JP2007044909A - Image forming apparatus, image forming system and method for forming image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of allowing a user to use an insertion function even when using a copy function and optionally changing a kind of data to be inserted into a template, a method for forming an image and an image forming system. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming apparatus comprises an image processing means 210 for forming image information 250 and an image outputting means 220 for performing the processing of forming an image such as printing according to the image information. The image processing means 210 reads an insertion template 211 designated in a database of the insertion template registered beforehand and inserts insertion data 113, 212 to each insertion part of the insertion template. The image processing means 210 forms the image information 250 based on the insertion template transmitted from a client and the insertion data when printing is carried out, or based on the insertion template selected via an operation panel and the kind of the insertion data when copying is carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming system having an insertion printing and insertion copying function such as a printer and a multifunction peripheral.

  In general, for example, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a multi-function peripheral, a template for insertion is used as an insertion printing function, and a plurality of insertion data is sequentially inserted into a data insertion portion of the template. For example, it is possible to print out printed materials for a specific number of distribution destinations such as New Year's cards and cover letters.

Conventionally, such insertion printing is performed by using, for example, an insertion printing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1.
That is, in the insertion printing apparatus according to Patent Document 1, a plurality of types of insertion templates are registered in a server as a database, and an application such as a web browser is used on a client connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. From the above, a template to be printed is selected from the server, and a tabular insertion data file related to characters to be inserted into the character insertion portion of the template is selected.

When printing execution is instructed by the client, the insertion data file and the selected template type are transmitted to the image forming apparatus via the network. As a result, the image forming apparatus reads the insertion template designated from the server based on the type of the designated template among the data transmitted from the client, and sequentially starts from the insertion data file. The insertion data is read out and inserted into the character insertion portion of the insertion template to generate print information, and the print information is printed out.
JP 2003-337810 A

However, in such a merge printing apparatus, the merged data and the type of template are transferred from the client, so that print output with the merged data inserted into the template can be performed. When copying using the copy function in the printing apparatus, such a plug-in function cannot be used.
In addition, since the type of data to be inserted into the template is determined in a limited manner, the type of data cannot be changed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The insertion function can be used even when the copy function is used, and the type of data inserted into the template is arbitrarily changed. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming system.

  To achieve this object, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an image processing means for forming image information based on a template for insertion and insertion data, and image formation such as printing from the image information. An image output means for performing the process of the above, wherein the image processing means reads a specified insertion template from a database of insertion templates registered in advance, and inserts each of the insertion templates. The specified type of insertion data is inserted into the portion, and the image processing means operates based on the insertion template and the type of insertion data sent from the client at the time of printing, and at the time of copying. The image information is formed on the basis of the insertion template and the type of insertion data selected on the panel.

  When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the image processing means selects the selected insertion template by selecting the insertion template and the type of insertion data from the operation panel of the image forming apparatus during copying. The image information is formed by reading from the database and inserting the specified type of insertion data into each insertion portion of the insertion template.

Accordingly, the image output means can perform a plurality of copy outputs by sequentially replacing a plurality of addresses as distribution destinations based on the image information.
In this way, at the time of copying, a copy output using a so-called insertion function can be performed using the designated insertion template in the same manner as at the time of printing.
Also, at the time of copying and printing, the type of insertion data can be selected for each insertion portion of the insertion template, so that the desired type of data can be inserted for each insertion portion. Therefore, the degree of freedom of the insertion data is increased, and various prints or copies can be performed.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 is configured such that the insertion data is data composed of a plurality of distribution destinations.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, a distribution destination, for example, an address, an affiliation, or the like can be designated as insertion data.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the insertion data can be selected as a group at the time of selection.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the individual data constituting the insertion data is classified for each group, so that the individual data classified into the specified group among the same types of insertion data. Can be selected and used as insertion data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the image processing means terminates the processing when the type of the insertion template is not selected.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, for example, when the selection of the type of template for insertion is canceled, the image forming process is ended.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 is configured such that when the type of the insertion data is not selected, the image processing unit continues the processing on the assumption that the default data type is selected.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, printing or copying using the insertion function can be performed by a simpler operation by setting data types that are frequently used as defaults.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the database for the insertion template is provided in the image forming apparatus.
When the image forming apparatus has such a configuration, the insertion function can be realized by the image forming apparatus alone without providing an external storage device or server in the image forming apparatus.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming system for forming image information based on an insertion template and insertion data, and an image output unit for performing image forming processing such as printing from the image information. And an image forming apparatus that is connected to the image forming apparatus via a network and in which the database for the insertion template is registered in advance. The specified insertion template is read from the insertion template database registered in, and the specified type of insertion data is inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template. Based on the type of insertion template and insertion data sent from the client during printing, the image processing means Sometimes based on the type of insertion template and insertion data selected by the operation panel, it is constituted to form the image information.

