JP4003359B2 - Printing guide output device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing guide output device for guiding a set state of printing paper and a program recording medium thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when printing two pages of left and right data on both front and back sides of a plurality of printing papers and binding them into a booklet, an expensive advanced word processor or copier has a front and back side of a plurality of printing papers. Data for two pages on both sides can be printed on both sides at once. In other words, this type of printer has a print head and the like on the back side as well as the front side of the paper. Multiple pages can be printed on both sides simultaneously.
On the other hand, in a relatively inexpensive word processor, etc., the print head is provided only on one side of the paper. Therefore, after surface printing is performed on a plurality of sheets of paper, the connection of pages is taken into consideration. The paper is rearranged, and the paper is set again and printed on the back side. That is, the front surface printing and the back surface printing are performed separately with a time shift.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when performing front side printing and back side printing separately, the operator turns each paper upside down and rearranges it in the reverse order, and sets the paper while checking the connection of the pages. Even if the setting direction or arrangement order for the sheets is incorrect, the correspondence between front side printing and back side printing will be lost, so it may be necessary to start all over from the first front side printing, resulting in waste of printing time and paper. In addition, a great deal of labor is required from the operator. This is not limited to the case where booklet printing is performed, and the same applies to the case where printing is simply performed on both the front and back sides of a sheet.
An object of the present invention is to display a guidance on the state of a sheet to be set by image data when printing is instructed on an already printed sheet on which data has already been printed. It is to be able to grasp intuitively.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Means of the present invention are as follows.
Image storage means for storing a guide image for guiding the setting state of the printing paper, conveying means for feeding the printing paper by a predetermined amount by being fed at the time of reverse side printing, and already printed paper on which data is printed When reprinting is instructed, a synthesizing unit that synthesizes a part of the printed data printed on the printing paper and the guide image, the printed data synthesized by the synthesizing unit, and the guide Display means for displaying the image as guide data for guiding the set state of the printing paper, and when an operation for starting printing is performed after the display means guides and displays the state of the printing paper. And a control unit that reversely conveys a predetermined amount of the printing paper conveyed by the conveying unit to start back side printing.
[0005]
Therefore, according to the present invention, when reprinting is instructed and fed to an already printed sheet on which data has already been printed, the sheet is transported to a state where a part of the sheet can be read, A part of the printed data printed on the sheet and the guide image are combined, and the combined data is displayed as guide data for guiding the state of the sheet, and the state of the sheet is displayed as a guide. After a predetermined operation is performed, the paper can be conveyed to a normal state and printing can be started.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the data processing apparatus in this embodiment.
This data processing device is a word processor capable of booklet printing. When printing data for two pages on the left and right sides of a plurality of printing papers, and binding them into a booklet, front side printing and back side printing are performed separately. In order to be able to set the paper in the correct state when performing reverse side printing after front side printing, the guidance display is based on image data and guidance data that enable intuitive grasp of the paper setting direction. It is characterized by doing so.
Prior to detailed description of the features of this embodiment, the hardware configuration of this embodiment will be described below.
[0007]
The CPU 1 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of the data processing device in accordance with the operating system and various application software in the storage device 2. The storage device 2 stores a database, character fonts, and the like in addition to an operating system and various application software, and includes a recording medium 3 configured by a magnetic, optical, semiconductor memory, and the drive system thereof. The recording medium 3 is a fixed medium such as a hard disk or a portable medium such as a removable CD-ROM, floppy disk, RAM card, or magnetic card. The program and data in the recording medium 3 are loaded into a RAM (for example, a static RAM) 4 as required by the control of the CPU 1, and the data in the RAM 4 is saved in the recording medium 3. Further, the recording medium may be provided on the side of an external device such as a server, and the CPU 1 can directly access and use the program / data in the recording medium via the transmission medium.
In addition, the CPU 1 can capture a part or all of the data stored in the recording medium 3 from another device via a transmission medium, and can newly register or add to the recording medium 3. That is, the transmission control unit 5 receives a program / data transmitted from another device constituting the computer communication system via a wired transmission line such as a communication line or cable or a wireless transmission line such as radio waves, microwaves, and infrared rays. And can be installed in the recording medium 3. Furthermore, the program / data may be stored and managed on the external device side such as a server, and the CPU 1 can directly access and use the program / data on the external device side via a transmission medium.
