JP2009251813A - Printing system, image forming apparatus, and image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate troublesomeness in performing N-up printing with a plurality of sizes. <P>SOLUTION: A logical page data generation part 28 of a printer 2 generates basic print type logical page data for 4-up print and specific print type logical page data for 2-up print by reducing print data transmitted from a PC1 based on N-up print designation information transmitted from the PC1. Then, a physical page data generation part 29 connects the generated basic print logical page data for 4-up print, and the basic print type physical page data for 4-up print as print data to be printed on a printing medium and the generated specific print type logical page data for 2-up print, are combined to generate specific print type logical page data for 2-up print as print data to be printed on a printing medium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention includes a printing system in which an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus are connected in communication, and the image forming apparatus performs N-up printing on a print medium using print data received from the image processing apparatus, and the printing system The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image processing apparatus.

  In a conventional printing system in which a PC as an image processing apparatus and a printer as an image forming apparatus are connected by a cable, printing of a physical page in which print data of one or more logical pages reduced to 1 / N is described Conventionally, N-up printing that performs printing on a print medium using data is performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The N-up printing includes 1-up printing, 2-up printing, 4-up printing, 8-up printing, and 16-up printing, as shown in FIG.

For example, as shown in FIG. 43 (b), when the conventional printing system performs 2-up printing, the print data of the logical page is reduced by half, and the code A and the code reduced by this half are reduced. After the print data of the logical page shown in B is rotated in a certain direction with respect to the print medium, the print data of the physical page is generated by combining the print data of these logical pages. The printer prints on the print medium using the print data.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-0778018

  However, in the above-described conventional printing system, for example, among the 10 pages of logical pages, the third logical page and the seventh logical page are 1-up printed, and the other logical pages are 4-up printed. To do so, first, the user selects pages 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 as logical pages to be 4-up printed, and then 4-up prints these logical pages. After that, after the user selects pages 3 and 7 as the logical pages that the user wants to perform 1-up printing, it is necessary to print these logical pages 1-up, and the printing process is very troublesome for the user. There was a point.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing system, an image forming apparatus, and an image processing apparatus that can eliminate the troublesomeness when performing a plurality of N-up printings. To do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a printing system in which an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus are connected by communication, and the image forming apparatus performs N-up printing on a print medium using print data received from the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes an N-up printing designation information input unit for inputting N-up printing designation information for designating N-up printing and other N-up printing, and the N-up printing designation. An N-up print designation information transmission unit that transmits the N-up print designation information input to the information input unit to the image forming apparatus; and a print data transmission unit that transmits the print data to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus reduces the print data transmitted by the print data transmission unit based on the N-up print designation information transmitted by the N-up print designation information transmission unit, and N The logical page data generation unit for generating logical page data for up printing and other logical page data for N-up printing, and the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit are combined. Then, the physical page data for N-up printing as print data to be printed on the print medium and the logical page data for other N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit are combined. A physical page data generating unit that generates other N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus that is connected to an image processing apparatus and performs N-up printing using print data received from the image processing apparatus. The N-up is transmitted from the image processing apparatus. Based on N-up printing designation information for designating printing and other N-up printing, the print data transmitted from the image processing apparatus is reduced, and logical page data for N-up printing and other Print that combines the logical page data generation unit that generates logical page data for N-up printing and the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit, and prints it on the print medium Combining physical page data for N-up printing as data and logical page data for other N-up printing generated by the logical page data generating unit, the print medium And a physical page data generation unit for generating other N-up physical page data for printing as print data to be printed.

  In addition, the present invention is an image processing apparatus that is connected to an image forming apparatus and generates print data for N-up printing by the image forming apparatus, and specifies N-up printing and other N-up printing. N-up print designation information input unit for inputting N-up print designation information for the print data, and the print data is reduced based on the N-up print designation information input by the N-up print designation information input unit. A logical page data generation unit that generates logical page data for N-up printing and other logical page data for N-up printing, and a logical page for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit Physical page data for N-up printing as print data to be printed on the print medium by combining data, and other N-up printing theory generated by the logical page data generation unit Generated by the physical page data generation unit, the physical page data generation unit that combines the page data and generates other physical page data for N-up printing as print data to be printed on the print medium, A physical page data transmission unit configured to transmit physical page data for N-up printing and other physical page data for N-up printing to the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention is also an image forming apparatus that is connected to an image processing apparatus and performs N-up printing using print data received from the image processing apparatus, and is described in a logical page received from the image processing apparatus. The print data is printed on a print medium for the print data transmitted from the image processing device based on the character size specified by the character size specifying unit and the character size specified by the character size specifying unit. An N-up printing determination unit that determines readable N-up printing sometimes, and print data transmitted from the image processing device based on the N-up printing determined by the N-up printing determination unit The logical page data generation unit for generating N-up printing logical page data, and the N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit With respect to the logical page data, an N-location generated by the logical page data generation unit at an arrangement location specifying unit that specifies an arrangement location for a physical page to be printed on a print medium and the arrangement location specified by the arrangement location specifying unit. a physical page data generation unit that generates physical page data in which logical page data for up printing is arranged.

  The present invention is also an image forming apparatus that is connected in communication with an image processing apparatus and performs N-up printing using print data received from the image processing apparatus, and is depicted in the print data received from the image processing apparatus. Calculated by a face figure recognition unit for recognizing a figure of a person's face, a face figure size calculation unit for calculating a figure size of a person's face recognized by the face figure recognition unit, and a face figure size calculation unit Based on the figure size of the human face, N-up printing is determined for the print data transmitted from the image processing apparatus so that the face figure can be visually recognized when the print data is printed on a print medium. N-up printing determination unit and a logical unit for N-up printing by reducing the print data transmitted from the image processing device based on the N-up printing determined by the N-up printing determination unit. page A logical page data generation unit for generating data, and an arrangement location specifying unit for specifying an arrangement location for a physical page to be printed on a print medium for the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit A physical page for generating physical page data in which the N-up printing logical page data generated by the N-up printing logical page data generation unit is arranged in the arrangement location specified by the arrangement location specifying unit A data generation unit.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the logical page data generation unit of the image forming apparatus has been transmitted from the image processing apparatus based on the N-up print designation information transmitted by the N-up print designation information transmission unit of the image processing apparatus. The print data is reduced and logical page data for N-up printing and other logical page data for N-up printing are generated, and then a physical page data generation unit is generated by the logical page data generation unit. Physical page data for N-up printing as print data to be printed on a print medium by combining logical page data for N-up printing, and other N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit The logical page data for the N-up printing is combined to generate physical page data for other N-up printing as print data to be printed on the print medium. When performing printing, each time, there is no need to perform the process of designating the N-up printing. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness when performing a plurality of N-up printings, which has been a problem in the past.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the printing system of the first embodiment, a personal computer 1 (hereinafter referred to as a PC 1) as an image processing apparatus and a printer 2 as an image forming process are connected via a network 3. The printer 2 is a printer capable of N-up printing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the PC.
As shown in the figure, the PC 1 includes an application unit 11, a printer driver unit 12, a display unit 13, and a transmission / reception unit 14.

  The application unit 11 is a part that creates document data and stores the created document data by a CPU (not shown) executing an application program stored in a ROM (not shown).

  The printer driver unit 12 is a part that converts the document data created by the application unit 11 into a language that can be interpreted by the printer device and generates print data by the CPU executing a printer program stored in the ROM. .

  The display unit 13 includes a liquid crystal display device or the like, and is a display that displays a document data creation screen by the application unit 11 and a setting item input setting screen by the printer driver unit 12.

Prior to the generation of the print data, the printer driver unit 12 causes the display unit 13 to display an input setting screen shown in FIG. 3 in order to obtain setting information necessary for generating the print data.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the input setting screen.
As shown in the figure, this input setting screen is a screen for inputting information necessary for generating print data, and includes an input screen such as a setting tab, a print option tab, and a color tab.

In this embodiment, an input screen for information necessary for performing N-up printing (hereinafter referred to as N-up printing information) will be described in detail.
In the print option tab, a tray for paper feeding and paper discharge and designation of whether or not to save toner are designated. In the color tab, color matching parameters are designated.
Information necessary for printing specified in the print option tab and color tab will be described below as other header information.

  The input setting screen of the setting tab includes a paper size input field, a basic print type input field, a specific print type input field, a check box for setting whether to enable or disable a specific print type, and a specific It consists of a logical page input field for printing with the print type, and an OK button for instructing the completion of input. Here, the logical page indicates the page number of the document data created by the application unit 11.

  Each ▽ in the paper size input field, basic print type input field, and specific print type input field is used for pull-down display. For example, ▽ in the paper size input field is pressed (clicked with a mouse or the like). As a result, A4 portrait, A4 landscape, A3, and A5 are displayed. By pressing ▽ in the basic print type input field, 1-up printing, 2-up printing, 4-up printing, 8-up printing, 16-up printing is displayed, and any one of them is entered in the basic print type entry field. When there is no pull-down display, it is possible to input directly from a keyboard or the like. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which A4 portrait and 4-up printing are selected.

The input field for the specific print type is the same as the basic print type input field, and by selecting from the pull-down display by pressing ▽, it is possible to input to the specific print type input field. In this embodiment, an example in which 1-up printing is selected is shown.
In the specific page input column, the page number of the logical page to be printed with the specific print type is input.
In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which logical pages 3 and 7 are designated as pages to be 1-up printed.

  Further, when the OK button displayed on the input setting screen of the setting tab is pressed (clicked), the printer driver unit 12 displays “A4” as information displayed in the paper size input field displayed on the input setting screen. "Vertical", "4-up printing" as the information displayed in the basic print type input field, "1-up printing" as the information displayed in the specific print type input field, displayed in the specific page input field The information “3”, “7”, and “valid” information of a check box where the specific print type is valid are stored as N-up information in a RAM (not shown) together with other header information.

  The printer driver unit 12 reads the document data created by the application unit 11 and stored in the RAM, converts the document data into a language that can be interpreted by the printer in units of pages, and stores the data in the RAM as print data. Then, the printer driver unit 12 reads N-up information and other header information from the RAM, adds print data to generate a print job, and outputs the print job to the transmission / reception unit 14.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print job.
As shown in the figure, the print job generated by the printer driver unit 12 includes “A4 portrait” information as the paper size information and “4-up printing” information as the basic print type information. Information of “1-up printing” is added as type information, information of “page 3 and page 7” is added to other header information and print data of each page as page information of a specific print type.

  When the check box is not checked, that is, when the specific print type is not specified, the print job is configured without adding the information of the specific print type and the page number of the specific print type.

The transmission / reception unit 14 performs control for transmitting commands and print data from the PC 1 to the printer 2 via the network 3, and receives status information of the printer 2 via the network 3 and displays it on the display unit 13. Control.
The print job generated by the printer driver unit 12 is sent to the transmission / reception unit 14. The transmission / reception unit 14 transmits the print job to the printer 2 via the network 3.

Next, the contents of the printer 2 will be described in detail.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer 2 in FIG.
The printer 2 shown in the figure includes a control unit 20, an information storage unit 21, a data storage unit 22, a determination information storage unit 23, an input page data storage unit 24, a physical page data storage unit 25, and a print data storage. A unit 26, a transmission / reception processing unit 27, a logical page data generation unit 28, a physical page data generation unit 29, and a printing unit 30.

  The control unit 20 activates and generates each functional block described below by executing a predetermined control program stored in advance in a ROM using a RAM (not shown) by a CPU (not shown), and controls the entire printer 2. The part to control.

