JP2007335969A - Image processor, image output control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor, an image output control method, and a program. <P>SOLUTION: The image processor 10 includes: an aggregation means 50 for acquiring the number of pages of a document; and an output means 34 for outputting the document by using an aggregation condition by the aggregation means 50, and the aggregation means 50 allows the output means 34 to output the pages of the document whose page number is aggregated to provide a minimum blank region at a constant number of the output pages. Further, the image processing apparatus 10 adopts an output control method that outputs the pages of the document by aggregating the pages at least on one-side of output products, acquires the number of the pages of the document, sets the number of aggregated pages entered by a user, fixes the number of output pages required for accommodating the number of pages, changes the number of aggregated pages, and allows an output apparatus to aggregatedly output the pages of the document under a condition that the blank region is minimized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an output control method, and a program for instructing efficient output to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile machine.

  In recent years, functions of personal computers, copiers, multi-function copiers (MFPs) and the like have been improved. Documents to be printed are not only single-sheet sheets but also documents created by predetermined applications, HTML, Web pages created with structured documents such as XML have become diverse.

  In recent years, a document often includes image data created by GIF, BMP, PNG, JPEG, JPEG2000, etc., and the driver software on the image processing apparatus side appropriately outputs an object included in the document. Outputs are given by generating control codes and passing them to image processing engines such as local printers, network printers, and facsimile machines.

  As described above, when a document to be processed by the image processing apparatus is diversified, when a predetermined document is used as an output product, a plurality of pages are reduced with one page of the document reduced for each output product. It is also possible to perform so-called aggregate output in which the data is aggregated and output. Taking a document created by a user using word processor software or the like as an example, since the user knows the number of pages of the document in advance, the user calculates the number of sheets to be output on one page of output paper, It is also possible for the user to calculate and command the aggregation number.

  However, some documents such as web pages viewed by the user through browser software or the like cannot be known in advance unless there is an actual output. When performing aggregate output, the greater the number of aggregates to be output per page of output, the more wasteful paper can be saved. On the other hand, an unnecessarily high aggregate output results in 1 image. / 2, 1/4. . . Since it becomes smaller in inverse proportion to the number of aggregation, there is also a disadvantage that visibility is lowered. Moreover, as a result of aggregation, an excessive blank area may be formed in the output product. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the aggregation number so as to minimize the blank area.

  The optimization described above can be calculated and set in advance if the user can recognize the number of pages of the document. However, the calculation of the blank area is complicated because the remainder when the predetermined number of aggregations and the number of pages is used, that is, the remainder class calculation is required. In addition, for documents whose number of pages is unknown, there is a case where a printed output product is provided in which many areas in which no image is formed are left as a result of outputting the document. I couldn't be there.

So far, a system that performs aggregate output is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-180085 (Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, when data to be output is counted by a page number counting unit, an aggregate printing automatic cancellation unit that automatically cancels aggregation and performs transfer even when aggregate transfer is instructed. An image forming apparatus is disclosed. Further, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for determining a reduced character size and canceling the aggregate transfer when the reduced character size is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size.
JP 2001-180085 A

  The image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228707 outputs a plurality of pages of a document that are aggregated and output on one page of a print sheet, and when the document is one page or when characters become too small due to reduction. In response, the aggregation process can be automatically canceled. However, in the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the document has a plurality of pages other than one page, the aggregate output is performed with the aggregation number specified by the user, and the blank area is minimized. The number of aggregates could not be optimized.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and the present invention relates to the aggregation number n specified by the user (n is the number of document pages to be output per page on one side of the output product). Means the maximum aggregation number, and change the aggregation number. In the present invention, the image processing apparatus determines the optimum aggregation number n ′ according to the document so as to minimize the blank area formed on the output product, and creates setting data using the determined aggregation number To do. The setting data is used to generate drawing data and device control code for controlling the output device. The image processing apparatus transmits the created apparatus control code and drawing data to an output apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a facsimile apparatus, and executes a print job or a facsimile transmission job. At this time, in the present invention, the image is maximized as the minimum aggregation number with the number of outputs given by the aggregation number designated by the user, and at the same time, the blank area is minimized.

  In the present invention, in order to provide an output with optimal efficiency while maintaining the number of outputs given corresponding to the number of aggregations specified by the user, the number of blank areas, that is, the total number of output items, is set with the number of outputs as a constraint. Using the ratio of the blank area to the objective function as an objective function, the integer programming problem is solved so as to minimize the objective function, and the optimum aggregation number is determined. The image processing apparatus of the present invention uses the determined optimum aggregation number to create setting data, execute output processing, improve visibility, and minimize the amount of blank areas generated for output products. Yes.

That is, according to the present invention,
An aggregation unit that acquires the number of pages of the document, aggregates a plurality of pages of the document, and an output unit that outputs the document using an aggregation condition by the aggregation unit;
The aggregating unit can provide an image processing apparatus that causes the output unit to output a plurality of pages of the document with a number of aggregations that gives a minimum blank area, with a fixed number of output sheets.

