JP2016032898A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to reliably find a spot where an error has occurred without using a sheet prepared for error.SOLUTION: In a case where an error is detected by an error detection part 213 during reception of image data or image processing, when image data in which the error has been detected is printed, printing is performed with a prescribed color on the edge of a sheet on which the image data is printed, and identification information for identifying the position of the sheet in which printing is performed on the edge of the sheet is printed on a sheet different from the sheet printed on the basis of the image data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that allows a user to reliably find a location where an error has occurred without using a sheet prepared for error.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a printing system that includes a terminal device such as a computer device that generates a print job, and a printing device that performs printing based on the print job generated by the terminal device.

  In such a printing system, when the user performs various print settings from the terminal device and then performs an operation for requesting printing, a print job is generated, and the print job is transmitted to the printing device.

  The printing apparatus executes a printing process based on the received print job, and discharges the printed paper onto a paper discharge tray.

  If multiple pages of image data are included in the print job, some image data may be missing due to a network error between the terminal device and the printing device, or the font specified by the print job may not exist In some cases, a font error that cannot be printed with the generated font occurs, and the image data of the page in which the error has occurred is not printed appropriately as the image data included in the print job.

  In such a case, it is necessary to specify the page in which the error has occurred, remove the page, and print the page again.

  In Patent Document 1, a paper feed stage on which a paper larger than the original printing paper is set is set as an error page paper feed stage, or not only the paper size but also different color paper, thickness, material, etc. By setting a paper feed tray with a different texture as the error page feed tray, when an error is detected, paper for error pages is fed from the error page feed tray to the page where the print error has occurred. A technique for inserting the tape is disclosed.

JP 2007-331324 A

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when an error is detected, paper is fed from an error page paper feed stage and inserted into a page where an error has occurred. Therefore, an error page paper feed stage is set in advance, and this setting is performed. It was necessary to set paper (hereinafter referred to as error paper) in the error page paper feed stage.

  As a result, the number of paper feed stages (trays) that can be used for printing is reduced, and there is a problem that the types of paper that can be used for printing are reduced.

  Also, assuming that an error has occurred a plurality of times in a series of printed materials, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 inserts error sheets fed from an error page feed stage at a plurality of locations. For this reason, it is troublesome for the user to search for the inserted error sheet, and the inserted error sheet is buried in a normally printed sheet, and the inserted error sheet may be overlooked.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that allows a user to reliably find a place where an error has occurred without using a sheet prepared for an error.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first feature of a printing apparatus according to the present invention is a receiving unit that receives image data of each page, and an image that executes image processing for converting the received image data into print image data. A processing unit; an error detection unit that detects an error in the image data in each page during reception of the image data; or an image in which an error is detected when the error detection unit detects an error. When printing the data, the image data is printed in a predetermined color on the edge of the paper to be printed, and printed on the edge of the paper on a paper different from the paper to be printed based on the image data. Printing means for printing specific information for specifying the position of the paper.

  According to the first feature of the printing apparatus according to the present invention, when an error is detected in the image data in each page during reception of image data or during image processing by the error detection means, the error is detected in the image data. The edge of the paper printed based on the image data is printed in a predetermined color, and the paper on which the image data in which the error is detected by the error detection unit is printed on a paper different from the paper printed based on the image data. Print error specification information for specifying the position. Therefore, when an error occurs, the printing paper of the image data in which the error has occurred is trimmed, and the page number where the error has occurred is printed, so that the user can use the error without using the paper prepared for the error. It is possible to surely find the place where the error occurred.

  For example, when a network error occurs during reception of a print job or an error relating to image processing occurs during image processing of image data, the user can select the color of one of the four sides of the printing paper (for example, red) By checking only this, it is possible to find a print sheet in which an error has occurred, so that it becomes easy to find a print sheet in which an error has occurred without using a sheet prepared for an error such as a slip sheet.

