JP3628074B2 - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a digital copying machine having an electronic sort function that stores image data in order every time a document is read, and performs printing using the image data stored inside after reading all the documents. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine having an electronic sort function reads an original, stores the image data in the copying machine, and prints the image data to shorten the entire processing time required for making a plurality of copies. be able to. This is because when reading a document by the scanner unit, every time a document for one page is read, the image data is sequentially stored in the copying machine and all the originals are read, and then the image data stored inside is used. Print.
[0003]
As a result, when a plurality of copies are made, the document needs to be read only once, so that the time required for the entire copying operation can be reduced. In addition, this electronic sort function may have a function of pre-printing, and when storing a document for one page, it is possible to print the page, and it is created while reading the document. You can immediately check the copy status.
[0004]
However, with the pre-printing function, you can check the copy status immediately after reading one page of the original document while taking advantage of the electronic sort function. However, if there is a problem with the created copy, only that page is corrected. There is no such function. For this reason, in order to correct the defect, the copying operation is completely stopped and the operation is restarted from the beginning, or the copying operation is terminated with the defect, and the defective page is re-created and the user manually performs the operation. Had to replace pages. In the former case, all the copies made before the copying operation is stopped are unnecessary, and a large amount of paper is wasted. In the latter case, the waste of paper is only a defective page. Work will occur.
[0005]
In addition, in the preceding printing, the printing of the second copy is started immediately after the completion of the printing of the first copy, so the second copy is printed even while the first copy is being confirmed. There is a risk that a large amount of miscopy will be generated if the discovery is delayed and the cancellation of copying is delayed. In addition, in a copying machine, printing is usually performed face-up, but in electronic sorting, printing is performed in the order in which the originals are read. However, if the originals are read sequentially from the front page, the front page in the generated copy is displayed. The output is the reverse order, with the last page on the bottom.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, when printing image data by electronic sorting, there is no function for correcting only the page when there is a defect in the created copy. Here, in order to correct the problem, if the copy operation is completely stopped and then restarted from the beginning, all the copies made before the copy operation is stopped become unnecessary and a large amount of paper is wasted. In the case where the copying operation is terminated with the error, there is a problem in that a copy of the defective page must be recreated and the user must manually replace the page.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of eliminating the waste of a large amount of paper and preventing the occurrence of manual work.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The image forming apparatus of the present inventionImage forming conditions including the number of image forming copies, setting means for setting a trial printing function as required, reading means for reading an image of a document and outputting image data, and an image for each document output by the reading means Accumulating means for accumulating data as a series of image data, image forming means for forming an image of the image data, and storing image data for each original in the accumulating means when the test printing function is set by the setting means At the same time, the first control means for controlling the image forming means to form an image of the first copy of the image data for each original document to be accumulated, and a series of image data has been accumulated in the accumulation means. When the image formation for the first copy is completed, a stop unit for stopping the control of the first control unit, and when the control of the first control unit is stopped by the stop unit, the first storage unit is stored in the storage unit. The Instructing means for instructing replacement of a part of the series of image data, and storing the image data output by reading the original to be replaced by the reading means in accordance with the instruction from the instruction means as replacement image data Second control means for performing control to be stored in the means, and the instruction means for a series of image data stored in the storage means for the replacement image data stored in the storage means by the second control means Third control means for controlling to form an image by replacing a part of the image data instructed to be replaced byIt is composed of
[0013]
The image forming method of the present invention comprises:The image forming conditions including the number of image forming copies and the trial print function are set as necessary, the image of the original is read by the reading means and the image data is output, and the image data for each output original is set as a series of image data When accumulating in the accumulating means and setting the trial printing function, the image data for each original is accumulated in the accumulating means, and at the same time, the image forming of the first copy of the image data for each original is controlled, and the accumulating means When the series of image data has been accumulated and the image formation of the first copy has been completed, the control is stopped, and when the control is stopped, one of the series of image data accumulated in the accumulation unit is stopped. In response to this instruction, the reading means reads the original to be replaced, and stores the output image data as replacement image data in the storage means. In this control, the image data for replacement stored in the storage unit is replaced with a part of the image data instructed to replace the series of image data stored in the storage unit to control image formation. It is characterized by that.
