JP5879948B2 - Preview image display device, image forming device, preview image display method, and preview image display program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a preview image display apparatus, an image forming apparatus, a preview image display method, and a preview image display program. More specifically, the present invention relates to a preview image display that displays a preview image in a state of good confirmation even in a small display area. The present invention relates to an apparatus, an image forming apparatus, a preview image display method, and a preview image display program.

  In image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and composite apparatuses, print data is temporarily stored in the image forming apparatus in order to prevent forgetting to take a document printed by the printer and mixing with other people's documents. Instructing reprinting from the panel has come to be performed. In recent years, a media print that prints a file recorded in a media medium by inserting / removing a portable media medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or SD (Secure Digital) into an interface of the image forming apparatus. Technology has been incorporated.

  As described above, in recent years, the operation of the image forming apparatus is frequently performed using the operation panel, and a preview image of the document data to be printed is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel. (See Patent Document 1).

  For example, in a high-function image forming apparatus such as a composite apparatus, a WVGA (Wide Video Graphics Array) display unit is mounted on an operation panel to display a preview image of received document data or document data in a media medium. ing.

  However, the above prior art is intended for a high-function image forming apparatus, and a document preview is provided on the assumption that a display unit having a relatively large display area such as WVGA is provided on the operation panel. The image is displayed.

  However, an inexpensive image forming apparatus such as a printer apparatus or a composite apparatus is also required to display a preview image of a document. In such an inexpensive image forming apparatus, uWVGA (Ultra-WVGA) is generally used. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to confirm what content is described in the document because the display area is small even when the preview image is displayed. In particular, when displaying a document with many small characters or a document in which objects overlap each other, there is a problem that it is difficult to confirm the document content on the display unit.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to display a preview image with improved document confirmation in a display unit having a relatively small display area.

In order to achieve the above object, a preview image display apparatus according to claim 1 is a document storage unit that stores document data, a display unit that displays an image, and the document data is divided into regions for each object. Object document data generating means for generating document data, preview image generating means for generating only a whole document preview image or at least an object-specific preview image from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object, and the display Preview image control means for causing the preview image generating means to generate only the whole document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image based on the display size of the means, and to display the preview image on the display means. , The preview image Control means, wherein to determine the presence or absence of an overlap between objects of the document data, when there is overlapping of objects, is characterized in that to produce at least the object for each preview image in the preview image generation unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to display a preview image with improved document confirmation in a display unit having a relatively small display area.

1 is a block diagram of a printer apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a functional block configuration diagram of a copying apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating print job reception / control processing. 7 is a flowchart showing preview image display processing. The figure which shows an example of a preview document selection screen. The flowchart which shows the preview image generation process for every object. The figure which shows an example of the text of a document, a graphic, and an image. The figure which shows an example of the data management table which matched the document and the preview image. The figure which shows an example of the memory | storage state of the document of a memory | storage area | region part, and a preview image. 7 is a flowchart showing preview image display processing. The figure which shows an example of a preview image display screen. The figure which shows an example of a preview initial setting screen. 10 is a flowchart showing preview image display processing when an object is automatically enlarged. The figure which shows an example of the automatic expansion preview image display screen which expands and displays the preview image of an object automatically. The figure which shows an example of a magnification ratio initial setting screen.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable Example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, However, The range of this invention is unduly limited by the following description. However, not all the configurations described in the present embodiment are essential constituent elements of the present invention.

  1 to 15 are diagrams showing an embodiment of a preview image display device, an image forming device, a preview image display method, and a preview image display program of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a preview image display device of the present invention, 1 is a block configuration diagram of a printer apparatus 1 to which an embodiment of an image forming apparatus, a preview image display method, and a preview image display program is applied.

  In FIG. 1, a printer apparatus 1 includes a controller 2, a printer engine 3, an operation panel 4, and the like. The controller 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 12, an NVRAM (Non-Volatile). Random Access Memory) 13, Engine I / F (Interface) 14, Program ROM (Read Only Memory) 15, Network I / F 16, Panel I / F 17, Font ROM 18, Hard Disk (HDD) 19, etc. Are connected by a bus 20.

