JP2010258632A - Image forming apparatus and image formation system, and printer driver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus and an image formation system for properly combining sub documents while satisfactorily maintaining the visibility of a main document, and to provide a printer driver. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes: at least, a means for acquiring a plurality of document images; a margin area detecting part for analyzing one or more main document images selected among the plurality of documents and detecting one or more margin areas where nothing is written; an image extracting part for extracting one or more target images to be combined on the margin areas of the main document from one or more sub documents other than the main document; and an image combining part for combining the target images of the sub document on the margin area after processing the target image in accordance with the size of the margin area of the main document. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and a printer driver, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system having a function of combining a plurality of originals, and a printer driver that instructs the image forming apparatus to perform printing.

  Multifunction machines (hereinafter referred to as image forming apparatuses) having a copy function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a scanner function, and the like have become widespread. This image forming apparatus has a function of consolidating a plurality of originals into one sheet (so-called Nin1 function), and various proposals have been made regarding a technique for aggregating a plurality of originals.

  For example, in Patent Document 1 below, one document is stored in a storage device as a unit, the output size is determined by the output size determining means, and then counted by the document reading means by the composite number determining means. Based on the number of lines of each document and the output size determined by the output size determining means, the maximum number of documents that can be recorded within the output size is determined, and the number determined by the composite number determining means is determined by the image combining means. A technique is disclosed in which original images are sequentially read from the storage means and connected and combined.

  Further, in Patent Document 2 below, an advertisement area detection unit detects a blank area in a document image read from a document input unit, and an advertisement image selection unit selects an advertisement image having a shape closest to the area shape of the margin area. A technology has been disclosed in which a copying machine combines an advertisement image transferred from an advertisement management server with a blank area of a document image and outputs it.

JP-A-6-291980 JP-A-8-256256

  However, since the technique of Patent Document 1 merely aggregates a plurality of originals into one original, and the technique of Patent Document 2 simply synthesizes an advertisement image that matches the shape of the blank area, There has been a problem that the original cannot be synthesized in a form suitable for the application.

  For example, among a plurality of originals, there are main originals (hereinafter referred to as main originals) and other originals (hereinafter referred to as sub-originals). Since these documents are handled equally, there is a problem that the visibility of the main document is deteriorated. Further, some of the sub-originals may be originals that are desired to be kept in the original state, and some originals may be processed. However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, the sub-originals are uniformly reduced. In some cases, the appearance of the manuscript may deteriorate. Further, although the quantities of the main document and the sub document are various, the technique of Patent Document 1 uniformly collects them without distinguishing them, so that the main document and the sub document may not be appropriately combined. In addition, since the technique of Patent Document 2 combines images that match the shape of the margin area, if there is no other document having a shape that matches the shape of the margin area of a document, a plurality of documents are originally combined. It is not possible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a main object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming system capable of appropriately synthesizing sub-documents while maintaining good visibility of the main document. And providing a printer driver.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention analyzes a plurality of original images selected from the plurality of originals and means for acquiring one or more undrawn images. A margin area detection unit for detecting a margin area; a synthesis target image extraction unit for extracting one or more synthesis target images to be synthesized with the margin area of the main document from one or more sub-documents excluding the main document; An image composition unit configured to process the composition target image of the sub-document in accordance with the size of the margin area of the main document and then compose the image on the margin area;

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming system in which a computer device for instructing printing of the plurality of documents and the image forming apparatus described above are connected via a communication network. The image formation is performed by selecting a sub-document, displaying a screen for setting a condition for combining the image to be combined in the margin area on the display unit, creating a print job including setting information set on the screen The image forming apparatus receives a print job and performs image composition based on the print job.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer driver that operates on a computer device that instructs printing of a plurality of documents, the computer device causing the main document and sub-documents to be selected from the plurality of documents, and the main document A screen for setting a condition for combining the image to be combined in the designated area of the sub-original is displayed on the display unit in a blank area where the image is not drawn, and a print job including setting information set on the screen is created It functions as a means.

  According to the image forming apparatus, the image forming system, and the printer driver of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately combine the sub-documents while maintaining the visibility of the main document.