  The information storage unit 21 is formed in a RAM (not shown), and has an N-up print information storage area 211, other header information storage area 212, input page number storage area 213, and designated information storage area 214. Yes.

  The N-up print information storage area 211 stores N-up print information. The other header information storage area 212 stores other header information. In the input page number storage area 213, the read number when the logical page data generation unit 28 reads the input page data from the input page data storage unit 24, that is, the page number of the input page data transmitted from the PC1. (Hereinafter, input page number) is stored. In the designation information storage area 214, “1” or “2” is stored as designation information.

  The designation information “1” is information indicating that the storage destination of the input page data reduced for N-up printing designated as the basic print type is a basic print type page data storage area 221 described later. . The designation information “1” is information that informs the logical page data generation unit 28 that the first determination information stored in the first determination information storage area 231 described later is used. Hereinafter, the input page data reduced for N-up printing designated as the basic printing type is referred to as basic printing type logical page data for N-up printing.

  The designation information “2” is information indicating that the storage destination of the input page data reduced for N-up printing designated as the specific print type is a specific print type page data storage area 222 described later. . The designation information “2” is information that informs the logical page data generation unit 28 described later that the second determination information stored in the second determination information storage area 232 described later is used. Hereinafter, the input page data reduced for N-up printing designated as the specific print type is referred to as specific print type logical page data for N-up printing.

  The data storage unit 22 is formed in a RAM or hard disk device (not shown), and includes a basic print type page data storage area 221, a specific print type page data storage area 222, a basic print type page number storage area 223, and a specific print type page. And a number storage area 224.

  In the basic print type page data storage area 221, basic print type logical page data is stored in the order generated by the logical page data generation unit 28.

  The specific print type page data storage area 222 stores specific print type logical page data in the order in which the logical page data generation unit 28 generated them.

  The basic print type page number storage area 223 stores the input page number N of the input page data read from the input page data storage unit 24 when the logical page data generation unit 28 described later generates basic print type logical page data. Remembered.

  The specific print type page number storage area 224 stores the input page number N of the input page data read from the input page data storage unit 24 when the logical page data generation unit 28 described later generates specific print type logical page data. Remembered.

  The input page data storage unit 24 is formed in a RAM (not shown), and stores print data in an amount when one page of the print medium is printed. Hereinafter, an amount of print data when printed on one page of the print medium is described as input page data.

  The physical page data storage unit 25 is formed in a RAM (not shown) and is generated by combining the basic print type logical page data generated by the physical page data generation unit 29. Basic print type physical page data) and a specific print type physical page data (hereinafter referred to as specific print type physical page data) generated by combining logical page data for a specific print type. is there. The physical page data storage unit 25 may store two basic print type physical page data, may store basic print type physical page data and specific print type physical page data, or may specify two specific print type physical page data. Print type page data may be stored.

For example, the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing and the input page numbers N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 223 are “1”, “2”, “4”, and “5”. The basic print type physical page data for 4-up printing generated when
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of physical page data in which the input page number N is described. As shown in the figure, the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing whose input page number N is “1” is arranged at the upper left, and the basic print type for 4-up printing whose input page number N is “2”. Logical page data is arranged in the upper right. The basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing whose input page number N is “4” is arranged at the lower left, and the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing whose input page number N is “5” is on the right. Arranged below.

  The print data storage unit 26 is a part that is formed in a RAM (not shown) and stores print data to be printed by the printing unit 30. This print data is basic print type physical page data or specific print type physical page data obtained by removing the aforementioned input page number from basic print type physical page data or specific print type physical page data, and is printed by the printing unit 30. Used when doing.

The transmission / reception processing unit 27 is a part that performs control to receive commands and print jobs from the PC 1 connected via the network and to transmit the status information of the printer 2 to the PC 1.
When receiving the command and the print job, the transmission / reception processing unit 27 analyzes the command and the print job, and executes processing based on the analyzed result.
The transmission / reception processing unit 27 analyzes the print job, and stores the print data included in the print job in the input page data storage unit 24 together with the start address and end address of each page for each page.
That is, the input page data storage unit 24 stores the start address and end address of each page, and print data for each page is stored in the corresponding address area.

Further, the transmission / reception processing unit 27 analyzes the received print data, determines the paper size information added to the print job, the basic print type information, the specific print type information, the page number of the specific print type, and stores the information. Each information is stored in the N-up print information storage area 211 provided in the unit 21.
Then, “N” corresponding to the number of divisions in the N-up print information of the basic print type information is stored in the first determination information storage area 231 of the determination information storage unit 23 as the first determination information, and the specific print type information “N” corresponding to the number of divisions in the N-up print information is stored in the second determination information storage area 232 of the determination information storage unit 23 as the second determination information.

Therefore, in the N-up print information storage area 211, “A4 portrait” is stored as the paper size information, “4-up printing” is stored as the basic print type information, and “1” is stored as the specific print type information. -Up printing "is stored, and" 3 pages, 7 pages "are stored as page numbers of the specific printing type. The first determination information storage area 231 stores “4” as the number of divisions, and the second determination information storage area 232 stores “1” as the number of divisions.
Further, the transmission / reception processing unit 27 analyzes the received print job, determines other header information necessary for other printing, and stores other header information in the other header information storage area 212 provided in the information storage unit 21. Store.

When the logical page data generation unit 28 determines whether or not the input page data is stored in the input page data storage unit 24 and determines that the input page data is not stored in the input page data storage unit 24. Then, the control subject is transferred to the physical page data generation unit 29.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the input page data is stored in the input page data storage unit 24, 1 is added to the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 213.

Further, when 1 is added to the above-described input page number N, the logical page data generation unit 28 reads the specific page number of the specific print type from the N-up print information storage area 211, and this specific page number N has read this specific page number. It is determined whether it matches any of the page numbers.
When the logical page data generation unit 28 determines that the input page number N does not match any of the specific page numbers, the logical page data generation unit 28 performs processing for generating basic print type logical page data.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the input page number N matches any of the specific page numbers, the logical page data generation unit 28 performs processing for generating specific print type logical page data.

The logical page data generation unit 28 performs processing for generating basic print type logical page data as follows.
That is, the logical page data generation unit 28 reads the first designation information from the designation information storage area 214 and then “N” of the first judgment information from the first judgment information storage area 231 designated by the first designation information. Is read.
Then, the logical page data generation unit 28 reads the input page data corresponding to the input page number N from the input page data storage unit 24, and reduces the basic page data for N-up printing based on “N” of the first determination information. Print type logical page data is generated, and the basic print type logical page data is stored in the basic print type page data storage area 221.
Thereafter, the logical page data generation unit 28 erases the input page data previously read from the input page data storage unit 24.

The logical page data generation unit 28 erases the input page data previously read from the input page data storage unit 24 and then reads the input page number N from the input page number storage area 213. Write to the print type page number storage area 223.
The logical page data generation unit 28 then displays the input page number N written in the basic print type page number storage area 223 as “N” indicated in the first determination information stored in the first determination information storage area 231. It is determined whether or not it matches.

  When the logical page data generation unit 28 determines that the input page number N written in the basic print type page number storage area 223 matches “N” in the first determination information, the logical page data generation unit 28 sets the control subject to physical. The process proceeds to the page data generation unit 29.

The logical page data generation unit 28 performs processing for generating logical page data for a specific print type as follows.
That is, the logical page data generation unit 28 reads the second designation information from the designation information storage area 214 and then “N” of the second judgment information from the second judgment information storage area 232 designated by the second designation information. Is read.
Then, the logical page data generation unit 28 reads the input page data corresponding to the input page number N from the input page data storage unit 24, and specifies the reduced size for N-up printing based on “N” of the second determination information. Print type logical page data is generated, and the specific print logical page data is stored in the specific print type page data storage area 222.
Thereafter, the logical page data generation unit 28 erases the input page data previously read from the input page data storage unit 24.

  The logical page data generation unit 28 erases the input page data previously read from the input page data storage unit 24, then reads the input page number N from the input page number storage area 213, and specifies this input page number N. Write to the print type page number storage area 224. Then, the logical page data generation unit 28 displays the input page number N written in the specific print type page number storage area 224 as “N” indicated in the second determination information stored in the second determination information storage area 232. It is determined whether or not it matches.

  If the logical page data generation unit 28 determines that the input page number N written in the specific print type page number storage area 224 matches “N” in the second determination information, the logical page data generation unit 28 sets the control subject to physical. The process proceeds to the page data generation unit 29.

When the control subject is transferred, the physical page data generation unit 29 reads the designation information from the designation information storage area 214. When the designation information is “1”, the physical page data generation section 29 reads the designation information from the basic print type page data storage area 221. Basic print type logical page data is read out in order from the smallest page number, the basic print type logical page data is arranged at a predetermined position, and the basic print type physical page in which the smallest input page number N is described. Data is generated (see FIG. 6).
Then, the physical page data generation unit 29 writes the generated physical page data in the physical page data storage unit 25.

When the designation information is “2”, the physical page data generation unit 29 reads the specific print type logical page data from the specific print type page data storage area 222 in order from the smallest page number, The specific print type logical page data is arranged at a predetermined position, and specific print type physical page data describing the smallest input page number N is generated.
Then, the physical page data generation unit 29 writes the generated physical page data in the physical page data storage unit 25.

The physical page data generation unit 29 includes two physical page data (the physical page data here includes basic print type physical page data and specific print type physical page data) in the physical page data storage unit 25. Is stored, and when it is determined that two physical page data are stored in the physical page data storage unit 25, the two stored in the physical page data storage unit 25 Of the physical page data, the physical page data having the smaller input page number described is read from the physical page data storage unit 25, and the physical page data from which the input page number has been removed is written to the print data storage unit 26 as print data. .
Then, the physical page data generation unit 29 reads another physical page data from the physical page data storage unit 25, and first writes the physical page data from which the input page number has been removed to the print data storage unit 26 as print data. Store after print data.

  Further, when the physical page data generation unit 29 writes the physical page data as print data in the print data storage unit 26, the logical page stored in the basic print type page data storage area 221 or the specific print type page data storage area 222 is stored. All of the data and the input page number N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 223 or the specific print type page number storage area 224 and the physical page data stored in the physical page data storage unit 25 to erase.

  The printing unit 30 reads the print data stored in the print data storage unit 26 in order from the first stored, and prints on the print medium using the read print data.

  Next, the operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 7 is a first flowchart illustrating the operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart (part 2) illustrating the operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram (part 1) used when describing the operation of the first embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 2) used when describing the operation of the first embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram (No. 3) used for describing the operation of the first embodiment.

The operation of the printing system according to the first embodiment will be described in the order of steps while using FIGS. 1 to 6 together from steps S1-1 to S1-32.
The preconditions for explaining the operation are defined as follows.
"Prerequisites"
Assume that a print job describing 10 pages of 1-up print data is transmitted from the PC 1 to the printer 2 via the network 3. In this print job, the basic print type is designated as 4-up printing, the specific print type is designated as 1-up printing, and the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth, ninth, and tenth pages are designated as basic print. It is assumed that pages 3 and 7 are printed on A4 210 × 297 mm paper with a specific print type.

Step S1-1
The application unit 11 causes the display unit 13 to display the input setting screen illustrated in FIG. The paper size, basic print type, and specific print type shown in FIG. 3 are respectively input. Here, the paper size A4 210 × 297 mm, the basic print type 4-up, and the specific print types 1-up, 3, and 7 are input according to the preconditions.

