JP3492352B2 - Offline printing method and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an off-line printing method and an off- line printing method in which an image output function can be used off-line by using a removable storage medium.
The present invention relates to a printing device using the method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital copying machines have been required to have higher speeds and multifunctions, and so-called digital multi-function machines having a facsimile function, a printer function and the like in addition to the copying function have appeared. A conventional digital copying machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the flow of image signals in a conventional digital copying machine. The conventional digital copying machine shown in FIG. 13 includes an image sensor 71 that scans a document and converts reflected light from the document into an electric signal, and an A / D that converts an analog image signal from the image sensor 71 into a digital image signal. A converter 72, an image processing circuit 73 for performing image processing and editing processing such as edge enhancement, trimming, and halftone processing on a digital image signal, a buffering of the image signal from the image processing circuit 73, and A buffer memory 74 for adjusting a speed for outputting to a laser 78, a laser driver 78 for driving a semiconductor laser 79, and a CP connected by a CPU bus 83.
U85, LAN controller 80, page memory 84,
The parallel I / F 81, the CCU (communication control unit) 82, the compression / expansion circuit 86 and the like are included.

The light emitted from the semiconductor laser 79 serves as a basis for forming an image on a recording paper by a method of a known laser printer. The CPU 85 has a RAM and a ROM (not shown) and controls the entire digital copying machine. The page memory 84 has a capacity capable of storing at least one page of image data and is connected to the buffer memory 74. The image data stored in the page memory 84 is output to the laser driver 78 via the buffer memory 74 and recorded on recording paper.

The LAN controller 80 is for communicating with an external device via a local area network (LAN). When the digital copying machine is used as a remote printer, an external device such as a computer transmits a print control command and image data to the digital copying machine via the LAN. CPU85 is LAN
The image data received via is developed in the page memory based on the received print control command. Parallel I
It is also possible to connect the digital copying machine and the external device on a one-to-one basis by using / F81. In this case, when the digital copying machine is used as a printer of an external device, the external device transmits a print control command or image data to the digital copying machine via the parallel I / F of the digital copying machine.

The CCU 82 communicates with an external facsimile machine via a public line using a modem 87. The image data received by facsimile is expanded by the compression / expansion circuit 86, transferred to the page memory 84, and printed out. The original image data read for facsimile transmission is stored in the page memory 84, compressed by the compression / expansion circuit 86, and transmitted to the external facsimile apparatus via the CCU 82 and the modem 87. When the image scanner function of the digital copying machine is used from the external device, the external device transmits a document reading control command to the digital copying machine via the parallel I / F 81.
The read original image data is transmitted from the digital copying machine to an external device.

[0007]

Generally, a high-speed digital PPC having a copying ability of several tens or more sheets per minute is often installed in a common space such as a copying room or a corridor. When copying multiple copies of a document created on a personal computer, etc., the user outputs the original on a nearby printer,
This manuscript is brought to the place where the digital copying machine is installed, and a plurality of copies are copied using a sorter or the like in the digital copying machine. In particular, if the personal computer used by the user is a notebook type computer,
When not connected to the AN, the remote printing function of the digital copying machine cannot be used. In these cases, since the original image is output once on paper and then copied, there is a problem that image deterioration occurs.

On the other hand, when the user's personal computer is connected to the digital copying machine by LAN,
The user can use the remote print function provided in the digital copying machine. Therefore, the user can directly use the sorter function of the digital copying machine from his / her personal computer. However, even if the remote print function of the digital copying machine is used, in the end,
The user must go to a remote place where the digital copying machine is installed in order to take out the output printer. Furthermore, when a large number of copies are made using the remote print function, there is a high possibility that a paper jam or a recording paper break will occur in the digital copying machine. Therefore, even though the user uses the remote print function, the user needs to go to a remote place where the digital copying machine is installed. That is, the remote (online) printing function in a high-speed digital copying machine is
It can be said that this is a meaningless function.

Similarly, online from a user's personal computer using a parallel I / F or LAN,
When using the image scanner function of the digital copying machine, the user needs to set the document to be read on the image scanner section of the digital copying machine, so the user needs to go to a remote place of the digital copying machine. . That is, if the digital copier and the computer that is going to use its image scanner function are located far away from each other, connecting online is meaningless.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an off-line printing method in which an image output function can be used off-line by using a removable storage medium , and such off-line printing. Method
To provide a printing apparatus using the .

