JPH10291356A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the necessity of printing commands two times and also eliminate the waste of time generated by issuing printing commands two times by using a temporary stop means when the ordinary printing is carried out after the proofing. SOLUTION: An image forming device 2 for converting an image data to be input to dot patterns is provided with an operation section 16 for setting printing commands and an image control means 102 for analyzing the printing mode and print controlling the image data. Also a temporary stop means for discontinuing the printing operation after completing the given printing, judging the instruction content on the operation section 16 and notifying the judgment result to an image control means 103 is provided, by which the proofing is carried out first and the printing is stopped temporarily to check the printing result and the regular printing is carried out successively based on just one printing instruction from a host computer 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for converting image data input from a host computer or the like into a dot pattern for printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus is used to convert image data input from a host computer or the like into a dot pattern for printing. This type of image forming apparatus generally supports two types of print modes: a normal mode in which normal printing is performed, and a test mode in which test printing for confirming a printing result is performed. In this test mode, dot patterns are thinned out and printed because they are prepared for the purpose of reducing waste of toner and ink. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image forming apparatus. Here, a laser printer is assumed as the image forming apparatus, and a printing operation in a test mode will be described as an example. In FIG. 6, the host computer 1
Transmits the code data indicating the print mode and the image data to the laser printer 20. Here, it is assumed that the print mode includes the above-described normal mode and test mode. In the laser printer 20, the host computer 1
The printer controller 3 receives the signal sent from
After performing a predetermined process, the code data indicating the print mode and the image data are transmitted to the data processing unit 4. As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 7, the data processing unit 4 includes an image data determination unit 7, line memories B and 8, line memories A and 9, selector 10, adder 11, selector 12, density pattern generation table 13, It comprises a main scanning counter 14 and a sub-scanning counter 15. If the code indicating the print mode is the test mode, the image data determination unit 7 transmits information for thinning out data to the density pattern generation table 13. The density pattern generation table 13 receives the image data A, the image clock VCLK, the outputs of the main scanning counter 14 and the sub-scanning counter 15 which are the signals obtained by dividing the frequency of the image clock VCLK by 2, and the thinning data, as shown in FIG. The density code signal is output by a look-up table having such an address map. The laser driver 5 blinks the semiconductor laser 6 in accordance with the image data signal generated by the data processing unit 4 to form an image.

[0003]

However, in the above-described image forming apparatus, a normal mode and a test mode are separated as print modes. Therefore, test print first,
If you want to print normally after checking the print result,
First, it is necessary to perform printing by designating a test mode from a host computer or the like which is an external device, confirm the print result, and then perform printing by designating a normal mode. Therefore, it is necessary to give a print instruction twice, and
Image data for printing must be sent. Therefore, it takes much time to print again.
Further, in the case where a plurality of host computers are connected to one image forming apparatus, if a print instruction is issued from the plurality of host computers, the print instruction of another person is interrupted in the process of test printing and normal printing. May be
Extra time will be consumed. Further, in the above-described image forming apparatus, designation of a print page cannot be performed in the test mode. Therefore, in test mode printing,
If the operator cannot obtain the desired print on some of the pages, test printing of all the pages must be performed again in the test mode, resulting in unnecessary consumption of printing materials such as toner, ink, and paper. Will be.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and 1) an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the time consumption for test printing and normal printing, and 2) suppressing unnecessary consumption of printing material. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for converting input image data into a dot pattern for printing. An operation unit for setting a command,
Image control means for analyzing the print mode and controlling the printing of image data, stopping the printing operation after a predetermined printing is completed, judging an instruction set by the operation unit, and judging the judgment result to the image An image forming apparatus comprising: a suspending unit that notifies a control unit.

[0006] The invention described in claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1.
In the image forming apparatus according to the above, the image control means,
When the print mode is the copy mode, the temporary stop unit is activated after controlling to print the first copy. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, when the print mode is the copy mode, the image control unit may be a part of the image forming apparatus in which dots are thinned out from input image data. After performing the print control described above, the temporary stop means is activated.

