JP5358519B2 - Image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system.

  Image forming apparatuses such as printers and multifunction peripherals receive print jobs in order from the host device, and execute printing in order according to the print jobs.

  In a certain printing apparatus, two print jobs are converted into one print job (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, in a certain printing system, printing is performed by collectively executing a plurality of print jobs with one job setting data (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses that receive electronic document data files such as PDF (Portable Document Format) and XPS (XML Paper Specification), generate print data from the electronic document data file, and execute printing have been developed.

  As a host device for such an image forming apparatus, there is an information processing apparatus that collectively transmits a plurality of XPS format electronic document data files to a printer as one print job (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent No. 4336438 JP 2008-210175 A JP 2010-026924 A

  However, in the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above, not an electronic document data file such as PDF or XPS that can independently process (language process) a page, but PDL (Page Description) such as PCL-XL and PostScript. Language) data is received by the image forming apparatus. Further, although the technique described in Patent Document 3 described above can combine print jobs of a single format called XPS, it is difficult to combine electronic document data files of different data formats.

  As described above, it is difficult for an image forming apparatus to perform printing as one print job using electronic document data files having different data formats.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming system capable of performing printing as one print job using electronic document data files having different data formats.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

An image forming system according to the present invention includes a host device and an image forming device that performs printing based on data from the host device. Then, in accordance with a user operation, the host device selects a plurality of electronic document data files and pages of different electronic document formats to be printed, an electronic document data file selected by the file selection unit, an electronic document An aggregate file generation unit that generates an aggregate file by combining data information indicating the data format of the data file and a header portion having page configuration information that specifies a page to be printed, and an aggregate file generated by the aggregate file generation unit A data transmission unit that transmits the image to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus also includes a plurality of data processing units that generate print data from data in a plurality of different data formats, a data receiving unit that receives an aggregated file, and a header part in the aggregated file received by the data receiving unit. Select the header analysis unit that analyzes and specifies the data format of the page to be printed, and the data processing unit corresponding to the specified data format from the multiple data processing units, and use the selected data processing unit A control unit that generates print data of the page from the data of the page to be printed, and executes printing of the page based on the generated print data. Then, the file selection unit of the host device includes a background setting for designating one of the selected pages as a background image in the header unit according to a user operation. Then, the control unit of the image forming apparatus superimposes the page specified by the background setting on each of the other pages, and causes each page other than the page specified by the background setting to be printed.

Accordingly, printing can be performed as one print job using electronic document data files having different data formats. Also, any data format page can be used as a background.

  In addition to the above-described image forming system, the image forming system according to the present invention may be configured as follows. In this case, the host device includes a print setting unit that specifies print settings according to a user operation, and the aggregate file generation unit includes the print settings in the header unit. Then, the control unit of the image forming apparatus generates print data by prioritizing the print setting included in the header portion over the print setting included in the electronic document data file.

  Accordingly, common print settings can be applied to printing using electronic document data files of different data formats.

  In addition to the above-described image forming system, the image forming system according to the present invention may be configured as follows. In this case, the background setting has either a back designation that superimposes the page specified by the background setting on the back of each page or a front designation that superimposes the page specified by the background setting on the front of each page. Then, the control unit of the image forming apparatus draws each page on the page specified by the background setting in the case of specifying the back side, and the page specified by the background setting on each page in the case of specifying the front side. Let it draw.

  In addition to the above-described image forming system, the image forming system according to the present invention may be configured as follows. In this case, the plurality of electronic document data files include an XPS file and a PDF file.

  According to the present invention, in an image forming system, printing can be performed as one print job using electronic document data files of different data formats.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the host device in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file selection operation screen displayed by the host device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a print setting operation screen displayed by the host device in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of an aggregate file generated by the host device in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a header portion of an aggregate file generated by the host device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file selection operation screen displayed by the host device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of background setting on the operation screen illustrated in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a header portion of an aggregate file generated by the host device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the background setting process (step S41) in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the system shown in FIG. 1, a host apparatus 1 is connected to an image forming apparatus 2 that performs printing based on data from the host apparatus 1 via a computer network or a peripheral device interface.

  The host device 1 includes a communication device 11, a storage device 12, a user interface 13, an arithmetic processing device 14, and the like.

  The communication device 11 is a device that performs data communication using a predetermined protocol such as a network protocol or a peripheral device interface. The storage device 12 is a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk. The storage device 12 stores a plurality of files 21 including electronic document data files. The user interface 13 includes a display device such as a display and an input device such as a keyboard.

  The arithmetic processing unit 14 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and loads a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 12 to the RAM for execution. Thus, various processing units are realized. In the host device 1, a file selection unit 31, a print setting unit 32, an aggregate file generation unit 33, and a data transmission unit 34 are realized.

  The file selection unit 31 selects a file to be printed and a page to be printed in the document based on the file in accordance with a user operation. In particular, the file selection unit 31 can select a plurality of electronic document data files and pages having different electronic document formats in accordance with a user operation.

