JP6385073B2 - Image forming apparatus, printing system, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a printing system, an information processing method, and a program.

  In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for printing data of various applications using an image forming apparatus such as a digital multifunction peripheral. Also, with the spread of portable storage media such as USB memories, there is an increasing demand for directly printing application data in portable storage media using an image forming apparatus such as a digital multifunction peripheral. For example, a print control system has been proposed in which application data can be printed without a driver by converting data received from an information terminal into a data format that can be printed by a data converter. There has also been proposed a printing system that performs print processing after confirming the contents of a print service that can be provided to a user (Patent Document 1).

JP 2000-81959 A

However, since application data and the like that cannot be interpreted by the image forming apparatus by the conventional technology are converted by the data conversion apparatus and are to be printed by the image forming apparatus, there are the following problems. For example, in some cases, the data conversion apparatus converts the print data to a paper size that is not set in the image forming apparatus. In such a case, the image forming apparatus cannot output the print data or outputs a paper size different from that intended by the user.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for outputting print data as intended by a user.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus that converts print data into a data format that can be printed by the image forming apparatus, and obtains output size information of the print data before the conversion. Acquisition means, second acquisition means for acquiring output size information of the converted print data, output size information acquired by the first acquisition means, and acquisition by the second acquisition means If the output size information is different from the output size information, and the output size information acquired by the second acquisition unit is not installed in the image forming apparatus, the conversion is performed. A receiving unit that receives an instruction from the user as to whether or not to print subsequent print data, and an instruction from the user to print the converted print data by the receiving unit Have a, a printing unit to print the print data after the conversion, the first acquisition means, the output size information of the print data before said converting according to a user's selection operation through the operation unit Output size information of the print data before acquisition or from the external device is acquired .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for outputting print data as intended by a user.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a printing system including a digital multifunction peripheral. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration in a digital multifunction peripheral. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of a digital multifunction peripheral and a data conversion apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing of a digital multifunction peripheral. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of paper size information managed by a paper size information management unit. FIG. FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a print paper selection screen (part 1); 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing for acquiring paper size information in advance. FIG. 10 is a second diagram illustrating an example of a print paper selection screen. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the information processing in a data conversion application.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a printing system including a digital multifunction peripheral. The digital multi-function peripheral 110 and the data conversion apparatus 120 communicate via the network 100. The information terminal 140 is connected to the network 100 via the wireless LAN router 130 and can communicate with the digital multifunction peripheral 110. A USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory 150 can be connected to the digital multi-function peripheral 110. The digital multi-function peripheral 110 can read and write data stored in the connected USB memory 150.

When the digital multi-function peripheral 110 receives a print request from the information terminal 140, the digital multi-function peripheral 110 determines whether the data can be directly printed based on the received data, for example. If the digital multi-function peripheral 110 determines that printing cannot be performed directly, the digital multi-function peripheral 110 directly converts the data into a data format that can be printed by the digital multi-function peripheral 110 such as PDL (Page Description Language) data. Ask. The data conversion device 120 determines the format of the received data and executes a conversion process to the requested data format. The digital multi-function peripheral 110 acquires the converted data from the data conversion device 120 and executes print processing. The digital multi-function peripheral 110 performs the same process when printing data stored in the USB memory 150 attached to the digital multi-function peripheral 110 instead of from the information terminal 140. When printing the data stored in the USB memory 150, the digital multifunction peripheral 110 determines whether the stored data can be printed directly. For example, the digital multifunction peripheral 110 determines whether printing is possible directly based on the file format of the stored data. If the digital multifunction peripheral 110 determines that printing cannot be performed directly, the digital multifunction peripheral 110 requests the data converter 120 to convert the data into a printable data format. The data conversion device 120 determines the format of the received data and executes a conversion process to the requested data format. The digital multi-function peripheral 110 acquires the converted data from the data conversion device 120 and executes print processing.
In this embodiment, the USB memory is described as an example, but another storage device may be used. For example, a storage medium such as an SD memory card may be connected to the digital multifunction peripheral 110 via a card reader. Another storage device may be a storage area of an information processing apparatus such as a PC (Personal Computer) that can communicate with the network 100.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration in the digital multifunction peripheral 110. The digital multi-function peripheral 110 includes a controller unit 200, an operation unit 220, a scanner 230, and a printer 240. The controller unit 200 is connected to the operation unit 220 and to the scanner 230 and the printer 240. The controller unit 200 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 202. The CPU 202 realizes the function of the OS by starting and executing an OS (Operating System) program by a boot program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 206. The CPU 202 executes the application program stored in an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 205 on this OS, thereby realizing the function of the application and the processing of the flowchart described later. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 203 is used as a work area of the CPU 202. The RAM 203 provides a work area and an image memory area for temporarily storing image data. The HDD 205 stores application programs and image data. An operation unit I / F 201, a device I / F 204, a network I / F 207, an image processing unit 208, and an external serial I / F 209 are connected to the CPU 202 via the system bus 210, along with the ROM 206 and the RAM 203.