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, an offline printing method according to the present invention creates image data offline generated and stored in a removable storage medium in a storage medium. An off-line printing method for outputting based on output control data of stored image data, wherein the output control data is set by referring to print function information provided as a printer stored in a storage medium. It is characterized in that it is generated and stored based on.

In the off-line printing method according to the present invention, the print function information is downloaded to the storage medium in advance.

Further, in the off-line printing method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the print function information includes information on a recording paper size that can be set.

Alternatively, the print function information preferably includes information on a selectable image data file format.

Alternatively, the print function information preferably includes information on a selectable image data compression method.

Alternatively, the print function information preferably includes information on a double-sided print function that can be set.

Alternatively, it is preferable that the print function information includes sorter function information capable of designating a sorter for collating output recording sheets.

[0018] Alternatively, the print function information preferably includes a settable finisher function information finisher for stapling the recording sheets to be output force.

The print function information or the output control data is preferably character data. Also,
In order to achieve the above object, a printing apparatus according to the present invention
Uses the offline printing method according to the present invention.
Is characterized by.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the configuration of a digital copying machine to which the off-line printing method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of image signals in the digital copying machine shown in FIG. The digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1 includes an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 50 provided on a document table 1, an image scanner section 100 provided below the document table 1, and an image scanner section 100. Are provided independently of each other, and, for example, the image scanner unit 100
The operation unit 300 and the like provided above are configured. The operation unit 300 includes a PC card slot 89.

The image scanner section 100 includes an exposure lamp 101, a first mirror 102, and a constant velocity unit 103.
, Second mirror 104, third mirror 105, half-speed unit 106, lens 107, and image sensor 10
It is composed of 8 etc. In addition, the laser printer unit 200
Is a laser scanner unit 201 including a semiconductor laser, a polygon motor, a polygon mirror, and a laser optical system (not shown), a mirror 202, and a photosensitive drum 203.
, Main charger 204, developing unit 205, and transfer charger 2
06, a cleaner 207, a charge eliminating lamp 208, a conveyor belt 209, a fixing device 210, a guide 211, a paper discharge roller 212, and paper feed rollers 213, 214 and 21.
5, a guide 216, a timing roller 217, recording paper cassettes 218, 219 and 220, and a sorter 22.
It is composed of 1 etc.

The basic operation as a copying machine in the digital copying machine configured as described above will be described. AD
The plurality of originals placed on the F50 are placed face down one by one on the original platen 1 made of a transparent glass plate by the ADF.
The exposure lamp 101 exposes the original. First mirror 102
Reflects the light reflected from the document toward the second mirror 104. The constant velocity unit 103 including the exposure lamp 101 and the first mirror 102 moves in the direction of arrow P at a constant velocity to scan the document. The second mirror 104 and the third mirror 105 further reflect the reflected light from the first mirror 102. The half speed unit 106 including the second mirror 104 and the third mirror 105 moves in the same direction as the constant speed unit 103 at a speed half that of the constant speed unit 103. The reflected light from the document is focused by the lens 107 and focused on the image sensor 108. The photoconductor drum 203 has an arrow R
Rotate in a certain direction at a constant speed. The main charger 204 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 203. The laser light emitted from the laser scanner unit 201 is reflected by the mirror 202, and the photosensitive drum 203 is exposed and scanned to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 203. Developing device 205
Develops the electrostatic latent image with toner, and the photosensitive drum 20
A toner image is formed on 3.

Recording paper cassettes 218, 219 and 22
No. 0 is removable, and holds recording papers of different types depending on the required size and direction within a predetermined number range. The paper feed rollers 213, 214, and 215 feed the recording papers in the recording paper cassette one by one. Guide 2
16 guides the fed recording paper and guides it to the timing roller 217. The timing roller 217 performs registration for matching the fed recording paper with the toner image on the photosensitive drum 203, and adjusts the feeding timing. The toner image on the photoconductor drum 203 is transferred to the recording paper by the electric field generated by the transfer charger 206. The conveyor belt 209 moves in the direction of arrow Q and conveys the recording paper to the fixing device 210. The fixing device 210 fixes the toner on the recording paper to the recording paper by heat. The guide 211 guides the recording paper from the fixing device 210 to the paper discharge roller 212. The paper discharge roller 212 sorts the recording paper from the fixing device 210 into the sorter 22.
Lead to 1. The sorter 221 is provided with a plurality of paper discharge trays (bins) and performs collation at the time of copying in copy units. Also, Sorter 2
21 has a stapling function and a punching function. The cleaner 207 removes the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 203 from the photosensitive drum 203.
The discharge lamp 208 exposes the photoconductor drum 203 to erase the charge on the photoconductor.

