JP4283096B2 - Printing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system that prints data on a printing paper, and more particularly to a printing system that can easily print the same data in a printing mode according to a user of a printed matter.

  In printing apparatuses such as printers and copiers, elements that specify the number of copies and the printing mode (finished state of printed matter) can be specified at the time of printing, and the user can print in a desired printing mode. A desired number of copies can be obtained. However, there are various elements that define the printing mode, such as the size of printing paper, color printing and monochrome printing, single-sided printing and double-sided printing, etc. It is a complicated operation.

Therefore, it has been proposed to store several printing modes in advance and perform printing in a printing mode selected by the user. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-235466 discloses a printing system that allows a user to determine a printing mode according to a purpose.
JP 2000-235466 A

  If several printing modes are determined and stored as described above, operations to be performed by the user can be reduced, and the efficiency of the printing process can be improved. If the number of prints is designated, the printed matter printed in the same printing mode can be obtained in the designated number of copies.

  However, when creating a plurality of printed materials to be used by a plurality of people, such as materials for meetings, etc., it is not necessary to change all the printed materials to the same printing mode, but to change the printing mode according to the user. Sometimes it happens. In this case, even if the above-described method is adopted, it is not possible to obtain printed materials for all users in a single printing process, and it is necessary to perform printing processes for the number of different printing modes. Further, it becomes necessary to select a printing mode while considering who the user is, and the processing efficiency is lowered.

  Moreover, the person who created the printed material does not always distribute the printed material to the user, and the creator and the distributor are often different. In that case, the creator must tell the distributor which printed form of the print should be distributed to which user.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize a printing system that can easily provide a printed matter in a printing mode according to a user. It is another object of the present invention to realize a printing system that can clarify which user the printed matter to be provided is for.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a printing system for printing data in a printing mode according to a user of a printed matter, one or more groups including one or more users are defined, and all the groups included in each group are defined. A user and a printing mode for each user are associated with each other and stored for each group, and a predetermined number of copies is made for all users included in the selected group when any group is selected. Each group has a group print mode in which the same data is continuously printed in a printing mode for each user.

  In this printing system, it is possible to create a printed matter for all users included in the selected group and in a printing mode according to each user in the group printing mode. Therefore, the processing efficiency when printing the same data in different printing modes is increased. There is no restriction on the number of groups to be stored, and there is no restriction on the number of users included in each group. Furthermore, the same user can be included in different groups, and the printing modes of the same users included in different groups can also be made different.

  It is preferable that addition and deletion of groups, addition and deletion of users included in the group, and change of the printing mode for each user are performed in accordance with instructions from the users. In this way, a group can be set according to the environment in which this printing system is employed, and the processing efficiency is further increased.

  When printing in the group print mode, information indicating the selected group and the date and time of printing may be stored. In this way, a history of the printing process performed in the group print mode remains, and when the user selects a group, the history is displayed in a list so that the user can perform a selection operation. become.

  When printing is performed in the group print mode, all users included in the selected group and print modes for each user may be printed as a list. By comparing the actual printing mode of the printed material with the printing mode shown in the list, it is possible to determine which user each printed material is for, and distribution of the printed material to the users is facilitated.

  When printing in the group print mode, information indicating the user may be added to the data to be printed. The user is written on the printed material itself, and distribution of the printed material to the user becomes easy.

  The mail addresses of the users included in each group may be stored, and when printing is performed in the group print mode, the printed data may be transmitted by e-mail to the users included in the selected group. In this way, the user can know the contents of printing prior to obtaining the printed matter.

  According to the printing system of the present invention having the group printing mode, the same data is printed for all users included in one group in a single printing process and in a printing mode according to the user. can do. In addition, it is possible to define a plurality of groups, and to include the same user in different groups, and it is possible to flexibly perform a printing process in a printing mode according to the user. Therefore, the process of creating various conference materials in the office becomes extremely easy.

  In particular, if all the users included in the selected group and the printing mode for each user are printed as a list, or the information indicating the user is added to the data to be printed, the printed matter will be used. This makes it easier to distribute printed materials to users.

  Hereinafter, a copying machine as an embodiment of a printing system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment. The copying machine 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a reading unit 13, a printing unit 14, an operation unit 15, a display unit 16, a communication unit 17, and a time measuring unit 18. The control unit 11 controls the operation of the entire copying machine 1, and the storage unit 12 stores a program describing the control processing of the control unit 11 and parameters used by the control unit 11 for control, and also stores images. First, various data is stored.

