JP2013010194A - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus and image forming method that can produce a printed matter that is easy to be looked at simultaneously by two persons facing each other while preventing print sheets from being consumed wastefully.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus arranges a properly oriented layout image G1 corresponding to an original image in an area R11 (or area R21) on a print sheet, and arranges a reversely oriented layout image G2 corresponding to a rotated image of the original image rotated by 180 degrees in a remaining area R12 (or area 22) on the print sheet. The apparatus then forms, on the print sheet, an image with the properly oriented layout image G1 and the reversely oriented layout image G2 both arranged in the respective areas.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method.

  Image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, facsimiles, or multifunction devices that combine the functions of these devices are becoming more and more functional in order to improve user convenience or increase added value. For example, most image forming apparatuses in recent years have an aggregate printing function, a booklet function, and the like, which are functions that can save printing paper as a recording medium on which an image is formed. Here, the aggregate printing function is a function for printing a plurality of pages by consolidating them on one or both sides of a single printing sheet, and the booklet function is for rearranging the pages to be printed so that a booklet can be created. This is a function that performs aggregate printing after being performed.

  Patent Document 1 below is a technique that can eliminate the sense of discomfort between the operation direction and the screen direction when operating while observing the screen from a direction other than the front, although it is not a technique in the technical field of the image forming apparatus. Is disclosed. Specifically, in the following Patent Document 1, in an information processing apparatus including one display device and a plurality of input devices arranged around the display device, the display direction of the display device is changed according to the input device to be operated. In addition to rotating in units of 90 degrees, the input coordinate system of the input device is converted according to the rotation angle of the display direction, thereby eliminating the uncomfortable feeling between the operation direction and the screen direction.

JP 2001-175376 A

  By the way, in conducting social life, there are often situations where two people interact with each other while referring to the printed matter. For example, when a purchaser who wants to purchase a product at a store receives an explanation about the product while referring to a pamphlet while facing a salesperson, or an agent who is delegated in a conference room The case where the explanation of the invention is received while referring to the invention proposal in a state of facing the inventor.

  In such a case, when there is only one printed matter such as a pamphlet or an invention proposal, the printed matter is arranged in front of one of the two people facing each other, or between the two people facing each other. It is often arranged in a state rotated 90 degrees at the position. In the case of the former arrangement, there is a problem that it becomes difficult for the other person to refer to the printed material because it is arranged upside down (it is difficult to see). In the case of the latter arrangement, there is a problem that two persons facing each other need to twist their head and body 90 degrees in order to make the printed material easy to see.

  Here, when there are multiple (at least two) printed materials such as pamphlets and invention proposals, the printed materials can be arranged in front of two people facing each other, so there is only one printed material. Such a problem (for example, reading the printed matter upside down or reading the printed matter by twisting its head or body) does not occur. However, in such a case, since it is necessary to prepare a plurality of the same printed matter, there is a problem that the printing paper is wasted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of creating a printed material that can be easily referred to by both persons facing each other while suppressing wasteful consumption of printing paper. It aims to provide a method.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium, and a first image corresponding to a document image is arranged in a first area on the recording medium. Arrangement means for arranging a second image corresponding to the rotated image obtained by rotating the document image by 180 degrees in the remaining second area on the recording medium; and the first and second areas in the first and second areas. And image forming means for forming an image on which the two images are arranged on the recording medium.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the first and second images are images obtained by reducing the original image.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, at least one of the first and second images is a monochrome image of the document image.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the first and second areas are areas obtained by vertically dividing the entire area of the recording medium placed vertically.
Alternatively, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the first and second regions are regions obtained by dividing the entire region of the recording medium placed horizontally into left and right.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a position for dividing the entire area of the recording medium is set according to the size of the first and second images. An image forming method for forming an image on a recording medium, wherein a first image corresponding to a document image is arranged in a first area on the recording medium and the document image is rotated by 180 degrees A first step of arranging a second image corresponding to the second area in the remaining second area on the recording medium, and an image in which the first and second images are arranged in the first and second areas, respectively. And a second step formed above.