[0015]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 schematically shows the entire configuration of a digital copying machine having an electronic sort function as an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. This apparatus includes a scanner unit 140 as a reading unit and an image forming unit 160 as an image forming unit that performs printing such as a printer, and an automatic document feeder (ADF: auto document feeder) 200 is mounted on the top.
[0016]
The scanner unit 140 includes an exposure lamp 6 as a light source, a first carriage 7 provided with a mirror 15, a second carriage 9 provided with mirrors 8a and 8b for bending an optical path, a lens 10, and a photoelectric conversion unit 11 that receives reflected light. These are constituted by a drive system (not shown) for changing the position of each part, and an A / D converter (not shown) for converting the output of the photoelectric converter 11, that is, image data from analog data to digital data. . The first and second carriages 7 and 9 are connected to each other by a timing belt (not shown), and the second carriage 9 moves in the same direction at half the speed of the first carriage 7. ing. Thus, scanning can be performed so that the optical path length to the lens 10 is constant. The lens 10 has a fixed focal length and is moved in the optical axis direction during zooming. The photoelectric conversion unit 11 performs photoelectric conversion on the reflected light from the document, and is mainly composed of, for example, a CCD line image sensor. In this case, one pixel of the document corresponds to one element of the CCD sensor. The output of the photoelectric conversion unit 11 is output to the A / D conversion unit. The first and second carriages 7 and 9 and the mirrors 8a and 8b are moved by stepping motors (not shown). The first and second carriages 7 and 9 are operated by a timing belt (not shown) spanned between a drive pulley (not shown) and an idle pulley (not shown) connected to the rotation shaft of the stepping motor. It will be moved accordingly. A spiral shaft (not shown) is rotated by the corresponding stepping motor (not shown), and the lens 10 is moved in the optical axis direction by the movement of the spiral.
[0017]
Reference numeral 60 denotes an electro-optic conversion unit (semiconductor laser). A collimating lens 62, a polygon mirror (polyhedral reflecting mirror) 64, a lens 66, reflecting mirrors 68 and 70, and a lens 72 are arranged corresponding to the electro-optic conversion unit 60. The photosensitive drum 50 is irradiated with laser light from 52.
[0018]
The image forming unit 160 combines, for example, a laser optical system and an electrophotographic system capable of forming an image on a transfer sheet. That is, the image forming unit 160 includes a photosensitive drum 50 as an image carrier that is rotatably supported at a substantially central portion in the apparatus, and around the photosensitive drum 50, an exposure device 52 and a developing unit. A device 54, a transfer charger 55, a peeling charger 56, a cleaning charger 57, a charge eliminating charger 58, and a charging charger 59 are arranged in this order. The photosensitive drum 50 is uniformly charged by the charging charger 59, and a laser beam is output from the scanner unit 140 to form an image of an original on the photosensitive drum 50, thereby electrostatically charging the photosensitive drum 50. A latent image is formed.
[0019]
Then, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 50 is developed by the developing device 54, and the copy sheet is fed from a sheet feeding cassette 30 as a sheet feeding unit, which will be described later, via the registration roller 20. The developed image is transferred onto P by the transfer charger 55. The copy paper P after being transferred by the transfer charger 55 is peeled off by a peeling charger 56 by AC corona discharge and conveyed to a fixing device 72 via a conveying belt, and the developed image is melted and fixed by the fixing device 72. The copy paper P is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 74 by a paper discharge roller pair 73. On the other hand, the developer remaining on the photosensitive drum 50 after the transfer and peeling of the developed image onto the copy paper P is cleaned by the cleaning charger 57, and the potential on the photosensitive drum 50 is kept constant by the static elimination charger 58. Below the level, the next copy operation is enabled.