Next, the structure of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1 based on the flow of image signals will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the digital copying machine scans an original document and converts the reflected light from the original document into an electric signal, and A / A that converts an analog image signal from the image sensor 71 into a digital image signal. A D converter 72 and an image processing circuit 73 for performing image processing such as edge enhancement, trimming, halftone processing, and editing processing on a digital image signal.
A buffer memory 74 for buffering the image signal from the image processing circuit 73 and adjusting the speed for outputting to the laser driver 78, a laser driver 78 for driving the semiconductor laser 79, and a CPU bus 83. It is composed of a CPU 85, a LAN controller 80, a page memory 84, a parallel I / F 81, a CCU (communication control unit) 82, a compression / expansion circuit 86, a PC card controller 88, etc. which are connected.

The light emitted from the semiconductor laser 79 serves as a basis for forming an image on the recording paper by the method of a known laser printer. The CPU 85 has a RAM and a ROM (not shown) and controls the entire digital copying machine. The page memory 84 has a capacity capable of storing at least one page of image data and is connected to the buffer memory 74. The image data stored in the page memory 84 is output to the laser driver 78 via the buffer memory 74 and recorded on recording paper.

The LAN controller 80 is for communicating with an external device via a local area network (LAN). When the digital copying machine is used as a facsimile transmission server, an external device such as a computer transmits a destination telephone number and image data to the digital copying machine via LAN. The CPU 85 compresses the image data received from the external device via the LAN by the compression / expansion circuit 86 as necessary. A CCU (communication control unit) 82 uses a modem 87 to transmit the image data compressed by the compression / expansion circuit 86 to an external facsimile apparatus via a public line.

The parallel I / F 81 can be used to connect the digital copying machine and the external device on a one-to-one basis. In this case, it is possible to control the digital copying machine from a nearby computer. By executing the dedicated digital copying machine control software on the computer connected to the digital copying machine, for example, the number of copies / copies, recording paper size, copy density, enlargement ratio,
In addition to setting the copy mode such as the need for double-sided copying and the setting of the sorting method for the output recording paper, the presence or absence of frame erasing, the setting of the trimming area, the area setting of the editing processing such as negative / positive inversion, and the complicated image editing processing Settings can also be made using a computer display or mouse.

The image data received by facsimile is expanded by the compression / expansion circuit 86, transferred to the page memory 84, and printed out. Further, the original image data read for facsimile transmission is stored in the page memory 84.
After being stored in the
82 and the modem 87 to the external facsimile machine.

The PC card controller 87 is a CPU 85 of the memory card mounted in the PC card slot 89.
Access from. If a memory card mounted in the PC card slot 89 has a print job command file storing print output control information and an image data file to be printed, the digital copying machine of the present invention will operate based on the print output control information. ,
Print the image data. For digital copiers,
In many cases, the mounting status of optional equipment such as sorters and finishers and the edit functions that can be set differ depending on the option configuration. Therefore, it is preferable to store the function information included in the printer as a print function information file in the memory card. Details of this offline print function will be described later.

When a scan job command file storing read control information is present in the memory card mounted in the PC card slot 89, the copying machine of the present invention is set based on the read control information. The read original image is read and stored in the memory card as an image data file. After the user sets the original, the user presses a start button (not shown) of the operation unit 300 to start reading the original. In the case of a digital copying machine, the mounting state of optional equipment such as an ADF and the image reading function often differ depending on the optional configuration. Therefore, the digital copying machine of the present invention stores the image reading function information provided as the image scanner in the memory card as the image reading function information file. Details of this offline image input function will be described later.

(Offline Print Function) Next, the offline print function in the digital copying machine will be described. The user mounts his / her memory card on the digital copying machine in advance and downloads the print function information file to the memory card. The contents of the print function information file are shown in FIG. The contents of the print function information file shown in FIG. 3 will be described below.

