JP2019001083A - Information processing device, program, and terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an information processing device that enables control of execution/non-execution of an overlay by automatically identifying data during overlay processing.SOLUTION: An overlay control unit 121 of a control unit 110 in a printer 101 determines whether print job data has a prescribed attribute (e.g., being a monochrome page) during processing of data with an overlay designated, executes overlay processing on the print job data and outputs a processing result to an image formation unit 122 in the case of determining that the data has the attribute, and outputs the inputted print job data as it is to the image formation unit 122 without executing the overlay processing on the print job data in the case of determining that the data does not have the attribute.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing device, a program, and a terminal device for processing an overlay.

  A so-called overlay function is known in which form data such as a form is registered in advance in a printing apparatus, and character data and the like sent from a terminal device and the form data are superimposed and printed in the printing apparatus.

  Furthermore, in recent years, a technique called transpromo is known in which an advertisement that matches a user's preference is included in a bill or the like, and printing is performed. In the case of form data for which transpromo is performed, it is necessary to perform control so that overlay is not performed on all pages but only on pages that meet a specific condition. In such control, for example, overlay is performed on the form part and overlay is not performed on the advertisement part.

  As a conventional technique for controlling the overlay, for example, the following technique is known (for example, Patent Document 1). In this prior art, when the printer receives print data instructing overlay printing from a computer, the printer reads form information registered in the form information storage unit. If either the text or the form is expressed in color, processing for color printing is performed. On the other hand, when both are expressed in monochrome, processing for monochrome printing is performed. By this control, an appropriate printing process according to the text information and the color information of the form is performed during overlay printing.

JP 2003-175651 A

  As described above, in order to perform control so that overlay is performed only on pages that match a specific condition, conventionally, when a printer driver is started on the terminal device side and print designation is performed, for example, There is a problem that it is necessary to individually specify whether or not to perform overlay for each page, and when printing a large amount of forms for performing transpromo, a very complicated print instruction is required. there were.

  Further, in the above-described prior art in which appropriate print processing is performed according to the text information and form color information during overlay printing, it has not been possible to control whether or not to perform overlay for transpromo printing.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable automatic determination of data during overlay processing to control execution / non-execution of the overlay.

  In an example of the aspect, when processing data for which overlay is specified, a determination unit that determines whether or not the data has a predetermined attribute, and when the determination unit determines that the data has a predetermined attribute, the data And an overlay execution unit that executes overlay processing on the computer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically determine data at the time of overlay processing and control the execution / non-execution of the overlay.

It is a block diagram showing an example of composition of an information processing system concerning an embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a printing instruction | indication screen. It is a flowchart which shows the example of an overlay control process.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system according to the embodiment. The information processing system includes a printer 101 that is an information processing apparatus, a terminal apparatus 102, and a network 150 such as a LAN (local area network) that connects the printer 101 and the terminal apparatus 102 over a network. The network 150 may be connected to various computer devices other than the terminal device 102 and the printer 101, and may be connected to a wide area network such as the Internet or a dedicated line network.

  The terminal device 102 has a configuration in which a control unit 130, an external storage device 131, an input unit 133, a display unit 134, a communication interface 132, and a portable recording medium interface 135 are connected to each other via a bus 136. . The control unit 130 further includes a document data generation unit 140 and a printer driver unit 141 including an overlay designation unit 142.

  In the configuration of the terminal device 102, the control unit 130 is a dedicated hardware device that realizes the functions of the respective units 140 to 142, or a processor that executes a control program stored in a memory (not shown). In the control unit 130, a document data generating unit 140 is various application execution units such as a word processor and spreadsheet software for creating document data to be printed.

  The printer driver unit 141 executed by the control unit 130 generates print job data from the document data generated by the document data generation unit 140. The print job data includes image image data for document data and other various print command data. The overlay specification unit 142 included in the printer driver unit 141 adds overlay information for instructing the overlay processing to the print job data when the print job data having the predetermined attribute is output when the print job data specifying the overlay is output. Then, the printer driver unit 141 is caused to output print job data. An instruction for overlay processing with a predetermined attribute is, for example, an instruction to execute overlay processing when the page of print job data is a monochrome page, or an instruction to execute overlay processing when the page of print job data is a color page It is.

  The external storage device 131 is, for example, a hard disk storage device or a semiconductor disk device, and stores various control programs executed by the control unit 130, document data, print job data, and the like.

  The input unit 133 is, for example, a keyboard or a pointing device for the user to create document data and input a print instruction to the printer driver unit 141. The display unit 134 is a liquid crystal display, for example, for displaying document data and various data.

  The communication interface 132 relays data transmission / reception between the control unit 130 and the printer 101 connected via the network 150.

  The portable recording medium interface 135 accommodates a portable recording medium 137 such as a USB memory, an SD card memory, a compact flash memory, a CD-ROM, a DVD, and an optical disk, and has an auxiliary role for the external storage device 131. .

