JP2005328257A - Image forming apparatus and printing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus on which a sample for test print can easily be specified. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus confirms the kind of a test copy (S10) and in test copy mode of form composition, a form is specified first (S11). Then the density of the form is specified (S12) and the form and a document are put together (S13). A user when viewing and accepting a composite finish image inputs a file name for the composite image through a display part 20. The inputted file name and set density are further put together with the composite image (S14). Then image data are printed (S40). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a printing program, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and a printing program capable of identifying a test output sample.

An image forming apparatus that performs trial printing without performing useless printing is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-94756 (Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, test printing is performed by designating a range of pages to be output.
JP 2003-94756 A (paragraph number 0006 and the like)

  Conventional image forming apparatuses that perform test printing without performing useless printing are configured as described above.

  You can check the image and finish without outputting all the image information including useless parts, but if you output many sample images, you may not know what output conditions the sample was output. was there. Further, there is a problem that when it is desired to take out a stored document, it is difficult to specify the document. For this reason, it is difficult to use the result of the trial printing when performing the actual printing, and the meaning of performing the trial printing has been lost.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and a printing program that can easily specify a test print sample.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a sample image creating unit that creates a test sample image, a synthesizing unit that synthesizes identification information with the sample image created by the sample image creating unit, and a synthesizing unit. Output means for outputting a sample image in which the identification information is combined.

  Preferably, the sample image includes at least one of a test copy, a form output, and a box output.

  More preferably, the identification information includes at least one of a file name of the sample image and an image adjustment parameter.

  More preferably, it further includes display means, and the output means includes display means.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a printing program generates a test sample image for a computer, and combines the identification information with the sample image created by the sample image creation unit. And an output unit that outputs a sample image in which the identification information synthesized by the synthesizing unit is synthesized.

  In the present invention, when a test sample image is output, the sample image combined with the identification information is output. Since the identification information of the sample image is recorded, the sample image can be easily specified.

  As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus and a printing program that can easily specify a test print sample.

  If an image file name or image adjustment parameter is recorded as identification information, a sample image can be specified more easily, and a desired stored image can be obtained.

  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 digital multifunction machine 10 when an embodiment of the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus such as a digital multifunction machine. Referring to FIG. 1, the digital multi-function peripheral 10 functions as an image creation unit and a synthesis unit, and is connected to a control unit 11 that controls the entire digital multi-function peripheral 10, a DRAM 12, a FAX communication unit 13, and a network 40. A network IF (interface) unit 14 for printing, a printing unit 15 that also functions as an output unit, an HD (hard disk) 16, an image reading unit 17, and an operation unit 18.

  The image reading unit 17 includes a CCD (not shown) as an example of a photoelectric conversion element, and can read image data of a document.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 18 includes an input unit 19 and a display unit 20. The input unit 19 completely cancels the copy key 191 for instructing FAX transmission start and copy start, and the process being executed. A stop key 192 for performing an interrupt, an interrupt key 193 for instructing execution / cancellation of an interrupt, a numeric key 194 for instructing a FAX destination number, the number of copies, and a setting key 195 for setting various information. Including.

  The display unit 20 is composed of a liquid crystal panel, and can display information from the digital multi-function peripheral 10 to the user. The display unit 20 also functions as an output unit. This liquid crystal panel is a touch panel, and also functions as a part of the input unit 19 for selecting each function of “FAX”, “printer”, and “copy”.

  The control unit 11 compresses and writes the data supplied from the image reading unit 17 and the data supplied from the FAX communication unit 13 or the network IF unit 14 to the DRAM 12, reads the data written to the DRAM 12, decompresses and decodes and outputs the data. . The control unit 11 also performs control for communication by the FAX communication unit 13, control for communication by the network IF unit 14, control for printing by the printing unit 15, and image reading by the image reading unit 17. Control for inputting data from the input unit 19 of the operation unit 18 and control for displaying data on the display unit 20 of the operation unit 18 are performed.

  In FIG. 1, thick arrows indicate the flow of image data, and thin arrows indicate the flow of control signals or control data.

  In this embodiment, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus 10 can perform a test copy, form synthesis, form output, and box output as a test copy.

  Here, trial copy refers to copying only one copy before copying a large number of copies, and outputting the set number of copies after confirming the output. Form composition refers to registering a predetermined image that has been registered. This means that the output is superimposed. Therefore, the form synthesis trial mode is a mode for trial copying an image that has undergone form synthesis. Form output is a mode in which a desired form is registered and output in that form. The box output is a mode for accumulating documents to be pre-registered originals and outputting them.

  In this embodiment, a test copy button is displayed on the display unit 20, and when it is selected, the mode is shifted to each mode.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of a processing procedure performed by the control unit 11 when performing a test copy such as a print sample in the image forming apparatus 10. Referring to FIG. 3, first, the type of test copy is confirmed (S10).