  In addition, after printing is completed, the page number of the printing paper in which the error has occurred is printed as the error identification information, so the user has generated an error even if an error has occurred on multiple printing papers As a check list for collecting printing paper, paper on which error specifying information is printed can be used, so that printing paper on which an error has occurred can be removed without fail.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the printing apparatus of FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of error specifying information storage processing of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a printing process of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the printed matter printed by the printing apparatus which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the printed matter printed by the printing apparatus which is a modification of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  A printing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described.

(Overall configuration of printing system)
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the printing system includes a user terminal 1 and a printing device 2.

  The user terminal 1 (1a to 1c) is an arithmetic processing device including a CPU, and has a function of creating image data for printing using various application software and instructing execution of printing processing of the image data. For example, the user terminal 1 (1a to 1c) can be realized by a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer or a dedicated device specialized in function, and is a mobile computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), or a mobile phone. Also good.

  The printing apparatus 2 is a network printer that prints an image based on a print job received from the user terminal 1 through the network 3 in accordance with a print instruction based on a user operation.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a printing apparatus 2 and a plurality of user terminals 1 (1a to 1c) are connected to a network 3, and a print job is transmitted from the user terminal 1 to the network. 3 to the printing apparatus 2. Here, the print job includes a plurality of pages of image data and print setting information that is setting information for printing based on the image data.

  The network 3 is a wireless network such as a local network (LAN) or a wireless LAN (WLAN) based on 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX using the communication protocol TCP / IP, for example, peer-to-peer. Simple network for home use is also included.

(Configuration of printing device)
Next, the configuration of the printing apparatus 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the printing apparatus 2 of FIG.

  The “module” used in the description refers to a functional unit that is configured by hardware such as an apparatus or a device, software having the function, or a combination thereof, and achieves a predetermined operation. .

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printing apparatus 2 includes a communication interface 201, an operation panel 202, a print image data storage unit 205, and an error specification information storage unit as modules for printing an image received via a network. 206, an arithmetic processing unit 210, and an inkjet head 220.

  The inkjet head 220 performs printing in units of lines by ejecting black (K) or color ink (C, M, Y) from the nozzles on the conveyed paper.

  The communication interface 201 is a communication interface that transmits and receives data to and from the user terminal 1 (1a to 1c). For example, the communication interface 201 performs data communication by a wired / wireless LAN, a serial method, a USB method, or the like.

  The operation panel 202 is a module that receives an instruction operation and a setting operation by a user. In this embodiment, for example, the operation panel 202 includes a touch panel that can display information for performing a selection operation.

  The print image data storage unit 205 is a volatile memory from which stored data is erased when power supply is interrupted. The print image data storage unit 205 stores print image data transmitted and received from the user terminal 1 (1a to 1c) and subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 212 described later. Here, the print image data storage unit 205 stores print image data for forming an image and print setting information that is setting information for printing based on the print image data. The print setting information is, for example, a printing mode in which either normal printing processing or trial printing processing is set, and the position to print an image on the paper is moved to that extent in the top, ground, right, and left directions. The print position to set the print density, the print density to set the density of the image to be printed, the color mode that sets whether to print in color or monochrome or automatically select color or monochrome, sort Sort settings for setting whether to perform printing, single-sided duplex setting for setting whether to print on one side or both sides, and the like are included.

  The error specifying information storage unit 206 is a storage device that stores and holds various types of data and programs. In the present embodiment, the stored error data is not nonvolatile even when the power supply is shut off. It has become. The error specifying information storage unit 206 stores error specifying information detected by an error detecting unit 213 described later. Specifically, the error specifying information storage unit 206 stores, as error specifying information, the page number of a page in which an error has occurred among print image data including a plurality of pages.

  The arithmetic processing unit 210 is configured by a processor such as a CPU or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), memory, hardware such as other electronic circuits, software such as a program having the function, or a combination thereof. Arithmetic module. The arithmetic processing unit 210 virtually constructs various functional modules by appropriately reading and executing a program, and with each constructed functional module, processing related to print image data, operation control of each unit, and user operations are performed. Various processes are performed.