  The reason is that a blank area is detected from a main document selected from a plurality of documents, and a compositing target image is extracted from the sub manuscript, the main manuscript image is not processed, and the sub manuscript compositing target image is processed. This is because it is combined with the margin area of the main document.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the computer apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating an external configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a composition example of a plurality of documents according to an embodiment of the present invention (in the case where the entire sub document is reduced and combined with the margin area of the main document). FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a synthesis example of a plurality of originals according to an embodiment of the present invention (when only the sub-original drawing portion is combined with the margin area of the main original). FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of combining a plurality of documents according to an embodiment of the present invention (when combining a plurality of sub-documents with a margin area of a main document). FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of combining a plurality of originals according to an embodiment of the present invention (in the case where a plurality of sub-originals are distributed and combined into margin areas of a plurality of main originals). FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a composite example of a plurality of documents according to an embodiment of the present invention (when creating a document in which a plurality of sub-documents are collected). FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a composition example of a plurality of documents according to an embodiment of the present invention (when a sub document is rotated and combined with a margin area of a main document). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of combining a plurality of documents according to an embodiment of the present invention (in the case where a sub document is divided and combined with margin areas of a plurality of main documents). It is a figure which shows the example of a screen (print setting screen) displayed on the display part of the computer apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen (sub original composition setting screen) displayed on the display part of the computer apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the computer apparatus based on one Example of this invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation (blank area extraction process) of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation (image synthesis extraction process) of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation (image composition presence / absence determination process) of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation (image composition processing) of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the background art, various proposals have been made regarding a technique for synthesizing a plurality of originals into one sheet. However, since the conventional method is to reduce and synthesize a plurality of originals uniformly, When there is a master-slave (main document and sub-document) in the original, there is a problem that the original cannot be combined in a form suitable for various uses.

  Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the computer apparatus (printer driver) selects a main document and a sub document, sets a condition for combining the image to be combined with the sub document in the margin area of the main document, and the like when printing is instructed. In the image forming apparatus, the margin area is detected from the main document, the composition target image is extracted from the sub document, the main document is not processed, and the composition image of the sub document is determined according to the set composition condition. A process of processing and combining with the margin area of the main document is performed.

  This makes it possible to appropriately synthesize the sub-document while maintaining the visibility of the main document, and to improve the effective use of resources, convenience, and ease of viewing.

  In order to describe the above-described embodiment of the present invention in more detail, an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and a printer driver according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to the present exemplary embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a computer apparatus, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus. is there. 5 to 11 are diagrams schematically showing examples of combining a plurality of originals, and FIGS. 12 and 13 are examples of screens displayed on the display unit of the computer apparatus according to the present embodiment. 14 to 19 are flowcharts showing the operation of the image forming system of this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system of this embodiment includes one or more computer apparatuses 10 that transmit a print job and one or more image forming apparatuses 20 that receive the print job and form an image. These are connected by a communication network such as LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network) defined by standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), Token Ring, and FDDI (Fiber-Distributed Data Interface). Yes. Hereinafter, each device will be described in detail.

[Computer device]
As shown in FIG. 2, the computer device 10 includes a control unit 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, and the like.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11a, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a memory 11b such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 11c, a communication I / F unit 11d, and the like. Are connected via a bus. The CPU 11a controls each part. The memory 11b is a part that temporarily stores various data read from the HDD 11c and the communication I / F unit 11d, and the stored data is processed by the CPU 11a, and the HDD 11c and the communication I / F unit 11d as necessary. Forwarded to The HDD 11c stores a program for the CPU 11a to control each unit, information on processing functions of the own apparatus, a print job, and the like, read by the CPU 11a as necessary, and executed on the memory 11b. The communication I / F unit 11d establishes a connection with a device connected via a communication network, and executes data transmission / reception.

