JP2005004362A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute printing with the same font whichever image forming device may be used in a network connecting a plurality of image forming apparatuses and user terminals. <P>SOLUTION: An image forming system comprises a plurality of printers 100 to 600 each loaded with a plurality of types of fonts F1 to F10, the network 10 on which the printers communicate the font data loaded thereon, personal computers 50 connected to the network to send character information to be image-formed in a printer, and image forming drivers loaded on the personal computers to execute printing in the printer according to a command from the personal computer and the font data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention belongs to the technical field of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a so-called multifunction machine having these functions.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a plurality of personal computers (hereinafter also referred to as “personal computers”) and a plurality of printing machines and other image forming apparatuses constitute a network, and a single personal computer is connected to a single image forming apparatus. Thus, an image forming system is known that can print the document / graphics by transmitting information such as the document / graphics and a print command. In this case, specifically, for example, an inexpensive image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “low cost machine”) is arranged in the vicinity of a certain personal computer so that high-speed printing and mass printing can be easily performed. An image forming system may be constructed by arranging a forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an “expensive machine”) in a place that is far from the personal computer but is fair for each user. According to this, after performing a so-called “trial printing” with a low-priced machine near the personal computer used by the user, and confirming that the document / drawing etc. is printed as intended, the so-called “high-speed machine” is used. Operation such as “printing” can be performed. As such an image forming system, for example, one disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-353139
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional image forming system has the following problems. That is, in the image forming system, there are usually variations such as the above-described low-priced machine and expensive machine among a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected thereto. In this case, generally, there is a difference in types of fonts that can be used between low-priced machines and expensive machines. In other words, the number of types of built-in fonts (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “resident fonts”) is small for low-priced machines, and the number is large for expensive machines. In such a case, for example, when the operations such as “trial printing” and “main printing” are performed, the font (character form) on the document differs between the trial printing and the main printing. There was.
For example, when printing data created using an image forming driver for an expensive machine with both machines, a font type that is installed in an expensive machine but not installed in an inexpensive machine is included in the print command. However, in expensive machines, printing is performed as intended by the user, but in inexpensive machines, the font data does not exist, so printing with another font data similar to that is performed or not printed. This has happened.
Also, when printing on both machines using an image forming driver for an expensive machine and an image forming driver for an inexpensive machine, fonts that are in the expensive machine and not in the inexpensive machine are font data on the PC in the inexpensive machine. However, because it was printed as a download font, there were cases where the design of the characters was different from what was printed on an expensive machine.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in a network to which a plurality of image forming apparatuses and user terminals are connected, printing using the same font is possible regardless of which of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is used. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system that enables the above.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses each including a plurality of types of fonts, and data relating to the fonts mounted on each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. A communication means for communicating with each other between the plurality of image forming apparatuses, a user terminal connected to the communication means for transmitting character information to be imaged by the image forming apparatus, and the user And an image forming driver that executes image formation in the image forming apparatus based on a command from the user terminal and data related to the font.
[0007]
According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of image forming apparatuses constitutes a so-called network via communication means such as wired or wireless. Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is equipped with a plurality of types of fonts. For example, assuming that there are three image forming apparatuses, each of the first image forming apparatus (hereinafter, the nth image forming apparatus is referred to as an “nth apparatus”) uses three types of fonts. The device has six types of fonts, the third device has one type of font, and so on. In the present invention, the data relating to the font (for example, the number of types such as the above-mentioned three types, six types, and one type, or each type is determined between the image forming apparatuses via the communication unit. In addition, image data such as bitmap data for enabling printing with the font, etc. (hereinafter also referred to as “font data”) is communicated. In addition, in the present invention, an image forming driver is connected to the communication means. This image forming driver can be provided corresponding to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, for example. In this way, for example, in the above example, the image forming driver corresponding to the third device can read the font data installed in the first device and the second device. Therefore, in this case, although only one type of font is mounted on the third device, other types of fonts mounted on the first device and the second device may be used on the third device. It becomes possible. Under such circumstances, the user can perform printing (image formation) based on a font that could not be originally used in the third device by transmitting character information and a command from the user terminal.
