JP4589222B2 - Image forming method, image forming apparatus, image forming system, and program for image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention generally provides an aggregate printing function, specifically, an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and such a method, apparatus, and system for minimizing the number of transfer sheets by aggregate printing. The present invention relates to a program for an image forming apparatus.

  In the prior art, an image forming apparatus such as a multi-function printer (MFP) or a laser printer (LP) has an integrated printing function for printing a plurality of pages of originals on a single transfer sheet. It is possible to reduce the number of printed transfer sheets with respect to the number of pages of the original document. However, when collective printing is performed, the original is reduced and printed, and thus characters in the original may not be readable due to character collapse or the like after printing.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-219837 (see Patent Document 1) discloses an invention relating to a method for solving the problem of character crushing due to such aggregate printing. According to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the importance of layout information of a document to be printed is low, character information in a printed document can be prevented from being lost without canceling the aggregation function. it can.
JP 2002-219837 A

  However, in the related art including Patent Document 1, when aggregate printing is performed as shown in FIG. 1, the final sheet of transfer paper is aggregated with blank pages, and a wasteful area is generated on the transfer sheet. May end up. FIG. 1 shows that when performing collective printing on a document consisting of a 5-page document, the number of pages of the document to be consolidated on one transfer sheet, that is, the aggregation rate is set to 2 pages / sheet or 4 pages / sheet. 10 is an example showing a printing result of the aggregate printing according to the conventional technique in the case of being performed. In either case, the final printed transfer sheet is arranged in an aggregated manner with blank pages.

  Such a problem is unavoidable in a document in which the page separation position is clearly indicated by the user. However, layout information such as e-mail or Web is less important and is set in a document that does not have a page concept. By adjusting the layout according to the consolidation rate, the page breaks can be positioned relatively freely and the total number of pages can be changed. It is possible to avoid the generation of unnecessary areas.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, when printing a document whose layout information is less important, the number of transfer sheets at the time of aggregate printing is aggregated by adjusting the document layout and page break position and changing the total number of pages. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and a program for realizing such a method, apparatus, and system that are minimized according to the rate.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming method of the present invention is an image forming method for collectively printing a plurality of pages of a document at a predetermined aggregation rate, the total page number calculating step for obtaining the total number of pages of the document. An aggregation state determination step for determining whether or not the total number of pages is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate; and when it is determined that the total page number is not divisible by the aggregation state determination step, And a layout changing step for changing the layout of the document.

  As a result, when printing a document with low importance of layout information, the number of transfer sheets at the time of consolidated printing can be changed according to the consolidation rate by adjusting the document layout and page break position and changing the total number of pages. Can be minimized. Note that the “document” referred to here is a set of a plurality of pages of originals.

  In the image forming method of the present invention, the layout changing step can include a step of moving the arrangement of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the layout change.

  This makes it possible to change the total number of pages by adjusting the document layout and page break position when the layout of the original chart is not important.

  Further, in the image forming method of the present invention, the layout changing step may include a step of setting the arrangement of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the layout change.

  As a result, the layout of the original diagram can be moved to a desired position, and the total number of pages can be changed by adjusting the document layout and page break position.

  Further, in the image forming method of the present invention, the layout changing step can include a step of reducing the size of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the layout change.

  This makes it possible to change the total number of pages by adjusting the document layout and page break position when the size of the document chart is not important.

  In the image forming method of the present invention, the layout changing step further includes a step of setting a minimum reduction ratio, and the layout changing step reduces the size of the chart stepwise to the minimum reduction ratio. Can do.

  As a result, the size of the diagram of the original can be maintained at a desired size, and the total number of pages can be changed by adjusting the document layout and page break position.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that is connected to a terminal via a network and collectively prints a plurality of pages of a document at a predetermined aggregation rate. A total page number calculating means for obtaining a total number of pages; an aggregation state determining means for determining whether the total page number is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate; and And a layout changing means for changing the layout of the document so as to be divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate.

  As a result, when printing a document with low importance of layout information in the image forming apparatus, the number of transfer sheets at the time of aggregate printing is adjusted by adjusting the document layout and page break position and changing the total number of pages. Can be minimized according to the aggregation rate.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the layout changing unit can move the arrangement of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the layout change.