  In particular, setting and control related to print processing in the present embodiment is performed by the arithmetic processing unit 210 in response to a user operation received through the operation panel 202 or the printer driver on the user terminal 1. Specifically, as a module related to print processing, the arithmetic processing unit 210 includes a print job reception unit 211, an image processing unit 212, an error detection unit 213, an operation signal acquisition unit 214, an image processing unit 215, A print control unit 216 is mounted.

  The print job receiving unit 211 is a module that receives a print job that is a series of print processing units. In this embodiment, the print job receiving unit 211 delivers the received print job to the image processing unit 212 when a new print job is received.

  The image processing unit 212 performs color conversion processing, bitmap conversion processing, and the like on the image data included in the print job supplied by the print job reception unit 211 so that the print processing can be performed, thereby performing print image data. Is generated.

  For example, the error detection unit 213 detects the occurrence of a network error in which an image is missing on some pages of a plurality of pages due to a network failure or the like during reception of a print job by the print job reception unit 211. At this time, it is detected in which page the image is missing due to the occurrence of a network error. In addition, the error detection unit 213 detects an occurrence of an error related to image processing such as a font error in which the font specified by the print job does not exist and the specified font cannot be printed during image processing by the image processing unit 212. Similarly, at this time, it is detected in which page an error has occurred.

  The operation signal acquisition unit 214 is a module that receives an operation signal from the user through the operation panel 202 and the communication interface 201, analyzes the received operation signal, and causes another module to execute processing according to the user operation. In particular, in the present embodiment, the operation signal acquisition unit 214 receives a print processing instruction operation from the operation panel 202 or a printer driver connected via the communication interface 201, or a user performs an instruction operation related to the print processing. It is a module that accepts and setting operations. The operation signal received by the operation signal acquisition unit 214 is input to the print control unit 216 as a control signal.

  When the error detection unit 213 detects an error during reception of a print job including image data or during image processing, the image processing unit 215 prints an edge of a sheet to be printed based on the image data corresponding to the detected error. The error image information for identifying the image data corresponding to the detected error is processed before or after the printed paper based on the print image data. Print.

  The print control unit 216 is an arithmetic processing device that performs digital signal processing specialized for image processing. The print image data stored in the print image data storage unit 205 or processed by the image processing unit 215 is processed. This module executes printing based on print image data.

(Function of printing device)
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the error specifying information storing process of the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the print job reception unit 211 of the printing apparatus 2 receives a print job (step S101), the error detection unit 213 causes the print job reception unit 211 to execute a print job based on the received print job. During reception, it is detected whether or not a network error in which image data is missing in some of a plurality of pages due to a network failure or the like has occurred (step S103). If a network error occurs during communication with the print job transmission destination, the communication interface 201 stores in the header of the print job which page in the print job has been received. As a result, the error detection unit 213 refers to the header of the print job, so that a network error has occurred during reception of the print job, and if it has occurred, which page the network error has occurred during reception. Can be detected. Therefore, the error detection unit 213 refers to the header of the print job and determines whether a network error has occurred during reception of the print job.

  If it is determined that a network error has not occurred during reception of the print job (step S103; NO), step S105 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S107.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that a network error has occurred during reception of the print job (step S103; YES), the error detection unit 213 has the page number of the page in which the network error has occurred among the image data including a plurality of pages. Is stored in the error specifying information storage unit 206 as error specifying information (step S105).

  Further, when the print job receiving unit 211 supplies the received print job to the image processing unit 212, the image processing unit 212 is included in the print job supplied by the print job receiving unit 211 so that the print processing can be executed. Image processing for generating print image data is executed by executing color conversion processing, bitmap conversion processing, and the like on the image data (step S107).

  The error detection unit 213 determines whether an error related to image processing, such as a font error that cannot be printed with the specified font because the font specified by the print job does not exist while the image processing unit 212 executes the image processing. It is detected (step S109). Specifically, the error detection unit 213 monitors the image processing by the image processing unit 212. If an error relating to the image processing has occurred during the image processing, and if it has occurred, which page is being processed Detect if an error has occurred.

