JP2011116026A - File processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To process a file by designated setting without requiring troublesome setting by a user. <P>SOLUTION: A printing folder configuration comprising a plurality of folders in which different printing setting (single printing, double printing and four-set printing) is allocated to a user PC 20 is transmitted. When the user performs operation to store a file of an image he/she desires to print in any of the plurality of folders and writes the image file, it is determined in which folder the image file is stored, and printing of the image based on the image file written by the printing setting allocated to the determined folder is executed. Thus, only by storing the image file the user desires to print in the folder to which the intended printing setting is allocated, the user can easily select the printing setting and perform printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a file processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, as this type of file processing apparatus, an apparatus that executes printing based on an image data file selected from a plurality of image data files has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-261042 A

  By the way, printing of images is performed by the user's selected print settings such as layout settings and whether or not image quality correction is set, but selecting print settings may be cumbersome for some users Therefore, there is a demand for further reduction of the work burden on the user. These problems apply not only to printing based on image files, but also to any scene where files are processed with selected processing settings.

  The main object of the file processing apparatus of the present invention is to be able to process a file with designated settings without accompanying troublesome settings by the user.

  The file processing apparatus of the present invention employs the following means in order to achieve the main object described above.

The first file processing apparatus of the present invention provides:
A display control unit for displaying a plurality of folders on the display unit;
A reception unit that receives a write instruction that is an instruction to write a predetermined file in one folder;
A processing unit that writes the predetermined file in the one folder in accordance with the writing instruction and performs processing in accordance with the written folder with respect to the file when the writing instruction is received;
It is a summary to provide.

  In the first file processing apparatus of the present invention, when a plurality of folders are displayed on the display unit, a write instruction that is an instruction to write a predetermined file in one folder is received, and a write instruction is received A predetermined file is written in one folder and processing corresponding to the written folder is performed on this file. As a result, the processing corresponding to the folder can be performed on the file only by instructing to write the file to the folder without any troublesome setting by the user.

The second file processing apparatus of the present invention
A file processing apparatus that executes file processing,
An output means for outputting information of a folder structure including a plurality of different folders;
Processing instruction receiving means for receiving a processing instruction of the file accompanied by storing the file in at least one of the plurality of folders;
When the processing instruction is received, a processing execution unit that determines processing setting according to a folder in which the file is stored among the plurality of folders, and executes processing of the file using the determined processing setting; The gist is to provide.

  The file processing apparatus according to the present invention outputs information on a folder structure composed of a plurality of different folders, receives a file processing instruction accompanied by storing a file in at least one of the plurality of folders, and processes the instruction. Is received, the processing setting corresponding to the folder in which the file is stored among the plurality of folders is determined, and the processing of the file is executed using the determined processing setting. As a result, the processing settings can be determined simply by storing the files in the folder to which the desired processing settings are assigned, so that the files can be processed with the specified processing settings without any troublesome settings by the user. it can.

  In the file processing apparatus that executes printing based on an image file as file processing, the processing execution unit determines different print settings according to a folder in which the image file is stored among the plurality of folders, and the determination It may be a means for executing printing based on the image file using print settings. In this way, it is possible to print an image with the designated print settings without accompanying troublesome print settings by the user. In this aspect of the file processing apparatus of the present invention, the processing execution means is means for executing printing using different layout settings depending on a folder in which an image file is stored among the plurality of folders. You can also. In this case, the layout setting may be a setting of the number of allocated pages in layout printing in which a plurality of pages are allocated and printed on a single sheet.

1 is a configuration diagram of a print system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print instruction reception process. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a folder structure. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a directory entry. Explanatory drawing which shows a mode that an image file is stored in a folder. Explanatory drawing which shows the folder structure after storing an image file in a folder. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of a configuration of a print system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The print system 10 of this embodiment is configured such that a user computer (hereinafter referred to as user PC) 20 and a printer 30 are connected by a USB cable 50 as shown in the figure.

