JP2012101409A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately measure a print speed without being influenced by temporal stop of printing due to image quality adjustment and jamming.SOLUTION: A print speed measuring part 5 measures a print time of print data based on a time from the start of reception of the print data up to discharge of a recording medium on which the print data are printed, and calculates the print speed indicated by the number of recording media printed per unit time from the print time and the printed number of recording media. A printer engine 7 prints at least one page of print data which is prepared in advance separately from the print data to be printed when printing of the print data included in a printing job is temporarily stopped and then printing is re-started and thereafter re-starts printing of the print data included in the printing job. At that time, the print speed measuring part 5 measures the print time except a time from discharge of a printed page immediately before temporal stop of printing up to discharge of a printed page by the separately prepared print data of at least one page.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a printing apparatus provided with means for automatically measuring a printing speed in order to cope with billing processing or the like.

  In a printing apparatus that prints image data on a medium such as a recording paper such as a printer, a service is provided in which the user performs billing processing for the user according to the actual time and amount of printing using the printing apparatus. In such a printing apparatus, for example, the actual printing time from the start of printing processing to the end of printing is automatically measured, and the printing speed (printing per unit time) is based on the measured actual printing time and the number of printed sheets. In some cases, a billing process can be performed in accordance with the printing speed.

  For example, Patent Document 1 includes an actual printing speed measuring unit that measures an actual printing speed based on an actual printing time required from the start of the printing process based on the print job to the end of the printing process, and based on the actual printing speed. An image forming apparatus configured to perform charging processing is disclosed. The actual printing speed measuring means is configured to obtain the actual printing time by excluding the time when the printing process is temporarily stopped.

JP 2007-241212 A

  In the printing apparatus of Patent Document 1, when the actual printing time is measured and charging processing is performed, the actual printing time is obtained by subtracting the time for which printing has been temporarily stopped due to a print data reception waiting time or a paper jam or the like from the measured time. . However, such a method does not take into consideration that the printing speed is reduced when the printing is resumed after the temporary stop, so that the actual printing time at the maximum performance cannot be measured. Therefore, if the accounting process is performed by calculating the printing speed based on the measured time, fluctuations in printing performance cannot be taken into account, which may be disadvantageous for the user. That is, conventionally, there has been a problem that it is not possible to appropriately cope with a change in printing performance after a temporary stop when measuring the actual printing time.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and even when printing is temporarily stopped due to factors such as image quality adjustment or paper jam, printing that can accurately calculate the printing speed without being affected by the printing. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the first technical means of the present invention provides a printing apparatus having an image forming unit that receives a print job and prints print data included in the received print job on a recording medium. The print time of the print data is measured based on the time from the start of reception of the print data to the discharge of the recording medium on which the print data is printed, and the measured print time and the number of prints of the recording medium printed during the print time A printing speed measuring unit that obtains a printing speed indicated by the number of recording media printed per unit time, and the image forming unit temporarily stops printing of print data included in the print job and restarts printing again; When printing, the print data prepared in advance separately from the print data to be printed is printed for at least one page. After printing at least one page, the print data included in the print job is printed. Printing speed measurement unit, the printing speed measurement unit, except for the time from the discharge of the printed page immediately before the printing is temporarily stopped to the discharge of the printed page by the print data for one page prepared separately, The printing time is measured.

  According to a second technical means, in the first technical means, the printing speed measuring unit receives an application name, a print job name, a print page number, a print job ID, and a print job ID for creating print data in the print job. One or more of the start time and the discharge time of each page of the print data is transmitted to the external device through the network.

