WO2007058390A1

WO2007058390A1 - Image forming apparatus and its control method, and information processing device and its control method

Info

Publication number: WO2007058390A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/323635
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hiroshi Shintoku; Takuya Kawamura; Takashi Tsuzuki; Nobuyoshi Tanaka; Yoshiyuki Hosokawa; Hirofumi Narita
Original assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2005-11-21
Filing date: 2006-11-21
Publication date: 2007-05-24

Abstract

Prints are desired to be folded from single-sided prints at centers into pseudo double-sided prints and which are stereoscopically folded for use after printed. Images are printed, after formed by complicated operations on a host PC, so that an image forming apparatus is desired to improve the conveniences functionally. The image forming apparatus is characterized by comprising decision means for deciding that the print setting to produce prints to be folded is made by a user and whether the prints are to be folded at the upper or lower position, image processing means for switching the turning direction of image data to form the images in accordance with whether the folded position of the prints by the print setting decided by the decision means is upper or lower, and printing means for printing the images produced by the image processing means, on a printing medium.

Description

Technical Field Image forming apparatus and control method thereof, information processing apparatus and control method thereof

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that prints image data, a control method thereof, an information processing apparatus that instructs the image forming apparatus to print image data, and a control method thereof.

Background art

Conventionally, there has been an image forming apparatus having a bookbinding printing function. Bookbinding printing of an image forming device is a function that automatically arranges images so that the printed recording paper becomes a book when the folding center is closed.

As bookbinding printing of an image forming apparatus, for example, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-94392 (paragraphs 0009 to 0011 and FIG. 11), when the sizes of document image data are different, images are laid out on a single sheet. Then, after bookbinding by double-sided printing, an automatic control method that considers the orientation and arrangement of the images is shown so that the images arranged in the layout can be seen even if they are spread. In addition, a mechanism for arranging images in consideration of margins for bookbinding printing (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 07-123239 and 07-203121), and a mechanism for automatically performing bookbinding (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-205857). For example, there is a method that appropriately processes the position of a page to be added at the time of half-fold binding copying (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-039803).

On the other hand, in a field called advertising and pop-up, a printing method for images different from books has been demanded. For example, hanging advertisements in trains and hanging posters used by major dealers. They record two images on one sheet of paper, and print the other image with the other side upside down with respect to one image, fold it from the center and hang it from both sides. People can read It is an advert. The folding method was both when the crease was on the upper side and when the crease was on the lower side. Also, in a type of advertisement called 3D pop, it was sometimes used after being printed and folded into a 3D shape such as a triangular prism or a rectangular parallelepiped. However, in the bookbinding printing of the conventional image forming apparatus, it was not considered to print in a pseudo double-sided state by folding. Further, in the bookbinding printing of the conventional image forming apparatus, it has not been considered to fold and arrange them three-dimensionally after printing. For this reason, when printing such an image with an image forming device, when creating the original image, the original image data created by the creator of the original document is taken into account when the original image is folded. The work of printing as a single image with an image forming apparatus was performed.

When creating image data in which the creator of the manuscript considers the finished image and arranged it, the following was done. First, start up image editing application software on the host PC, rotate the image 180 degrees, create an image with the image facing upside down, and connect it to the image without rotation Put the images together. At this time, when hanging the folded print, the user determines whether the folded position is up or down, and connects the images so that the tops of the images are aligned or the ground is aligned. There was a need. Also, in the printed material for creating a 3D object, the user connected the images so that the image was placed on each side of the 3D object while drawing the 3D development view in the head. Furthermore, in order to make it easier for the operator to fold the printed material, the wrapping line may be superimposed on the image, or the paste allowance may be superimposed on the image when it is necessary to paste.

As described above, conventionally, when performing pseudo double-sided printing that folds a recording sheet, the user has to perform a troublesome image editing operation.

Similarly, in the past, when creating a three-dimensional printed matter, the user had to edit the image while considering the development view.

In the present invention, the user can easily perform pseudo double-sided printing by folding the recording paper. It is an object to provide an apparatus and a method capable of performing pseudo duplex printing by giving a simple instruction.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a determination means for determining whether a print setting for creating a printed material to be folded is selected by a user and whether the position at which the printed material is folded is up or down. An image processing unit that forms an image by switching a rotation direction of image data according to whether the position at which the printed material is folded is up or down in the print setting determined by the determination unit; Printing means for printing the image created by the processing means on a printing medium is provided.