  According to the present invention, the first image corresponding to the original image is arranged in the first area on the recording medium, and the second image corresponding to the rotated image obtained by rotating the original image by 180 degrees is left on the recording medium. Since the images having the first and second images arranged in the first region and the first and second regions are formed on the recording medium, they face each other while suppressing wasteful consumption of printing paper. There is an effect that it is possible to create a printed material that is easy for both people to refer to.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a network system in which a multifunction peripheral as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a multifunction peripheral as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing processing performed by an image processing unit in an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the multifunction machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows a mode that the printed matter created in one Embodiment of this invention is referred in the state which two persons faced.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, a case where the image forming apparatus is a multifunction peripheral will be described as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network system in which a multifunction peripheral as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. As shown in FIG. 1, the network system NS has a configuration in which a multifunction device 1 and a terminal device 2 are connected to each other via a network N. (Image data) can be exchanged.

  The multifunction machine 1 includes a main body 1a, a scanner 1b, an operation display panel 1c, and the like, and has a copy function, a print function, and a facsimile transmission / reception function. The multifunction device 1 can communicate with the terminal device 2 via the network N, prints the original image data transmitted from the terminal device 2, and reads the original image data read by the scanner unit 1b. 2 or the like can be transmitted. Although the details will be described later, the multifunction device 1 is provided with a facing printing mode, which is an operation mode for creating a printed material that is easily referred to by both of the facing people.

  The terminal device 2 is realized by a computer such as a personal computer (PC) having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, a hard disk, a display, etc., and creates document image data to be printed by the multifunction device 1 and prints to the multifunction device 1. It is possible to receive an instruction, document image data transmitted from the multifunction device 1, and the like. Although details will be described later, the terminal device 2 can instruct that printing should be performed in the face-to-face printing mode as a print instruction to the multifunction device 1. The network N is, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a multifunction peripheral as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction device 1 includes a control unit 11, an operation display unit 12, a communication I / F unit 13, an image reading unit 14, an image data storage unit 15, an image processing unit 16 (arranging unit), and a paper transport unit. 17, an image forming unit 18 (image forming unit), and various sensor groups 19 are provided.

  The control unit 11 refers to various detection signals output from the various sensor groups 19, and responds to operation instructions input from the operation display unit 12 or various instructions input from the communication I / F unit 13. 1 operation is controlled. For example, document image data reading control by the image reading unit 14, document image data reception control by the communication I / F unit 13, or document image data printing control stored in the image data storage unit 15 is performed.

  In addition, when the printing instruction transmitted from the terminal device 2 or the printing instruction input from the operation display panel 1c is a printing instruction indicating that printing should be performed in the above-described facing printing mode, the control unit 11 Then, the image processing unit 16, the paper transport unit 17, and the image forming unit 18 are controlled to control the multifunction device 1 to operate in the facing printing mode. Details of such control will be described later.

  The operation display unit 12 includes the operation display panel 1c shown in FIG. 1 and various operation keys. The operation display unit 12 outputs operation contents for the operation display panel 1c and various operation keys to the control unit 11 and is under the control of the control unit 11. Various information is displayed on the operation display panel 1c. The various operation keys provided in the operation display unit 12 include, for example, a copy function switching key, a print function switching key, a scan function switching key, a facsimile function switching key, a start key, a stop / clear key, a power key, and a numeric keypad (numeric input key). Can be mentioned.

  The copy function switch key, print function switch key, scan function switch key, and facsimile function switch key described above are used to switch the multifunction device 1 to the operation mode of each function when the user uses the respective functions. Key. The key for setting the above-described face-to-face printing mode is prepared by, for example, a soft key and displayed on the operation display panel 1c.

  The communication I / F unit 13 is connected to the network N illustrated in FIG. 1, and transmits and receives various signals to and from the terminal device 2 via the network N. The image reading unit 14 includes a scanner unit 1b (see FIG. 1) provided with an ADF (automatic document feeder), a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor, and the like. The image is read by a CCD sensor and document image data based on the document image is output. The document image data output from the image reading unit 14 is stored in the image data storage unit 15 via the control unit 11.