  In the present invention, the aggregation means may comprise optimum aggregation number determining means for determining another aggregation number that gives the minimum blank area with the aggregation number designated by the user as the maximum aggregation number.

In the present invention, the aggregation means includes
Aggregation number input means for inputting the aggregation number on the display of the image processing apparatus;
An optimum processing request input means for inputting a request for calling the optimum aggregation number determining means;
There may be provided GUI generation means for displaying a GUI including a single-side mode or double-side mode request and effective output number control means for controlling the effective output number.

  The output unit of the present invention is a local printer, or a network printer or a multi-function peripheral connected via a network, and the aggregation unit generates drawing data including a device control code and outputs the drawing data from the output unit. The document can be output. According to the present invention, the output means is a facsimile apparatus, and the aggregation means can generate facsimile data according to the determined aggregation condition and perform facsimile communication with the facsimile apparatus.

According to the present invention, an output control method for causing an image processing apparatus to collectively output a plurality of pages of a document on at least one side of an output product, the output control method including:
Obtaining the number of pages of the document;
Determining the number of output sheets for accommodating the number of pages from the number of aggregations input by the user and the number of pages;
Determining an aggregation number that minimizes the blank area under the output number and minimizes the reduction ratio of the document;
An output control method is provided for causing the output device to output a plurality of pages of the document in an aggregated manner with the determined aggregation number.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an output control method for causing an image processing apparatus to collect and output a plurality of pages of a document on at least one side of an output product, the number of pages of the document being acquired, and user input Setting the number as an upper limit, fixing the number of output sheets that accommodate the number of pages, changing the aggregation number, and causing the output device to aggregate and output a plurality of pages of the document under the condition that the blank area is minimized, An output control method is provided.

  The output control method may include a step of determining an aggregation number so as to minimize the objective function, with the output number as a constraint, and a ratio of the blank area in the output number as an objective function. In the present invention, an aggregate number input means for inputting the aggregate number, an optimum process request input means for inputting a request for calling the optimum aggregate number determination means, a single-side mode or a double-side mode on the display of the image processing apparatus. A step of inputting a request and displaying a GUI including effective output number control means for controlling the effective output number can be included. In the present invention, the output device is a local printer, a network printer connected via a network, or a facsimile device.

According to the present invention, comprising: an aggregation unit that acquires the number of pages of a document, aggregates a plurality of pages of the document, and an output unit that outputs the document using an aggregation condition by the aggregation unit;
When the aggregation unit determines that the acquired number of pages is equal to or greater than the aggregation number that is one step lower than the aggregation number specified at that time, the image processing apparatus causes the image processing apparatus to perform aggregate output on both sides. An apparatus is provided.

  According to the present invention, when the number of pages of a document and the number of aggregations for executing aggregate printing are acquired and it is determined that the number of pages is equal to or more than the aggregation number one step lower than the specified value, the image processing apparatus There is provided an output control method for an image processing apparatus for instructing a double-sided output.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus-executable program for causing an image processing apparatus to execute any one of the methods described above.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments shown in the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention. The image processing apparatus 10 of the present invention can be configured as a personal computer or a workstation. An image processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 12, a cache memory 14 that enables high-speed access to data used by the CPU 12, and a RAM, a DRAM, and the like that enable processing by the CPU 12. And a system memory 16 formed from a solid-state memory element.

  Specifically, the CPU used by the image processing apparatus 10 is a CPU based on CISC architecture such as PENTIUM (registered trademark) to PENTIUM (registered trademark) IV, PENTIUM (registered trademark) compatible CPU, or POWER PC (registered trademark). ), A CPU based on a RISC architecture such as MIPS.

  As an operating system (OS) to be used, MacOS (trademark), Windows (registered trademark), Windows (registered trademark) 200X Server, UNIX (registered trademark), AIX (registered trademark), LINUX (registered trademark) or Other suitable OS can be mentioned. Further, the image processing apparatus 10 stores an application program written in an object-oriented programming language such as C ++, Visual C ++, Visual Basic, Java (registered trademark), Perl, Ruby, etc., which operates on the OS described above. Execute.

  The CPU 12, the cache memory 14, and the system memory 16 are routed via the system bus 18 to other devices or drivers of the image processing apparatus 10, such as a graphics accelerator 20 and a network device (NIC) 22. It is connected.

  The graphics accelerator 20 is connected to the display 24 via a bus, and displays the processing result by the CPU 12 on the display screen. The network device 22 connects the image processing apparatus 10 to the network and establishes a session with a client (not shown).

  An I / O bus bridge 26 is further connected to the system bus 18. On the downstream side of the I / O bus bridge, the hard disk, flash memory, EEPROM, RAM, etc. are stored by IDE, ATA, ATAPI, serial ATA, SCSI, USB, etc. via the I / O bus 28 such as PCI. A device 30 is connected. An input device 32 such as a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse is connected to the I / O bus 28 via a bus such as a USB, and receives inputs and commands from an operator such as a system administrator.