  Thus, in the image forming apparatus, when the layout of the original chart is not important, the total number of pages can be changed by adjusting the document layout and the page break position.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the layout changing unit may set the arrangement of the chart based on the arrangement of the chart set by the terminal when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout. Can move.

  As a result, in the image forming apparatus, the arrangement of the original chart can be moved to a desired position, and the total number of pages can be changed by adjusting the document layout and page break position.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the layout changing unit can reduce the size of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout.

  Accordingly, in the image forming apparatus, when the size of the original chart is not important, the total number of pages can be changed by adjusting the document layout and the page break position.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the layout changing unit can reduce the size of the chart step by step to the minimum reduction ratio set by the terminal.

  Thereby, in the image forming apparatus, it is possible to maintain the chart size of the document at a desired size, and further, it is possible to change the total number of pages by adjusting the document layout and page break position.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming system according to the present invention is an image forming system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus that collectively prints a plurality of pages of a document at a predetermined aggregation rate are connected via a network. The terminal includes an aggregation rate setting unit that sets the predetermined aggregation rate, and the image forming system includes a total page number calculating unit that determines the total number of pages of the document, and the total page number An aggregation state determination unit that determines whether the division rate is divisible by the aggregation rate set by the aggregation rate setting unit; and when the aggregation state determination unit determines that the division rate is not divisible, Layout changing means for changing the layout.

  Thus, in the image forming system in which the terminal and the image forming apparatus are connected, when printing a document with low importance of layout information, the total number of pages is changed by adjusting the document layout and page break position. This makes it possible to minimize the number of transfer sheets at the time of aggregate printing according to the aggregation ratio.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus program according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus program for controlling an image forming apparatus that collectively prints a plurality of pages of a document at a predetermined aggregation rate. A total page number calculating means for determining the total number of pages of the document, an aggregation state determining means for determining whether the total page number is divisible by a predetermined aggregation rate, and a case where it is determined by the aggregation state determining means that it is not divisible In addition, it can function as a layout changing means for changing the layout of the document so that it is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate.

  Accordingly, by incorporating the program according to the present invention in any image forming apparatus, when printing a document with low importance of layout information, the layout of the document and the page break position are adjusted, and the total number of pages is changed. This makes it possible to minimize the number of transfer sheets at the time of aggregate printing according to the aggregation ratio.

  In the image forming apparatus program according to the present invention, the layout changing unit can function as a unit for moving the arrangement of the diagram when the diagram of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout. .

  In the image forming apparatus program of the present invention, the layout changing unit can function as a unit for reducing the size of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the layout change. .

  By incorporating either or both of these, the program according to the present invention is incorporated into any image forming apparatus, and the total number of pages can be changed by adjusting the document layout and page break position.

  According to the present invention, when printing a document with low importance of layout information, the number of transfer sheets at the time of aggregate printing is changed by adjusting the document layout and page break position and changing the total number of pages. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a minimum image forming method, an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and a program for realizing such a method, apparatus, and system.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 2 is an example showing a printing result of the aggregate printing according to the present invention. For example, when the document shown as an example in FIG. 1 is a document in which the importance of layout information is low and the page concept does not exist, a document having a total number of 5 pages according to the prior art is laid out according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the total number of pages is changed to 4 pages. As a result, in any case where the aggregation rate is set to 2 pages / sheet or 4 pages / sheet, a useless area does not occur on the transfer sheet. In other words, if the total number of pages is M and the aggregation rate is N, the total number of pages M is an integral multiple of the aggregation rate N, so that the final sheet of transfer paper is aggregated with a blank page during aggregate printing. Thus, the number of transfer sheets can be minimized according to the aggregation rate.