  The operation unit I / F 201 is an interface with the operation unit 220 having a touch panel, and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 220 to the operation unit 220. Further, the operation unit I / F 201 sends information input by the user in the operation unit 220 to the CPU 202. A scanner 230 and a printer 240 are connected to the device I / F 204. The device I / F 204 performs synchronous / asynchronous conversion of image data. A network I / F 207 is connected to the network 100 and controls input / output of information between each device on the network 100 and the digital multifunction peripheral 110 via the network 100. The image processing unit 208 performs processing such as input image processing from a scanner, output image processing to a printer, image rotation, image compression, resolution conversion, color space conversion, and gradation conversion. The external serial I / F 209 is an I / F with a device such as the USB memory 150 and controls bidirectional data exchange between the connected external device and the digital multifunction peripheral 110.

  Similarly to the hardware configuration of the digital multi-function peripheral 110 shown in FIG. 2, the data conversion device 120 has at least a hardware configuration such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, HDD, and network I / F. Then, by executing processing based on a program stored in the CPU of the data conversion device 120, the HDD of the data conversion device 120, or the like, a function of a data conversion application described later is realized.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the digital multi-function peripheral 110 and the data conversion device 120. The data printing application 300 includes a control unit 301, a paper size determination unit 302, a paper size information management unit 303, a communication control unit 304, and a communication processing unit 305. The control unit 301 controls processing in the data print application 300. The paper size determination unit 302 determines the data format. A paper size information management unit 303 manages paper size information that can be printed by the digital multifunction peripheral 110 and paper size information of print data. The paper size information is an example of output size information. The communication control unit 304 controls communication with the data conversion device 120. The communication processing unit 305 performs data communication via the network I / F 207. The paper size information management unit 303 stores the paper size information in the HDD 205, RAM 203, ROM 206, and the like. The communication control unit 304 gives an instruction to the communication processing unit 305. The communication processing unit 305 performs processing such as encryption and compression / decompression of data communicated with the data conversion device 120. The paper size determination unit 302 receives the paper size information requested by the data printing application 300, the paper size information included in the data before conversion, and the paper size information of the paper size installed in the digital multifunction peripheral 110. ,Compare. The comparison result in the paper size determination unit 302 is notified to the operation unit 220 and displayed. The user confirms the paper size via the operation unit 220. A sheet is an example of an output medium.

  The data conversion application 310 receives the data conversion request from the digital multifunction peripheral 110 and executes data conversion processing. In addition, the data conversion application 310 extracts paper size information included in the data before conversion processing and notifies the data printing application 300 of it. The notified paper size information before conversion is managed by the paper size information management unit 303 and is used by the paper size determination unit 302 to determine the paper size.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing of the digital multifunction peripheral 110.
In step S <b> 401, the data printing application 300 notifies the data conversion apparatus 120 of a paper size value indicating the size of the paper installed in the digital multifunction peripheral 110. The notified paper size value is managed by the paper size information management unit 303.
In S402, the data print application 300 accepts a print paper selection operation by the user. Details of the process of S402 are shown in FIG.
In S403, the data printing application 300 determines whether an instruction to start printing has been received. If the data print application 300 receives an instruction to start printing, the process proceeds to S404. If the data print application 300 does not receive an instruction to start printing, the process proceeds to S402.
When receiving the print start instruction, the data print application 300 requests the data conversion apparatus 120 to convert the print data in S404. Upon receiving the data conversion request, the data conversion apparatus 120 converts the print data into a data format that can be printed by the digital multifunction peripheral 110. At that time, the data conversion apparatus 120 creates conversion data with the paper size value selected in S402. That is, the data printing application 300 transmits the paper size value selected in S402 and the print data to the data conversion device 120, and converts the print data into the paper size conversion data of the paper size value. Request to the conversion device 120. In response to the request, the data conversion apparatus 120 creates conversion data with the paper size of the paper size value selected in S402. Then, the data conversion device 120 transmits the converted data to the digital multifunction peripheral 110.