  A printer 34 is connected to the image processing apparatus 10 of the present invention via an I / O bus bridge 26. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the printer 34 is a page printer or a local printer. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, a network printer or MFP can be used. The printer 34 receives data processed by an output driver (not shown) provided as a software module, and outputs the received data according to a device control code.

  In a specific embodiment of the present invention, when Windows (registered trademark) is used as the OS, the output driver can be configured as an RPCS or RPCS compatible driver, and setting data PJL (Printer Job) can be used as output setting data. The document is output from the printer 34 using PDL (Page Description Language) as a device control code.

  In the present invention, the OS is not limited to Windows (registered trademark). When MacOS, UNIX (registered trademark), or LINUX (registered trademark) is used as an operating system, the output driver is PostScript ( Registered trademark) or a compatible output driver thereof.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a software configuration of the image processing apparatus 10 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 10 includes a plurality of applications 40, 42, and 44 whose execution is managed by the OS 38, and a plurality of drivers that are called by each application and control a predetermined device or apparatus. The software 46, 48 and the output driver 50 of the present invention are included.

  In the present invention, the output driver 50 is called from a word processor, spreadsheet software, graphic software, or browser software, and prints a designated document. In the embodiment of the image processing apparatus 10 of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, the output driver 50 includes an aggregation module that functions as the aggregation means of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the output driver 50 executes an aggregation process for aggregating a plurality of pages of a document onto one output sheet, and gives a print output in an aggregation format.

  The image processing apparatus 10 also reserves a storage space 52 provided by the storage device 30 such as a hard disk or a RAM for processing by the output driver 50. The storage space 52 can be formed by allocating a part of a large-capacity shared storage device such as a hard disk device, or is configured using a rewritable storage device such as a RAM that can be dedicated to the output driver 50. You can also

  The output driver 50 creates device control code and drawing data using the output data and setting data received from the application. The created device control code and drawing data are transmitted to the printer 34. Specific examples of the apparatus control code include, but are not limited to, PDL or Postscript in the present invention.

  The printer 34 is connected to the image processing apparatus 10 via a bus such as USB or IEEE1284. The printer 34 controls the photosensitive member, laser, polygon mirror, paper feed, etc. using the drawing data and the device control code, creates a print output P under desired aggregation conditions, and provides it to the user. . In the present invention, the aggregation condition means a condition necessary for the aggregate output including the aggregation number and the output number.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the output driver 50 indicated by a broken line in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the output driver 50 includes an aggregation module 56, a graphics driver 58, and a user interface (UI) driver 60.

  The aggregation module 56 receives, for example, setting data and output data including an aggregation number set by the user through a graphical user interface (GUI) provided by the UI driver 60 called from the application 40 and outputs at least the output data. Data is stored in the storage space 52. Thereafter, the aggregation module 56 uses data such as the number of document lines to be output, the number of images, and the paper size to determine the number of pages to output the document.

  In addition, the aggregation module 56 reads the aggregation number from the setting data, and sets the aggregation setting at the aggregation number included in the setting data as the maximum aggregation number. After that, the aggregation module 56 determines the aggregation number preset and held by the image processing apparatus 10 in descending order from the maximum aggregation number, for example, 16, 9, 6, 4, 2, and sets the aggregation number set by the user. The optimum number of aggregations that minimize the blank area by fixing the output number is determined. The optimal number of aggregations is based on the number of output pages given by the number of aggregations specified by the user as a constraint, and the number of blank areas generated when the number of document pages is assigned to the number of output sheets. This is done by a process that solves the integer programming problem of minimizing. In the present invention, since the number of blank areas is generated in units of planes corresponding to the pages of the document, it is defined as the ratio of blank areas in the page output available area of the output product.

  The generated optimal aggregate number is then sent to the graphics driver 58. The graphics driver 58 generates drawing data in response to the device control code and the optimum aggregation number. The generated drawing data is sent to the printer 34 through an appropriate I / O bus together with the apparatus control code, and causes the printer 34 to execute page printing.

  The UI driver 60 is called when the application 40 issues a print request, and provides a GUI on the display 24 of the image processing apparatus 10. The GUI displays to the user a check box for instructing the optimum output of the present invention, a pull-down menu for setting the number of aggregations, a check box for instructing double-sided printing, and the like. The conditions can be set in detail.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the image output control method of the present invention. The process of FIG. 4 starts from step S100, and an output request is received in step S101. In step S102, the UI driver is activated in response to the output request, and the GUI is displayed on the display. In step S103, the GUI is displayed to the user, and the input of output settings such as the maximum number of aggregations is requested through the GUI.

