JP2006248056A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a paper sheet suitable for image data by utilizing information of paper in an IC tag attached to the paper sheet. <P>SOLUTION: When this image forming apparatus 1 forms an image on a paper sheet based on image data according to a print request, it reads information of paper in an IC tag attached to the paper sheet to be a printing target by using an IC tag information reading section 5, judges whether or not the image can be formed on the basis of the information of paper and the content of the print request by using an image formation capability judgment section 9, and controls whether or not the image according to the print request is formed on the paper sheet. As a result, more adequate forming of an image with respect to the paper sheet can be performed, waste forming of an image can be avoided, the paper resources can be saved, and then image quality can be more improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus that forms an appropriate image on a sheet using sheet information of an IC tag attached to the sheet.

  An image forming apparatus such as a printer generally prints out the print data based on the print data in response to a print request from a host device such as a personal computer.

  At this time, in a host device such as a personal computer, print settings such as paper size, paper orientation, duplex / single side, paper feed tray, and paper type set by the printer driver are added to the print data. Printing based on this print setting is performed.

  On the other hand, an image forming apparatus having a plurality of sheet feeding trays has been widely used, and various types of sheets are stored in each sheet feeding tray, and at least a function of outputting the sheet size to the control unit of the apparatus. It has.

  Conventionally, an image forming apparatus that adds an IC tag to a sheet for each image forming job, reads the information at the time of reprinting, retrieves corresponding image data from a server connected to the network, and reprints the image. A forming system has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

  Conventionally, a printed matter management system that centrally manages print content data and write data in association with an ID number assigned to a printed matter has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

  Further, conventionally, an image is formed on a recording sheet having a non-contact type IC tag based on the image data, and user information of the image data is recorded on the IC tag and discharged to a discharge tray. An image forming apparatus that manages the above recording sheet with the IC tag has been proposed (see Patent Document 3).

  Conventionally, image identification information and attribute information of image data identified by the image identification information are read from an IC tag embedded in a document by an IC tag reader, and the device itself is identified as having only a monochrome image forming function. In the case where the image data is a color image, an image processing apparatus that does not download the image data from the file server or does not execute image formation until a user gives an instruction has been proposed (see Patent Document 4).

  Further, the present applicant has previously proposed a toner bottle management method in which an IC tag is attached to a toner bottle and the handling history of the toner bottle is managed (see Patent Document 5).

JP 2004-322570 A JP 2004-302617 A JP 2004-223966 A JP 2004-229140 A JP 2002-6691 A

  However, in the above prior art, there is a need for improvement in order to improve the confidentiality and the image quality by forming an image suitable for the paper on which the image is to be formed.

  In other words, all of the conventional techniques described in Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 4 manage the paper and images based on the information of the IC tag after once forming an image on the paper to which the IC tag is attached. There is a need for a technique for forming an appropriate image on a more appropriate sheet, unlike image formation management when an image is formed.

  The prior art described in Patent Document 5 appropriately manages toner bottles as consumables based on the information of the IC tag. Unlike image formation management when forming an image, more suitable paper is used. Therefore, a technique for forming an appropriate image is desired.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that performs more appropriate image formation on a sheet, prevents useless image formation, has good usability, and saves paper resources.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet based on image data in response to a print request, wherein the sheet includes an IC tag on which various sheet information relating to the sheet is recorded. When the image is formed based on the image data in response to the print request, the paper information of the IC tag attached to the paper to be printed is read, and the paper information and the print The above object is achieved by controlling whether or not to form an image according to the print request on the paper based on the content of the request.

  In this case, for example, as described in claim 2, the image forming apparatus performs punching in response to the print request when information prohibiting punching as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag. When processing is designated, image formation by a print request designating punch processing on the paper may be stopped.

  For example, according to a third aspect of the present invention, when the information for prohibiting staple processing as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus performs stapling in response to the print request. Is designated, the image formation by the print request designating the stapling process on the paper may be stopped.

  Further, for example, as described in claim 4, in the image forming apparatus, information specifying an image processing apparatus that is permitted to form an image on the sheet is recorded in the sheet information of the IC tag. The image may be formed on the paper only when the image forming apparatus is permitted to form an image according to the paper information.

