JP3909043B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a digital multifunction peripheral, and a printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a digital multifunction peripheral, or a printer is based on an image forming mode in which image forming conditions such as color tone (color / monochrome), resolution, image density, paper size, paper layout, and the like are set. An image forming process is performed.
[0003]
One of the functions of the image forming apparatus is a function of using a plurality of image forming modes within a single job. If this function is used, for example, in an image forming apparatus having a color copying function, when only a predetermined page of a document is copied in color and another page is copied in monochrome, the order of pages is changed. You can make a copy.
[0004]
For example, when a plurality of pages to be color-copied are continuous on a halfway page of a document and the other pages are copied in monochrome, as an image forming mode in a single job, (1) monochrome mode, (2) Color mode and (3) Monochrome mode are set. Then, the document is divided into document bundles that use each image forming mode without changing the page order, and the divided document bundle is described as an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) provided in the image forming apparatus. .) In order to read the original. The image forming apparatus automatically switches the image forming mode in order when a document on the ADF is exhausted (when a bundle of documents occurs), and copies are output in the same page order as the document.
[0005]
For example, an image forming apparatus having a function for storing read image data and managing a document in a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk can manage a single job as a single document. This is very useful from a management perspective.
[0006]
On the other hand, as a technique related to the present invention, there is a print control apparatus that displays print setting history information, selects a desired print setting from the displayed history information, and controls the printing apparatus according to the selected print setting. It is disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1.
[0007]
In this specification, a single job refers to processing performed on a single document document.
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 13-243031
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When setting the image forming mode, the user performs an operation of selecting an item to be set different from the default setting value from among the items constituting the image forming mode and changing the setting value. Even when a plurality of image forming modes are used in a single job, such an operation is performed for each image forming mode for setting the operation. However, this operation has a complicated procedure and takes a very long time.
[0010]
Further, in the conventional image forming apparatus, the contents of the set image forming modes are displayed on the display unit in a different manner from the default setting for the image forming mode being executed, for example, while the image forming process is being executed. Therefore, before the image forming process is executed, it is not possible to confirm all the setting contents of all the image forming modes.
[0011]
For this reason, the user notices that the setting is wrong after the image forming process is started or after the process is completed. If an error is noticed, the image forming process being executed is stopped, It was necessary to set again.
[0012]
The present invention has been proposed based on the above-described conventional circumstances, and allows the user to confirm the setting contents of the image forming mode, simplifies the complicated setting procedure of the image forming mode, and prevents an operation error. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can be used.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention employs the following means in order to achieve the above object. That is, the present invention presupposes an image forming apparatus that inputs a plurality of image forming modes instructing image forming conditions together with an execution order, and executes image forming processing based on the image forming mode as a single job according to the execution order. and then, display means for displaying a setting screen of the image forming mode, and input means for inputting image forming mode to the setting screen, and a mode storage means for storing image formation mode input from said input means The initial setting value stored in advance is displayed on the setting screen for the first image forming mode, and the setting of the first image forming mode is set instead of the initial setting value on the setting screen for the second and subsequent image forming modes. It is characterized by displaying values.
[0014]
With this configuration, it is possible to display and confirm setting information of the set image forming mode, and it is possible to reliably prevent an image forming process from being performed with an incorrect setting.
[0015]
The image forming mode setting information displayed in a list on the display unit may further include a selection unit that selects a desired item, and a change unit that changes the content of the item selected by the selection unit.
[0016]
In this way, when the setting information of the set image forming mode is confirmed, the incorrect setting can be immediately corrected, and the correction work is facilitated.
[0017]
Further, when inputting an image forming mode, a mode selecting unit that selects all setting information of a desired image forming mode from the list display displayed on the display unit, and an image forming mode selected by the mode selecting unit A setting unit that sets all the setting information as input values of the input image forming mode may be employed.
[0018]
As a result, when setting a plurality of image forming modes, it is possible to input the setting information of the preset image forming mode as a new image forming mode simply by selecting the preset image forming mode from the list display. The image forming mode setting operation is very easy. Even if there is no image forming mode that matches the desired setting information in the list display, the desired setting can be obtained by selecting an image forming mode having similar setting information and making corrections using the changing means. Information can be changed, and a new image forming mode can be easily input.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 includes an image reading unit 1 that optically reads a document and converts it into image data.