[0008]
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to escape from the situation in which usable fonts are defined by the built-in fonts installed in the image forming apparatus. This is because, as described above, by providing the communication means and the image forming driver, the “built-in” font is in a state where it is built in the network (to be referred to as this state or the state). The term “network resident function” is used as a general term for the processing that can be performed, and the operational effects that can be enjoyed in this state (printing with the same font is possible in any image forming apparatus). This is because it is feasible.
[0009]
Such an operation and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments described below.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the image forming system according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the printing apparatus shown in FIG.
[0011]
In FIG. 1, the image forming system includes two personal computers 50, six printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 (hereinafter referred to as “100 to 600” for convenience when referred to collectively). Are connected to each other via the network 10.
[0012]
Among these, the personal computer 50 is equipped with known word processing software, image drawing software, and the like. On the personal computer 50, documents, drawings and the like can be created by using these software. Then, the information and the print command relating to the document / drawing are sent to any one of the printing apparatuses 100 to 600 or two or more of the printing apparatuses (for example, 100 and 300, etc.) via the network 10. By transmitting to the printing apparatus, printing (image formation) of the document / drawing or the like can be executed on an appropriate sheet or the like stored in the printing apparatus. In the present embodiment, the personal computer 50 includes a printing driver 52 as shown in FIG. The print driver 52 transmits the information related to the document / drawing and the print command to the printing apparatuses 100 to 600. Further, the print driver 52 performs various processes (see FIG. 3) described later in order to enable printing with the same font regardless of which of the plurality of printing apparatuses 100 to 600 connected to the network 10 is used. Do.
[0013]
Each of the printing apparatuses 100 to 600 (hereinafter represented by reference numeral “100”) includes a printing apparatus driver 110, a storage device 120, and a nonvolatile memory 130 as shown in FIG. Of these, the storage device 120 is, for example, a readable / writable memory having a known configuration, for example, for temporarily storing information on documents and drawings sent from the personal computer 50 shown in FIG. 1 via the network 10. It is used for etc. Further, particularly in the present embodiment, the storage device 120 may be used for storing font data incorporated in other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 (see step S16 in FIG. 3 and later).
[0014]
On the other hand, built-in font data 131 is recorded in an appropriate area on the nonvolatile memory 130. In FIG. 2, as an example of the built-in font data 131, it is shown that at least font data composed of bitmap data or the like for expressing each font of Gothic, Mincho, and line type is shown. Yes.
[0015]
In addition, the printer driver 110 is provided for each of the printers 100 to 600 in the present embodiment. The printing device driver 110 creates specific print data based on the print command sent from the personal computer 50 and the document / drawing information stored in the storage device 120, and based on this creates the printing device 100. Controls actual printing (image formation). In order to create the print data, the printer driver 110 has a font information file (not shown) in which information about the type of the internal font data 131 recorded in the nonvolatile memory 130 is recorded.
[0016]
If the built-in font data 131 and the printer driver 110 are installed, printing can be performed simply by transmitting a font name and a character code ("document / drawing information" described above) from the personal computer 50. Become. Therefore, in this case, it is not necessary to create so-called download font data, and since the print data is reduced, the network 10 can be released quickly. Also, unlike the downloaded font, the printing apparatus 100 does not have a process of registering font data on the storage device 120, so that it is possible to easily generate characters and increase printing speed.