Step S1-2
When the user clicks the OK button on the input setting screen shown in FIG. 3, the application unit 11 acquires document data, N-up print information, and other information displayed on the display unit 13 from the display unit 13. Document data, N-up print information, and other information are stored in a RAM (not shown). Thereafter, the application unit 11 shifts the control subject to the printer driver unit 12.

Step S1-3
The printer driver unit 12 reads N-up print information and other header information from the RAM, and generates a print job shown in FIG. That is, here, based on the preconditions, the printer driver unit 12 describes 4-up indicating the basic print type described in the N-up print information in the basic print type item, and 1-up indicating the specific print type. Described in the specific print type item, the specific page input “3, 7” is described in the page number item of the specific print type, the paper size “A4”, and other header information as header information items necessary for other printing Describe. Further, the print data of the amount when printing on the print medium with the paper size “A4” from the RAM is described in the print data item of the first page. Similarly, each print of the second page to the tenth page is described below. Each of the data is described sequentially from the print data item of the second page to the print data item of the tenth page, and a print job is generated.

Step S1-4
The printer driver unit 12 sends a print job to the transmission / reception unit 14, and the transmission / reception unit 14 transmits the print job to the printer 2.

Step S1-5
When receiving the print job from the PC 1, the transmission / reception processing unit 27 of the printer 2 stores the information described in the print job in each storage unit. Here, the basic print type 4-up is stored in the N-up print information storage area 211 according to the precondition. Further, “4” in 4-up is written in the first determination information storage area 231 as the first determination information. Further, “1” in the specific print type 1-up is written in the second determination information storage area 232.

Step S1-6
The transmission / reception processing unit 27 writes the specific page number in the N-up print information storage area 211. Here, “3, 7” is written according to the precondition.

Step S1-7
When the transmission / reception processing unit 27 receives other header information described in other header information items necessary for printing, the transmission / reception processing unit 27 writes the other header information in the other header information storage area 212.

Step S1-8
The transmission / reception processing unit 27 stores the input page data in the input page data storage unit 24 in the order received. Here, the first page to the tenth page are sequentially stored in the input page data storage unit 24 according to the precondition.

Step S1-9
The transmission / reception processing unit 27 sets the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 213 to “0”, and then shifts the control subject to the logical page data generation unit 28.

Step S1-10
When the control subject shifts to itself, the logical page data generation unit 28 determines whether or not the input page data is stored in the input page data storage unit 24. If NO in step S11, the flow advances to step S1-31.

Step S1-11
The logical page data generation unit 28 adds “1” to the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 213.

Step S1-12
The logical page data generation unit 28 determines whether or not the input page number N matches the specific page number (“3, 7” in the precondition). If they match, the process proceeds to step S1-25, and if they do not match, the process proceeds to step S1-13.

Step S1-13
The logical page data generation unit 28 stores “1” as the designation information in the designation information storage area 214.

Step S1-14
The logical page data generation unit 28 reads input page data stored first among the input page data stored in the input page data storage unit 24.

Step S1-15
The logical page data generation unit 28 generates basic print type logical page data reduced for 4-up printing from the read input page data.

Step S1-16
The logical page data generation unit 28 stores the basic print type logical page data in the basic print type page data storage area 221.

Step S1-17
The logical page data generation unit 28 writes this input page number N in the basic print type page number storage area 223.

Step S1-18
The logical page data generation unit 28 determines whether there are four input page numbers written in the basic print type page number storage area 223. If there are four, the process proceeds to step S1-19; otherwise, the process returns to step S1-10.

Step S1-19
The control subject shifts to the physical page data generation unit 29. When the physical page data generation unit 29 reads the designation information from the designation information storage area 214 and confirms that the designation information is “1”, the basic print data stored first in the basic print type page data storage area 221 is stored. Type logical page data is read in order, the most recently stored basic print type logical page data is arranged at the upper left, the next stored basic print type logical page data is arranged at the upper right, and the next stored basic The basic print type physical page data is generated in which the print type logical page data is arranged in the lower left and the last stored basic print type logical page data is arranged in the lower right. According to the preconditions, the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing stored first is the input page number 1, and the next stored basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing is input. The basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing stored next after page number 2 is input page number 4, and the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing stored last is input page. Number five. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the input page number 1 is arranged at the upper left, the input page number 2 is arranged at the upper right, the input page number 4 is arranged at the lower left, and the basic print type logical page data of the input page number 5 Is generated by the physical page data generation unit 29. The basic print type physical page data for 4-up printing is arranged in the lower right.

Step S1-20
The physical page data generation unit 29 reads the smallest input page number N from the four input page numbers N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 223. Next, basic print type physical page data describing the smallest input page number N read out is generated in the basic print type physical page data generated previously, and this basic print type physical page data is stored in the physical page data storage unit 25. Remember me.

Step S1-21
The physical page data generation unit 29 deletes the basic print type logical page data previously read from the basic print type page data storage area 221, and then uses the input page number N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 223. to erase.

Step S1-22
The physical page data generation unit 29 determines whether or not two physical page data are stored in the physical page data storage unit 25. If the physical page data generation unit 29 stores the physical page data, the process proceeds to step S23. Return to Step S1-10.

Step S1-23
The physical page data generation unit 29 receives, from the physical page data storage unit 25, the physical page data having the smaller input page number N of the two physical page data stored in the physical page data storage unit 25. The physical page data from which the input page number N is read out is stored in the print data storage unit 26 as print data. Next, the physical page data generation unit 29 reads another physical page data from the physical page data storage unit 25, and first writes the physical page data from which the page number is removed to the print data storage unit 26 as print data. Store after print data.

Step S1-24
When the physical page data generation unit 29 writes the physical page data as print data in the print data storage unit 26, the basic print type logic stored in the basic print type page data storage area 221 or the specific print type page data storage area 222. The page data or specific print type logical page data, the input page number N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 223 or the specific print type page number storage area 224, and the physical page data storage unit 25 All of the physical page data is erased, and the process returns to step S1-10.

Step S1-25
When the logical page data generation unit 28 determines that the specific page number (“3, 7” in the precondition) matches the above-described input page number N, “2” is specified information in the specified information storage area 214. Remember.

Step S1-26
The logical page data generation unit 28 reads input page data stored in the input page data storage unit 24.

Step S1-27
The logical page data generation unit 28 stores the read input page data in the specific print type page data storage area 222 as logical page data for the specific print type for 1-up printing, and then the input page data storage unit. The input page data read first from 24 is erased.

Step S1-28
The logical page data generation unit 28 reads the input page number N from the input page number storage area 213 and writes the input page number N in the specific print type page number storage area 224. Thereafter, the logical page data generation unit 28 shifts the control subject to the physical page data generation unit 29.

Step S1-29
When the physical page data generation unit 29 reads the designation information from the designation information storage area 214 and confirms that the designation information is “2”, the specific print type for the 1-up printing from the specific print type page data storage area 222. Read logical page data. Next, the physical page data generation unit 29 reads the input page number N stored in the specific print type page number storage area 224. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the physical page data generation unit 29 generates specific print type physical page data for 1-up printing in which the input page number N read earlier is described before this page data. The specific print type physical page data is stored in the physical page data storage unit 25.

Step S1-30
The physical page data generation unit 29 deletes the specific print type logical page data previously read from the specific print type page data storage area 222, and then uses the input page number N stored in the specific print type page number storage area 224. Erase and proceed to step S1-22.

Step S1-31
The physical page data generation unit 29 reads the physical page data stored in the physical page data storage unit 25 and generates physical page data in which the input page number N is deleted from the physical page data. Next, the physical page data generation unit 29 writes the physical page data as print data after the print page data stored in the print data storage unit 26 so far.

Step S1-32
When the control subject shifts to itself, the printing unit 30 reads the print data stored in the print data storage unit 26 in order from the first stored, and uses the read print data to print media To print, and the process ends. According to the precondition, as shown in FIG. 11, the printing unit 30 first reads the print data having the logical page data for the basic print type of the 4-up printing stored previously, and stores the print data on the print medium. Up-printing is performed, then print data having logical page data for specific printing of 1-up printing is read out, 1-up printing is performed on the print medium, and then the basic printing type of 4-up printing stored Print data having logical page data for use is read, 4-up printing is performed on the print medium, and finally, print data having logical page data for a specific print type of 1-up printing is read, and 1-up print is performed on the print medium. Up-printing is performed, and the process ends.

  According to the first embodiment, the logical page data generation unit 28 constituting the printer 2 reduces the input page data received from the PC 1 based on the N-up print information received from the PC 1, and the basic print type logical page data. , And the specific print type logical page data, and then the basic print type physical that the physical page data generation unit 29 is subjected to printing combined with the basic print type logical page data generated by the logical page data generation unit 28 When the user performs different N-up printing because the specific print type physical page data to be used for printing is generated by combining the page data and the specific print type logical page data generated by the logical page data generation unit 28. In addition, it is not necessary to perform processing for designating N-up printing each time. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness when performing a plurality of N-up printings, which has been a problem in the past.

  In the printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, similarly to the printing system according to the first embodiment, a PC 4 as an image processing apparatus and a printer 6 as an image forming apparatus are connected via a network. This is a system for performing N-up printing.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a PC used in the printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 12, the PC 4 includes an information storage unit 41, a data storage unit 42, a determination information storage unit 43, a print data storage unit 44, a physical page data storage unit 45, and print data for print job generation. A storage unit 46, a display unit 47, an application unit 48, a print data conversion unit 49, a logical page data generation unit 50, a physical page data generation unit 51, a print job generation unit 52, and a transmission unit 53 are provided. .

  The application unit 48 is generated when a CPU (not shown) executes an application program stored in a ROM (not shown), and has a function described later. Each of the logical page data generation unit 50, the physical page data generation unit 51, and the transmission unit 53 is generated when the CPU executes a printer driver stored in the ROM, and has functions to be described later.

  The information storage unit 41, the data storage unit 42, the determination information storage unit 43, the print data storage unit 44, the physical page data storage unit 45, the logical page data generation unit 50, and the physical page data generation unit 51 are those of the first embodiment. Is the same.

  The print job generation unit 52 stores print data, which is physical page data generated by the physical page data generation unit 51, in the print job generation print data storage unit 46.

  The display unit 47 is formed of a liquid crystal display device, and displays a status screen of the apparatus main body and a display screen necessary for performing processing executed by the user.

  The application unit 48 displays an input setting screen on the display unit 47 as in the first embodiment. Further, the application unit 48 inputs N-up print information and other header information to the basic print type input field and the specific print type input field by the user, and other header information set in the print option tab and color tab. When the OK button is clicked after the document is input, the document data is stored in a RAM (not shown), and then the N-up print information is stored in the N-up print information storage area 411 and other header information is stored. Other information is stored in the header information storage area 412.

Further, the application unit 48 reads the N-up of the basic print type from the N-up print information storage area 411 and makes the first determination using “N” in the N-up as the first determination information. Write to the information storage area 431.
In addition, the application unit 48 reads the N-up of the specific print type from the N-up print information storage area 411 and performs the second determination using “N” in the N-up as the second determination information. Write to the information storage area 432.

  The application unit 48 sets the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 413 to “0”, and then shifts the control subject to the print data conversion unit 49.

  The print data conversion unit 49 converts document data stored in the RAM into print data for each page unit, and stores this print data in the RAM.

  When the control subject shifts to itself, the print job generation unit 52 reads the other header information from the other header information storage area 412 and describes it in the header information items necessary for other printing of the print job. The print job generation unit 52 sequentially reads print data for generating a print job from the print data storage unit 46 for generating a print job, and describes it in the print data item of the print job. When the print job generation unit 52 describes all the print job data stored in the print job generation print data storage unit 46 in the print data items of the print job, the print job generation unit 52 outputs the print job to the transmission unit 53. The print job generation unit 52 outputs the print job to the transmission unit 53 and then deletes the print data stored in the print job generation print data storage unit 46.