  A network NW such as a LAN (Local Area Network) is connected to the network I / F 16, and a host computer Pc that makes a print request to the printer apparatus 1 is connected to the network NW. The network I / F 16 receives a print job including a control signal and data (print data, etc.) transmitted from the host computer Pc via the network NW, and a status signal transmitted from the printer apparatus 1 to the host computer Pc. It is an interface that sends out.

  The host computer Pc connected to the network I / F 16 is a personal host computer Pc or the like having a normal hardware configuration and software configuration, and is generated in the printer device 1 by an arbitrary PDL (Page Description Language). A print job including the print data and a control command (print control data) using PJL (Printer Job Language) is generated by the printer driver and transmitted to the printer apparatus 1 via the network.

  The program ROM 15 is a program for processing and managing data in the controller 2 and controlling peripheral modules. Specifically, the program ROM 15 is a basic processing program as the printer apparatus 1 and the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 of the present invention (FIG. 5) and various programs such as a preview image display program for executing a preview image display method for controlling the display of the preview image on the screen and various data necessary for executing these programs. ing.

  Based on the program stored in the program ROM 15, the CPU 11 controls each part of the printer device 1 while using the RAM 12 as a work memory, performs printing processing, and executes a preview image display method to be described later.

  The RAM 12 is used as a work memory of the CPU 11 and also manages print data from the host computer Pc in units of pages and temporarily stores the data, and converts the data stored in the buffer into drawing data suitable for actual printing. It is used as a bitmap memory or the like that is expanded. The RAM 12 has a capacity for storing a plurality of pages of the print data or drawing data converted from the print data or intermediate data.

  The NVRAM 13 is a memory that retains stored contents even when the power of the printer apparatus 1 is turned off. The data system setting value and the print sheet count value that need to be retained even when the printer apparatus 1 is turned off. Various setting information such as print characteristics and engine characteristic parameters (such as dark red) indicating the engine characteristics of the printer engine 3 are stored under the control of the CPU 11.

  A printer engine 3 is connected to the engine I / F 14, and the engine I / F 14 exchanges control signals and drawing data from the controller 2 to the printer engine 3 and status signals from the printer engine 3 to the controller 2. .

  For example, a printer engine such as an electrophotographic printer or an ink jet printer is used as the printer engine 3. The printer engine 3 is converted from print data sent from the host computer Pc and received by the network I / F 16, and is converted from the engine I / F 14. Based on the drawing data and the control signal transferred, an image is printed out (image formation output) on the paper sent from the paper feed unit, and the printed paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray. That is, in the case of an electrophotographic engine, the printer engine 3 is not shown, but the components necessary for performing a printing process on paper based on drawing data in the electrophotographic system, such as a photoconductor, a charging unit, and optical writing When the printer engine 3 is a color printer engine, the image forming units are provided for color, for example, CMYK. The printer engine 3 operates the optical writing unit according to the drawing data and the control signal to form an electrostatic latent image on the uniformly charged photoconductor by the charging unit, and the developing unit applies toner to the photoconductor. And is developed to form a toner image. The printer engine 3 feeds a sheet from the sheet feeding unit between the photosensitive member and the transfer unit, causes the transfer unit to transfer the toner image on the photosensitive member to the sheet, and fixes the toner image transferred sheet to the fixing unit. Then, the toner image on the paper is fixed by heating and pressurizing at the fixing unit to perform the printing process.

  The operation panel 4 is connected to the panel I / F 17 via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or a serial cable. The panel I / F 17 exchanges signals between the CPU 11 and the operation panel 4. The CPU 11 and the panel I / F 17 function as preview image control means as a whole.