In step S405, the data print application 300 determines whether conversion data has been received. If the data print application 300 receives the conversion data, the process advances to step S406. If the conversion data is not received, the data printing application 300 repeats the process of step S405.
In step S406, the data print application 300 determines whether the pre-conversion paper size value included in the conversion data matches the paper size value selected in step S402. Further, when the two paper size values match, the data printing application 300 determines whether or not the paper having the paper size value is included in the paper installed in the digital multifunction peripheral 110. If the two paper size values do not match, or if a paper having a matching paper size value is not included in the paper installed in the digital multifunction peripheral 110, the data printing application 300 proceeds to S407. On the other hand, the data printing application 300 proceeds to S410 when the two paper size values match and the paper with the matching paper size value is included in the paper set in the digital multifunction peripheral 110.

In step S <b> 407, the data printing application 300 displays the pre-conversion paper size value included in the conversion data on the operation unit 220.
In S408, the data print application 300 displays a screen for confirming whether or not to print the conversion data on the operation unit 220, and accepts a user's selection operation (acceptance). Then, the data print application 300 determines whether or not to print the conversion data in accordance with the user's selection operation via the screen. If the data printing application 300 determines that the conversion data is to be printed in response to the user's selection operation via the screen, the process proceeds to step S409. If the data printing application 300 determines that the conversion data is not to be printed, the processing illustrated in FIG. finish.
In step S409, the data printing application 300 displays, for example, on the screen for confirming whether or not to change the paper size to the user, and sets the paper size according to the user's selection operation via the screen. Determine whether to change. If the data printing application 300 determines to change the paper size according to the user's selection operation via the screen, the process returns to S404 and the data conversion with the changed paper size is performed again by the data conversion device 120. Request processing. On the other hand, if the data printing application 300 determines not to change the paper size in response to the user's selection operation via the screen, the process proceeds to S410.
In step S410, the data print application 300 controls execution of conversion data printing processing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of paper size information managed by the paper size information management unit 303. The process of the flowchart in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
In S401, the data printing application 300 notifies the data conversion apparatus 120 of the paper size, A4, A3, A4, and A4 in the column of the paper placement status of the digital multifunction peripheral 110 in FIG. 5A as the paper size value. To do.
In S402, the data printing application 300 accepts selection of printing paper. Here, it is assumed that the data printing application 300 accepts the selection of Auto as shown in FIG. When Auto is selected in the selection of the printing paper, a screen as shown in FIG. When Auto is selected, the user has instructed printing with the paper size included in the print data without specifying the paper size.
In step S404, the data print application 300 instructs the data conversion apparatus 120 to convert print data.

In S406, the data printing application 300 checks the value of the paper size before conversion included in the conversion data received in S405. Here, as shown in FIG. 5A, the paper size value of the print data before conversion is B4. Since Auto is designated as the paper size value, the paper size after data conversion converted by the data converter 120 is B4 as shown in FIG. However, there is no B4 size in the column of the paper installation status of the digital multifunction peripheral 110 in FIG. Therefore, the data printing application 300 determines No in the determination of S406 and advances the process to S407.
In S407, the data printing application 300 displays the value of the paper size before conversion included in the conversion data, here B4.
In step S408, the data print application 300 confirms with the user whether to execute printing.
When printing is performed, in step S409, the data printing application 300 confirms the paper size with respect to the user and accepts a change in the paper size. Then, the data printing application 300 determines whether or not there is a change in the paper size based on, for example, a user's selection operation via a screen or the like. If the paper size remains unchanged at B4, a paper out error occurs because there is no B4 paper. In this case, in S410, the data printing application 300 outputs an out-of-paper error or the like, and ends the processing shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the paper size is changed to A3, the data printing application 300 executes the processing from S404 again.