  When a print job is input from the print job generation unit 52, the transmission unit 53 transmits the print job to the printer 6 via the network.

  FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer used in the printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The printer 6 includes a receiving unit 61 and a printing unit 62. When receiving the print job via the network, the receiving unit 61 stores the print job in a RAM (not shown). The printing unit 62 reads a print job from the RAM, and prints on a print medium using print data described in the print job according to other header information described in the print job.

  In the first embodiment, the processing is performed only after the printer side has received the print job from the PC, but it goes without saying that the processing may be performed while receiving the print job from the PC.

  Next, the operation of the printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart (part 1) illustrating the operation of the printing system according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 15 is a flowchart (part 2) illustrating the operation of the printing system according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 16 is a second diagram illustrating an example of the input setting screen.
FIG. 17 is a diagram (part 1) used when describing the operation of the second embodiment.
FIG. 18 is a diagram (part 2) used when describing the operation of the second embodiment.
FIG. 19 is a diagram (No. 3) used for describing the operation of the second embodiment.
FIG. 20 is a diagram (No. 4) used for describing the operation of the second embodiment.

The operation of the printing system according to the second embodiment will be described in the order of steps while using FIGS. 14 to 15 together from steps S2-1 to S2-33.
The preconditions for explaining the operation are defined as follows.
"Prerequisites"
Assume that a print job describing 6-page 1-up print data is transmitted from the PC 1 to the printer 2 via the network 3. In this print job, the basic print type is designated as 4-up printing, the specific print type is designated as 1-up printing, and the first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth, ninth, and tenth pages are designated as basic print. It is assumed that pages 3 and 7 are printed on A4 210 × 297 mm paper with a specific print type.

Step S2-1
The application unit 48 causes the display unit 47 to display the input setting screen shown in FIG. The paper size, basic print type, and specific print type shown in FIG. 16 are input. Here, the paper size A4 210 × 297 mm, the basic print type 4-up, and the specific print types 2-up, 2, 4 are input according to the preconditions.

Step S2-2
When the user clicks the OK button, the application unit 48 acquires the document data, N-up print information, and other header information displayed on the display unit 47 from the display unit 47, and stores the document data in a RAM (not shown). Then, the N-up print information is stored in the N-up print information storage area 411, and the other header information is stored in the other header information storage area 412.

Step S2-3
The application unit 48 reads the determination information from the N-up print information storage area 411 and stores it in the determination information storage unit 43. Here, “4” in the basic print type “4-up” is written in the first determination information storage area 431 as the first determination information from the preconditions, and then “2” in the specific print type “2-up” is set. The second determination information is written in the second determination information storage area 432.

Step S2-4
After setting the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 413 to “0”, the application unit 48 shifts the control subject to the print data conversion unit 49.

Step S2-5
When the control subject is transferred to itself, the print data conversion unit 49 converts document data stored in a RAM (not shown) into print data for each page, and this print data is stored in the print data storage unit. 44, and the control subject is transferred to the logical page data generation unit 50.

Step S2-6
When the control subject shifts to itself, the logical page data generation unit 50 determines whether or not print data is stored in the print data storage unit 44. If the print data is stored, the logical page data generation unit 50 proceeds to Step S2-7. If it is not stored, the process proceeds to step S2-31.

Step S2-7
The logical page data generation unit 50 adds 1 to the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 413.

Step S2-8
The logical page data generation unit 50 reads the input page number N stored in the input page number storage area 413 and then reads the specific page number from the N-up print information storage area 411 (“2, 4” in the precondition). Is read. Thereafter, the logical page data generation unit 50 determines whether or not the read input page number N matches any of the specific page numbers (“2, 4” in the precondition). If NO in step S2-9, the flow advances to step S2-9.

Step S2-9
Since the logical page data generation unit 50 determines that the input page number N does not match any of the specific page numbers (“2, 4” in the precondition), 1 is stored in the specified information storage area 414 as the specified information. .

Step S2-10
The logical page data generation unit 50 reads print page data stored first among the print data stored in the print data storage unit 44.

Step S2-11
The logical page data generation unit 50 generates basic print type logical page data reduced for 4-up printing from the read print data.

Step S2-12
The logical page data generation unit 50 stores the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing in the basic print type page data storage area 421, and then erases the print data previously read from the print data storage unit 44. To do.

Step S2-13
The logical page data generation unit 50 reads the input page number N from the input page number storage area 413 and writes the input page number N in the basic print type page number storage area 423.

Step S2-14
The logical page data generation unit 50 determines whether there are four input page numbers written in the basic print type page number storage area 423. If there are four, the process proceeds to step S2-15. Returns to step S2-6.

Step S2-15
When the subject of control is transferred, the physical page data generation unit 51 reads the designation information from the designation information storage area 414. When the physical page data generation unit 51 confirms that the designation information is “1”, the physical page data generation section 51 starts from the basic print type page data storage area 421. The basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing stored first is sequentially read.
The basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing stored first is arranged at the upper left, and the stored basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing is arranged at the upper right. The next stored basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing is arranged at the lower left, and the last stored basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing is arranged at the lower right. Basic print type physical page data for up printing is generated.
According to the preconditions, as shown in FIG. 17, the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing stored first is that of the input page number 1, and then stored for 4-up printing. Basic print type logical page data of the input page number 3 and then the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing of the input page number 5 and the last stored 4-up printing The basic print type logical page data of the input page number 6 is.
As a result, the basic print type logical data for 4-up printing of input page number 1 is arranged at the upper left, the basic print type logical data for 4-up printing of input page number 3 is arranged at the upper right, and the input page number The logical data for basic print type 5 for 4-up printing is arranged at the lower left, and the physical page data for logical data for basic print type for 4-up printing of input page number 6 is arranged at the lower right. It is generated by the physical page data generation unit 51.

Step S2-16
The physical page data generation unit 51 reads the smallest input page number N from the four input page numbers N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 423. Next, the physical page data generation unit 51 has a basic print type physical page for 4-up printing in which the read input page number N is described at the upper end of the basic print physical page data for 4-up printing previously generated. Data is generated and the physical page data is stored in the physical page data storage unit 45.

Step S2-17
The physical page data generation unit 51 deletes the basic print type logical page data previously read from the basic print type page data storage area 421, and then uses the input page number N stored in the basic print type page number storage area 423. to erase.

Step S2-18
The physical page data generation unit 51 stores two physical page data in the physical page data storage unit 45 (this physical page data may be only the basic print type physical page data, or the basic print type physical page data and the specific print Type physical page data or only specific print type physical page data.) Is stored. If two physical page data are stored, the process proceeds to step S2-19. If not stored, the process proceeds to step S2-6.

Step S2-19
The physical page data generation unit 51 transmits the physical page data with the smaller logical page number N described from the two physical page data stored in the physical page data storage unit 45 from the physical page data storage unit 45. Read and physical page data from which the input page number N is removed are generated.

Step S2-20
The physical page data generation unit 51 reads another physical page data from the physical page data storage unit 45, and writes the physical page data from which the page number is removed as print data to the print job generation print data storage unit 46 first. It is stored after the print data.

Step S2-21
The physical page data generation unit 51 erases the physical page data previously read from the physical page data storage unit 45 and further erases the input page number N from the basic print type page number storage area 423. Thereafter, the physical page data generation unit 51 shifts the control subject to the logical page data generation unit 50, and shifts the processing to step S2-6.

Step S2-22
In step S2-8, when the logical page data generation unit 50 determines that the specific page number matches the above-described input page number N, “2” is stored in the specified information storage area 414 as the specified information.

Step S2-23
The logical page data generation unit 50 reads the print data stored first among the print data stored in the print data storage unit 44.

Step S2-24
The logical page data generation unit 50 generates specific print type logical page data reduced from the read print data to a size for 2-up printing.

Step S2-25
The logical page data generation unit 50 stores the specific print logical page data for 2-up printing in the specific print type page data storage area 422, and then erases the print data previously read from the print data storage unit 44. .

Step S2-26
The logical page data generation unit 50 reads the input page number N from the input page number storage area 413 and writes the input page number N in the specific print type page number storage area 424.

Step S2-27
The logical page data generation unit 50 determines whether there are two input page numbers written in the specific print type page number storage area 424. If there are two, the process proceeds to step S2-28. Advances to step S2-6.

Step S2-28
When the logical page data generation unit 50 reads the designation information from the designation information storage area 414 and confirms that the designation information is “2”, the logical page data generation unit 50 stores the previously stored 2-up from the specific print type page data storage area 422. The specific print type logical page data for printing and the specific print type logical page data for 2-up printing stored thereafter are read out, and the 2-up printing previously stored in the specific print type page data storage area 422 is performed. Specific print type logical page data for the 2-up printing is arranged below, and then the specific print type logical page data for 2-up printing stored in the specific print type page data storage area 422 is arranged at the top Specific print type physical page data is generated.

Step S2-29
The physical page data generation unit 51 reads the smallest input page number N from the two input page numbers N stored in the specific print type page number storage area 424. The physical page data generation unit 51 has a specific print type physical for 2-up printing in which the smallest input page number N read earlier is described at one end of the generated specific print type physical page data for 2-up printing. Page data is generated, and this specific print type physical page data for 2-up printing is stored in the physical page data storage unit 45. According to the precondition, as shown in FIG. 18, 2-up in which the smallest input page number 2 is described at one end of the specific print type logical page data for 2-up printing corresponding to the input page number 4. Specific print type physical page data for printing is generated by the physical page data generation unit 51.

Step S2-30
After erasing the specific print type logical page data from the specific print type page data storage area 422, the physical page data generation unit 51 deletes the input page number N stored in the specific print type page number storage area 424, and the step The process proceeds to S2-18, and the same process as described above is continued.

Step S2-31
The print job generation unit 52 generates a print job when the control subject is transferred to itself. According to the precondition, the other header information is read from the other header information storage area 412 and this other header information is described in the header information item necessary for other printing of the print job shown in FIG. Next, the print job generation unit 52 is a basic print type for 4-up printing in which the input page number stored in the print data generation unit 46 for print job generation is indicated by “1, 3, 5, 6”. The print data consisting of physical page data is described in the print data item of the first page, and then the print consisting of specific print type physical page data for 2-up printing whose input page number is indicated by “2, 4”. The data is described in the print data item on the second page, and finally, the print data including the basic print type physical page data for 4-up printing indicated by the input page number “7, 8, 9, 10”. A print job is generated by describing the print data item on the third page. When the print job generation unit 52 generates a print job, the print job generation unit 52 outputs the print job to the transmission unit 53.

Step S2-32
The transmission unit 53 transmits the print job to the printer 6 via the network.

Step S2-33
When receiving a print job from the PC 4, the receiving unit 61 of the printer 6 stores the print job in a RAM (not shown), and then shifts the control subject to the printing unit 62. The printing unit 62 whose control subject has been transferred to itself reads out other header information from the header information items necessary for other printing of the print job stored in the RAM. Thereafter, the printing unit 62 performs printing. According to the preconditions, the print data for the basic print type of the 4-up printing corresponding to the input page number “1, 3, 5, 6” is read from the print data item of the first page in the print job. Using the print data, printing shown in FIG. 20A is performed on the print medium according to other header information. Next, the printing unit 62 reads out print data for a specific print type of 2-up printing in which the input page number corresponds to “2, 4” from the print data item of the second page in the print job, and this print data The printing shown in FIG. 20B is performed on the print medium according to the other header information. Finally, the printing unit 62 reads the print data for the 4-up printing basic print type corresponding to the input page number “7, 8, 9, 10” from the print data item of the third page in the print job. Then, using this print data, printing shown in FIG. 20C is performed on the print medium in accordance with the other header information, and the process is terminated.

