JP4612778B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a printer having a plurality of paper feed stages.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when adjusting the image position on paper when outputting with a printer, a test page is printed for each paper feed stage, and an adjustment value is held according to the image position, and the image position is adjusted at the time of printing. . In particular, at the time of duplex printing, the front image position and the back image position can be matched.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, since the image position is adjusted at the same time as the raster image generation, the paper in the paper feed stage disappears in the middle of printing, and printing is performed on paper in another paper feed stage having the same paper size. There is a problem that the subsequent image position adjustment becomes inaccurate.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which an image position is appropriately corrected and a print quality does not change when a paper feed stage to be used is switched due to no paper in the middle of printing. .
[0005]
According to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus that adjusts an output image for each of a plurality of paper feed stages, paper feed stage information for acquiring paper feed stage information including a paper size and a remaining amount of paper for each paper feed stage. Obtaining means; paper feed stage characteristic holding means for holding paper feed stage characteristics including paper position information for each of the paper feed stages; calculating the paper feed stage characteristics for each of the paper feed stages; A paper feed stage adjusting unit stored in the stage characteristic holding unit and a raster image for forming an image are generated. At this time, the paper position information held by the paper feed stage characteristic holding unit should be used and used. A raster image generating means for generating a raster image suitable for a paper feed stage; an image forming means for forming an image based on the raster image generated by the raster image generating means; and a paper feed stage used for image formation. When there is no paper, there is a paper source with the same paper size. If there are other paper feed trays of the same paper size, the paper feeds from the other paper feed trays, and at this time, adjustments suitable for the other paper feed trays are made. And a control unit that causes the image forming unit to form an image based on the raster image generated by the raster image generating unit, and the control unit is configured to start printing one print job. In the image forming apparatus, the raster image generating unit generates raster images for all paper feed stages suitable for the print job.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[First embodiment]
[System configuration]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system including a color copying machine 202 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0007]
A personal computer (PC) 201 and a color copier 202 are connected to a network 203 configured with 100BaseT Ethernet (registered trademark). Other devices are also connected to the network 203, but are omitted in FIG.
[0008]
The color copying machine 202 functions as a postscript printer compatible with the network, and can print a color image received from the PC 201.
[0009]
[Color copier]
FIG. 2 is a view showing the appearance of the color copying machine 202.
[0010]
The color copying machine 202 includes a copying machine main body 301, paper cassettes 302, 303, and 304, a paper deck 305 that can feed a large number of sheets, a paper discharge tray (paper feed stage) 306, and a pressure plate that holds a document. 307.
[0011]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the color copying machine 202.
[0012]
In the color copier 202, the scanner 101 optically reads an original, converts it into an electrical signal, and generates RGB (Red, Green, Blue) digital data in which each pixel has 8-bit luminance information. The raster data has a resolution of 400 dpi in both the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction.
[0013]
The image processing unit 102 performs processes such as input masking, log conversion from RGB to CMYK (Cyan Magenta, Yellow, Black), and output masking. The printer 104 forms a color image by electrophotography based on the received frame sequential CMYK data.
[0014]
The frame buffer 105 is a synchronous DRAM having a size of 139 MB, and stores raster image data fetched from the scanner 101 or is written by the CPU 107. The CPU 107 controls the color copying machine 202 and uses Intel Pentium (registered trademark) III, 600 MHz.
The I / O port 108 is connected to the CPU bus 106, and controls the scanner 101 and the printer 104 and inputs sensor signals.
[0015]
The ROM 109 stores a program that operates when the system is booted, and is connected to the CPU bus 106. The work RAM 110 is a 117 MB synchronous DRAM. Actually, the work RAM 110 is composed of a 256 MB synchronous DRAM memory module together with the frame buffer 105, and is connected to the CPU bus 106.
[0016]
The SCSI controller 111 is connected to the CPU bus 106. The hard disk drive 112 is a 3.5 inch 9.1 GB hard disk drive connected to the SCSI controller 111.
[0017]
The controller 113 of the network I / F is connected to the CPU bus 106 and is connected to an external 10BaseT, 100BaseT, or 10Base5 Ethernet (registered trademark) network to exchange data. The operation unit 114 of the color copying machine 202 includes an LCD panel, a touch panel, and buttons.