[0007] The invention described in claim 4 is the invention according to claim 2.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the suspending unit notifies the image control unit of the cancellation of the printing when the instruction set by the operation unit cancels the printing. When the instruction content of the operation unit is a printing restart, the printing control unit notifies the image control unit of the printing restart,
The image control means performs print cancel control when the notification from the temporary stop means cancels printing, and performs the print control of the number of copies set in the copy mode when the notification from the temporary stop means resumes printing. It is characterized by: The invention described in claim 5 is the same as the claim 2.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the suspending unit notifies the image control unit of the cancellation of the printing when the instruction set by the operation unit cancels the printing. When the instruction content of the operation unit is a printing restart, the printing control unit notifies the image control unit of the printing restart,
The image control means controls the print cancellation when the notification from the temporary stop means cancels the printing, and controls the printing of the number of copies set by the operation unit when the notification from the temporary stop means restarts the printing. It is characterized by performing.

[0008] The invention described in claim 6 is the first invention.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image control unit performs print control based on an analysis of a print mode set by the operation unit. According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, when the print mode is the copy mode, the image control unit may specify a page to be printed. If so, the temporary stop means is activated after controlling to print the first page of the page designated by the page.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a host computer as an external device, and reference numeral 2 denotes an image forming apparatus. Here, the host computer 1 includes an image output unit 101 for outputting code data corresponding to the print mode of the image forming apparatus 2. On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 2 includes a receiving unit 11 that receives code data indicating a print mode and image data from the host computer 1, a control unit 12 that controls each processing unit included in the image forming apparatus 2, and a host computer 1. An image storage unit 13 for storing image data sent from the printer, an image forming unit 14 for generating a dot pattern, a printing unit 15 for printing, and settings for canceling printing, resuming printing, and releasing a pause. The operation unit 16 of FIG. Further, the control unit 12 analyzes the print mode and controls the printing of the image data. The control unit 12 suspends the printing operation under the control of the image control unit 102, and the instruction content set by the operation unit 16. And a temporary stop unit 103 for notifying the image control unit 102 of the determination result. The image storage unit 13 is a RAM (Random Access Memory) for storing image data.
The operation unit 16 includes buttons 105 and the like for performing operations.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 or FIG. The image forming apparatus 2
Has a "copy mode" as a print mode in addition to the normal mode. When this print mode is designated, the image forming apparatus 2 performs a test print for the first copy, then temporarily stops the print operation, and based on a print command from the operator using the operation unit 16. Then, the normal printing of a predetermined number of copies is continuously performed or the operation of canceling the printing is performed. In this copy mode, the number of copies to be printed in normal printing can be specified. In the following, the operation in the case where the “copy mode” is designated as the print mode will be mainly described. First, the receiving unit 11 determines whether data has been received from the image output unit 101 of the host computer 1 (step S1). Here, an example of data sent from the host computer 1 is shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 shows that the code data 701 is added as additional information before the image data. In this example, the copy mode (00000001) is specified as the code data representing the print mode.

Next, the data received by the receiving unit 11 is sent to the image control unit 102, and the image control unit 102 stores the image data by sending the received image data to the image storage unit 13 (step S2). . Next, the image control means 102 analyzes the code data indicating the print mode sent from the host computer 1 and determines whether the copy mode is designated as the print mode (step S3). If the mode is not the copy mode, that is, if the mode is the normal mode, the image control unit 102
In step S4, a normal printing pattern that does not thin out the dots of the dot pattern representing the print image is generated, and control is performed so that the printing unit 15 performs printing (step S4), and the process proceeds to step S12. On the other hand, in the case of the copy mode, the image control unit 102 generates a pattern in which the dots of the dot pattern are thinned out in the image forming unit 14 and performs printing in the saving mode for saving printing materials such as toner and ink. In step S5, an instruction for the saving print mode is given, and after the printing of one copy is completed in the saving print mode, the temporary stop means 103 is started to temporarily stop the printing operation (step S5).

The image forming unit 14 sequentially generates a printing pattern in which dots of a dot pattern representing a printing image are thinned out, and transmits the printing pattern to the printing unit 15 in order to print the test copy of the first copy in the saving printing mode. Thus, printing is performed (step S6). The temporary stop unit 103 performs a test print 1
When the printing of the copy is completed, the printing operation is temporarily stopped (step S7). At the stage where the test printing is completed and the printing operation is paused, the operator checks the result of the test printing, and determines whether to resume printing or to cancel printing to perform normal printing of the second copy and thereafter. By operating the button 105 of the operation unit 16, an instruction is given to the image forming apparatus 2. Then, the temporary stop unit 103 determines the instruction content set by using the operation unit 16 (step S8). The temporary stop unit 103 notifies the image control unit 102 of the print cancel when the instruction content of the operation unit 16 indicates that the print is cancelled.
Is cleared and the print job is terminated (step S9), and the process proceeds to step S1.