  The printer 30 optically reads a document placed on a document table, a main controller 31 that controls the entire apparatus, a printer unit 40 that performs printing by discharging ink as a colorant onto the recording paper S, and the like. A memory card controller 37 that controls input / output of data between the scanner unit 45 that generates image data and the memory card MC inserted in the memory card slot 37a, and a mode selection button for selecting a power button and an operation mode. , And an operation unit 38 including a start button and the like, and these are electrically connected via a bus 39. The operation mode that can be selected by the mode selection button includes a normal print mode in which a print job is received from the user PC 20 and printing, a scan mode in which a document on the platen is read, a copy mode in which a document on the platen is read and printing is performed, There is a memory card mode in which image data stored in the memory card MC is read and printed.

  The printer unit 40 includes a printer ASIC 42 and a printer engine 44. The printer ASIC 42 is an integrated circuit that controls the printer engine 44. Upon receiving a print command from the main controller 31, the printer ASIC 42 controls the printer engine 44 to print on a sheet based on an image file that is a target of the print command. The printer engine 44 is configured as a well-known inkjet color printer mechanism that performs printing by discharging ink from a print head onto paper. Note that ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit.

  The scanner unit 45 includes a scanner ASIC 46 and a scanner engine 48. The scanner ASIC 46 is an integrated circuit that controls the scanner engine 48. Upon receiving a scan command from the main controller 31, the scanner ASIC 46 controls the scanner engine 48 so as to read a document placed on a document table as image data. The scanner engine 48 is configured as a well-known image scanner, and the reflected light after being emitted toward the document is separated into red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors to obtain scan data. A known color image sensor is provided.

  The memory card controller 37 exchanges data with the memory card MC inserted in the memory card slot 37a, thereby reading out the file stored in the memory card MC and transmitting it to the main controller 31 or the main controller 31. Data is written to the memory card MC in response to a command from 31.

  The USB controller 36 is a controller that controls the exchange of data with the user PC 20 via the USB cable 50 by connecting the USB cable 50 to the connection terminal 36 a. The connection terminal 36a is configured as a standard B receptacle capable of connecting two power supply system lines of the VBUS line and the GND line and two signal system lines of the D + line and the D− line.

  The main controller 31 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a CPU 32, and includes a ROM 33 that stores various processing programs, a RAM 34 that temporarily stores data, and a timer 35 that measures polling time. The RAM 34 is provided with a reception buffer for storing a command received from the user PC 20. The main controller 31 receives a command from the user PC 20 by executing a polling process for repeatedly confirming whether or not the command is stored in the reception buffer every predetermined time.

  The user PC 20 is a general-purpose personal computer including a controller 21, a display unit 25 as a display, a USB controller 26, and an interface (I / F) 28, and a program (printer driver) installed in an HDD (not shown). Thus, various commands are transmitted to the printer 30 and responses from the printer 30 are received. Various commands transmitted to the printer 30 include an access command for the printer 30 in addition to a print command for performing printing. The USB controller 26 is a controller that controls the exchange of data with the printer 30 via the USB cable 50 by connecting the USB cable 50 to the connection terminal 26 a. The connection terminal 26a is configured as a standard A receptacle that can connect two power supply system lines of the VBUS line and the GND line and two signal system lines of the D + line and the D− line.

  Next, the operation of the printer 30 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, particularly the operation when printing is performed upon receiving a print command from the user PC 20 will be described. First, an operation when a print command is received from the user PC 20 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print instruction reception process executed by the main controller 21. In this process, when the USB connection with the user PC 20 is established, the printer 30 notifies the user PC 20 that there is an imaginary drive that is a mass storage that is a part of the RAM 34. Executed when a drive access request is made.