  A screen display example on the display unit 20 in this case is shown in FIG. The user selects a desired process on this screen.

  In the form composition trial copy mode, a form is first designated (S11). Here, the form may be stored in the hard disk 16 in advance, or the first original may be read as a composite image and left in the memory. An example of a form stored in advance is shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 5, it is assumed that an image 25 is stored in advance. On the other hand, when the image 26 is synthesized, a synthesized image 27 is formed.

  Next, the density of the form is designated (S12), and the form and the document are combined (S13). FIG. 6 is a view showing a screen display example of the form composition displayed on the display unit 20. Referring to FIG. 6, a button 28 for adjusting the density and a synthesized finished image 29 in that case are displayed on the display unit 20. The display unit 20 may be provided with a button 30 for selecting a form.

  When the user is satisfied with the synthesized finished image 29, the user inputs the file name of the synthesized image from the display unit 20. The file name input at this time and the set density are further combined with the combined image (S14). Thereafter, the image data is printed by the printing unit 15 (S40).

  FIG. 7 shows the printed image data. Referring to FIG. 7, the file name (here, “Test A”) and density are printed together with the synthesized image. In this way, since the file name and density are printed on the image in the form synthesis trial copy, individual conditions and the like can be known later even if many form synthesis trial copies are created. You can consider which conditions were the best.

  Next, the form output shown in S21 of FIG. 3 will be described. Also in the form output, a form to be output is first designated (S21). Here, the form may be stored in the hard disk 16 in advance, or the first original may be read as a composite image and left in the memory as in the case of the trial copy. FIG. 8 shows a state where a screen for selecting a form for designating a form is displayed on the display unit 20. Referring to FIG. 8, a plurality of stored forms are displayed, and a desired form can be selected from them.

  FIG. 9 shows a state where the selected form is displayed on the display unit 20. Referring to FIG. 9, a portion 31 for displaying data such as a user name, a document name, and a size of the designated form, a form display button 32, and the like are displayed.

  The user presses the form display button 32 to display the form and display the form. There, a form image and a density selection button are displayed as shown in FIG. When the user designates the density of the form (S22), sees the image of the form and accepts it through the display unit 20, the file name of the form and the set density are synthesized into the form. (S23). Thereafter, image data is printed (S40).

  Next, the box output shown in S31 of FIG. 3 will be described. Also in the box output, first, the document to be output stored in the hard disk 16 or the like is designated (S31). The document is designated in the same manner as in FIG.

  Also in this process, the screen for displaying the information for specifying the document shown in FIG. 9 and the screen for showing the contents of the document as shown in FIG. 6 are displayed. When the user sees the contents of the document and is convinced and instructs the output of the contents, the file name of the document is combined with the image (S32). Thereafter, image data is printed (S40).

  Although the document density setting is not described here, the user may be allowed to select the density as in the other examples.

  When a form or document is specified as described above, identification information for specifying an output image such as the file name is printed together with the specified form or document, so that an image output after output can be specified reliably.

  The file names of these forms and documents, their densities, etc. are printed together with the images only when making a test sample image, and these are not printed on the regular output. .

  In the above embodiment, the processing of FIG. 3 has been described as an operation performed by the main control unit of the image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is realized by using a computer as a printer program for printing and a printer driver. Is possible. In this case, if the program for executing the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is stored in the ROM or RAM of the computer, the same operation as that of the image forming apparatus is possible. This program may be stored in a computer via a recording medium.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the file name and the density of the image are printed as information for identifying the output image has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any image adjustment parameters such as color tone and contrast in a color image are described. May be printed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where printing is actually performed by the printing unit in the image forming apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be applied to a case where the image is simply displayed on a display unit or the like. Identification information may be added to the image data stored in the hard disk.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to the thing of embodiment shown in figure. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same range or equivalent range as the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital multifunction peripheral as an example of an image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows an operation part. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which a control part performs. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a display part. It is a figure which shows the example of the form stored beforehand. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen display of form composition. It is a figure which shows the printed image data. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of form selection. It is a figure which shows the state by which the selected form was displayed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Digital multifunction device, 11 Control part, 12 DRAM, 13 FAX transmission part, 14 Network interface member, 15 Printing part, 16 Hard disk, 17 Image reading part, 18 Operation part, 30 Public line, 40 Network

Claims (5)

Sample image creation means for creating a test sample image;
Combining means for combining the identification information with the sample image created by the sample image creating means;
And an output unit that outputs a sample image in which the identification information combined by the combining unit is combined. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample image includes at least one of a test copy, a form output, and a box output. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification information includes at least one of a file name of the sample image and an image adjustment parameter. A display means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit includes the display unit. Against the computer,
A sample image creation means for creating a test sample image, a synthesis means for synthesizing the identification information with the sample image created by the sample image creation means, and a sample image obtained by synthesizing the identification information synthesized by the synthesis means A printing program that functions as output means for output.

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