[0020]
In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a paper feed cassette as a paper feed means which is detachably mounted in a plurality of stages from the front side of the apparatus body 1. The paper feed cassette 30 is composed of a cassette case 31 which is a casing in which copy paper P is stored, and the take-out end portion of the cassette case 31 is inclined toward the paper take-out direction. The copy paper P stored in the cassette case 31 of the paper feed cassette 30 is picked up from the uppermost layer by the pickup roller 81 and taken out. The copy paper P taken out by the pickup roller 81 and fed to the take-out end portion of the cassette case 31 is fed with a paper feed roller 84 and a separation roller (inside and above the take-out end portion of the cassette case 31). Alternatively, the sheets are separated one by one by a sheet separation unit including a separation pad 85 and conveyed toward the image forming unit 160.
[0021]
The automatic document feeder 200 is provided on the document table 2, and the document O is fed to the document table 2 from the automatic document feeder 200.
The automatic document feeder 200 is unitized, and the rear end edge of the cover main body 21 as a housing thereof is attached to the upper rear end edge of the apparatus main body via a hinge device (not shown) so that it can be opened and closed. Accordingly, the entire automatic document feeder 200 can be rotationally displaced to open the document table 2.
[0022]
A document feeding table 22 that can hold a plurality of documents O at a time is provided on the upper surface of the cover body 21 and slightly leftward. In this case, the document O is placed on the document feeder 22 in order, with the image forming surface facing up and the first sheet on top. Then, the originals O held with the image forming surface facing up by the original feeder 22 are sequentially picked up one by one from the lower surface and supplied to one end side (left end side in the figure) of the original table 2. Means 23 are provided.
[0023]
The feeding means 23 includes a pickup roller 27 for taking out the document O, a weight plate 28 for pressing the document O against the pickup roller 27, a document detection sensor 29 for detecting the setting state of the document O on the document feeder 22 and the like. Is arranged. Further, a feed roller 31 is arranged in the document take-out direction of the pickup roller 27 so that the document O is reliably fed one by one.
[0024]
A document transport belt 37 is stretched over the document table 2 to cover it. Then, the document O fed by the feeding means 23 is conveyed from one end side (left end side) of the document table 2 to the other end side (right end side). The original O is discharged to a paper discharge receiving portion 39 formed on the upper surface of the cover main body 21 by a paper discharge means 38 provided on the right side portion of the cover main body 21.
[0025]
The document transport belt 37 is a wide endless belt whose outer surface is stretched between a pair of belt rollers 40 and 40, and is configured to be able to run in both forward and reverse directions by a belt drive mechanism (not shown). Further, on the back side of the inner peripheral portion of the document conveying belt 37, a plurality of belt pressing rollers 41,... For pressing the belt surface on the document table 2, and a set switch for detecting the open / closed state of the automatic document feeder 200. 42 is provided.
[0026]
The paper discharge unit 38 includes a transport roller 44, a pinch roller 45 that presses the document O against the transport roller 44, and a paper discharge sensor 46 as a document detection unit that detects the trailing edge of the document O sent in the paper discharge direction. A paper discharge roller 48 and the like are provided. In addition, a gate 82 is provided to guide the document to the document table 2 with the front and back reversed, and duplex transfer of a duplex copy of the document O is possible.
[0027]
FIG. 1 shows a control circuit of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. That is, the control circuit is provided with a controller 1 including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like that control the entire image forming apparatus. The controller 1 includes a control panel 3 that performs various operations, a storage device 4 that stores image data such as a hard disk, a page management table 5a, and a memory 5 that stores information about whether a single-sided document or a double-sided document is stored. The scanner unit 140, the image forming unit 160, and the automatic document feeder 200 are connected.
[0028]
FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the control panel 3. The control panel 3 includes a copy number display section 3a, a magnification display section 3b, a magnification setting button 3c, a density display section 3d and a density setting button 3e, a numeric keypad 3f, a clear / stop button 3g, an all clear button 3h, a copy button 3i, and a page display. The section 3j, a test print button 90, an input end button 91, a front / back button 92, a replacement button 93, and a reverse order output button 94 are configured.