[0017]
In FIG. 2 and FIG. 2, the configuration of the printing apparatus has been described by using the printing apparatus 100 as a representative. However, the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 illustrated in FIG. 1 basically have the same configuration as the printing apparatus 100. I have. That is, the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 include printing apparatus drivers 210 to 610, storage apparatuses 220 to 620, and nonvolatile memories 230 to 630. The nonvolatile memories 230 to 630 include built-in font data 231 to 631. Is recorded (installed). However, in the present embodiment, such built-in font data is mounted separately for each of the printing apparatuses 100 to 600 shown in FIG. For example, FIG. 2 shows that at least three types of built-in font data 131 of the printing apparatus 100 are installed. Of the other printing apparatuses, for example, the printing apparatus 200 has eight types of built-in font data 231. However, two types of built-in font data 331 (both not shown) are mounted on the printing apparatus 300, respectively.
[0018]
In the present embodiment, in particular, the printing device driver 110 (and other printing device drivers 210 to 610), for example, selects the most font type among the printing devices 100 to 600 connected to the network 10. For example, the built-in font data of a large number of printing apparatuses is recorded in the storage device 120 (and other storage devices 220 to 620) of other printing devices. This point will be described later.
[0019]
The image forming system having such a configuration is operated as shown in FIG. 3, for example, and as a result, the following effects can be obtained. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process for performing the same printing (image formation) with the same font regardless of which printing apparatus 100 to 600 constituting the image forming system.
[0020]
First, as shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 100 has a maximum number of built-in font data 131, specifically 10 types including the three types shown in FIG. 2, as compared with the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600. Assume that fonts F1, F2,..., F10 are built in (the three types of fonts shown in FIG. 2, Gothic, Mincho, and line type are "F1", "F2", and Name it “F3”.) In addition, the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 are each equipped with nine or less types of fonts, and the nine or less types of fonts are any of the ten types of fonts installed in the printing apparatus 100. It shall be included in one type of font. An example is shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 100 includes different types of fonts F1, F2,..., F10, and the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 include nine types included in these fonts F1, F2,. It is shown that the following fonts are mounted (for example, the printing apparatus 500 includes only the fonts F5 and F10).
[0021]
Now, in this image forming system, let us consider a case where the printing apparatus 100 is newly connected to the network 10 from a state where the printing apparatus 100 is not connected to the network 10 (step S10 in FIG. 3). Then, the printing driver 52 on the personal computer 50 recognizes that the printing apparatus 100 has more built-in font data 131 than the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 (step S12 in FIG. 3). ). Conversely, the printing device driver 110 may notify the printing driver 52 of the number of types of fonts it has.
[0022]
In this way, when the presence of the printing apparatus 100 having more font data than the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 is recognized, the print driver 52 sends a control flag to each printing apparatus 100 to 600 (FIG. 3). Step S14). Here, the “control flag” is a flag indicating that the built-in font data 131 installed in the printing apparatus 100 can be accepted by the other printing apparatuses 200 to 600 in the image forming system in FIG. .
[0023]
In this case, in general, a plurality of control flags may be sent from a plurality of printing drivers 52, such as a case where control flags are sent from the printing drivers 52 on the two personal computers 50 shown in FIG. In the image forming system according to the present embodiment, in order to avoid this, once the control flag is sent, each of the printing device drivers 210 to 610 notifies the printing driver 52 on the other personal computer 50 to that effect. It is preferable to configure so as to prevent unnecessary duplication from occurring.
[0024]
Next, each of the printing apparatuses 200 to 600 that has received the control flag copies the built-in font data 131 (maximum number of font data) in the printing apparatus 100 to each of the storage devices 220 to 620 (step S16 in FIG. 3). ). Copying in this case is performed as follows. For example, the printing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 1 has fonts F1, F2,..., F8 as the built-in font data 231, and the fonts F9 and F10 are insufficient compared to the printing apparatus 100. Therefore, the printing apparatus 200 reads the internal font data 131 related to the insufficient fonts F9 and F10 from the printing apparatus 100 and copies them to the storage device 220 in the printing apparatus 200. Hereinafter, the same applies to the printing apparatuses 300 to 600. In short, a portion of the built-in font data 131 that is insufficient for itself is copied to the respective storage devices 320 to 620. In FIG. 1, the types of fonts copied from the printing apparatus 100 are shown in a rectangular area below each of the printing apparatuses 200 to 600. The control flag is also sent to the printing apparatus 100. However, since the printing apparatus 100 is the printing apparatus itself having the most types of fonts as described above, naturally, the copying is not performed.