〔Constitution〕
FIG. 3 shows an example of a block diagram of an image forming system according to the present invention. In this system, a terminal 31 such as a personal computer (PC) and an image forming apparatus 32 are connected by a network 33 such as a local area network (LAN) or a universal serial bus (USB). The terminal 31 is a device that is directly operated by a user, and includes a printer driver 311. The printer driver 311 is a unit that transmits a document, document layout information, settings of the image forming device for printing, and the like to the image forming device 32 connected via the network 33. The image forming apparatus 32 is an apparatus that prints a document transmitted from the terminal 31, and includes an interface (I / F) unit 321, a memory unit 322, a print control unit 323, and a system control unit 324. The I / F unit 321 is a unit that communicates with the printer driver 311 of the terminal 31 and receives a document, document layout information, and the like transmitted from the printer driver 311. The memory unit 322 is a unit that stores image information of a document received by the I / F unit, settings of an image forming apparatus related to printing, and the like. The print control unit 323 is a unit that converts the document received by the I / F unit into image information based on the layout information and prints it. The system control unit 324 is a unit that controls the entire image forming apparatus 32.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a detailed block diagram of a portion related to the aggregate printing of the present invention in the system of FIG. In FIG. 4, as in FIG. 3, the terminal 41 and the image forming apparatus 42 are connected by a network 43.

  The terminal 41 is the same device as the terminal 31 in FIG. 3, and includes a printer driver 411, a document creation unit 412, and a driver setting unit 413. The printer driver 411 is the same means as the printer driver 311 in FIG. The document creation unit 412 is a unit used by a user to create a document, and the created document is sent to the printer driver 411 together with document layout information. The layout information includes information on the number of lines of each document, the line spacing, the number of characters per line, the character size, the font, and the layout and size of the chart. The driver information setting unit 413 is a unit used for inputting settings of the image forming apparatus related to printing by the user, and includes an aggregate information setting unit 414 and a layout setting unit 415. The aggregate information setting unit 414 is a unit that performs settings related to aggregate printing, such as the presence / absence of aggregate printing and the aggregation rate. In the present embodiment, the layout setting unit 415 is a unit that newly resets the layout of the original chart when it is necessary to change the layout of the original document during aggregate printing. The presence / absence of aggregation and the aggregation rate set by the aggregation information setting unit 414 and the rearrangement position of the chart set by the layout setting unit 415 are sent to the printer driver 411 as driver information.

The image forming apparatus 42 is the same apparatus as the image forming apparatus 32 in FIG. 3, and includes an I / F unit 421, a memory unit 422, and a print control unit 423. The I / F unit 421 and the memory unit 422 are the same means as the I / F unit 321 and the memory unit 322 of FIG. The print control unit 423 is the same unit as the print control unit 323 in FIG. 3, and includes an information analysis unit 424, a page break position determination unit 425, a total page number calculation unit 426, an aggregation state determination unit 427, and a layout. Change means 428. The information analysis unit 424 is a unit that analyzes layout information transmitted from the terminal 41. The page break position determining means 425 is a means for determining the page break position of the document based on the analysis result of the information analyzing means 424. The total page number calculating means 426 is a means for calculating the total page number from the number of page break positions determined by the page break position determining means. The aggregation state determination unit 427 is a unit that determines whether or not the total page number calculated by the total page number calculation unit is divisible by the aggregation rate set by the terminal 41. The layout changing unit 428 is a unit that changes the document layout when the total number of pages is not divisible by the aggregation rate. In this embodiment, the layout change unit 428 is configured to display the original chart based on the rearrangement position of the chart set in the terminal 41. Move the placement.
[Operation]
The operation at the time of collective printing of the system shown in FIG. 4 will be described.

  When the user issues a print request to the document created by the document creation unit 412 at the terminal 41, the created document and document layout information are sent to the printer driver 411. Next, the user sets the presence / absence of document aggregation at the time of printing by the aggregation information setting unit 414, and when the aggregation is set, the aggregation rate is further set. The presence / absence of aggregation and the aggregation rate are sent to the printer driver 411 as driver information. The document, layout information, and driver information sent to the printer driver 411 are sent to the image forming apparatus 42 via the network 43. The image forming apparatus 42 receives the document, layout information, and driver information sent from the terminal 41 by the I / F unit 421. The document and layout information are sent to the print control unit 423, and the driver information is sent to the memory unit 422 and stored therein.