  According to a third technical means, in the first or second technical means, printing speed result data listing the printing speeds measured for a plurality of printing data based on the calculation result of the printing speed by the printing speed measuring unit. A printing speed result data generating unit for generating the printing speed, printing of the printing speed result data generated by the printing speed result data generating unit to a recording medium, transmission by e-mail, uploading to a predetermined server Means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus capable of measuring the printing speed with high accuracy without being affected even when printing is temporarily stopped due to factors such as image quality adjustment or paper jam.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure explaining the example of a process when the printing speed measurement part of a printing apparatus measures a printing speed. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a printing speed measurement process in the printing apparatus of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the process example when measuring the printing speed when printing pauses during a printing process. It is a figure explaining the example of a process when the printing speed measurement part of the image forming device concerning the present invention measures printing speed. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a printing speed measurement process in the printing apparatus of the present invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the further another example of the measurement process of the printing speed in the printing apparatus of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the further another example of the measurement process of the printing speed in the printing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of printing speed result data.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. The printing apparatus 1 is connected to a network 11 and can receive a print job instructed from an information processing apparatus such as a PC (Personal Computer) 12 and print (image formation) on a recording medium such as recording paper. ing.
The printing apparatus 1 includes a user interface 2 such as a touch panel and a key, a control unit 3 that controls each element of the apparatus, a network IF (interface) 4 that forms an interface with the network 11, and printing that automatically measures a printing speed. A speed measuring unit 5 and a printing speed result data generating unit 6 that generates printing speed result data based on the measurement result of the printing speed measuring unit 5 are provided.

Further, the printing apparatus 1 is instructed from a communication unit 9 that controls communication with an external device such as a PC 12, a storage unit 8 that stores image data, a program, and the like, a printer engine 7 that prints print data, and a PC 12 A print image data generation unit 10 that generates print image data for printing by the printer engine 7 in accordance with the print job.
For example, print data created by an application such as the PC 12 is converted into data (PDL data) described in a page description language by a printer driver such as the PC 12 and transmitted to the printing apparatus 1 as a print job.

  The print image data generation unit 10 of the printing apparatus 1 analyzes a command included in the received PDL data, generates intermediate data including information indicating a drawing object and its attributes, and renders the generated intermediate data Raster image data that is print image data is generated. The printer engine 7 performs printing on a recording medium such as recording paper based on the generated raster image data. The printer engine 7 corresponds to the image forming unit of the present invention.

  Further, the print image data generation unit 10 temporarily stops the printing process by the printer engine 7 due to a predetermined factor such as waiting for reception of print data or a paper jam, and then restarts printing after the factor to be stopped is resolved. In addition to the print data of the print job, additional print data is generated using image data for at least one page prepared by storing in the storage unit 8 in advance. The printer engine 7 prints additional print data when resuming after a temporary suspension of printing, and then resumes printing of the print data of the print job. Therefore, the additional print data is other print data that is not included in the print job to be printed.

  The printing speed measuring unit 5 automatically measures the printing speed when the printer engine 7 performs printing. The printing speed can be represented by the number of printed pages per unit time. In the measurement of the printing speed, when printing is resumed after printing processing is paused due to waiting for reception of print data or a paper jam, the above-mentioned pre-printing from the discharge of the printing page immediately before printing is paused. The printing time is measured excluding the time until the printed page is discharged by the print data for at least one page prepared separately. This is because printing after resuming is not appropriate to measure as the printing time because the printing speed decreases. In this case, when the decrease in printing speed is recovered while printing one page, the print data prepared separately in advance may be used as print data for one page. Also, if the printing speed does not recover before printing one page due to factors such as the performance of the printing device, for example, if it takes two pages of printing time to recover the printing speed, the above-mentioned printing prepared separately in advance The data is print data for two pages. That is, the number of pages of print data separately prepared is determined in accordance with the recovery time of the decrease in the printing speed in the printing apparatus, and at least one page of print data is prepared.

  The printing speed measurement unit 5 excludes the time from the reception of the print data of the print job until the discharge of the first printed page from the measurement time. Since the processing time from receipt of print data to generation of print data is included by the discharge of the first page, it is not appropriate to measure the actual print time. Then, the printing speed measuring unit 5 automatically calculates the printing speed (number of printed sheets per unit time) based on the measured printing time and the number of printed pages corresponding to the printing time.