[0008]
As described above, the CPU 1 is not limited to a program / data that is resident in a fixed manner in advance, but uses a program / data supplied externally via a recording medium or a transmission medium, or is stored and managed on the external device side. This program / data can be directly used to perform operations specific to this embodiment. On the other hand, the CPU 1 is connected to the input / output peripheral devices, ie, the transmission control unit 5, the input unit 6, the display unit 7, and the printing unit 8 via the bus line. The CPU 1 performs these operations according to the input / output program. Control. The transmission control unit 5 is a communication interface including, for example, a communication modem, an infrared module, an antenna, and the like. The input unit 6 is an operation unit constituting a pointing device such as a keyboard, a touch panel, a mouse, or a touch input pen, and inputs character string data and various commands. The display unit 7 is a liquid crystal, CRT, or plasma display device that performs full color display. The printing unit 8 is a printer with an automatic paper feeding device, and is constituted by a non-impact printer such as thermal transfer or ink jet or a dot impact printer, and booklet printing is performed in a state where a plurality of sheets are set on the tray. .
[0009]
FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a part of the storage device 2 and the RAM 4, and includes a text file A, a booklet print page layout file B, an image file C, and a guidance data file D. The text file A stores a plurality of pages of document data created for booklet printing as print targets, and the contents are called up and printed out one page at a time during booklet printing. The booklet print page arrangement file B manages which page data is printed at which position on the front and back sides of a plurality of sheets. FIG. 2 shows the data structure of the booklet print page arrangement file B. That is, each record constituting the booklet print page layout file B has items of “number of sheets”, “left page”, “left page blank flag”, “right page”, “right page blank flag”, and Record is set to the “Number of sheets” item “First sheet front”, “First sheet back”, “Second sheet front”, “Second sheet back” ... “N sheet front”, “ It consists of the order of “the back of the Nth sheet”.
“Left page” and “right page” indicate the number of pages printed on the left / right page positions of the sheet. In this case, since data for 4 pages is printed on one sheet, that is, 2 pages are printed on the left and right sides of the front side, and 2 pages are printed on the left and right sides of the back side, the number of printed sheets is a value divisible by “4”. It becomes. In other words, if the number of prints calculated based on the total number of pages to be printed is a value that is not divisible by “4”, the number of pages is added until it is divisible, and when it becomes a divisible value, it is printed this time. It is a page. “Left page blank flag” and “Right page blank flag” are flags indicating whether or not there is data to be printed at the left / right page positions of the paper, that is, blank pages, and are based on the total number of pages to be printed. When the number of pages is added until the number of prints determined in this way is divisible by “4”, “with blank page” is set to the added page.
[0010]
Now, as shown in FIG. 3A, a booklet for 12 pages is created using three sheets of paper. In this case, FIG. 3B shows the number of pages allocated to the front surface of each sheet during front surface printing. That is, in the first table, the “left page” is assigned the 12th page, and the “right page” is assigned the first page. In the second table, the “left page” is the 10th page, Page 3 is assigned to page 3, and in the third table, “left page” is assigned to page 8 and “right page” is assigned to page 5.
When printing on the back side after such front side printing, the operator turns each paper over and rearranges it in reverse order, re-sets the paper in the tray of the automatic paper feeder while checking the page connection, and executes back side printing Then, the number of pages allocated to the back side of each sheet is as shown in FIG. That is, on the back of the first page, the “left page” is assigned the second page, and the “right page” is assigned the eleventh page. On the back of the second sheet, the “left page” is the fourth page, “right” Page 9 is assigned to page 9, and on the back of the third page, page 6 is assigned to page 6 on the left and page 7 is assigned to page on the right.
[0011]
The image file C is a combination of the tray image of the automatic paper feeder and the paper image set in the tray, and guides in which direction the paper should be set on the tray. That is, FIGS. 7 to 9 are diagrams illustrating the guidance display screen in this case. The image data called from the image file C is a combination of a tray image and a paper image set in the tray. The upper left corner of the paper is folded. The data printed on the surface of the paper appears and displays in the bent portion.
The guide data file D stores a message sentence (character string data) output at the time of guidance display in the paper set direction, and stores a plurality of different message sentences according to the current number of printed sheets. In this case, as shown in the guidance display screens of FIGS. 7 to 9, a message text indicating a predetermined operation guidance is displayed in the display frame on the right side of the image display described above.
