JP2013143708A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To create a printed matter having QR codes printed on appropriate positions both before and after cutting in copying the printed matter by using a double copy 180° function.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes an image repeat function (double copy 180° function) for forming a single image plural times on a single surface of one output sheet so that an image on the left side and an image on the right side are in reverse direction with respect to a cutting surface of the output sheet. The image forming apparatus includes control means for controlling image arrangement of the image on the left side and the image on the right side depending on a position at which a code is printed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that prints a code including duplication permission information and duplication prohibition information as an image and embeds the code in a paper medium.

  There is a function called “double copy” that outputs a document image that is repeated twice on a sheet that is twice the size of the document. The user can cut the output paper (double the size of the original) in half to obtain two output papers of the original size. For example, when the document size is A5, it is output twice on A4 size paper. If cut, A5 will be two.

  If the image is formed by rotating one side of the original image by 180 degrees during the double copy, the user can obtain two sheets with the same cut surface. This is hereinafter referred to as “double copy 180 degrees”.

  In Patent Document 1, an image is formed on the same sheet of output paper in opposite directions with respect to the cut surface, so that the cut surface for each formed image can be aligned after cutting the output paper. Degree ".

  In addition, there is a function (job block function) for controlling permission or prohibition of copying by printing a code such as a QR code (registered trademark) together with a printed matter. First, the code is detected and decoded from the image data obtained by scanning the printed matter. If the copy permission information is obtained as a result of the decoding, the printed material on which the image data is printed is discharged. If the copy prohibition information is obtained, the copied material is not discharged. . For example, in the information marking standard specification of BMLinkS, the code is embedded within 30 mm at any one of the four corners of the output sheet (upper right, lower right, upper left, lower left). The code at that position is to be read.

  Here, when copying and copying a QR code while 180 degrees double copying, both the double size output paper before cutting and the two output papers after cutting are read from the viewpoint of security. It is desirable that the QR is embedded at a possible position.

JP 2007-060451 A

However,
1) If the QR code is simply embedded in only one of the four corners of the output paper before cutting that is twice the size of the original, the QR code is only printed on one of the two output papers after cutting. There is a problem that it is not embedded and cannot meet the user's request to obtain two identical sheets.
2) When embedding QR codes in two places, one in each of the four corners of each of the two output sheets after cutting, before cutting, depending on which position the QR code is embedded in the original document However, there is a problem that the security level is impaired because QR codes may not be embedded at the four corner positions that can be read.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to print a QR code at an appropriate position both before and after cutting when copying at 180 degrees double copy. The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that generates a printed matter.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention has the same image on the same surface of one output sheet, and the left image and the right image are in opposite directions with respect to the cut surface of the output sheet. An image forming apparatus having an image repeat function (double copy 180 degree function) for forming a plurality of
Control means for controlling the image arrangement of the left image and the right image according to the position where the code is printed.

  According to the present invention, when a double copy is made at 180 degrees, a printed matter with a QR code printed at an appropriate position before and after cutting is output. Is effective.

System diagram of the first embodiment Diagram explaining the relationship between code print position and output Flow chart of the first embodiment The figure which shows the operation screen (code embedding setting) of the image forming apparatus The figure which shows the operation screen (code embedding position setting) of an image forming apparatus

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Example 1]
Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, when performing double copy 180 degrees, a process for controlling the left and right image arrangement so that QR is positioned at the four corners of double-size paper according to the position where the QR code is printed is described in detail. explain.

  FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a system applied to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  This figure shows an example in which a document 207 on which a QR code 153 is printed is (1) read, (2) decoded, and double-copied 180 degrees on a double-size printed matter 205 (3) printed. .

  The MFP 100 as an image forming apparatus includes a CPU 121, a display unit 122, a communication unit 123, a reception unit 124, a storage unit 125, a printing unit 126, a reading unit 127, and a decoder 128.

  The storage unit 125 stores a program shown in the flowchart of FIG. The CPU 121 executes a program in the storage unit 125 so as to comprehensively control processing of each component of the MFP 100. The storage unit 125 further includes a storage area for temporarily storing print data received from the user PC 101. The storage unit 125 further includes a storage area for storing various images shown in FIG. The various images include an image obtained by reading a document (hereinafter referred to as a read image), a code image including information indicating whether copying is permitted or prohibited, a code embedded image obtained by combining a code image with the read image, and the like.

  The reading unit 127 optically reads a document and generates image data. The image read by the reading unit 127 is stored in the storage unit 125.

  The printing unit 126 reads an image from the storage unit 125 and performs printing. A copy function is realized by reading an original with the reading unit 127 and printing it out to the printing unit 126.

  The accepting unit 124 can accept an instruction to execute a job such as copying by accepting a key (hard key or soft key) input. The accepting unit 124 can accept various print condition settings.

  The display unit 122 can display job statuses, alarms, errors, settings of the MFP 100, and the like.