  The terminal device 102 according to the present embodiment may be realized by a processor executing a control program that realizes various functions of the control unit 130. The control program is stored in, for example, the external storage device 131 or the portable recording medium 137. It may be recorded and distributed, or may be acquired from the network 150 by the communication interface 132.

  Next, the printer 101 as an information processing apparatus includes a control unit 110, a printer engine 111, an external storage device 112, a communication interface 113, an operation panel 114, and a portable recording medium interface 115 via a bus 116. It has the structure connected mutually. The control unit 110 further includes a job data analysis unit 120, an overlay control unit 121, an image forming unit 122, and a print execution unit 123.

  In the configuration of the printer 101, the control unit 110 is a dedicated hardware device that implements the functions of the respective units 120 to 123, or a processor that executes a control program stored in a memory (not shown).

  A job data analysis unit 120 executed by the control unit 110 analyzes print job data received from the terminal device 102 via the network 150 and the communication interface 113.

  The overlay control unit 121 executed by the control unit 110 specifies the print job data in the print job data when the overlay print is specified in the print job data analyzed by the job data analysis unit 120. It is determined whether or not it has a predetermined attribute.

  Specifically, the overlay control unit 121 determines, for each print page of the print job data, whether the page has a monochrome page (or conversely a color page). When the overlay control unit 121 determines that each print page is a monochrome page having a predetermined attribute, for example, the overlay control unit 121 performs overlay processing on the print page of the print job data, The print job data obtained as a result of the above is output to the image forming unit 122.

  On the other hand, if the overlay control unit 121 determines that each print page does not have a predetermined attribute, for example, it is not a monochrome page (a color page), the overlay process is not executed, and the input print job The data is output to the image forming unit 122 as it is.

  The image forming unit 122 generates raster data that is a print image from the print job data processed by the overlay control unit 121 and temporarily stores the raster data in the external storage device 112, for example.

  The print execution unit 123 reads raster data from the external storage device 112 according to a predetermined print schedule, sends the raster data to the printer engine 111, and executes printing. In particular, the printer engine 111 controls paper feeding, conveyance, and paper ejection (not shown), and executes printing of raster data input from the printing execution unit 123.

  The external storage device 112 is, for example, a hard disk storage device or a semiconductor disk device, and stores print job data executed by the control unit 110, overlay form data, print raster data, and the like.

  The operation panel 114 is, for example, a touch panel and a liquid crystal display device for a user to perform various printing instructions and display a printing status.

  The communication interface 113 relays data transmission / reception between the terminal device 102 and the control unit 110 connected via the network 150.

  The portable recording medium interface 115 accommodates a portable recording medium 117 such as a USB memory, an SD card memory, a compact flash memory, a CD-ROM, a DVD, and an optical disk, and has a role of assisting the external storage device 112. .

  The printer 101 according to the present embodiment may be realized by a processor executing a print control program that realizes various functions of the control unit 110. The control program is stored in, for example, the external storage device 112 or the portable recording medium 117. It may be recorded and distributed, or may be acquired from the network 150 by the communication interface 113.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print instruction screen displayed when the user designates the printer driver unit 141 from the document data generation unit 140 software and instructs the execution of printing in the terminal device 102. In addition to the normal print designation, a designation menu 201 for overlay printing is provided. In this menu 201, in addition to color / monochrome designation, the user can designate whether only monochrome pages are to be overlaid or only color pages are to be overlaid (synthesized). When the user designates that only monochrome pages are subjected to overlay processing, the overlay control unit 121 in the control unit 110 of the printer 101 in FIG. 1 adds the print page to the print page only when determining that the print page is a monochrome page. Then, overlay processing is executed. On the other hand, when the user designates that only the color page is subjected to the overlay process, the overlay control unit 121 executes the overlay process on the print page only when it is determined that the print page is the color page.

  As described above, the designation for overlay processing only for monochrome pages specified by the user in the overlay designation menu 201 on the print instruction screen or the designation for overlay processing only for color pages is performed in the print job data generated by the printer driver 141 in FIG. It is stored in the header part and transmitted to the printer 101 as part of print job data.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of overlay control processing executed by the control unit 110 in the printer 101 of FIG. First, in FIG. 1, the communication interface 113 receives print job data from the terminal device 102 via the network 150. Then, the job data analysis unit 120 in the control unit 110 analyzes the received print job data (step 301).

  Next, the control unit 110 determines whether overlay printing is designated as a result of the analysis of the print job data in step S301 (step S302).

  If the determination in step S302 is NO, the control unit 110 causes the print job data analyzed by the job data analysis unit 120 to be input to the image forming unit 122 as it is. As a result, a page output process including a process for generating raster data by the image forming unit 122 and a print execution process by the print execution unit 123 is executed (step S308).

  If the determination in step S302 is YES, control is transferred to the overlay control unit 121. The overlay control unit 121 reads overlay information from the print job data analyzed in step S302 301 (step S303). The overlay information is designated by the user operating the terminal apparatus 102 in the overlay designation menu 201 of the print instruction screen illustrated in FIG. 2 to designate overlay processing (compositing) for only monochrome pages or designation for overlay processing only for color pages. This is information indicating either.

