JP2007240836A - Image forming apparatus, control program thereof, and computer-readable storage medium stored with the control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively prevent wasteful color printing and monochrome printing exceeding a previously set limiting number, while maintaining the convenience having ACS function in an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: If accumulated values, including a this time planned printing number are within the limiting number respectively, when color images and monochrome images obtained by being read by an image reading means are printed under the ACS function, printing of each image is performed by only the set number. When the accumulated value of the printing number of the monochrome printing is the limiting number or smaller, but the accumulated value of the printing number of the color printing exceeds the limiting number, read color images are displayed by thumb nail. When the images being a conversion object to the monochrome printing from among them are selected again, the image forming apparatus determines whether the accumulated value of the number of the color printing after printing conversion exceeds the limiting value, and printing is executed if the accumulated value of the printing number of the color printing is within the limiting value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function of automatically selecting whether to perform monochrome printing or color printing from an image of a read document, a control program for the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium.

  Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine, it is determined whether an image of a document read by an image reading unit is a monochrome image or a color image. For example, there is a printer equipped with a so-called auto color selection function (hereinafter referred to as an ACS function) that can automatically perform printing by selecting a print mode so that color printing can be performed. This ACS function is convenient in that the operator does not need to manually set each time whether to perform monochrome printing or color printing by looking at the contents of the document before reading the image.

  On the other hand, from the standpoint of reducing costs by eliminating unnecessary printing, the image forming apparatus may be limited in the number of sheets that can be printed in a certain period (for example, one month). In particular, when performing monochrome printing, only black (K) toner is used, so the printing cost per sheet is relatively low. However, when performing color printing, in addition to this, yellow (Y), magenta Since it is necessary to use toner of each color such as (M) and cyan (C), and the printing cost per sheet is higher than that in the case of monochrome printing, the number of color printing is often limited.

  Therefore, in the conventional technology, it is possible to set and input a limit number of pages separately for monochrome printing and color printing, and when the number of prints exceeds the limit number, monochrome printing or color printing exceeding the limit number is prohibited. The thing which made it do is proposed (for example, refer patent document 1).

In another conventional technique, all the images of the document read by the image reading unit are reduced and displayed as thumbnail images on the operation panel, and monochrome printing is performed on the color images from the displayed thumbnail images. A technique has also been proposed in which printing can be performed after individually setting whether to perform color printing or to perform color printing (for example, see Patent Document 2).
JP 2003-280879 A JP 2003-101797 A

  By the way, in the prior art described in the former Patent Document 1, assuming that printing is performed by utilizing the ACS function, for example, when the number of color printing exceeds the limit number, color printing is unconditionally prohibited. . For this reason, there is a problem that even if it is considered that a part of a color image may be converted to monochrome printing, there is no flexibility.

  In other words, in view of the content of the original document, it may be possible to make sufficient time for monochrome printing even without performing color printing. Moreover, even if the number of monochrome prints does not reach the limit number and there is a margin, after the ACS function mode is set, when the number of color prints exceeds the limit number, color printing is unconditionally prohibited. Cannot switch to monochrome printing.

  For this reason, conventionally, when an image reading unit reads an image of an original under the ACS function and finds that the number of color prints exceeds the limit, the operator selects only the originals that require color printing. It is necessary to set the document tray again, change the setting from the ACS function mode to the color printing mode, set the number of prints again so as not to exceed the limit number, and execute color printing again. And labor is required.