According to the present invention, when pseudo double-sided printing is performed by folding a printed material, a pseudo double-sided printed material can be easily obtained without performing complicated editing operations such as inverting and pasting images. Can do. Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a system diagram using an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the printed matter and image data of the folding printing in the present invention. FIG. 4 is an example of the printed matter and image data of the folding printing in the present invention. FIG. 5 is an example of printed matter and image data of folding printing in the present invention. FIG. 6 shows an example of the printed matter and image data of the folding printing in the present invention. FIG. 7 shows an example of printed matter and image data for folding printing according to the present invention. FIG. 8 shows an example of the folding printing instruction means in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an example of a control flow in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an outline of the realization of the pseudo double-sided function in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print connection environment including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of the PC · RO 4 shown in FIG.

Fig. 13 is an example of a setting sheet for selecting the pseudo-side of the driver executed by P C · R 04 shown in Fig. 11.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart at the time of execution of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a system using the image forming apparatus of the present invention. Reference numeral 1001 denotes an image forming apparatus. FIG. 1 illustrates a large-format ink jet printer (image forming apparatus). Reference numeral 1002 denotes a LAN network to which the image forming apparatus is connected. Reference numeral 1003 denotes a host PC (information processing apparatus) connected to the LAN.

The image forming apparatus in this embodiment is an inkjet large format printer, but the printing method is configured by means other than an ink jet method such as an electrophotographic method or a heat sublimation method. There is no problem. In addition, the present invention can be applied even to a desktop-type cassette paper feed or manual paper feed printer, or a multi-function copying machine having a plurality of paper feed stages, instead of a large format printer. But there is nothing. .

In addition, the image forming apparatus of the present invention may be configured such that a power printer server illustrating a configuration having a network connection unit as an external I / F unit is set up and connected to the server by USB, IEEE1394, or the like. The invention is of course effective. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. In Fig. 2, 2001 is a CPU, which controls the image forming device and analyzes and executes commands from the outside. 2002 is ROM, and CPU2001 is controlled by executing the program read from ROM2002. 2003 is RAM. An image memory area for storing image data received from the outside and a work memory area for the CPU 2001 to execute a program are secured on the RAM 2003 independently. 2004 is a non-volatile memory consisting of FlashROM and EEPR0M. In the non-volatile memory 2004, the paper type currently set in the image forming apparatus and other set values are stored. The non-volatile memory 2004 can store stored data in a non-volatile manner even when no power is supplied from an AC power source.

2005 is an operation unit, which displays messages from the CPU to the user via LCD and LEDs, and inputs instructions from the user to the CPU via a key input device. 2006 is an external I / F unit, which is configured to allow transmission / reception via a network connection protocol such as the IP protocol. 2015 is a storage that is an image storage means in the present invention, and stores image data received from the external I / F unit 2006.

Reference numeral 2007 denotes an image processing unit. Based on an instruction from the CPU 2001, the image data received by the external I / F unit 2006 is read from the storage 201, stored in an image memory area on the RAM 2003, and developed. The expanded data is pixel data that can be printed by the engine control block described later. 2016 is a rotation circuit in the image processing unit 2007 and is a rotation means in the present invention. 2017 is a synthesis circuit in the image processing unit 2007, which can combine multiple images into a single image, or superimpose a line with a predetermined shape on the edge of the image data. It is. The synthesizing circuit 2017 serves as a folding line and a superimposing means for the paste in the present invention. The image processing unit 2007 drives the rotation circuit 2016 and the synthesis circuit 2017 and other circuits such as color conversion (not shown) to create image data. As a result, the image processing unit 2007 serves as means for creating an “image for printing so as to fit the folded shape” instructed by the instruction means described later in the present invention. Also, the synthesis circuit 2017 uses the same image data as the source image data. In this case, it is possible to create image data in which multiple copies of the same image are combined.

2008 is an engine control unit that controls each unit of the image forming apparatus and executes a printing operation. 2009 is a head control unit, and the ink jet printer head 2010 performs control to execute drawing of each pixel. 2011 is a mechanical control unit that controls the head drive unit 2012, the paper feed / discharge control unit 2013, and the cutter control unit 2014 to execute printing of pixel data. The cutter control unit 2014 performs an operation of cutting the printed paper as output paper. The CPU 2001 and the engine control unit 2008 cooperate to print an image created by the image processing unit 2007 and stored in the storage 2015 on a print medium such as a recording ft. Thus, the CPU 2001 and the engine control unit 2008 are “control means for printing an image created by the image processing means on a print medium” in the present invention.