  The operation panel 4 includes various operation keys such as a numeric keypad, a start key, and a mode selection key for selecting a mode, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal display unit with a touch panel. The operation panel 4 performs various commands such as a print operation, in particular, a display image designation input and an enlargement ratio designation input, which will be described later, by a key operation of an operation key or a touch operation of a display unit, and a display unit (display unit). In 4a, the contents of commands input from the operation keys and various information notified to the user from the printer apparatus 1, in particular, various information necessary for a preview image display process to be described later, an image to be processed, and the like are displayed. As the display unit 4a, a display device having a relatively small display area such as uWVGA is used.

  The hard disk (document storage means) 19 accumulates and reads out the developed print data and data such as a print job sent from the host computer Pc under the control of the CPU 11. In particular, the hard disk 19 stores a preview image displayed on the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 generated from a print job (document data) sent from the host computer Pc.

  The printer device 1 may include an external I / F to which a portable external storage device is detachably attached. Examples of the external storage device include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, a memory card (for example, an SD memory card), a floppy disk (registered trademark), and the like. Under the control, data stored in the external storage device is read and data is written to the external storage device.

  The printer 1 includes a ROM, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM, a flash memory, a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a CD-RW (Compact Disc Rewritable), a DVD ( A preview image display program for executing the preview image display method of the present invention recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a digital video disk (SD), a secure digital (SD) card, or an MO (Magneto-Optical Disc) is read. A preview image display device that executes a preview image display method for displaying a preview image in a state where the confirmation property is improved on a display unit 4a having a relatively small display area, which will be described later, by being introduced into the program ROM 15, the hard disk 19, and the like. Built as a built-in image forming device . This preview image display program is a computer-executable program written in a legacy programming language such as assembler, C, C ++, C #, Java (registered trademark) or an object-oriented programming language, and is stored in the recording medium. And can be distributed.

  The printer apparatus 1 constructs an execution control unit 30, a storage area unit 40, and the like as shown in FIG. 2 by introducing and executing the preview image display program. That is, the printer apparatus 1 includes a data transmission / reception control unit 31, a printer control unit 32, an image drawing unit 33, a panel control unit 34, an engine control unit 35, and the like as the execution control unit 30, and accumulates as the storage area unit 40. A document information management area 41 and a data storage area 42 are constructed.

  The data transmission / reception control unit 31 is realized by the CPU 11, the network NWI / F 16, and the like, and includes a data reception unit 31a and a data transmission unit 31b. The printer control unit 43 is realized by the CPU 11, and includes a job control unit 32a and a data management unit 32b.

  The data receiving unit 31a of the data transmission / reception control unit 31 receives a print job from the host computer Pc via the network NW and passes it to the job control unit 32a of the printer control unit 32. The data transmission unit 31b transmits various commands, status information, and the like via the network NW received from the printer control unit 32.

  The printer control unit 32 is realized by the CPU 11 as described above, and controls printing by the printer engine 3 based on the print job. The job control unit 32a of the printer control unit 32 receives the print job received by the data transmission unit 31 and controls accumulation in the storage area unit 40 and printing by the printer engine 3. The data management unit 32b The data storage area of the unit 40 is managed, the accumulated print data, document information, and preview image are monitored, and necessary data is passed to other control units.

  The image drawing unit (preview image generating means) 33 is realized by the CPU 11 or the like, receives print data, generates drawing data, and develops it in the RAM 12 or the hard disk 19, or responds to a request from the printer control system function unit 21. In response, the drawing data is read from the RAM 12 and the hard disk 19 and transferred to the printer control unit 32. Specifically, the image drawing unit 33 interprets the PJL command and PDL command of the print data sent from the host computer Pc, generates the drawing data, and generates the drawing data and the print setting (image processing). Designation information) is passed to the printer control unit 32. In particular, the image drawing unit 33 generates a preview image to be displayed on the display unit 4 a of the operation panel 4 from the print data (document data) of the hard disk 19. In the generation of the preview image, the image drawing unit 33 first generates an entire preview image from the entire document data, further classifies the document data for each object, generates document data for each object, Object-by-object preview image data is generated from the object-by-object document data.