  Here, the document sent from the terminal 41 to the image forming apparatus 42 corresponds to each page determined by the page break position of the document set in the terminal 41 according to a predetermined paper size. Accordingly, the document layout information sent to the image forming apparatus 42 together with the document is information related to the document corresponding to the unit page determined by the terminal 41. A conventional image forming apparatus executes printing after replacing such layout information with bitmap image information according to a page description language (rasterization). However, in the present invention, before rasterizing layout information, the layout information is reconfigured so that the documents are optimally aggregated. Such reconfiguration of layout information according to the present invention is executed by the print control unit 423. In order to explain the reconstruction of the layout information of the print control unit 423 according to the present invention, reference is further made to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the operation at the time of collective printing of the print control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  In step S 51, the information analysis unit 424 acquires layout information from the I / F unit 421. The information analysis unit 424 analyzes the number of original lines, the line spacing, and the like included in the acquired layout information. Next, in step S <b> 52, the page break position determination unit 425 calculates the number of lines that fit in one page of the document based on the analysis result of the information analysis unit 24 and determines the page break position. The determined page break position is used for calculating the total page number of the document by the total page number calculating means 426 in step S53. Here, M is the total number of pages. In step S <b> 54, the aggregation state determination unit 427 reads the aggregation rate included in the driver information stored in the memory unit 422. Here, the aggregation rate is N. Next, the aggregation state determination unit 427 determines whether or not the total page number M calculated by the total page number calculation unit 426 is divisible by the aggregation rate N read from the memory 422 in step S55. If it is determined that it is divisible, there is no useless blank area in the final printed transfer sheet, so the operation moves to step S56, and the original is not subjected to reconstruction of the layout information, and the aggregation rate N Are printed together. If it is determined in step S55 that the total number of pages M is not divisible by the aggregation rate N, there is a useless blank area in the final sheet of the aggregate-printed transfer paper, so that such a blank area does not exist. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to reconfigure the layout information.

In such a case, the image forming apparatus 42 notifies the user via the terminal 41 that the layout needs to be changed. In response to this, the user sets the rearrangement position of the chart to one of the upper part, the central part, and the lower part of the document by the layout setting means 415. The set rearrangement position of the chart is sent as driver information from the layout setting means 415 to the image forming apparatus 42 via the printer driver 411. The image forming apparatus 42 receives the driver information including the information on the position of the chart arrangement sent from the terminal 41 by the I / F unit 421 and stores it in the memory unit 422. Next, the information on the rearrangement position of the chart included in the driver information stored in the memory unit 422 is read into the layout changing unit 428 in step S57. In step S58, the chart layout of the original is moved based on the chart rearrangement position read from the memory 422. After moving the chart and changing the layout, the operation returns to step S52 again to recalculate the page break position. Thereafter, the operations of steps S53 and S54 are similarly performed. If it is determined in step S55 that the total number of pages is not divisible by the aggregation rate, that is, there is a useless blank area on the final sheet of the aggregated printed transfer paper, even though the chart layout has been moved. In this case, the original is printed as it is.
[Movement of chart layout]
The movement of the chart arrangement performed by the layout changing unit 428 when the total number of pages is not divisible by the aggregation rate will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is an example showing the print result of the aggregate printing when the movement of the chart arrangement according to the present invention is performed.

In FIG. 6, a document 61 sent from a terminal is a document whose pages are separated at page separation positions P ₁ and P ₂ and has a total number of pages of 3, and immediately after the page separation position P ₁ , that is, 2 It has a chart 62 arranged at the top of the original of the page. When the document 61 is consolidated and printed at an aggregation rate of 2 pages / sheet, the total number of pages is not divisible by the aggregation rate, and a useless blank area is generated on the final sheet of the transfer paper that has been aggregated and printed. However, if the document 61 is a document with low importance of layout information, the number of transfer sheets can be obtained without causing a useless blank area in the final sheet of the transfer sheet that has been collectively printed by performing the layout change described above. Can be minimized.

First, to determine the ideal page break position P _r in the document 61 on the basis of the set paper size and the number of lines, the layout information such as line spacing. However, if the document 61 is separated by the ideal of the page break position P _r is, chart 62 will straddle the ideal page break position P _r. Therefore, it is necessary to move the arrangement of the chart 62. When the user sets the chart layout to the lower part of the document, the difference X (= | P _r −P ₁ |) between the ideal page break position P _r and the current page break position P ₁ is obtained. Further, a difference Z (= Y−X) between this and the size Y in the height direction of the chart 62 is obtained. Thus, it can be seen that if there is a space of size Z in the page preceding the page on which the drawing 62 is arranged, that is, the first page of the original, there is a space of size Z. Therefore, when a character is arranged at the bottom of the first page of the document, that is, before the chart 62, the number of lines corresponding to the size Z before the chart 62 is moved after the chart 62. Thus, it is possible to secure a space where the chart 62 can be arranged on the first page of the document. Furthermore, the page break position is reset immediately after the chart. In this way, the arrangement of the chart 62 is moved to the lower part of the first page of the document.