  The control unit 11 functions as an application for creating a document and a printer driver for instructing printing of the document. Document data created by the application can be read by a language (PCL (PCL) readable by the image forming apparatus 20 by the printer driver. It is converted into a PDL (Page Description Language) print job such as Printer Control Language (PS) or PS (Post Script), and is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 20 via the communication I / F unit 11d. The printer driver displays a print setting screen on the display unit 12 and, when a predetermined instruction is given on the print setting screen, enables selection of a main document and a sub document, setting of a sub document combining condition, and the like. The display unit 12 displays a sub-document composition setting screen to be displayed.

  The display unit 12 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic EL (electroluminescence) display, and the like, and displays the print setting screen and the sub original composition setting screen.

  The operation unit 13 is a part for operating information input on the display unit 12 and inputting information, and is configured by a pointing device, a keyboard, a trackball, a trackpad, a tablet, a stylus pen, and the like. .

[Image forming apparatus]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the image forming apparatus 20 includes a control unit 21, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 22, an image reading unit 23, a display unit 24, and an operation unit 25. , A paper feeding unit 26, a printing unit 27, a post-processing unit 28, and the like.

  The control unit 21 controls each component, and includes a CPU 21a, a memory 21b such as a ROM and a RAM, an HDD 21c, a communication I / F unit 21d, and the like, which are connected via a bus. The CPU 21a controls each part. The memory 21b is a part that temporarily stores various data read from the HDD 21c, the image reading unit 23, and the communication I / F unit 21d. The stored data is subjected to image processing by the CPU 21a, and the HDD 21c or print is performed as necessary. Transferred to the unit 27. The HDD 21c stores a program for the CPU 21a to control each unit, information on the processing function of the own device, etc., and is read by the CPU 21a as necessary and executed on the memory 21b. The communication I / F unit 21d establishes a connection with a device connected via a communication network, and executes data transmission / reception.

  The control unit 21 rasterizes the data of each page of the document specified by the print job, performs image processing and screening as necessary, and creates bitmap data that can be printed by the printing unit 27. Also works.

  In addition, the control unit 21 uses one or more main documents selected from a plurality of documents to use one or more blank areas (areas where characters, images, charts, and the like are not drawn) using a known image processing technique. A margin area detecting unit for detecting a margin area), a synthesis target image extracting unit for extracting one or more images (composition target images) to be synthesized with the margin area from one or more sub-documents excluding the main document, After processing the extracted compositing target image so as to fit the size of the margin area, it also functions as an image synthesizing unit that synthesizes the margin area. The blank area detection unit, the synthesis target image extraction unit, and the image synthesis unit may be configured as hardware, or may be configured as a control program that causes the computer to function as the blank area detection unit, the synthesis target image extraction unit, and the image synthesis unit. The control program may be operated on the control unit 21.

  The ADF 22 is a part that automatically conveys one or a plurality of document sheets to the image reading unit 23.

  The image reading unit 23 is a part that optically reads image data from a document sheet on a document table, a light source that scans the document, a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) that converts light reflected by the document into an electrical signal, and the like. Image sensor and an A / D converter for A / D converting electrical signals.

  The display unit 24 includes a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, and the like, and displays various screens for operating the image forming apparatus 20. The operation unit 25 includes buttons and switches, and performs various settings and instructions. The display unit 24 and the operation unit 25 may be separate devices, or may be an integrated device provided with a pressure-sensitive operation unit (touch panel) 25 in which transparent electrodes are arranged in a lattice shape on the display unit 24. In the case of a touch panel, the XY coordinates of a force point pressed with a finger or a touch pen are detected by a voltage value, and the detected position signal is output to the control unit 21 as an operation signal.

  The paper feed unit 26 includes a paper tray for storing various sizes of paper. In addition, it includes a part that sends out the stored paper to the printing unit 27.

  The printing unit 27 includes constituent elements necessary for image formation using an image forming process such as an electrophotographic method or an electrostatic recording method, and includes image data read from the image reading unit 23 or a communication I / F unit 21d. An image is formed on the designated paper based on the print job received via the print job and sent to the post-processing unit 28.

  The post-processing unit 28 outputs the sheet conveyed from the printing unit 27 after finishing processing desired by the user, such as punching, stapling, and bookbinding, according to an instruction from the control unit 21.