  The panel control unit 34 is realized by the CPU 11 and the panel I / F 17, and controls the operation panel 4 under the control of the printer control system function unit 21. In particular, the panel control unit 34 controls the display of the preview image of the document data on the display unit of the operation panel 4. The job control unit 32a, the data management unit 32b, and the panel control unit 34 function as preview image control means as a whole.

  The engine control unit 35 is realized by the CPU 11 and the engine I / F 14, and issues a print instruction to the printer engine 3 and the like under the control of the printer control unit 32.

  The storage area section (document storage means) 40 has a storage document information management area section 41 that stores storage job (storage document data) management information, job ID, print job user information, and the like. The unit 42 accumulates accumulated print data.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The printer apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment performs preview image display with improved document confirmation in a display unit having a relatively small display area.

  First, print job reception / control processing when a print job is received from the host computer Pc will be described with reference to FIG.

  When a print job is transmitted from the host computer Pc via the network NW, the printer apparatus 1 receives the print job (for example, JOB A) as shown in FIG. JOB B), the received print job is transferred to the job control unit 32a of the printer control unit 32 (step S101), and the job control unit 32a receives the print job from the data reception unit 31a (step S102). ), The image drawing unit 33 passes it to the image drawing unit 33, interprets the PDL of the print job, develops it in the RAM 12, and draws it (step S103).

  The job control unit 32a is a storage job (storage JOB) that is printed according to a user's instruction operation after being stored in the hard disk 19 once, whether the received print data is an immediate print job (print JOB). (Step S104). If the job is an accumulation job (YES in step S104), the image drawing unit 33 is caused to generate a preview image (step S105).

  The data management unit 32b associates (associates) the print job that is the accumulated document with the generated preview image, stores the print image in the storage area unit 40, and ends the print job reception / control process (step S106).

  On the other hand, if the received print job is a print job requesting immediate printing in step S104, the job control unit 32a passes the drawing data (image image) generated by the image drawing unit 33 to the engine control unit 35. The engine control unit 35 sends the drawing data to the printer engine 3 (step S107), controls the printer engine 3 to perform printing, and ends the print job reception / control process (step S108).

  Next, a preview image display process when a preview image is displayed and output in response to a preview request by the user in a state where the accumulated print job (accumulated JOB) is accumulated in the hard disk 19 is shown in FIG. A description will be given based on a flowchart showing the processing.

  When the panel control unit 34 receives from the operation panel 4 an instruction operation for executing preview image display in which the user is specified by the user, for example, an instruction operation for executing preview image display accompanied by an input of a user ID (step S201). The data management unit 32b is notified of the preview image display request, and the data management unit 32b receives information related to the preview image from the stored document information management area unit 41 of the storage area unit 40 realized by the hard disk 19 corresponding to the user. Is searched for preview image information (step S202). The data management unit 32b acquires the searched preview image information from the accumulated document information management area 41 and passes it to the panel control unit 34 (step S203). The panel control unit 34 receives the preview image information received from the data management unit 32b. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a preview document selection screen G1 is displayed on the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 (step S203).

  In the preview document selection screen G1, the user designates a document name for which a preview image is to be displayed from a plurality of document names of the user displayed, and touches a “preview” button to display a preview image. Give instructions. In the preview document selection screen G1 in FIG. 5, an “all job selection” button for instructing selection of all print jobs, a “select all cancellation” button for canceling all selections, an “erase” button for deleting document information, [Print] button for instructing printing, and moving the document information that has not been displayed up and down to display it, that is, up and down scroll buttons for changing the display area of the preview image and “detail display” for displaying details Buttons are provided.

  Then, in the printer apparatus 1, in the document preview image generation process, the image drawing unit 33 analyzes the document data of the preview image generation target, as shown in FIG. A preview image is generated. That is, the image drawing unit 33 checks whether or not there is an overlap between objects in the document data for which a preview image is to be created (step S301), and when there is no overlap between objects (when “none” in step S301). Determines that the visibility is not hindered even with a normal preview image of the entire document (entire preview image), and ends the processing.