  The reading unit 13 reads an image from a document. The reading unit 13 can also read images sequentially from a plurality of documents. The read image is stored in the storage unit 12. The printing unit 14 prints data such as an image stored in the storage unit 12 on printing paper.

  The display unit 16 comprises a liquid crystal panel, and displays the setting status of the copying machine 1, operation guidance, and the like. The operation unit 15 includes a plurality of operation keys and a touch panel provided on the liquid crystal panel of the display unit 16 and accepts a user operation.

  The communication unit 17 is connected to a LAN cable 21 and communicates with a personal computer or the like on a LAN (local area network). The communication unit 17 is also connected to the public telephone line 22 and performs communication via the Internet and communication with an external facsimile machine. Data received from a personal computer, the Internet, and a facsimile machine is also stored in the storage unit 12.

  The timer unit 18 is composed of a real time clock and outputs the actual time. The output of the timer 18 includes year, month, and day as well as hour, minute, and second.

  The copying machine 1 configured as described above functions not only as a copying machine but also as a printer and a facsimile machine. The function as a copying machine is realized by reading an image from a document by the reading unit 13 and printing the image by the printing unit 14. The function as a printer is realized by printing data received from a personal computer via the communication unit 17 by the printing unit 14. Further, the function as a facsimile apparatus is that an image read by the reading unit 13 is transmitted to another facsimile apparatus via the communication unit 17, and an image received from another facsimile apparatus via the communication unit 17 is transmitted by the printing unit 14. Realized by printing.

  The copier 1 has a normal print mode and a group print mode for printing. The normal printing mode is a mode in which the user designates various elements that define the number of copies to be printed and the printing mode every time printing processing is performed. It is also possible to omit the specification of the elements that specify the number of copies and the printing mode. In this case, the copying machine 1 sets the elements that specify the number of printing copies and the printing mode to predetermined values (default values). ).

  In the group printing mode, one or a plurality of groups including one or more users of the printed matter are determined in advance, and the users included in each group are associated with the printing mode and stored for each group. In this mode, the same data is printed in the printing mode for each user for all the users included in the group selected by. The number of copies in the group print mode is 1 copy per user.

  The copying machine 1 has a database in which information about groups is recorded for the group printing mode. This database is stored in the storage unit 12. The contents of the database are schematically shown in FIG. The database 30 includes address data 31, one or more group data 32, and history data 33.

  A specific example of the address data 31 is shown in FIG. The address data 31 includes the name of the user of the printed material and the e-mail address of each user, and the user name and the e-mail address are associated with each other. Instead of the name, other information that can identify the user, for example, the title of the company can be included. The address data 30 is set by the user of the copying machine 1. When the address data 30 is set, a keyboard image is displayed on the display unit 16. The user performs input by touching a part corresponding to the key on the keyboard image on the touch panel to select the key. Hereinafter, touching a portion of the touch panel corresponding to the image displayed on the display unit 16 to select the image is simply referred to as selecting via the touch panel.

  A specific example of the group data 32 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, (a) and (b) represent group data 32 of different groups. The group data 32 includes a group name 34, each user's name (or information identifying the user) 35, a print mode 36, and incidental information 37 not related to the print mode. The name (or information identifying the user) 35, the printing mode 36, and the accompanying information 37 are associated with each other.

  The elements that define the printing mode 36 include (1) size (size) of printing paper, (2) color printing or monochrome printing, and (3) printing on one side as printing paper. Whether to use recycled paper or unused paper, (4) to print on both sides of the printing paper or to print on only one side, or (5) to print normal pages of data on one page of printing paper (6) whether to print a page number, or (7) whether to print the user's name (or information identifying the user) on the first page of the printing paper. The accompanying information 37 is whether or not to send the printed data to the user by e-mail when printing is completed.

  The group data 32 is also set by the user of the copying machine 1. The user can add, delete, and change the contents of the group. The change of the contents of the group includes addition and deletion of users, change of values of elements that define the printing mode, and change of values of incidental information. When adding a user, the user is selected from the address data 31.

  The same users can be included in different groups, and the same printing mode can be associated with the same users included in different groups, or different printing modes can be associated. Note that the same user cannot be included in the same group.

  An example of a guidance screen displayed on the display unit 16 when setting the group data 32 is shown in FIG. In this example, the existing group data 32 is changed. A group name 34 is displayed at the top, and below the name (or information for identifying the user) 35 of each user included in the group, and elements that define the printing mode 36 (the above (1) to (7) )) And the accompanying information 37 are displayed side by side.