  When the print instruction acceptance process is executed, the CPU 32 of the main controller 31 first includes information specifying the file such as the file name in the file system in the fictitious drive and the substance of the file as a response to the access request from the user PC 20. Print folder configuration data, which is a directory of data that makes it possible to refer to the file entity by associating a cluster number indicating a position, a pointer, and the like, is transmitted to the user PC 20 (step S100). FIG. 3 shows an example of print folder configuration data. There are three folders, “single print”, “two-sheet set print”, and “four-sheet set print”, and notify the user PC 20 that these folders are arranged in parallel in the root directory. The numbers in parentheses indicate locations (cluster numbers) where files (entries) in the target folder are stored. FIG. 4 shows an example of a directory entry. As shown in the figure, the directory entry has a file name, attribute, reservation, file creation time (millisecond part), file creation time, file creation date, file access date, and cluster number (upper 16 bits) where the file body exists. , File update date, cluster number (lower 16 bits) in which the file body exists, file size, and the like. Upon receiving the print folder configuration data, the user PC 20 displays the print folder configuration on the display unit 25 and waits for a file operation from the user. Here, each folder “single print”, “two-sheet set printing”, and “four-sheet set print” are assigned different print settings. Specifically, “single print” has one sheet. The setting to assign one page to paper and print is assigned, the setting to assign two pages to one sheet of paper is assigned to “two-sheet printing”, and one sheet to “four-sheet printing”. Settings for allocating and printing 4 pages on paper are assigned. The user selects one of the folders “single print”, “two-sheet set printing”, and “four-sheet set print” in the state where the print folder configuration is displayed on the display unit 25. By giving an instruction to store in the stored folder, the print setting assigned to the stored folder can be specified to instruct the printer 30 to print, as will be described in detail later. When the user PC 20 receives an instruction to store an image file in the folder in this way, the user PC 20 requests the printer 30 to write the image file with the designation of the reference cluster number of the selected folder. In step S110, the image file is written to the designated cluster number in the RAM 34 (step S120), and the process returns to step S100. The user PC 20 acquires print folder configuration data reflecting the writing of the image file from the printer 30.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which an image file for printing is stored in a folder by the user PC 20, and FIG. 6 shows an example of print folder configuration data after the entry of the image file and the main body are written by a write request from the user PC 20. Indicates. Now, three image files IMG0001. JPG, IMG0002. JPG, IMG0003. Consider a case where JPG is stored in the folder “4-sheet printing”. In this case, the user PC 20 designates the cluster number 4 and three image files IMG0001. JPG, IMG0002. JPG, IMG0003. JPG writing is requested, and the printer 30 which has received this request receives three image files IMG0001. JPG, IMG0002. JPG, IMG0003. The image data body of JPG is recorded in an empty area of the RAM 34, the entry of each image file is recorded in the designated cluster number 4, and the storage location (cluster number) of the image data body corresponding to the entry of each image file is registered. To do.

  Next, in the print instruction acceptance process, the user instructs to store the image file to be printed in the selected folder, thereby giving a print instruction specifying the print settings assigned to the stored folder. The operation at that time will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the printing process executed by the main controller 31. When the printing process is periodically executed, the CPU 32 of the main controller 31 first determines whether or not an image file is stored in the RAM 34 (step S200), and does nothing when the image file is not stored. If the image file is stored, the image file is stored as a print instruction, and whether the image file is in the folder “single print” (step S210). It is determined whether it is in “two-sheet set printing” (step S230) and whether it is in the folder “four-sheet set printing” (step S250). When the image file is in the folder “single print”, one page is allocated to one sheet and printing is executed (step S220). When the image file is in the folder “two-sheet print”, two pages are printed on one sheet. Is printed (step S240), and if it is in the folder “4-sheet printing”, 4 pages are assigned to one sheet and printing is performed (step S260). When printing is executed in this manner, the RAM 34 is cleared, the image file stored in the RAM 34 is erased, the print folder configuration data is returned to the initial state as shown in FIG. 3 (step S270), and this processing is terminated. To do. At this time, for settings other than the number assigned to one sheet of printing, printing is executed using settings set in advance in common. Also, when there is one image file in the folder “2-sheet set printing”, or when there are 1 to 3 image files in the folder “4-sheet set printing”, the number is less than the number assigned to one sheet. If there are only a few image files, printing is executed after a predetermined time has passed since the presence of the image file in each folder has been detected, or the number of images to be allocated to one sheet has been prepared. In this way, even when the user puts image files one by one in a folder, a plurality of images can be allocated and printed on one sheet.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The main controller 31 that executes the process of step S100 of the print instruction reception process of FIG. 2 of this embodiment corresponds to an “output unit”, and the main controller 31 that executes the print instruction reception process of FIG. The main controller 31 that executes the printing process of FIG. 7 according to the present embodiment corresponds to the “processing instruction receiving unit” of the present invention, and corresponds to the “processing execution unit” of the present invention.