  In step S104, an output setting, output data, and an output command are received from the application. In step S105, at least output data excluding setting data is stored in the storage space. In the present invention, the output data can be stored in the storage space together with the setting data. In step S106, the aggregation module acquires the setting data and executes the optimum aggregation number determination process to generate setting data including the optimum aggregation number n ′. In step S107, the graphics driver obtains setting data and generates device control code to be imposed by n'in1 and raster-processed drawing data. In step S108, the generated drawing data and device control code are sent to the output device, the output process is executed, and the process ends in step S109.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a GUI displayed on the display of the image processing apparatus in step S102 of FIG. The GUI 62 shown in FIG. 5 is an embodiment in which a part of a print setting screen created by a UI driver that is activated upon receiving a print request from an application is displayed. The GUI 62 shown in FIG. 5 can use a “print as much as possible” check box 64 for registering codes for instructing the output to be summarized as much as possible in response to a user's request, and duplex printing. In some cases, a check box 68 is provided to instruct the use of duplex printing as much as possible. In addition, a pull-down menu 66 for designating the maximum number of aggregations is provided at the center of the GUI 62 so that the user can set the maximum number of aggregations.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the optimum aggregation number determination process of the present invention shown in FIG. Hereinafter, definitions will be given for each variable used.
(1) p: The number of pages on which a document is to be output, which is determined using data such as the page size, the number of lines, and image data set by the user, and is referred to as “number of pages” hereinafter.
(2) n: Default aggregation number set by the user, which is a default value that defines an upper limit value of the aggregation number.
(3) n ′: an aggregation counter that is set in descending order to determine the optimum aggregation number, and is a variable that finally holds the optimum aggregation number. In the embodiment being described, selection is made in descending order one by one from positive integers of 16, 9, 6, 4, 2, 1 preset in the image processing apparatus. In the present invention, a set of aggregation numbers other than those described above can be used.
(4) N: A variable that holds the number of aggregations one level lower than the aggregation counter n ′.

  The process shown in FIG. 6 starts from step S200, uses the output setting and output data specified in PJL or the like in step S201, and calculates the number of document pages x at the page size specified in the output setting. Count.

  In step S202, when the maximum aggregate number n specified in the output setting is used, the necessary number of output sheets p is counted using the following equation (1).

なお、上記式（１）は、ｘ／ｎの値を切上げた整数値を返す処理を意味する。

Note that the above equation (1) means a process of returning an integer value obtained by rounding up the value of x / n.

  In step S203, the value n, which is a default setting value, is set in the aggregation counter n 'to be obtained, and the aggregation counter n' is initialized. In step S204, it is determined whether or not n ′ is 1. If the aggregation counter n ′ is 1 (yes), this is equivalent to not executing the aggregation output, so the process branches to step S207. Then, the optimal aggregation number = 1 is set, and the process ends in step S208. Further, the aggregation counter n ′! If it is determined that = 1 (no), the process proceeds to step S205, where N is set as an aggregation number that is one step smaller than the aggregation counter n ′, and the number of faces x is divided by the value of N, The output number p ′ is calculated.

  This process is a process for determining whether or not the number of faces x can be processed within the number of output sheets designated by the user when the number of aggregations is reduced. It is calculated by the following formula (2) by substituting the value.

ステップＳ２０６では、計算されたｐ’＝ｐであるか否かを判断し、ｐ’＝ｐである場合（ｙｅｓ）には、ステップＳ２０９へと処理を分岐させ、ｎ’の値を、その時点でのＮの値に設定し保持させる。この段階で、ｎ’の値が一段階分デクリメントされる。その後、再度ステップＳ２０４へと分岐させ、再度ステップＳ２０５、Ｓ２０６、Ｓ２０９の処理を実行させて判断する。本発明では、上述した処理を使用することにより、ｘ＝１であるかの判断を行うことなく、同一のオブジェクトで最適な出力物を得ることができる。

In step S206, it is determined whether or not the calculated p ′ = p. If p ′ = p (yes), the process branches to step S209, and the value of n ′ is set at that time. Is set to the value of N and held. At this stage, the value of n ′ is decremented by one stage. Thereafter, the process branches again to step S204, and the processes of steps S205, S206, and S209 are executed again to make a determination. In the present invention, by using the above-described processing, it is possible to obtain an optimal output with the same object without determining whether x = 1.

  Specifically, the processing in steps S205 to S209 corresponds to obtaining the maximum n ′ that does not cause the output number to be rounded up. This is based on the output number as a restriction condition. This is a process of maximizing the ratio, that is, minimizing the blank area formed for a predetermined number of output sheets.

  In step S206, p '! When it is determined that = p (no), the value stored in the aggregation counter n 'at that time gives the optimal aggregation number that gives the solution of the integer programming problem. In step S207, setting data is created using the value of the aggregation counter n 'set at that time as the optimum number of aggregations and passed to the graphic driver, and the process ends in step S208.

  Returning to FIG. 4 again, in step S107 of FIG. 4, the graphics driver acquires setting data including the determined value of the aggregation counter n ′ from the aggregation module, and further outputs output data from the storage space. Reading is performed, drawing data with a reduction ratio corresponding to a predetermined number of aggregations is created, and device control codes in a format such as PDL are created at the same time. Thereafter, the graphics driver sends a device control code and drawing data to an output device such as a printer, and causes printing to be performed with a predetermined aggregate number.