[0018]
[Copy operation]
Next, the copy operation in the above embodiment will be described.
[0019]
When copying, the scanner 101 reads an original and generates RGB raster image data. The RGB raster image data is converted into any one of CMYK by the image processing unit 102, and the printer 104 develops and outputs it to paper. Then, the above operation is repeated in the order of MCYK to form a color image.
[0020]
[Print operation]
Next, the printing operation in the above embodiment will be described.
[0021]
When the user instructs printing to the color copier 202 from the PC 201 using the printer driver, the color copier 202 receives a job described in Postscript via the Network I / F 113 and stores it in the work RAM 110. . Then, the CPU 107 interprets the description of the postscript, generates a raster image, and stores it in the frame buffer 105.
[0022]
At this time, the image is shifted based on the tray adjustment value stored in accordance with the paper feed stage to be used, and a raster image is generated.
[0023]
As a result, the position of the image is adjusted, and the point that should be hit (output) in the middle of the paper is printed in the middle of the paper. In particular, in duplex printing, the position of the front image and the back image The position matches. The raster image is developed by the printer 104 and output to paper. The above operation is repeated in the order of MCYK to form a color image.
[0024]
[Tray Adjustment Utility]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a dialog box 401 of the tray adjustment utility in the above embodiment.
[0025]
This tray adjustment utility is installed in the client PC 201. An equivalent operation can be performed from the LCD of the controller.
[0026]
When this utility is opened, a dialog box 401 is opened. A paper feed stage to be adjusted is selected from the paper feed stage pull-down menu 402.
[0027]
From the paper size pull-down menu 403, the paper size in the paper feed stage is set. This setting determines the size of a tray adjustment page to be described later. A double-sided check box 404 specifies whether to adjust for double-sided printing or single-sided printing. When the tray adjustment page print button 405 is pressed, a tray adjustment page is printed according to the conditions set above. If the double-sided check box 404 is checked, paper is fed from the designated paper feed tray, and the tray adjustment page is printed on both sides, and if not checked, it is printed on one side.
[0028]
In the numerical value input boxes 406, 407, 408, and 409, a reading value to be described later is input. Two types of Side-1 and Side-2 are provided to adjust double-sided printing. If the double-sided check box 404 is not checked, the numerical input boxes 408 and 409 for Side-2 are grayed out and cannot be input to the numerical input boxes 408 and 409 for Side-2.
[0029]
When the adjustment result confirmation page print button 410 is pressed, an adjustment result confirmation page is printed. When a cancel button 411 is pressed, the adjustment result is not saved and the dialog box 401 is closed. When the apply button 412 is pressed, the adjustment result is saved. When an OK button 413 is pressed, the adjustment result is saved and this dialog box 401 is closed.
[0030]
[Tray adjustment page]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a tray adjustment page 501 for performing tray adjustment in the above embodiment.
[0031]
On this tray adjustment page 501, a scale A 502 and a scale B 503 are printed near the center of each side. The scales A 502 and B 503 are printed on the paper held in the paper feed stage to be adjusted, the printed paper is folded in half, and the scale of the fold is read. Since the scales A 502 and B 503 are each swung from 0 to 50, the scale of the fold is 25 if the raster image with respect to the paper is not displaced at all.
[0032]
[Tray adjustment flow]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the tray adjustment operation in the embodiment.
[0033]
In step S601, a paper feed stage to be adjusted is selected from the paper feed stage pull-down menu 402 of the tray adjustment utility. In step S602, the paper size held in the paper feed stage is set from the paper size pull-down menu 403. In step S603, double-sided / single-sided is selected by the double-sided check box 404.
[0034]
In step S604, when the tray adjustment page print button 405 is pressed, the tray adjustment page 501 is printed according to the conditions set so far. In step S603, if duplex is selected, the tray adjustment page 501 is printed on both sides. The printed tray adjustment page 501 is folded so as to be divided into two equal parts along each of the two sides, and the scale where the broken line and the scales A and B intersect is read.
