JP2007272128A - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing interruption processing after setting trial printing (copying) or after printing partially. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus has: a reading part to read the image of an original; an operation part to perform operation concerning image forming specication for the image of the original; an image forming part to form the image on a recording medium based on the image of the original; and a control part to control respective parts when processing that only a part of the image of the original is formed on the recording medium previously by the image forming part is set based on the instruction through the operation part so that only a part of the image of the original may be formed on the recording medium previously by the image forming part after performing interruption processing when an instruction for interruption processing is issued, and then the rest of the image of the original may be formed on the recording medium by the image forming part after performing interruption processing when the instruction for interruption processing is issued. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an MFP, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of efficiently achieving both a so-called trial mode and interrupt processing.

  In such an image forming apparatus, when printing is executed by the copy function, the designated number of copies is output. At that time, even if there are mistakes in the settings or where there is a desire for improvement, in order to change the settings, it is necessary to cancel the printing in operation and set the settings again from the beginning. This is a waste of print media, and there is an effort that cannot be made without re-setting. Therefore, if you print one copy and see the output results, print the remaining copies with the same settings, or change the settings and print, check the print results each time a part is output, and the settings are appropriate. A function called trial copy has been provided to determine whether or not to continue the output.

Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus having a test print function. A test print function for changing a setting as appropriate after performing a partial print without performing all the prints. It is shown.
JP 2001-341361 A

  However, in the prior art of Patent Document 1, only the trial printing function is shown, and when interrupt processing is performed at this time, there is no description of what processing is performed. There is a problem.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing interrupt processing at the time of trial printing (copying) by easily enabling interrupt processing after setting of trial printing (copying) or after partial printing. .

  In order to solve such a problem, a reading unit (1) for reading an image of a document, an operation unit (40) for operating image forming specifications of the document image, and a recording medium based on the image of the document. Based on an instruction through the image forming unit (2) that forms an image and the operation unit, the image forming unit forms an image on the recording medium of only a part of the image of the document in advance. When the processing is set, if there is an instruction for interrupt processing, the interrupt processing is performed, and then the image forming unit performs image formation on the recording medium for only a part of the image of the document. And a control unit that controls each unit so that the image forming unit performs image formation on the remaining recording medium of the image on the original when an instruction for interrupt processing is issued. 30) To provide a location.

  By making it possible to easily perform interrupt processing after setting or partially printing trial printing (copying), it is possible to smoothly proceed with stagnant processing during trial printing (copying).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Image Forming Apparatus According to One Embodiment of the Present Invention>
(Mechanical Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus According to One Embodiment of the Present Invention)
First, an example of the configuration of a composite image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of trial copy and interrupt copy processing of the image forming apparatus. In these drawings, the digital color copying machine is composed of a scanner unit 1 as a reading function and a printer unit 2 as an image forming function.

  A scanner unit 1 that reads an image of a document has a document table cover 3 at the top thereof, and is opposed to the document table cover 3 in a closed state, and has a document table 4 made of transparent glass on which a document D is set. is doing. Below the document table 4, an exposure lamp 5 for illuminating the document D placed on the document table 4, a reflector 6 for condensing light from the exposure lamp 5 on the document D, and reflected light from the document D A first mirror 7 or the like that is bent in the left direction in FIG. The exposure lamp 5, the reflector 6, and the first mirror 7 are fixed to the first carriage 8. The first carriage 8 is connected to a pulse motor (not shown) via a toothed belt (not shown) and the like, and the driving force of the pulse motor is transmitted to move in parallel along the document table 4.

  An imaging lens 13 that forms an image of the reflected light from the second carriage 9 at a predetermined magnification is disposed in a plane including the optical axis of the light reflected through the second carriage 9. A CCD image sensor (photoelectric conversion element) 15 for converting the reflected light, which is focused by the imaging lens 13, into an electrical signal, that is, image data, is disposed in a plane substantially orthogonal to the optical axis of the light that has passed through 13. Has been.

  The printer unit 2 is based on a well-known subtractive color mixing method and performs color separation for each color component, that is, black (black, hereinafter referred to as k), magenta (a type of red, hereinafter referred to as m), First to fourth image forming portions K6, C6, M6, and Y6 for forming four color images of cyan (bluish purple, hereinafter referred to as c) and yellow (yellow, hereinafter referred to as y), respectively. Have.