The format of the print function information file is described in each line as follows. [Function item] [List of selectable functions] or [Function item] [Capability of function] The setting value written first in the list of selectable functions is the default value.

The meaning of each line of the print function information file shown in FIG. 3 is shown below.

First line: The recording paper sizes are A4, A4R,
B4, A3, B5 and B5R can be set, and the default is A4.

Second line: recording resolution is 400 DPI, 60
0DPI can be selected, and the default is 400DPI.

Third line: 1, 2, 4, 8 bits can be selected as the gray level (the number of data bits per pixel), and the default value is 1 bit.

Fourth line: TIFF, JPRG, or PCL5 can be selected as the image data file format, and the default is TIFF.

Fifth line: When TIFF is selected as the image data file format, the data compression method is G3.
(MH), G4 (MMR), RLE (run length),
LZW can be selected and the default is G3.

Line 6: There is a double-sided printing function, and it is possible to set the necessity of double-sided printing. By default, single-sided printing is set.

Line 7: There is a saddle stitch printing function. When the saddle stitch printing function is used, the order of pages to be printed can be rearranged and two pages can be printed on one side of a recording paper having an area size twice as large as the image data and the saddle stitch can be performed. . By default, the saddle stitch function is not used.

Line 8: By setting the sorter operation, it is possible to specify either not using the sorter, stacking for each page, or collating by copy. The default setting is sorter not used.

Line 9: Indicates that the number of paper discharge trays (bins) of the sorter is 20. You cannot collate more than 20 copies on the sorter.

10th line: indicates the maximum number of recording sheets that can be stacked in each bin when the sorter function is used.

11th line: The presence or absence of staples (stapling) can be designated.

12th line: When stapling, the stopping position can be designated, and one of four types 1 to 4 can be selected. The default is 1. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the stapling position and the designated number.

13th line: indicates the maximum number of recording sheets that can be stapled when the staple function is used.

Line 14: The presence / absence of punching can be designated. The default is no punch.

Line 15: Indicates the maximum number of recording sheets that can be punched when the punching function is used.

The user creates a document / image using a document / image creating application software such as a word processor or DTP (Desktop Publishing) software executed on a personal computer.
The printer driver software for the digital copying machine of the present invention is installed in advance in the personal computer used by the user. When offline printing of a user-created document or image using the digital copying machine of the present invention, a memory card having the print function information file downloaded is mounted on the user's personal computer. The user activates the printer driver from the document / image creation application software. The printer driver refers to the print function information file stored in the memory card and displays a dialog box for allowing the user to set the print function of the digital copying machine on the display of the personal computer.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a schematic display of the dialog box corresponding to the print function information file shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, START Page-E
NDPage, Copies and Data File
The rectangular area on the right side of the word Name is an edit box, and the print start page, end page, the number of copies, and the image data file name are input. The circles in the other lines are radio buttons that are selected by alternative. ●
The mark indicates the selected item. Only when TIFF is selected as the image data file format,
The selection item of TIFF Compression is valid. When it is set to use the sorter in the dialog box, the printer driver checks the values of Max Sort and Max Stack in the print function information file, and warns the user if they conflict with the settings of the number of print copies and the number of pages. Similarly, when the staple function or the punch function is used, Max Style Sheets or Max Pun of the print function information file is used.
The value of ch is checked, and if it conflicts with the setting of the number of print copies or the number of pages, the user is warned.

After setting each item in the dialog box, the user clicks the OK button in FIG. 5 with the mouse. The printer driver creates a print job command file and an image data file based on the settings in the dialog box and stores them in the memory card.
FIG. 6 shows the contents of the print job command file corresponding to the settings in the dialog box of FIG. First line (Reset) of the print job command file in FIG.
Indicates that the print function setting value is reset to the default value. The item of Data File describes the image file name to be printed. In the case of FIG. 5, the image file name is sample. tif. In the image file, multi-page (plural pages) images are stored in one file. The print job command file can combine a plurality of jobs into one file. That is, a plurality of image files can be output with different print function settings.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the processing of the printer driver. The printer driver reads the print function information file from the memory card and displays a dialog box for print function setting based on the read file.
The user clicks the OK button after setting each setting item in the dialog box. The printer driver checks the settings in the dialog box for inconsistencies, displays a warning if there is an inconsistency, and prompts the user to reset the dialog box. If there is no contradiction, a print job command file and an image data file are created and stored in the memory card.