[0025]
Next, the printing device drivers 210 to 610 of the printing devices 200 to 600 initialize the font processing unit in the printing device drivers 230 to 630 so that the font data copied above can be used. The font data can be used (update process; step S18 in FIG. 3). As a result, the built-in font data 231 to 631 in each of the printing apparatuses 200 to 600 becomes the built-in font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ that has been updated or can be used in practice, and originally only the printing apparatus 100 had. In other words, the built-in font data 131 is built in the entire network 10. In this way, the font information newly available to the print driver 52 of the personal computer 50 connected to the network 10 when the update processing of the font data in all the printing apparatuses 200 to 600 is completed in this way. (Step S20 in FIG. 3). As a result, the use of the newly registered internal font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ becomes effective. Finally, the control flag is cleared (step S20 in FIG. 3).
[0026]
Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the internal font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ copied and updated as described above are effectively held until the power of the printing apparatuses 200 to 600 is turned off. When the printing devices 200 to 500 are turned off, the built-in font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ are deleted from the storage devices 220 to 620. When the printing devices 200 to 600 are turned on again, printing is performed. The above operations are automatically executed by the operations of the driver 52 for printing and the drivers 210 to 620 for printing apparatus, and the same status as before (that is, the built-in font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ resides in the storage devices 220 to 620). (Situation to be performed) is realized (“Connect to network” in step S10 in FIG. 3 may be read as “power on”).
[0027]
When the internal font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ as described above is copied / updated, the user of the personal computer 50 can use any of the network resident functions, that is, the printing devices 100 to 600 connected to the network 10. It is always possible to enjoy a function capable of performing printing similar to that of the printing apparatus 100 having a maximum number of fonts. For example, the printing apparatus 400 shown in FIG. 1 originally has the fonts F1 and F9, but cannot print with the fonts F2 and F3, that is, the Mincho and line fonts as shown in FIG. However, according to the present embodiment, since the storage device 420 of the printing apparatus 400 has the built-in font data 431 ′ having the same contents as the built-in font data 131, the printing apparatus 400 is realized. Even if is used, it is possible to execute printing in the fonts F2 and F3, that is, in the Mincho style and the line style.
[0028]
In the above-described embodiment, the built-in font data 231 ′ to 631 ′ are recorded in the storage devices 220 to 620 built in the printing devices 200 to 600. The form is not limited. For example, instead of or in addition to the built-in storage devices 200 to 600, a portable recording medium (not shown) called a so-called compact flash (registered trademark) writer may be used. According to such a configuration, it is possible to execute printing using a maximum number of fonts even in a stand-alone personal computer or printing apparatus.
[0029]
In the above description, the processing shown in FIG. 3 is automatically performed for the printing apparatus newly connected to the network 10 or powered on. It is not limited to any form.
[0030]
For example, as described above, the process shown in FIG. 3 is not automatically performed simultaneously with the connection of the printing apparatus 100 to the network 10 and the like as shown in FIG. 3 according to the user's intention. A mode in which processing is performed may be employed. In this case, for example, a “font data copy” button or the like may be provided on the hardware or software of the personal computer 50 or each of the printing apparatuses 100 to 600.
[0031]
Alternatively, as described above, even if a situation in which the same font data can be used appears in the printing apparatuses 100 to 600, the user of the personal computer 50 determines whether or not to use this resident font function in practice. It is preferable that the user can freely select (that is, whether to perform printing based on the updated internal font data). With such a configuration, for example, in an image forming system as shown in FIG. 1, two printing apparatuses are equipped with the same “Mincho font”. This is effective when there are subtle differences in the font data. That is, in such a case, even if the same Mincho style is specified, there is a possibility that printing giving a different impression may be performed. However, if the above configuration is provided, printing with the previous “Mincho style” will be performed. This is because it becomes possible and the impression can be unified.