  Below each of the image forming units K6, C6, M6, and Y6, an intermediate transfer belt 21 that conveys an image of each color formed by each image forming unit in the direction of arrow a in the figure is disposed. The intermediate transfer belt 21 runs endlessly at a constant speed in the direction of arrow a, and the image forming units K6, C6, M6, and Y6 are arranged in series along the conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer belt 21.

  Each of the image forming units K6, C6, M6, and Y6 is a photosensitive drum K1, C1, M1, and an image carrier that is formed so that the outer peripheral surface is rotatable in the same direction at a position in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 21. Y1 is included. A drum motor (not shown) for rotating each photosensitive drum at a predetermined peripheral speed is connected to each photosensitive drum.

  The axes of the respective photoconductive drums K1, C1, M1, and Y1 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the direction in which the image is conveyed by the intermediate transfer belt 21, and the axes of the photoconductive drums are arranged at equal intervals. In the following description, the axial direction of each photosensitive drum is defined as a main scanning direction (second direction), and the direction in which the photosensitive drum is rotated, that is, the rotation direction of the conveying belt 21 (the direction of arrow a in the figure). The sub-scanning direction (first direction) is assumed.

  Around each of the photosensitive drums K1, C1, M1, and Y1, there are charging devices K2, C2, M2, and Y2 as charging means extended in the main scanning direction, and developing means similarly extended in the main scanning direction. Development rollers K8, C8, M8, and Y8 as transfer rollers K5, C5, M5, and Y5 as transfer means similarly extended in the main scanning direction, respectively, along the rotation direction of the corresponding photosensitive drum. Arranged in order.

  Each primary transfer device is disposed at a position where the intermediate transfer belt 21 is held between the corresponding photosensitive drums, that is, inside the intermediate transfer belt 21. Further, exposure points by an exposure device to be described later are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum between the charging device and the developing roller.

  Further, a secondary transfer roller is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 21, and an image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member to the recording paper by passing a recording medium between the intermediate transfer belt 21 and the secondary transfer roller. .

  A misalignment sensor 201 for detecting the position of an image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 21 is disposed at one end of the intermediate transfer belt 21. The misalignment sensor 201 is configured by a transmissive or reflective optical sensor, and is connected to a control unit 202 including a printer CPU 110, a ROM 111, a RAM 112, and the like described in detail in FIG.

  Each of the exposure units K3, C3, M3, and Y3 that forms an electrostatic latent image that is color-separated on the outer peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum irradiates the laser beam for each color toward the exposure position of each photosensitive drum. To do.

(Electrical Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus According to One Embodiment of the Present Invention)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a signal flow for electrical connection and control of the digital color copying machine in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the digital color copying machine includes three CPUs: a main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30, a scanner CPU 100 in the scanner unit 1, and a printer CPU 110 in the printer unit 2. Is done. The main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) performs two-way communication with the printer CPU 110 via the shared RAM 35, and the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) issues an operation instruction to the printer. The CPU 110 returns a status status. The printer CPU 110 and the scanner CPU 100 perform serial communication, the printer CPU 110 issues an operation instruction, and the scanner CPU 100 returns a status status.

  The control panel 40 is connected to the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit), and includes a panel CPU 41 that controls the whole, a liquid crystal display 42, and a print key 43. Through the processing of the panel CPU 41 and the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) described later, a tree-like display of the network and a plurality of devices is performed.

  The main control unit 30 includes a main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit), ROM 32, RAM 33, NVM 34, shared RAM 35, image processing device 36, page memory control unit 37, page memory 38, printer controller 39, and printer font. The ROM 121 is configured.

  The main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) controls the entire main control unit 30. The ROM 32 stores a control program. The RAM 33 temporarily stores data.

  An NVM (non-volatile RAM) 34 is a non-volatile memory backed up by a battery (not shown), and holds data on the NVM 34 when the power is turned off.

  The shared RAM 35 is used for bidirectional communication between the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) and the printer CPU 110.

  The page memory control unit 37 stores or reads out image data in the page memory 38. The page memory 38 has an area where image data for a plurality of pages can be stored, and is formed so that data obtained by compressing image data from the scanner unit 1 can be stored for each page.

  The printer font ROM 121 stores font data corresponding to print data.

  The printer controller 39 stores print data from external devices 124-1 to 124-n on a network such as a personal computer in the printer font ROM 121 at a resolution corresponding to the data indicating the resolution given to the print data. The image data is developed using the existing font data.

