JPH0441275A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make output obtainable in a way exactly the same as intended by an operator by providing a recording means that records, when information about commands for two-side printing and its output form is inputted from an input means, one-side copy images in serial order in a way as if reproductions are made with a copying apparatus that reproduces a two-side reproduction on a single sheet out of two one-side copies. CONSTITUTION:When a command designating two-side printing is received from a host computer 1, images to be printed on the reverse side are printed with the wrong end on the obverse placed uppermost. In the case where an upper margin (a binding margin) is set as a printing parameter for the printing on the obverse, the printing on the reverse is made with a margin in the same size as that of the obverse provided to the bottom of the reverse. In a normal printing process, development of character patterns to an outputting page buffer 22 is made, starting from its upper left. In the case where the printing is made with the wrong end placed uppermost, the development of the character patterns is made, starting from its lower right. In this case, each of the character patterns is turned at 180 deg. before the development, and thereby output from each of the pages can be obtained, depending on its order and direction.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a printing device, and more particularly to a printing device that prints a visible image on a recording medium according to print information input from the outside. [Conventional technology]

Among a group of printing devices that operate under the same product line or command system, some are equipped with a duplex printing mechanism and others are not. Many printing devices with a duplex printing mechanism usually have a mechanism that automatically flips the paper over after printing on one side of the recording paper. In order to make the command system common, even if a duplex printing designation command is sent to a printing device that does not have a duplex printing mechanism, it is completely ignored.On the other hand, in recent years, with the advancement of office automation, duplex printing is It is not uncommon for people to own devices that are capable of copying.Copying machines that can make double-sided copies can make one sheet of recording paper printed on both sides from two originals printed on one side. It is normal that it is possible.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, even if a single-sided original produced by the conventional single-sided recording printing device described above is printed on a duplex copying machine capable of double-sided copying and a double-sided printed output is obtained, it will be the same as that printed by the original double-sided printing machine. There are many things that are not the same. This is because the binding margin on the back page and the difference in printing orientation are ignored. The present invention has been made in view of such prior art, and provides a printing device that prints a document image that enables an operator to obtain an output as intended when double-sided copying is performed using a copying machine capable of double-sided copying. This is what we are trying to provide.

[Means to solve the problem]

A printing apparatus of the present invention that solves the above problems has the configuration shown below. In other words, in a printing device that sequentially prints and outputs images based on print data input from an external device on one side of a recording medium, there is an input for inputting information regarding whether to print on both sides and the output format when printing on both sides. It is assumed that when a double-sided printing instruction and information regarding its output form are inputted from the input means, it is loaded into a copying machine that copies from two one-sided originals to one double-sided original. , and recording means for sequentially recording single-sided original images.

[Effect]

In such a configuration of the present invention, when information regarding double-sided printing and its output form is inputted from the input means, it is assumed that the single-sided original image to be output later is loaded into a double-sided copying machine and copied. Record.

