JP6918551B2 - Information terminal device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information terminal device that generates a coded document in which coded images do not overlap at creases so as not to increase the number of pages of the coded document and reduce productivity.

In recent years, in offices, a plurality of computers and a printing device are often connected via a network, and the printing device is often shared among the plurality of computers.

However, from the viewpoint of security, the computer and the printing device may be installed and operated in different rooms without connecting the information terminal device such as a computer and the printing device via a network.

When such a computer and a printing device are installed in different rooms, the original image can be printed by an image forming device for small-quantity printing connected to the computer, and the user can print a large amount of the printed original image. A large amount of printed matter can be obtained by bringing it to the room where the printing device is installed and copying the original image.

However, if the manuscript image is a highly confidential manuscript image such as a school exam question and its answer, the manuscript image can be read by anyone to the room where the printing device is installed. If you bring in printed matter and copy it, there is a risk of loss and there is a security problem.

Therefore, in order to prevent the contents of the original image from being leaked, the entire original image should be encoded so that it cannot be read by a third party, and then carried to the place where the printing device is installed. Is preferable. For example, a printable image forming apparatus for a coded image for low-volume printing, which can be printed based on the coded image data, is connected to a computer, and based on the coded image data generated by the computer, An image forming apparatus prints a coded image on paper to obtain a coded original. Then, the coded document printed by the user is read by a printing device for mass printing, which is installed in a room different from the computer and capable of reading and compositing the coded document, and the coded document read is read. A large amount of decoded printed matter is obtained by decoding.

Here, when the coded original printed by the image forming apparatus capable of printing the coded image is carried to another room, it may be folded in half or in three so as to be easy to carry. When the coded original is folded in this way, it may be difficult for the composite printing apparatus to read the coded image of the crease portion and to decode it.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a print job from a client PC including an instruction for setting that characters or the like do not come to creases is accepted through a network, and an image of a print target document related to the accepted print job is folded by a paper folding device. A technique relating to a print server that forms print data by arranging them so as not to overlap the creases and instructs printing of the formed print data on a printing device equipped with a paper folding device is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-235072

However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, since the image of the document to be printed is arranged so as not to overlap the folds folded by the paper folding device to form the print data, no consideration is given to the encoded image. Further, in the technique of Patent Document 1, since the images are arranged so as not to overlap the creases, some images may extend beyond the print range and the number of pages may increase.

Here, when the original image is encoded, the print rate of the original image to be encoded and the amount of data of the encoded image encoded by color / monochrome differ greatly.

Therefore, if the amount of data becomes too large when the original image is encoded as it is, it is conceivable to compress the original image to reduce the amount of data and then encode the original image. At this time, if the compression rate is set too high, there is a problem that the compression process takes time and the productivity is lowered. On the other hand, if the compression rate is too low, the amount of data is large, and depending on the image, the image may extend beyond the print range and the number of pages may increase.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and is an information terminal device that generates a coded document in which coded images do not overlap at creases so as not to increase the number of pages of the coded document and reduce productivity. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the first feature of the printing apparatus according to the present invention is
Information acquisition means for acquiring manuscript images and folding information,
When the coded image in which the original image is encoded is printed from the upper end of the image printing area of the paper, it is determined whether or not the coded image straddles the crease of the paper set based on the fold information. Judgment means and
When the determination means determines that the folds of the paper are straddled, the area calculation means for calculating the fold area, which is a predetermined area including the folds, based on the fold information.
A compression rate that sets the lowest compression rate among the compressibility at which the manuscript image encoded in an image print area other than the folding area calculated by the area calculation means on the same page as the manuscript image can be printed. Setting means and
A compression means that divides and compresses the original image at the compression rate set by the compression rate setting means so as not to overlap the folding region.
A coding means for encoding the original image compressed by the compression means, and
It is to have.

According to the first feature of the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the original image encoded in the image printing area other than the folding area calculated by the area calculation means on the same page as the original image by the compression ratio setting means. Set the lowest compressibility that can be printed.