  In the above processing of the present invention, the number of output sheets satisfies the following expression (3) between the values N1 and N2 (N2 is the value of the aggregation number assigned to the aggregation condition one step lower than N1). In this case, the process ends in steps S205 to S209 without any correction of the value of n ′. That is, when [x / N2] exceeds [x / N1] at the stage where N2 smaller than N1 is set in the process of step S205, the process of step S206 returns a value of false ( Note that the operation indicated by “[]” means an operation that rounds up after the decimal point. In the condition of the following formula (3), when the number of document faces x is small, it is unlikely that a large aggregation number is specified, and p is not frequently increased in round-up processing. As the number x increases, it becomes satisfied.

  In this case, for example, a case where the aggregation condition is 6 in 1 by default is considered. When the aggregation condition of 6in1 (N1 = 6) is set by default and the number of faces x is 15, the value of p that is a constraint condition is p = [15/6] = 3.

  In such a case, p ′> p is satisfied in the first loop of FIG. 6, so that the optimization process is not executed. Even in this case, if double-sided output cannot be set, if the output number specified by the user is used as a constraint condition, it can be said that a blank area with the default minimum number of aggregations is given.

  However, depending on the model of the output device, double-sided output can be used. In this case, if the constraint condition is set as the number of output sheets, the effective output number can be doubled using the front and back sides. it can. That is, when the user issues a double-sided output command, the following equation (3) and equation (4) are used to input the value of the number of output sheets into the processing described in FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the output control method of the present invention in which optimal output control is performed for the flowchart described in FIG. 6 including the case where the user designates double-sided output. . The processing shown in FIG. 7 is simply the addition of step S302, step S303, and step S306 to the processing described in FIG. 6, and the above formula (1) and formula ( 2) The processing of the above formula (3) and the above formula (4) can be integrated and processed.

  Further explaining FIG. 7, in step S302, it is determined from the output setting whether or not the user has commanded double-sided output. If double-sided output has been commanded, the double-side designated value d is set to d = 2. If the user does not specify double-sided output, d = 1 is set.

  In step S303, the user-set default value n included in the output command is set as the aggregation counter n ', the effective output number is calculated using d × n', and used as p. Thereafter, the same processing as described with reference to FIG. 6 using the calculated p is repeated from step S305 to step S310, the optimum aggregation number n ′ is determined, and the value of n ′ determined in step S308 is used. Create configuration data. After the created setting data is transferred to the graphics driver, the process ends in step S309.

  In step S 306, when p ′ is calculated using a value of N that is one step smaller than n ′, a similar process is executed by multiplying the N value by the double-side designated value d.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the optimum aggregation condition setting process according to the present invention using the number of aggregations and the size of the output image. In FIG. 8, the vertical axis indicates the number of aggregations, and the horizontal axis corresponds to the size of the output image when the vertical and horizontal margins are excluded. A larger output image is given toward the right hand side of the page. The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Assume that the user defaults aggregation of 4 in 1, for example. On the other hand, it is assumed that the document that the user desires to output at this time has 2 pages (that is, the number of pages) in the set output size.

  Since the aggregation condition set by the user at this time is 4 in 1, if output is performed with the default setting, an output product in which a blank area is formed in half of the output product is provided although the number of output sheets is the same as one. In this case, according to the present invention, N = 2 that gives the aggregation number one step lower is determined from the default setting n = 4. In this case, since p ′ = [2/2] = 1 is given, the number of output sheets is saved, and the determination in step S206 returns a value of true. Thereafter, the loop of steps S204 to S209 in FIG. 6 is executed again. In the next loop, n ′ = 2 and N ′ = 1 in the step S205, and p ′ (2) = [2/1] = 2 is calculated. Is done. For this reason, the process of step S206 in FIG. 6 returns a value of false. Therefore, the process branches to step S207 (no), and setting data is created using the value of n ′ = 2 held in the aggregation counter n ′. A change in the number of aggregations due to this processing is indicated by an arrow A in FIG.

  If the number x of faces requested by the document is exactly 1 using the same process and n is a higher aggregation number, the process proceeds from step S204 to step S205. In this case, even if n ′ = 2, the value of step S206 returns a true value. In step S209, the value of N = 1 is finally substituted for n '. Thereafter, when the process proceeds to step S204, the process branches to step S207, and n ′ = 1 is used as it is as the optimum aggregation number. In step S207, the aggregation number of n ′ = 1, that is, the aggregation setting. Setting data is generated with an aggregation number of 1 in 1 under the condition of none, the graphics driver creates corresponding drawing data, and a 1 in 1 print output is generated from the printer. A change in the number of aggregations based on this processing is indicated by an arrow B.

  In this case, in the present invention, the aggregation process is not canceled, but the value of the optimum aggregation number n ′ in the optimum aggregation number determination process is set to 1. For this reason, in the present invention, it is not necessary to prepare a software object that executes processing that does not perform aggregation processing, and a plurality of output driver objects for software objects that perform aggregation processing, which also saves resources in terms of software resources. In addition, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can efficiently cope with version upgrade of an output driver and the like and can provide a printed output with optimum printing efficiency.