  When there is an overlap between objects in step S301 (when “Yes” in step S301), the image drawing unit 33 analyzes the document data and classifies the area for each object. The text portion of the document data is drawn, and a preview image of the text portion is generated (step S302). Next, the image gutter 33 draws the graphic portion of the document data for which the preview image is to be created, generates a preview image for the graphic portion (step S303), and further, the image portion of the document data for which the preview image is to be created. And a preview image of the image portion is generated (step S304).

  Then, the data management unit 32b associates (associates) the preview image of each object generated by the image drawing unit 33 with the document data (accumulated document) of the preview image creation target, and the data storage area constructed on the hard disk 19 The image is stored in the unit 42, and the preview image generation process for each object is terminated (step S305).

  Here, for example, in the document as shown in FIG. 7, the document object is a document in which text, graphics, and images are arranged. The text is an object consisting only of text data, and a graphic is: An object such as a figure or a graph or an image is an object such as a photographic image. As described above, the image drawing unit 33 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment analyzes the document data by a known method when converting the document data to the drawing data in the preview image generation for each object. Then, after dividing each area into text, graphics, and images, each object is drawn.

  Then, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the data management unit 32 stores the document (accumulated document) in the data management table TB1 stored in the accumulated document information management area 41 of the storage area 40 constructed by the hard disk 19. ) The name and the preview image of the document are registered in association with each other. In FIG. 8, corresponding to the document name JOB A, a preview image (All) of the entire document, a text preview image (Text), a graphic preview image (Graphics), an image preview image (Image), and objects Is registered, and it is determined that there is no overlap between objects for the document name of JOB B, and the preview visibility is less likely to be deteriorated. ) And the state where only the objects do not overlap is registered.

  In addition, in the case of objects JOB A and JOB B as shown in FIG. 8, the data management unit 32 determines whether each object of text, graphics, and images in addition to the entire preview image as described above, depending on whether or not the objects overlap. 9 (in the case of JOB A), as shown in the upper part of FIG. 9, the stored document, the entire preview image, the text preview image, and the graphic are stored in the data storage area 42 of the storage area 40. When the preview image and the preview image of the image are accumulated and only the entire preview image is generated (in the case of JOB B), only the accumulated document and the entire preview image are accumulated as shown in the lower part of FIG.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 10, when the document is designated and the display operation of the preview image is instructed on the operation panel 4 (step S401), the printer 1 displays the designated document on the designated document. The corresponding preview image is searched from the data storage area unit 42 with reference to the data management table TB1 (step S402), and the display destination panel shape of the preview image is displayed on the uWVGA display unit 4a of the operation panel 4. It is determined whether there is a display unit of another large WVGA (step S403).

  In step S403, when the display destination panel shape is WVGA (in step S403, when it is a WVGA panel), the data management unit 32 displays a preview image of the entire document designated from the data storage area unit 42 (entire image). (Preview image) is acquired, the preview image of the entire document is displayed on the display portion of the WVGA, and the preview image display process is terminated (Step S405).

  In step S403, when the display destination panel is a small uWVGA (when the display is a uWVGA panel in step S403), the data management unit 32 generates a preview image for each object based on the data management table TB1. Obtained from the storage area unit 42, the preview image for each object is displayed on the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4, and the preview image display process is terminated (step S407).

  In displaying the preview image for each object, for example, a preview image display screen G2 as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the display unit 4a. In this preview image display screen G2, a text object is displayed as a display for each object. Is displayed, the display enlargement / reduction buttons, the move button for specifying the display position are displayed, and the file name, user ID, date and time, and the type of object to be displayed are displayed. ing.

  In addition, when displaying a preview image for each object, the printer device 1 can appropriately specify an object to be displayed first. When the initial display object designation mode is instructed by operating the operation panel 4, the printer apparatus 1 displays a preview initial setting screen G 3 as shown in FIG. 12 on the display unit 4 a, for example. An image can be selected appropriately from all of them. The printer device 1 stores the initial display object selected on the preview initial setting screen G3 in the NVRAM 13 or the like, and determines the initial display object with reference to the NVRAM 13 or the like when displaying the preview image for each object. To do.