  On the other hand, in the latter prior art described in Patent Document 2, all read image images are displayed as thumbnails, and the operator performs color printing or monochrome printing from among the color images included in the displayed image. Since it is necessary to select each of them individually, it takes extra time and effort to execute printing. That is, since it is necessary for the operator to individually specify whether to perform monochrome printing or color printing for each image, even if the ACS function is provided, the function cannot be utilized, and the convenience of the ACS function is impaired. There is a problem that it is.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and does not impair the convenience of the ACS function as much as possible, and moreover, color printing and monochrome printing can be performed more easily than a preset limit number. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus, a control program thereof, and a storage medium capable of preventing costs and reducing costs.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image reading unit that reads an image of a document, an image determination unit that determines whether an image read by the image reading unit is a monochrome image or a color image, Based on the determination result of the image determining means, assuming that the image is provided with printing means for monochrome printing or color printing of images, the number of copies of the current document and the limit number of monochrome printing and color printing are set. And the cumulative number of printed sheets including the current number of printed sheets for monochrome printing and color printing based on the number of printed sheets of the original set by the number of sheets setting means and each limited number of sheets. A number determination means for determining whether or not the number exceeds the number of sheets, and by this number determination means, the cumulative value of the number of printed monochrome prints is less than the limit number and When it is determined that the cumulative value of the number of prints exceeds the limit number, a thumbnail display unit that displays the color image determined by the image determination unit as a thumbnail, and a color image displayed as a thumbnail by the thumbnail display unit Image selecting means for selecting an image to be converted to monochrome printing from among the above, and when a color image to be converted is selected by this image selecting means, the number of image judging means is subjected to print conversion. Re-determination instruction means for instructing again whether each cumulative value of the number of printed sheets for subsequent monochrome printing and color printing exceeds the limit number of sheets, and accumulation of at least the number of printed sheets for color printing by the number of sheets determination means If it is determined that the value does not exceed the limit number, printing is performed for the number of sheets set by the sheet number setting unit accordingly. It is characterized by and a print instruction unit that instructs the printing unit.

  The control program for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image determination step for determining whether an image obtained by reading an original with an image reading unit is a monochrome image or a color image, the number of printed originals, and a monochrome Number-of-prints setting step for setting each limit for printing and color printing, and the number of pages to be printed for monochrome printing and color printing at this time based on the number of originals printed and the number of limits set in this number setting step A step of determining whether or not the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets including the number exceeds the limit number of sheets, and the cumulative number of printed sheets for monochrome printing is less than or equal to the limit number and the number of printed sheets for color printing If the cumulative value exceeds the limit number, the color image determined in the image determination step is summed. A thumbnail display step for displaying an image, an image selection step for selecting an image to be converted to monochrome printing from among the color images displayed by the thumbnail display step, and a color image to be converted in this image selection step Is selected, the re-decision instructing step for instructing to re-determine whether or not the cumulative values of the number of printed sheets for monochrome printing and color printing after print conversion exceed the limit number in the number-of-sheets determining step. And a printing step of printing only the number of sheets set in the number of sheets setting step according to this when it is determined in the number of sheets determination step that at least the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets in color printing does not exceed the limit number of sheets. , Is executed.

  A storage medium according to the present invention stores the above control program.

  According to the present invention, under the ACS function, it is determined whether an image obtained by reading an original with an image reading unit is a color image or a monochrome image. At this time, the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets of the monochrome image and the color image is determined. Are within the limit number, monochrome printing or color printing is performed for the set number of sheets as in the conventional case. Therefore, the convenience of the ACS function is maintained as it is, and printing can be performed efficiently.

  Also, if the cumulative value of monochrome prints is less than the limit and the cumulative value of color prints exceeds the limit, there will be room for monochrome prints. Without performing immediately, only the color image is temporarily displayed as a thumbnail from the images obtained by reading the document. Then, when an image to be converted to monochrome printing is selected from among the color images displayed as thumbnails, it is determined again whether or not the cumulative value of the number of prints exceeds the limit number, and the current color print scheduled print is performed. Since printing is executed when the number of sheets decreases and the cumulative value falls within the limit, it is possible to prevent color printing and monochrome printing from exceeding the preset limit, thereby reducing costs. Is possible.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The copying machine 1 of this embodiment includes a main body housing 2, an original table 3 is provided on the upper portion of the main body housing 2, and an automatic document conveying apparatus that takes out and conveys originals one by one on the upper side of the original table 3. 4 is provided. In addition, a scanner optical system having a CCD or the like for reading an image on a document sheet (not shown) is provided in the main body housing 2 below the document table 3. The automatic document feeder 4 and the scanner optical system constitute an image reading unit 5. Further, an operation panel 6 is provided on the upper front side of the main body housing 2, and a paper receiving tray 7 for discharging printed paper is provided on the outer side of the main body housing 2.