[0022]
The image data acquired by the image reading unit 1 is stored in a temporary storage unit 2 such as a RAM, and the image processing unit 3 performs image processing on the image data based on the image forming mode stored in the mode storage unit 8. Is output from the output means 4 for forming an image on the paper.
[0023]
Further, the image data can be stored in the storage means 5 including a hard disk or the like as necessary in association with the document ID, the file name, etc. By specifying the document ID and the file name, Corresponding image data can be extracted from the storage means 5.
[0024]
The image forming mode is setting information for instructing image forming conditions such as color tone (color, monochrome), paper size, image density, image resolution (document mode / photo mode), paper layout, and the like. The set value of the image forming mode input by the user and stored is stored in the mode storage unit 8.
[0025]
In this embodiment, the input means 6 is composed of a touch panel arranged on a display means 7 such as a liquid crystal display for displaying various information to the user, and a numeric keyboard used for inputting numbers. The user can select an item by touching the item displayed on the display means 7 with a finger (hereinafter, it is described that the operation to select by touching with the finger is simply selected. To do).
[0026]
A procedure for selecting a function that uses a plurality of image forming modes in a single job and setting the plurality of image forming modes in the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
[0027]
FIG. 2A shows a display screen 20 displayed on the display unit 7 while the image forming apparatus 100 is on standby.
[0028]
The user selects the application setting tag 21 on the display screen 20 to display the application setting menu (FIG. 2B), and the “use multiple mode” button 22 is a function that can use a plurality of image forming modes. Select.
[0029]
By this operation, the image forming mode setting screen shown in FIG. At this time, the items displayed on the image formation mode setting screen are not particularly limited, but in the example of FIG. 2C, color tone, paper size, image density, enlargement / reduction ratio, resolution, and paper layout are displayed. Note that the initial setting value of each item displayed at this time is the setting value of the image forming mode stored as a default in the mode storage unit 8 of the image forming apparatus 100.
[0030]
In the number display column 24, a number indicating the number of the image forming mode that is currently set is displayed, which is shown in FIG. 2C. In this case, “1” indicating that the first image forming mode is being set is displayed.
[0031]
The user inputs a set value for an item that needs to be changed in each item displayed on the setting screen. For example, when inputting the paper size currently set to “A4” as “B5”, the user selects the item “A4” 23 displayed on the setting screen.
[0032]
By this selection, a set value of the paper size can be input (displayed in reverse on the screen), and the selectable paper sizes can be sequentially displayed by the up and down scroll keys 28 shown in FIG. become able to.
[0033]
When the up / down scroll key 28 is operated to display “B5” on the screen and the user selects the display of “B5” with a finger, the set value of the paper size is input as “B5”. At this time, the display on the screen changes from reverse display to normal display.
[0034]
The configuration for inputting each item is not limited to the above. For example, when the item “A4” 23 is selected, a list of selectable paper sizes is displayed on the screen, and the user can By selecting “B5” from the list, the paper size setting value may be changed to “B5”.
[0035]
After performing such an operation on all the items that need to be changed, the user selects the “next setting” button 26 displayed at the bottom of the setting screen in FIG. Set the mode. At this time, the setting value of each item input on the setting screen of the first image forming mode is set and input to the mode storage unit 8 as the first image forming mode, and the number in the number display field 24 is the second number. The screen changes to “2” indicating that the image forming mode setting screen.
[0036]
Such an operation is repeated by the number of desired image forming modes, and a plurality of image forming mode setting inputs are performed.
[0037]
Then, the setting screen of the second and subsequent image forming mode, instead of the default settings, so the setting value of the first image forming mode is displayed as an initial setting value of the image forming mode setting screen Yes.
[0038]
When performing such a setting operation, the same setting value as that in the already-set image forming mode may be input. Hereinafter, an operation for inputting the setting value of the second image forming mode when the fourth image forming mode is set will be described below.
[0039]
When the “setting history” button 25 is selected on the setting screen of the fourth image forming mode (not shown in particular, the number in the number display column 24 is “4” in FIG. 2C), On the display screen, a setting history list 31 of already set image forming modes stored in the mode storage unit 8 as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed.