[0029]
In the digital copying machine of the present embodiment, a “trial print” function that is executed when the trial print button 90 of the control panel 3 is pressed is provided in the electronic sort function. In the trial printing function, when a plurality of copies are made as in the preceding printing function, the scanned image data is stored in the storage device 4 each time one document is read by the scanner unit 140 and at the same time, the image forming unit 160 The first copy is created by printing. The trial printing function is a function that temporarily stops the copying process when reading of all the originals by the scanner unit 140 and printing of the first copy is completed, and enters a standby state for accepting an operation by the user. The setting is changed.
[0030]
The user can perform the following operations while the copying process is paused.
1. Resume printing
2. Specify reverse output
3. Changing the print density
4). Changing the print magnification
5). Change the number of remaining copies
6). Replace page
7). Cancel printing
If the user instructs to resume printing, the digital copying machine prints the second and subsequent copies using the changed settings and the replaced image data. The test print function allows the user to print the first copy as a test when copying a plurality of copies, and after the user confirms the result, the image data stored in the storage device 4 of the digital copying machine Can be used to obtain the second and subsequent copies printed in the optimum output form in the image forming unit 160.
[0031]
Next, the copy processing operation at the time of trial printing of the digital copying machine in such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The controller 1 starts a trial printing process when the user sets a copying operation such as the number of copies from the control panel 3 and presses the trial printing button 90 (ST1).
[0032]
The controller 1 starts the document input process when a document is prepared and the copy button 3i is pressed (ST2).
The controller 1 performs processing to store the read image data in the storage device 4 every time one page of the original is read, and simultaneously performs printing processing of the page by the image forming unit 160. In printing the first copy, the finisher setting at that time is ignored and output every time the document is read (ST3).
[0033]
The controller 1 assigns page numbers to the accumulated image data in the order in which the originals are read, assuming the original page read first as one page, and stores it in the page management table 5a of the memory 5 (ST4). The form of the image data stored in the storage device 4 will be described in detail later.
[0034]
When the user reads a document by inputting from the document table 2, the operations in steps ST2, 3, and 4 are repeated, and the copy button 3i is pressed for each page of the document to read the document. When reading an original using the automatic document feeder 200, the automatic document feeder 200 automatically repeats the operations in steps ST3 and ST4 until there are no more documents on the document feeder 22 of the automatic document feeder 200. Read all originals. Until the input end button 91 is pressed, the controller 1 performs document input processing when the copy button 3i is pressed.
[0035]
When the user presses the input end button 91 when all the originals have been read and the first copy has been created (ST5), the controller 1 ends the input process of the original and temporarily performs the copy process. Stop (ST6). At this time, the remaining number of copies obtained by subtracting 1 from the preset number of copies is displayed on the number of copies display portion 3a of the number of copies on the control panel 3.
[0036]
The controller 1 can accept an operation by the user while holding the image data stored in the storage device 4. At this time, the user can check the completion status of the first copy, and can perform the following operations as necessary.
[0037]
Resuming printing: When the user presses the copy button 3i again (ST7), the controller 1 resumes the second and subsequent printing processes using the image data stored in the storage device 4 (ST8). When the user performs other operations such as page replacement, for example, when page replacement is performed, the image data is used, or when the output setting is changed, the second and subsequent copies are printed according to the setting. As many copies as the remaining number of copies are made. In the second and subsequent copies, output is performed according to the finisher settings that have been set.
[0038]
Designation of reverse order output: When the user presses the reverse order output button 94, printing is performed in the reverse order of the original reading order (ST11), and the controller 1 sequentially selects the corresponding image data from the rear of the page management table 5a. The print processing is performed in order from the last read image data.
[0039]
Change of print density: The user can change the print density setting for the second and subsequent copies by pressing the density setting button 3e (ST12). When the user resumes printing, the newly set print density is output.
[0040]
Changing the printing magnification: The user can change the setting of the output magnification for the second and subsequent copies by pressing the magnification setting button 3c (ST13). When the user resumes printing, it is output at the newly set printing magnification.
[0041]
Change in the number of remaining copies: The user can change the number of remaining copies by using the numeric keypad 3f (ST14). When the user resumes printing, a copy of the newly set number of copies is output.
[0042]
Page replacement: When the user presses the replacement button 93, the image data accumulated by the page replacement process can be changed to image data to be newly read in page units (ST15). This process will be described in detail later.