  As an example, the interface 122 serving as a communication unit is an interface connected to the Internet via Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like. Similarly, the interface 123 serving as a communication unit is an interface for communicating with a plurality of devices 124-1 to 124-n on the network in accordance with a communication protocol such as Ethernet. Further, the communication protocol here does not necessarily need to be Ethernet, but may be IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394 or USB (Universal Serial Bus). In addition, it is also preferable to have all of a plurality of interfaces for simultaneously performing these networks based on Ethernet, IEEE 1394, USB, or other communication protocol.

  The scanner unit 1 moves a scanner CPU 100 that controls the entire scanner unit 1, a ROM 101 that stores control programs and the like, a data storage RAM 102, a CCD driver 103, an exposure lamp 5 and mirrors 7, 11, and 12. The scan motor driver 104 controls the rotation of the motor.

  The printer unit 2 includes a printer CPU 110 that controls the entire printer unit 2, a ROM 111 that stores a control program, a RAM 112 for data storage, and a laser driver that turns on / off light emission by the exposure devices K 3, C 3, M 3, and Y 3. 113, a paper conveyance unit 115 that controls conveyance of the paper P by the conveyance mechanism, a charging control unit 114 that controls bias to the chargers K2, C2, M2, and Y2, and a bias to the developing rollers K8, C8, M8, and Y8 A development control unit 116 that controls the transfer roller, a transfer control unit 118 that controls the bias to the transfer rollers K5, C5, M5, and Y5, a fixing control unit 117 that controls the fixing device 80, and an option unit 118. .

  The image processing device 36, the page memory 38, the printer controller 39, and the laser driver 113 are connected by an image data bus 120.

  The composite image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration not only forms an image of a document image captured by the scanner unit 1 on a sheet as a recording medium using the printer unit 2 according to various specifications provided. Fax transmission / reception and e-mail transmission / reception can be performed via the interface units 122 and 123 which are communication units. Furthermore, as will be described later, the tree structure on the network is displayed, image information is acquired from the devices on the network, printed, and the image information captured by the scanner is transferred to the specified devices on the network and stored. can do.

<Example of trial copy process and interrupt copy process according to an embodiment of the present invention>
Next, in the image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration, an example of the trial copy process and the interrupt copy process according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

(Trial copy processing and interrupt copy processing: Fig. 3: Basic form)
First, to perform a trial copy, the trial copy icon on the operation key 43 of the control panel 40 is pressed. Select the setting you want to output and press the start button. In contrast, the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30 determines whether the copy is a trial copy at the start of the job (step S11) and is set. If so, a job queuing process is performed (step S12). If it is not a trial copy, the set number of copies is printed (step S24).

  When a print job is received from outside during the trial copy waiting state, it is determined whether or not it is an interrupt copy by the function of the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30 (step S16). . If there is no interrupt processing, the process proceeds to step S17.

  If the interrupt button is pressed while waiting for a trial copy (step S16), the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30 is put into an interrupt copy ready state. When the start key is pressed, the accepted job determines interrupt copying (step S16), and interrupt copying processing is executed (step S22). If the interrupt button is pressed in this interrupt copy enabled state, the test copy wait state is restored. If the interrupt copy enabled state is left, the auto clear function is activated and the interrupt copy ready state returns to the trial copy waiting state.

  Thereafter, trial copy processing is performed by the operation of the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30 (step S17). Here, when the start key is pressed, a part of the set number of copies is copied.

  At this stage, after the first copy is printed, the user can look at the printed matter and determine whether or not the initial setting is acceptable. At this stage, the interrupt process can be performed again. That is, if there is an interrupt process (step S18), the interrupt process is executed in preference to the trial copy setting process (step S19).

  Thereafter, after printing one copy of the trial copy, the user looks at the printed matter and determines whether the initial setting is acceptable (step S20). If the user can leave it as it is, the user presses the start button without changing the setting. By pressing the button, the remaining number of copies is printed with the initial setting (step S21).

  However, if it is desired to change the initial setting, after printing one copy, the setting to be changed is selected and the setting is changed (step S23). When you have finished making changes, press the start key. Printing is performed to the end with the changed setting (step S21).

  If you press the trial copy button, select the setting you want to output, and accept a print job from the outside until you press the start button, the trial copy will be accepted first after the start button is pressed. A specification in which printing is executed after the job is completed is preferable.

  Also, if you press the test copy button, press the start button, and accept a print job from outside, print one copy of the test copy, and then press the start key again to complete the printing of the remaining copies. Until now, it is preferable that the job received from the outside does not start printing.