The user removes the memory card storing the print job command file and the image data file from the user's personal computer and inserts it in the PC card slot 89. The CPU 85 detects that a memory card has been inserted via the PC card controller 87, and searches for a print job command file in the memory card. When the print job command file exists, the CPU 85 analyzes the print job command file and makes necessary settings for the control circuit (not shown) of the laser printer unit and the sorter unit. C
The PU 85 refers to the image data file name in the print job command file, reads the image data file from the memory card, and prints it. When the image data is compressed, the CPU 85 uses the compression / expansion circuit 86 to expand the image data in the page memory 84. When saddle stitching or the like is performed, the page order of the image data file and the printing order are not the same, so the CPU 85 controls to print each page in the image data file in an appropriate order. When all the print outputs specified in the print job command file are completed, the CPU 8
Reference numeral 5 erases the print job command file and the image data file stored in the memory card.

Image data of a document created by a personal computer or the like and output control data (print job command file) of the image data are generated and stored in a removable recording medium by the user's personal computer, and this storage medium is stored in a PC. By mounting in the card slot 89, the image data stored in the storage medium can be output offline in a desired output form. Therefore, the user can specify the number of copies and the sorting or stapling method at the time of creating a document or the like on a personal computer. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to print with a printer near by and copy the printed document as in the conventional case, and the image quality of the copy is not deteriorated. Particularly, in the case of a notebook type computer, it is often not connected to an external device via a LAN or the like in order to make it portable. Even in such a case, according to the digital copying machine of the present invention, it is possible to easily perform offline printing using a memory card or the like.

Further, in the case of a high speed copying machine, the configuration of optional equipment such as a sorter and a finisher varies,
It is difficult to specify the print function of the copying machine. FIG. 8 shows the configuration of a digital copying machine in which a finisher 222 is mounted instead of the sorter 221 in the schematic configuration diagram of FIG. The finisher is a device that staples the sheets after stacking them in units, and in particular, in a digital copying machine, an electronic finisher is used to perform collation in units of units instead of a sorter. The electronic finisher is provided with a large-capacity storage means such as a hard disk device in a digital copying machine, temporarily stores image data of read originals of a plurality of pages, prints in sets, and collates in sets. Therefore, a mechanical sorter becomes unnecessary.

Instead of the sorter 221, the finisher 222
When the is installed in a digital copying machine, a hard disk device is also added to the digital copying machine. Some finishers have a function of folding the printed recording paper. Further, double-sided printing may not be possible unless an optional device called an automatic double-sided unit is attached to the digital copying machine. As described above, depending on the mounting state of the optional equipment of the copying machine, the printing output function of the copying machine may differ even if the main body is the same model. Since the digital copying machine of the present invention can download the print function information of the copying machine to the storage medium, the user can use all the printing functions of the digital copying machine.

(Offline Image Input Function) Next, the offline image input function in the digital copying machine will be described. The user mounts his memory card in the digital copying machine in advance and downloads the reading function information file to the memory card. The contents of the reading function information file are shown in FIG. The contents of the reading function information file shown in FIG. 9 will be described below.

The format of the reading function information file is described as follows for each line. [Function item] [List of selectable functions] or [Function item] [Capability of function] The setting value written first in the list of selectable functions is the default value.

The meaning of each line of the reading function information file shown in FIG. 9 is shown below.

First line: document sizes to be read are A4 and A4
R, B4, A3, B5, B5R can be set, and the default is Auto. Auto is to automatically detect the document size.

Second line: The following three types of document placement methods can be designated. Documents are fed from an ADF (auto document feeder) and scanned until there are no more scanned documents (ADF). One original document placed on the original table is read (Flat Bed). When the document is placed on the ADF, the document from the ADF is read, and when not, the document on the document table is read (Auto). The default is Auto.

Third line: the maximum reading resolution is 400
It indicates that it is a DPI.

Fourth line: the minimum value of the reading resolution is 250
It indicates that it is a DPI.

Fifth line: 1, 2, 4, 8 bits can be selected as the gray level (the number of data bits per pixel), and the default value is 1 bit.

Sixth line: For the halftone processing method, one of simple binarization processing (BI), dither processing (DT) and error diffusion processing (ED) can be selected. Default is simple 2
This is a binarization process (BI).