In the image forming system according to the eighth aspect, the insertion data is data composed of a plurality of distribution destinations.
The image forming system according to claim 9 is configured such that the insertion data can be selected as a group at the time of selection.

The image forming system according to claim 10 is configured such that the image processing means terminates the processing when the type of the template for insertion is not selected.
In the image forming system according to the eleventh aspect, when the type of the insertion data is not selected, it is assumed that the default data type is selected, and the image processing unit continues the processing.

Thus, the present invention can be realized as an image forming system.
In this case, the insertion template database is registered in advance in a server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network, and the image processing means reads the specified insertion template from the server via the network. Since the specified type of insertion data is inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template, there is no need to read out the insertion template for each image output, and data transfer from the server to the image forming apparatus The amount is small and the data transfer time can be shortened.

  An image forming method according to claim 12 is an image forming method in which image information is formed based on an insertion template and insertion data, and image forming processing such as printing is performed from the image information. When forming image information, it is based on the type of insertion template and insertion data sent from the client during printing, and the type of insertion template and insertion data selected on the operation panel during copying. Based on the pre-registered insertion template database, the specified insertion template is read out, and the specified type of insertion data is inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template. A configuration is provided with steps.

In the image forming method according to the thirteenth aspect, the insertion data is data composed of a plurality of distribution destinations.
In the image forming method according to the fourteenth aspect, the insertion data can be selected as a group at the time of selection.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the image information forming process is terminated when the type of the insertion template is not selected.
According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, when the type of the insertion data is not selected, it is assumed that the default data type is selected and the image information forming process is continued.
Thus, the present invention can be realized as an image forming method.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus, the image forming system, and the image forming method of the present invention, it is possible to output an image using the insertion function even at the time of copying. Thereby, for example, with respect to image information obtained by copying, a desired type of insertion data can be inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template, and an image can be output.

An embodiment of an image forming system to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of an image forming system according to the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image forming system 10 includes a client PC 100, an image forming apparatus 200, a server 300, and a network 400.

Here, the operations of the client PC 100, the image forming apparatus 200, and the server 300 are controlled by programs that run on a computer.
The network 400 is a network such as a local area LAN, for example, and connects the client PC 100, the image forming apparatus 200, and the server 300 to each other.

  The client PC 100 is, for example, a personal computer, and is connected to the image forming apparatus 200 via the network 400. In order to perform print output by the image forming apparatus 200, various settings of the image forming apparatus 200 are performed. A printer driver 110 for performing the above is installed.

The printer driver 110 adds the template designation information 112 and the insertion data 113 to the print job data 111 and transmits the print job data 111 to the image forming apparatus 200 when the user performs print output on the client PC 100. Yes.
More specifically, the printer driver 110 displays the template designation information 112 and the insertion data 113 corresponding to the type of the template for insertion selected by the user using the input unit of the client PC 100 when the print request occurs, and the print job data 111. In addition, the print data 114 is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 200 via the network 400 in association with each other.
When the user does not explicitly select the insertion template and insertion data, the printer driver 110 performs the above processing assuming that a predetermined default value has been selected.

  The image forming apparatus 200 is a multifunction machine having a print function and a copy function in the illustrated case, and is provided with an image processing unit 210, an image output unit 220, a scanner unit 230, and an operation unit 240.

  The image processing means 210 is based on the print job data 111 of the print data 114 sent from the client PC 100 at the time of printing, or based on the image reading information 231 from the scanner means 230 at the time of copying. Thus, image output, that is, printing or copying is performed.

  When printing, the image processing unit 210 sends the insertion template 211 designated by the template designation information 112 based on the template designation information 112 and the insertion data 113 out of the print data 114 to the network 400. Via the server 300, the individual data of the insertion data 113 is sequentially inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template 211 and added to the print job data 111 to obtain the image information 250. It is formed and output to the image output means 220.

  The image processing unit 210 is designated from the server 300 based on the template designation information 241 and the insertion data type designation information 242 (including the distribution destination ID) selected and input from the operation unit 240 at the time of copying. The insertion template 211 and the insertion data 212 (including the distribution destination) are read out, and the individual data of the insertion data 212 are sequentially inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template 211. In addition to the image reading information 231 from the scanner 230, image information 250 is formed and output to the image output means 220.

  The image processing unit 210 ends the image information forming process when a cancel signal is input instead of the template designation information 112, 241 and the insertion data 113 or the insertion data type designation information 242. It has become.