[0040]
The setting history list 31 has a function as mode selection means. That is, when the number of the setting history list 31 or the setting value of each item is selected, the image forming mode corresponding to the selected number or the setting value of each item is selected. For example, in FIG. When the second “color” item is selected, the second image forming mode is selected.
[0041]
As described above, when the user selects the second image forming mode, all setting values of the second image forming mode are read from the mode storage unit 8 by the setting unit 9 shown in FIG. Then, the setting value of the fourth image forming mode is input and the setting screen of the fourth image forming mode is displayed again.
[0042]
In this state, when the “next setting” button 26 or the “setting end” button 27 is selected, the setting value on the setting screen of the fourth image forming mode is input as the setting value of the fourth image forming mode. Is done. In the case where setting values are changed for some items in the read image setting mode, the corresponding items may be selected and changed.
[0043]
In this way, when setting of all image forming modes is completed and the “setting complete” button 27 is selected, a list display 41 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the screen of the display means 7.
[0044]
As described above, when inputting the image forming mode, the user displays a list of the setting values already input stored in the mode storage unit 8 as a setting history, and selects a desired image forming mode from the setting history. Since the setting value of the image forming mode selected by the setting means 9 is set as the input value of the image forming mode to be newly set only by selecting with the selecting means, the setting input of the image forming mode becomes very easy.
[0045]
In the above description, a list of preset image forming modes belonging to the same job is displayed and a desired image forming mode is selected. However, preset image forming modes belonging to other jobs are also listed. It is good also as a structure which can be displayed and can select image formation mode out of it.
[0046]
In the above description, the storage unit 5 and the mode storage unit 8 are individually provided. However, the storage unit 5 may also serve as the mode storage unit 8.
[0047]
Next, an image forming process using a plurality of image forming modes set as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a view showing a screen display of the display means 7 during execution of the image forming process, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of the process being executed.
[0048]
As described in the above prior art, when a plurality of image forming modes are used in a single job, the document is divided into document bundles using each image forming mode, and the divided document bundles are image forming apparatuses. The document is placed in order on the ADF provided to the image reading unit 1 to be read by the image reading unit 1.
[0049]
When the document bundle on the ADF runs out, the plurality of image forming modes are automatically switched according to the execution order. Note that reading of the original at this time is started by pressing an execution button provided in the image forming apparatus 100. In addition, when there is no original bundle on the ADF and the image forming mode is switched, the image forming apparatus is in a temporary standby state, and after placing the original bundle, the execution button is pressed again to switch the image forming mode. Reading of the original is started.
[0050]
When the setting of the image forming mode is completed and the list display 41 is displayed (S1 in FIG. 5), when the execute button is pressed, reading of the document is started. At this time, since the setting of the image forming mode to be executed is displayed on the list display 41, it can be confirmed that there is no error in the set contents before the reading is started (S2 in FIG. 5). ).
[0051]
When it is confirmed that there is an error in the setting contents, the set image forming mode is changed by the changing unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 (also serving as the input unit 6 in the present embodiment). Do. That is, when the user selects an image forming mode item in which an error has been confirmed on the screen of the image list display 41 (S7 in FIG. 5), a list of setting values that can be set in the selected item is displayed. The content of the item is changed by selecting a desired set value (S8 in FIG. 5). When the magnification item is selected, a desired number is inputted from a numeric keyboard provided as the input means 6 and changed.
[0052]
If it is necessary to add a new image forming mode, an image forming mode in which a new image forming mode is inserted immediately before is designated by selecting a number in the list display 41, and the “insert mode” button 42 is selected. When selected, a setting screen (FIG. 3C) is displayed so that the set value of the image forming mode to be inserted can be input.
[0053]
Further, when it is necessary to delete the image forming mode, the image forming mode to be deleted is designated by selecting the number of the list display 41, and when the “delete mode” button 43 is selected, the designated image forming mode is deleted. Is done.
[0054]
When it is confirmed that there is no error in the setting of the image forming mode, when the execute button is pressed, reading of the document is started (S3 in FIG. 5).
