of accumulating the data compressed in the compression step, a selection step of selecting the data accumulated in the accumulation step, and a selection step of An image forming method comprising: a decompression step of decompressing data; and an image formation step of forming an image based on the data decompressed in the decompression step. 6. The selecting step displays, when storing the data in the storing step, a data name adding step of adding a data name to the data, and displaying the data name added in the data name adding step. The image forming method according to claim 5, further comprising a display step. 7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a deletion step of deleting data accumulated in the accumulation step.
The image forming method as described in the above. 8. The image forming method according to claim 5, further comprising a determining step of determining whether to compress the data in the compressing step. 9. An image forming program read and executed by a control unit of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a compression module for compressing data; a storage module for storing data compressed by the compression module; A decompression module for decompressing data selected by the selection module, a decompression module for decompressing data selected by the selection module, and an image formation module for performing image formation based on the data decompressed by the decompression module. An image forming program characterized by the following. 10. The selection module, when storing the data in the storage module, displays a data name addition module for adding a data name to the data, and a data name added by the data name addition module. The image forming program according to claim 9, further comprising a display module. 11. The image forming module according to claim 9, further comprising a deletion module that deletes data stored in said storage module. 12. The image forming program according to claim 9, further comprising a determination module that determines whether the data is compressed by the compression module.