  In addition, for example, as described in claim 5, the image forming apparatus is configured to record information specifying a user who is permitted to form an image on the paper in the paper information of the IC tag. An image may be formed on the paper only when the print request instructing image formation on the paper is a print request from a user permitted by the paper information.

  Further, for example, when the information for prohibiting double-sided printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus designates double-sided printing in the print request. If it is, the image formation by the print request designating double-sided printing on the paper may be stopped.

  For example, as described in claim 7, the image forming apparatus specifies color printing in the print request when information prohibiting color printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag. If it is, the image formation by the print request designating color printing on the paper may be stopped.

  Further, for example, as described in claim 8, when the color of the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus specifies color printing in the print request, If the image data of the print request includes a color similar to the color of the paper, the formation of an image according to the print request on the paper may be stopped.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when an image is formed on a sheet based on image data in response to a print request, the sheet information of the IC tag attached to the sheet to be printed is read, and the sheet information And whether or not to form an image according to the print request on the paper based on the contents of the print request and the content of the print request. Can be prevented, the usability is good and paper resources can be saved, and the image quality can be further improved.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable Example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, However, The scope of the present invention limits this invention especially in the following description. As long as there is no description of the effect, it is not restricted to these aspects.

  1 and 2 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 to which the embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied. .

  1, an image forming apparatus 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 3, an operation display unit 4, an IC tag information reading unit 5, a paper feed tray 6, an image forming unit 7, and a memory 8. , An image formation availability determination unit 9, an image formation data storage unit 10, an interface unit 11, and the like. Main components are connected to a bus 12.

  The ROM 3 stores various programs such as a basic program as the image forming apparatus 1 and an image formation control processing program described later, and various data necessary for executing these various programs.

  The CPU 2 controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 1 based on a program in the ROM 3 while using the memory 8 as a work memory, executes basic processing as the image forming apparatus 1, and performs image forming control to be described later. Execute the process.

  The operation display unit 4 includes various operation keys such as a start key and a numeric keypad necessary for operating the image forming apparatus 1 and a display (for example, a liquid crystal display). Various commands necessary for causing the image forming operation to be performed are input to the display, and the contents of the commands input from the operation keys and various information notified from the image forming apparatus 1 to the operator are displayed on the display.

  The paper feed tray 6 can store a plurality of sheets of various types of paper, and the paper feed tray 6 is not limited to one, and a plurality of paper feed trays 6 may be provided. An IC tag is attached to the paper stored in the paper feed tray 6 by a method such as embedding, and various information relating to the paper to which the IC tag is attached, for example, punch permission is provided. / Prohibition information, stapling permission / prohibition information, image forming apparatus identification information permitting image formation, image forming apparatus type information permitting image forming apparatus, duplex printing permission / prohibition information, color printing permission / prohibition information, Paper color information, paper type information, paper size information, paper thickness information, and the like are recorded.

  The IC tag information reading unit 5 reads information on an IC tag attached to a sheet (IC tag information: sheet information). If the IC tag can be written, the IC tag information reading unit 5 The IC tag may have a function of writing IC tag information. The IC tag information reading unit 5 includes, for example, a wireless tag reader / writer and an antenna, and the wireless tag reader / writer is provided with an IC tag attached to paper to be printed (paper to be printed) via the antenna. The information is transmitted and received between the IC tags, the IC tag information is written to the IC tag, and the IC tag information written to the IC tag is read.

  The image forming unit 7 forms an image on a sheet conveyed from the paper feed tray 6 based on image data by a predetermined image forming method, for example, an electrophotographic method, and discharges the paper onto a paper discharge tray (not shown).

  For example, a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) is connected to the interface unit 11, and the image forming apparatus 1 prints an image together with a print request from a host device such as a personal computer connected to the network via the interface unit 11. Data is received, and the received print request and image data are stored in the image formation data storage unit 10.

  The image formation data storage unit 10 is composed of a large-capacity memory such as a hard disk, and mainly stores image data as described above.

  The image formation possibility determination unit 9 reads the IC tag information read by the IC tag information reading unit 5 based on the IC tag information read by the IC tag information reading unit 5, the image data to be printed, and the contents of the print request for the image data. Is determined as to whether or not image formation (printing) of the image data according to the print request is applied to the sheet to which the image is attached, and the determination result is transferred to the CPU 2.