  On the other hand, when the 6in1 aggregation condition is set as the default setting and the number of pages x is 15, and the user does not specify duplex output, printing is executed with the default setting as described above. However, when the user designates double-sided output, the processing of FIG. 7 is executed. When p ′ is calculated with N = 4 in step S306, p ′ (1) = [15/8] = 2. Since the value of step S307 returns true (yes), the value of N = 4 is substituted for n ′, and the process of step S306 is executed again. In the second step S306, n ′ = 4, N = 2, and p ′ (2) = [15/4] = 4. Therefore, the determination in step S307 returns a false value (no), The process exits the loop from step S305 to step S310, the value of 4 that is the value held in the aggregation counter n ′ is set as the optimum aggregation number n ′, and 4in1 printing is executed. A change in the number of aggregations due to this processing is indicated by an arrow C in FIG.

  FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the output control method of the present invention. The third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is an embodiment that provides an output product with an optimal blank area by automatically selecting an output mode including double-sided output in response to a “collect and print as much as possible” command. It is. The process shown in FIG. 9 is executed when the determination of x ≧ N2 is executed as the next process of the processing step S202 of FIG. 6 or the processing step S302 of FIG. 7, and the determination value of x ≧ N2 returns true. 9 can be easily incorporated into the processing routine of FIG. 6 or 7 by adding a step for calling the processing shown in FIG.

  The process shown in FIG. 9 starts from step S400. If double-sided output is possible in step S401, the double-side designated value d is set to d = 1. In step S402, the loop value of steps S305 to S310 in FIG. 7 is executed using the set value of d, and the optimal aggregation number n ′ is calculated.

  In step S403, the value of the objective function is calculated as {blank area sp = d × p × n′−x}, and the result is registered in the array variable (d, n ′). In the present invention, since the blank area sp is calculated as the number of assigned planes x units, it is proportional to the area ratio excluding the vertical and horizontal margins. In the present invention, an objective function that gives a blank area sp other than those described above can be given.

  In step S404, it is determined whether d = 2. If d = 2 is not satisfied (no), d is incremented by 1 in step S405, and calculations from step S402 to step S404 are executed for d = 2 (in the case of duplex printing). If it is determined in step S404 that d = 2 is satisfied (yes), the process proceeds to step S406, and the number of blank areas sp among array variables (d, n ′) is minimized. n 'is determined, setting data is generated and sent to the graphics driver, and the process is terminated in step S407.

  In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9, even when the user does not specify the duplex output, if the output device has the duplex output function, the aggregate output in the optimum output mode is executed. For example, it can be used particularly effectively when a large amount of output is given by single-sided output, such as when outputting a web page.

  FIGS. 10 and 11 are diagrams illustrating the change in the number of aggregations described in FIG. 8 of the present invention using output materials. FIG. 10 shows an output product obtained by the first embodiment of the output control method of the present invention. Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 10A shows an embodiment in which the number of pages that the user does not know in advance is actually two pages, such as a web page. It is. In this case, for example, even when the user commands 4in1 aggregation, the aggregation number is changed from 4 to 2 as shown by the arrow A in FIG. Output is executed.

  Further, in FIG. 10B, there are two document pages, and in this case as well, the user does not know how many pages the document is, and therefore, for example, it is assumed that 4in1 aggregation processing is requested by default. In this case, the constraint condition is p = 1, and if the output is left in 4in1, half of the page is left as a blank area regardless of the print direction, and the user is reduced even though there is a blank area. A small image with a large rate is given.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in the present invention, a process of minimizing a blank area is executed under the constraint condition of p = 1 by the process shown in FIG. 6 and the process shown by the arrow A in FIG. The aggregation number is automatically determined to be 2 in 1, and a print output without any blank area can be provided in the print output. At the same time, since the reduction ratio is smaller than the default setting, the user can obtain a large print image, and the print quality is improved.

  FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the output product given by the second embodiment when the condition of the above expression (3) of the output control method of the present invention is satisfied, and the second embodiment is not applied. It is the figure which contrasted and demonstrated the output thing in the case of a case as a comparative example. In FIG. 11, it is assumed that the user designates double-sided printing, and the default setting of the aggregation process is 6 in 1. FIG. 11 (a) shows an output product provided by the present invention, and FIG. 11 (b) shows an output product obtained when output is performed with the default setting by the user without applying the present invention.

  When the present invention is not applied, as shown in FIG. 11B, 6 in 1 printing is executed for the number of output sheets of p = [15/12] = 2, and 1 / 4 (one page on one side) is left as a blank area. At the same time, the print output has also been reduced to the size of the reduction ratio corresponding to 6 in 1, leaving room for improvement in print quality.

