JP6447812B2 - Image forming apparatus and image forming program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming program.

  In Patent Document 1, when a sheet stored in a container of a plurality of image forming apparatuses is fed by an off-line post-processing apparatus to create a booklet, the sheet is matched with post-processing performed by the post-processing apparatus. A bookbinding system, a bookbinding processing method, and an image forming system that form an image by rotating in an orientation are disclosed.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, when a print image is generated, a predetermined post-process specified based on a print job is performed to perform a predetermined post-processing on a predetermined area of a sheet bundle that is invisible in a printed matter. An image forming apparatus, a post-processing instruction method, and a post-processing instruction program for adding instruction information related to processing are disclosed.

JP 2004-043159 A JP 2012-236322 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming program capable of supporting a paper feeding method for feeding paper to a post-processing apparatus.

[Image forming apparatus]
The present invention according to claim 1 is an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, and a storage unit that stores configuration information of a post-processing device that performs post-processing on the recording medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit. A receiving unit that receives post-processing request information from the post-processing device, a control unit that controls the image forming unit based on attribute information received by the receiving unit and configuration information stored in the storage unit And an image forming apparatus.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the storage unit stores configuration information of each of a plurality of post-processing apparatuses.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the control means controls an output direction of a recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit so as to match the configuration information of the post-processing device. Alternatively, the image forming apparatus according to claim 2.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the post-processing direction specified by the attribute information does not match the post-processing position specified by the configuration information, the control unit rotates the image to be formed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

  The present invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the control means controls the image forming unit to print on the recording medium a method to be fed to the post-processing apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to any one of the above.

[Image formation program]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming step for forming an image on a recording medium, and a storage step for storing configuration information of a post-processing device that performs post-processing on the recording medium on which an image has been formed by the image forming step And receiving the post-processing request information by the post-processing device, controlling the image formation by the image forming step based on the attribute information received by the receiving step and the configuration information stored in the storage step And an image forming program for causing a computer to execute the control step.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus capable of supporting a paper feeding method for feeding paper to a post-processing apparatus is provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of supporting a paper feeding method to a plurality of post-processing apparatuses.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first or second aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus capable of assisting the user not to make a mistake in the paper feeding direction to the post-processing apparatus is provided. can do.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first or second aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus capable of providing support so as not to make a mistake in the paper feeding direction to the post-processing apparatus is provided. can do.

  According to the present invention of claim 5, in addition to the effect of the invention of any one of claims 1 to 3, the sheet feeding method for feeding to the post-processing apparatus is supported in such a way that it can be visually observed. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus that performs output control so that paper can be fed without making a mistake in a paper feeding direction to a post-processing apparatus that is not connected to the image forming apparatus. An image forming program can be provided.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration in which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is an example of a configuration information table stored in a storage unit in the image forming apparatus. It is a figure showing hardware constitutions of terminal unit 30 in an image forming system in which an image forming device of one embodiment of the present invention is used. 5 is a flowchart for describing processing in the image forming system when image formation is performed in an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining details of a sheet setting direction specifying process described in step S108 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining details of post-processing direction designation processing described in step S109 in the flowchart of FIG. 5. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the detail of the banner page creation process demonstrated by step S113 in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is an example of a banner page created by the image forming apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, each embodiment shown below exemplifies an image forming apparatus and an image forming program for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and is not intended to specify the present invention. It is equally applicable to those of other embodiments within the scope of the claims.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration in which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.
As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus 10, a terminal device 30, and a plurality of rear ends that are not connected to the image forming apparatus. It comprises processing devices 20, 21, 22, 23. The terminal device 30 generates print data and transmits the print data generated via the network 40 to the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 receives the print job transmitted from the terminal device 30 and outputs an image corresponding to the print data on a sheet. The image forming apparatus 10 is an apparatus called a so-called multi-function machine having a plurality of functions such as a print function, a scan function, a copy function, and a facsimile function. The post-processing devices 20 to 23 are a punching device that performs a punching process on a sheet printed by the image forming apparatus 10, a stapling device that performs a staple process, and the like.

  FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 in the image forming system of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a communication interface (IF) 13 that performs transmission and reception of data with the image forming unit 11, the image forming control unit 12, and the terminal device 30, and a storage unit 14. Have. These components are connected to each other via a control bus 15.

  The image forming unit 11 forms an image on the print data received from the terminal device 30. The image forming unit 11 is controlled by the image forming control unit 12.

  The storage unit 14 includes a configuration information storage table in which configuration information of each post-processing device to be used is stored, information on post-processing included in a print job received from the terminal device 30 through the communication interface 13, and the like. It is remembered.

