KR20050097323A - The image formation device added the edit function and the edit method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention proposes a method of outputting print data transmitted from an image forming apparatus. For this purpose, the received print data is stored, and the print data to be edited and output is selected from the stored print data. The editing information instructing the editing is transferred to edit the selected print data, and the printing data is edited using the transferred editing information. By outputting the edited print data, the document can be edited in the image forming apparatus.

Description

Image forming apparatus with editing function and editing method {THe IMAGE FORMATION DEVICE ADDED THE EDIT FUNCTION AND THE EDIT METHOD}

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for changing the output form of a document output from the image forming apparatus in at least two places according to a user's selection.

The image forming apparatus performs a function of outputting images of monitors, televisions, and other screen output devices. 1 illustrates a process of performing an output operation instructed by a user in a general image forming apparatus. Hereinafter, a process of performing an output operation instructed by a user in a general image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

In step S100, the user performs a process for creating a desired document by using an application program. The application includes Hangul, micro word, Hunminjeongeum and the like. In step S102, the user performs an editing process on the created document. Through the editing process, the user edits the document in a desired output format. Although the document creation process and the editing process are shown as being performed as separate processes, the user may perform the processes as one process. That is, the user can work on the document in a desired output format.

The user who has performed the editing process in step S104 instructs a print job for the worked document. Instructions for the print job include a number of prints, a printing method, and the like. The user can print all the documents worked through the print job instruction or only a part of them. In addition, the created document can be reduced in size and printed or enlarged in size.

In step S106, the printer driver converts the created document into print data that can be recognized by the image forming apparatus. That is, the printer driver converts a document created by an application program into a language that can be interpreted by the image output apparatus. In step S108, the print data received from the printer driver is converted into dot data (bitmap) data. In operation S110, an output process for a document in which the above processes are performed is performed.

When the application program transmits information about a document as shown in FIG. 1, the printer driver instructs the image output apparatus to use the information. The image forming apparatus performs image output using the instructed information. However, if the user needs to correct the document instructing image printing, the document must be edited using an application program of the host computer. If the user is in a location where an application program is not available, the editing process for the document cannot be performed. In addition, even if the user can use the application, if the user is far from where the application can be used, the user may cause inconvenience in using the application. Therefore, a method for solving the above problems is discussed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to propose an apparatus and method capable of smoothly editing a document to be output by a user at a place other than a PC.

Another object of the present invention is to propose an apparatus and method for reducing inconvenience of a user by smoothly editing a document to be output by a user at a place other than a host computer.

A method of outputting print data transmitted by an image forming apparatus to achieve the objects of the present invention, the method comprising: storing the received print data and selecting print data to be edited and output from the stored print data; Delivering editing information instructing editing to edit the selected print data; Editing the print data using the transferred edit information; And outputting the print data on which the editing is performed.

Preferably, the editing information is at least one of line spacing, font size, and line thickness.

Preferably, when new print data is delivered to the image forming apparatus, the edit date and time are compared with each other when there is an edit date and time when the edit date and time are stored. And delete the print data.

An apparatus for outputting print data received from an image forming apparatus for achieving the objects of the present invention, comprising: a storage unit for storing the received print data; An input unit which selects print data to be edited and output from the stored print data and delivers edit information indicating editing to edit the selected print data; A controller configured to edit the print data by using the transferred edit information; And an engine unit for outputting the print data on which the editing is performed.

Hereinafter, the technical spirit of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is an image forming apparatus 200 according to the present invention includes a video unit 210 and a video unit 210 for converting print data transmitted from a host computer, which is an external device, into image data in a bitmap form. The engine controller 230 controls the driving of the engine unit 240 that performs a print job on the image data according to the control.

First, the video unit 210 includes an operation panel 214, a PC interface unit 220, a memory unit 222, and a main controller 212.