The printing speed result data generation unit 6 generates printing speed result data in which printing speeds measured for a plurality of printing data are listed based on the measurement result of the printing speed measurement unit 5.
Also, the printing apparatus can select one of the application name that created the print data in the received print job, the print job name, the number of printed pages, the print job ID, the print job reception start time, and the discharge time of each page of the print data. Alternatively, there is a means for transmitting a plurality to an external device through a network. Further, the printing apparatus includes means for printing the printing speed result data generated by the printing speed result data generating unit 6 on a recording medium, or transmitting the data by electronic mail and uploading it to a predetermined server. Any one or a plurality of these processes can be executed.
Each means described above is realized by the control unit 3, the printing speed measurement unit 5, the communication unit 9, and the network IF 4.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a processing example when the printing speed measurement unit of the printing apparatus measures the printing speed, and shows a normal printing speed measurement process when the printing process does not pause.
Here, it is assumed that the printing apparatus 1 sequentially prints the print data on the first to Nth recording media. It is assumed that recording paper is used as the recording medium, and printed pages are sequentially discharged by the printing process. This paper discharge corresponds to the discharge of the printed recording medium.

It takes a second for the first printing page to be discharged after the printing apparatus 1 receives the printing data, and the Nth printing page is discharged after the printing apparatus 1 receives the printing data. It takes b seconds. In this case, the time p (second) required for printing one sheet is
p = (ba) / (N-1).
Here, the time a from the reception of the print data of the print job to the discharge of the first printed page is excluded from the measurement time. This is because the processing time from reception of print data to generation of print data is included until the first page is discharged, and thus an error occurs when measured as the actual print time, which is not appropriate.

Accordingly, the printing speed S (pages / minute) indicating the number of printed pages per unit time is
S = 60 / p
= 60 * (N-1) / (ba)
Can be expressed as

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of printing speed measurement processing in the printing apparatus of the present invention, and shows an example of processing when there is no pause shown in FIG.
First, when print data to be printed by the printing apparatus 1 is received (step S101), the print speed measuring unit 5 starts time measurement (step S102). When the printed page is discharged (step S103), the time from the reception of the print data to the discharge is recorded (step S104). Next, it is determined whether or not the discharge of all pages of the print data has been completed (step S105), and if not completed, the process returns to step S103 to print the next page. If all pages have been discharged, the printing speed based on the printing time is calculated (step S106). The print speed measuring unit 5 measures the print time based on the time from the start of receiving print data to the discharge of the recording medium on which the print data is printed. In this example, the print speed is received and the final page is discharged. The printing time is measured excluding the time until the discharge of the first page. Then, the printing speed is calculated from the measured printing time and the number of printed pages corresponding to the printing time.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing example when measuring the printing speed when printing is paused during the printing process. The comparison is made so that the portion where the printing speed is reduced when printing is resumed is also included in the measurement time. An example is given.
In the printing apparatus 1, when printing image data on the first to Nth recording sheets in order, when the M-1th printing is finished and the paper is discharged, Assume that printing is stopped due to a paper jam or the like, printing is resumed, and the Mth to Nth printed pages are discharged.
Here, it takes a second from when the printing apparatus 1 receives the print data to when the first print page is discharged, and after the print data is received by the printing apparatus 1, the M−1th print page is changed. Assume that it takes b seconds to be discharged, and c seconds until the Nth printed page is discharged after canceling the printing stop.

In this case, the time p (second) required for printing one sheet is
p = (b + ca) / (N-1). Therefore,
Printing speed S (pages / minute) = 60 / p
= 60 * (N-1) / (b + ca)
Can be expressed as
In this comparative example, the printing of the first page (Mth sheet) after the printing is resumed after the printing stop is performed, the printing speed is lowered, and the maximum performance capability is not exhibited. In addition, depending on the performance of the printing apparatus, the printing speed decreases in the time of two or more pages after the printing is resumed. Here, if the printing speed is decreased for the Mth sheet, the Mth printing time for which the printing speed has decreased is included in the measurement time c seconds. Will be disadvantageous for the user.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of processing when the printing speed measuring unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention measures the printing speed. When printing is paused during the printing process, a new page is added and printed. The example of a process which calculates speed is shown.
When printing the image data on the first to Nth recording sheets in order in the printing apparatus 1, when the M-1th printing is finished and the paper is discharged, the print data is awaited to be received. It is assumed that printing is temporarily stopped due to a cause such as paper jam or paper jamming, printing is resumed, and the sheets are discharged from the Mth sheet to the Nth sheet. In this case, when printing is resumed, print data for one page prepared in advance is printed as a newly added page while printing the Mth page. This is because the printing speed of the first printed page after resuming printing is reduced, so that the printing time of this page is not measured as the printing time. If two or more pages of printing time are required to recover the decrease in printing speed, print data of two or more pages that do not measure the printing time is prepared. In the following, it is assumed that the decrease in printing speed is within one page, and print data for one page is prepared in advance.