  On the other hand, inside the main body housing 2, there is provided a printing unit 8 for copying an image read by the image reading unit 5 onto printing paper and performing monochrome printing or color printing. A printing paper transport device for taking out the printing paper from the paper cassette and the paper feeding cassette and sequentially transporting the printing paper to the printing unit 8 is provided. The printing unit 8 exposes an image of a document read by the image reading unit 5 to a photosensitive drum, a developing unit for forming a toner image on the photosensitive drum, and transfers the toner image to printing paper. It has a transfer section.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the copier, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an operation panel of the copier.

  The operation panel 6 includes an operation button unit 11 for inputting various data settings, a liquid crystal display unit 12 for displaying thumbnails of input data from the operation button unit 11 and a specific image read by the image reading unit 5, and this A touch panel 13 for position detection provided so as to cover the liquid crystal display unit 12 is provided.

  In the operation button unit 11, a numeric keypad 21 for setting and inputting the number of originals to be printed, a limited number of pages within a predetermined period, and the like, and the limited number of monochrome printing and color printing set and input by the numeric keypad 21 are determined. Limit number confirmation keys 22 and 23, ACS function mode, monochrome printing mode, and setting keys 24, 25, and 26 for setting the color printing mode, and the image displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 12 are selected and then confirmed. Image confirmation key 27, screen switching keys 28a and 28b for "previous image" and "next image" for switching the screen when the number of images that can be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 12 at once is exceeded, and printing start A key 29 and the like are provided. Note that the limited number confirmation keys 22 and 23 and the image confirmation key 27 are not provided as dedicated keys, and an operation button can be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 12 and its contents can be confirmed by operating the touch panel 13. .

  The input data from the operation button unit 11 and the touch panel 13 and the image data read by the image reading unit 5 are taken into a controller 31 constituted by a microcomputer or the like.

  The controller 31 is provided with a memory 32 for storing input data and control programs. The memory 32 can be composed of portable storage means such as a CD-ROM and memory 32 card in addition to built-in storage means such as RAM, ROM, and hard disk.

  Furthermore, a general control unit 33, a cumulative number calculation unit 34, and a comparison determination unit 35 are constructed in the controller 31 by installing a predetermined control program.

  Here, the overall control unit 33 performs overall control of operations of each unit including the image reading unit 5, the printing unit 8, and the memory 32. Also, the cumulative number calculation unit 34 is scheduled for each of monochrome printing and color printing based on the current number of printed originals set on the operation panel 6 and the number of printed sheets by the printing unit 8 so far. The cumulative value of the number of printed sheets including the number of printed sheets is calculated. The comparison / determination unit 35 determines whether or not the cumulative value exceeds the limit number by comparing the respective monochrome print and color print values calculated by the cumulative number calculation unit 34 with the limit number. .

  The numeric keypad 21 and the limit number determination keys 22 and 23 described above correspond to the number setting unit in the claims, the liquid crystal display unit 12 corresponds to the thumbnail display unit in the claims, and the touch panel 13. The image confirmation key 27 and the image switching keys 28a and 28b correspond to the image selection means in the claims, and the cumulative number calculation section 34 and the comparison determination section 35 correspond to the number determination means in the claims. The overall control unit 33 corresponds to image discrimination means, print instruction means, and redetermination instruction means in the claims.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 and the explanatory diagrams shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the operation of the copying machine 1 configured as described above, particularly the processing operation in the case of printing using the ACS function mode here. explain. In addition, the code | symbol S means each process step.

  As a preparatory stage, the administrator of the copying machine 1 uses the numeric keypad 21 of the operation panel 6 to authenticate the name of each operator who uses the copying machine 1 or the authentication code corresponding to each department name of the workplace, as shown in FIG. After setting and inputting the limit number Tksh for monochrome printing and the limit number Tcsh for color printing corresponding to the code, the contents are determined by the limit number determination keys 22 and 23, respectively. In this case, the authentication number and the value of each limit number Tksh, Tcsh are stored in the memory 32 by the overall control unit 33.