The operation panel 214 may include an input unit 216 provided with a plurality of keys for selecting and setting a function supported by the image forming apparatus 200, and the control unit of the image forming apparatus 200 under the control of the main controller 212. A display unit 218 for displaying an operation state or displaying input information of the input unit 216 is provided. The operation panel 214 will be described later in connection with the present invention.

The PC interface unit 220 is provided to be connectable with the host computer and supports a communication interface with the host computer. The PC interface unit 220 may be an IEEE1284, a USB, and an RS232C interface module and a network interface module. The PC interface unit 220 receives the print data transmitted from the host computer and applies it to the main controller 212.

The memory unit 222 is a nonvolatile memory device, and includes a ROM 224 in which a control program for driving the main controller 212 is stored, and a host computer through the PC interface 220 as a volatile memory device. RAM (226) for temporarily storing the print data transmitted from the program and various data generated during the program execution of the main controller 212, and a storage unit 228 for storing the print data for the present invention.

The main controller 212 controls the operations of the video unit 210 and the engine controller 230 according to a control program stored in the memory unit 222. For example, the main controller 212 generates the print data received from the host computer through the PC interface 220 as bitmap data recognizable by the engine 240 and transmits the generated bitmap data to the engine controller 230. In addition, the main controller 212 writes predetermined information to the engine controller 230 through the system bus or reads predetermined information from the engine controller 230. For example, when the main controller 212 reads predetermined information from the engine controller 230, the main controller 212 reads state information of the engine 240 stored in a memory (not shown) of the engine controller 230, and the predetermined information is read. In the case of writing, the print target image data and command information are written to the engine controller 230.

On the other hand, the engine controller 230 controls the driving of the engine unit 240 under the control of the main controller 212.

The image forming unit 242 is controlled by the main control unit 212 of the engine control unit 230 to print the image data to be printed on the printing paper, and the sensor unit 244 controls each of the engine units 240. Monitor the operation status of the part. Here, the image forming unit 242 includes a paper feeding device, a photosensitive medium, a charging device, a light scanning device, a transfer device, and a fixing device.

The sensor unit 244 drives each sensor for detecting each operation state of the engine unit 240, and provides a detection signal of each sensor to the engine controller 230.

3 is a view sequentially showing information input to the input unit of the operation panel for carrying out the present invention. Hereinafter, the information input to the input unit of the operation panel according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

In step S300 the user selects a document to be edited through the input unit. In general, the storage unit stores documents requested for image formation from a host computer in a print data format. The print data stored in the storage unit is stored only for a set time. Alternatively, the storage unit stores print data of a predetermined capacity in consideration of the storage capacity of the storage unit, and then deletes the stored print data first when new print data is transferred. By doing so, the storage unit can always store a certain amount of print data.

In step S302, the user selects an area to edit the selected document. The user can edit all of the selected documents or only some of the selected documents. Alternatively, the user may edit only specific data of the selected document. The selection of the area of the document to be edited can be performed by designating a page of the document.

In step S304, the user selects the edited content for the area to be selected. The edited content includes line spacing, font size, line thickness, and the like. In general, the editable content selectable by the image forming apparatus may not vary as compared with the editable content selectable by the application program. However, as the function of the image forming apparatus develops, the amount of information input to the input unit will increase. In step S306, the information selected by the user is transferred to the main controller. It is apparent that the input unit of FIG. 3 may use a keypad or a touch screen.

4 shows a video portion of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The video unit of the image forming apparatus, in which other components may be added in addition to the above configuration, shows only the configuration necessary in connection with the present invention.

The storage unit 228 stores print data transmitted through the PC interface unit. Table 1 below shows an example of print data stored in the storage unit 228.