[0032]
Furthermore, a setting button (not shown) for whether to transfer, copy, or update the built-in font data is provided in the printing apparatuses 100 to 600, and the state of the set button (that is, the built-in font data) A configuration may be provided in which whether or not the processing shown in FIG. 3 is performed can be determined depending on whether copying is performed or not. According to this, for example, the capacity of the storage device 320 built in the printing apparatus 300 among the printing apparatuses 100 to 600 is extremely small, and the built-in font data 131 (that is, the fonts F1, F2, F4, F5, F7) is insufficient. ,..., F10) can be secured if the setting button is set to “OFF” when there is no room to record all of the above. The storage devices 120 to 620 are also used to temporarily store the character / graphic information sent from the personal computer 50 as described above. However, the storage devices 120 to 620 are relatively large for temporarily storing the character / graphic information. When capacity is required, it is desirable to secure as large a free area as possible in the storage devices 120 to 620. According to the configuration including the setting button, it is considered that the effect is exhibited even in such a case.
[0033]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist or the spirit of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and an image forming system with such a change. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the image forming system of the present invention, in the network to which a plurality of image forming apparatuses and user terminals are connected, printing using the same font is possible regardless of which of the plurality of image forming apparatuses is used. Is possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the printing apparatus illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing for performing similar printing (image formation) with the same font regardless of which printing apparatus 100 to 600 constituting the image forming system is used.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Network 50 ... PC 52 ... Printing driver 100 thru | or 600 ... Printing apparatus 110 thru | or 610 ... Printing apparatus driver 120 thru | or 620 ... Memory | storage device 130 thru | or 630 ... Non-volatile memory 131 thru | or 631 ... Built-in font data

Claims (8)

A plurality of image forming apparatuses each having a plurality of types of fonts;
A communication means for mutually communicating the data relating to the font mounted in each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses between the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
A user terminal connected to the contact means for transmitting character information to be imaged by the image forming apparatus;
An image forming system, comprising: an image forming driver mounted on the user terminal and executing image formation in the image forming apparatus based on a command from the user terminal and data relating to the font. Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses further includes a storage device,
The image forming driver includes:
Recognizing a first group of image forming apparatuses having the most types of fonts among the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
Recording at least one of the data relating to the most types of fonts on the storage device in a second group of image forming apparatuses excluding the first group of image forming apparatuses among the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The image forming system according to claim 1. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the storage device includes a storage medium that can be inserted into and removed from each of the plurality of image forming devices. Each of the second group of image forming apparatuses includes:
3. When data relating to the font is recorded in the storage device in the second group of image forming apparatuses, the fact is notified to at least one of the image forming driver and the user terminal. Or the image forming system according to 3 above. 5. The image forming system according to claim 2, further comprising a setting unit configured to set whether to record data related to the font in the storage device. Among the plurality of image forming apparatuses, the number of types of the plurality of types of fonts mounted on the image forming apparatus that is turned on is the plurality of types mounted on the third group of image forming apparatuses excluding the image forming apparatus. If there are more font types than
The image forming driver includes:
When the power is turned on, data related to the plurality of types of fonts in the image forming apparatus that is turned on is automatically recorded in the storage device in the third group of image forming apparatuses. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the image forming system is an image forming system. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of the image forming apparatuses notifies the user terminal that the data relating to the font has been recorded in the storage device in the fourth group of image forming apparatuses. Image forming system. The user terminal further includes font data use selection means for setting whether to use data relating to the font recorded in the storage device in the fourth group of image forming apparatuses. The image forming system according to claim 6 or 7.

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