According to the second embodiment, the logical page data generation unit 50 configuring the PC 4 reduces the print data based on the N-up print information input by the user, and the basic print type logical page data for 4-up printing. , And specific print type logical page data for 2-up printing, and then the basic page type logical page data for 4-up printing generated by the physical page data generation unit 50 by the physical page data generation unit 51 For basic printing type physical page data for 4-up printing used for combined printing and specific printing type logical page data for 2-up printing generated by the logical page data generating unit 50 The specific print type physical page data for 2-up printing to be provided is generated.
Since the transmission unit 53 transmits the basic print type physical page data for 4-up printing and the 2-up specific print type physical page data to the printer, each time the user performs different N-up printing, There is no need to perform processing for designating N-up printing. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness when performing a plurality of N-up printings, which has been a problem in the past.

  In the printing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, similarly to the printing system according to the first embodiment, a PC 7 as an image processing apparatus that is a host apparatus and a printer 8 as an image forming apparatus are connected via a network 9. This is a system that performs N-up printing.

  FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer used in the printing system according to the third embodiment. The printer 8 includes an operation panel unit 81, an interface unit 82, a reception buffer 83, a page buffer 84, a raster buffer 85, a possible up number table 86, a possible up number determination table 87, and an arrangement area data storage unit. 88, an arrangement area selection information data storage unit 89, an editing information data storage unit 90, a mode determination information storage unit 91, a physical page number storage unit 92, a logical page number storage unit 93, and a physical page data storage unit. 94, an unallocated area designation number storage unit 95, a print data generation unit 96, a PDL processing unit 97, a development processing unit 98, and a printing unit 99. Here, the interface unit 82, the print data generation unit 96, the PDL processing unit 97, and the development processing unit 98 execute a control program stored in a ROM (not shown) by a CPU (not shown). And has the functions described below.

FIG. 22 is a third diagram illustrating an example of the input setting screen according to the third embodiment.
The operation panel unit 81 is formed of a liquid crystal display device, and displays an input setting scene shown in FIG. 22 by a user operation. This input setting screen is a screen for setting whether or not to execute N-up printing, and includes a paper size input field for inputting a paper size and a mode for executing N-up printing (hereinafter referred to as optimum up mode). ), An optimal up mode input field for inputting whether or not, and an OK button are displayed. Here, when “Yes” is input in the optimum up mode input field, the print data for printing is generated from the document data forming the document for one page, and then the characters displayed in the document of the document are displayed. N-up printing is performed based on the size (number of points).

  When the interface unit 82 receives a print job in which print data of a single or a plurality of logical pages is described from the PC 7 via the network 9, the interface unit 82 writes the print data described in the print job in the reception buffer 83. When the interface unit 82 receives an optimal up mode notification indicating that the optimal up mode has been set from the operation panel unit 81, the interface unit 82 outputs this notification to the print data generation unit 96.

  The reception buffer 83 is formed in the RAM and stores a print job input from the interface unit 82. The page buffer 84 is formed in the RAM, and stores intermediate codes generated from physical page data. The physical page data is print data in which reduced logical pages for N-up printing are arranged. The raster buffer 85 stores bitmap data for printing on a print medium.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an example of the possible up number table in FIG. 21.
This table is formed in the RAM and describes the possible number of ups corresponding to the page number of each logical page. Here, the possible number of ups is a number that specifies the maximum N-up printing having readability when N-up printing is performed on a logical page on a print medium. For example, the page number “4” indicated by the reference symbol A indicates that it has readability up to 16-up printing.

  The possible number-of-ups determination table 87 is formed in the RAM, and as shown in FIG. 24, the number of possible ups corresponding to the size (point) of characters described in the logical page is described. For example, when the size of the character indicated by the symbol A is “19 to 23” (points), when printing a logical page designated by the possible number of ups “8” on a physical page, 1-up printing, 2- It has been shown that any of up, 4-up printing, and 8-up can be employed.

  As shown in FIG. 25, the arrangement area data storage unit 88 stores 16 arrangement area data in which information specifying 16 arrangement areas formed by dividing a physical page into 16 equal parts is described. Each placement area data describes four end point positions as information for specifying the placement area. The information specifying the placement area is (0, 0) as the position of the upper left end point in the physical page, (0, 100) as the position of the upper right end point, and (100, 0) as the position of the lower left end point. When the position of the lower right end point is (100, 100), this is information indicating the position of the end point in 16 placement areas formed by dividing the physical page into 16 equal parts. Here, when the physical page is equally divided into 16, the horizontal direction is divided at the positions (0, 25), (0, 50), (0, 75), and (0, 100). The vertical direction is divided at positions (25, 0), (50, 0), (75, 0), and (100, 0). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 25, the arrangement area data of the arrangement area indicated by “1” has the end point positions (0, 0), (0, 25), (25, 0), and (25, 25). Is described. In addition, end point positions (50, 50), (50, 75), (75, 50), and (75, 75) are described in the arrangement area data of the arrangement area indicated by “13”.

  The arrangement area selection information data storage unit 89, when performing N-up printing designated by the number of possible ups, determines when an area in which this logical page of N-up printing can be arranged on a physical page is determined. Arrangement area determination data describing information to be used is stored. As shown in FIG. 26, the arrangement area determination data describes the number of possible ups and an arrangement area selection number as information for selecting an arrangement area when a logical page is arranged on a physical page.

  As shown in FIG. 25, the arrangement area selection number corresponding to the possible number of ups “16” is the arrangement area designation number “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6”. 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”can be selected. As shown in FIG. 25, the arrangement area selection number corresponding to the possible number of ups “8” is the arrangement area designation number “1, 2,” “3, 4”, “ Select the placement area shown in any one of “5, 6”, “7, 8”, “9, 10”, “11, 12”, “13, 14”, and “15, 16” It shows that you can. The arrangement area selection number corresponding to the number of possible ups “4” is that the logical page arranged in the physical page has the arrangement area designation numbers “1, 2, 3, 4”, “5, 6, 7, 8 ”,“ 9, 10, 11, 12 ”and“ 13, 14, 15, 16 ”can be selected. The arrangement area selection number corresponding to the number of possible ups “2” is that the logical page arranged in the physical page has an arrangement area designation number “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 ”and“ 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”can be selected. As shown in FIG. 25, the arrangement area selection number corresponding to the possible number of ups “1” is that the logical page arranged in the physical page has the arrangement area designation number “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”can be selected.

  The edit information data storage unit 90 stores edit information data in which edit information is described when a logical page is edited into a physical page. In this editing information data, as shown in FIG. 27, the page number of the logical page, the number of possible ups, the arrangement area information indicating the arrangement area determined for each logical page, and the page of the physical page on which the logical page is arranged A number is described. For example, in the editing information data indicated by the symbol A, the page number of the logical page is “3”, the possible number of ups is “4”, and the determined arrangement area to be arranged on the physical page of this logical page is “13, 14, 15, 16”, and it is described that the page number of the physical page on which the logical page is arranged is “1”.

  The mode determination information storage unit 91 is formed in the RAM and stores “ON” when the optimum up mode is designated as the print mode, and stores “OFF” when the optimum up mode is not designated. Has been.

  The physical page number storage unit 92 is formed in the RAM, and stores a physical page number N indicating a page number of a physical page on which a logical page is arranged. The logical page number storage unit 93 is formed in the RAM and stores a logical page number M indicating a page number of a logical page to be arranged on a physical page.

  The physical page data storage unit 94 is formed in a RAM and stores physical page data on which logical pages are arranged and used for printing.

  The unallocated area designation number storage unit 95 stores an unallocated area designation number that is formed in the RAM and that indicates an unallocated area that has not yet been determined for the logical page. For example, when initialized, the arrangement of the logical page with respect to the physical page has not yet been determined, so as shown in FIG. 28 (a), “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”are stored in the unplaced area designation number storage unit 95. Further, when the arrangement of the third logical page with respect to the physical page is determined, as shown in FIG. 29, the determined arrangement area for the physical page of the first logical page is “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ”, the determined arrangement area for the physical page of the second logical page is“ 9 ”, and the determined arrangement area for the physical page of the third logical page Is “13, 14, 15, 16”, the unarranged area designation number “10, 11, 12” is stored in the unarranged area designation number storage unit 95 as shown in FIG. Yes.

  The print data generation unit 96 illustrated in FIG. 21 includes an initial setting unit 961, a division number determination unit 962, an arrangement unit 963, a determination unit 964, and an editing unit 965, as illustrated in FIG.

  The initial setting unit 961 reads the print execution mode from the mode determination information storage unit 91 when the control subject shifts to itself from the interface unit 82, and the read print execution mode is “ON” indicating the optimal up mode. After confirming that, the information stored in the reception buffer 83 and the possible number-of-ups table 86 is erased, then the physical page number N is set to 0 in the physical page number storage unit 92, and the logical page number storage unit 93 is set. Is set to 0 for the number of logical pages M.

  When the optimum up mode notification is input from the interface unit 82, the division number determination unit 962 adds 1 to the numerical value M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93, and has not yet been read out. The number of points described in the print data item of the print job stored in is read. Then, the division number determination unit 962 refers to the possible up number determination table 87 shown in FIG. 24, reads the possible up number corresponding to the number of points previously read, and then describes the page number and the possible up number. The possible up-number data is generated, and this possible up-number data is written next to the possible up-number data already written in the possible up-number table 86.

  The placement unit 963 can place a logical page on a physical page after adding 1 to the number of physical pages N stored in the physical page number storage unit 92 when the control subject shifts to itself. The unplaced area shown in FIG. 28A in which “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16” is shown as the unplaced area. The area designation number is written in the unallocated area designation number storage unit 95.

  Further, when the placement unit 963 writes the above-described unplaced area designation number in the unplaced area designation number storage unit 95, the placement unit 963 sets the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 to 0, and then sets the logical page number. A request for determining the page arrangement is output to the determination unit 964, and the control subject is transferred to the determination unit 964.

  In addition, the arrangement unit 963 determines that the logical page having the number M of logical pages can be arranged on the physical page having the number N of physical pages, and determines from the determination unit 964 the number M of logical pages and the number of possible ups. When the arrangement area designation number for designating the arrangement area selected earlier is input, the physical page number N is read from the physical page number storage unit 92. Based on the logical page number M, the number of possible ups, the placement area designation number that designates the placement area selected earlier, and the read physical page number N, the placement unit 963 performs logical processing. A page number item in which the page number M is described, a possible up number item in which the possible up number is described, an arrangement area designation number item in which the arrangement area designation number is described, and a physical page number item in which the physical page number N is described The editing information data is generated, and the editing information data is stored after the editing information data stored in the editing information data storage unit 90.

  Further, upon receiving a notification from the determination unit 964 that the determination of the arrangement area of the logical page has been completed, the arrangement unit 963 shifts the control subject to the editing unit 965.

  When the logical page arrangement determination request is input from the arrangement unit 963, the determination unit 964 adds 1 to the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93, and then the logical page number storage unit 93. It is determined whether the number of logical pages M stored in is less than “11”. If the determination unit 964 determines that the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is less than “11”, the determination unit 964 reads the logical page number from the possible up number table 86 illustrated in FIG. The number of possible ups corresponding to the number of logical pages M stored in the storage unit 93 is read out.