[0043]
Canceling printing: When the user presses the all clear button 3h (ST9), the controller 1 discards the image data stored in the storage device 4 and stops the printing process (ST10).
When printing is resumed by the user, the controller 1 resumes the printing process, creates copies for the set number of copies using the image data stored in the storage device 4, and completes the copying process. When the user instructs to stop printing, the controller 1 discards the image data stored in the storage device 4 and the copy operation settings, and stops the printing process.
[0044]
Next, the operation of the user when performing test printing and the operation of the copier in response thereto will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, the user performs various settings for conventional copying such as designation of the number of copies (ST21), and presses the test print button 90 to instruct use of the test print function (ST22).
[0045]
When the automatic document feeder 200 is not used, the user prepares one page of document on the document table 2 (ST23), and presses the copy button (ST24). As a result, the controller 1 reads the original with the scanner unit 140 (ST25), stores the read image data for one page in the internal storage device 4, and simultaneously prints the image data with the image forming unit 160 (ST26). ). The user repeats the operation of placing the document on the document table 2 and pressing the copy button 3i until the last page of the document is reached.
[0046]
When using the automatic document feeder 200, the user places a document on the document feeder 22 of the automatic document feeder 200 and presses the copy button 3i. The controller 1 reads a document for each page until there is no document on the document feeder 22 of the automatic document feeder 200, stores the image data in the storage device 4, and prints the image data of the page in the image forming unit 160. Are automatically repeated (ST25, ST26).
[0047]
When reading of the last page is completed (ST27), the user presses the input end button 91 to instruct the end of document input (ST28).
Here, the user confirms the state of the created first copy (ST29), and can perform the following operations as necessary (ST30).
[0048]
1. The copy button 3i is pressed again: printing for the second and subsequent copies is resumed.
2. Pressing the reverse order output button 94: The setting is such that printing is performed in the reverse order of the original reading order.
[0049]
3. Pressing the density setting button 3e: The print density setting for the second and subsequent copies can be changed.
4). Pressing the magnification setting button 3c: The output magnification setting for the second and subsequent copies can be changed.
[0050]
5). Press the numeric keypad 3f: The remaining number of copies can be changed.
6). Press the replacement button 93: The page replacement process is started.
7). The all clear button 3h is pressed: the image data stored in the storage device 4 is discarded, and the printing process is stopped.
[0051]
In order to complete the copying process, the user presses the copy button 3i to print the second and subsequent copies, or presses the all clear button 3h to stop the printing process (ST32, 33).
[0052]
Next, a method for accumulating image data will be described.
The storage device 4 can refer to the location of the stored image data by the address value, and the controller 1 stores a page in the memory 5 that holds the correspondence between the address value of the image data and the order of reading the document in the document input process. The management table 5a can be created.
[0053]
The controller 1 obtains a table number on the page management table 5a corresponding to the page from the page number designated by the user, and refers to the corresponding image data in the storage device 4 from the address value stored therein. have.
[0054]
The controller 1 stores the image data in the storage device 4 when the original for one page is read. At this time, the controller 1 stores the address value of the storage device 4 where the image data is stored in the page management table 5a. In the page management table 5a, the address values in the storage device 4 of the image data read in the order in which the originals are read are stored.
[0055]
FIGS. 6A and 6B show the state of image data stored in the storage device 4 when a single-sided original of N pages is subjected to original input processing using the trial printing function, and the page The state of the management table 5a is shown.
[0056]
6A, the address value A in the storage device 4 is stored.₁  The image data of the first page is accumulated at the location indicated by₂  The image data is accumulated such that the image data is accumulated in the location indicated by the symbol N._n  Is accumulated at the position. Then, the controller 1 stores the address value of the storage device 4 that stores the image data in the order in which the document is read in the page management table 5a.
[0057]
The page management table 5a shown in FIG. 6B has an address value A as a value corresponding to the table number 1.₁  Is stored, and table number 2 has A₂  Is stored, and the address value A indicating the position of the image data of the Nth page is stored in the table number n._n  Is saved.