  Next, the setting screen of MFP 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 shows a setting screen for carrying out the embodiment. In the screen of FIG. 4, the user can select the code embedding setting. When the user selects “copy permission” 401 in a state where “<code embedding>” is displayed on the display unit 122, the receiving unit 124 accepts the selection, and the CPU 121 sets the code embedding setting of the MFP 100 to “copy permission”. To do. In this case, the CPU 121 controls to embed a copy permission code during the printing process in the MFP 100.

  When the user selects “copy prohibited” 402, CPU 121 sets the code embedding setting of MFP 100 to “copy prohibited”. In this case, the CPU 121 controls to embed a copy-prohibited code during the printing process in the MFP 100.

  When the user selects “embedding position” 403, the receiving unit 124 receives the selection, and the CPU 121 controls the display unit 122 to display “<code embedding position>”. The display of “<code embedding position>” will be described below with reference to FIG.

  In the screen of FIG. 5, the user can select the code embedding position setting. The code embedding position setting is for the user to select and set the position for printing the QR code when copying a document on which the QR code is not printed. (Note that when a document on which a QR code is printed is copied, it is printed at the position where the QR code of the document is printed).

  When the user selects “upper left” 501 while “<code embedding position>” is displayed on the display unit 122 of FIG. 5, the accepting unit 124 accepts the selection, and the CPU 121 sets the code embedding position setting of the MFP 100 to “upper left”. To "". In this case, the CPU 121 controls the code to be embedded in the upper left during the code embedding (combination) process in the MFP 100.

  Similarly, when the user selects “upper right” 502, the CPU 121 sets the code embedding position setting of the MFP 100 to “upper right”.

  Similarly, when the user selects “lower left” 503, the CPU 121 sets the code embedding position setting of the MFP 100 to “lower left”.

  Similarly, when the user selects “lower right” 502, the CPU 121 sets the code embedding position setting of the MFP 100 to “lower right”.

  In either case, the CPU 121 controls to embed the code at a position corresponding to the code embedment position setting during the code embedment (combination) process in the MFP 100.

  Next, an operation flow (FIG. 3) in the first embodiment will be described. In that case, it demonstrates, supplementing various images using FIG.

  3 mainly illustrates a series of processing procedures during copying of the MFP 100 executed by the CPU 121. The operation flow of each step in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is realized by CPU 121 in MFP 100 executing a program in storage unit 125 and controlling each component of MFP 100.

  In step S3001 of FIG. 3, CPU 121 causes display unit 122 to display a basic setting screen after MFP 100 is turned on by the operator.

  Next, in step S3002, the CPU 121 receives settings of various printing conditions from the operator in response to key operations by the operator via the receiving unit 124.

  In step S3003, the CPU 121 determines whether a print start request for a job to be processed has been made based on whether the copy start key has been pressed by the operator.

  For example, it is assumed that various series of print processing conditions for a job to be processed are made by the operator via the reception unit 124 and then the operator presses the copy start key of the reception unit 124. In this case, the CPU 121 detects this print start request (start key input) and determines YES in step S3003. As a result, the CPU 121 advances the process from step S3003 to step S3004.

  Next, in step S3004, the CPU 121 controls the reading unit 127 to scan the document 207 on the document table, and reads an image on the document 207 as a document image (read images 202, 208, 212, and 218 in FIG. 2). The CPU 121 stores the document image in the storage unit 125 as a read image. In step S3005, the CPU 121 determines whether the QR code 153 exists in the document image.

  If it is determined that the QR code 153 exists, the CPU 121 controls the decoder 128 to decode the QR code 153 in step S3006. In step S3007, the CPU 121 detects whether a copy permission flag exists in the digital information in the decoded QR code 153.

  Here, when the copy permission flag is not detected, the copy is not permitted, and therefore the CPU 300 performs a print job cancel process in step S3008. Then, the process returns to step S3001 and the process is repeated.

  On the other hand, when the copy permission flag is detected, in step S3009, the CPU 121 acquires the position of the QR code on the document and stores it in the storage unit 125 as “QR printing position”. The position of the QR code on the document is one of the upper left, upper right, lower left, or lower right, depending on where the QR code is located at the four corners of the document. Then, the process proceeds to step S3010.

  In step S3005, when the CPU 121 determines that the QR code 153 does not exist in the document image, the process proceeds to step S3015. In step S3015, the CPU 121 acquires the position set in the code embedding position setting (explained in FIG. 5), and stores it in the storage unit 125 as “QR printing position”. In step S3016, the CPU 121 acquires information on a code to be embedded at the time of print processing. It is acquired whether the “code embedding setting” described in FIG. 4 is “copying permission” or “copying prohibition”.

  In step S3017, the CPU 121 generates a code image in accordance with “code embedding setting”. That is, in the case of “copying permission”, a code image including copying permission information is generated. On the other hand, in the case of “copy prohibited”, a code image including copy prohibited information is generated (for example, code image 203 in FIG. 2). The CPU 121 stores the generated code image in the code image storage area in the storage unit 125.