  1 to 4 are examples of the present embodiment and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the image forming apparatus 20 only needs to be able to form an image based on a print job, and the ADF 22, the image reading unit 23, and the post-processing 28 can be omitted. Further, when the printer connected to the image forming apparatus 20 performs printing, the paper feeding unit 26 and the printing unit 27 can be omitted.

  In FIG. 1, the image forming system includes the computer apparatus 10 and the image forming apparatus 20. However, when image composition is performed based on a plurality of documents read by the image reading unit 23, the image forming apparatus 20 alone is used. It can also be operated. In that case, the display unit 24 may display a sub manuscript composition setting screen that enables selection of the main document and the sub manuscript, setting of the composition condition of the sub manuscript, and the like.

  It is also possible to connect a control device such as a RIP (Raster Image Processor) controller to the communication network so that the control device functions as the blank area detection unit, the composition target image extraction unit, and the image composition unit.

  The operation of the image forming system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

  First, the operation of the computer apparatus 10 (printer driver) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 14 and the screen examples of FIGS.

  When the user creates document data using an application and instructs printing on the screen of the application, the control unit 11 (printer driver) causes the display unit 12 to display a print setting screen 40 as shown in FIG. (S101).

  The print setting screen 40 includes a column for setting an output destination printer, the number of copies to be printed, a column for setting enlargement / reduction, a button for changing to a property screen (“property” button), and the like. When the user presses the “property” button (Yes in S102), the control unit 11 (printer driver) causes the display unit 12 to display a property screen.

  In the property screen, items to be set are classified by tabs, and when a sub original composition tab is selected, the control unit 11 (printer driver) displays a sub original composition setting as shown in FIG. The screen 41 is displayed (S103).

  The sub-document composition setting screen 41 includes a “sub-document selection” field for selecting a sub-document to be combined with the main document, a “composite area” field for setting a sub-document composition area, A “minimum margin setting” field for setting the size of the margin area, a “position” field for setting the composite position of the sub-documents, a “page designation” field for setting the main document and the sub-documents, and the like are provided. Hereinafter, each column will be described in detail.

[Sub Document Selection] Field In the sub document selection field, a sub document stored in the HDD 11c or the nonvolatile memory is selected. In this column, selection can be made in units of files, and selection can be made even if the file has a plurality of pages. In addition, when selecting a plurality of files, registration can be performed by performing registration work on this screen a plurality of times.

[Composition area] field In the sub-document selection field, it is set which range of images of the selected sub-document is to be combined. When “Drawing part only” is selected, only the drawing area (including the area where characters, images, and charts are drawn, the space between characters and lines, and the area between characters, images, and charts) in the sub-document. Are extracted, and the image of the extracted area is combined with the margin area (area other than the drawing area) of the main document. When “entire” is selected, the entire image of the sub-document is combined with the margin area of the main document. When “red frame region” is selected (a setting unique to a monochrome document), a red frame in the sub document is detected, and an image in the frame is combined with the margin region of the main document. When “manual designation” is selected, the image in the area designated by dragging the mouse or the like on the preview screen / manual area designation screen in the figure is combined with the margin area of the main document.

[Minimum margin setting] field When “no restriction” is selected, the image of the sub-document is combined with the margin area regardless of the size of the margin area of the main document. When a numerical value of% is entered, if there is no blank area exceeding the specified ratio with respect to the overall size of the main document, no composition is performed. That is, this setting is used when it is not desired to perform composition when the margin area is small.

[Position (Right-justified / Left-justified / Top-justified / Bottom-justified)] field Set the position in the margin area of the main document where the image of the sub-document is to be combined.

[Page designation] field When "Combine in order of selection from first page" is selected, if there are multiple pages for the main document and sub-documents, the margins of the young pages of the main document in order from the first page of the sub-documents Perform composition on the region. In addition, pages can be selected for each of the main document and the sub document, and it is possible to set so that the designated page of the sub document is combined with the margin area of the designated page of the main document.