[0012]
Next, the operation at the time of booklet printing in the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, a program for realizing each function described in these flowcharts is stored in the recording medium 3 in the form of a readable program code, and the CPU 1 sequentially executes operations according to the program code. To do. Further, the CPU 1 can sequentially execute the operation according to the above-described program code transmitted via the transmission medium. The same applies to other embodiments to be described later. In addition to a recording medium, an operation peculiar to this embodiment can be executed using a program / data supplied externally via a transmission medium.
[0013]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an overview of the overall operation during booklet printing.
First, a booklet print page layout data creation process is executed (step A1). This layout data creation process creates a booklet print page layout file B according to the total number of pages of document data to be printed, and booklet print page layout data indicating which pages are assigned to the left and right sides of the front and back sides of each sheet. Created. In this case, since the data for four pages is printed on one sheet as described above, the number of prints obtained based on the number of pages to be printed is a value that cannot be divided by “4”. The number of pages is added until it is divisible. Thus, when the booklet print page arrangement file B is created, the booklet print page arrangement file B is referred to, and normal front surface printing is performed on each sheet (step A2). Then, after the front side printing is finished, a help display process for guiding the sheet setting state is performed before starting the back side printing (step A3).
[0014]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart detailing the help display process.
First, the number of prints obtained based on the number of pages to be printed is set in an N register (not shown) in the RAM 4 (step B1). If the booklet printing of all 12 pages is performed as shown in FIG. 3, the number of prints obtained based on the number of pages to be printed is “3”. As a result, “3” is set. Then, a process for guiding and displaying the setting direction of the Nth sheet indicated by the value of the N register is performed (step B2).
FIG. 6 is a flowchart detailing the guidance display process.
That is, an image obtained by combining a tray image and a paper image is read from the image file C (step C1), and the N-th right page document data indicated by the value of the N register is read from the text file A (step C2). Then, data corresponding to the lower right part of the document data (triangular part obtained by folding the paper) is cut out and pasted to the corresponding part of the image display (step C3). The synthesized data is displayed as an image on the guidance display screen (step C4).
[0015]
In this case, for example, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, for example, B4 size paper is set in a vertically long state, and the vertical relationship is set so that the right page on the paper surface is up as shown in the figure. It should be shown.
Then, in order to selectively display the message text based on the current number of printed sheets, it is checked whether the value in the N register has reached the number of printed sheets (step C5). If the number of printed sheets has not been reached, the value in the N register is checked. 1 is checked (step C6). Since the number of prints is initially set in the N register, this is detected in step C5, and the process proceeds to step C7 to display the guidance screen (1) shown in FIG. Operation guidance for is displayed. In this case, a guidance display indicating that the sheet should be set and a guidance display indicating switching to the next sheet setting guidance screen are performed using the up cursor key.
[0016]
Then, returning to the flowchart of FIG. 5, the process waits until the up cursor key is operated (step B3). When the up cursor key is operated, a decrement process for decrementing the value of the N register by “1” is performed. (Step B4), it is checked whether the value of the N register has reached “1” (Step B5). Now, since the value of the N register is decremented from the initial value “3” to “2”, the process proceeds to step B6 to guide and display the setting method of the Nth sheet indicated by the value of the N register. Processing is performed according to the flowchart of FIG. Now, since the value of the N register is “2”, it is switched to the guidance screen {circle around (2)} shown in FIG. 8 (step C9), and a guidance display is displayed to switch to the next paper set guidance screen with the up cursor key. In addition, a guidance display is displayed to switch to the previous set screen with the down cursor key. Here, in the flowchart of FIG. 5, when the up / down cursor key is waiting for operation (steps B7, B8), when the down cursor key is operated, an increment process is performed to add “1” to the N register ( In step B9), it is checked whether the value has returned to the number of printed sheets (step B10). If it is less than the number of printed sheets, the process returns to the guidance display in step B6, and if it reaches the number of printed sheets, the process returns to the guidance display in step B2. When the up cursor key is operated, the process returns to the decrement process in step B4.