  Further, in the display processing of the preview image for each object, the printer device 1 may perform automatic enlargement display based on the size of the object to be displayed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 13, the same processing steps as those in FIG. 10 are given the same step numbers, and the description thereof is simplified or omitted.

  In FIG. 13, when a document is specified and a preview image display is instructed on the operation panel 4 (step S401), the data management unit 32 displays a preview image corresponding to the specified document in the data management table TB1. , The data storage area 42 is searched (step S402), and the display destination panel shape of the preview image is the uWVGA display 4a of the operation panel 4 or a large other WVGA display. It is determined whether or not there is (step S403).

  In step S403, if the display destination panel shape is a WVGA panel, the data management unit 32 acquires a preview image of the entire specified document from the data storage area unit 42 as in the case of FIG. A preview image (whole preview image) of the entire document is displayed on the display unit of the WVGA, and the preview image display process is terminated (step S405).

  In step S403, if the display destination panel shape is a small uWVGA panel, the data management unit 32 checks whether there is a small object in the display object (step S411), and if there is no (No in step S411). ), A preview image for each object is transmitted to the panel control unit 34 (step S406), and the panel control unit 34 causes the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 to display the preview image and perform a preview image display process. The process ends (step S407).

  In step S411, when there is a small object in the display object (when “Yes” in step S411), a preview image for each object is transmitted to the panel control unit 34 (step S412), and the panel control unit 34 Then, the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 displays the enlarged preview image and ends the preview image display process (step S413).

  In the preview image display for automatically enlarging the object, the printer apparatus 1 displays an automatic enlargement preview image display screen G4 as shown in FIG. 14, for example. In the automatic enlargement preview image display screen G4, a state in which the text is displayed in an enlarged manner is shown, and the enlarged display designation portion display area portion is shown by a rectangle. Other display items are the same as those in the preview image display screen G2 in FIG. On the automatic enlargement preview image display screen G4 of the operation panel 4, a display area to be enlarged can be changed with a movement button indicated by an arrow.

  Further, when the preview image is enlarged and displayed for each object, the printer device 1 can appropriately specify the enlargement ratio (initial enlargement ratio) of the object to be enlarged and displayed first. When the preview initial setting operation panel (display instruction means) 4 is used to instruct the preview initial setting display object designation mode, the printer apparatus 1 displays, for example, an enlargement ratio initial setting screen G5 as shown in FIG. The initial enlargement ratio of the object can be set by the number of points to the user. The printer device 1 stores the initial enlargement ratio designated on the enlargement ratio initial setting screen G5 in the NVRAM 13 or the like, and displays the initial display object with reference to the NVRAM 13 or the like when the preview image is enlarged and displayed for each object. Determine the magnification rate.

  As described above, the printer apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes the storage area unit (document storage means) 40 constructed by the hard disk 19 for storing document data, and the document data for each object by dividing the document data into areas for each object. An image drawing unit (object document data generating means) 33 constructed by the CPU 11 for generating the document, and generating only the entire document preview image or at least the object preview image from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object Based on the display size of the image drawing unit (preview image generating unit) 33 constructed by the CPU 11, the display unit (display unit) 4 a of the operation panel 4 for displaying the preview image, the display unit 4 a, etc. Only the entire preview image or at least the option Preview image control including a printer control unit 32, an image drawing unit 33, a panel control unit 34, and the like constructed by the CPU 11 and the panel I / F 17 that generate a preview image for each object and display the preview image on the display unit 4a and the like. Means.

  Therefore, the preview image can be displayed separately for the entire preview image and the object-by-object preview image according to the document data and the display size of the display unit 4a, etc., and the document confirmability in the display unit having a relatively small display area can be displayed. It is possible to display a preview image with improved image quality.