  When the “OK” button is pressed after setting the above fields (Yes in S104), the control unit 11 (printer driver) creates a print job by converting the document data into a page description language, and creates the print job. Information relating to the sub-original composition setting is added to the print job and transmitted to the image forming apparatus 20 (S105). The method for adding information related to the sub-original composition setting is arbitrary, and may be described directly in the print job header or the like, or data describing the above information may be associated with the print job.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 20 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 15 to 19 and the synthesis examples of FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 15, when receiving a print job from the computer apparatus 10, the control unit 21 of the image forming apparatus 20 analyzes the print job and determines whether a sub-original to be combined with the main original is designated (S201). ). When the sub-original is not designated, the printing process is executed as usual (S207). When the sub-original is designated, the control unit 21 (margin area detecting unit) determines the margin area from the image of the main original. Is detected (S202).

  FIG. 16 shows details of the blank area detection processing. In the margin area detection processing, until the processing page becomes the last page (S301 to S302, S306 to S307), the margin area of the processing page is detected using a known image processing technique to determine whether there is a margin area (the minimum margin). If an area is set, it is determined whether there is a blank area greater than the set value) (S304). If there is a blank area (or there is a blank area greater than the set value), the start point of the blank area is determined. The coordinates, vertical width, horizontal width, and number of pages are stored (S305).

  Returning to FIG. 15, the control unit 21 (compositing target image extracting unit) extracts an area to be combined with the main document from the sub-document (S203).

  FIG. 17 shows details of the synthesis area extraction process, and FIG. 18 shows a flag setting process for determining the presence or absence of the synthesis target image in the synthesis area extraction process. In the synthesis area extraction processing, the processing file is the number of sub-original files (S401 to S402, S410 to S411) and the processing page is the last page of each processing file (S403 to S404, S408 to S409). Then, a compositing target image is extracted (S405), and if there is a compositing target image (Yes in S406), the extracted area, vertical width, horizontal width, and designated page are stored (S407).

  In the extraction of the compositing target image in S405, it is determined whether the compositing area is set for the whole (S501), and if it is not the whole, it is determined whether it is set only for the drawing unit (S502). If only the drawing unit is set, an image of the drawing unit is extracted (S503), and if it is not set only for the drawing unit, it is determined whether the composite area is set within the red frame (S504). If it is set within the red frame, an image within the red frame is extracted (S505), and if it is not set within the red frame, an image within the area designation is extracted (S506). Then, it is determined whether there is a synthesis target image (S507). If there is a synthesis target image, the synthesis target image presence flag is set to True (S508), and if there is no synthesis target image, the synthesis target image presence flag is set to False (S509). . Note that the reason for determining whether or not there is a compositing target image in S507 is that there is a possibility that the compositing target image cannot be extracted except for the “total” designation in the synthesis region designation.

  Returning to FIG. 15, the control unit 21 can synthesize the synthesis target image extracted from the sub-original in the margin area of the main original (that is, the margin area has not been detected, or the synthesis target image is extracted from the sub-original. (S204). If the image cannot be combined, a predetermined warning is displayed on the display unit 24 (S206). If the image can be combined, the control unit 21 (image combining unit) Then, image composition processing is performed (S205).

  FIG. 19 shows details of the image composition processing. In the image composition process, first, the number of blank areas of the main document and the number of sub-document areas (that is, the number of images to be combined) are compared (S601). If the number of main document margin areas is smaller than the number of sub-document areas (S601). In “Yes”, the image is divided from the one with the larger margin area, and the adjustment is made so as to match the number of sub-document areas. Specifically, the area of the margin area of the main document is calculated (S602), and the margin areas of the main document are rearranged in descending order of area (S603). Then, it is determined whether 1/2 of the margin area of the main document is equal to or greater than the minimum margin setting (S605) by the number of times of the number of sub document areas minus the number of main document margin areas (S604, S608). If there is, the margin area of the main document is divided into ½ (S606), and if it is smaller than the minimum margin setting, 1 is added to the number of insufficient margins (S607). Here, the process of adding 1 to the number of insufficient margins is performed. If the margin area is halved, division is not possible if the margin area is equal to or less than the “minimum margin setting”. This is because a Nin1 image is created at the end of the flow and connected after the last page. Although the margin area is divided into two here, each margin area after division may be equal to or larger than the minimum margin setting, the size of each margin area may be different, and the margin area may be three or more. It may be divided.