[0017]
As a result, when the value of the N register becomes “1”, this is detected in step B5, and the process proceeds to step B11, where a process for guiding and displaying the setting method of the Nth sheet indicated by the value of the N register is performed. This is performed according to the flowchart of FIG. Now, since the value of the N register is “1”, this is detected in step C6, and a guidance screen (3) as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed (step C8). Here, in addition to the guidance display that switches to the previous set screen with the down cursor key, the guidance display that the printing is started is performed with the execution key. Here, in the flowchart of FIG. 5, when the down cursor key is operated (step B12), the process returns to step B9 to increment the value of the N register, but when the execution key is operated (step B13). ), The help display ends, and the process proceeds to step A4 in FIG. 4 to start the back side printing.
[0018]
As described above, in the first embodiment, when booklet printing is performed by printing data for two pages on the left and right sides of a plurality of printing sheets, data is printed on the surface of each sheet. When reprinting on the back side of preprinted paper is instructed, for each paper, part of the printed data printed on the paper surface and the guide image are combined and displayed and output. In addition, it is possible to intuitively and easily guide the sheet setting order and setting direction, it is possible to set the sheets correctly, and booklet printing is ensured. In this case, each printed sheet is turned upside down and sequentially stacked on the tray. At this time, a guidance display in which the corners of the sheet are folded so that a part of the surface printed data appears is performed. Therefore, the confirmation of the sheet setting order and the setting direction becomes more reliable.
In the first embodiment described above, the case where a plurality of sheets are bundled and set on the tray of the automatic sheet feeder has been shown. However, after the sheets are set one by one and subjected to surface printing, the sheets are printed. You may make it guide the setting direction of the back surface of.
[0019]
(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment described above, printing is performed by simply separating the front side printing and the back side printing regardless of black and white printing or color printing, but this second embodiment is a partial page of the booklet. When color printing is specified only for the front and back, first the black and white front side printing and back side printing are performed, and then the color front side printing and back side printing are performed. The above-mentioned help display is performed at the time of front side printing and back side printing. Here, components that are basically the same in both embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the features of the second embodiment.
[0020]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation during booklet printing.
First, a booklet print page layout data creation process similar to that in the first embodiment described above is performed (step D1). Then, the monochrome printing mode is designated (step D2), and monochrome surface printing is started. Before that, processing for changing the contents of the booklet print page layout file B is performed (steps D3 to D7). That is, the number of pages created in the booklet print page layout data creation process in step D1 is set in a P register (not shown) (step D3), and it is determined whether the page indicated by the value of this P register is a color page. (Step D4) If it is a color page, a blank sheet flag is set in the corresponding record in the booklet print page layout file B (Step D5). Then, a process of decrementing the value of the P register by “1” is performed (step D6), it is checked whether the value is “0” (step D7), and the process returns to step D4 until all pages have been designated. Repeat the operation. Thus, when the value of the P register becomes “0”, the front surface printing process is executed (step D8). In this case, the black and white printing of the page in which the blank page flag is set is skipped.
When such surface black-and-white printing is performed, the above-described help display is started (step D9). When the paper is set while confirming this help display, back side black printing is performed (step D10). Even in this case, the monochrome printing of the page in which the blank sheet flag is set is skipped.
[0021]
Next, the color printing mode is designated (step D11). In this case as well, the number of pages for booklet printing is set in the P register (step D12), and the page indicated by the value of this P register is a color page. (Step D13), if it is a color page, the blank flag set in the corresponding record in the booklet print page arrangement file B is reset (step D14). A flag is set (step D15). Then, a process of decrementing the value of the P register by “1” is performed (step D16), and it is checked whether the value is “0” (step D17). Repeat the operation. As a result, when the value of the P register becomes “0”, the above-described help display is performed (step D18). Then, after the front surface color printing is executed (step D19), the above-described help display is performed again (step D20). Then, back surface color printing is performed (step D21).
[0022]
As described above, in the second embodiment, even when color pages are mixed in black and white pages, monochrome printing and color printing are performed separately. Therefore, monochrome printing is performed using expensive ink ribbons and inks. Since the black ribbon and ink can be used without using the printer, it is possible to reduce the running cost, and even if the printing is performed separately, the above-mentioned guidance display is performed. Setting mistakes can be avoided.
In the second embodiment described above, when monochrome printing and color printing are performed for each page, if only a part of one page is designated as a color, the entire page may be regarded as a color page.
[0023]
(Third embodiment)
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. In the above-described first embodiment, the paper setting direction is guided by the help display before setting the paper. However, in the third embodiment, the paper is half-forced after the paper is set. The information is discharged, and a guidance display is provided so that the user can collate and confirm this state and the correct set state. Here, basically the same components in both embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
[0024]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of back side printing which is started after the front side printing of booklet printing.