  Further, the printer apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a document storage processing step for storing document data in a storage area unit (document storage means) 40 constructed by the hard disk 19, and an object by classifying the document data into areas for each object. An object document data generation processing step for generating each document data, and a preview image generation processing step for generating only a whole document preview image or at least a per-object preview image from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object; Based on the display size of the display means such as the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 for displaying the preview image, only the entire preview image or at least the preview image for each object is generated in the preview image generation processing step. The preview image is running a preview image displaying method having a preview image control processing step of displaying on said display means.

  Therefore, the preview image can be displayed separately for the entire preview image and the object-by-object preview image according to the document data and the display size of the display unit 4a, etc., and the document confirmability in the display unit having a relatively small display area can be displayed. It is possible to display a preview image with improved image quality.

  Further, the printer apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a document storage process in which a computer stores document data in a storage area unit (document storage unit) 40 constructed by the hard disk 19, and the document data is divided into areas for each object. Object document data generation processing for generating document data for each object, and preview image generation processing for generating only an entire document preview image or at least a preview image for each object from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object, Based on the display size of the display means such as the display unit 4a of the operation panel 4 that displays the preview image, only the entire preview image or at least the preview image for each object is generated in the preview image generation process, and the preview image is displayed. The are equipped with the preview image display program, characterized in that to execute a preview image control processing to be displayed on said display means.

  Therefore, the preview image can be displayed separately for the entire preview image and the object-by-object preview image according to the document data and the display size of the display unit 4a, etc., and the document confirmability in the display unit having a relatively small display area can be displayed. It is possible to display a preview image with improved image quality.

  Further, in the printer device 1 of this embodiment, the image drawing unit 33 of the preview image control unit determines whether or not the objects of the document data overlap each other, and if there is an overlap between the objects, at least the preview for each object. An image is generated.

  Therefore, when the size of the display unit 4a is small and it is difficult to check the objects because they overlap each other, the preview image can be generated and displayed for each object separately, and the document can be confirmed on the display unit having a small display area. Further improved preview image display can be performed.

  Furthermore, the printer apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes an operation panel (object setting means) 4 for setting an object to be displayed first as an initial display object in displaying the preview image for each object, and the preview image control means. The data management unit 32 first displays the preview image of the initial display object set on the operation panel 4 on the display unit 4a or the like when displaying the preview image for each object.

  Therefore, the preview image of the object that the user wants to confirm can be displayed first, and the usability can be improved.

  In addition, the printer apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes an image enlargement unit including a panel control unit 34 that enlarges the preview image to a predetermined size. The data management unit 32b of the preview image control unit includes at least the above-described image management unit 32b. In displaying the preview image for each object, the enlarged preview image of the panel control unit 34 is displayed on the display unit 4a or the like.

  Therefore, it is possible to further improve the confirmation of fine characters and the like, and it is possible to perform a preview image display that further improves the confirmation of the document in the display unit having a relatively small display area.

  Further, the printer apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a display designating unit constructed by an operation panel 4 for designating a display image area to be displayed and / or an enlargement ratio in the preview image of the preview image, and the preview image is displayed. The data management unit 32b of the image control unit changes the display image area and / or the enlargement ratio of the preview image displayed on the display unit 4a or the like according to the designation on the operation panel 4 and displays it on the display unit 4a or the like. Let

  Therefore, when the visibility is poor, the image area to be enlarged and the enlargement ratio can be changed according to the user's specification, and the document confirmation property on the display unit having a relatively small display area can be improved. Thus, it is possible to perform further improved preview image display.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to that described in the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer apparatus 2 Controller 3 Printer engine 4 Operation panel 11 CPU
12 RAM
13 NVRAM
14 Engine I / F
15 Program ROM
16 Network I / F
17 Panel I / F
18 Font ROM
19 Hard disk (HDD)
20 Bus 30 Execution control unit 40 Storage area unit 31 Data transmission / reception control unit 31a Data reception unit 31b Data transmission unit 32a Job control unit 32b Data management unit 32 Printer control unit 33 Image drawing unit 34 Panel control unit 35 Engine control unit 41 Accumulated document Information management area section 42 Data storage area section TB1 Data management table G1 Preview document selection screen G2 Preview image display screen G3 Preview initial setting screen G4 Automatic enlargement preview image display screen G5 Enlargement ratio initial setting screen