  After that, the operator sets and inputs the authentication code corresponding to his / her name or department name and the number N of printed documents using the numeric keypad 21 and the like, and then selects the ACS function mode using the ACS function mode setting key 26.

  When the print start key 29 is operated, the overall control unit 33 of the controller 31 registers the set number of printed sheets N in the memory 32, and the authentication code registered in advance in the memory 32 and the authentication input this time. It is determined whether or not the code matches (S1).

  If the authentication codes do not match at this time, printing is stopped (S2). If the authentication codes match, it is next determined whether or not the limited number of sheets Tksh and Tcsh are set for monochrome printing and color printing (S3).

  At this time, if the limit sheets Tksh and Tcsh are not set, normal printing by the ACS function is performed (S4). That is, the image reading unit 5 sequentially reads the original image, and if the read original image is a monochrome image, monochrome printing is performed, and if it is a color image, color printing is performed for the set number N.

  On the other hand, if the limited number of sheets Tksh and Tcsh are set in S3, it is next determined whether or not the ACS function mode is set (S5). At this time, if the ACS function mode is not set, it is determined by the mode setting keys 24 and 25 that the monochrome printing mode or the color printing mode is set, and the mode is shifted to the setting mode (S6).

  In this example, since the ACS function mode is set first, the overall control unit 33 activates the image reading unit 5 and takes out the documents set on the document table 3 one by one by the automatic document feeder 4. Then, the image of the original is read by the scanner optical system (S8).

  Then, the overall control unit 33 determines whether the read image of each original is a monochrome image or a color image, and calculates the read number Kn of monochrome images and the read number Cn of color images, respectively (S9). Then, the information of these images and the read number Kn, Cn is stored in the memory 32 and the information is sent to the cumulative number calculation unit 34.

  In response to this, the accumulated number calculation unit 34 calculates all accumulated values including the number of prints scheduled this time from the past for each of monochrome printing and color printing. For example, for monochrome printing, the scheduled number of prints is Kn · N. If the cumulative value of past prints is Σk and the total value is Tk, Tk = Kn · N + Σk. For color printing, the scheduled number of printed sheets is Cn · N. If the cumulative value of past printed sheets is Σc and the total accumulated value is Tc, Tc = Cn · N + Σc.

  Therefore, the comparison / determination unit 35 subsequently determines whether or not the cumulative values Tk and Tc of the number of printed sheets for monochrome printing and color printing are both equal to or less than the limit number of sheets Tksh and Tcsh (S10). . That is, it is determined whether Tk ≦ Tksh and Tc ≦ Tcsh.

  At this time, if Tk ≦ Tksh and Tc ≦ Tcsh, as shown in FIG. 6A, even if the current monochrome printing is Kn · N sheets and the color printing is Cn · N sheets, the limit number is set. Since Tksh and Tcsh are not exceeded, the comparison / determination unit 35 gives a print permission instruction to the overall control unit 33. In response to this, the overall control unit 33 registers all accumulated values Tk and Tc including the number of prints scheduled to be printed this time from the past in the memory 32 as past accumulated values (Σk = Tk, Σc = Tk) ( S11) The printing unit 8 is activated to execute printing (S12). That is, when the original image is a monochrome image, monochrome printing is performed, and when a color image is included, color printing is performed for the set number of sheets N, so the ACS function is used as it is.

  On the other hand, if the cumulative values Tk and Tc of the monochrome and color prints do not satisfy the conditions (Tk ≦ Tksh and Tc ≦ Tcsh) in S10, the comparison determination unit 35 Next, it is determined whether or not the cumulative values Tk and Tc of the respective printed sheets for monochrome printing and color printing exceed the limit sheets Tksh and Tcsh (S13). That is, it is determined whether Tk> Tksh and Tc> Tcsh.

  At this time, if Tk> Tksh and Tc> Tcsh, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), if the current monochrome printing is performed on Cn · N sheets and the color printing is performed on Kn · N sheets, the limit number Tksh is used. , Tcsh, the comparison / determination unit 35 gives a print prohibition instruction to the overall control unit 33. Therefore, the overall control unit 33 stops printing by the printing unit 8 (S14).