  Here, it takes a second from when the printing apparatus 1 receives the print data to when the first printed page is discharged, and after the printing data is received by the printing apparatus 1, the (M−1) th printed page is changed. It is assumed that it takes b seconds until the paper is discharged, and after the printing is stopped, a new additional page is printed, and after the additional page is discharged, it takes c seconds until the Nth printed page is discharged.

In this case, the time p (second) required for printing one sheet is
p = (b + ca) / (N-1). Therefore,
Printing speed S (pages / minute) = 60 / p
= 60 x (N-1) (b + ca)
Can be expressed as

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the printing speed measurement process in the printing apparatus of the present invention, and shows an example of the process when there is a temporary stop shown in FIG.
First, when print data to be printed by the printing apparatus is received (step S201), the printing speed measuring unit 5 starts time measurement (step S202). When the printed page is discharged (step S203), the time from the reception of the print data to the discharge is recorded (step S204). Here, it is determined whether printing has stopped due to a paper jam or the like (step S205). If printing has not been stopped, it is determined whether or not the discharge of all pages of the print data has been completed (step S206). If not, the process returns to step S203 to print the next page. If all the pages have been discharged, the printing speed is calculated from the time until discharging one page, the time until discharging the last page, and the number of printed pages (step S207).

  When printing is stopped in step S205, time measurement is stopped (step S208). The timing for stopping the time measurement is the time when the printed page is discharged immediately before printing is stopped. When printing is resumed (step S209), a new page is added and printed (step S209). When the added new page is discharged (step S211), time measurement is resumed (step S212), and the process returns to step S203 to discharge the resumed printed page. The timing for restarting the time measurement is the timing when a new print page is discharged. With this process, it is possible to measure the printing time except for the time from the discharge of the print page immediately before the printing is temporarily stopped to the discharge of the print page with new print data for at least one page prepared separately. As a result, the printing time can be measured under the same conditions without being affected by the printing process after resuming printing whose printing speed has been reduced.

  In addition, since the printing time can be measured every time under the same conditions by performing the above-mentioned processing, even if software or hardware changes are made, it is accurate whether or not the speed according to the changed specifications is obtained. It can be confirmed well. In addition, since humans do not intervene in time measurement, errors and human errors can be excluded. In addition to this, it is possible to obtain an effect that the printing speed for describing in the catalog specification can be accurately measured.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining still another example of the printing speed measurement process in the printing apparatus according to the present invention. When a print page is discharged, information such as a job name and an application name is transmitted to an external device. An example of a process is shown.
First, when print data to be printed by the printing apparatus is received (step S301), the printing speed measuring unit 5 starts time measurement (step S302). When the printed page is discharged (step S303), the time from the reception of the print data to the discharge is recorded (step S304). Information such as the job name, application name, job ID, page number, and paper discharge time of the print job is externally transmitted (step S305). Here, the printing apparatus performs processing for transmitting the above information to a predetermined external device via a network.

  Then, it is determined whether printing has stopped due to a paper jam or the like (step S306). If printing has not been stopped, it is determined whether or not the discharge of all pages of the print data has been completed (step S307), and if not completed, the process returns to step S303 to print the next page. If all the pages have been discharged, the printing speed is calculated from the time until discharging one page, the time until discharging the last page, and the number of printed pages (step S308).