  In step S3018, the CPU 121 synthesizes a code image (for example, the code image 203 in FIG. 2) with the read image (for example, the read image 202 in FIG. 2) stored in the storage unit 125. Thereby, a code embedded image (for example, the code embedded image 204 in FIG. 2) is generated. The CPU 121 stores the generated code embedded image in a storage area in the storage unit 125. Then, the process proceeds to step S3010.

  In step S3010 from step S3009 or step S3018, the CPU 121 determines whether or not “double copy 180 degrees” is set based on the print condition setting.

  If it is determined in step S3010 that the setting is not for double copy 180 degrees, in step S3011, the CPU 121 performs a normal printing operation. Then, the process returns to step S3001 and the process is repeated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3010 that the double copy is set to 180 degrees, in step S3012, the CPU 121 determines whether the “QR print position” in the storage unit 125 is “upper left” or “lower left”.
Judging.

  If it is determined that the image is “upper left” or “lower left”, in step S3013, the CPU 121 prints a double-size output product (output product 205 in FIG. 2) obtained by rotating the right half image by 180 degrees. Control to do. Then, the process returns to step S3001 and the process is repeated.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3012, that it is not “upper left” or “lower left” (that is, “upper right” or “lower right”), the process proceeds to step S3014. In step S3014, the CPU 121 controls to print a double size output product (the output product 215 in FIG. 2) obtained by rotating the completed left half image by 180 degrees. Then, the process returns to step S3001 and the process is repeated.

  As described above, when the CPU 121 controls each configuration of the MFP 100 and performs double copy 180 degrees, the reading of the two output sheets after cutting is also performed at the reading position of the sheet before cutting the double size of the original. The printed matter on which the QR code is printed is also output at the position.

(Other examples)
In the above embodiment, an example in which the QR code embedding function and the double copy 180 degree function can be combined and used at the same time has been shown. However, the QR code embedding function and the double copy 180 degree function may be exclusively controlled. . That is, for example, when the QR code embedding function is set to be effective, it can be realized by controlling the receiving unit 124 so that the double copy 180 degree function cannot be enabled. As a result, it is prevented in advance that an output product in which the QR code is not printed at the reading position as a result of performing the double copy 180 degrees is generated.

  In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which either the right half of the completed image or the left half of the completed image is rotated by 180 degrees in accordance with the “QR printing position”. Any method may be used as long as the QR code is printed at the reading position for both the output product before cutting and the output product after cutting. For example, the right half is rotated by 180 degrees, but when the QR code position is at the upper right or lower right, the QR code position may be changed to the upper left or lower left for printing.

In the above embodiment, a QR code, which is a two-dimensional code, is used as an example of a code. However, the present invention is not limited to a QR code, and any code can be used as long as information such as an ST code, a bar code, and a mark can be added. Absent.
In the above embodiment, the MFP is shown as the image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Any device that can form an image, such as a printer, may be used.

  The storage unit 125, which is a storage medium in the above embodiment, may be anything as long as it is a medium (for example, HDD or RAM) that can store digital information.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the code embedding setting is set and held by the image forming apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be set on the user PC side, added to the print data as print setting information, and transmitted to the image forming apparatus.

  The object of the present invention can also be achieved by a computer reading and executing a program from a storage medium storing a program that implements the procedure of the flowchart shown in the above embodiment. In this case, the program itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment. Therefore, this program and a storage medium storing the program can also constitute the present invention.

100 MFP
121 CPU
122 display unit 123 communication unit 124 reception unit 125 storage unit 126 printing unit 127 reading unit 128 decoder 153 QR code

Claims (7)

An image repeat function (double copy 180 degree function) that forms the same image on the same surface of one output sheet so that the left image and the right image are in opposite directions with respect to the cut surface of the output sheet An image forming apparatus having
Control means for controlling the image arrangement of the left image and the right image according to the position where the code is printed;
An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls image arrangement so that codes are printed at four corners of the output sheet. An image forming apparatus having an image repeat function for forming a plurality of the same images on the same surface of one output sheet,
Having a control means for prohibiting the setting to use the image repeat function when the setting for printing the code is made;
An image forming apparatus. Although the image repeat function prohibits the setting to use the image repeat function when forming an image so that the left image and the right image are in opposite directions with respect to the cut surface of the output sheet. ,
When the image repeat function forms an image so that the left image and the right image are in the same direction with respect to the cut surface of the output paper, setting to use the image repeat function is not prohibited. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a control unit. The setting that the code is printed on the other side is:
This is performed when the code printed on one side indicates duplication permission information (YES in S7001, YES in S7002, YES in S7003),
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming apparatus is not performed when the code printed on one side indicates duplication prohibition information (NO in S 7001, NO in S 7002, NO in S 7003). If a setting is made to print a code on one side and a setting is not made to print a code on the other side,
An image forming system, wherein a setting is made so that a code is printed on the other surface. The setting that the code is printed on the other side is:
Performed when the code printed on one side indicates the copy permission information,
The image forming system according to claim 6, wherein the printing is not performed when the code printed on one side indicates duplication prohibition information.