[0058]
If the original is a double-sided original, an address value A as shown in FIG.₁  The image data of the front page of the first page is stored at the position of the address value A₂  The image data of the back page of the first page is stored at the position of. The controller 1 can obtain the table number on the page management table 5a corresponding to the page from the page number and front / back information specified by the user. For example, when the user designates the back of the first page, the controller 1 refers to the address value of the data number 2 because it is the image data that has been read second during the document input process. That is, the table number of the front page of the X page can be calculated by the controller 1 as 2X-1 and the table number of the back page is 2X.
[0059]
Whether the original is a double-sided original or a single-sided original is stored in the memory 5, and the controller 1 can refer to the information at any time.
Next, the user operation and the operation of the copying machine in the page replacement process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0060]
The page replacement process can be performed according to an instruction from the user while the first printing is finished and temporarily stopped in the trial printing function. In this function, if there is a defective page in the first copy, only that page is re-read, and the image data of the specified page newly read out from the image data stored in the storage device 4 The image data is replaced inside the storage device 4.
[0061]
Further, by providing the scanner unit 140 of the digital copying machine with a function of adjusting the density when reading an original, it is possible to adjust the reading density of a newly read page. The user can perform page replacement by the following operation, and when printing is resumed in the image forming unit 160, the controller 1 performs the second and subsequent copies using the replaced image data.
[0062]
The controller 1 is in a standby state for accepting an operation from the user in a pause state with the trial printing function (ST41). When the user presses the replacement button (ST42), the controller 1 starts a page replacement process (ST43), and performs a process of inquiring the page number to be replaced to the user (ST44).
[0063]
The user inputs the page number using the numeric keypad 3f (ST45). If the original is a double-sided original, the front / back button 92 is used to specify the front or back side. If there is no user designation, the controller 1 automatically Set the table page.
[0064]
The user can prepare a document on the document table 2 and adjust the reading density of the document at this time. The user can adjust the original reading density using the density setting button 3e on the control panel 3 (ST46). The user presses the copy button 3i to instruct the controller 1 to read the document (ST47).
[0065]
The controller 1 performs a process of reading one page of the prepared document at the document reading density set on the control panel 3 (ST48), and additionally stores the read image data in the internal storage device 4 at the same time. The printing process for the page is also performed by the image forming unit 160 (ST49). The image data is stored in addition to the image data stored in advance in the storage device 4.
[0066]
The controller 1 updates the page management table 5a, performs the page replacement process, ends the page replacement process (ST51), and returns to the standby state (ST52).
[0067]
The controller 1 is ready to accept an operation from the user, and the user can again perform an operation that can be performed while the copying process is paused (ST53).
[0068]
FIG. 8 shows an update state of the image data and the page management table 5a additionally stored in the storage device 4. As shown in FIG. 8, the address value indicating the location of the image data stored in the storage device 4 corresponding to the page specified by the user in the page management table 5a is changed to a value indicating the location of the newly added image data. The page replacement process can be performed by changing the page.
[0069]
In FIGS. 8A and 8B, a total of N pages of originals are stored in advance, and the storage device 4 and the page management table 5a when the user designates replacement of the second page are updated. It shows the state. The address value indicating the location of the image data is the address value A for the image data of the first page.₁  A for the second page₂  The Nth page has an address value A_n  Is given. Here, when image data for replacement of the second page is newly added by the page replacement processing, the controller 1 stores the image data in the address value A in the storage device 4._{n + 1}  New image data is stored at the position of. Then, the controller 1 obtains the table number corresponding to the second page on the page management table 5a, and determines the address value at that position as A.₂  To A_{n + 1}  Change to In this way, the page management table 5a is updated and a page replacement process is performed.
[0070]
In the case of a double-sided original as shown in FIG. 6C, when the page is replaced for the front page of the second page, the controller 1 corresponds to the page from the page number and front / back information specified by the user. The table number is determined to be “3”, and as shown in FIG. 8C, the address value at the position of the table number “3” in the page management table 5a is changed.
[0071]
As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, after confirming the quality of the first printed copy, the user operates the copying machine to create a complete copy for the second and subsequent copies. In the case where there is a defect in the first copy, it is possible to prevent the second and subsequent copies from being printed with the defect.
