JP2008093887A - Printer and printing control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which enables an operator to perform printing on various types of pieces of paper, without an increase in the burden of the operator, by enabling distinctions among pieces of paper even with the same width and different lengths, and printing control method. <P>SOLUTION: This printer comprises: a printing portion which comprises an interface portion 14 for inputting image data from a digital camera, a printing portion equipped with a head block 121 and a head control portion 12 for controlling a jet of ink onto paper, and a paper carrying drive portion comprising a motor control portion 13, a paper carrying motor 131, head carrying motor 132, a paper feed/ejection roller, etc.; a memory portion 16 for storing the sizes of a plurality of types of paper; a paper sensor 113 for detecting the set position of the paper to be printed; and a CPU portion 17 which determines the type of the paper in accordance with the position of the paper detected by the paper sensor 113, which reads out the size of the paper from the memory portion 16 on the basis of the determination, and which controls the printing by the printing portion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing control method capable of printing various paper sizes.

  Printing devices such as multifunction peripherals equipped with printers, scanners, and the like are also popular in general households. These printing apparatuses are used for printing documents, postcards such as New Year's cards and summer greetings, and printing images taken with a digital camera. When printing a document or a postcard, printing is performed by connecting a printing apparatus and a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC). Also, when printing the image data of the digital camera, the image data of the digital camera is transferred to the PC in advance.

  In recent years, without transferring image data of a digital camera to a PC, printing is performed by directly connecting a printing device and a digital camera, and a memory card for storing image data is taken out of the digital camera and mounted on the printing device. It is also possible to print directly with.

  In addition to the conventional aspect ratio 4: 3 size such as L size (127 mm x 89 mm), postcard size (148 mm x 100 mm), A4 (297 mm x 210 mm), etc., the width is the postcard size. A sheet of the so-called wide postcard size (181 mm × 102 mm), which is the same but has a length longer than the postcard size and an aspect ratio of 16: 9, has also been used.

As a conventional printing apparatus, the width of the original read by the scanner is detected, the width of the roll paper on which the image is recorded and output is detected, and the image data of the original is divided based on the detected original width and the roll paper width. An apparatus that records an image on roll paper is described in (Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-130752 A

  By the way, although the printing apparatus is capable of printing a wide variety of paper, for example, when printing image data having an aspect ratio of 16: 9 in a wide postcard size, the wide postcard size paper is inserted in the printing apparatus. The paper is set with the longitudinal direction of the paper aligned and printed. In this case, the wide postcard size and the postcard size have the same width and different lengths. Therefore, as a printing device, when the paper is set in the paper tray, For example, it cannot be determined only by the position of the paper guide.

  Therefore, if the paper set in the printing device is postcard size and the image data sent from the digital camera is wide postcard size, align the length direction of the paper so that the whole can be printed, Processing such as printing with a margin left or cutting the length direction by matching the width direction of the paper cannot be automatically determined on the printing apparatus side. In this case, since it is necessary to provide a setting menu on the printing apparatus side or an operation button for instructing to distinguish paper, the burden on the operator increases.

  Therefore, the present invention enables printing on various types of paper without increasing the burden on the operator by making it possible to identify even papers of the same width and different length. An object is to provide an apparatus and a printing control method.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention includes a printing unit that prints print data on a sheet, a storage unit that stores sizes of a plurality of types of sheets, a sheet position detection sensor that detects a position where a sheet to be printed is set, A control unit that determines the type of the sheet according to the position of the sheet detected by the sheet position detection sensor, reads the size of the sheet from the storage unit based on the determination, and controls printing in the printing unit; It is characterized by having.

  Further, according to the printing control method of the present invention, the paper position detection sensor detects the position where the paper to be printed is set, and the control unit corresponds to the paper position detected by the paper position detection sensor. A step of determining a paper type, a step in which the control unit reads out the size of the paper based on the determination from a storage unit that stores sizes of a plurality of types of paper, and the control unit outputs print data to the paper And a step of controlling printing in a printing section for printing.

  The paper position detection sensor detects the position where the paper to be printed is set, and the control unit identifies the type of paper and prints according to the position, so the paper width is the same and the length is different. Even paper can be identified. Therefore, it is possible to print on various sheets without increasing the burden on the operator.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a printing unit that prints print data on a sheet, a storage unit that stores the sizes of a plurality of types of sheets, a sheet position detection sensor that detects a position where a sheet to be printed is set, and A control unit that determines the type of the sheet according to the position of the sheet detected by the sheet position detection sensor, reads the size of the sheet from the storage unit based on the determination, and controls printing in the printing unit. It is characterized by that.

  The paper position detection sensor detects the position where the paper to be printed is set. The control unit specifies the type of paper according to the position. Then, the control unit reads the size of the sheet from the storage unit according to the type of the sheet, and controls the printing unit to perform printing. Therefore, it is possible to identify even papers having the same width and different lengths.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control unit determines the type of the paper based on whether the paper to be printed is shifted to one end in the width direction of the transport path. Is.