  Next, the overlay control unit 121 determines whether the overlay information in step S303 indicates designation for overlay processing only for monochrome pages or designation for overlay processing only for color pages (step S304).

  If the overlay information indicates that only monochrome pages are to be overlaid, the overlay control unit 121 determines, for each print page obtained as a result of the analysis processing in step S301, whether the page is a monochrome page. (Step S305).

  If the overlay control unit 121 determines in step S305 that the overlay information indicates that only monochrome pages are overlaid, the overlay control unit 121 subsequently determines whether the print page is a monochrome page (step S305). S305).

  When the overlay control unit 121 determines that the print page is a monochrome page (when the determination in step S305 is YES), the overlay control unit 121 stores the form data stored in the external storage device 112 and designated by the print job data, and the print page. Overlay processing (form synthesis processing) is executed (step S307). The overlay control unit 121 outputs print page data obtained as a result of the overlay process to the image forming unit 122 in FIG.

  On the other hand, if the overlay control unit 121 determines that the print page is a color page (when the determination in step S305 is NO), the overlay page in step S307 is not executed, and the print page data is used as is. The image is output to the image forming unit 122 in FIG.

  If the overlay control unit 121 determines in the determination in step S305 that the overlay information indicates a designation for performing overlay processing only on the color page, the overlay control unit 121 subsequently determines whether the print page is a color page (step S305). S306).

  If the overlay control unit 121 determines that the print page is a color page (YES in step S306), the form data stored in the external storage device 112 and designated by the print job data and the print page are stored. Overlay processing (form synthesis processing) is executed (step S307). The overlay control unit 121 outputs print page data obtained as a result of the overlay process to the image forming unit 122 in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the overlay control unit 121 determines that the print page is a monochrome page (when the determination in step S306 is NO), the overlay page in step S307 is not executed, and the print page data is used as is. The image is output to the image forming unit 122 in FIG.

  After the overlay control for each print page by the overlay control unit 121 described above, the process includes a process for generating raster data by the image forming unit 122 in FIG. 1 and a print execution process by the print execution unit 123 for each print page. A page output process is executed, and printing of each print page is executed (step S308).

  By the operation of the embodiment described above, the user of the terminal apparatus 102 performs overlay for each print page by creating, for example, the form part with monochrome data and the advertisement part with color data (or vice versa). It is possible to print a large number of forms and advertisements for performing transpromo without having to individually specify “no”.

  In the above-described embodiment, the user of the terminal apparatus 102 has specified that only a monochrome page is overlaid or specified that only a color page is subjected to overlay processing, but based on other attributes of print data. The overlay processing may be specified.

Regarding the above embodiment, the following additional notes are disclosed.
(Appendix 1)
A determination unit that determines whether or not the data has a predetermined attribute when processing data for which overlay is specified;
An overlay execution unit that executes overlay processing on the data when the determination unit determines that the data has the predetermined attribute;
An information processing apparatus comprising:
(Appendix 2)
The information processing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the color designation of the data is monochrome designation or color designation.
(Appendix 3)
A terminal device comprising: an overlay designating unit that outputs overlay information for instructing overlay processing to the data when the data having a predetermined attribute is output when the data designating the overlay is output. .
(Appendix 4)
When outputting data designating an overlay, adding overlay information for instructing overlay processing to the data when it has a predetermined attribute, and outputting the data;
Determining whether the data has the predetermined attribute when processing the data to which the overlay designation data is added;
Performing an overlay process on the data when it is determined that the data has the predetermined attribute;
A program that causes a computer to execute.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Printer 102 Terminal apparatus 110, 130 Control part 111 Printer engine 112, 131 External storage device 113, 132 Communication interface 114 Operation panel 115, 135 Portable recording medium interface 116, 136 Bus 117, 137 Portable recording medium 120 Job data analysis Unit 121 Overlay control unit 122 Image forming unit 123 Print execution unit 133 Input unit 134 Display unit 140 Document data generation unit 141 Printer driver unit 142 Overlay designation unit

Claims (4)

A determination unit that determines whether or not the data has a predetermined attribute when processing data for which overlay is specified;
An overlay execution unit that executes overlay processing on the data when the determination unit determines that the data has the predetermined attribute;
An information processing apparatus comprising:   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the color designation of the data is monochrome designation or color designation.   A terminal device comprising: an overlay designating unit that outputs overlay information for instructing overlay processing to the data when the data having a predetermined attribute is output when the data designating the overlay is output. . When outputting data designating an overlay, adding overlay information for instructing overlay processing to the data when it has a predetermined attribute, and outputting the data;
Determining whether the data has the predetermined attribute when processing the data to which the overlay designation data is added;
Performing an overlay process on the data when it is determined that the data has the predetermined attribute;
A program that causes a computer to execute.