3 to 6 show examples of printed matter and image data in this embodiment. The printed matter and image data shown in Fig. 3 are processed by the image processing unit 2007 and stored in the storage 2015. 3001 shows an example of a printed material in a folded state, and 3011 shows image data of the printed material. 3002 indicates the front side of the folded printed material, and 3003 indicates the back side. In the example of Fig. 3, the front side is an alphabetic "T" and the back side is "J". 3004 is a folded part of printed matter 3012 shows the image data corresponding to the front side, 3013 The image data corresponding to the back side is shown The dotted line 3014 represents the position on the image data corresponding to the part where the printed material 3004 is folded.In the example of Fig. 3, the dotted line Not shown in the figure, it is a dotted line in the representation of the figure, as shown in Fig. 3. The image corresponding to the back side is an image with the top and bottom rotated by 180 degrees compared to the image corresponding to the front side. The image on the front side and the image on the back side are one image data such as 3011. This data is obtained by the image processing unit 2007 having the rotation circuit 2016 and the synthesis circuit 2017 according to instructions of the instruction means described later. Created. The printed matter and image data shown in Fig. 4 are data processed by the image processing unit 2007 and stored in the storage 2015. Reference numeral 4001 indicates an example of a printed material in a folded state, and reference numeral 4011 indicates image data of the printed material. 4002 indicates the front side of the printed material in a folded state, and 4003 indicates the back side. In the example of Fig. 4, the front side is alphabet "T" and the back side is "L". Reference numeral 4004 denotes a portion where the printed material is folded. Reference numeral 4012 denotes image data corresponding to the front side, and reference numeral 4013 denotes image data corresponding to the back side. The dotted line 4014 represents the position on the image data corresponding to the portion where the printed material 4004 is folded. In the case of the example in Fig. 4, there is no dotted line data in the portion 4014, but a dotted line in the representation of the diagram. In the example of Fig. 4, as in Fig. 3, the image corresponding to the back side is an image with the top and bottom rotated by 180 degrees, and the image on the front side and the image on the back side are 4011. So it is a single image data. The difference between Fig. 4 and Fig. 3 is the difference between the top and bottom of the fold. In Fig. 3, the tops of the two images before composition are facing the crease, and in Fig. 4, the ground are facing the crease. This data is created by an image processing unit 2007 having a rotation circuit 2016 and a synthesis circuit 2017 in accordance with instructions from the instruction means described later. Depending on the top / bottom direction of the pointing means, an image may be created as shown in Fig. 3 or an image as shown in Fig. 4.

The printed matter and image data shown in FIG. 5 are data processed by the image processing unit 2007 and stored in the storage 2015. Reference numeral 5001 indicates an example of a printed material in a folded state, and reference numeral 5011 indicates image data of the printed material. 5002 indicates the front side of the folded printed material, and 5003 indicates the back side. In the example of Fig. 5, the front side is alphabet "T" and the back side is also "T". 5004 is a portion where the printed material is folded. Reference numeral 5012 denotes image data corresponding to the front side, and reference numeral 5013 denotes image data corresponding to the back side. The dotted line 5014 represents the position on the image data corresponding to the portion where the printed material 5004 is folded. In the case of the example in Fig. 5, there is no dotted line data in the portion 5014, but a dotted line in the representation of the diagram. The example in Fig. 5 corresponds to the front side as in Fig. 3. The image corresponding to the back side of the image is the image with the top and bottom rotated by 180 degrees, and the front side image and the back side image are one image data like 5011. It is also the heavens of the two images before composition. The difference between Fig. 5 and Fig. 3 is that Fig. 5 shows the same image on both the front and back sides. Figure 3 is "T" on the front and "L" on the back, and Figure 4 is "Τ" on the front and back. This data is created by an image processing unit 2007 having a rotation circuit 2016 and a synthesis circuit 2017 in accordance with instructions from the instruction means described later. Depending on the duplication instruction of the instruction means, an image may be created as shown in Fig. 3 or an image as shown in Fig. 5.