  The CPU 2 controls whether or not the image forming unit 7 can form an image on the sheet to which the IC tag of the image data is attached based on the determination result of the image forming possibility determining unit 9.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment temporarily stores the print request and image data received from the host device via the interface unit 11 in the image formation data storage unit 10, and then prints the print request and image in the image formation data storage unit 10. The data is read out, and the image data is formed on the paper transported from the paper feed tray 6 to the image forming unit 7 by the image forming unit 7 with the printing contents corresponding to the print request.

  At this time, the paper stored in the paper feed tray 6 is provided with an IC tag in which the IC tag information is recorded, and the image forming apparatus 1 performs the image formation under the control of the CPU 2. The IC tag information (printing information) of the IC tag of the paper is read by the IC tag information reading unit 5 and the image data for the paper is based on the IC tag information read by the IC tag information reading unit 5 and the content of the print request. The image formation propriety determination unit 9 determines whether the image formation is appropriate, and the CPU 2 controls the image forming unit 7 based on the determination result of the image formation propriety determination unit 9 to transfer the image data to the sheet. Image formation is performed or image formation is stopped.

  That is, when the image forming apparatus 1 is instructed to form an image of the image data stored in the image forming data storage unit 10 (step S101), the CPU 2 sends the IC tag information reading unit 5 to the uppermost sheet of the paper feed tray 6. The paper information of the IC tag attached to (the paper to be imaged next) is read (step S102), and the paper information read by the IC tag information reading unit 5 and the content of the print request for the image data to be printed Then, the image formation availability determination unit 9 determines whether image formation is possible (step S103). In determining whether image formation is possible, specifically, the following items are determined for the following items.

  That is, as described above, the paper information of the IC tag includes punch processing permission / prohibition information, stapling processing permission / prohibition information, image forming apparatus specifying information that permits image formation, and image formation that permits the image forming apparatus. The device type information, duplex printing permission / prohibition information, color printing permission / prohibition information, paper color information, paper type information, paper size information, paper thickness information, etc. are recorded. Based on the contents and the image data, the image formation availability determination unit 9 determines whether image formation is possible as follows. That is, the image formation availability determination unit 9 records information prohibiting punch processing as post-processing in the paper information of the IC tag, and the print request specifies punch processing for the paper. If it is determined that image formation is impossible, and information that prohibits stapling as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag and the print request specifies stapling on the paper, image formation is performed. Judged to be impossible. In addition, the image formation availability determination unit 9 records information for designating (specifying) an image processing device that permits image formation on the paper in the paper information of the IC tag. Information that determines that image formation is allowed only when the image forming apparatus is permitted to form an image according to the information, and designates a user who is permitted to form an image on the paper in the paper information of the IC tag. Is recorded, and it is determined that image formation is rejected only when the user requesting printing is a user permitted by the paper information. Further, the image formation possibility determination unit 9 cannot form an image on the paper when information prohibiting double-sided printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag and double-sided printing is designated by the print request. If the information that prohibits color printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag and color printing is designated by the print request, it is determined that image formation on the paper is impossible. In addition, when the color of the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image formation availability determination unit 9 designates color printing in the print request, and the color of the paper in the image data of the print request. If a similar color is included, it is determined that image formation on the sheet is impossible. Then, the CPU 2 controls the stop or execution of the image formation by the image forming unit 7 on the sheet based on the determination result of the image forming possibility determining unit 9.

  If it is determined in step S103 that the image formation enable / disable determination unit 9 determines that image formation is possible, the CPU 2 instructs the image forming unit 7 to print one sheet of the sheet based on the image data. Image formation is performed (step S104), and it is checked whether image formation of all pages of the image data is completed (step S105).

  If it is determined in step S105 that image formation has not been completed for all pages of the image data, the CPU 2 returns to step S102, and the IC assigned to the sheet in the paper feed tray 6 that forms the image for the next page. From the process of reading the paper information from the tag, the same process as described above is performed (steps S102 to S105). When the image formation of the image data of all pages of the image data is completed in step S105, the image formation control process is terminated.

  If it is determined in step S103 that the image formation enable / disable determination unit 9 determines that image formation is not possible, the CPU 2 stops image formation on the sheet and ends the image formation control process.