  An example of the configuration information storage table stored in the storage unit 14 is shown in FIG. The configuration information storage table stores, for each post-processing device, the paper setting surface of the post-processing device and the post-processing position for performing post-processing. In the present embodiment, configuration information for four types of post-processing devices 20 to 23 is stored.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal device 30 includes a CPU 31, a memory 32, a storage device 33 such as a hard disk drive (HDD), and a communication interface (IF) 34 that transmits and receives data to and from the image forming apparatus 10. Have These components are connected to each other via a control bus 35.

  The CPU 31 controls the operation of the terminal device 30 by executing predetermined processing based on a control program stored in the memory 32 or the storage device 33.

  In the present embodiment, the CPU 31 has been described as reading and executing a control program stored in the memory 32 or the storage device 33. However, the CPU 31 stores the program in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM and stores it in the CPU 31. It is also possible to provide.

  The image forming process in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, a configuration information storage table storing configuration information of each post-processing device is acquired from the storage unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 10 (step S101). Next, it is determined whether a print job is received from the terminal device 30 (step S102). If a print job has been received, the process proceeds to the next step. If a print job has not been received, step S102 is repeated.

  When a print job is received from the terminal device 30, various types of information about the print job are acquired. Among them, the type of post-processing device specified as post-processing request information, the post-processing method, the post-processing direction, and the number of sets to be post-processed Is stored in the storage unit 14 (step S103). The post-processing direction has information on which position the post-processing is performed on the paper formed from the print job.

  Thereafter, the sheet setting surface and the post-processing position of the designated post-processing apparatus stored in step S103 are stored in the storage unit 14 from the configuration information storage table acquired in step S101 (step S104). Here, the paper setting surface of the post-processing device indicates whether the paper placed on the input tray of the post-processing device needs to face the front surface or the back surface of the paper. Further, the post-processing position indicates which position of the paper placed on the input tray of the post-processing device is subjected to the post-processing.

  Next, the page counter C, which is the number of sheets on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus 10, is initialized, and C is set to 0 (step S105). Thereafter, a read page number R that defines the number of pages of a print job for image formation is initialized, and R is set to 0 (step S106).

  The number of the page counter C is incremented by 1 (step S107), and a paper setting direction designation process is performed (step S108). Here, detailed processing in step S108 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the paper setting direction specifying process, first, it is determined whether or not post-processing is specified (step S1081). If there is post-processing designation, it is determined whether or not the paper setting surface of the designated post-processing apparatus stored in step S103 is the back side (step S1082). If the paper setting surface of the designated post-processing apparatus is the back surface, the received print job is read from the top (step S1083). In this case, since the read page number R is the same as the page counter C, images are formed in the same page order as the page order of the received print job.

  On the other hand, when the paper setting surface of the designated post-processing apparatus is not the back surface, the page is read from the last page of the received print job (step S1084). In this case, the read page number R is the same as the number obtained by subtracting the page counter C from the last page of the print job and adding 1. Therefore, images are formed in the reverse order of the page order of the received print job.

  If it is determined in step S1081 that no post-processing is designated, the process proceeds to step S1083. When the process of step S1083 or step S1084 ends, the image data of page R is read from the received print job (step S1085), and the paper setting direction designation process ends.

  Subsequent to the paper setting direction designation processing in step S108, post-processing direction designation processing is performed (step S109). Detailed processing in step S109 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the post-processing direction designation process, first, it is determined whether or not a post-processing direction is designated (step S1091). If the post-processing direction is designated, it is determined whether or not the post-processing direction stored in step S103 is post-processing for the short side of the sheet (step S1092). If the post-processing direction is not specified, the post-processing method specifying process ends.

  If it is determined in step S1092 that the post-processing direction is post-processing with respect to the short side of the sheet, it is determined whether the post-processing position is on the upper side or the lower side with respect to the erect image of the received print job. Store (step S1093).

  Conversely, if it is determined in step S1092 that the post-processing direction is not post-processing for the paper short side, it is determined whether the post-processing position of the designated post-processing device is the left side (step S1094). . When the post-processing position of the designated post-processing apparatus is the left side, it is determined whether or not the post-processing direction stored in step S103 is the left side (step S1095).

  Similarly, when the post-processing position specified in step S1094 is not the left side, it is similarly determined whether or not the post-processing direction stored in step S103 is the left side (step S1096).

  If it is determined in step S1095 that the post-processing direction is the left side, the post-processing position specifying process ends because the post-processing position of the post-processing device matches the stored post-processing direction. If it is determined in step S1096 that the post-processing direction is not the left side, the post-processing direction designating process is terminated in the same manner.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1095 that the post-processing direction is not the left side, the post-processing position of the post-processing device and the stored post-processing direction are the same, so the image data read in step S1085 is rotated by 180 degrees. The post-processing direction designation process is terminated. If it is determined in step S1096 that the post-processing direction is not the left side, similarly, the image data read in step S1085 is rotated by 180 degrees, and the post-processing direction designating process is terminated.