Therefore, since the image of the crease part is not printed because it fits within the image print area set so that the coded image is not printed on the crease part, when reading and decoding the coded original on which the coded image is printed, , Data can be properly decoded without being accidentally decoded due to the influence of data loss or the like. Further, since the coded image can be stored in the same page as the original image, it is possible to prevent the number of printed sheets from being unnecessarily increased. Furthermore, since the coded image is compressed within the range that can be accommodated on the same page as the original image, it can be compressed in a short time without unnecessarily high compression, thus preventing a decrease in productivity. be able to.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the schematic structure of the printing system which has the information terminal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which schematically explained the operation of the CPU of the information terminal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which showed the processing content of the information terminal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which showed the processing content of the stencil printing apparatus which decodes the coded document generated by the information terminal apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent parts and components are designated by the same or equivalent reference numerals throughout the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and differ from the actual ones. In addition, it goes without saying that the drawings include parts having different dimensional relationships and ratios from each other.

Further, the embodiments shown below exemplify an apparatus or the like for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention describes the material, shape, structure, and the like of each component. The arrangement etc. is not specified as the following. The technical idea of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of claims.

<Embodiment 1>
The first embodiment of the printing system having the information terminal according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing system having an information terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

(Overall configuration of printing system)
As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system of the present embodiment includes an information terminal device 1, an inkjet printing device 5, and a stencil printing device 9. The information terminal device 1 and the inkjet printing device 5 are installed in a data generation room, and the stencil printing device 9 is installed in a printing room physically separated from the data generation room. Each device is connected in each room, but not across the rooms. That is, the information terminal device 1 and the inkjet printing device 5 are connected to each other so that data can be transferred by a printer cable or the like, but the information terminal device 1 and the stencil printing device 9 are physically and electrically connected by a printer cable or a network cable or the like. Not connected.

In such a configuration, the user causes the information terminal device 1 installed in the data generation room to generate encoded image data in which all of the original images are encoded so that the contents of the original image are not leaked. Based on the coded image data, the stencil printing device 9 prints the coded image on paper to obtain a coded original. The user can obtain the decoded printed matter by having the stencil printing device 9 installed in the printing room read the coded document and decoding the scanned coded document.

The information terminal device 1 is composed of a general-purpose computer such as a PC (personal computer). The information terminal device 1 includes a CPU 16 that executes various processes based on a control program. Further, the CPU 16 is connected to a RAM 18 that functions as a working area, a ROM 17 that stores data, and the like, and is connected to various devices via various interfaces. Specifically, the CPU 16 includes an input unit 19 composed of a keyboard, a mouse, etc., an output unit 20 composed of a liquid crystal display, etc., an external storage device 21 such as a large-capacity storage device, and a disk via various interfaces. A disk drive 22 or the like that reads the data recorded on the recording medium 50 and writes predetermined data on the disk recording medium 50 is connected.

The external storage device 21 secures a storage area for an application program for generating a manuscript image including a printed image such as a document or an image, a storage area for a printer driver program of the inkjet printing device 5, and a storage area for various other application programs. Has been done. Further, the external storage device 21 also secures a manuscript image generated by using an application program, a coded image obtained by encoding the manuscript image, and a database area for storing print setting information. .. Here, the print setting information is information necessary for normal printing, such as a print mode, a size of a coded image, a resolution, a size of a printing paper, and a printing direction.

The CPU 16 is an arithmetic unit composed of a processor, a memory, and other peripheral devices, and starts an application program of the external storage device 21 according to a start request input from the input unit 19. Further, the CPU 16 generates a manuscript image showing an image instructed by parameter input from the input unit 19 or the like on the started application program. The generated original image is displayed and output by the output unit 20, and when a save request is input from the input unit 19, it is stored in the database area of the external storage device 21.

The manuscript image stored in the database area of the external storage device 21 is read from the external storage device 21 when a read request from the input unit 19 is input during the activation of the application program. Based on the read original image, it can be displayed and output to the output unit 20, and it can also be processed on the application program to regenerate a new original image.

Then, when the coded print request of the original image generated by the original application program or the like is input, the CPU 16 virtually constructs the printer driver 11 on the CPU by executing the printer driver program on the CPU 16. Here, the coded printing request is a printing mode for printing a coded image on paper, and is produced without increasing the number of pages of the coded document coded based on the document image to be printed. This is a mode in which printing is performed so that the coded images do not overlap at the creases so as not to deteriorate the property.

The printer driver 11 is a data conversion program executed on the information terminal device 1 in order to control the inkjet printing device 5 connected to the information terminal device 1. When the user performs an operation requesting coded printing, the printer driver 11 includes an information acquisition unit 101, a determination unit 102, an area calculation unit 103, a compression rate setting unit 104, a compression unit 105, and a coding unit 106. By functioning as, a manuscript image having a printed image generated by a manuscript application or the like is acquired, and the manuscript image is encoded to generate a coded image. The specific function of the printer driver 11 will be described later.