  Further, when the determination unit 964 reads the possible number of ups corresponding to the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 from the possible up number table 86, the determination unit 964 precedes the arrangement area selection information data storage unit 89. After reading the arrangement area selection number for selecting the arrangement area corresponding to the read possible up number, the non-arrangement area designation number stored in the non-arrangement area designation number storage unit 95 is read out. Then, the determination unit 964 determines whether or not a logical page with the number of logical pages M can be arranged on a physical page with the number N of physical pages based on the arrangement area selection number and the unarranged area designation number read out earlier. To do.

  If the determination unit 964 determines that the logical page with the logical page number M cannot be arranged on the physical page with the physical page number N, the determination unit 964 outputs a notification to that effect to the arrangement unit 963.

  On the other hand, when the determination unit 964 determines that a logical page with the number of logical pages M can be arranged on a physical page with the number of physical pages N, the smallest fine arrangement area designation among the arrangement areas that can be taken in the non-arrangement area A non-arranged area including a number is recognized as an arrangement area for a physical page of a logical page. The determination unit 964 outputs the number of logical pages M, the number of possible ups, and the unarranged area designation number for designating the previously selected unarranged area to the arrangement unit 963, and then the unarranged area designation number storage unit 95. The unarranged area designation number that designates the previously selected unarranged area is deleted.

  If the determination unit 964 determines that the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is “11”, the determination unit 964 outputs a notification to the arrangement unit 963 that the determination of the arrangement area of the logical page is completed. To do.

  When the editing unit 965 shifts the control subject to itself, the editing unit 965 determines whether editing information data that has not yet been read is stored in the editing information data storage unit 90. If the editing unit 965 determines that editing information data that has not yet been read is stored in the editing information data storage unit 90, the editing unit 965 reads the editing information data from the editing information data storage unit 90. Then, the physical page data of the physical page number N described in the edit information data is read from the physical page data storage unit 94.

  Thereafter, the editing unit 965 reads the print data of page number M described in the edit information data from the print job of the reception buffer 83, and the read print data can be described in the previously read edit information data. Logical page data for N-up printing reduced to a size defined by the number of ups is generated. Next, the editing unit 965 newly generates physical page data in which the generated logical page data for N-up printing is arranged in the arrangement area designated by the arrangement area designation number described in the editing information data. . Then, the editing unit 965 overwrites and updates the physical page data stored in the physical page data storage unit 94 with the physical page data.

  On the other hand, if the editing unit 965 determines that editing information data that has not yet been read is not stored in the editing information data storage unit 90, the editing unit 965 shifts the control subject to the PDL processing unit 97.

  When the control subject shifts to itself, the PDL processing unit 97 shown in FIG. 21 sequentially reads physical page data from the physical page data storage unit 94, generates an intermediate code from the read physical page data, and generates this intermediate code. Is stored in the page buffer 84, the control subject is transferred to the expansion processing unit 98.

  The development processing unit 98 reads the intermediate code sequentially from the page buffer 84 when the control subject shifts to itself, performs rasterization processing on the read intermediate code, and can print on the print medium from this intermediate code. Map data is generated, the generated bitmap data is stored in the raster buffer 85, and the control subject is transferred to the printing unit 99.

  When the control subject shifts to itself, the printing unit 99 sequentially reads the bitmap data from the raster buffer 85 and prints on the print medium using the print data.

  Next, the operation of the printing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  31 and 32 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the printing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The operation panel unit 81 displays an input setting screen shown in FIG. 22 on the display unit by a user operation. Thereafter, when the user inputs “Yes” for designating the optimum up mode in the optimum up mode input field and clicks the OK button, the operation panel unit 81 makes a request to designate the print mode as the optimum up mode. The data is output to the interface unit 82 (step S81).

  When the above-described request is input from the operation panel unit 81, the interface unit 82 writes “ON” in which the print execution mode is the optimum up mode in the mode determination information storage unit 91, and then generates the print data as the control subject. The process proceeds to the initial setting unit 961 of the unit 96.

  When the control subject is transferred to itself, the initial setting unit 961 reads the print execution mode from the mode determination information storage unit 91 and then performs initial setting. That is, when the initial setting unit 961 confirms that the read print execution mode is “ON” indicating the optimal up mode, the initial setting unit 961 deletes the information stored in the reception buffer 83 and the possible number-of-ups table 86 and then physically The number of physical pages N is set to 0 in the page number storage unit 92, and the logical page number M is set to 0 in the logical page number storage unit 93 (step S82).

  Thereafter, the PC 7 as the host device transmits a print job in which the print data of the 10 logical pages written vertically is described to the printer 8 via the network 9 (step S83).

  Upon receiving the print job, the printer interface unit 82 writes the print job in the reception buffer 83 (step S84), and then shifts the control subject to the print data generation unit 96.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 33, the print job transmitted from the PC 7 has header information items necessary for printing and print data items of logical pages of the first page to the tenth page. . In the header information item necessary for printing, header information necessary for printing such as designation of a tray to be fed and ejected, presence / absence of toner save, color matching parameters, and the like are described. In each print data item of the logical page of the first page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “10” points as the number of points indicating the character size of this logical page are described. . In each print data item of the second logical page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “24” points are described as the number of points indicating the character size of this logical page. . In each print data item of the third logical page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “14” points as the number of points indicating the character size of this logical page are described. . In each print data item of the fourth logical page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “24” points as the number of points indicating the character size of the logical page are described. . In each print data item of the fifth logical page, one page of print data for 1-up printing and “14” points as the number of points indicating the character size of the logical page are described. . In each print data item of the sixth logical page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “20” points as the number of points indicating the character size of this logical page are described. . In each print data item of the seventh logical page, 1-up print data for one page and “20” points are described as the number of points indicating the character size of the logical page. . In each print data item of the eighth logical page, 1-up print data for one page and “24” points are described as the number of points indicating the character size of the logical page. . In each print data item of the 9th logical page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “20” points are described as the number of points indicating the character size of this logical page. . In each print data item of the 10th logical page, 1 page of print data for 1-up printing and “24” points are described as the number of points indicating the character size of this logical page. . Here, the point number is control information that is not printed on a physical page.

  When the notification is input from the interface unit 82, the division number determination unit 962 of the print data generation unit 96 adds 1 to the numerical value M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 (step S85). Next, the division number determination unit 962 determines whether or not there is a point number described in the print data item of the print job stored in the reception buffer 83 that has not yet been read (step 86). . If the division number determination unit 962 determines that there is a point number that has not yet been read (step 86; Y), the point described in the print data item having the smallest page number that has not yet been read. The number is read (step S87).

  Next, the division number determination unit 962 reads the possible number of ups corresponding to the number of points read out earlier with reference to the possible number-of-ups determination table 87 shown in FIG. After that, the division number determination unit 962 generates possible up number data in which the page number and the possible up number are described, and this possible up number data is stored in the possible up number data 86 already written in the possible up number table 86. Next, writing (step S88), the process proceeds to step S85, and the same process as described above is continued.

  For example, when the number of points read by the division number determination unit 962 is “14” points described in the print data item with the page number “3”, the possible number-of-ups determination table shown in FIG. The possible number of ups read by reference is “4”. Then, the possible up number data in which the page number indicated by the symbol B in FIG. 23 is “3” and the possible up number is described as “4” is generated, and the generated possible up number data is The page number already written in the possible up number table 86 is written after the possible up number data of “2”.

  When it is determined that there is no point number described in the print data item (step 86; N), the division number determination unit 962 recognizes that the possible number table 86 shown in FIG. 23 has been generated, The control subject is transferred to the placement unit 963.

  The arrangement unit 963 adds 1 to the number of physical pages N stored in the physical page number storage unit 92 when the subject of control shifts to itself (step S89). Next, the placement unit 963 sets “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 as unplaced areas in which logical pages can be placed on physical pages. , 14, 15, 16 "is written in the unarranged area designation number storage unit 95 shown in FIG. 28A (step S90). Next, the arrangement unit 963 sets the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 to 0 (step S91). Thereafter, the placement unit 963 outputs a request for determining the placement of the logical page to the determination unit 964, and shifts the control subject to the determination unit 964.

  When the above-described request is input from the placement unit 963 and the control subject is transferred to itself, the determination unit 964 adds 1 to the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 (step S92). ).

  Next, the determination unit 964 determines whether or not the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is less than “11” (step S93). When the determination unit 964 determines that the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is less than “11” (step S93; Y), the determination unit 964 reads from the possible up number table 86 illustrated in FIG. Then, the possible number of ups corresponding to the number of logical pages M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is read (step S94).

  For example, when the number M of logical pages stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is 6, the number of possible ups to be read is “8” as indicated by the symbol C shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, the determination unit 964 reads an arrangement area selection number for selecting an arrangement area corresponding to the possible number of up read previously from the arrangement area selection information data storage unit 89 and then stores the arrangement area selection number in the non-arrangement area designation number storage unit 95. The designated unallocated area designation number is read (step S95).

  Next, the determination unit 964 determines whether or not a logical page with the number of logical pages M can be arranged on a physical page with the number N of physical pages based on the arrangement area selection number and the unallocated area designation number read out earlier. Determination is made (step S96). The determination unit 964 determines based on the arrangement area selection number and the unarranged area designation number that the logical page with the logical page number M cannot be arranged on the physical page with the physical page number N (step S96; N), that is, If it is determined that an arrangement area that can be taken by the arrangement area selection number cannot be formed in the non-arrangement area designated by the previously read out arrangement area designation number, a notification to that effect is sent to the arrangement unit 963. Output.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 23, in the case of the logical page with the number of possible ups indicated by “4” and the logical page number N being “5”, the determination unit 964 reads from the unallocated area designation number storage unit 95. In the unallocated area indicated by the unallocated area designation number “11, 12” shown in FIG. 34, there is no allocation area that can be taken by the possible number of ups “4”, so the number of logical pages M is “5”. It is determined that the logical page cannot be arranged on the physical page.

  When the notification is input from the determination unit 964, the arrangement unit 963 adds 1 to the number of physical pages N stored in the physical page number storage unit 92 (step 97), and then “1, 2, 3 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”are written in the unarranged area designation number storage unit 95 (step S 98), step The process proceeds to S95.

  On the other hand, in step S96, the determination unit 964 determines that the logical page with the number M of logical pages can be arranged on the physical page with the number N of physical pages (step S96; Y), that is, the unread read first. In the unarranged area specified by the arrangement area designation number, when it is determined that an arrangement area that can be taken by the arrangement area selection number can be formed, the smallest unarranged arrangement area that can be taken in the unarranged area The non-arranged area including the area designation number is recognized as an arrangement area for the physical page of the logical page.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 23, in the case where the logical page number M indicated by “2” is “1” and the logical page number M is “1”, the determination unit 964 determines from the unallocated area designation number storage unit 95. Read, “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16” shown in FIG. In the arrangement area, arrangement areas designated by arrangement area numbers of “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8” and “9, 10” can be taken as possible arrangement numbers “2”. , 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”, it is determined that a logical page with a logical page number M of“ 1 ”can be arranged on a physical page. Then, the determination unit 964 includes an arrangement area for the physical page of the logical page having the logical page number M of “1” and “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,” including the unallocated area designation number “1”. It is recognized as an unarranged area designated by the unallocated area designation number “7, 8”.

  Next, the determination unit 964 outputs the number of logical pages M, the number of possible ups, and the unarranged area designation number for designating the previously selected unarranged area to the arrangement unit 963 (step S99), and then the unallocated area The unallocated area designation number that designates the previously selected unallocated area is deleted from the designated number storage unit 95 (step S100).