7th line: TIFF, BMP, or JPEG can be selected as the image data file format, and the default is TIFF.

Line 8: When TIFF is selected as the image data file format, the data compression method is G3.
(MH), G4 (MMR), RLE (run length),
LZW can be selected and the default is G3.

Line 9: There is a double-sided reading function of the original,
You can set whether to scan both sides. By default, single-sided scanning is set.

Line 10: When reading, there is a contrast adjustment function, and Auto (automatic) or -2 (low contrast) to 2 (high contrast) can be selected. The default is Auto.

Line 11: There is a read density adjustment function,
Auto (automatic), -2 (thin) to 2 (dark) can be selected. The default is Auto.

Line 12: When reading, there is a function of adjusting the amount of edge enhancement, and Auto (automatic), -2 (weak edge enhancement) to 2 (strong edge enhancement) can be selected. The default is Auto.

Line 13: The reading area can be designated. The default is a setting in which the reading area is not designated (the entire original size is read).

Line 14: The designated unit of the reading area is millimeter (mm).

When performing off-line printing using a digital copying machine, the user inserts the memory card, in which the reading function information file is downloaded, into his or her personal computer. The user executes the scan job command file creation software for the digital copying machine, which is installed in advance in the personal computer used by the user. This software is
A dialog box for causing the user to set the reading function of the digital copying machine is displayed on the display of the personal computer by referring to the reading function information file stored in the memory card.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic display of a dialog box corresponding to the reading function information file shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, Scanning Resolv
region, Scanning Area Positi
The rectangular area on the right side of on, Scanning Area Length, and Data File Name is an edit box. Input the read resolution, the upper left XY position of the read area, the length in the XY direction of the read area, and the image data file name. . The circles in the other lines are radio buttons that are selected by alternative.
● The mark indicates the selected item. The selection item of TIFF compression is valid only when TIFF is selected as the image data file format. Also, Scanning Area Set
Scanning Ar only if toting is Yes
ea Upper-Left Position and S
The setting value of canning Area Length is valid. The scan job command file creation software uses MAX Res of the reading function information file.
Check the value of solution or MIN Resolution, and scan the dialog box.
If it conflicts with the Resolution setting, the user is warned.

After setting each item in the dialog box, the user clicks the OK button in FIG.
The scan job command file creation software is
Create a scan job command file based on the settings in the dialog box and store it in the memory card.
FIG. 11 shows the contents of the scan job command file corresponding to the dialog box settings shown in FIG. The first line (Rese
t) indicates that the reading function setting value is reset to the default value. The item of Data File describes the image file name that stores the read image data. In the case of FIG. 11, the image file name is sample. t
It is if. The image file stores multi-page (plural pages) images in one file. The scan job command file can combine a plurality of jobs into one file. That is, it is possible to read a plurality of read originals with different reading function settings.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of the processing of the scan job command file creation software. This software reads the read function information file from the memory card, and based on that, displays a dialog box for setting the read function. The user clicks the OK button after setting each setting item in the dialog box. The software checks the dialog box settings for inconsistencies, displays a warning if any, and prompts the user to reset the dialog boxes. If there is no contradiction, create a scan job command file and store it in the memory card.

The user pulls out the memory card in which the scan job command file is stored from the user's personal computer and uses the P of the digital copying machine of the present invention.
Insert into C card slot 89. CPU85 is a PC
The insertion of a memory card is detected via the card controller 87, and it is searched whether the scan job command file exists in the memory card. When the scan job command file exists, the CPU 85 analyzes the scan job command file and performs necessary settings for the control circuit (not shown) of the image scanner unit and the ADF 50 unit and the image processing circuit 73. The read original image data is stored in the page memory 84. CPU85
Uses the compression / expansion circuit 86 to compress the image data stored in the page memory, and stores the compressed image data in the memory card with the image data file name specified in the scan job command file.

The user removes the memory card storing the image data file from the digital copying machine and inserts it in the user's personal computer. The user accesses the image data stored in the memory card using the document creation / image editing software executed by the personal computer.

As described above, when the image input function of the digital copying machine is used, the original reading control data (scan job command file) is stored in the removable recording medium, and this storage medium is used in the digital copying machine. Insert it in the PC card slot. As a result, the digital copying machine can output the read image data in the desired reading form to the storage medium offline, and the user can easily create the read control data using the user interface of the personal computer. In particular, a notebook computer is often not directly connected to an external device in order to make it portable. Even in such a case, according to the digital copying machine of the present invention, it is possible to easily read an original image off-line by using a memory card or the like.