JP 2001-67347 A

Claims (9)

Document storage means for storing document data;
Display means for displaying an image;
Object document data generation means for generating document data for each object by classifying the document data for each object;
Preview image generation means for generating only the entire document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object ;
Preview image control means for causing the preview image generating means to generate only the whole document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image based on the display size of the display means, and to display the preview image on the display means;
With
The preview image control means includes
A preview image display device that determines whether or not the objects of the document data overlap, and causes the preview image generation means to generate at least the preview image for each object when the objects overlap. The preview image display device includes:
In the display of the preview image for each object, an object setting means for setting an object to be displayed first as an initial display object,
The preview image control means includes
2. The preview image display device according to claim 1, wherein, in displaying the preview image for each object, a preview image of the initial display object set by the object setting unit is first displayed on the display unit. Document storage means for storing document data;
Display means for displaying an image;
Object document data generation means for generating document data for each object by classifying the document data for each object;
Preview image generation means for generating only the entire document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object ;
Preview image control means for causing the preview image generating means to generate only the whole document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image based on the display size of the display means, and to display the preview image on the display means;
A preview image display apparatus Ru provided with,
The preview image display device includes:
In the display of the preview image for each object, an object setting means for setting an object to be displayed first as an initial display object,
The preview image control means includes
In displaying the preview image for each object, the preview image of the initial display object set by the object setting unit is first displayed on the display unit. The preview image display device includes:
An image enlarging means for enlarging at least the preview image for each object to a predetermined size;
The preview image control means includes
The preview image display according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least the preview image for each object is displayed on the display means at least in the display of the preview image for each object. apparatus. The preview image display device includes:
A display designating unit for designating a display image area to be displayed and / or an enlargement ratio in the preview image of the preview image;
The preview image control means includes
5. The display unit according to claim 4, wherein a display image area and / or an enlargement ratio of a preview image displayed on the display unit is changed and displayed on the display unit according to the designation by the display designating unit. Preview image display device. In an image forming apparatus that displays a preview image on a preview image display unit based on document data before image formation based on document image data,
An image forming apparatus comprising the preview image display device according to claim 1 as the preview image display unit. A document storage processing step for storing the document data in the document storage means;
An object document data generation processing step for generating document data for each object by classifying the document data for each object;
A preview image generation processing step of generating only a whole document preview image or at least a preview image for each object from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object;
Based on the display size of the display means for displaying the preview image, the preview image generation processing step generates only the whole document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image, and displays the preview image on the display means. Image control processing steps;
A preview image display method characterized by comprising: On the computer,
Document storage processing for storing document data in the document storage means;
Object document data generation processing for generating document data for each object by classifying the document data for each object,
A preview image generation process for generating only a whole document preview image or at least a preview image for each object from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object;
Based on the display size of the display means for displaying the preview image, only the whole document preview image or at least the preview image for each object is generated in the preview image generation processing, and the preview image is displayed on the display means. At the time, it is determined whether there is an overlap between the objects of the document data, and if there is an overlap between the objects, a preview image control process for generating at least the preview image for each object in the preview image generation process;
A preview image display program characterized in that the program is executed. On the computer,
Document storage processing for storing document data in the document storage means;
Object document data generation processing for generating document data for each object by classifying the document data for each object,
A preview image generation process for generating only a whole document preview image or at least a preview image for each object from either or both of the document data and the document data for each object;
Based on the display size of the display means for displaying the preview image, the preview image generating process generates only the entire document preview image or at least the object-by-object preview image, and displays the preview image on the display means. Control processing,
In the display of each object preview image, an object setting process for setting an object to be displayed first as an initial display object;
And execute
In the preview image control process, in displaying the preview image for each object, a preview image of the initial display object set in the object setting process is first displayed on the display unit.

Images