  The image data storage unit 15 is realized by a hard disk drive, for example, and stores various data under the control of the control unit 11. For example, the communication I / F unit 13 temporarily stores image data such as document image data received from the terminal device 2 via the network N or image data subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 16. The image processing unit 16 performs various types of image processing on the image data stored in the image data storage unit 15 under the control of the control unit 11. For example, image data compression / decompression processing, image data printing rate calculation processing, and the like are performed.

  Further, when the face-to-face printing mode is instructed, the image processing unit 16 responds to an image (first image) corresponding to the document image data and a rotated image obtained by rotating the document image by 180 degrees. A process of arranging the image (second image) in different areas (first and second areas) on the printing paper (recording medium) is performed. This process is performed in order to create a printed material that is easy for both of the two persons facing to refer to.

  Here, the image corresponding to the original image data refers to an image obtained by reducing the original image indicated by the original image data, and the image corresponding to the rotated image refers to an image obtained by reducing the rotated image. These images may be images obtained by simply reducing the original image (rotated image), or may be monochrome images obtained by reducing these when the original image (rotated image) is a color image. Hereinafter, the image corresponding to the document image data is referred to as a “normally arranged image”, and the image corresponding to the rotated image is referred to as a “reversely arranged image”.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining processing performed by the image processing unit in the embodiment of the present invention. Assume that the document image indicated by the document image data is a two-column set of character strings “Aiueo” and character string “Kakikukeko”. Further, in order to simplify the description, consider a case where the reduction ratios of the normal order arrangement image and the reverse order arrangement image are the same. In such a case, the forward-order arranged image G1 is obtained by reducing the above-described two-stage image, and the reverse-order arranged image G2 is obtained by reducing the above-mentioned two-stage image at the same reduction ratio as the normal-order arranged image G1. The result is rotated 180 degrees.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, when the printing paper is placed vertically, the image processing unit 16 divides the entire area of the printing paper vertically into two regions R11 and R12 at the middle position of the printing paper. Then, a process is performed in which the normal order arrangement image G1 is arranged in the lower area R11 (first area) and the reverse arrangement image G2 is arranged in the upper area R12 (second area). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the printing paper is in landscape orientation, the image processing unit 16 divides the entire area of the printing paper into left and right at the middle position of the printing paper, and The regions R21 and R22 are obtained, the normal order arrangement image G1 is arranged in the region R21 (first region) located on the left side, and the reverse order arrangement image G2 is arranged in the region R22 located on the right side.

  For the sake of simplicity, here, two regions R11 and R12 or regions R21 and R22 having the same reduction ratio in the normal order image and the reverse order image and the entire area of the printing paper having the same area are used. The case of being equally divided into two is described as an example. However, the image processing unit 16 sets a position to divide the entire area of the printing paper in accordance with the size (reduction ratio) of the normal order arrangement image and the reverse order arrangement image. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3A, when the forward-order placement image G1 is larger than the reverse-order placement image G2, (when the reduction rate of the forward-order placement image G1 is smaller than the reduction rate of the reverse-order placement image G2). The division position is set so that the area of the region R11 is larger than the region R12.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the paper transport unit 17 includes a transport roller, a motor for driving the transport roller, and the like. The paper transport unit 17 transports the printing paper stored in the paper feed cassette to the image forming unit 18 and also the image forming unit 18. Then, the printing paper on which the image forming process has been performed is conveyed to a paper discharge tray. The image forming unit 18 performs image forming processing using image data such as document image data stored in the image data storage unit 15 under the control of the control unit 11. Specifically, a toner image corresponding to the various image data is formed, the formed toner image is transferred to the printing paper conveyed from the paper conveyance unit 17, and the toner image transferred to the printing paper is fixed.

  The various sensor groups 19 are various sensors necessary for image forming operations such as a paper out detection sensor, a paper jam detection sensor, a paper position detection sensor, and a temperature sensor, and control various information detected by each sensor as detection signals. To the unit 11.