  When the group name 34 is selected via the touch panel, a keyboard image is displayed, and the group name 34 can be input by selecting a key therein through the touch panel. Further, the user can be deleted from the group by selecting the user's name 35 via the touch panel and performing a predetermined operation for instructing the deletion.

  A blank field is displayed below the names 35 of all the users included in the group, and a default value of an element that defines the printing mode 36 and a default value of the incidental information 37 are displayed side by side. When this blank field is selected via the touch panel, address data 31 is displayed. When any name included in the displayed address data 31 is selected via the touch panel, the name is displayed in a blank column. Users can now be added to the group. If the user name 35 field is left blank, the user cannot be added to the group.

  The column displaying the value of each element that defines the printing mode 36 and the value of the incidental information 37 is a pull-down menu, and the user can select the downward triangle displayed in each column via the touch panel. , Value candidates can be displayed. An example of displaying value candidates is shown in FIG. The value can be changed by selecting any of the displayed values via the touch panel. FIG. 5B shows the value candidates for all of the elements that define the printing mode 36 and the accompanying information 37, and the candidates displayed at a time are limited to those in the selected triangle column.

  When adding a group, a blank group name 34 is initially displayed. When the group name 34 is input as described above, as in the lowermost part of FIG. 5A, the user name 35 made blank, the default value of the element that defines the printing mode 36, and the incidental information The default value of is displayed. After that, users are added as described above.

  When deleting a group, a list of group names 34 is displayed. The group can be deleted from the database 30 by selecting any group name 34 via the touch panel and performing a predetermined operation for instructing the deletion. Note that the group deletion may be performed only by the manager of the printing system 1.

  The flow of processing of the copying machine 1 relating to the management of the group data 32 is shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, it is determined whether an instruction to add (new registration) is given (#step 100). When the instruction is given, a group name is set according to the user's operation (# 102), and the group name is stored in a predetermined area of the storage unit 12 (# 104). Next, the address data 31 is displayed (# 106), a member (user) is selected from the address data 31 according to the user's operation (# 108), and the printing mode 36 for the member is set ( # 110), the member and the printing mode 36 are stored (# 112).

  Thereafter, it is determined whether or not an instruction to add a member has been given (# 114). When the instruction is given, the process returns to step # 106. When the member addition instruction is not given, the information stored in steps # 104 and # 112 is read out and registered in the database 30 as the group data 32 (# 116), and the process proceeds to step # 180.

  When the group addition instruction is not given in the determination of step # 100, it is determined whether an instruction to delete the group is given (# 120). When the instruction is given, a group list (group name list) is displayed (# 122), and a group is selected from the list according to the user's operation (# 124). Then, the group data 32 of the group is deleted from the database 30 (# 126), and the process proceeds to step # 180.

  If the group deletion instruction is not given in the determination of step # 120, it is determined whether or not an instruction to update the group (change the contents of the group data) is given (# 130). When the instruction is given, a group list is displayed (# 132), and a group is selected from the list according to the user's operation (# 134).

  Next, it is determined whether or not an instruction to change the group name 34 is given (# 136). When the instruction is given, the group name 34 is set according to the user's operation (# 138), The group name 34 is stored (# 140). Then, the process proceeds to step # 168.

  If the group name change instruction is not given in the determination of step # 136, it is determined whether an instruction to add a member is given (# 142). When the instruction is given, the address data 31 is displayed (# 144), a member is selected according to the user's operation (# 146), and the printing mode for the member is set. (# 148). Then, the member and the printing mode are stored (# 150), and the process proceeds to step # 168.

  When the member addition instruction is not given in the determination of step # 142, it is determined whether or not an instruction to change the printing mode 36 of any member is given (# 152). When the instruction is given, the group data 32 is displayed (# 154), and the printing mode 36 is changed according to the user's operation (# 156). As shown in FIG. 5A, the printing mode 36 can be performed for any member, and the accompanying information 37 can be changed here. After changing the printing mode 36 or the accompanying information 37, they are stored together with the corresponding members (# 158), and the process proceeds to step # 168.

  If the print mode change instruction is not given in the determination in step # 152, it is determined whether an instruction to delete the member is given (# 160). When the instruction is given, the group data 32 is displayed (# 162), the member is selected according to the user's operation (# 164), and the deletion of the selected member is stored (# 166). ). Then, the process proceeds to step # 168. Even when the member deletion instruction is not given in the determination of step # 160, the process proceeds to step # 168.

  In step # 168, it is determined whether an instruction to end the change has been given. If the instruction is not given, the process returns to step # 142. Thus, for the group selected in step # 134, the member addition, print mode change, and member deletion processes can be performed continuously.