  The document 63 after the arrangement of the chart 62 is moved, the total number of pages becomes two pages by moving the arrangement of the chart 62. Therefore, when the document 63 is consolidated and printed at the aggregation rate aggregation rate of 2 pages / sheet, the total number of pages is divisible by the aggregation rate, and the transfer paper does not generate a useless blank area in the final printed transfer paper. The number of sheets can be minimized.

  If the user sets the chart layout to move to the top of the document, the number of lines corresponding to the size X after the chart 62 is moved before the chart 62, and then the page break position is set. Reset immediately before the chart 62. In this way, the arrangement of the chart 62 is moved to the top of the second page document.

  In the first embodiment, an example of a method, an apparatus, and a system capable of changing the layout of a document by moving the arrangement of the chart and minimizing the number of transfer sheets according to the aggregation rate at the time of the aggregate printing is shown. It is also possible to change the layout of the document by reducing the size of the chart, and to minimize the number of transfer sheets according to the aggregation rate during the aggregation printing.

In this case, in FIG. 4, the layout setting means 415 of the terminal 41 is a means for setting the minimum reduction ratio of the size of the original chart when it is necessary to change the layout of the original at the time of aggregate printing. , layout change unit 428 of the image forming apparatus 42, when the total number of pages is not divisible by aggregation rate, change the layout by shrink the size of the document of figure the minimum reduction ratio set in the terminal 41 as a limit It is means to do.

  The operation until the document, layout information and draft information are sent from the terminal 41 to the image forming apparatus 42, the document and layout information are sent to the print control unit 423, and the driver information is stored in the memory unit 422. This is the same as the first embodiment described above. Further, in FIG. 7, a series of operations until the information analysis unit 424 acquires layout information in step S71 and the aggregation state determination unit 427 determines in step 75 whether or not the total page number M is divisible by the aggregation rate N. Is the same as steps S51 to S55 in FIG. As in the first embodiment, if it is determined in step S75 that it is divisible, there is no useless blank area in the final printed transfer sheet, so the operation moves to step S76, and the original is the layout information. Are reprinted at a consolidation rate N without reconfiguration. However, the layout changing method and means performed when it is determined in step S75 that the total page number M is not divisible by the aggregation rate N are different between the present embodiment and the first embodiment described above.

When it is determined in step S75 that the total page number M is not divisible by the aggregation rate N, the image forming apparatus 42 notifies the user via the terminal 41 that the layout needs to be changed. In response to this, the user sets the minimum reduction rate of the chart size from the layout setting means 415. The minimum reduction ratio is a limit value that can reduce the size of the chart. The set minimum reduction ratio is sent as driver information from the layout setting means 415 to the image forming apparatus 42 via the printer driver 411. The image forming apparatus 42 receives the driver information including the information on the minimum reduction ratio sent from the terminal 41 by the I / F unit 421 and stores it in the memory unit 422. Next, the information on the minimum reduction ratio included in the driver information stored in the memory unit 422 is read into the layout changing unit 428 in step S77. In step S78, the chart size is reduced at a predetermined reduction rate. The predetermined reduction ratio is set by the user from the terminal side or the image forming apparatus side, or is set in advance in the image forming apparatus. In step S79, the chart size reduced at a predetermined reduction ratio is compared with the minimum reduction ratio read from the memory 422. If the reduced chart size exceeds the minimum reduction ratio, the operation is performed again in step S72. Return to. The above operation is repeated until the total number of pages M is divisible by the aggregation ratio N due to the reduction of the chart size, or the size of the reduced chart is below the minimum reduction ratio. When the size of the reduced chart falls below the minimum reduction ratio and a series of layout change operations are completed, useless blank areas exist on the final sheet of the aggregate printed transfer paper. Prioritizing the setting of the minimum reduction ratio, the originals are consolidated and printed as they are.
[Reduction of chart size]
The chart size reduction performed by the layout changing unit 428 when the total number of pages is not divisible by the aggregation rate will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 shows an example of the print result of the aggregate printing when the chart size is reduced according to the present invention.