  On the other hand, if the number of blank areas of the main document is greater than or equal to the number of sub-document areas (Yes in S601), whether or not there is page designation until the number of compositing processes reaches the number of sub-document areas (S609 to 610, S614 to 615). Determination is made (S611), and if there is a page designation, it is combined with the margin area of the page-designated main document (S612), and if no page is specified, it is synthesized sequentially from the first page of the margin area of the main document (S613). At that time, the synthesis target image of the sub-original is enlarged / reduced according to the size of the margin area of the main original. Also, the margin area is compared with a preset minimum margin setting, and the composition target image is not synthesized with a margin area smaller than the minimum margin setting.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the number of insufficient margins is greater than 0 (S616). If it is larger, the number of insufficient margins (S617, S619) is combined with Nin1 for the remaining compositing target images (S618). Then, the Nin1 composite image is connected to the next page of the main document (S620). At that time, if there is a margin area smaller than the minimum margin setting, the number of the synthesis target images is added to the Nin1 synthesized image.

  Returning to FIG. 15, the control unit 21 sends an image in which the sub-original is combined with the margin area of the main original to the printing unit 27, and the printing unit 27 prints the image on the instructed sheet (S <b> 207). Terminate the process.

  Examples of synthesis by the above processing are shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which the main document 30 and the sub document 31 each have a single page. In this case, the entire image of the sub document 31 is reduced in accordance with the margin area of the main document 30, and the margin area is displayed. Is synthesized.

  FIG. 6 shows an example in which the image to be synthesized of the sub-original 31 is set only in the drawing unit. The image of the drawing unit is extracted from the sub-original 31, and the image of the drawing unit is displayed on the main original 30 as necessary. The image is enlarged / reduced in accordance with the margin area and is combined with the margin area. This process is effective when the sub-original 31 has a lot of margins.

  FIG. 7 shows an example in which the number of pages of the sub-document 31 is larger than the number of blank areas of the main document 30, and the entire images of the plurality of sub-documents 31 are respectively reduced and combined with the divided margin areas of the main document 30. Is done.

  FIG. 8 shows an example in which the main document 30 is set to a plurality of pages and the sub document 31 is set to a plurality of files. Each main document 30 has a blank area in the lower half, and the number of areas is two. The sub document 31 has two files and the number of pages is three. In this case, the first page of the main document 30 (which has a larger area than the blank area of the second page) is divided into two, so that all the synthesis target images of the sub-document 31 can be synthesized.

  FIG. 9 shows an example in which the main document 30 is set to one page and the sub document 31 is set to a plurality of files. Although there is a margin area in the main document 30, a plurality of sub-documents 31 cannot be combined in the margin area. In this case, the sub-document 31 of the first page is combined with the margin area, and the other sub-documents 31 are combined into one page.

  In the image composition flow of FIG. 19, the case of performing the composition processing of FIGS. 5 to 9 is shown. However, in this embodiment, the main document 30 is not processed, the sub document 31 is processed, and the main document 30 is processed. What is necessary is just to synthesize | combine to a blank area | region, and the process of the sub original 31 is not limited to expansion / reduction and cutting (extraction of a drawing part).

  For example, the sub-manuscript 31 may be composed of text or may be composed of an image or a chart. In the case of an image or chart, the content of the sub-original 31 may be rotated even if the direction is rotated (for example, 90 degrees). Can be grasped. Therefore, the control unit 21 (compositing target image extracting unit) determines the contents of the sub-original 31 by using a known image processing technique when extracting the synthesis area of the sub-original 31 in step S203. Is an image or chart, and when the blank area of the main document 30 can be used more efficiently when the sub document 31 is rotated, the control unit 21 (image composition unit), as shown in FIG. 31 can be rotated (for example, rotated 90 degrees to either the left or right) to be combined with the blank area of the main document 30.