  On the other hand, when the cumulative values Tk and Tc of the printed sheets for monochrome printing and color printing in S13 do not exceed the limit sheets Tksh and Tcsh, the determination result in S10 is taken into consideration. 6C, the cumulative value Tk for monochrome printing exceeds the limit number Tksh, but the cumulative value Tc for color printing is less than the limit number Tcsh, as shown in FIG. 6D. There are two cases where the cumulative value Tc for color printing exceeds the limit number Tcsh, but the cumulative value Tk for monochrome printing is less than the limit number Tksh.

  Therefore, the comparison / determination unit 35 next determines whether or not the cumulative value Tc of color printing is less than the limit number Tcsh (S15). That is, it is determined whether or not Tc <Tcsh.

  At this time, if Tc <Tcsh, the cumulative value Tk of monochrome printing exceeds the limit number Tksh (Tk> Tksh) as shown in FIG. 6C, so the comparison determination unit 35 performs overall control. When the monochrome printing is performed, a determination result that the limit number Tksh is exceeded is output to the unit 33 and a print permission instruction is given. Accordingly, the overall control unit 33 displays a warning on the liquid crystal display unit 12 that the number of monochrome prints has exceeded the limit number (S16). For example, the operator may recognize the character “over limit number exceeded” or blink a part of the display. Further, the overall control unit 33 performs monochrome printing by the printing unit 8 (S17).

  On the other hand, when the condition that the cumulative value Tc for color printing is less than the limit number Tcsh is not satisfied in S15, that is, when it is determined that Tc ≧ Tcsh, the cumulative value Tk for monochrome printing is as shown in FIG. This is less than the limit number Tksh (Tk <Tksh), and there is a margin in the number of monochrome prints.

  Therefore, the comparison / determination unit 35 gives a command for displaying the color image read this time by the image reading unit 5 on the liquid crystal display unit 12 to the overall control unit 33. In response to this, the overall control unit 33 extracts only the color images from the images obtained this time stored in the memory 32, performs a thinning process on the color images, and stores them in the liquid crystal display unit 12. A thumbnail image of a size is displayed (S18). For example, in FIG. 3, six color images A to F are displayed as thumbnails. In addition, when a color image cannot be displayed as a thumbnail on the liquid crystal display unit 12, the screen can be switched by operating the screen switching keys 28a and 28b.

  Therefore, when the operator determines that the color image displayed as a thumbnail on the liquid crystal display unit 12 has no problem even if monochrome printing is performed on the touch panel 13 and then operates the image confirmation key 27, color printing is performed. A color image to be converted from monochrome printing to monochrome printing is selected (S19). In response to this, when the overall control unit 33 converts the color image selected for the cumulative number calculation unit 34 and the comparison determination unit 35 to monochrome printing, the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets for monochrome printing and color printing. An instruction is given to determine again whether Tk, Tc exceeds the limit number Tksh, Tcsh. Therefore, the process returns from S19 to S10.

  That is, if Cm images to be converted to monochrome printing are selected from the color images displayed as thumbnails, the number of prints scheduled to be printed this time is (Kn + Cm) · N for monochrome printing. If the cumulative value of the number of sheets is Σk, the total cumulative value Tk is Tk = (Kn + Cm) · N + Σk. For color printing, the number of prints scheduled to be printed this time is (Cn−Cm) · N, where Tc = (Cn−Cm) · N, where Σc is the cumulative value of past prints and Tc is the total cumulative value. N + Σc. That is, as shown in FIG. 6E, the cumulative number calculation unit 34 first increases the number of monochrome prints by Cm · N and increases the number of monochrome prints by Cm · N. Values Tk and Tc are calculated. Then, the next-stage comparison determination unit 35 determines again whether Tk ≦ Tksh and Tc ≦ Tcsh are satisfied (S10). Since the subsequent processing operations are as described above, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, when an image to be converted to monochrome printing is selected from among the color images displayed as thumbnails, it is again determined whether or not the cumulative values Tk and Tc of the number of printed sheets exceed the limited number of sheets Tksh and Tcsh. Since printing is executed when the determination condition of S10 or S15 described above is satisfied, it is possible to prevent color printing or monochrome printing from being performed beyond the preset limit number Tksh, Tcsh, thereby reducing costs. It becomes possible to plan.