The inkjet printing apparatus 5 includes a plurality of ink heads in which a large number of nozzles are formed, and ejects black or color ink from each ink head to the supplied paper so that the plurality of images overlap each other on the paper. It is an inkjet color printer that prints an image on paper by forming it on paper.

Further, the inkjet printing device 5 can generate a coded original whose contents cannot be determined only by the user by printing on paper based on the coded image generated by the information terminal device 1.

The stencil printing apparatus 9 winds the plate-making master around a rotating drum, feeds the paper to the drum, and presses the supplied paper with a press roll against the drum while rotating the drum to perform printing. It is a stencil type printing device.

The stencil printing device 9 displays operation information for a scanner unit 98 that reads a coded document on which a coded image is printed and outputs coded document data, and a processing function executed by the stencil printing device 9. The operation panel 97 that accepts user operations including commands related to printing operations and the coded original data output from the scanner unit 98 print (record) the printed image on paper (single-sided or double-sided) based on the decoded original image. It includes a printer unit 96 and a control unit 90 that controls the entire information device. The paper used for printing the printed image in the printer unit 96 is conveyed from the paper feeding unit (not shown) to the paper ejection unit (not shown) via the printer unit 96 or an external device.

The control unit 90 of the stencil printing device 9 decodes the coded original data read by the scanner unit 98 to generate an original image, and the printer unit 96 executes printing of the original image on paper under specified conditions. do.

Further, the control unit 90 is connected to an operation panel 97 composed of an operation screen and a touch panel covering the operation screen. The operation panel 97 is arranged on the upper part of the stencil printing apparatus 9. The operation panel 97 can be used as an input operation unit or the like for the user to input setting conditions such as the number of prints when copying and printing a document set in the scanner unit 98. The operation panel 97 can also be used as an authentication receiving unit that displays a screen for inputting user authentication information (ID and password) for authenticating the operating user and accepts the user authentication information.

The control unit 90 of the stencil printing device 9 that causes the printer unit 96 to perform a printing operation includes a CPU 95. The CPU 95 is an arithmetic process composed of a processor such as a CPU or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), memory, hardware such as other electronic circuits, software such as a program having the function, or a combination thereof. It is a device. The CPU 95 virtually constructs various functional modules by appropriately reading and executing a program, and performs various processes related to image data, operation control of each part, and user operations. Further, the CPU 95 controls the operations of the scanner unit 98 and the printer unit 96 according to the contents input and set from the operation panel 97 based on the program and setting information stored in the ROM 91.

Further, when the coded document on which the coded image is printed is read by the scanner unit 98 and the coded document data is output, the control unit 90 decodes the coded document data and obtains the decoded compressed document data. Restore and obtain a compressed original image. Then, the control unit 90 restores the compressed original image, and prints on paper based on the restored original image to obtain a printed matter on which the original image is printed.

The control unit 90 is provided with a RAM 92, and the RAM 92 is temporarily used until the coded original data read by the scanner unit 98 and the decoded original image are output to the printer unit 96. Is remembered.

Further, the control unit 90 is provided with an external storage device 93, and the external storage device 93 is connected to the CPU 95. The external storage device 93 is provided with a plurality of areas for storing the original image and setting information transferred from the RAM 92 described above.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the CPU 16 of the information terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The CPU 16 includes an information acquisition unit 101, a determination unit 102, an area calculation unit 103, a compression rate setting unit 104, a compression unit 105, and a coding unit 106 as functions of the printer driver 11.

The information acquisition unit 101 acquires the manuscript image generated on the started application program and the folding information set by the user. Here, the fold information is set in advance assuming the usage correspondence of how the user can assume that the coded original printed by the inkjet printing apparatus 5 such as folding in half or folding in three is folded.

When the encoded image P2 in which the original image is encoded is printed from the upper end of the image printing area of the paper, the determination unit 102 sets the encoded image P2 in which the original image is encoded based on the fold information. Determine whether or not to straddle the crease of the paper. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the image print area Q1 is preset as the area for printing the coded image P2. Here, since "fold in half" is set as the fold information, the center line in the vertical direction of the coded image P2 is the crease position Q2. In this example, when the coded image P2 is printed from the upper end of the image print area Q1 of the paper, the determination unit 102 has the coded image P2 at the crease position because the lower end of the coded image P2 exceeds the crease position Q2. It is determined that it straddles Q2.