  The image output means 220 is an engine having a known configuration, and performs image output such as printing and copying based on the image information 250 sent from the image processing means 210.

  The scanner unit 230 has a known configuration, and reads a document as an image at the time of copying, generates image reading information 231, and sends it to the image processing unit 210.

The operation means 240 is configured as an operation panel provided on, for example, the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 200, and designates the number of copies at the time of copying or the like, adjusts the density of the copy, or sets the size and scale of the document. It can be specified.
Further, in the case of copying using the insertion function, the operation means 240 receives the template specification information 241 and the insertion data type specification information 242 corresponding to the type of template for insertion selected by the user's input operation. It is sent to the image processing means 210.

When the user does not explicitly select the insertion template or insertion data, the operation means 240 performs the above processing assuming that a predetermined default value is selected.
The operation means 240 is configured to send a cancel signal to the image processing means 210 when the user designates cancellation when selecting the insertion template or insertion data.

  In the server 300, the above-described insertion template 211 is registered as a database in association with the template designation information 112 or 241, and the above-described insertion data 212 at the time of copying is associated with the insertion data type information 242. It is registered as a database.

  Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the insertion template 211 includes an insertion portion 211 a at a part (upper part in the drawing) of the screen of the document to be output as an image. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the insertion portion 211a is composed of a plurality of insertion portions A, B, C, D, and E. Each of the insertion portions A, B, C, D, and E is respectively associated with the client PC 100. The desired insertion data type can be selected on the screen.

  In FIG. 2 (B), the insertion portions A, B, C, and D show the state where the name (no title), address, TEL, and date of birth are selected, respectively, and the insertion portion E is selected. The previous state is shown. In the case shown in the figure, the insertion data type is selected by clicking on the input field of each insertion part, and selectable items are displayed side by side, and the cursor is moved to the desired item and clicked. The item can be selected.

  Further, the display of the selectable items is arranged so that the most frequently used items are displayed at the top. As a result, when no selection operation is performed, the item most displayed on the plant can be set as a default value. Therefore, when these insertion templates 211 or insertion data 212 are used, it is possible to more easily perform insertion copy output without performing a selection operation.

  Note that the selection of the insertion template 211 and the insertion data 212 in the operation means 240 has a limited display area display capability, so that, for example, simple display can be easily selected with few operation buttons. Yes.

Next, processing operations at the time of printing and copying of the image forming system 10 of the present exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the insertion processing operation of the image forming system 10 during printing.
In FIG. 3, the user selects the type of insertion template for the client PC 100 at step A1, specifies the type of insertion data (including the distribution destination) at step A2, and then proceeds to step A3. When a print request is made, the printer driver 110 of the client PC 100 generates print job data 111 at step A4, adds template designation information 112 and insertion data 113 at step A5, and executes step A6. Then, the print data 114 is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 200 via the network 400.

  In response, the image processing means 210 of the image forming apparatus 200 sends the template designation information 112 included in the print data 114 to the server 300 via the network 400 in step A7, and in step A8. The insertion template 211 corresponding to the template designation information 112 is read out.

Subsequently, in step A9, the image processing means 210 sequentially inserts the individual data of the insertion data 113 into each insertion portion 211a of the insertion template 211, and the print job data. In addition, the image information 250 is formed.
Thereafter, the image processing means 210 sends the image information 250 to the image output means 220 in step A10.

Thus, the image output means 220 sequentially prints out the image information 250 sequentially sent from the image processing means 210 in step A11.
This is the end of the merge print output process.

  Note that, in the above-described steps A1 and A2, when canceling is specified instead of selecting the insertion template or insertion data, or when canceling the printing itself is specified before step A10, The image processing unit 210 ends the image information generation process.

Next, processing operations during copying will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the insertion processing operation of the image forming system 10 during copying.
In FIG. 4, in step B1, the user selects the type of template for insertion using the operating means 240 of the image forming apparatus 200, specifies the type of insertion data in step B2, and in step B3. When a copy request is made, the operation means 240 sends the template designation information 241 and the insertion data type designation information 242 to the image processing means 210 in step B4.

In response to this, the image processing unit 210 instructs the scanner unit 230 to read a document in step B5. Then, in step B 6, the scanner unit 230 generates document image reading information 231 and sends it to the image processing unit 210.
At the same time, the image processing means 210 sends the template designation information 241 and the insertion data type designation information 242 to the server 300 via the network 400 in step B7, and the template designation information 241 is sent to the template designation information 241 in step B8. The corresponding insertion template 211 and insertion data 212 are read out.