In FIG. 8, a document 81 sent from the terminal is a document whose pages are separated at page break positions P ₃ and P ₄ and the total number of pages is ₃ , and immediately after the page break position P ₃ , that is, 2 It has a chart 82 arranged at the top of the original of the page. When the document 81 is aggregated and printed at an aggregation rate of 2 pages / sheet, the total number of pages is not divisible by the aggregation rate, and a wasteful blank area is generated on the final sheet of the aggregated printed transfer paper. However, if the document 81 is a document whose layout information is less important, the number of transfer sheets can be obtained without causing a useless blank area in the final sheet of the aggregated transfer sheet by performing the layout change described above. Can be minimized.

First, to determine the ideal page break position P _R of the document 81 on the basis of the set paper size and the number of lines, the layout information such as line spacing. However, if the document 81 is separated by ideal page break position P _R are charts 82 will straddle the ideal page break position P _R. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the size of the chart 82. Ideally page break position of the _{P R} and the difference between the current page break position _{P 3} is _{X (= | P R -P 3} |), the height direction size of the chart 82 is assumed to be Y, in X ≧ Y If there is, it can be seen that the chart 82 is arranged on the page preceding the currently arranged page, that is, the first page of the document. Therefore, the size of the chart 82, is reduced to the size Y of the height direction is equal to or less than the difference X between the page break position P _R and the current page break position P ₃ of the ideal.

The document 83 after the size of the chart 82 is reduced, the character string and the chart after the chart are also moved forward by the amount moved to the page before the page where the reduced chart 84 was originally arranged. The number is 2 pages. Therefore, when the document 83 is aggregated and printed at the aggregation rate aggregation rate of 2 pages / sheet, the total number of pages is divisible by the aggregation rate, and the transfer paper does not generate a useless blank area in the final printed transfer paper. The number of sheets can be minimized. However, this is a case where the minimum reduction ratio set by the user is smaller than the size X. In the case of exceeding, the original is printed as it is even if a useless blank area is generated in the final sheet of the transfer paper that is collectively printed.
[Modification]
As described above, the layout change at the time of collective printing according to the present invention is performed by either moving the arrangement or reducing the size of the document chart. However, the layout can be changed by combining these methods or means. For example, if a wasteful blank area occurs on the final sheet of transfer paper that has been consolidated and printed because the layout of the chart has been moved, the chart has been consolidated and printed by reducing the size of the chart as the next means. In some cases, it is possible to minimize the number of transfer sheets without causing useless blank areas in the final transfer sheet. That is, by combining the respective layout changing methods or means, it is possible to more surely minimize the number of transfer sheets at the time of aggregate printing.

  Further, when layout change at the time of consolidated printing according to the present invention is executed, as described above, the position or minimum reduction ratio of the chart is set on the terminal side by the user. However, it is obvious that these are not necessarily set.

  Further, the layout change at the time of collective printing according to the present invention is intended for a document chart as described above. However, a feature of the present invention is that the layout information is reconfigured so that the originals are optimally aggregated before the layout information is rasterized in the image forming apparatus, and the arrangement and size of the charts included in the layout information It is also possible to move or reduce the character string of the document based on the number of lines other than the above, the line spacing, the number of characters per line, the character size, and the like.

  Further, the means related to the aggregate printing of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention may be realized by a program stored in a memory such as a hard disk (HDD) or a read-only memory (ROM) of the image forming apparatus. That is, by executing the image forming apparatus program for realizing the means related to the aggregate printing of the image forming apparatus as described above by an information processing apparatus such as a computer, the means related to the aggregate printing of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is realized. can do.

It is an example which shows the printing result of the consolidated printing by a prior art. It is an example which shows the printing result of the consolidated printing by this invention. 1 shows an example of a block diagram of an image forming system according to the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an example of a detailed block diagram of a portion related to the aggregate printing of the present invention in the system of FIG. 3. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of an operation during consolidated printing of the print control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is an example which shows the printing result of consolidated printing when the movement of the arrangement of the chart by this invention is performed. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of the operation during consolidated printing of the print control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is an example which shows the printing result of consolidated printing when size reduction of the chart by this invention is performed.