On the other hand, when the content of the instruction on the operation unit 16 is to resume printing, the pause means 103 notifies the image control means 102 of the resumption of printing, and the image control means 10 having received the notification.
In step S10, the saving print mode set for test printing is canceled in order to perform normal printing of the second copy and thereafter (step S10). Subsequently, the image control unit 102 generates a pattern that does not thin out the dot pattern of the dot pattern to the image forming unit 14 for performing normal printing, and controls the printing unit 15 to perform printing. Printing is performed for the specified number of copies in normal printing (step S1).
1). Finally, it is determined whether the restarted print job has ended (step S12), and when the print job ends, the process returns to step S1 so that the next print job can be performed. The image forming apparatus 2 operates as described above.

As described above, the copy mode is provided as the print mode, and the test print and the normal print can be performed by giving a print instruction from the host computer 1 once. Therefore, when performing normal printing after test printing,
There is no need to give a print instruction twice, and time is not consumed by a print instruction again. Furthermore, in the case where a plurality of host computers are connected to one image forming apparatus, even if a plurality of host computers receive a print instruction, another person's print instruction may interrupt in the process of test printing and normal printing. And no extra time is consumed. In addition, the first part of the test print is performed in the saving print mode, and after the first part is printed, the printing is canceled or restarted according to the instruction of the operator. Consumption of the printing material can be suppressed.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the host computer 1 has an image output means 101 for supporting a copy mode which is a print mode of the image forming apparatus 2. However, some host computers do not include the image output unit 101 corresponding to the copy mode of the image forming apparatus 2. Therefore,
An image forming apparatus for enabling printing in the copy mode even in such a host computer will be described below. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 5 is different from FIG. 1 in that the host computer 1 includes an image output unit 101 for supporting a copy mode, which is a print mode of the image forming apparatus 2. Also, in such a case, the operation unit 16 is different in that the print mode can be specified and the number of print copies in normal printing can be specified in the operation unit 16 in order to enable the print mode to be specified. In the same figure, the parts corresponding to the respective parts in FIG.
The description of the other parts is omitted.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment will be described. The operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment is similar to the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment.
Only the different operation will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. The first difference from the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 of FIG. 1 lies in the determination of the copy mode designation in step S3. That is, in the first embodiment, whether the copy mode is designated is determined by analyzing the code data indicating the print mode sent from the host computer. In the case where the print mode is specified in advance by the operation unit 16 before printing, it is determined whether or not the copy mode is set by analyzing the specified print mode. The second difference of the operation from the image forming apparatus 2 in FIG.
This is in the normal printing process of step S11. In the first embodiment, the number of print copies is sent from the host computer,
Although the printing is performed based on the number of normal printing copies specified together with the copy mode, in the present embodiment, the operation unit 16 is used.
The specified number of copies are printed in accordance with the number of prints set in.

The host computer 1 having the image output means 101 supporting the copy mode shown in FIG.
In the case where a print instruction designating the print mode is issued to the image forming apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 5, the print mode sent from the host computer 1 and the number of print copies at that time are prioritized and set by the operation unit 16. The operation mode and the number of copies are not referred to. That is, when the host computer 1 does not specify the print mode for the image forming apparatus 2, the print mode set by the operation unit 16 is referred to. Thus, even when the host computer 1 does not include the image output unit 101 for supporting the copy mode, which is the print mode of the image forming apparatus 2, the copy mode is set by the operation unit 16 so that the copy is performed. Printing in mode becomes possible.

Note that the image forming apparatus 2 in the above two embodiments may be configured to be able to specify a page to be printed in test printing in the copy mode. With this, when printing a plurality of pages in the copy mode, when an error in editing is found on a page in the middle of the test printing, printing is canceled, after correcting the error, when printing in the copy mode again, The test printing is performed only on the page where the editing error has occurred, and all the pages can be printed by the subsequent normal printing. Thus, if the operator cannot obtain the desired print on some pages in the copy mode, it is not necessary to perform the test print on all the pages again in the copy mode, and the printing material such as toner, ink, paper, etc. No extra consumption occurs.