First, in a paper feed waiting state (step E1), when paper is fed, ½ paper is forcibly ejected (step E2) and a check screen is displayed (step E3). FIG. 12 is a diagram showing this check screen. The check screen in which the data of the printed surface of the paper discharge portion is combined and displayed on the image of the printer cover portion and half of the paper being discharged is displayed on the check screen. Is displayed. This guidance is displayed with a paper setting status confirmation message and guidance indicating that printing should be started by operating the execution key after confirming that the paper is correctly set. Here, the execution key / release key operation is waited (step E4), and if the release key is operated (step E5), after the sheet is discharged (step E10), guidance is given to prompt the user to reset the sheet. The display is output (step E11). Then, the process returns to step E1 and waits for paper feed.
[0025]
On the other hand, when the execution key is operated (step E5), the paper is reversely discharged 1/2 and returned to the normal setting state (step E6), and then the back side printing is started (step E7). Then, the number of printed sheets is decremented by “1” (step E8), it is checked whether the number of printed sheets has become “0” (step E9), the process returns to step E1 until it becomes “0”, and the above operation is repeated.
As described above, in the third embodiment, after the paper is set, the paper is forcibly discharged half way, and this state is checked against the check screen, so that the paper is set in a correct state. Is possible.
In the third embodiment described above, the paper is ejected in half. However, it is sufficient that only a very small part of the printed surface can be confirmed, and the ejected amounts are 1/4, 1 / It may be about 5.
[0026]
In the above-described embodiments, when booklet printing is performed, printing for two pages on the left and right sides is performed on one side. However, printing for four pages on the left and right sides may be performed. In addition to booklet printing, simple double-sided printing may be performed. Further, not only double-sided printing but also surface printing alone is applicable, and after the monochrome printing is performed on the paper surface, the above-described help display may be performed to additionally print the color print portion on the surface.
In addition, this data processing apparatus is not limited to a stand-alone type, and each component of the present invention is physically separated into two or more casings, a wired transmission path such as a communication line or a cable, a radio wave, a microwave, You may comprise the distributed computer communication system which transmits / receives data via radio | wireless transmission paths, such as infrared rays. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the present invention.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
Therefore, according to the present invention, when reprinting is instructed to a preprinted paper on which data has already been printed, the paper is transported so that a part of the printed data printed on the paper can be read. In addition, since the paper setting direction is guided by image data, it is possible to intuitively grasp whether the paper is set correctly even when performing complicated printing such as booklet printing. Thus, it is possible to print without making a mistake in the paper setting direction.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a data processing apparatus capable of booklet printing;
(B) is a diagram showing a part of the storage device 2 and the RAM 4.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure of a booklet print page arrangement file B.
FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a case where a booklet for 12 pages is created using three sheets of paper;
(B) is a diagram showing the number of pages assigned to the surface of each sheet during front surface printing;
(C) is a diagram showing the number of pages allocated to the back side of each sheet during back side printing.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an overview of the overall operation during booklet printing.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart detailing help display processing shown in steps of FIG. 4;
6 is a flowchart detailing the guidance display process shown in steps B2, B6, and B11 in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a guidance screen (1).
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a guidance screen (2).
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a guidance screen (3).
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of booklet printing in the second embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation at the time of back side printing that is started after front side printing of booklet printing in the third embodiment.
FIG. 12 shows a check screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 CPU
2 storage devices
3 recording media
5 Transmission control unit
6 Input section
7 Display section
8 Print section
A text file
B Booklet print page layout file
C image file
D Guidance data file

Claims (1)

Image storage means for storing a guide image for guiding the set state of the printing paper;
Conveying means for conveying the printing paper by a predetermined amount by being fed at the time of reverse side printing;
When reprinting is instructed on an already printed sheet on which data has already been printed, a combining unit that combines a part of the printed data printed on the printing sheet and the guide image;
Display means for displaying the printed data synthesized by the synthesizing means and the guidance image as guidance data for guiding the set state of the printing paper;
When an operation for starting printing is performed after the display means displays the state of the printing paper, a predetermined amount of the printing paper conveyed by the conveying means is reversely conveyed to perform reverse printing. Control means for starting
A printing guide output device comprising:

Images