  Subsequent to the post-processing direction designation process in step S109, print attribute information such as a paper feed destination and an output destination is transmitted to the image forming unit 11 (step S110). Next, image data is transmitted to the image forming unit 11 (step S111), and it is determined whether or not the processing of all pages of the print job is completed (step S112). If processing of all pages of the print job has been completed, the process proceeds to the next step, banner page creation processing S113. If processing of all pages of the print job has not been completed, control proceeds to step S107. To do.

  Detailed processing of the banner page creation processing in step S113 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the banner page creation process, first, banner page data describing the print job number, the type of the designated post-processing device, the post-processing method, and the number of sets to be post-processed is created (step S1131). Next, it is determined whether or not the post-processing designation is post-processing for the paper short side (step S1132). If the post-processing designation is not post-processing with respect to the short side of the paper, characters that prompt the user to set the post-processing device without changing the orientation and top of the paper bundle are inserted into the banner page data created in step S1131 (step S1133). ). An example of banner page data at this time is shown in FIG.

  If the post-processing designation is post-processing for the paper short side, it is determined whether or not the post-processing direction stored in step S1093 is the upper side (step S1134). If the post-processing direction is the upper side, an identifier and a character indicating the direction to be set in the post-processing device are inserted above the banner page data created in step S1131 (step S1135). An example of banner page data at this time is shown in FIG. In FIG. 9B, the identifier is an arrow pointing upward with respect to the establishment direction.

  On the other hand, if the post-processing direction is not the upper side, an identifier and a character indicating the direction to be set in the post-processing device are inserted below the banner page data created in step S1131 (step S1136). An example of banner page data at this time is shown in FIG. In 9 (b), the identifier is an arrow pointing downward with respect to the establishment direction.

  Thereafter, banner page data is image-formed by the image forming means 11 (step S1137), and the banner page creation process is terminated.

  After the banner page creation process in step S113 is completed, it is determined whether or not the next print job exists (step S114). If the next print job exists, the process proceeds to step S103, and the next print job is determined. If it does not exist, the image forming process is terminated.

  The program of the present invention may be provided by being stored in a recording medium, or the program may be provided by communication means. In that case, for example, the above-described program may be regarded as an invention of a “computer-readable recording medium recording the program”.

  The “computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded” refers to a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, which is used for program installation, execution, program distribution, and the like.

  The recording medium is, for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD), which is a standard established by the DVD Forum, such as “DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM,” and DVD + RW. Standard “DVD + R, DVD + RW, etc.”, compact disc (CD), read-only memory (CD-ROM), CD recordable (CD-R), CD rewritable (CD-RW), Blu-ray disc ( Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc), magneto-optical disk (MO), flexible disk (FD), magnetic tape, hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable and rewritable read-only memory (EEPROM (registered trademark)) )), Flash memory, Random access memory (RAM) , It included an SD (Secure Digital) memory card, and the like.

  The program or a part of the program may be recorded on the recording medium for storage or distribution. Also, by communication, for example, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wired network used for the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, or a wireless communication It may be transmitted using a transmission medium such as a network or a combination of these, or may be carried on a carrier wave.

  Furthermore, the program may be a part of another program, or may be recorded on a recording medium together with a separate program. Moreover, it may be divided and recorded on a plurality of recording media. Further, it may be recorded in any manner as long as it can be restored, such as compression or encryption.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 20, 21, 22, 23 Post-processing apparatus 30 Terminal apparatus 40 Network

Claims (5)

An image forming unit for forming an image on a recording medium;
Storage means for storing configuration information of each of a plurality of post-processing devices that perform post-processing on a recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit;
Receiving means for receiving post-processing request information including designation information of a specific post-processing device from the plurality of post-processing devices ;
Control means for controlling the image forming unit based on the post-processing request information received by the receiving means and configuration information corresponding to a specific post-processing device stored in the storage means;
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls a direction of an image formed by the image forming unit so as to match configuration information of the specific post-processing apparatus. 3. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein when the post- processing direction specified by the post- processing request information and the post-processing position specified by the configuration information do not match, the image formed is rotated. The image forming apparatus described in 1.

The control unit prints a method to be fed to the post-processing device including the designation information of the specific post- processing device on a recording medium different from the recording medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit is controlled. An image forming step of forming an image on a recording medium;
A storage step of storing configuration information of each of a plurality of post-processing apparatuses that perform post-processing on the recording medium on which an image is formed by the image forming step;
A receiving step for receiving post-processing request information including designation information of a specific post-processing device from the plurality of post-processing devices ;
And the post-processing request information for a specific post-processing apparatus received by said receiving step, based on the configuration information corresponding to the particular post-processing apparatus stored by the storage step, controlling the image formation by the image forming step A control step to
Forming program for causing a computer to execute.

Images