[0072]
In addition, the user can replace the page by rereading the defective page before resuming printing, and can adjust the overall magnification and density at the time of printing. It is possible to print a copy with no defects.
[0073]
Furthermore, the setting of the output form for the second and subsequent copies can also be changed. As a result, it is possible to minimize the waste of paper caused by a copy error while making use of the characteristics of the electronic sort function, and it is possible to eliminate manual operations by the user such as replacing and rearranging pages after creating a copy.
[0074]
In the case where there is a problem such that the created page with the first copy is misaligned or the density is inappropriate, only the defective page can be corrected. When re-reading a defective page, the reading density can be changed and printing is performed simultaneously with the accumulation of new image data, so that it is possible to confirm that the defect has been corrected. With this function, it is possible to prevent a defective copy from being generated in the second and subsequent prints, and to prevent paper from being wasted, and to prevent the user from manually performing a page replacement operation after creating the copy.
[0075]
Also, when the original is read sequentially from the previous page, the second and subsequent copies can be printed in the reverse order of the read order, so that the face-up printing can print from the last page and is correct. You can make copies in order. Further, by adjusting the overall density and magnification settings at the time of printing, it is possible to obtain a copy having the optimum size and density for the second and subsequent copies.
[0076]
In addition, since the copy process is temporarily stopped after the first copy is completed, if the print is to be canceled, the second and subsequent copies can be canceled without fail, as seen in the preceding print. Before the instruction is issued, the second and subsequent copies are started, and paper can be prevented from being wasted.
[0077]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of eliminating a large amount of paper and preventing the occurrence of manual work.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control circuit in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control panel.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a copy processing operation at the time of trial printing of the digital copying machine.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a user operation and an operation of the copier in response to the trial printing.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the state of image data stored in the storage device and the state of a page management table.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a user operation and an operation of the copier in a page replacement process.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an update state of image data and a page management table that are additionally stored in the storage device.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Controller
2 ... manuscript table
3. Control panel
4 ... Storage device
5 ... Memory
90 ... Trial print button
91 ... Input end button
92 ... Front / Back button
93 ... Replacement button
94 ... Reverse order output button
140 ... scanner unit
160 Image forming unit
200 ... Automatic document feeder

Claims (2)

An image forming condition including the number of image forming copies and a setting unit for setting a test print function as necessary ;
Reading means for reading an image of a document and outputting image data;
Storage means for storing image data for each document output by the reading means as a series of image data;
Image forming means for forming an image of the image data;
When the test print function is set by the setting means, the image data for each original is stored in the storage means, and at the same time, the first image data for each stored original is image-formed by the image forming means. First control means for performing
A stop means for stopping the control of the first control means when a series of image data has been accumulated in the accumulation means and the first image formation has been completed ;
An instruction means for instructing replacement of a part of a series of image data stored in the storage means when the control of the first control means is stopped by the stop means;
Second control means for performing control to store the image data output by reading the document to be replaced by the reading means in accordance with an instruction from the instruction means in the storage means as replacement image data;
The replacement image data stored in the storage means by the second control means is replaced with a part of the image data instructed to be replaced by the instruction means of the series of image data stored in the storage means. Third control means for performing control to form an image;
An image forming apparatus comprising: Set the image forming conditions including the number of image forming copies and the trial print function as necessary,
  Read the image of the document with the reading means and output the image data,
  The output image data for each original is stored in the storage means as a series of image data,
  When the test print function is set, the image data for each document is stored in the storage means, and at the same time, the image formation of the first copy of the image data for each document is controlled,
  When the series of image data has been accumulated in the accumulation means and the first image formation has been completed, the control is stopped,
  When the control is stopped, an instruction to replace a part of a series of image data stored in the storage means is given,
  In response to this instruction, control is performed to store image data output by reading a document to be replaced by the reading unit in the storage unit as image data for replacement,
  With this control, the replacement image data stored in the storage unit is replaced with a part of the image data instructed to replace the series of image data stored in the storage unit, thereby controlling image formation. An image forming method characterized by that.

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