Subsequently, in step B9, the image processing means 210 sequentially inserts the individual data of the insertion data 212 into each insertion portion 211a of the insertion template 211, and the image reading information In addition, the image information 250 is formed.
Thereafter, the image processing means 210 sends the image information 250 to the image output means 220 in step B10.

Thus, the image output means 220 sequentially copies and outputs the image information 250 sequentially sent from the image processing means 210 in step B11.
This is the end of the insertion copy output process.
Note that, in the above-described steps B1 and B2, instead of selecting the insertion template or insertion data, when cancellation is specified, or when cancellation of the copy itself is specified before step B10, The image processing unit 210 ends the image information generation process.

  The image forming system according to the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. However, the image forming system according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say, changes can be made.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the client PC 100, the image forming apparatus 200, and the server 300 are connected to each other via the network 400. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be connected directly.
In the above-described embodiment, the insertion template 211 and the insertion data 212 are registered in the server 300 in advance as a database. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a storage device in the image forming apparatus 200 is used instead of the server. It is clear that it may be registered in

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the image processing unit 210 selects each item such as name, address, TEL, date of birth, etc. when selecting the insertion data, but is not limited thereto. Instead, a predetermined group in each of these items may be selected. For example, it is possible to select only a specific prefecture for the address, or select a specific month for the date of birth.

  The present invention can be used for an image forming apparatus, for example, a digital multifunction machine having a printer function and a copy function.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of an image forming system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an insertion template and data types in the image forming system of FIG. 1. 2 is a flowchart showing an insertion processing operation during printing in the image forming system of FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart showing an insertion processing operation at the time of copying in the image forming system of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

10 Image forming system 100 Client PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Printer driver 111 Print job data 112 Template specification information 113 Insertion data 114 Print data 200 Image forming apparatus 210 Image processing means 211 Insertion template 212 Insertion data 220 Image output means 230 Scanner means 231 Image reading information 240 Operation means 241 Template designation information 242 Plug-in data type designation information 250 Image information 300 Server 400 Network

Claims (16)

An image processing means for forming image information based on the insertion template and insertion data, and an image output means for performing image formation processing such as printing from the image information,
The image processing means reads the specified insertion template from the database of insertion templates registered in advance, and the specified type of insertion data for each insertion portion of the insertion template. And insert
The image processing means is based on the type of insertion template and insertion data sent from the client at the time of printing, and based on the type of insertion template and insertion data selected on the operation panel at the time of copying. An image forming apparatus characterized by forming image information.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insertion data is data composed of a plurality of distribution destinations.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the insertion data can be selected as a group at the time of selection.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the type of template for insertion is not selected, the image processing unit ends the process.   5. The image according to claim 1, wherein when the insertion data type is not selected, it is assumed that a default data type is selected, and the image processing means continues processing. Forming equipment.   6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a database of the insertion template is provided in the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that forms image information based on an insertion template and insertion data; and an image output unit that performs image forming processing such as printing from the image information;
A server that is network-connected to the image forming apparatus and in which the database for the insertion template is registered in advance;
With
The image processing means reads the specified insertion template from the insertion template database registered in the server, and specifies the specified type of difference for each insertion portion of the insertion template. Insert the embedded data,
The image processing means is based on the type of insertion template and insertion data sent from the client at the time of printing, and based on the type of insertion template and insertion data selected on the operation panel at the time of copying. An image forming system characterized by forming image information.   8. The image forming system according to claim 7, wherein the insertion data is data composed of a plurality of distribution destinations.   9. The image forming system according to claim 8, wherein the insertion data can be selected as a group at the time of selection.   The image forming system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein when the type of the template for insertion is not selected, the image processing unit ends the processing.   The image according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein when the type of insertion data is not selected, the image processing means continues the processing on the assumption that a default data type is selected. Forming system. An image forming method for forming image information based on an insertion template and insertion data, and performing image forming processing such as printing from the image information,
When forming the image information, based on the type of insertion template and insertion data sent from the client at the time of printing, and at the time of copying, the type of insertion template and insertion data selected on the operation panel Based on the above, the specified insertion template is read from the database of insertion templates registered in advance, and the specified type of insertion data is inserted into each insertion portion of the insertion template. Provided a step to
An image forming method.   13. The image forming method according to claim 12, wherein the insertion data is data composed of a plurality of distribution destinations.   The image forming method according to claim 13, wherein the insertion data can be selected as a group at the time of selection.   15. The image forming method according to claim 12, wherein when the type of the template for insertion is not selected, the image information forming process is terminated.   16. The image according to claim 12, wherein when the insertion data type is not selected, the image data forming process is continued assuming that a default data type is selected. Forming method.

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