As a result, the value of the sheet selection information is updated as shown in FIG. The data conversion apparatus 120 that has received the conversion request in S404 creates conversion data with a paper size of A3 size provided in the digital multifunction peripheral. As a result, in S410, the data printing application 300 controls execution of printing with the paper size A3.
Thus, by checking the paper size included in the print data, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an unnecessary paper-out error and the printing with the paper size not intended by the user.
In addition, the data conversion apparatus 120 that has received the data conversion request in S404 may create conversion data in advance based on the paper size information notified in S401. If the paper size is changed in S409, the data printing application 300 executes the processing from S404 again. However, if the converted data after the paper size change is created in advance, S404, The processing of S405 can be speeded up.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing for acquiring in advance information on the paper size included in the print data in the print paper selection in S402. 4 is different from the flowchart of FIG. 4 in that the data printing application 300 performs conversion of print data and acquisition of paper size information in S404 in the flowchart of FIG. 4, but only the paper size information in the flowchart of FIG. Is to get it independently.
In step S <b> 601, the data print application 300 requests the data conversion apparatus 120 to acquire a value of the paper size before conversion included in the print data.
In step S <b> 602, the data printing application 300 receives the value of the paper size before conversion from the data conversion device 120.
In step S <b> 603, the data printing application 300 updates the paper size information value of the paper size information management unit 303 with the paper size value before conversion of the received print data.
In step S604, the data print application 300 restricts selectable paper sizes based on the value of the paper size information updated in step S603. For example, if the value of the paper size information of the original print data is A3, the data printing application 300 can select only A3 paper on the print paper selection screen in FIG. Alternatively, the data printing application 300 displays on the operation unit 220 that A3 paper is recommended.
In the example of FIG. 7, the data printing application 300 acquires the paper size value included in the print data from the data conversion device 120 when the print paper is selected. However, the data printing application 300 may be performed at a different timing, for example, when a print data preview request is made. Further, when the data printing application 300 acquires the paper size information in advance, the acquisition of the paper size information by the processing of FIG. 7 can be omitted.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing in the data conversion application 310 of the data conversion apparatus 120.
In step S <b> 901, the data conversion application 310 determines whether a data conversion request from the digital multifunction peripheral 110 has been received. If the data conversion application 310 has received a data conversion request, the process proceeds to step S902. If the data conversion request has not been received, the process proceeds to step S904.
In step S <b> 902, the data conversion application 310 converts the data received from the digital multifunction peripheral 110 into a data format that can be printed by the digital multifunction peripheral 110. In step S <b> 902, the data conversion apparatus 120 extracts the value of the paper size before conversion included in the data received from the digital multifunction peripheral 110.
In step S <b> 903, the data conversion application 310 transmits the converted data and the paper size value to the digital multifunction peripheral 110.

In step S <b> 904, the data conversion application 310 determines whether a paper size acquisition request has been received from the digital multifunction peripheral 110. If the data conversion application 310 has received a paper size acquisition request, the process proceeds to step S905. If the paper size acquisition request has not been received, the data conversion application 310 ends the process of the flowchart illustrated in FIG.
In step S <b> 905, the data conversion application 310 acquires the value of the paper size before conversion from the data received from the digital multifunction peripheral 110.
In step S <b> 906, the data conversion application 310 transmits the acquired paper size value to the digital multifunction peripheral 110.
As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to acquire the value of the paper size from the print data by the information processing of FIGS. 7 and 9. By acquiring the paper size value included in the print data in advance, it is possible to prevent data conversion processing to a paper size that the digital multi-function peripheral 110 cannot print and a paper out error. In the processing of FIG. 9, the description has been made so that the data conversion and the conversion data and the paper size value are transmitted in S902 and S903. However, the data conversion application 310 may perform only data conversion and transmission of converted data.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program This process can be realized. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

As described above, according to each of the embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a technique for outputting print data as intended by the user.
That is, it is possible to prevent the user from performing unintended printing on a paper size different from the information included in the data before printing. Further, printing on a paper size that cannot be printed by the image forming apparatus can be avoided.