Explanation of symbols

31, 41 Terminal 32, 42 Image forming apparatus 33, 43 Network 311, 411 Printer driver 321, 421 I / F unit 322, 422 Memory unit 323, 423 Print control unit 324 System control unit 414 Aggregation information setting unit 415 Layout setting unit 424 Information analysis means 425 Page break position determination means 426 Total page number calculation means 427 Aggregation state determination means 428 Layout change means 61, 63, 81, 83 Documents 62, 82, 84 Charts P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄ , _P r, _{P R} page break position X, Y, Z size

Claims (14)

In an image forming method for collectively printing a plurality of pages of a document at a predetermined aggregation rate,
Calculating the total number of pages to determine the total number of pages of the document by determining the number of lines that fit within one page based on the layout information of the document and determining the page break position ;
An aggregation state determination step of determining whether or not the total number of pages is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate;
The layout of the document is changed by changing at least one of the arrangement and the size of the charts included in the document so that it is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate when it is determined that it is not divisible by the aggregation state determining step. An image forming method comprising: a layout changing step for changing the layout. The layout change step, when the table of the document by changing the layout over a plurality of pages, characterized by the step of moving the view table, an image forming method according to claim 1, wherein. The layout changing step includes a step of receiving a user input indicating where the chart should be moved in the document when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout. The image forming method according to claim 2 .   The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the layout changing step includes a step of reducing the size of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout. The layout changing step further includes a step of setting a minimum reduction ratio,
5. The image forming method according to claim 4, wherein the layout changing step reduces the size of the chart with the minimum reduction ratio as a limit . In an image forming apparatus that is connected to a terminal via a network and collectively prints a plurality of pages of documents at a predetermined aggregation rate,
Total page number calculating means for determining the total number of pages of the document by determining the number of lines that fit within one page based on the layout information of the document and determining the page break position ;
Aggregation state determination means for determining whether or not the total number of pages is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate;
The layout of the document is changed by changing at least one of the arrangement and size of the charts included in the document so as to be divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate when it is determined by the aggregation state determination means that the division is not possible. An image forming apparatus comprising: a layout changing unit that changes Said layout change unit, when the table of the document by changing the layout over a plurality of pages, characterized by moving the view table, an image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein.   The layout changing means moves the arrangement of the chart based on the arrangement of the chart set by the terminal when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout. Item 7. The image forming apparatus according to Item 6.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the layout changing unit reduces the size of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout. Said layout change unit, characterized in that shrink the size of the chart the minimum reduction ratio set by the terminal within the limit, the image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein. In an image forming system in which a terminal and an image forming apparatus that collectively prints a plurality of pages of documents with a predetermined aggregation rate are connected via a network,
The terminal has an aggregation rate setting means for setting the predetermined aggregation rate;
The image forming system includes:
Total page number calculating means for determining the total number of pages of the document by determining the number of lines that fit within one page based on the layout information of the document and determining the page break position ;
An aggregation state determination unit that determines whether the total number of pages is divisible by the aggregation rate set by the aggregation rate setting unit;
The layout of the original is changed by changing at least one of the arrangement and size of the charts included in the original so that it is divisible by the aggregation ratio when it is determined by the aggregation state determining means that it is not divisible. An image forming system comprising: a layout changing unit that performs layout change. In a program for an image forming apparatus that controls an image forming apparatus that collectively prints a plurality of pages of documents at a predetermined aggregation rate,
Computer
A total page number calculating means for determining the total number of pages of the document by determining the page break position by determining the number of lines that fit within one page based on the layout information of the document;
Aggregation state determination means for determining whether the total number of pages is divisible by a predetermined aggregation rate;
And by changing at least one of the arrangement and size of the charts included in the document so that it is divisible by the predetermined aggregation rate when the aggregation state determining means determines that the document is not divisible. An image forming apparatus program for functioning as layout changing means for changing a layout. Said layout change unit, when the table of the document by changing the layout over a plurality of pages, according to claim 12 program for an image forming apparatus according to function as means for causing movement of the view table.   13. The program for an image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the layout changing unit functions as a unit for reducing the size of the chart when the chart of the document covers a plurality of pages due to the change of the layout.

Images