  If it is determined that no error has occurred during image processing (step S109; NO), step S111 is skipped, and the process proceeds to step S113.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that an error has occurred during image processing (step S109; YES), the error detection unit 213 selects the page number of the page in which an error related to image processing has occurred among the image data including a plurality of pages. It memorize | stores in the error specific information storage part 206 as error specific information (step S111). Here, new error specifying information is added to the error specifying information stored in step S105. At this time, not only the page number of the page where the error has occurred but also the content of the error, the date and time when the error occurred, etc. may be stored.

  Next, the image processing unit 212 stores the print image data generated by executing the image processing in the print image data storage unit 205 (step S205).

  As described above, the error detection unit 213 detects the occurrence of a network error while the print job reception unit 211 is receiving a print job, or the image processing unit 212 detects the occurrence of an error related to image processing during image processing. In such a case, the error specifying information is stored, so that a page that is likely to cause a printing failure such as a loss of image data due to an error can be stored for each print job.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedure of the printing process of the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the operation signal acquisition unit 214 determines whether or not a print start is requested (step S201). Specifically, when the user performs an operation of selecting a print job and starting printing from the operation panel 202, or a print job designated to execute printing without the user selecting a print job In this case, when print image data is stored in the print image data storage unit 205, it is determined that a print start is requested.

  If it is determined in step S201 that printing start is requested (step S201; YES), the image processing unit 215 of the arithmetic processing unit 210 substitutes “1” as an initial value for a variable n indicating the number of pages. (Step S203), the error specifying information is read from the error specifying information storage unit 206 (Step S205).

  Then, the image processing unit 215 determines whether or not there is an error in the nth page of the print image data based on the read error specifying information (step S207).

  When it is determined that there is no error in the nth page of the print image data (step S207; NO), the print control unit 216 determines whether the inkjet head 220 is based on the print image data stored in the print image data storage unit 205. Then, the printing process of the nth page is executed by discharging black (K) or color ink (C, M, Y) from the nozzles on the conveyed paper (step S209).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that there is an error on the nth page of the print image data (step S207; YES), the print control unit 216 executes printing with a border on the nth page (step S211). Specifically, the print control unit 216 ejects black (K) or color ink (C, M, Y) from the nozzles onto the conveyed paper from the inkjet head 220, thereby printing image data. The print image data stored in the storage unit 205 is printed, and further, a width of about 10 (mm) from each end of each of the four sides is printed in a predetermined color (for example, red).

  Next, the image processing unit 215 determines whether or not all pages have been printed. If it is determined that printing of all pages has not been completed (step S213; NO), the variable n is incremented (step S213). S215), the process proceeds to step S207.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the printing of all pages has been completed (step S213; YES), the print control unit 216 performs conveyance from the inkjet head 220 based on the error specifying information stored in the error specifying information storage unit 206. By printing black (K) or color ink (C, M, Y) from the nozzle on the paper to be printed, the error specific information is printed after the last page printed based on the print image data. Processing is executed (step S217).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed matter printed by the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, it is assumed that the image data included in the print job is a total of 8 pages.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the printing paper 302 for the fourth page and the printing paper 303 for the seventh page are printed with a border.

  This is because a network error has occurred while receiving the image data of the fourth page of printing paper 302 and the seventh page of printing paper 303, or the fourth page of printing paper 302 and the seventh page of printing paper. This indicates that an error relating to image processing has occurred during image processing of image data 303. As a result, the user can search for the printing paper in which an error has occurred by checking only the color (for example, red) at any one of the four sides of the printing paper. It becomes easy.

  In addition, after the printing of the first to eighth pages is completed, the printing paper 301 on which the page number of the printing paper in which the error has occurred is printed as the error specifying information. As a result, even if an error has occurred in a plurality of printing papers, the user can use the printing paper 301 as a check list for collecting the printing paper in which the error has occurred. It is possible to remove the printing paper on which an error has occurred without fail.