  Easy when the operator sets the paper to be printed by determining the type of the paper depending on whether the paper to be printed is shifted to one end in the width direction of the conveyance path. Can be set.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the sheet position detection sensor detects the position of the sheet by detecting the presence or absence of the sheet in the width direction of the transport path.

  If a sensor that detects the presence or absence of paper in the width direction of the transport path is used as the paper position detection sensor, the position set by the operator according to the type of paper when detecting the position where the paper to be printed is set Even if the position is changed, the set position of the paper can be detected accurately.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the paper position detection sensor is formed of a shaft provided along the width direction of the transport path, a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion that move along the shaft, and a signal from the light receiving portion. Is an optical sensor that outputs to the control unit.

  By using the paper position detection sensor as an optical sensor, the position set in a non-contact state on the paper to be printed can be notified to the control unit.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input unit for inputting print data, and the control unit controls printing based on print data compliant with the PictBridge standard input via the input unit. Is.

  For example, in the PictBridge standard, even if there is no command for designating a paper having the same paper width and a different length, it can be identified at the paper setting position. Things can be used.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input unit for inputting print data from a memory card.

  Even if the print data is stored in a memory card, it is possible to identify the paper type at the paper setting position, so that the paper width is the same and the length is different. It is possible to print.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the paper position detection sensor detects the position where the paper to be printed is set, and the control unit detects the position of the paper according to the position of the paper detected by the paper position detection sensor. A step of determining the type, a step in which the control unit reads the size of the paper based on the determination from a storage unit that stores a plurality of types of paper sizes, and a control unit in which the control unit prints print data on the paper. And a step of controlling the printing.

  The paper position detection sensor detects the position where the paper to be printed is set. The control unit specifies the type of paper according to the position. Then, the control unit reads the size of the sheet from the storage unit according to the type of the sheet, and controls the printing unit to perform printing. Therefore, it is possible to identify even papers having the same width and different lengths.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the control unit determines the type of the paper based on whether the paper to be printed is shifted to one end in the width direction of the conveyance path. Is.

  Easy when the operator sets the paper to be printed by determining the type of the paper depending on whether the paper to be printed is shifted to one end in the width direction of the conveyance path. Can be set.

(Embodiment)
A printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 10 is an ink jet type color printer, and includes a sensor control unit 11, a head control unit 12, a motor control unit 13, an interface unit 14, a memory card unit 15, and a memory unit. 16 and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) unit 17, which are connected by a bus 18.

  The sensor control unit 11 is connected to a remaining ink sensor 111, a panel sensor 112, and a paper sensor 113, and each state is output by a reading operation from the CPU unit 17. The ink remaining amount sensor 111 is a sensor that detects the remaining amount of ink stored in a cartridge type ink tank, and is provided for each ink tank of each color. The panel sensor 112 is provided on a panel such as a maintenance panel or an ink replacement panel that may interfere with the printing operation because printing quality may be degraded or printing may be disabled when printing is performed in an open state. It is a sensor that detects the open / closed state. The panel sensor 112 can be a mechanical switch, an optical sensor, or the like. The paper sensor 113 is a paper position detection sensor that detects the position of the paper to be printed.

  Here, the sheet sensor 113 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an example of a sheet sensor provided in the printing apparatus illustrated in FIG.

  2A and 2B, the sheet sensor 113 includes a shaft 1131 provided along the width direction of the transport path, a carriage 1132 that moves along the shaft 1131, and a carriage 1132. A light emitting unit 1133 and a light receiving unit 1134 are provided.

  The sheet sensor 113 detects whether or not there is a sheet to be printed by the light emitting unit 1133 emitting light and the carriage 1132 moving on the shaft 1131 and the light receiving unit 1134 receiving reflection of light from the sheet. Then, the signal is output to the sensor control unit 11 and notified to the CPU unit 17. That is, by scanning the paper to be printed while sequentially irradiating light in the width direction, the CPU unit 17 determines where the paper is set with respect to the conveyance path and the detected period. Can detect the width of the paper.

  The head control unit 12 has a function of controlling the ejection of ink onto the paper from the head block 121 in which the ink tanks of each color are arranged according to an instruction from the CPU unit 17.

  In response to an instruction from the CPU unit 17, the motor control unit 13 sucks a set sheet, prints and discharges the sheet feeding roller, a sheet conveyance motor 131 that rotates a conveyance roller and a sheet discharge roller, It has a function of controlling the head transport motor 132 that moves the head block 121 along the paper width direction.

  A paper conveyance drive comprising a printing unit comprising a head control unit 12 and a head block 121 for ejecting ink onto the paper, and a motor control unit 13, a paper conveyance motor 131, a head conveyance motor 132, and a paper supply / discharge roller. The printing part is composed of the parts.