When making a determination by the determination unit 102, it may be determined whether or not the coded image P2 straddles the crease by actually encoding, and the amount of data of the original image and the amount of data of the encoded image may be determined in advance. You may store the relational expression with and obtain the data amount of the coded image based on this relational expression. In this case, the amount of data that reaches the creases of the paper when the coded original that encodes the original image is printed from the upper end of the print area of the paper is used as the data amount threshold, and the data amount of the coded image calculated from the relational expression is the data. When the amount threshold is exceeded, it may be determined that the coded image P2 in which the original image is encoded straddles the crease of the paper.

When the determination unit 102 determines that the folds of the paper are straddled, the area calculation unit 103 calculates the fold area, which is a predetermined area including the folds, based on the fold information. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the fold area Q3 (the area indicated by the diagonal line), which is a predetermined area in the vertical direction of the crease position Q2, is calculated.

The compression rate setting unit 104 has the lowest compression rate among the compression rates that enable printing of a document image encoded in a printable area other than the fold area calculated by the area calculation unit 103 on the same page as the document image. To set. As described above, when the coded original is folded, the stencil printing apparatus 9 may have difficulty in reading the coded image of the crease portion and decoding it. Further, as the compression rate is increased, the area for printing the coded image becomes narrower, but the compression process itself requires a considerable amount of time. On the other hand, the lower the compression rate, the shorter the compression process itself, but the area for printing the coded image expands, and there is a possibility that it will not fit on one page and will span the next page.

Therefore, the compression ratio setting unit 104 omits the fold area Q3 from the image print area Q1 and divides the image print area Q1 into two image print areas Q11 and Q12 so that the coded image is not printed on the crease portion. Then, the compression rate setting unit 104 has the lowest compression rate of the original image so that the coded images P21 and P22 when the coded image P2 is divided are within the areas of the image print areas Q11 and Q12, respectively. Set the compression ratio.

As a result, the coded images P21 and P22 fit within the image print areas Q11 and Q12 set so that the coded image is not printed at the crease portion, so that the coded image P2 fits within one page and the compression process is performed. The compression rate for a short time can be calculated.

The compression unit 105 divides and compresses the original image at the compression rate set by the compression rate setting unit 104 so as not to overlap the folding region Q3.

The coding unit 106 encodes the original image compressed by the compression unit 105 to obtain the coded image P3.

Then, the CPU 16 functions as a printer driver 11 and causes the inkjet printing apparatus 5 to print on paper based on the coded image P3 to create a coded original P4. As a result, it is possible to generate the coded manuscript P4 in which the coded images do not overlap at the folds without increasing the number of pages of the coded manuscript P4 and not reducing the productivity.

When the coded document P4 is printed by the inkjet printing device 5, the user carries the printed coded document P4 to the printing room and sets the coded document P4 in the stencil printing device 9 installed in the printing room. When the coded printing is instructed, the scanner unit 98 of the stencil printing apparatus 9 reads the coded image from the coded original P4. Then, the stencil printing apparatus 9 decodes the read coded original data, generates an original image, and executes printing based on the generated original image. Thereby, the printed matter P5 appropriately decoded can be obtained from the coded original.

(Operation of information terminal device 1)
Next, the operation of the information terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the information terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, when a coded print request for the original image is input (step S101; YES), the CPU 16 functions as the information acquisition unit 101 to acquire the folding information set by the user. At the same time (step S103), the original image generated on the started application program is acquired (step S105).

Next, the determination unit 102 extracts the data amount of the original image from the header of the acquired original image, and is based on the relational expression between the data amount of the original image stored in the external storage device 21 and the data amount of the coded image. The amount of data in the coded image is calculated (step S107).

The determination unit 102 determines whether or not the calculated data amount of the coded image exceeds the preset data amount threshold value (step S109). When the calculated data amount of the coded image exceeds the preset data amount threshold value, it can be estimated that the coded image in which the original image is encoded straddles the creases of the paper.

When it is determined that the calculated data amount of the coded image is equal to or less than the preset data amount threshold value (step S109; NO), the compression unit 105 compresses at a predetermined compression rate (step S111).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the data amount of the calculated coded image exceeds the preset data amount threshold value (step S109; YES), the area calculation unit 103 is a predetermined area including the crease based on the fold information. The folding area is calculated (step S113).