The printed matter and image data shown in FIG. 6 are data processed by the image processing unit 2007 and stored in the storage 2015. Reference numeral 6001 shows an example of a printed material in a folded state. In this case, the printed material is in the shape of a triangular prism. Reference numerals 6011, 6021, and 6031 indicate image data of printed materials. 6002 indicates the front side of the horizontally oriented triangular prism-shaped printed material, 6003 indicates the back side, and 6004 indicates the bottom side. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the front side is an alphabetic "Τ", the back side is "L", and the bottom side is blank. 6005 and 6006 are the parts where the printed material is folded. Reference numeral 6007 denotes a triangular prism by pasting the leading and trailing edges of the printed material.

Reference numeral 6011 represents the most basic image data in FIG. 6012 indicates image data corresponding to the front side, 6013 indicates image data corresponding to the back side, and 6014 indicates image data corresponding to the bottom side. Dotted lines 6015 and 6016 represent positions on the image data corresponding to portions where the printed material 6005 and 6006 are folded. In the case of the image data of 6011 in Fig. 6, there is no dotted line data in the parts 6015 and 6016. Reference numerals 6017 and 6018 denote the leading edge and trailing edge of the image data, respectively.

Reference numeral 6021 represents image data in which the folding lines in FIG. 6 are superimposed. 6022 indicates image data corresponding to the front side, 6023 indicates image data corresponding to the back side, and 6024 indicates image data corresponding to the bottom side. The solid lines of 6025 and 6026 are 6005 And the position on the image data corresponding to the folded part of 6006 printed matter. 6027 and 6028 represent the leading edge and trailing edge of the image data, respectively. The example of image data 6021 in Fig. 6 is different from the image data 6011 in that the solid line data is superimposed on the parts 6025 and 6026 by the synthesis circuit 2017.

Reference numeral 6031 represents image data in which the margin in FIG. 6 is superimposed. Reference numeral 6032 represents image data corresponding to the front side, reference numeral 6033 represents image data corresponding to the back side, and reference numeral 6034 represents image data corresponding to the bottom side. The solid lines 6035 and 6036 represent the positions on the image data corresponding to the half of the printed product 6005 and 6006. Reference numerals 6037 and 6038 denote the leading edge and trailing edge of the image data, respectively. Reference numeral 6039 denotes a margin, which is superimposed on the rear end in the image data example 6031. In the case of the image data 6031 in FIG. 6, the image data of the margin is superposed on the portion 6039 by the synthesis circuit 2017, which is different from the image data 6011 and 6021. These data are created by an image processing unit 2007 having a rotation circuit 2016 and a synthesis circuit 2017 in accordance with instructions from the instruction means described later. When a basic image is created as shown in 6011 due to the difference in the instructions of the indication means, a folding line (line image) is superimposed on the image as shown in 6021, and as shown in 6031 An image showing the cost may be superimposed and created. The folding line may be a solid line, a dotted line or a broken line, or a mark other than a line.

The printed matter and image data shown in FIG. 7 are processed by the image processing unit 2007 and stored in the storage 2015. 7001 shows an example of a printed material in a folded state, and in this case, it has a shape of a vertically oriented triangular prism. Reference numeral 7011 denotes image data of a printed matter. 7002 shows the first side of the vertically oriented triangular prism print, 7003 shows the second side, and 7004 shows the third side. In the example of Fig. 7, the first side is the alphabet "τ", the first ;: the side is "J", not shown, but the third side is "F" 7005 and 7006 are printed 7007 is a triangular prism that is formed by bonding the leading and trailing edges of the printed material. 7011 represents the image data in FIG. 7012 represents image data corresponding to the first surface, 7013 represents image data corresponding to the second surface, and 7014 represents image data corresponding to the third surface. The dotted lines 7015 and 7016 represent the positions on the image data corresponding to the portions where the printed material 7005 and 7006 are folded. In the case of the image data of 7011 in Fig. 7, there is no dotted line data in the parts 7015 and 7016, but the dotted line in the representation of the figure. 7017 and 7018 represent the left and right edges of the image data, respectively.

The difference between Fig. 7 and Fig. 6 is that Fig. 7 can be synthesized without image rotation. Depending on the difference in the instructions of the instruction means described later, it is possible to instruct separately when combining images with rotation as shown in Fig. 6 and when combining images without rotation as shown in Fig. 7. The image forming apparatus of the present invention is possible.