  For example, in the above-described example, the determination unit 964 sets “1” as the number of logical pages M, “2” as the number of possible ups, and “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 "are output to the placement unit 963. In the unallocated area designation number storage unit 95, the unallocated area designation number “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8” is deleted by the determination unit 964, and “9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ”unallocated area designation numbers are stored.

  When the arrangement unit 963 receives the number of logical pages M, the number of possible ups, and the arrangement area designation number for designating the arrangement area selected previously from the determination unit 964, the number of physical pages from the physical page number storage unit 92. Read N. Thereafter, the placement unit 963 performs logical processing based on the number of logical pages M, the number of possible ups, the placement area designation number that designates the placement area selected earlier, and the number N of physical pages that have been read out. A page number item in which the page number M is described, a possible up number item in which the possible up number is described, an arrangement area designation number item in which the arrangement area designation number is described, and a physical page number item in which the physical page number N is described The edit information data is generated and stored after the edit information data stored in the edit information data storage unit 90 (step S101). Thereafter, the placement unit 963 shifts the control to step S92 and continues the same process as described above.

  In step S93, when the determination unit 964 determines that the logical page number M stored in the logical page number storage unit 93 is “11” (step S93; N), the determination of the logical page arrangement region is completed. A notification to the effect is output to the placement unit 963.

  When the notification is input from the determination unit 964, the arrangement unit 963 shifts the control subject to the editing unit 965.

  When the control unit 965 shifts itself to the control unit, the editing unit 965 determines whether or not editing information data that has not yet been read is stored in the editing information data storage unit 90 (step S102). If the editing unit 965 determines that editing information data that has not yet been read is stored in the editing information data storage unit 90 (step S102; Y), the editing information data is stored in the editing information data storage unit 90. (Step S103). Next, the editing unit 965 reads physical page data having a physical page number number N described in the editing information data from the physical page data storage unit 94 (step S104).

  Thereafter, the editing unit 965 reads the print data of page number M described in the edit information data from the print job of the reception buffer 83, and the read print data can be described in the previously read edit information data. Logical page data for N-up printing reduced to a size defined by the number of ups is generated (step S105). Next, the editing unit 965 newly generates physical page data in which the generated logical page data for N-up printing is arranged in the arrangement area designated by the arrangement area designation number described in the editing information data. (Step S106). The editing unit 965 overwrites and updates the physical page data stored in the physical page data storage unit 94 with the physical page data (step S107), and proceeds to step S102.

  In step S102, when the editing unit 965 determines that editing information data that has not yet been read is stored in the editing information data storage unit 90 (step S102; N), the PDL processing unit 97 controls the editing information data. Migrate the subject.

  When the control subject shifts to itself, the PDL processing unit 97 sequentially reads physical page data from the physical page data storage unit 94, generates an intermediate code from the read physical page data, and generates this intermediate code as a page buffer 84. (Step S108). When the PDL processing unit 97 stores intermediate codes for all physical page data in the physical page data storage unit 94 in the page buffer 84, the PDL processing unit 97 shifts the control subject to the expansion processing unit 98.

  The development processing unit 98 reads the intermediate code sequentially from the page buffer 84 when the control subject shifts to itself, performs rasterization processing on the read intermediate code, and prints bits from the intermediate code that can be printed on the print medium. Map data is generated, and the generated bitmap data is stored in the raster buffer 85 (step S109). When the raster processing unit 98 stores bitmap data for all intermediate codes in the page buffer 84 in the raster buffer 85, the development processing unit 98 shifts the control subject to the printing unit 99.

  When the control subject shifts to itself, the printing unit 99 sequentially reads bitmap data from the raster buffer 85, and uses this print data to print on a print medium as shown in FIG. 35 (step S110). ) And finish the process.

  According to the third embodiment, the editing unit 965 generates logical page data for N-up printing designated by the possible number of up described in the editing information data stored in the editing information data storage unit 90. Thereafter, the print data of the physical page in which the previously generated logical page data is arranged in the arrangement area designated by the arrangement area designation number described in the edit information data is generated, so that the user has different N-up. When printing is performed, it is not necessary to perform processing for designating N-up printing each time. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness when performing a plurality of N-up printings, which has been a problem in the past.

  Further, according to the third embodiment, the division number determination unit 962 identifies the character size described in the print data received from the PC 7 and is readable with respect to this character size by referring to the possible number determination table. Since the number of possible ups that designate N-up printing is specified, printing can be performed in a readable manner whenever N-up printing is performed on a print medium using print data received from the PC 7.

  In the printing system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, similarly to the printing system according to the third embodiment, a PC 100 as an image processing apparatus as a host apparatus and a printer 101 as an image forming apparatus are connected via a network 102. This is a system that performs N-up printing.

  The printer 101 includes an operation panel unit 1011, an interface unit 1012, an image analysis unit 1013, a reception buffer 1014, a page buffer 1015, a raster buffer 1016, a possible up number table 1017, and a possible up number determination table 1018. An arrangement area data storage unit 1019, an arrangement area selection information data storage unit 1020, an editing information data storage unit 1021, a mode determination information storage unit 1022, a physical page number storage unit 1023, and a logical page number storage unit 1024. A physical page data storage unit 1025, an unallocated area designation number storage unit 1026, a print data generation unit 1027, a PDL processing unit 1028, a development processing unit 1029, and a printing unit 1030. Here, the interface unit 1012, the image analysis unit 1013, the print data generation unit 1027, the PDL processing unit 1028, and the expansion processing unit 1029 are controlled by a CPU (not shown) stored in a ROM (not shown). It is formed by executing a program and has the functions described later.

  Operation panel unit 1011, reception buffer 1014, page buffer 1015, raster buffer 1016, possible up number table 1017, possible up number determination table 1018, arrangement area data storage part 1019, arrangement area selection information data storage part 1020, editing information data storage Unit 1021, mode determination information storage unit 1022, physical page number storage unit 1023, logical page number storage unit 1024, physical page data storage unit 1025, unallocated area designation number storage unit 1026, print data generation unit 1027, PDL processing unit 1028 The development processing unit 1029 and the printing unit 1030 are the same as those in the third embodiment.

  When the interface unit 1012 receives a print job in which print data of a single or a plurality of logical pages is described from the host apparatus 100 via the network 102 as in the third embodiment, the interface unit 1012 is described in the print job. Print data to be written into the reception buffer 1014. In addition, when an optimum up mode notification indicating that the optimum up mode has been set is input from the operation panel unit 1011, the interface unit 1012 outputs this notification to the image analysis unit 1013.

  When the optimal up mode notification is input from the interface unit 1012, the image analysis unit 1013 adds 1 to the numerical value M stored in the logical page number storage unit 1024, and the image analysis unit 1013 stores it in the reception buffer 1014 that has not yet been read out. The drawing data described in the print data item of the stored print job is read. Next, the image analysis unit 1013 reads all the circular or elliptical figures drawn in the read drawing data. Then, the image analysis unit 1013 determines whether all of the read circular or elliptical figures have two horizontally long elliptical figures and one vertically long triangular figure. When the image analysis unit 1013 determines that the circular or elliptical figure has two horizontally long elliptical figures and one vertically long triangular figure, as shown in FIG. When the center Q of two horizontally long elliptical figures is included in a circle having a radius L / 4 (L represents the horizontal length of the circular or elliptical figure) around the vertex P, this circle or Recognize an oval figure as a human face figure.

  When recognizing a circular or elliptical figure as a human face figure, the image analysis unit 1013 multiplies the horizontal distance L and the vertical distance H of the human face to obtain S (= L × H ) Is the approximate area of the figure of this human face. Also, the image analysis unit 1013 determines the figure with the smallest area (hereinafter referred to as the smallest face figure) from all the figures of the human face with reference to the calculated area.

  Further, when determining the minimum facial figure, the image analysis unit 1013 refers to the possible up number determination table 1018 (see FIG. 38), reads out the possible up number corresponding to the determined area S of the minimum facial figure, and then reads the page. The possible up number data in which the number and the possible up number are described is generated, and the possible up number data is written next to the possible up number data already written in the possible up number table 1017.

  The possible number-of-up determination table 1018 is formed in the RAM, and corresponds to the area of the minimum face figure drawn in the print data transmitted from the PC 100 and the area of this minimum face figure as shown in FIG. The number of possible ups for designating visually readable N-up printing is described. For example, when the area of the minimum facial figure is 8R, when a logical page designated by the possible number of ups “8” is printed on a physical page, 1-up printing, 2-up, 4-up printing, and It has been shown that any of 8-up can be employed. Here, R is a predetermined value.

  The print data generation unit 1027 illustrated in FIG. 36 includes an initial setting unit 10271, an arrangement unit 10273, a determination unit 10274, and an editing unit 10275, as illustrated in FIG. Here, each of the determination unit 10274 and the editing unit 10275 has the same function as that of the third embodiment.

  Next, the operation of the printing system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  40, 41, and 42 are flowcharts showing the operation of the printing system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The operation panel unit 1011 causes the display unit to display the input setting screen illustrated in FIG. After that, when the user inputs “Yes” for designating the optimum up mode in the optimum up mode input field and clicks the OK button, the operation panel unit 1011 makes a request to designate the print mode as the optimum up mode. The data is output to the interface unit 1012 (step S121).

  When the above request is input from the operation panel unit 1011, the interface unit 1012 writes “ON”, which sets the print execution mode as the optimal up mode, in the mode determination information storage unit 1022, and then generates the control data as the control subject. The process proceeds to the initial setting unit 10271 of the unit 1027.

  When the control subject is transferred to itself, the initial setting unit 10271 reads the print execution mode from the mode determination information storage unit 1022 and then performs initial setting. That is, when the initial setting unit 10271 confirms that the read print execution mode is “ON” indicating the optimum up mode, the initial setting unit 10271 deletes the information stored in the reception buffer 1014 and the possible number-of-ups table 1017, The physical page number N is set to 0 in the page number storage unit 1023, and the logical page number M is set to 0 in the logical page number storage unit 1024 (step S122).

  Thereafter, the PC 100 as the host device transmits a print job in which the print data of the 10 logical pages written vertically is described to the printer 101 via the network 102 (step S123).

  Upon receiving the print job, the printer interface unit 1012 writes the print job in the reception buffer 1014 (step S124), and then shifts the control subject to the print data generation unit 1027.

  Here, the print job transmitted from the PC 7 has header information items necessary for printing and print data items of the first page to the tenth logical page. In the header information item necessary for printing, header information necessary for printing such as designation of a tray to be fed and ejected, presence / absence of toner save, color matching parameters, and the like are described. In each print data item of the first to tenth logical pages, one page of print data composed of drawing data in which a human face is drawn is drawn.

  When the control subject is transferred to itself, the image analysis unit 1013 adds 1 to the numerical value M stored in the logical page number storage unit 1024 (step S125). Next, the image analysis unit 1013 determines whether there is print data described in the print data item of the print job stored in the reception buffer 1014 that has not yet been read (step S126). If the image analysis unit 1013 determines that there is print data described in the print data item of the print job stored in the reception buffer 1014 (step 126; Y), it is the smallest that has not yet been read. After reading the print data of the number of logical pages M, all the circular or elliptical figures drawn in the read print data are read (step S127).