  On the other hand, in the printed output obtained by applying the processing of the present invention shown in FIG. 11A, the image processing apparatus consolidates so that the number of blank areas is minimized with the number of output sheets as a constraint. In order to determine the number as described with the arrow C in FIG. 8, the blank area is only 1/16 of the effective output number is left as a blank area, and is relatively equivalent to four times. You can see that efficient printing is performed. At that time, the print image is enlarged to correspond to 4 in 1, and the visibility is sufficiently improved.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the image processing apparatus 10 of the present invention. The image processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 12 has the same software module configuration as the image processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 except that the output driver 50-1 does not include an aggregation module. The output driver 50-1 has the same configuration except that it does not include the aggregation module 56 of the output driver 50 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. In addition, in the image processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 12, a network printer 34-1 connected via Ethernet (registered trademark), a wireless LAN, a wireless network using optical communication, or the like is connected, and a print output is received. providing. At this time, the network printer 34-1 is a page printer or MFP in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, and includes an aggregation module 56-1 that executes the output control method of the present invention.

  The output driver 50-1 of the image processing apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 12 sets an output setting including a “print as much as possible” command and a “maximum aggregation” value designated by the user via the GUI as PJL or the like. The drawing data is transmitted to the network printer 34-1 together with the device control code such as PDL. Upon receiving a print request from the image processing apparatus 10, the network printer 34-1 stores at least the drawing data portion of the PDL data in the second storage space 52-1, and stores it until the subsequent drawing data is created. Keep it.

  The aggregation module 56-1 acquires data necessary for the aggregation module 56-1 from the PDL data, and executes the aggregation process. After the aggregation process is completed and the optimum aggregation number N is determined, the image forming engine reads the drawing data, creates a device control code for the reduction ratio and the aggregation number corresponding to the aggregation number, and reads the drawing data. The drawing data is corrected with the created device control code, and the output product P is created by the output control method of the present invention and provided to the user.

  FIG. 13 shows a flowchart of the fourth embodiment of the output control method of the present invention executed by the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. The process shown in FIG. 13 starts from step S500, and an output request is received in step S501. In step S502, the UI driver is activated in response to the output request, and the GUI is displayed on the display. In step S503, the user is requested to input output settings such as the maximum number of aggregations via the GUI.

  In step S504, PDL format drawing data including a device control code is created from the print settings registered by the graphics driver, and the drawing data is transmitted to an image forming engine such as a printer server / network printer via the network. Is transmitted. In step S505, the drawing data is stored in the storage space. In step S506, the aggregation module acquires the output setting, executes the optimum aggregation number determination process, and generates setting data including the optimum imposition number n ′.

  In step S507, the network printer side graphics driver obtains the created setting data and generates drawing data including a device control code for instructing imposition with n'in1. In step S508, the network printer executes printing using the generated drawing data and device control code to create an output product, and the process ends in step S509. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, a higher-level image forming engine having a double-sided output function, such as a network printer or MFP, can be used from a plurality of client apparatuses. Provide more flexibility.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the image processing apparatus 10 of the present invention. The image processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 14 has the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 12 except that it includes an output driver 50-2 that enables facsimile transmission. On the other hand, a facsimile machine 54 is used as the image forming engine, and the facsimile machine 54 is connected to the image processing apparatus 10 via Ethernet (registered trademark), USB, IEEE1284, or the like. The image processing apparatus 10 receives output settings in the same manner as in FIG. 12, and sends drawing data and apparatus control codes to the facsimile apparatus 54 as an appropriate format such as PDL. As output settings, data necessary for image processing and facsimile transmission, such as a destination address and facsimile number for facsimile transmission, are transmitted.

  The facsimile apparatus 54 includes an aggregation module 56-2, and executes processing for determining an optimal aggregation number and the like, and provides setting data for generating transmission data. The facsimile machine 54 edits the drawing data using the generated aggregation number, and creates transmission data in a facsimile format such as G3 and G4. The created transmission data is transmitted to a ITU-T recommendation T.264 via a facsimile transmission / reception apparatus such as a modem or DSU / TA. 4, T.A. 6, T. Under a communication protocol such as 90, facsimile communication is performed via an analog or digital line via a public telephone network or ISDN.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently provide an output product with the smallest blank area in response to a user command, and even when the user does not know the number of pages of a document. It is possible to provide an optimally sized output with optimal efficiency.

  The above-described functions of the present invention include a procedural programming language such as assembler, C, C ++, Java (registered trademark), Java (registered trademark) Beans, Java (registered trademark) Applet, Java (registered trademark) Script, Perl, Ruby, or the like. It can be realized by a device-executable program written in an object-oriented programming language or the like, and can be stored in a device-readable recording medium and distributed.

  Although the present invention has been described with the embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and other embodiments, additions, modifications, deletions, etc. It can be changed within the range that can be conceived by a trader, and any embodiment is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the effects and effects of the present invention are exhibited.