Save date and time Volume Edit date and time Print data 1 20040301.122436 100 Print data 2 20040305.152112 60 .... .... Print data n 20040304. 092354 30 20040306. 124343

According to the <Table 1>, each print data has a storage date and time and a capacity editing date and time. The storage date and time refer to the date and time at which the print data transmitted through the PC interface is initially stored, and the editing date and time refer to the date and time when the editing operation on the document is performed through the input unit 214. In general, when the new print data is transferred, the storage unit 228 deletes the previously stored print data in consideration of the edit date and time of the stored print data. In other words, when there is an edit date and time for the print data, the edit date and time are selected, and when there is no edit date and time, the print date and time are selected for deletion.

The input unit 214 inputs the document to be edited and the edited content as described with reference to FIG. 3. The main controller 212 performs an editing process on the document by using the information received from the input unit 214. The editing process is performed by the image processing unit constituting the main control unit 212. The image processing unit includes a rendering process, halftoning process, and color matching process.

The rendering process renders the graphic data in band units according to the received command. The rendering process is a process of compensating for the resolution of the monitor to the image degree of the image printing apparatus. In general, the resolution of the image printing apparatus is relatively higher than that of the monitor. Therefore, in order to output an image of a monitor having a relatively low resolution to an image printing apparatus having a relatively high resolution, a process of compensating for the resolution should be performed.

The half toning process is a process of binarizing pixel data to be output. In general, in order to print each pixel, a process of converting pixel data into 0 or 1 having 256 levels of 0 to 255 is required. The color matching process performs color matching in a manner set by the host computer.

5 illustrates an operation performed in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. Hereinafter, an operation performed in the image forming apparatus will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

In operation S500, the image forming apparatus determines whether to perform an editing process on the print data. If it is determined that the editing process for the print data is performed, the process proceeds to step S502, and if it is determined that the editing process for the print data is not performed, the process moves to step S500. Whether or not to perform the editing process for the print data is determined using whether or not a key button requesting editing of the print data is operated through an input unit.

In step S502, the chemical forming apparatus sets the print data to be edited, the edit range of the print data to be edited, and the edited contents. The setting of the print data to be edited, the edit range of the print data to be edited, and the edited contents is made through an input unit. In operation S504, the image forming apparatus performs an editing process on the corresponding print data by using the information transmitted from the operation S502. The image forming apparatus, which has performed the editing process for the print data, updates the edit date and time for the print data. In operation S506, the image forming apparatus outputs print data on which an editing process is performed.

As described above, the editing process for a specific document is performed not only in the application program of the host computer but also in the image forming apparatus, so that the editing process for the document can be performed even when the user is far from the host computer.

As described above, the present invention controls all of the languages used by the components constituting the video reproducing system with one key operation. Therefore, the user of the image reproducing system can minimize unnecessary operations.

1 is a diagram illustrating a process of outputting a document in an image forming apparatus;

2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating a process of inputting editing information of a document in an input unit of an image forming apparatus;

4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus participating in a document editing process according to the present invention; and

5 is a diagram illustrating a process of editing a delivered document according to the present invention.

Claims (5)

In the method for outputting the print data received from the image forming apparatus, Storing the received print data and selecting the print data to be edited and output from the stored print data; Delivering editing information instructing editing to edit the selected print data; Editing the print data using the transferred edit information; And And outputting the print data on which the editing is performed. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the editing information is at least one of line spacing, font size, and line thickness. The method of claim 1, wherein when new print data is transferred to the image forming apparatus, the edit date and time are compared with the edit date and time when the edit date and time are stored, and the storage date and time are compared with each other. The method according to claim 1, wherein the earliest date and time print data is deleted. An apparatus for outputting print data received from an image forming apparatus, A storage unit for storing the received print data; An input unit which selects print data to be edited and output from the stored print data and delivers edit information indicating editing to edit the selected print data; A controller configured to edit the print data by using the transferred edit information; And And an engine unit for outputting print data on which the editing is performed. The method of claim 4, wherein the control unit, When new print data is transferred to the image forming apparatus, the edit date and time are compared with the edit date and time if the edit date and time are stored. Instructing the device to delete.