  When an instruction to end the change is given in the determination in step # 168, the contents of the group data 32 of the group selected in step # 134 are updated to the contents stored in steps # 140, # 150, # 158, and # 166. (# 170). Then, the process proceeds to step # 180.

  In step # 180, it is determined whether or not an instruction to end the management process of the database 30 has been given. When the instruction is not given, the process returns to step # 100. Thus, group registration, deletion, and change can be performed continuously. When an instruction to end the management process is given, the process ends.

  In the group print mode, a group is selected prior to printing. The group selection method includes a method of displaying a group list and selecting from the list, and a print processing history (print date and time selected in the group print mode). There is a method of storing a group), displaying a history list (history list), and selecting from the list. The printing date and time is obtained from the output of the timer unit 18 at the end of the printing process. The history of the printing process is stored in the history data 33 of the database 30.

  FIG. 7 shows a guidance screen displayed on the display unit 16 when the print mode is selected. This display includes a button for selecting the normal print mode and two buttons for selecting the group print mode. The button for selecting the normal print mode is indicated with a display indicating that the user individually specifies the print mode, and the button for selecting the group print mode is for selecting a group from the group list. A display indicating whether to select from the history list is attached. The user selects one of the buttons via the touch panel to determine the print mode.

  FIG. 8 shows a guidance screen when the group print mode is selected. In FIG. 8, (a) is for selecting a group from the group list, a group list 38 is displayed, and (b) is for selecting a group from the history list, and a history list 39 is displayed. . The group list 38 includes the group name of each group, and the history list 39 includes the print date and time in addition to the group name. The history in the history list 39 is arranged in order from the newest.

  Next to the group list 38 and the history list 39, buttons representing upward and downward triangles are displayed. By selecting these buttons via the touch panel, the lists 38 and 39 can be scrolled up and down.

  In the group printing mode, the names (or information for identifying users) 35 of all users included in the selected group and the printing mode 36 of each user can be printed as a list. The user decides whether or not to display this list. 8A and 8B, a button 40 labeled “member list print” is also added. By selecting the button 40 via the touch panel, printing of a list can be instructed. it can.

  An example of the printed list is shown in FIG. The list 41 includes a group name 34 in addition to the names (or information for identifying the users) 35 of all users and the printing mode 36 of each user. A square 42 is printed next to the name 35 of each user. This is for use when distributing printed matter. For example, each time a printed matter is distributed to a user, a check is added to the square 42 next to the user, and the distinction between the distributed user and the undistributed user becomes clear.

  As described above, the elements that define the printing mode 36 include whether or not the user's name (or information identifying the user) 35 is printed on the first page of the printing paper. An example of a printed matter on which the user's name is printed is shown in FIG. In addition to the user's name 35, the group name 34 is also printed on the first page.

  In the group print mode, the group data 32 of the group can be changed after the group is selected and before printing is started. This change includes addition and deletion of members, and change of the printing mode of each member. The changed group data 32 can be discarded after printing, and the database 30 can be updated with the changed group data 32. Furthermore, the changed group data 32 can be added to the database 30 (registered as new group data 32). When adding to the database 30, the group name 34 is reset.

  In the normal print mode, the elements of the print mode 36 are individually set. The user name (or information for specifying the user) 35 is added to the set print mode 36 to form group data 32, which is stored in the database 30. Can be added. At that time, a group name 34 is added to the group data 32. Note that the group in this case includes only a single user, but the number of users can be increased by performing the processing shown in FIG. 6 later.

  As described above, when the printing process is performed, the group data 32 can be changed or the new group data 32 can be added, thereby further improving the usability of the group printing mode. Further, the print mode 36 set in the normal print mode can be used in the group print mode, and operations for setting the group data 32 can be reduced.

  The flow of the printing process of the copying machine 1 is shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, it is determined whether or not an instruction to select a group is given from the group list 38 (step # 200). When the instruction is given, the group list 38 is displayed (# 202), and a group is selected according to the user's operation (# 204).

  If the selection instruction from the group list 38 is not given in the determination of step # 200, it is determined whether or not an instruction for selecting a group is given from the history list 39 (# 210). When the instruction is given, the history list 39 is displayed (# 212), and a group is selected according to the user's operation (# 214).

  After selecting a group in step # 204 or # 214, the group data 32 of the group is read from the database 30 of the storage unit 12 (# 220) and displayed on the display unit 16 (# 222). Next, it is determined whether or not an instruction to change a part of the group data 32 is given (# 224). If no instruction is given, printing is performed (# 240).