  According to the printer 30 of the present embodiment described above, a print folder configuration including a plurality of folders to which different print settings (single print, two-sheet print, and four-sheet print) are assigned is transmitted to the user PC 20. When an image file to be printed is stored in one of a plurality of folders and the image file is written by the user, the image file is stored in the folder. The image will be printed based on the image file written with the print settings assigned to the selected folder, so the user simply prints the image file he wants to print and stores it in the folder with the desired print settings. Printing can be performed by easily selecting the setting.

  In the present embodiment, the fact that an image file is stored in a folder in accordance with a user instruction is regarded as a print instruction. However, a print instruction may be received again from the user while the image file is stored in the folder. .

  In this embodiment, the layout print setting with a different number of pages is assigned to each print folder for storing image files for printing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other printing such as bordered printing and borderless printing is possible. Any other print setting such as the layout setting or the setting of whether or not to perform automatic image quality correction may be assigned.

  In the present embodiment, the printer is configured as a multifunction printer including the printer unit 40 and the scanner unit 45, but only the printer unit 40 may be included. In addition, the file processing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to a printer, and issues a file processing instruction with storing a file in at least one of a plurality of folders to which different processing settings are assigned, such as a FAX device and a viewer. The present invention is applicable to any device that accepts and executes file processing using processing settings assigned to a folder in which the file is stored.

  It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

  10 Print System, 20 User Computer (User PC), 21 Controller, 22 CPU, 24 ROM, 26 RAM, 25 Display Unit, 26 USB Controller, 26a Connection Terminal, 28 Interface (I / F), 30 Printer, 31 Main Controller , 32 CPU, 33 ROM, 34 RAM, 35 timer, 36 USB controller, 36a connection terminal, 37 memory card controller, 37a memory card slot, 38 operation unit, 39 bus, 40 printer unit, 42 printer ASIC, 44 printer engine, 45 Scanner unit, 46 Scanner ASIC, 48 Scanner engine, 50 USB cable, MC memory card.

Claims (5)

A display control unit for displaying a plurality of folders on the display unit;
A reception unit that receives a write instruction that is an instruction to write a predetermined file in one folder;
A processing unit that writes the predetermined file in the one folder in accordance with the writing instruction and performs processing in accordance with the written folder with respect to the file when the writing instruction is received;
A file processing apparatus comprising: A file processing apparatus that executes file processing,
An output means for outputting information of a folder structure including a plurality of different folders;
Processing instruction receiving means for receiving a processing instruction of the file accompanied by storing the file in at least one of the plurality of folders;
When the processing instruction is received, a processing execution unit that determines processing setting according to a folder in which the file is stored among the plurality of folders, and executes processing of the file using the determined processing setting; A file processing apparatus. The file processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein printing based on an image file is executed as processing of the file.
The process execution means is means for determining different print settings according to a folder in which an image file is stored among the plurality of folders, and executing printing based on the image file using the determined print settings. Processing equipment.   The file processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing execution unit is a unit that executes printing using different layout settings according to a folder in which an image file is stored among the plurality of folders.   5. The file processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the layout setting is a setting of the number of allocated pages in layout printing in which a plurality of pages are allocated and printed on one sheet.

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