  The interface unit 14 communicates with the outside, and is an input unit that inputs image data, which is print data, connected to a digital camera, for example. As the interface unit 14, the digital camera employs USB (Universal Serial Bus) the most, so it is desirable to use USB, but a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like is also used in accordance with a device that outputs print data. be able to.

  The memory card unit 15 is an interface for mounting a memory card in order to directly read and print an image taken with a digital camera. In this memory card unit 15, various types of memory cards used in digital cameras such as SD memory card (Secure Digital memory card) and compact flash (registered trademark) (Compact Flash) can be mounted as usable memory cards. It is.

  The memory unit 16 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which a program executed by the CPU unit 17 and various setting information are stored, and a RAM (Random) used by the program as a work area and image processing of print data. Access Memory). In addition, a non-volatile memory is provided that stores profiles in which various paper sizes are defined.

  The CPU unit 17 includes a CPU that executes a program stored in the ROM of the memory unit 16 and a control circuit that controls timing of the CPU, and performs overall control of the entire printing apparatus 10 according to the program stored in the ROM. It is a control part.

  FIGS. 3 and 4 show states when various types of paper are set in the printing apparatus 10. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state when the paper is set near the right side of the paper tray. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state when the paper is set near the left side of the paper tray.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the printing apparatus main body 101 is provided with a paper tray 102 that extends rearward from a paper feed port on the back side. The conveyance path is a path through which the paper set in the paper tray 102 is fed from the paper feed port, printed in the printing apparatus main body 101, and discharged from the front surface of the printing apparatus main body 101.

  The paper tray 102 is provided with a left paper guide 191, a right paper guide 192, and a paper transport guide 193. The paper conveyance guide 193 can adjust the distance between the left paper guide 191 and the right paper guide 192 by moving left and right along slits (not shown) formed in the paper tray 102.

  In FIG. 3, the postcard size paper 201 is set so that the right side of the postcard size paper 201 abuts on the right side paper guide 192 and the left side of the postcard size paper 201 is sandwiched by the paper transport guide 193. When the L-size paper 202 is set on the paper tray 102, the width is narrower than the postcard-size paper 201. And the left side of the L-size paper 202 is abutted so that the postcard-size paper 201 and the L-size paper 202 are not sucked into the paper feed port in a skewed state.

  When the wide postcard size paper 203 having the same width and different length as the postcard size paper 201 is set in the paper tray 102, the left side of the wide postcard size paper 203 is abutted against the left paper guide 191 as shown in FIG. The conveyance guide 193 is moved to the left side so that the right side of the wide postcard size sheet 203 is sandwiched, and the distance between the left sheet guide 191 and the sheet conveyance guide 193 is adjusted, so that the wide postcard size sheet 203 is fed in a skewed state. Avoid inhalation into the paper mouth.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the paper is set against the left paper guide 191 or the right paper guide 192 of the paper tray 102 so that the operator can easily set the paper to be printed. Can be set.

  The operation of the printing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In this printing apparatus 10, it is possible to perform printing directly by installing a memory card in the memory unit 16. However, in the present embodiment, a digital camera is connected to the interface unit 14 via a USB cable, and digital printing is performed. Assume that image data in the camera is read and printed.

  First, the digital camera is switched to a mode in which image data is transmitted according to a procedure based on the PictBridge standard. When the image data is transmitted from the digital camera, the CPU unit 17 reads the image data via the interface unit 14 (S10), develops and stores the image data in the memory unit 16 (S20).

  On the digital camera side, for example, when printing on L size paper 202, “L size” is set. When printing on the postcard size paper 201, “postcard size” is set. Further, when printing on a wide postcard size paper having the same width and length as the postcard size paper, if there is no setting on the digital camera side, “other paper” is selected.

  The CPU unit 17 drives the paper transport motor 131 to transport the paper set on the paper tray 102 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) to the front of the head block 121 (see FIG. 1). 13 is instructed. Then, the CPU unit 17 inputs a signal indicating the presence / absence of a sheet in the width direction of the conveyance path that is output while the carriage 1132 of the sheet sensor 113 moves along the shaft 1131 via the sensor control unit 11.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, if the postcard size paper 201 is set to the right side of the paper tray 102, the presence of paper is not detected when the carriage 1132 starts to move. Then, the carriage 1132 starts to detect the sheet from the vicinity beyond the center, and outputs a sheet presence signal to the sensor control unit 11. The carriage 1132 continues to detect the paper from the position where the paper is started to the right end of the paper tray 102. The CPU unit 17 can input a signal from the sensor control unit 11 to recognize the width of the sheet from the period when the presence of the sheet is detected, and the sheet is set near the right side of the sheet tray 102. Therefore, it can be determined that the set paper is the postcard size paper 201.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the wide postcard size sheet 203 is set close to the left side of the sheet tray 102, the presence of the sheet is detected when the carriage 1132 starts to move. Then, there is no sheet from the vicinity of the carriage 1132 beyond the center, and the state where the sheet cannot be detected continuously to the right end of the sheet tray 102 continues. By inputting a signal from the sensor control unit 11, the CPU unit 17 can recognize the width of the sheet from the period when the presence of the sheet is detected, and the sheet is set near the left side of the sheet tray 102. Therefore, it can be determined that the set paper is the wide postcard size paper 203.