  Further, there is a case where the sub original 31 is larger than the margin area of the main original 30 and the sub original 31 is not desired to be reduced. In that case, as shown in FIG. 11, when the control unit 21 (compositing target image extraction unit) extracts the composite region of the sub-document 31 in step S203, the control unit 21 divides the sub-document 31 into a plurality of regions and performs control. The unit 21 (image synthesis unit) can also synthesize the synthesis target images of the divided areas into the blank areas of the separate main originals 30.

  As described above, the computer apparatus 10 (printer driver) displays the sub-original composition setting screen 41 on the display unit 12, adds the setting information that defines the composition condition of the sub-original 31 to the print job, and transmits the print job. The image forming apparatus 20 detects the margin area of the main document 30 and extracts the composition target image of the sub document 31 based on the setting information, and processes the composition target image of the sub document 31 to process the margin of the main document 30. Since the process of combining the areas is performed, the document can be combined in a form suitable for various uses.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, The structure and control method can be changed suitably, unless it deviates from the meaning of this invention.

  The present invention is applicable to an image forming apparatus, a system including the image forming apparatus, and a printer driver that operates on a computer apparatus that instructs the image forming apparatus to perform printing.

10 Computer Device 11 Control Unit 11a CPU
11b Memory 11c HDD
11d Communication I / F unit 12 Display unit 13 Operation unit 20 Image forming apparatus 21 Control unit 21a CPU
21b Memory 21c HDD
21d Communication I / F part 22 ADF
23 Image reading unit 24 Display unit 25 Operation unit 26 Paper feeding unit 27 Printing unit 28 Post-processing unit 30 Main document 31 Sub document 40 Print setting screen 41 Sub document composition setting screen

Claims (10)

Means for acquiring images of a plurality of documents;
A blank area detecting unit that analyzes an image of one or more main originals selected from the plurality of originals and detects one or more blank areas that are not drawn;
A compositing target image extracting unit that extracts one or more compositing target images to be composited with the margin area of the main original from one or more sub originals excluding the main original;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image composition unit configured to process the composition target image of the sub document according to a size of the margin area of the main document and then compose the image on the margin area.   The image compositing unit compares the number of images to be combined with the number of blank areas, and when the number of images to be combined is larger than the number of blank areas, the size is set so that the number is equal. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blank area is divided in descending order of size.   The image synthesizing unit compares the margin area with a predetermined size, and does not synthesize the synthesis target image in the margin area smaller than the predetermined size. The image forming apparatus described in 1. The sub-document can be specified,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compositing target image extracting unit extracts the compositing target image from the designated sub document.   2. The composition target image extraction unit extracts an entire image of the sub-original, an image of a drawn area, or an image in a frame designated in advance as the composition target image. 5. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 4.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image synthesis unit synthesizes the synthesis target image in the margin area by enlarging, reducing, or rotating the image. An image forming system in which the computer apparatus that instructs printing of the plurality of documents and the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 are connected via a communication network.
The computer device causes the display unit to display a screen for selecting the main document and the sub-document, and setting a condition for combining the image to be combined in the margin area, and setting information set on the screen is displayed. Including a function of creating a print job including and transmitting the job to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus receives the print job and performs image composition based on the print job.   The computer device includes an item for designating the main document and the sub-document, an item for setting a range of the synthesis target image, an item for setting a minimum size of the margin area, and the synthesis target image in the margin area. The image forming system according to claim 7, wherein one or more items selected from items for setting the position of the image are displayed on the screen. A printer driver that operates on a computer device that instructs printing of a plurality of documents,
Said computer device,
Displays a screen for selecting a main document and a sub-document from the plurality of documents and setting a condition for compositing a synthesis target image in a designated area of the sub-document in a blank area where the main document is not drawn. A printer driver that functions as means for creating a print job that is displayed on a screen and includes setting information set on the screen.   The means includes an item for designating the main document and the sub-document, an item for setting a range of the image to be combined, an item for setting a minimum size of the margin area, and an image of the image to be combined in the margin area. The printer driver according to claim 9, wherein one or more items selected from items for setting a position are displayed on the screen.

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