The block diagram which showed the hardware constitutions of the image processing apparatus of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a software configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention. The block diagram which shows the detailed structure of the output driver shown with the broken line of FIG. The flowchart of the image output control method of this invention. The figure which showed GUI displayed on the display of an image processing apparatus by step S102 of FIG. The flowchart of the optimal aggregation number determination process of this invention. The figure which showed 2nd Embodiment of the output control method of this invention. The figure explaining the process of the optimal aggregation condition setting process of this invention using the number of aggregation and the size of an output image. The figure which showed 3rd Embodiment of the output control method of this invention. The figure explaining the change of the aggregation number demonstrated in FIG. 8 of this invention using the output thing. The figure explaining the change of the aggregation number demonstrated in FIG. 8 of this invention using the output thing. The figure which showed 2nd Embodiment of the image processing apparatus of this invention. The flowchart of 4th Embodiment of the output control method of this invention. The figure which showed 3rd Embodiment of the image processing apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image processing apparatus, 12 ... CPU, 14 ... Cache memory, 16 ... System memory, 18 ... System bus, 20 ... Graphics accelerator, 22 ... Network device, 24 ... Display, 26 ... I / O Bus bridge, 28 ... I / O bus, 30 ... storage device, 32 ... input device, 34 ... printer, 34-1 ... network printer, 38 ... operating system, 40-44 ... application, 46 ... driver software 48, driver software, 50, 50-1, 50-2 ... output driver, 52, 52-1, 52-2 ... storage space, 54 ... facsimile machine, 56, 56-1, 56-2 ... aggregation module 58 ... Graphics driver, 60 ... UI driver, 62 ... GUI, 64, 68 ... Ekku box, 66 ... pull-down menu

Claims (14)

An aggregation unit that acquires the number of pages of the document, aggregates a plurality of pages of the document, and an output unit that outputs the document using an aggregation condition by the aggregation unit;
The aggregating unit causes the output unit to output a plurality of pages of the document with a certain number of aggregations that give a minimum blank area, with a fixed number of output sheets.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aggregation unit includes an optimum aggregation number determining unit that determines another aggregation number that gives the minimum blank area, with the aggregation number designated by a user as a maximum aggregation number. The aggregation means includes
Aggregation number input means for inputting the aggregation number on the display of the image processing apparatus;
An optimum processing request input means for inputting a request for calling the optimum aggregation number determining means;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a GUI generation unit that displays a GUI including an effective output number control unit that inputs a request for the single-sided mode or the double-sided mode and controls the effective output number.   The output means is a local printer, or a network printer or multi-function peripheral connected via a network, and the aggregation means generates drawing data including a device control code, and outputs the document from the output means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, which is output.   The output means is a facsimile apparatus, and the aggregation means generates facsimile data according to the determined aggregation condition, and causes the facsimile apparatus to perform facsimile communication. Image processing apparatus. An output control method for causing an image processing apparatus to collectively output a plurality of pages of a document on at least one side of an output product, wherein the output control method includes:
Obtaining the number of pages of the document;
Determining the number of output sheets required to accommodate the number of pages from the number of aggregations input by the user and the number of pages;
Determining an aggregation number that minimizes the blank area under the output number and minimizes the reduction ratio of the document;
An output control method for executing the step of aggregating and outputting a plurality of pages of the document to the output device with the determined aggregation number.   An output control method for causing an image processing apparatus to collect and output a plurality of pages of a document on at least one side of an output product, obtains the number of pages of the document, and sets an aggregation number input by a user as an upper limit value Output control for fixing the number of output sheets necessary to accommodate the number of pages, and changing the aggregation number so that a plurality of pages of the document are aggregated and output to the output device under the condition that the blank area is minimized. Method.   The output control method includes a step of determining an aggregation number so as to minimize the objective function, with the output number as a constraint, and a ratio of the blank area in the output number as an objective function. 8. The output control method according to any one of 7 above.   Further, on the display of the image processing apparatus, an aggregation number input means for inputting the aggregation number, an optimum processing request input means for inputting a request for calling the optimum aggregation number determination means, and a request for single-side mode or double-side mode are input. The output control method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of displaying a GUI including effective output number control means for controlling the effective output number.   The output control method according to claim 6, wherein the output device is a local printer, a network printer connected via a network, or a facsimile device. An aggregation unit that acquires the number of pages of the document, aggregates a plurality of pages of the document, and an output unit that outputs the document using an aggregation condition by the aggregation unit,
When the aggregation unit determines that the acquired number of pages is equal to or greater than the aggregation number that is one step lower than the aggregation number specified at that time, the image processing apparatus causes the image processing apparatus to perform aggregate output on both sides. apparatus.   When the number of pages of the document and the number of aggregations for executing aggregate printing are acquired and it is determined that the number of pages is equal to or greater than the number of aggregations that is one step lower than the specified value, duplex output is output to the image processing apparatus. An output control method for an image processing apparatus that commands.   An apparatus-executable program for causing an image processing apparatus to execute the method according to claim 1.   An apparatus-executable program for causing an image processing apparatus to execute the output control method according to claim 12.

Images