Further, in the case of a copying machine, the presence or absence of ADF and A
DF functions (whether double-sided scanning is possible, whether or not there is an automatic document size detection function, etc.), the configuration of optional devices such as the presence or absence of a slide reading device, so the image reading function of the copier is specified. Difficult to do. Even if the main body is the same model, the image reading function of the copier differs depending on the mounting state of the optional equipment of the copier. However, by downloading the image reading function information of the copying machine to the storage medium, the user can use all the image reading functions of the digital copying machine.

Although a memory card is used as the removable storage medium in the above embodiment, the same effect can be obtained by using a flexible disk, an optical disk, a removable hard disk, or the like. In the above embodiment, the case of a monochrome digital copying machine has been described, but the same applies to a case of a color copying machine. Further, although the function information file and the job command file are character data files in the above embodiment, they may be files encoded into binary data.

[0083]

As described above, according to the present invention, image data such as a document created by a personal computer or the like and output control data of the image data are stored in a removable storage medium and stored in the storage medium. The image data can be output offline in a desired output form based on the output control data stored in the storage medium.

Further, print function information provided as a printer, for example, information on a recording paper size that can be set, information on a selectable image data file format, information on a selectable image data compression method, a settable double-sided print function. Information, specifiable sorter function information, and configurable finisher information can be downloaded to the storage medium, and the user can use all of the print functions.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a digital copying machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of image signals in the digital copying machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of a print function information file

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between stapling positions and designated numbers.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a dialog box for allowing a user to set a print function.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the contents of a print job command file.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing of a printer driver.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another embodiment of the digital copying machine of the present invention equipped with a finisher.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the contents of a reading function information file.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing a dialog box for setting a reading function.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the contents of a scan job command file.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of processing of scan job command file creation software.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the flow of image signals in a conventional digital copying machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Manuscript table 50: ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 71: Image sensor 72: A / D converter 73: Image processing circuit 74: Buffer memory 78: Laser driver 79: Semiconductor laser 80: LAN controller 81: Parallel I / F 82: CCU 83: CPU bus 84: Page memory 85: CPU 86: Compression / decompression circuit 87: Modem 88: PC card controller 89: PC card slot 100: Image scanner section 101: exposure lamp 102: First mirror 103: Constant velocity unit 104: Second mirror 105: Third mirror 106: Half speed unit 107: lens 108: Image sensor 200: Laser printer section 201: Laser scanner unit 202: Mirror 203: photoconductor drum 204: Main charger 205: developing device 206: Transfer charger 207: Cleaner 208: Static elimination lamp 209: Conveyor belt 210: Fixing device 211: Guide 212: Paper ejection roller 213: Paper feed roller 214: Paper feed roller 215: Paper feed roller 216: Guide 217: Timing roller 218: Recording paper cassette 219: Recording paper cassette 220: Recording paper cassette 221: Sorter 222: Finisher

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-2002-211082 (JP, A) JP-A-4-52161 (JP, A) JP-A-2-28823 (JP, A) JP-A-4-37564 (JP, A) A) JP-A-3-114767 (JP, A) JP-A-6-274294 (JP, A) JP-A-6-238958 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) ) B41J 29/38 B41J 5/30 G06F 3/12

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. An offline printing method for outputting image data generated and stored offline in a removable storage medium based on output control data of the image data generated and stored offline in the storage medium. Te, the output control data stored in the storage medium pre
An offline printing method, which is generated and stored based on a print function setting that is set with reference to print function information provided as an interface. 2. The off-line printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information is downloaded to the storage medium in advance. 3. The off-line printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information includes information on a recording paper size that can be set. 4. The off-line printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information includes information on a selectable image data file format. 5. The off-line printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information includes information on a selectable image data compression method. 6. The print function information includes information on a double-sided print function that can be set.
Offline printing method described. 7. The off-line printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information includes sorter function information capable of designating a sorter for collating output recording sheets. 8. The off-line printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information includes finisher function information capable of setting a finisher for stapling an output recording sheet. 9. The offline printing method according to claim 1, wherein the print function information or the output control data is character data. 10. A printing apparatus using the off-line printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.