[0019]

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. According to the first aspect of the present invention, after the predetermined printing is completed, the printing operation is stopped, the content of the instruction set by the operation unit is determined, and the temporary stopping means for notifying the determination result to the image control means is provided. Have. By this temporary stop means, when performing normal printing after test printing, it is not necessary to give a print instruction twice, and time is not consumed by a print instruction again. Furthermore, in the case where a plurality of host computers are connected to one image forming apparatus, even if a plurality of host computers receive a print instruction, another person's print instruction may interrupt in the process of test printing and normal printing. And no extra time is consumed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the print mode is the copy mode, the image control means controls the printing of the first part, and then activates the temporary stop means. This allows the operator to confirm whether to cancel the normal printing or to perform the printing based on the result of the test printing. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the print mode is the copy mode, the image control means controls the printing of a part of the input image data in which dots are thinned out, and then controls the temporary stop means. to start. In this manner, the first test print is performed in the saving print mode, and after the first print is performed, the printing is canceled or restarted according to the instruction of the operator. The consumption of printing materials such as paper can be suppressed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the image control means controls the normal printing of the number of copies set in the copy mode when the notification from the temporary stop means resumes printing. Thus, in the process of continuous test printing and normal printing, printing of a predetermined number of copies in normal printing can be performed. According to the invention described in claim 5,
When the notification from the suspending unit is to resume printing, the image control unit controls the normal printing of the number of copies set by the operation unit. Thus, the number of copies for normal printing in the copy mode can be set from the operation unit of the image forming apparatus.

According to the invention described in claim 6, the image control means performs print control based on the analysis of the print mode set by the operation unit. This enables printing in the copy mode even when printing from a host computer that does not have an image output unit corresponding to the copy mode of the image forming apparatus. According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, when the page is designated in the copy mode in the print mode, the image control means prints the first part of the page designated by the page. Do. Thus, if the operator cannot obtain the desired print on some pages in the copy mode, it is not necessary to perform the test print on all the pages again in the copy mode, and the printing material such as toner, ink, paper, etc. No extra consumption occurs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of data transmitted from a host computer.

FIG. 3 is a first flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a second flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional example of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a data processing unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a lookup table of the image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Image forming apparatus 11 Receiving part 12 Control part 13 Image storage part 14 Image forming part 15 Printing part 16 Operation part 101 Image output means 102 Image control means 103 Temporary stop means 104 RA
M 105 button

Claims (7)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus that converts input image data into a dot pattern and prints the image data, an operation unit for setting a print command, and an image control unit that analyzes a print mode and controls printing of the image data. Means, and a pause means for stopping a printing operation after predetermined printing is completed, judging an instruction set by the operation unit, and notifying the judgment result to the image control means. Characteristic image forming apparatus. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image control unit activates the temporary stop unit after controlling to print the first copy when the print mode is the copy mode. Image forming device. 3. When the print mode is the copy mode, the image control means activates the temporary stop means after performing print control of a part of the input image data in which dots are thinned out. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The suspending means, when the instruction content set by the operation unit is to cancel printing, notifies the image control unit of the cancellation of printing, and the instruction content of the operation unit is used to cancel printing. Sometimes, the print control is notified to the image control means, the image control means, when the notification from the temporary stop means to cancel printing,
4. The image according to claim 2, wherein print canceling control is performed, and when the notification from the temporary stop means is to resume printing, printing control is performed for the number of copies set in the copy mode. Forming equipment. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the instruction set by the operation unit is to cancel the printing, the suspending unit notifies the image control unit of the cancellation of the printing. Sometimes, the print control is notified to the image control means, the image control means, when the notification from the temporary stop means to cancel printing,
4. The print cancel control is performed, and when the notification from the temporary stop means is to resume printing, the print control of the number of copies set by the operation unit is performed. Image forming apparatus. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image control unit performs print control based on an analysis of a print mode set by the operation unit. 7. The image control means, when the print mode is the copy mode, when a page to be printed is designated, performs control to print a first page of the designated page. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temporary stop unit is activated afterwards.