[0035]
The read values of the scales A and B are input to the numerical value input boxes 406 and 407. In the case of both sides, the values of the scales A and B read in Side-2 are also input into the numerical value input boxes 408 and 409. In step S606, if the adjustment result confirmation page print button 410 is pressed, an adjustment result confirmation page is printed in step S607. In step S608, if the apply button 412 or the OK button 413 is pressed, the adjustment value is stored in the RAM 110 in step S609. The RAM 110 can store A and B values for each paper feed stage.
[0036]
[Tray switching when there is no paper]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation during printing in the above embodiment.
[0037]
In step S701, a print job is received. In step S702, a paper feed stage suitable for the job is determined. In step S703, a raster image is generated. At this time, by moving the image data on the frame buffer 105 using the value stored for the tray adjustment for the determined paper feed tray from the values of A and B held in the RAM 110, Shift the image position.
[0038]
In step S704, printing is executed. In step S705, if there is no paper, it is checked whether there is another paper feed stage suitable for the job. If there is no other suitable paper feed stage, in step S707, paper supply is requested, and when paper is supplied, the process returns to step S704 to continue printing.
[0039]
On the other hand, if there is another paper feed stage suitable for the job, in step S708, the paper feed stage is switched, the process returns to step S703, and raster image generation for the remaining pages is performed again. At this time, the tray adjustment of the switched paper feed stage is applied to shift the image position.
[0040]
By doing so, the image position is appropriately corrected even when the paper feed stage is switched without paper.
[0041]
[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, when the paper feed stage is switched, raster images are generated again for the remaining pages. In the second embodiment, before the first printing is performed, candidate paper feed stages are generated. All raster image generation is executed.
[0042]
The raster image generating means is means having PDL processing means for forming a raster image from PDL (page description language).
[0043]
Further, the above embodiment may be applied to an image forming apparatus other than a color copying machine.
[0044]
Furthermore, the present invention may be applied not only to printing of PDL jobs but also to image position correction at the time of copy output. In the sense that image position correction corresponding to the paper feed stage is performed when the paper feed stage changes, there is almost no difference from the above embodiment. In this case, the scanner 101 functions as raster image generation means for generating a raster image by reading a document on the platen.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when the paper feed stage to be used is switched due to the absence of paper or the like during printing, the image position is appropriately corrected, and the print quality does not change.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system including a color copier 202. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an external appearance of a color copying machine 202. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a color copying machine 202 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a dialog box 401 of a tray adjustment utility in the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a tray adjustment page 501 for performing tray adjustment in the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a tray adjustment operation in the embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation during printing in the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
202 ... color copier,
101 ... Scanner,
102 ... an image processing unit,
104 ... Printer,
105 ... frame buffer,
106 ... CPU bus,
107 ... CPU,
109 ... ROM,
110: Work RAM,
111 ... SCSI controller,
112: Hard disk drive,
113 ... Network I / F controller,
114. Operation unit.

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus that adjusts an output image for each of a plurality of paper feed stages,
Paper feed stage information acquisition means for acquiring paper feed stage information including the paper size and the remaining amount of paper for each paper feed stage;
Paper feed stage characteristic holding means for holding paper feed stage characteristics including paper position information for each of the paper feed stages;
Paper feed stage adjusting means for calculating the paper feed stage characteristics for each of the paper feed stages and storing them in the paper feed stage characteristic holding means;
Raster image generation that generates a raster image that forms an image and generates a raster image suitable for the paper feed stage to be used by using the paper position information held by the paper feed stage characteristic holding unit. With means;
Image forming means for forming an image based on the raster image generated by the raster image generating means;
If the paper feed tray used for image formation runs out of paper, check whether there is a paper feed tray of the same paper size.If there are other paper feed trays of the same paper size, Based on the raster image generated by the raster image generating means, the image forming means is fed so that paper is fed from the existing paper feeding stages, and adjustment suitable for the other paper feeding stages is performed at this time. Control means for causing an image to be formed ;
The control unit causes the raster image generation unit to generate a raster image for each of the paper feed stages suitable for the print job before starting to print one print job. Image forming apparatus. In claim 1,
The raster image generating means is means having page description language processing means for forming a raster image from a page description language . In claim 1,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming means has a function of printing on both sides of a sheet . In claim 1,
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the raster image generating means is an original reading means for generating a raster image by reading a document on a platen .

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