  Press the trial copy button, select the setting you want to output, press the start button to output one copy, then try again until you press the start button again to output the remaining copies This is called a copy waiting state.

  Further, as described above, the trial copy is changed when the trial copy is in a waiting state by the operation of the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30 (step S20). ). Here, examples of setting changes are given below.

You can change the number of copies,
Can set stapling,
Staple position (one corner stop, two stop, etc.) can be changed.
You can change the setting with or without hole punch,
The binding margin setting can be changed.
You can change the date / time settings.
You can change the page addition settings,
You can change the left / right binding / up / down binding settings.
For tab paper printing, the tab width and tab width shift width can be changed.
You can change the magnification setting.
Settings that can be changed can be set in combination.
Staples and punches may not be set depending on the option configuration.

As described above, the specification can be changed after the trial copy according to the user's request.

(Trial copy processing and interrupt copy processing: Fig. 4: Variant)
Further, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, for example, a liquid crystal display unit 42 of a large control panel is used. Thus, the image after printing (copying) can be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 42 without performing trial printing (copying) (step S13). Then, let the user predict the appearance to some extent, and let the user determine whether or not the image display is appropriate (step S13). If it is inappropriate, the main CPU 31 in the main control unit 30 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) ) To make necessary setting changes (step S14). This setting change may be as described above, or may be a change beyond that.

  If the image is appropriate, the main CPU 31 (trial copy unit / interrupt copy unit) in the main control unit 30 performs the same process as in FIG.

  As described above, in the embodiment according to the present invention, it is possible to avoid having to wait for a job other than the trial copy to be printed when the trial copy waiting state is entered. In addition, not all printing is prohibited, but only interrupt copying is allowed, thereby improving convenience for users who want to execute copying immediately.

  With the various embodiments described above, those skilled in the art can realize the present invention. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to come up with various modifications of these embodiments, and have the inventive ability. It is possible to apply to various embodiments at least. Therefore, the present invention covers a wide range consistent with the disclosed principle and novel features, and is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electrical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of trial copy and interrupt copy processing of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of trial copy and interrupt copy processing of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Explanation of symbols

  30 ... main control unit, 31 ... main CPU (trial copy / interrupt copy unit), 2 ... printer unit.

Claims (10)

A reading unit for reading an image of a document;
An operation unit for operating the image forming specifications of the image of the original;
An image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium based on the image of the original;
Based on an instruction via the operation unit, when a process for forming an image on the recording medium with only a part of the image of the document on the recording medium is set, an interrupt process is performed. If there is an instruction, the interruption process is performed, and then the image forming unit forms an image on the recording medium of only a part of the original image, and then the interruption process instruction is issued. And a control unit that controls the respective units so that the image forming unit performs image forming on the remaining recording medium of the image on the original when the interrupt processing is performed. apparatus.   The control unit displays only a part of the image on the document on the display unit before the image formation of the image forming unit, and sets the specifications of the image formation based on an instruction via the operation unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is controlled to perform image formation of an image on the original after being changed.   The control unit performs image formation of only a part of the image on the document by the image forming unit, and then changes the specifications of the image formation based on an instruction via the operation unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is controlled to form an image on an original.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming specification includes one of setting of the number of copies, presence / absence of stapling, presence / absence of a pole punch, setting of a binding margin, and setting of a date / time.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming specifications include one of page addition setting, left and right binding up / down binding setting, tab width / tab width shift width change, and magnification setting. . Scan the original image,
Based on the instruction, set a process for forming an image in advance of image formation on a recording medium of only a part of the image of the document,
Then, if there is an instruction for interrupt processing, perform the interrupt processing,
Based on the instruction, image formation is performed in advance on the recording medium of only a part of the image of the document,
Then, if there is an instruction for interrupt processing, perform the interrupt processing,
An image forming method comprising: forming an image of the image on the original on the remaining recording medium based on the instruction. Before performing the image formation, only a part of the image on the document is displayed on the screen,
The image forming method according to claim 6, wherein the image formation on the document is performed after changing the specification of the image formation based on the instruction.   The image formation of the image on the original is performed after the image formation of only a part of the image on the original is performed and the specification of the image formation is changed based on the instruction. Item 7. The image forming method according to Item 6.   9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image forming specification includes one of setting of the number of copies, presence / absence of stapling, presence / absence of a pole punch, setting of a binding margin, and setting of a date / time.   9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image forming specifications include one of page addition setting, left and right binding up and down binding setting, tab width / tab width shift width change, and magnification setting. .

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