[0055]
Then, reading of the original and image forming processing based on the set image forming mode are performed until the original bundle on the ADF is exhausted (S4 and S5 in FIG. 5), and when the original bundle on the ADF is exhausted, the image forming apparatus 100 In the temporary standby state, it is confirmed whether or not the next image forming mode is set (S6 in FIG. 5).
[0056]
When the next image forming mode is set, the image forming apparatus 100 changes the setting of the image forming unit 3 to perform image forming processing based on the setting value of the image forming mode to be executed next (FIG. 5). S9). At this time, a list display 41 in which the number of the image forming mode to be executed next is reversed is displayed on the display means 7 (S1 in FIG. 5).
[0057]
Such processing is repeatedly executed, and image forming processing based on all the set image forming modes is executed.
[0058]
As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention displays and confirms the setting values of the plurality of image forming modes set by the list display 41 displayed on the display unit 7 before executing the image forming process. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the image forming process from being performed with an incorrect setting.
[0059]
In addition, in the list display 41 for confirming the set value of the set image forming mode, an incorrect set value can be selected by the selecting unit and can be immediately corrected by the changing unit 10, so that the correction work is facilitated.
[0060]
The setting items of the image forming mode described above are only specific examples, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the screen configuration of the setting screen, the setting history, and the list display can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the effect of the present invention.
[0061]
Further, in the above embodiment, the image forming mode is automatically switched when the document on the ADF is exhausted. However, as the image forming mode setting information, image forming processing based on each image forming mode is performed. An item for setting the number of pages of the original to be executed may be further added, and the image forming mode may be automatically switched according to the number of pages of the original read by the image reading unit. In this way, the operation of placing the document bundle on the ADF in order is not necessary.
[0062]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the display unit for displaying the setting screen for the image forming mode, the input unit for inputting the image forming mode on the setting screen, and the image forming mode input from the input unit are stored. Mode storage means for displaying the initial setting value stored in advance on the setting screen of the first image forming mode, and 1 in place of the initial setting value on the setting screen of the second and subsequent image forming modes. By displaying the set value of the second image forming mode, it is possible to display and confirm the set value of the set image forming mode, and it is possible to reliably prevent the image forming process from being performed with an incorrect setting.
[0063]
In addition, the image forming mode setting unit includes a selecting unit that selects a desired item from the setting information of the image forming mode displayed in a list on the display unit, and a changing unit that changes the content of the item selected by the selecting unit. When the mode setting information is confirmed, the erroneous setting can be corrected immediately, so that the correction work becomes easy.
[0064]
Furthermore, when the image forming mode is input, the setting value of the preset image forming mode stored in the mode storage unit is used as the input value of the image forming mode input by the setting unit. The user can input the set value of the preset image forming mode as a new image forming mode simply by selecting the preset image forming mode from the setting history, and the setting operation of the image forming mode is very easy. It becomes.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an image forming mode setting screen of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a setting history display screen of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a list display screen of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing image forming processing of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
6 Input means 7 Display means 8 Mode storage means 9 Setting means 10 Changing means 20 Setting screen display 31 Setting history display 41 List display 100 Image forming apparatus

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus that inputs a plurality of image forming modes instructing image forming conditions together with an execution order and executes image forming processing based on the image forming mode as a single job according to the execution order.
Display means for displaying a setting screen of the image forming mode;
Input means for inputting an image forming mode on the setting screen ;
Mode storage means for storing the image forming mode input from the input means ,
Initial setting values stored in advance are displayed on the setting screen for the first image forming mode, and setting values for the first image forming mode are displayed on the setting screens for the second and subsequent image forming modes instead of the initial setting values. An image forming apparatus characterized by displaying . Display means for displaying a list of setting information of the image forming mode stored in the mode storage means ;
Selecting means for selecting a desired item from the setting information of the image forming modes displayed in the list ;
Changing means for changing the content of the item selected by the selecting means;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A mode selection means for selecting a desired image formation mode from the list displayed on the display means when inputting an image formation mode;
Setting means for setting all setting information of the image forming mode selected by the mode selecting means as input values of the input image forming mode;
An image forming apparatus according to claim 2 .

Images