  When printing is stopped in step S306, time measurement is stopped (step S309). When printing is resumed (step S310), a new page is added and printed (step S311). When the added new page is discharged (step S312), the time measurement is restarted (step S313), the process returns to step S303, and the restarted print page is discharged.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining still another example of the printing speed measurement process in the printing apparatus of the present invention. When the printing speed measurement result data is created and printed or transmitted by e-mail. An example of a process is shown.
First, when print data to be printed by the printing apparatus is received (step S401), the printing speed measuring unit 5 starts time measurement (step S402). When the printed page is discharged (step S403), the time from reception of the print data to discharge is recorded (step S404). Here, it is determined whether printing has stopped due to a paper jam or the like (step S405). If printing has not been stopped, it is determined whether or not the discharge of all pages of the print data has been completed (step S406). If not, the process returns to step S403 to print the next page. If all pages have been discharged, the printing speed is calculated from the time until discharge of one page, the time until discharge of the last page, and the number of printed pages (step S407).

  Then, print speed result data indicating a list of print speed measurement results is created (step S408), and the data is printed, transmitted by e-mail, or uploaded to a predetermined server (step S409). A plurality of these processes may be performed.

  When printing stops in step S405, time measurement is stopped (step S410). When printing is resumed (step S411), a new page is added and printed (step S412). When the added new page is discharged (step S413), the time measurement is restarted (step S414), the process returns to step S403, and the restarted print page is discharged.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of printing speed result data. The printing speed result data generating unit 6 of the printing apparatus 1 generates printing speed result data as shown in FIG. 9 based on the printing speed measurement result by the printing speed measuring unit 5.
The print speed measurement result data in FIG. 9 includes the application (101) used to create image data for each print job, the file name (102) of the print job, the number of printed pages (103), the T1P (104) of the printing process, TLP (105), PPM (106) are described. Here, T1P is the time from the start of printing until the first page is discharged (Time of 1st page), and TLP is the time from the start of printing until the last page is discharged (Time of last page). Is the printing speed (Pages per minute).
The print side result data can be printed on a recording medium such as recording paper, transmitted to an external device by e-mail, or uploaded to a predetermined server. Any one or more of these may be performed. By printing the printing speed measurement result data on paper or the like, the data can be browsed and the convenience can be enhanced. In addition, by transmitting the printing speed measurement result data to an external device or the like, it is possible to cooperate with an external application, and the range of data utilization can be expanded.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing apparatus, 2 ... User interface, 3 ... Control part, 4 ... Network IF, 5 ... Printing speed measurement part, 6 ... Printing speed result data generation part, 7 ... Printer engine, 8 ... Memory | storage part, 9 ... Communication part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Print image data production | generation part, 11 ... Network, 12 ... PC.

Claims (3)

In a printing apparatus having an image forming unit for printing print data included in a print job on a recording medium,
The print time of the print data is measured based on the time from the start of reception of the print data to the discharge of the recording medium on which the print data is printed, and the measured print time and the number of prints of the recording medium printed during the print time Has a printing speed measuring unit that obtains a printing speed indicated by the number of recording media printed per unit time,
The image forming unit prints at least one page of print data prepared in advance separately from print data to be printed when printing of print data included in a print job is temporarily stopped and printing is resumed. , After printing the at least one page, restart printing of the print data included in the print job,
The printing speed measurement unit measures the printing time except for the time from the discharge of the printed page immediately before the printing is temporarily stopped to the discharge of the printed page by the print data for one page prepared separately. Characteristic printing device.   One or more of the application name, print job name, number of printed pages, print job ID, reception start time of the print job, and discharge time of each page of the print data are externally transmitted via the network. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to a device. A printing speed result data generation unit that generates printing speed result data that lists printing speeds measured for a plurality of print data based on the measurement result of the printing speed by the printing speed measurement unit;
The printing speed result data generating unit includes means for printing on a recording medium, printing by e-mail, uploading to a predetermined server, or a plurality of printing speed result data generated by the printing speed result data generating unit. Item 3. The printing apparatus according to Item 1 or 2.

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