In the present embodiment, an example of a triangular prism has been described as a three-dimensional shape of a printed matter. However, the present invention can be configured based on a developed view of a rectangular parallelepiped, a polyhedron, or a more complicated figure. In addition, the pseudo double-sided shape can be configured by Z-folding or C-folding as well as middle folding. In addition, it is obvious that the folding line and the glue allowance can be applied not only to a three-dimensional object but also to a pseudo two-sided case. In addition, it is of course possible to have a configuration in which only the margin is overlapped without a folding line, although it is not shown. Of course, it is possible to apply a means for copying and printing the same image to a three-dimensional shape.

FIG. 8 shows an example of “designating means for designating a shape in which the user has folded the printed material” in the present embodiment. Figure 8 shows a print setting screen of the printer driver on the host PC1003 ^1. Reference numeral 8001 indicates that the “page setting” item for setting the page configuration is shown on the print setting screen. 8002 is a document size setting. 8003 is an output paper size setting. 8004 is a setting of the number of copies. 8005 is a setting for the printing direction of the paper. Reference numeral 8006 denotes a setting for instructing to fold and print the printed matter described in the present embodiment. User is 8006 Medium You can specify the folding shape after printing, such as fold-up double-sided, triangular prism horizontal, triangular prism vertical. 8007 and 8008 are radio buttons for setting the top and bottom instructions when selecting both sides. In the example shown in Fig. 8, 8007 can indicate an upward fold where the heavens face each other, and 8008 can indicate a downward fold where the ground faces each other. 8009 is a check box for instructing overlapping of folding lines. Reference numeral 8010 denotes a check box for indicating superimposition of a margin. Reference numeral 8011 denotes a check box for instructing duplicate printing to instruct to print the same image on each side of the printed material. If duplicate printing is checked, the driver will not send the same image to the printer multiple times, but will send the same image only once. When the user selects the instruction content to fold and print the printed material according to the setting items 8006 to 8011, the guide image is displayed in 8012. The 8012 guide image is prepared in advance as part of the printer driver data, and what kind of printed material is created is shown according to the contents of the instruction. In the example of FIG. 8, 8012 shows the same shape as 3001 shown in FIG. By displaying the guide image in this way, the shape of the printed material can be visually confirmed, and it is possible to assist the user in order to easily give instructions for folding the printed material. The instruction contents shown in FIG. 8 are transmitted from the host 1003 to the main body 1001 of the image forming apparatus via the communication path 1002 together with the print data and other print setting data. In accordance with this instruction, the control system of the image forming apparatus shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2 creates image data as shown in FIG. 7 from FIG. 3 and executes printing.

The control flow of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is shown using the flow of FIG. In the present embodiment, the program of the flow shown in FIG. 9 is stored in the ROM 2002 and executed by the CPU 2001. In step 9010, the signal received from the host 1003 is analyzed, and it is determined whether or not the user has instructed to fold and print the printed material. If so, the process proceeds to step S9130 to execute the printing process. In step S'9020, Figure 8 The shape of the printed material to be folded is determined from the information on the 8006 instruction item, which is the folding instruction, and the 8007, 8008 instruction items, which are the upper and lower folding instruction items. . This determination is executed by the CPU 2001 by storing the shape of the printed material corresponding to the instruction item in the ROM 2002 in advance and taking the correspondence with the information. In step S9030, it is determined whether or not the image formation on all sides of the printed matter determined in step S9020 has been completed. If image formation has been completed for all surfaces, the process advances to step S9130 to execute print processing. Otherwise, go to step S9040. In step S9040, it is determined whether image rotation is necessary on the symmetry plane. This determination is also executed by the CPU 2001 by storing in advance in the ROM 2002 whether or not rotation is necessary for each side of the printed material corresponding to the instruction item, and taking the corresponding information. If rotation is necessary, go to step S9050, otherwise go to step S9060. In step S9050, rotation image processing by the rotation circuit 2016 is executed as necessary for rotation. In step S9060, the image data of the target surface is combined with the image data area of the printed matter by the combining circuit 2017. In this embodiment, the image data area of the printed material is acquired in the storage 2015. In step S9070, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to superimpose folding lines. If there is an instruction for folding line folding, the process proceeds to step S9080, and if not, the process proceeds to step S9090. In step S9080, the folding of the fold line is performed on the target surface. At this time, the position of the folding line is stored in advance in R0M2002. In step S9090, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to superimpose the margin. If there is an instruction to superimpose the margin, go to step S9100, otherwise go to step S9110. In step S9100, if it is necessary to superimpose the margin on the target surface, the margin is superimposed. Whether or not the margin is required is stored in advance in R0M2002 along with information on the shape of the printed matter. In step S9110, it is determined whether or not duplicate printing for arranging the same image on each side is instructed. If duplicate printing is instructed, the process returns to step S9030 to continue the processing to place the same document image data on the next side. Otherwise, go to step S9120. In step S9120, the document image data to be processed is updated to the data of the next page. Thereafter, the process returns to step S9030, and the process continues to place new document image data on the next surface. By controlling in this way, it is possible to create image data of a printed material to be printed for folding.