  In this way, the CPU section 17 has the same width by detecting whether it is set to be shifted to either the right side or the left side of the paper tray 102 based on the signal from the paper sensor 113. However, it can be determined whether or not sheets of different lengths are set (S30).

  That is, if it is set close to the left side of the paper tray 102, it is determined that it is the wide postcard size paper 203, and the profile relating to the wide postcard size paper 203 is read from the memory unit 16 (S40). If it is set near the right side of the paper tray 102, it is determined that it is a postcard size paper 201 or other size paper. In this case, in many cases, the digital camera side designates a sheet conforming to the PictBridge standard and transmits image data. Therefore, the CPU unit 17 sends the profile of the sheet from the memory unit 16 according to the designated sheet. Read (S50).

  The CPU unit 17 performs image processing such as enlargement or reduction on the received image data in accordance with the size of the paper to be printed (S60).

  The CPU unit 17 generates head data indicating which type of ink is to be ejected based on the image data subjected to the image processing so that the head control unit 12 can process (S70).

  Then, the CPU unit 17 instructs the motor control unit 13 to drive the paper transport motor 131 and the head transport motor 132, and performs printing based on the head data (S80).

  As described above, if the paper conforms to the PictBridge standard, the type of the paper is designated on the digital camera side, and the corresponding type of paper is set on the right side of the paper tray 102 to perform the conventional printing. Can do. In addition, there is no paper type corresponding to the PictBridge standard, the paper cannot be specified on the digital camera side, and even if a setting such as “other paper” is selected for printing, the type of paper to be printed By setting the paper close to the left side of the paper tray 102, even the wide postcard size paper 203 can be automatically identified on the printing apparatus 10 side. Therefore, it is possible to print on various sheets without increasing the burden on the operator.

  In this embodiment, a digital camera is connected via the interface unit 14 and printing is performed by reading image data. However, when a memory card is mounted on the memory card unit 15 for printing, the digital camera is also used. The same can be done.

  The present invention enables printing on various types of paper without increasing the burden on the operator by making it possible to identify even papers of the same width and different length. It is suitable for a printing apparatus capable of printing various paper sizes.

The figure which shows the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper sensor provided in the printing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. Diagram showing the state when paper is loaded near the right side of the paper tray Diagram showing the state when paper is loaded near the left side of the paper tray Flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printing apparatus 11 Sensor control part 12 Head control part 13 Motor control part 14 Interface part 16 Memory part 17 CPU part 18 Bus 101 Printing apparatus main body 102 Paper tray 111 Ink residual amount sensor 112 Panel sensor 113 Paper sensor 121 Head block 131 Paper conveyance Motor 132 Head transport motor 191 Left paper guide 192 Right paper guide 193 Paper transport guide 201 Postcard size paper 202 L size paper 203 Wide postcard size paper 1131 Shaft 1132 Carriage 1133 Light emitting section 1134 Light receiving section

Claims (8)

A printing section for printing print data on paper;
A storage unit for storing sizes of plural types of paper;
A paper position detection sensor for detecting a position where a paper to be printed is set;
A control unit that determines the type of the sheet according to the position of the sheet detected by the sheet position detection sensor, reads the size of the sheet from the storage unit based on the determination, and controls printing in the printing unit; A printing apparatus comprising: The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a type of a sheet based on whether the sheet to be printed is shifted to one end in a width direction of the conveyance path. . The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet position detection sensor detects the position of the sheet by detecting the presence or absence of the sheet in the width direction of the conveyance path. The paper position detection sensor is formed of a shaft provided along the width direction of the conveyance path, and a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that move along the shaft, and a signal from the light receiving unit is transmitted to the control unit. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing apparatus is an optical sensor for outputting. An input unit for inputting the print data;
5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls printing based on print data that conforms to a PictBridge standard input via the input unit. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit that inputs the print data from a memory card. A paper position detection sensor detecting a position where a paper to be printed is set;
A step of determining a type of the sheet according to a position of the sheet detected by the sheet position detection sensor;
The control unit reads out the size of the paper based on the determination from a storage unit that stores a plurality of types of paper sizes;
And a step of controlling printing by a printing unit that prints print data on paper. The print control according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a paper type based on whether the printed paper is shifted to one end in a width direction of the conveyance path. Method.

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