Then, the compression rate setting unit 104 has the lowest compression rate among the compressibility at which the original image encoded in the printable area other than the fold area calculated by the area calculation unit 103 on the same page as the original image can be printed. The compression ratio is set (step S115).

Next, the compression unit 105 divides and compresses the original image at the compression rate set by the compression rate setting unit 104 so as not to overlap the folding region (step S117).

Then, the coding unit 106 encodes the original image compressed by the compression unit 105 to obtain a coded image (step S119). At this time, the coding unit 106 includes a division flag indicating that the original image has been divided, a page number indicating the number of pages of the original image, and a divided page number indicating the number within the same page number. Is added to the encoded data as header information to generate an encoded image.

As described above, according to the information terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when the determination unit 102 determines that the encoded image in which the original image is encoded straddles the crease of the paper. The area calculation unit 103 calculates a fold area that is a predetermined area including creases based on the fold information, and the compression ratio setting unit 104 other than the fold area calculated by the area calculation unit 103 on the same page as the original image. The lowest compression rate among the compression rates at which the encoded original image can be printed is set in the image printing area of the above, and the compression unit 105 sets the folding area at the compression rate set by the compression rate setting unit 104. The original image is divided and compressed so as not to overlap with the original image, and the coding unit 106 encodes the original image compressed by the compression unit 105 to obtain a coded image P3.

Therefore, the coded image can be accommodated in the image printing area set so as not to be printed on the crease portion, so that when the stencil printing device 9 reads and decodes the coded original on which the coded image is printed, the data is displayed. It can be properly decoded without being accidentally decoded due to the influence of a defect or the like. Further, since the coded image can be stored in one page, it is possible to prevent the number of printed images from being unnecessarily increased. Further, since the coded image is compressed within the range that can be accommodated in one page, it can be compressed in a short time without unnecessarily high compression, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in productivity. ..

Next, the operation of the stencil printing device 9 for decoding the coded original generated by the information terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the stencil printing device 9 for decoding the coded original generated by the information terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the coded original P4 is printed by the inkjet printing device 5, and the user carries the printed coded document P4 to the printing room and encodes it on the stencil printing device 9 installed in the printing room. When the document P4 is set and the coded printing is instructed (step S201; YES), the scanner unit 98 of the stencil printing apparatus 9 reads the coded image from the coded document P4 (step S203).

Then, the CPU 95 of the stencil printing apparatus 9 decodes the read coded original data (step S205) and restores the compression (step S207). At this time, when the division flag indicating that the original image added to the header information of the encoded original data has been divided is turned on, the CPU 95 has the same page number as the page number indicating the page number of the original image. The divided original images are restored in the original order based on the divided page number indicating the number in the page number, and the original image before division is generated.

Next, the CPU 95 executes printing based on the generated original image (step S209). Thereby, the printed matter P5 appropriately decoded can be obtained from the coded original.

(Modification example)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the stencil printing device 9 is used as the printing device has been described as an example, but it can also be applied to, for example, an inkjet recording device.

1 Information terminal device 5 Inkjet printing device 9 Stencil printing device 11 Printer driver 19 Input unit 20 Output unit 21 External storage device 22 Disk drive 50 Disk recording medium 90 Control unit 93 External storage device 96 Printer unit 97 Operation panel 98 Scanner unit 101 Information Acquisition unit 102 Judgment unit 103 Area calculation unit 104 Compression rate setting unit 105 Compression unit 106 Coding unit

Claims (1)

Information acquisition means for acquiring manuscript images and folding information,
When the coded image in which the original image is encoded is printed from the upper end of the image printing area of the paper, it is determined whether or not the coded image straddles the crease of the paper set based on the fold information. Judgment means and
When the determination means determines that the folds of the paper are straddled, the area calculation means for calculating the fold area, which is a predetermined area including the folds, based on the fold information.
It becomes possible to print when the original image encoded in the image print area other than the fold area calculated by the area calculation means is reconstructably divided so as to straddle the fold area on the same page as the original image. A compression rate setting means for setting the lowest compression rate among the compression rates, and
A compression means that divides and compresses the original image at the compression rate set by the compression rate setting means so as not to overlap the folding region.
A coding means for encoding the original image compressed by the compression means, and
Information terminal device equipped with.

Images