  When a change instruction is given, the group data 32 is changed according to the user's operation (# 226), and it is determined whether or not an instruction to update the database 30 is given (# 228). When an update instruction is given, the group data 32 before change in the database 30 is replaced with the group data 32 after change (# 230), and printing is performed according to the group data 32 after change (# 240).

  If the update instruction is not given in the determination of step # 228, it is determined whether or not an instruction to add (register as a new group) the changed group data 32 to the database 30 is given (# 232). When an addition instruction is given, a new group name 34 is set in accordance with the user's operation (# 234), and the changed group data 32 is added to the database 30 (# 236). Printing is performed according to the group data 32 (# 240). If no additional instruction is given, printing is performed according to the changed group data 32 (# 240).

  In the printing in step # 240, it is also determined whether or not printing of the list has been instructed by the operation of the above-described button 40 (FIG. 8), and when instructed, the names of all users included in the group ( Alternatively, information specifying the user) 35 and a list 41 of the printing mode 36 of each user are printed. After printing, the date and time at that time and the selected group are added to the history data 33 of the database 30 (# 242). Further, it is determined whether or not the incidental information 37 of each user indicates transmission of an electronic mail (# 244). If there is incidental information 37 indicating transmission, the mail address of the user is stored in the database 30. The print data obtained from the address data 31 is sent by e-mail (# 246). Thereafter, the printing process is terminated.

  When the group selection instruction is not given from the history list 39 in the determination of step # 210, that is, when the normal print mode is selected, the print mode 36 and the number of copies are set according to the user's operation. (# 250). Then, it is determined whether or not an instruction to add the set printing mode 36 to the database 30 as the group data 32 is given (# 252). If there is no instruction, printing is performed (# 260) and printing processing is performed. finish.

  When an instruction to add to the database 30 is given in the determination in step # 252, the group name 34 is set according to the user's operation (# 254), and the user's name (or the user is specified). Information) 35 is set (# 256), and the group data 32 including the print mode 36 set in step # 250 is added to the database 30 (# 258). Then, printing is performed (# 260), and the printing process is terminated.

  The printing process of FIG. 11 may be performed collectively after the image is read from the document, or the process prior to the actual printing (steps # 240 and # 260) is performed before the image is read from the document. You may do it.

  When the copying machine 1 is used as a printer for a personal computer via a LAN, the printing process in FIG. 11 is performed on the personal computer. In this case, the printing system includes the copying machine 1 and a personal computer. The management process of the group data 32 shown in FIG. 6 may be performed by a personal computer. The personal computer has input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, and the management processing of the group data 32 is more efficient than that performed by the copying machine 1 itself. If the management process of the address data 31 is also performed by a personal computer, the efficiency is improved.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a copier according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows typically the content of the database which the said copying machine has. The figure which shows the specific example of the address data contained in the database of the said copying machine. The figure which shows the specific example of the group data contained in the database of the said copying machine. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a guidance screen displayed by the copying machine when setting group data. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing relating to group data management of the copying machine. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a guidance screen displayed when the copying machine selects a print mode. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a guidance screen displayed by the copying machine when a group printing mode is selected. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a list of users and printing modes that the copier prints in a group printing mode. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed matter printed by the copying machine including a user's name in a group printing mode. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of printing processing of the copying machine.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copy machine 11 Control part 12 Storage part 13 Reading part 14 Printing part 15 Operation part 16 Display part 17 Communication part 18 Timekeeping part 21 LAN cable 22 Public telephone line 30 Database 31 Address data 32 Group data 33 History data 34 Group name 35 Use Name 36 Printing mode 37 Attached information 38 Group list 39 History list 40 List print instruction button 41 Group data list

Claims (6)

In a printing system that prints data in a printing mode according to the user of the printed matter,
One or more groups including one or more users are defined, and all users included in each group are associated with the printing mode for each user and stored for each group.
A group print mode is selected in which any group is selected and the same data is continuously printed in a print mode for each user for every user included in the selected group. A printing system comprising:

  The group addition / deletion, and addition / deletion of users included in the group, and change of a printing mode for each user are performed according to instructions from the user. Printing system.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when printing is performed in the group printing mode, information indicating the selected group and printing date / time are stored.   2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when printing is performed in a group printing mode, all users included in the selected group and printing modes for each user are printed as a list.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when printing in the group printing mode, printing is performed by adding information indicating a user to data to be printed.   The mail address of the user included in each group is stored, and when printing is performed in the group print mode, the printed data is transmitted by e-mail to the user included in the selected group. Item 4. The printing system according to Item 1.

Images