(Effect of printing device 2)
As described above, according to the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when an error is detected by the error detection unit 213 during reception of image data or image processing, an image corresponding to the detected error. The edge of the paper to be printed based on the data is printed in a predetermined color, and the image data corresponding to the error detected by the error detection unit 213 is specified before or after the paper printed based on the image data. Therefore, when an error occurs, the print paper of the image data in which the error has occurred is trimmed, and the page number in which the error has occurred is printed. Therefore, the user does not need to prepare an error sheet such as a slip sheet in advance, and can surely find a place where an error has occurred.

<Modification>
In the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when a network error occurs during reception of image data or an error relating to image processing occurs during image processing of image data, the user Although the four sides are border-printed with a predetermined color (red), the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, border printing may be performed with a predetermined color (red) on only one upper side of the four sides of the printing paper, or border printing may be performed with a predetermined color (red) on only the corner of the printing paper. .

  In addition, the predetermined color is not limited to red, and may be any number of colors. For example, red border printing is performed on a printing paper in which a network error has occurred, and blue border printing is performed on a printing paper in which an image processing error has occurred. You may make it change a color according to error content, such as performing printing.

  Further, in the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, after the printing of the first to eighth pages is completed, the printing paper 301 on which the page number of the printing paper in which the error has occurred is printed as the error specifying information. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the printing paper 301 may be output before printing of the first to eighth pages.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed matter printed by the printing apparatus 2 which is a modification of the present invention. Here, the color of the network error is set as “red”, and the color of the error relating to image processing is set as “blue”.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the printing apparatus 2 which is a modification of the present invention, the upper part of the fourth page of the printing paper 402 is bordered in red, and the upper part of the seventh page of the printing paper 403 is bordered in blue. Printed.

  As a result, a network error has occurred while receiving image data on the fourth page of printing paper 302, and an error relating to image processing has occurred during image processing of image data with the seventh page of printing paper 303. Since it is understood, the user can grasp the error content and the influence level of the print image due to the occurrence of the error. For example, if the image on the printing paper 302 on the fourth page is within an allowable range as the degree of image loss, and the image on the printing paper 403 on the seventh page is not acceptable as the degree of image loss, Since the user can mainly check whether or not there is any problem with the image processing unit 212, it is possible to quickly reduce printing defects after the next time.

  In the printing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the error specifying information storage process and the print process are executed for each print job, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, when printing a destination on an envelope, the layout of the destination and the sender are the same, but since the destinations are all different, each print job is different. A series of print jobs having a common destination layout, sender, and the like are referred to as related jobs.

  When printing this related job, the error detection unit 213 detects whether or not an error has occurred during reception of image data or image processing in this related job unit, not a print job unit, and an error has been detected. In this case, the edge of the paper to be printed is printed in a predetermined color based on the image data corresponding to the detected error, and the error detected by the error detection unit 213 is handled before or after the related job is printed. Error specifying information for specifying image data to be printed may be printed.

  As a result, even when a related job is printed, the error identification information is printed before starting printing of a series of print jobs or after finishing printing of a series of print jobs. Even when there are a large number of jobs, it is possible to prevent the print paper on which the error specifying information is printed from being buried in the print job and difficult to find.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... User terminal 2 ... Printing apparatus 3 ... Network 201 ... Communication interface 202 ... Operation panel 205 ... Print image data storage part 206 ... Error specific information storage part 210 ... Arithmetic processing part 211 ... Print job receiving part 212 ... Image processing part 213 ... Error detection unit 214 ... Operation signal acquisition unit 215 ... Image processing unit 216 ... Print control unit 220 ... Inkjet head

Claims (1)

Receiving means for receiving image data of each page;
Image processing means for executing image processing for converting the received image data into print image data;
Error detection means for detecting an error in the image data in each page during reception of the image data or during the image processing;
When an error is detected by the error detection means, when printing the image data in which the error is detected, the image data is printed in a predetermined color on the edge of the paper to be printed, and based on the image data Printing means for printing specific information for specifying the position of the paper printed on the edge of the paper on a paper different from the paper to be printed;
A printing apparatus comprising:

Images