【Example】

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block configuration diagram of a printing apparatus in an embodiment. In the figure, 1 is a host computer that sends print information (including various control commands), and 2 is a printing device in the embodiment. 21 is a CPU that controls the entire device; 22 is an output page buffer with a capacity that can store one page of image data to be printed; 23 is a CPU that controls character font patterns;
21, and the stored programs include those related to the normal print processing procedure as well as those related to the flowchart of FIG. 4. 24 is R used as a work area for the CPU 22.
AM, and a back page flag 24a is secured at a predetermined address position as shown in the figure. Reference numeral 25 denotes a printing unit that forms a visible image on recording paper based on the image data developed in the output page buffer 22, and in the embodiment, it is a printing mechanism using a laser beam method. In the above-described configuration, the operation when a double-sided printing instruction, as well as "top binding", is instructed by the host computer through a control command will be described. In addition, to distinguish these from general character codes, for example,
It is sent as a control code (escape sequence, etc.). Also, a double-sided manuscript with top binding refers to one in which the printed content is oriented in one direction when the paper is turned. Therefore, if you pay attention to one sheet of paper, the written content are reversed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the host computer 1
When a double-sided printing designation command is received, as shown in FIG. 2, the image that was originally supposed to be printed on the back side is printed in the opposite direction from the front side. For example, if an upper margin (a portion to be bound) is set as a printing parameter for the front side, printing is performed so that the same amount of blank space is left on the lower side of the document on the back side. In normal printing processing, when a character pattern is developed in the output page buffer 22, the character pattern is developed starting from the upper left corner, but when printing in the reverse direction, the character pattern is developed starting from the lower right corner. . However, in this case,
Each character pattern is rotated 180 degrees before being expanded. This makes it possible to obtain output for each page in the order and orientation shown in FIG. The operator who instructs this device to print can set the document printed in this way on a copying machine that has the function of copying one double-sided document from the two single-sided documents used, and start the copying operation. It is possible to obtain the intended result. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operational processing procedure when receiving a double-sided printing instruction in this embodiment. One piece of data from the printing information (or being printed) is taken in from the input buffer 20. Then, in the next step S2, it is determined whether that data is a double-sided printing top binding designation command. Data other than that command If it is determined that this is the command, the process proceeds to step S3, and the corresponding process is executed.Furthermore, if it is determined that it is a double-sided printing top binding designation command, the process proceeds to step S4, and the back page flag 24a is set.
is turned off as the initial state. That is, the data to be received from now on is set as that of the front page. It goes without saying that at this point, the creator of the printing data expects printing to be performed on both sides. After this, the process proceeds to step S5, and a process of fetching data from the input buffer 20 is executed. In step S6, it is determined whether the data is a command related to one-sided printing designation, and if so, the process advances to step S3 and normal one-sided printing processing is performed. If it is determined that the data is not a single-sided print designation command, the process advances to step S7, and it is determined whether the data is a page break command. At this time, if it is determined that the command is other than a page break command, that is, a character code, etc., the character pattern is developed into the output page buffer 22, and image data for printing is constructed in that memory. I do. Note that when image data is developed into the output page buffer 22, character patterns and the like are developed according to the state of the back page flag 24a at that time, as described above. That is, the output page buffer 22 is treated as a sheet of paper to be actually recorded, and character patterns and the like are developed. In this way, image data is sequentially constructed in the output page buffer 22, but if the data to be processed is a page break code (when one full page of data is expanded in the output page buffer 22) ), the process proceeds to step S9. Here, the current back page flag 2
4a is in an on state or an off state, in other words, it is determined whether the page of interest to be printed is a back page or a front page. If this back page flag 24a is in the OFF state, the process proceeds to step SIO, and the back page flag 24a is turned off.
is now turned on, and the image developed in the output page buffer 22 is printed by the printing unit 25 as a front page image. On the other hand, if the back page flag 24a is in the on state,
In step S12, the flag 24a is turned off, and the printing unit 25 prints the image developed in the output page buffer 22 as a back page image. As explained above, according to the present embodiment, when the print output image is received when print data intended for double-sided printing is copied as is with a double-sided copying machine capable of double-sided copying, allows you to get the desired results. Moreover, it can be manufactured at a lower cost than a double-sided printing machine. Also, printing on one side allows for faster printing. In the embodiment, when printing a double-sided top-bound image, this was achieved by reversing the development to the output page buffer 22 on the front and back sides, but when outputting to the printing unit 25, the reading order is reversed. Of course, this can also be achieved by doing so. Furthermore, there are various types of binding directions, such as right binding, left binding, etc. (In these cases, the image on the back page does not need to be printed upside down). Also, if the binding direction changes, not only the direction of the characters but also the position of the binding margin will change. This is achieved, for example, by switching the range in which character patterns can be developed between the front and back sides when developing character patterns and the like in the output page buffer 22. Furthermore, in the embodiment, it has been explained that the double-sided printing designation command is sent from the host computer, etc., but this apparatus is provided with an operation panel, and a message indicating this (two-sided printing on top, same left binding, double-sided printing, same-left binding, It is also possible to provide a designation switch for binding on the same right side, etc.).

【Effect of the invention】

As described above, according to the present invention, when double-sided copying is performed using a copying machine capable of double-sided copying, it is possible to obtain output as intended by the operator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of the printing device in the embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state of a double-sided double-sided document; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the output state of a printed image in the printing device of the embodiment; The figure is a flowchart for explaining the operational processing procedure of the embodiment. In the figure, 1... host computer, 2... printing device, 20... input buffer, 21... CPU, 22...
・・Output page buffer, 23・ROM, 24・
...RAM, 25...Printing section. εr, ---2'' edition

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a printing device that sequentially prints and outputs images based on print data input from an external device on one side of a recording medium, information regarding whether to perform double-sided printing and the output form when double-sided printing is performed. an input means for inputting the information, and when the double-sided printing instruction and the information regarding the output form are inputted from the input means, the double-sided printing instruction and the information related to the output form thereof are loaded into a copying machine that copies from two one-sided originals to one original on both sides. What is claimed is: 1. A printing device characterized by comprising: recording means for sequentially recording single-sided original images.