Claims (9)

An image forming apparatus capable of communicating with an external device that converts print data into a printable data format.
First acquisition means for acquiring output size information of the print data before conversion;
Second acquisition means for acquiring output size information of the converted print data;
When the output size information acquired by the first acquisition unit is different from the output size information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and the output size information acquired by the second acquisition unit A receiving unit that receives an instruction from the user as to whether or not to print the converted print data in any one of cases where an output medium is not installed in the image forming apparatus;
A printing unit that prints the converted print data when receiving an instruction from the user to print the converted print data by the receiving unit;
I have a,
The first acquisition unit acquires the output size information of the print data before conversion according to a user's selection operation via the operation unit, or the output size of the print data before conversion from the external device An image forming apparatus that acquires information . Confirmation means for confirming a change in the output size indicated by the output size information acquired by the second acquisition means;
When the change of the output size is confirmed by the confirmation means, request means for requesting the external device to convert the print data with the changed output size;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the external apparatus of output size information relating to an output medium installed in the image forming apparatus. Conversion means for converting the data format of the print data;
First acquisition means for acquiring output size information of the print data before conversion;
Second acquisition means for acquiring output size information of the converted print data;
When the output size information acquired by the first acquisition unit is different from the output size information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and the output size information acquired by the second acquisition unit In the case of any one of the cases where the output medium is not installed, an accepting unit that accepts an instruction from the user as to whether or not to print the converted print data;
A printing unit that prints the converted print data when receiving an instruction from the user to print the converted print data by the receiving unit;
I have a,
The first acquisition unit acquires the output size information of the print data before the conversion according to the user's selection operation via the operation unit, or the output size information of the print data before the conversion from an external device Get the printing system. An information processing method executed by an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus that converts print data into a data format printable by the image forming apparatus,
A first acquisition step of acquiring output size information of the print data before conversion;
A second acquisition step of acquiring output size information of the converted print data;
When the output size information acquired by the first acquisition step is different from the output size information acquired by the second acquisition step, and the output size information acquired by the second acquisition step A receiving step of receiving from the user an instruction as to whether or not to print the converted print data in any one of cases where an output medium is not installed in the image forming apparatus;
A printing step of printing the converted print data when receiving an instruction from the user to print the converted print data in the receiving step;
Only including,
In the first acquisition step, output size information of the print data before the conversion is acquired according to a user's selection operation via the operation unit, or an output size of the print data before the conversion from the external device An information processing method for acquiring information. An information processing method executed by a printing system,
A conversion step for converting the data format of the print data;
A first acquisition step of acquiring output size information of the print data before conversion;
A second acquisition step of acquiring output size information of the converted print data;
When the output size information acquired by the first acquisition step is different from the output size information acquired by the second acquisition step, and the output size information acquired by the second acquisition step A reception step of receiving an instruction from the user as to whether or not to print the converted print data in any one of cases where an output medium is not installed;
A printing step of printing the converted print data when receiving an instruction from the user to print the converted print data in the receiving step;
Only including,
In the first acquisition step, output size information of the print data before conversion is acquired according to a user's selection operation via the operation unit, or output size information of the print data before conversion is acquired from an external device Information processing method to acquire . A computer that can communicate with an external device that converts print data into a printable data format.
A first acquisition step of acquiring output size information of the print data before conversion;
A second acquisition step of acquiring output size information of the converted print data;
When the output size information acquired by the first acquisition step is different from the output size information acquired by the second acquisition step, and the output size information acquired by the second acquisition step A reception step of receiving an instruction from the user as to whether or not to print the converted print data in any one of cases where an output medium is not installed in the computer;
A printing step of printing the converted print data when receiving an instruction from the user to print the converted print data in the receiving step;
Was executed,
In the first acquisition step, output size information of the print data before the conversion is acquired according to a user's selection operation via the operation unit, or an output size of the print data before the conversion from the external device A program that obtains information . A confirmation step of confirming a change in the output size indicated by the output size information acquired in the second acquisition step;
When the change of the output size is confirmed by the confirmation step, a request step for requesting the external device to convert the print data with the changed output size;
8. The program according to claim 7 , further causing the program to be executed. The program according to claim 7 or 8 , further causing a notification step of notifying the external device of output size information related to an output medium installed in the computer.

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