  Next, the operation of the multifunction device 1 having the above configuration will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the multifunction machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. The process shown in FIG. 4 is started each time a print instruction from the terminal device 2 is transmitted via the network N. Alternatively, in a state where the copy function switching key provided in the operation display unit 12 is operated and the copy function is enabled, the user sets a document on the ADF provided in the image reading unit 14, and the operation display unit 12. Is started by instructing the start of copying by operating the start key provided in the menu. Here, in order to simplify the explanation, it is assumed that the reduction ratios in the face-to-face printing mode (reduction ratios of the normal order arrangement image G1 and the reverse order arrangement image G2 shown in FIG. 3) are set to be the same.

  When the processing shown in FIG. 4 is started, the control unit 11 first determines whether or not the input print instruction (copy start instruction) is a print instruction indicating that printing should be performed in the face-to-face printing mode (step S11). S11). When it is determined that the input print instruction is not a print instruction for printing in the face-to-face printing mode (for example, a normal print instruction, a print instruction for aggregate printing, or a print instruction for booklet printing) If there is, the determination result in step S11 is “NO”, and printing processing (normal printing, collective printing, booklet printing, etc.) according to the instruction is performed under the control of the control unit 11 (step S12). .

  On the other hand, when the input print instruction is a print instruction indicating that printing is to be performed in the face-to-face print mode (when the determination result in step S11 is “YES”), the document image transmitted from the terminal device 2 is displayed. Data (or document image data read by the image reading unit 14) and document image data stored in the image data storage unit 15 is read by the control unit 11 (step S13). The document image data read by the control unit 11 is output to the image processing unit 16.

  When document image data is input from the control unit 11, processing for creating image data for face-to-face printing is performed by the image processing unit 16 under the control of the control unit 11 (step S14: first step). Specifically, when the printing paper is placed vertically, as shown in FIG. 3A, the entire area of the printing paper is divided into two upper and lower areas R11 and R12 at the middle position of the printing paper. Processing is performed. Next, the original image indicated by the original image data is reduced to create a normal arrangement image G1, and a rotated image obtained by rotating the original image indicated by the original image data by 180 degrees is referred to as a normal arrangement image G1. A process of creating the reverse order arrangement image G2 is performed by reducing at the same reduction rate. And the process which arrange | positions the normal order arrangement | positioning image G1 in area | region R11 located in the lower side among two division | segmentation area | regions R11 and R12, and arrange | positions the reverse order arrangement | positioning image G2 in area | region R12 located in an upper side is performed. . Thereby, image data for face-to-face printing is created.

  When the printing paper is placed horizontally, as shown in FIG. 3B, the entire area of the printing paper is divided into two left and right areas R21 and R22 at the middle position of the printing paper. . Then, in the same manner as the above process, a process for creating the forward order placement image G1 and the reverse order placement image G2 is performed, and the forward order placement image G1 is displayed in the region R21 located on the left side of the two divided regions R21 and R22. And the processing for arranging the reverse-order arrangement image G2 in the region R22 located on the right side is performed, so that the image data for face-to-face printing is created.

  The created image data for face-to-face printing is read by the control unit 11 and temporarily stored in the image data storage unit 15, and then read again by the control unit 11 and sent to the image forming unit 18. If it is not necessary to store the image data in the image data storage unit 15, the image data for face-to-face printing created by the image processing unit 16 may be sent directly to the image forming unit 18. When the face-to-face printing image data is input to the image forming unit 18, printing on the printing paper is performed (step S15: second step).

  Specifically, the conveyance of the printing paper is started by the paper conveyance unit 17 and the formation of the toner image corresponding to the image data for face-to-face printing is started by the image forming unit 18. When the toner image is formed by the image forming unit 18, the toner image is transferred and fixed on the printing paper conveyed by the paper conveying unit 17. The printing paper on which the toner image is fixed is conveyed to the paper discharge tray by the paper conveying unit 17. In this way, the image data for face-to-face printing is printed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a printed matter created in an embodiment of the present invention is referred to in a state where two persons face each other. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, a vertically-printed print sheet (see FIG. 3A) is vertically placed between two people P1 and P2 facing each other. In the example shown in FIG. 5 (b), two persons P1 and P2 who face a printed matter (see FIG. 3 (b)) created by dividing horizontally placed printing paper into left and right parts are shown. It is the example arrange | positioned horizontally between.