In this embodiment, the shape of the printed matter corresponding to the instruction item, whether or not each surface needs to be rotated, the position of the folding line, and the information on the surface on which the paste is superimposed are recorded in ROM2002. did. A configuration may be used in which these are stored in the nonvolatile memory 2004 or the storage 2015. In this embodiment, the configuration in which the image data area of the printed material is acquired on the storage 2015 is exemplified. However, it is of course possible to acquire the configuration on the RAM 2003.

As described above, according to the present invention, the convenience of the user is improved when printing is performed for folding the printed matter.

According to the present invention, when pseudo double-sided printing is performed by folding a printed material, a pseudo double-sided printed material can be easily obtained without performing complicated editing operations such as inverting and pasting images. Can do.

According to the present invention, when creating a printed material that can be folded in a three-dimensional shape, it is possible to easily obtain a printed material that can be folded in a three-dimensional manner without performing a complicated editing operation for editing an image while considering a development view.

According to the present invention, when performing pseudo double-sided printing, it is possible to specify in a simple manner whether the crease is upward or downward.

According to the present invention, the user superimposes and prints the image indicating the folding position, so the user is not troubled to fold.

According to the present invention, the user can easily superimpose and print an image showing the amount of paste, so that the user is gluing.

According to the present invention, the user can display the folded print displayed on the driver screen. Since it can be judged with reference to the shape of the object, print settings can be easily made.

(Other embodiments)

An information processing apparatus (host PC) in another embodiment will be described. In other embodiments, the image is rotated by a driver. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an environment including an information processing device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a mechanism of pseudo double-sided execution in another embodiment.

Figure 11 shows an example of a printer connection environment in which the present invention is used. R01 is a printer with a single-sided printing function that performs printing, R02 is a server such as DHCP, R03 and R04 are user PCs. Represents each. FIG. 12 is an example of a block diagram of a hardware environment in which the present invention is executed and pseudo one-side printing is performed. In the figure, reference numeral T01 is a central processing unit (C PU) for calculation and control.

Reference numeral T03 is a RAM in which an execution area in which the driver program is loaded and a work area for the program are reserved when pseudo double-sided printing is executed. Symbol T04 is a keyboard having keys for the operator to perform operations and data input. Reference numeral T05 denotes a pointing device such as a mouse that clicks a button or the like displayed on the display T06 or moves a cursor to give an operation instruction. Reference numeral T07 is a storage device (hard disk (H D)) for storing the driver of the present invention. Symbol T08 is a bus that interconnects each device in the execution system. The driver program is read from RAMT03 and executed by CPUT01.

The user activates the driver program (hereinafter referred to as the driver) at the time of printing in S01 in Fig. 14 in PC · R 04 shown in Fig. 11. Then, in the page related to the layout of the setting sheet, which is the driver screen (Figure 13), the user can use the pseudo duplex function in the sheet (U01 in Figure 13). Check “Pseudo Duplex Button”. In this case, the driver operates to rotate the same image 180 ° to the printer (Fig. 14 S02). At this time, the driver determines whether to rotate the first image or the second image depending on whether the folding is performed by the user. Then, the determined image is rotated by 180 °, combined with the non-rotated image, and sent to the printer as a single image. The printer (image forming device) prints the combined image data. The user can realize double-sided printing by folding it in half. Here, the method of connecting an image to be printed and an image obtained by rotating the image by 180 ° is a method in which both are combined on data to generate a single image. Note that the following method may be used as another method for connecting the image to be printed and the image rotated by 180 °. Dryino instructs the printer to print the image on the roll paper, and after the first image is printed, the cutter is not operated (the roll paper is not cut) and the second image is printed. It is also possible to use a method of instructing to cut the roll paper by operating the cutter after printing.