  As described above, when the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment forms an image on a sheet based on image data in response to a print request, the IC tag uses the sheet information of the IC tag attached to the sheet to be printed. Whether or not to form an image according to the print request on the paper is read by the information reading unit 5 and the image formation possibility determination unit 9 determines whether or not the image can be formed based on the paper information and the content of the print request. Is controlling.

  Therefore, it is possible to form a more appropriate image on the paper to prevent wasteful image formation, and to improve the image quality as well as to improve the usability and save paper resources. Can do.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when information prohibiting punch processing as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, when punch processing is specified in the print request, The image formation by the print request designating the punching process on the paper is stopped.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent a paper from being punched by being erroneously punched and to prevent waste of paper resources and improve usability. it can.

  Furthermore, when the information that prohibits the staple processing as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the staple processing is specified in the print request, The image formation by the print request designating the staple process on the paper is stopped.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent the stapling process from being erroneously performed on the paper on which the image is formed and the stapling is prohibited, and it is possible to prevent waste of paper resources and improve usability. it can.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when information specifying an image processing apparatus that permits image formation on the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus 1 An image is formed on the sheet only when the sheet information corresponds to an image forming apparatus that permits image formation. Therefore, security can be improved.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment instructs the image formation on the paper when the information specifying the user who is permitted to form the image on the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag. An image is formed on the paper only when the print request is a print request from a user who is permitted by the paper information. Therefore, security can be improved.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, when information prohibiting double-sided printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, when double-sided printing is specified in the print request, The image formation by the print request designating double-sided printing is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the problem of printing on the back side by mistake.

  Further, when the information for prohibiting color printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment applies the color printing to the paper when the print request designates the color printing. The image formation by the print request designating color printing is stopped.

  Therefore, by not forming image formation data for which color printing is designated, it is possible to improve image quality while preventing waste of paper resources.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, when the color of the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, color printing is designated by the print request, and the paper is included in the image data of the print request. If a color similar to this color is included, the formation of an image according to the print request on the paper is stopped.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image formation result from being difficult to see on the colored paper, and it is possible to improve image quality while preventing waste of paper resources.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

  By controlling the image formation on the paper according to the paper information of the IC tag attached to the paper and the image formation contents, and prohibiting the image formation on inappropriate paper, the image data can be made appropriate paper The present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a composite apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, or a printer that forms an image.

1 is a block configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus to which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 3 is a flowchart showing image formation control processing by the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image forming apparatus 2 CPU
3 ROM
4 Operation Display Unit 5 IC Tag Information Reading Unit 6 Paper Tray 7 Image Forming Unit 8 Memory 9 Image Formability Determination Unit 10 Image Forming Data Storage Unit 11 Interface Unit 12 Bus

Claims (8)

  In an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet based on image data in response to a print request, the sheet is provided with an IC tag in which various sheet information relating to the sheet is recorded, and in response to the print request, When forming an image on the paper based on image data, the paper information of the IC tag attached to the paper to be printed is read, and the paper is based on the paper information and the content of the print request. An image forming apparatus for controlling whether or not to form an image according to the print request.   In the image forming apparatus, when information prohibiting punch processing as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, if punch processing is specified in the print request, the image forming apparatus The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming according to the print request designating the punching process is stopped.   When the information for prohibiting the staple processing as post-processing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus, when stapling is designated in the print request, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image formation in response to the print request designating the stapling process is stopped.   In the image forming apparatus, when information specifying an image processing apparatus that permits image formation on the sheet is recorded in the sheet information of the IC tag, an image that is permitted to form an image by the sheet information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image is formed on the sheet only when the image forming apparatus corresponds to the forming apparatus.   In the image forming apparatus, when information specifying a user who is permitted to form an image on the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the print request instructing image formation on the paper is 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image is formed on the sheet only when the print request is received from a user who is permitted by the sheet information. .   The image forming apparatus designates double-sided printing on the paper when double-sided printing is designated in the print request when information prohibiting double-sided printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image formation according to the print request is stopped.   The image forming apparatus designates color printing on the paper when color printing is designated in the print request when information prohibiting color printing is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus stops the image formation according to the print request. When the color of the paper is recorded in the paper information of the IC tag, the image forming apparatus designates color printing in the print request, and is similar to the color of the paper in the image data of the print request. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the color to be printed is included, the image formation according to the print request on the paper is stopped.

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