  Further, the example shown in FIG. 5C is an example in which a vertically-printed print sheet is vertically divided between two people P1 and P2 that are created by dividing a vertical print sheet into different areas. The example shown in FIG. 5 (d) is an example in which a color image is formed in one region R42 having a large area in the example shown in FIG. 5 (c). In the example shown in FIG. 5D, for example, the upper character string “Aiueo” is printed in blue, and the lower character string “Kakikueko” is printed in red.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5D, when a printed matter created in the face-to-face printing mode is arranged between two persons facing each other, it is arranged in one of the two divided areas. The images to be arranged are arranged in a normal order with respect to one person, and the images arranged in the other area are arranged in a normal order with respect to the other person. Specifically, the images arranged in the regions R11, R21, R31, R41 are arranged so as to be in the normal order with respect to one person P1, while the images arranged in the regions R12, R22, R32, R42. Are arranged in the normal order with respect to the other person P2. For this reason, the two persons P1 and P2 only refer to the images that are in order with respect to themselves without reading the printed matter upside down or reading the printed matter by twisting its head or body. Can easily read printed matter.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, by making the areas of the regions R32 and R42 larger than the areas of the regions R31 and R41, the images arranged in the regions R32 and R42 are displayed in the regions R31 and R41. It can be made larger than the arranged image. Thereby, for example, when one person P1 is the person who explains and the other person P2 is the person who receives the explanation, the small images arranged in the regions R31 and R41 are in regular order with respect to the one person P1. If the large images arranged in the regions R32 and R42 are arranged in the normal order with respect to the other person P2, the other person P2 refers to the large printed image that is easy to see with reference to the one person. You can receive an explanation of P1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5D, the large image arranged in the region R42 is used as a color image, so that the other person P2 can explain the one person P1 while referring to an easy-to-read printed matter printed in color. Can receive. In the example shown in FIG. 5D, only the large image arranged in the region R42 is a color image, and the small image arranged in the region R41 is a monochrome image. For this reason, the cost required for printing can be suppressed as compared with the case where color printing is performed on the entire surface of the printing paper.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, a normal order arrangement image corresponding to the original image is arranged in one region R11, R21, R31, R41 on the printing paper, and the original image is rotated by 180 degrees. The corresponding images arranged in the normal order are arranged in the remaining regions R12, R22, R32, and R42 on the printing paper, and the images arranged in this way are printed on the printing paper. For this reason, it is possible to create a printed matter that can be easily referred to by both persons facing each other while suppressing wasteful consumption of printing paper.

  Although the image forming apparatus and the image forming method according to the embodiment of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be freely changed within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, an example in which a vertically placed printing sheet is divided vertically (FIG. 3A) and an example in which a horizontally placed printing sheet is divided into left and right (FIG. 3B) are given as examples. As described above, the user may arbitrarily select the division direction. Further, the arrangement of two images (the normal order arrangement image G1 and the reverse order arrangement image G2 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B) with respect to the divided area may be arbitrarily selectable by the user.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a multifunction machine has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile. it can.

Image forming apparatus Image processing unit Image forming unit

Claims (7)

In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium,
The first image corresponding to the document image is arranged in the first region on the recording medium, and the second image corresponding to the rotated image obtained by rotating the document image by 180 degrees is used as the remaining second image on the recording medium. Placement means for placing in the area;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image in which the first and second images are arranged in the first and second regions, respectively, on the recording medium.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second images are reduced images of the original image.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second images is a monochrome image of the document image.   The first and second areas are areas obtained by vertically dividing the entire area of the recording medium placed vertically. 4. Image forming apparatus.   The said 1st, 2nd area | region is an area | region obtained by dividing | segmenting the whole area | region of the said recording medium placed horizontally into right and left, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Image forming apparatus.   6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the position for dividing the entire area of the recording medium is set according to the size of the first and second images. An image forming method for forming an image on a recording medium,
The first image corresponding to the document image is arranged in the first region on the recording medium, and the second image corresponding to the rotated image obtained by rotating the document image by 180 degrees is used as the remaining second image on the recording medium. A first step of placing in the region;
And a second step of forming, on the recording medium, an image in which the first and second images are arranged in the first and second regions, respectively.

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