  In the above embodiment, when the accumulated value Tk of monochrome printing exceeds the limit number Tksh (Tk> Tksh) in S15, a warning is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 12 and monochrome printing can be executed. However, instead, it is also possible to select an image to be converted to color printing by displaying a monochrome image read on the liquid crystal display unit 12 as a thumbnail.

  The present invention has been described with respect to a copying machine as an image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to such a copying machine, and can be widely applied to various image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction machine. is there.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an entire copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the copier. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of an operation panel of the copier. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a processing operation when printing is performed using the ACS function mode in the copier. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between each limited number of monochrome printing and color printing set corresponding to an authentication code. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for supplementing print processing contents in the flowchart of FIG. 4.

Explanation of symbols

1 Copying machine (image forming device)
5 Image reading unit 6 Operation panel 8 Printing unit 11 Operation button unit 12 Liquid crystal display unit (thumbnail display means)
13 Touch panel (image selection means)
21 Numeric keypad (number setting means)
22 Monochrome limit number confirmation key (number setting means)
23 Color limit number confirmation key (number setting means)
24 Monochrome print mode setting key 25 Color print mode setting key 27 Image confirmation key (image selection means)
28a, 28b Screen switching key (image selection means)
31 controller 32 memory 33 overall control unit (image discrimination means, print instruction means, and re-determination instruction means)
34 Cumulative number calculation unit (number determination means)
35 Comparison determination unit (number determination means)

Claims (3)

An image reading unit that reads an image of a document, an image determination unit that determines whether an image read by the image reading unit is a monochrome image or a color image, and monochrome or color printing of an image based on the determination result of the image determination unit An image forming apparatus comprising:
A copy number setting means for setting the number of copies of the original document and the limit number of each of monochrome printing and color printing;
Whether the cumulative value of the number of prints including the current number of prints for monochrome printing and color printing exceeds the limit based on the number of originals printed by the number setting means and each limit number A sheet number judging means for judging
When it is determined by the number determination means that the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets for monochrome printing is less than the limit number and the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets for color printing exceeds the limit number of sheets, the color determined by the image determining means Thumbnail display means for displaying images as thumbnails;
Image selecting means for selecting an image to be converted to monochrome printing from among the color images displayed as thumbnails by the thumbnail display means;
When a color image to be converted is selected by the image selection means, each cumulative value of the number of printed monochrome prints and color prints after the print conversion exceeds the limit number for the number determination means. Re-determination instruction means for instructing to determine again whether or not,
If it is determined by the number determination means that at least the cumulative value of the number of color prints does not exceed the limit number, the printing is performed so as to print only the number of sheets set by the number setting means. Printing instruction means for instructing means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: A control program for controlling an image forming apparatus,
An image discriminating step for discriminating whether an image obtained by reading an original with an image reading means is a monochrome image or a color image;
A number setting step for setting the number of copies of the current document and the limit number of each of monochrome printing and color printing;
Whether or not the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets including the currently planned number of printed sheets exceeds the limit number for each of monochrome printing and color printing based on the number of printed sheets of the original set in the number setting step and the respective limited number of sheets. Determining the number of sheets,
If it is determined in this number determination step that the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets for monochrome printing is equal to or less than the limit number and the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets for color printing exceeds the limit number, the determination is made in the image determining step. A thumbnail display step for displaying color images as thumbnails;
An image selection step for selecting an image to be converted to monochrome printing from the color images displayed in the thumbnail by the thumbnail display step;
When a color image to be converted is selected in this image selection step, it is determined whether or not each cumulative value of the number of printed monochrome prints and color prints after print conversion exceeds the limit number in the number determination step. A re-determination instruction step for instructing re-determination;
If it is determined in the number determination step that at least the cumulative value of the number of printed sheets in color printing does not exceed the limit number, a printing step for printing only the number of sheets set in the number setting step according to this,
The control program characterized by performing. A computer-readable storage medium in which the control program according to claim 2 is recorded.

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