  Thereafter, the image analysis unit 1013 determines whether there is a graphic that has not yet been analyzed as to whether or not this graphic is a human face graphic for the circular or elliptical graphic drawn in the read print data. Is determined (step S128). If the image analysis unit 1013 determines that there is no figure that has not yet been analyzed whether or not this figure is a human face figure (step S128; N), the process proceeds to step S126. On the other hand, if the image analysis unit 1013 determines that there is a figure that has not yet been analyzed as to whether or not this figure is a figure of a human face (step S128; Y), the image analysis unit 1013 has a horizontally long shape in the figure. It is determined whether or not there are two elliptical figures and one vertically long triangular figure (step S129).

  If the image analysis unit 1013 determines that the circular or elliptical figure does not include two horizontally long elliptical figures and one vertically long triangular figure (step S129; N), the process proceeds to step S131. To migrate. On the other hand, when the image analysis unit 1013 determines that the circular or elliptical figure has two horizontally long elliptical figures and one vertically long triangular figure (step S129; Y), FIG. As shown in the figure, it is determined whether or not the center Q of two horizontally long elliptical figures is included in a circle having a radius L / 4 with the apex P of the triangular shape as the center (step S131).

  When the image analysis unit 1013 determines that the center Q of the two horizontally long elliptical figures is not included in the circle having the radius L / 4 with the vertex P of the triangular shape as the center (step S131; N) The circular or oval graphic is recognized as a graphic different from the human face (step S130), and the process proceeds to step S128. On the other hand, when the image analysis unit 1013 determines that the center Q of the two horizontally long elliptical figures is included in the circle having the radius L / 4 with the vertex P of the triangular shape as the center (step S131; Y ), This circular or elliptical figure is recognized as a figure of a human face (step S132), and S (= L × H) obtained by multiplying the horizontal distance L and the vertical distance H of this figure. ) Is calculated as the approximate area of the figure (step S133), and the process proceeds to step S128.

  In step S128, if the image analysis unit 1013 determines that all the circular or elliptical graphics drawn in the read print data have been analyzed as to whether or not they are human face graphics ( Step S128; N), the figure with the smallest area (hereinafter referred to as the minimum face figure) is determined from the figures of all human faces with reference to the calculated area (Step S134).

  After determining the minimum facial figure, the image analysis unit 1013 refers to the possible up number determination table 1018 (see FIG. 38), reads the possible up number corresponding to the determined area of the minimum facial figure, and can be used as a page number. The possible up number data in which the up number is described is generated, and this possible up number data is written next to the possible up number data already written in the possible up number table 1017 (step S135), and the process is performed in step S126. Transition.

  In step S126, if the image analysis unit 1013 determines that there is no print data described in the print data item of the print job stored in the reception buffer 1014 that has not been read (step S126; N) The control subject is transferred to the placement unit 10273.

  After that, in step S135, the layout unit 10273 adds 1 to the physical page number N stored in the physical page number storage unit 1023. In step S156, the printing unit 1030 prints on the print medium using the print data. The processing to be performed is the same as the processing performed in steps S92 to S110 in the operation of the image forming apparatus 8 of the third embodiment.

  According to the fourth embodiment, the editing unit 10275 generates logical page data for N-up printing designated by the possible number of up described in the editing information data stored in the editing information data storage unit 1021. Thereafter, the print data of the physical page in which the previously generated logical page data is arranged in the arrangement area designated by the arrangement area designation number described in the edit information data is generated, so that the user has different N-up. When printing is performed, it is not necessary to perform processing for designating N-up printing each time. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the troublesomeness when performing a plurality of N-up printings, which has been a problem in the past.

  Further, according to the fourth embodiment, the image analysis unit 1013 specifies the figure of the human face drawn in the print data received from the PC 100, calculates the size of the figure, and then determines the possible number of ups. With reference to the table 1018, the number of possible ups that designate visible N-up printing for the size of the human face figure is specified, so N-up printing is performed on the print medium using the print data received from the PC 100. It is possible to print the face of a person so as to be visible at all times.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of PC in FIG. It is a figure showing an example of an input setting screen. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a print job. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows an example of the physical page data in which the input page number N was described. 5 is a flowchart (part 1) illustrating the operation of the printing system according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart (part 2) illustrating the operation of the printing system according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram (No. 1) used for explaining the operation of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram (No. 2) used for describing the operation of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram (No. 3) used for describing the operation of the first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of PC used for the printing system of Example 2 which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the printer used for the printing system of Example 2 which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart (the 1) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 2 which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart (the 1) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 2 which concerns on this invention. It is FIG. (2) which shows an example of an input setting screen. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 1) used when describing operation of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 2) used when describing operation of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 3) used for describing the operation of Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 4) used for describing the operation of Example 2; It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the printer used for the printing system of Example 3 which concerns on this invention. FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an input setting screen (part 3); It is a figure which shows an example of the possible number table of up in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example in the possible number-of-up determination table in FIG. It is a figure which shows the position of the logical page arrange | positioned by arrangement | positioning area | region data. It is a figure which shows an example of the arrangement | positioning area | region selection information data storage part in FIG. It is a figure which shows the edit information data memory | storage part in FIG. (A) It is a figure which shows the unallocated area designation | designated number at the time of initialization, (b) It is a figure which shows the unallocated area designation | designated number when the 3rd logical page is arrange | positioned. It is a figure which shows the position of the logical page arrange | positioned. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the print data generation part in FIG. It is a flowchart (the 1) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 3 which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart (the 2) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 3 which concerns on this invention. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a print job. It is a figure explaining the determination of arrangement | positioning with respect to the physical page of a logical page. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a printing result in Example 3. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the printer used for the printing system of Example 4 which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the recognition method of a face. FIG. 37 is a diagram showing an example of a possible up count determination table in FIG. 36. FIG. 37 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print data generation unit in FIG. 36. It is a flowchart (the 1) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 4 which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart (the 2) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 4 which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart (the 3) which shows operation | movement of the printing system of Example 4 which concerns on this invention. (A) It is a figure explaining the N-up printing performed conventionally, (b) It is a figure which shows the example of 2-up printing.

Explanation of symbols

1 PC (image processing device)
2 Printer (image forming device)
21 Information storage unit 211 N-up print information storage area 212 Other header information storage area 213 Input page number storage area 214 Designated information storage area 22 Data storage section 221 Basic print type page data storage area 222 Specific print type page data storage area 223 Basic print type page number storage area 224 Specific print type page number storage area 23 Determination information storage section 231 First determination information storage area 232 Second determination information storage area 24 Input page data storage section 25 Physical page data storage section 26 Print data storage Unit 27 transmission / reception processing unit 28 logical page data generation unit 29 physical page data generation unit 30 printing unit

Claims (13)

A printing system in which an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus are connected by communication, and the image forming apparatus performs N-up printing on a print medium using print data received from the image processing apparatus.
The image processing apparatus includes:
An N-up printing designation information input unit for inputting N-up printing designation information for designating N-up printing and other N-up printing;
An N-up print designation information transmission unit that transmits the N-up print designation information input to the N-up print designation information input unit to the image forming apparatus;
A print data transmission unit for transmitting the print data to the image forming apparatus;
With
The image forming apparatus includes:
Based on the N-up print designation information transmitted by the N-up print designation information transmission unit, the print data transmitted by the print data transmission unit is reduced, and logical page data for N-up printing and A logical page data generator for generating logical page data for other N-up printing;
N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium by combining the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit, and the logical page data Physical page data generation that combines other N-up printing logical page data generated by the generation unit to generate other N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium. And a printing system. The image forming apparatus includes:
Generated from the print data first received from the image processing apparatus among the physical page data for N-up printing and the other physical page data for N-up printing generated by the physical page data generation unit The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a physical page selection unit that selects a physical page having the logical page data as physical page data to be used for printing. An image forming apparatus that is connected to an image processing apparatus and performs N-up printing using print data received from the image processing apparatus,
Based on N-up printing designation information for designating N-up printing and other N-up printing transmitted from the image processing apparatus, the print data transmitted from the image processing apparatus is reduced. Logical page data generation unit for generating logical page data for N-up printing and other logical page data for N-up printing;
N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium by combining the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit, and the logical page data Physical page data generation that combines other N-up printing logical page data generated by the generation unit to generate other N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium. And an image forming apparatus.   Generated from the print data first received from the image processing apparatus among the physical page data for N-up printing and the other physical page data for N-up printing generated by the physical page data generation unit 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a physical page selection unit that selects a physical page having the logical page data as physical page data to be used for printing. An image processing apparatus that is connected to an image forming apparatus and generates print data for N-up printing.
An N-up printing designation information input unit for inputting N-up printing designation information for designating N-up printing and other N-up printing;
Based on the N-up print designation information input by the N-up print designation information input unit, the print data is reduced, and logical page data for N-up printing and other logical pages for N-up printing A logical page data generator for generating data;
N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium by combining the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit, and the logical page data Physical page data generation that combines other N-up printing logical page data generated by the generation unit to generate other N-up printing physical page data as print data to be printed on the print medium. And
A physical page data transmission unit configured to transmit the physical page data for N-up printing and the other physical page data for N-up printing generated by the physical page data generation unit to the image forming apparatus. An image processing apparatus.   Generated from the print data first received from the image processing apparatus among the physical page data for N-up printing and the other physical page data for N-up printing generated by the physical page data generation unit 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a physical page selection unit that selects a physical page having the logical page data as physical page data to be used for printing. An image forming apparatus that is connected to an image processing apparatus and performs N-up printing using print data received from the image processing apparatus,
A readable index information size identifying unit that identifies the size of the readable index information described in the logical page received from the image processing device;
Based on the size of the readable index information specified by the readable index information specifying unit, the N-up readable when the print data is printed on a print medium with respect to the print data transmitted from the image processing apparatus. An N-up printing determination unit that determines printing;
Logical page data for generating logical page data for N-up printing by reducing the print data transmitted from the image processing device based on the N-up printing determined by the N-up printing determining unit A generator,
An arrangement location specifying unit for specifying an arrangement location for a physical page to be printed on a print medium for the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit;
A physical page data generation unit that generates physical page data in which logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit is arranged at the arrangement location specified by the arrangement location specifying unit. An image forming apparatus. The readable index information is a character,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the readable index information size specifying unit specifies a size of a character described in a logical page received from the image processing apparatus. The readable index information is a human face figure,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the readable index information size specifying unit specifies a size of a human face figure described in a logical page received from the image processing apparatus. A face graphic recognition unit for recognizing the face graphic of a person drawn on the logical page received from the image processing device;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the readable index information size specifying unit specifies a size of the facial figure recognized by the image recognition unit. A readable information table in which a size of readable index information and readable information for specifying the readable N-up printing corresponding to the size of the readable index information are described;
The N-up printing determination unit
N-up printing for print data received from the image processing device based on the readable information corresponding to the size of the readable index information specified by the readable index information size specifying unit with reference to the N-up print table The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image forming apparatus is determined. An unplaced location storage unit that stores unplaced locations that can be placed on the physical page;
From the unplaced places stored in the unplaced place storage unit, the unplaced place for the physical page is selected for the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit. An unplaced location selection section,
The arrangement location specifying unit applies the N-up printing logical page data generated by the logical page data generation unit to the physical page from the non-location locations selected by the non-location location selection unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an arrangement location is specified. Of the unplaced places stored in the unplaced place storage unit, the unplaced places to be placed on the physical page for the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the logical page data generation unit It further includes an unplaced location selection information storage unit for storing unplaced location selection information for selection,
The placement location selection unit is configured to select the logic from the unplaced locations stored in the unplaced location storage unit based on the unplaced location selection information stored in the unplaced location selection information storage unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein an unplaced portion for the physical page is selected for the logical page data for N-up printing generated by the page data generation unit.

Images