In other embodiments, even if the printer itself does not have firmware (software) that understands the settings for pseudo-double-sided printing, the driver side can combine the images into one sheet or control the roll paper power tatter. Can be realized.

According to claims 8 and 16 of the present invention, even if the printer main body does not have a double-sided printing function, the user can obtain a pseudo double-sided printed matter. Furthermore, this is possible even if the printer itself does not have software that understands the settings for pseudo duplex printing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to instruct the same image to be arranged on each side of the printed material. When the same image is arranged on each side, the same image is repeatedly transmitted from the host PC to the image forming apparatus. There is an effect that you do not have to send it many times. Industrial application fields The present invention is effective not only for ink jet printers and printers but also for electrophotographic printers and other printing systems.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2 005-335955 filed on Jan. 21, 2005, and is incorporated herein by reference. Is.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. a determination unit that determines whether a print setting for creating a printed material to be folded is selected by a user and whether a position where the printed material is folded is up or down; a print setting that is determined by the determination unit; An image processing means for forming an image by changing a facing direction of the image and the rotated image according to whether the folded position of the printed material is up or down;

An image forming apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints an image created by the image processing unit on a printing medium.

2. When the determination unit determines that the position where the printed material is folded is up, the image processing unit forms an image so that the tops of the images face each other at the position of the fold, and the determination unit includes: 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the position at which the printed material is folded is down, the image is formed such that the top and bottom of the image face each other at the position of the fold.

3. Judgment means for determining that the print setting for creating a three-dimensional printed material by folding is selected by the user,

An image processing means for creating an image corresponding to the print setting determined by the determining means;

4. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the image processing unit superimposes an image indicating a folding position on the image.

5. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the image processing unit includes a unit that superimposes an image indicating a margin on the image. .

6. The driver of the information processing apparatus that issues a print instruction to the image forming apparatus has a screen displaying a shape of the folded printed matter. Image forming apparatus.

7. The driver has a setting for instructing the duplicate printing of the same image, and when the setting for instructing the duplicate printing has been made, the image processing means is an image in which the same image is arranged on each side of the printed matter. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image forming apparatus is formed.

8. Selection means for allowing the user to select pseudo duplex printing as the print setting,

An image processing means for creating an image obtained by rotating an image to be printed by 180 degrees in response to selection of the pseudo double-sided printing by the selection means;

An information processing system comprising: instruction means for instructing the image forming apparatus to connect an image to be printed and an image obtained by rotating the image by 180 degrees and to print on one sheet of recording paper apparatus.

9. A determination step of determining whether a print setting for creating a printed material to be folded is selected by a user and whether a position at which the printed material is folded is up or down; a print setting determined in the determination step; An image processing step of forming an image in which a method of facing the image and the rotated image is changed according to whether the folded position of the printed material is up or down;

A control method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a printing step of printing an image created in the image processing step on a printing medium.

1 0. When the determination step determines that the position where the printed material is folded is up, the image processing step forms an image such that the tops of the images face each other at the fold position, and the determination step 10. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein if the position where the printed material is folded is determined to be downward, the image is formed such that the top and bottom of the image face each other at the position of the crease. .

1 1. A determination process for determining that a user has selected a print setting for creating a three-dimensional printed material by folding,

An image processing step of creating an image corresponding to the print setting determined in the determination step;

12. The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image processing step superimposes an image indicating a folding position on the image.

13. The method for controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image processing step includes means for superimposing an image showing a margin on the image.

14. The driver of the information processing apparatus that gives a print instruction to the image forming apparatus has a screen that displays the shape of the folded printed matter. Image forming apparatus control method. .

1 5. The driver has a setting for instructing duplicate printing of the same image, and 15. The control of the image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein when the setting for instructing printing is made, the image processing step forms an image in which the same image is arranged on each surface of the printed matter. Method.

1 6. Selection process that allows the user to select pseudo double-sided printing as the print settings, and creates an image that is rotated 180 degrees when the pseudo-double-sided printing is selected in the selection process. Image processing steps to

An information processing system comprising: instruction means for instructing the image forming apparatus to connect an image to be printed and an image obtained by rotating the image by 180 degrees and to print on one sheet of recording paper Control method of the device.