  The print setting unit 32 specifies print settings in accordance with a user operation. The print setting has values of setting items such as resolution and number of copies.

  The aggregate file generation unit 33 combines the electronic document data file selected by the file selection unit 31 and the header part to generate an aggregate file. The header portion has data information indicating the data format of the electronic document data file and page configuration information for designating a page to be printed. Further, the aggregate file generation unit 33 includes the print setting in the header part.

  The data transmission unit 34 transmits the aggregate file generated by the aggregate file generation unit 33 to the image forming apparatus 2.

  The image forming apparatus 2 includes a communication device 41, a storage device 42, an arithmetic processing device 43, a print engine (not shown), and the like. In the case of the electrophotographic system, the print engine includes a laser scanning unit, a photosensitive drum, an intermediate transfer belt, a toner cartridge, a fixing device, a drive system thereof, a control circuit that controls the drive system, and the like.

  The communication device 41 is a device that performs data communication using a predetermined protocol such as a network protocol or a peripheral device interface. The storage device 42 is a nonvolatile storage device such as a hard disk. The arithmetic processing unit 43 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and loads and executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 42 to the RAM, thereby realizing various processing units. In the image forming apparatus 2, the data reception unit 51, the data determination unit 52, the job control unit 53, the header analysis unit 54, the header information processing unit 55, the TIFF processing unit 56a, the JPEG processing unit 56b, the XPS processing unit 56c, and the PDF processing unit. 56d, the print engine control unit 57 is realized.

  The data receiving unit 51 receives data from the host device 1 using the communication device 41. In particular, the data receiving unit 51 receives an aggregate file from the host device 1.

  The data determination unit 52 determines whether the received data is an aggregate file. In the case of an aggregate file, a unique identifier is included in the header part, and whether or not the received data is an aggregate file is determined based on the presence or absence of the identifier.

  If the file is not a consolidated file, it is a normal print job described in PJL (Printer Job Language) and PDL. Therefore, the data determination unit 52 analyzes the print job by a data processing unit (not shown) and prints it. Generate data.

  The job control unit 53 manages the received print job, and starts and ends execution of the print job.

  The header analysis unit 54 analyzes the header part in the aggregate file received by the data reception unit 51 and specifies the data format of each page to be printed.

  The header information processing unit 55 selects a data processing unit corresponding to the data format specified by the header analysis unit 54 from the plurality of processing units 56a to 56d, and uses the selected data processing unit to print a page to be printed. The print data of the page is generated from the data, and the print engine control unit 57 is used to print the page based on the generated print data. At this time, the header information processing unit 55 ignores the print settings included in the electronic document data file and prioritizes the print settings included in the header portion of the aggregate file to generate print data.

  The TIFF processing unit 56a is a data processing unit that generates print data from data in a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) format.

  The JPEG processing unit 56b is a data processing unit that generates print data from JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format data.

  The XPS processing unit 56c is a data processing unit that generates print data from XPS format data.

  The PDF processing unit 56d is a data processing unit that generates print data from PDF format data.

  The processing units 56a to 56d start reading data from the data reading position set by the header information processing unit 55. Further, the print data here is data after rasterization and halftoning.

  The print engine control unit 57 controls the print engine based on the print data to execute printing of each page specified in the aggregate file.

  Next, the operation of each device in the system will be described.

  First, the operation of the host device 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the host device 1 in FIG.

  In the host device 1, the file selection unit 31 causes the user interface 13 to display an operation screen for allowing the user to select an electronic document data file to be printed and a page of the electronic document. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file selection operation screen displayed by the host device 1 according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a file list 101, a print target list 102, a print target add button 103, a print target delete button 104, a print setting button 105, a preview window 106, and the like are displayed on this operation screen.

  The file list 101 is a list of the files 21 in the storage device 12, and the print target list 102 is a list indicating a set of files and pages selected as print targets for each print page.

  In the file list 101, when one electronic document data file (c.xps in FIG. 3) is selected by a user operation on the user interface 13, a page list 107 of the electronic document is displayed. A page to be printed (second page in FIG. 3) is selected by a user operation on the user interface 13. As a result, the image of the selected page is displayed in the preview window 106. When the print target addition button 103 is pressed, the files and pages selected in the file list 101 and the page list 107 at that time are added to the print target list 102. When the print target deletion button 104 is pressed, the file and page selected in the print target list 102 are deleted from the print target list 102.

  In this way, files and pages selected by user operations are added to the print target list 102. Then, the file selection unit 31 specifies the file and page selected as the print target (step S1).

  When the print setting button 105 is pressed, the print setting unit 32 causes the user interface 13 to display an operation screen for print setting by the user. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a print setting operation screen displayed by the host device 1 in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, on this setting screen, an input section (such as a radio button) for each setting item is displayed, and the value of each setting item is input by a user operation.

  Then, the print setting unit 32 specifies the input print setting (step S2).

  Next, the aggregate file generation unit 33 generates an aggregate file based on the file selected by the file selection unit 31 and the print setting specified by the print setting unit 32 (step S3).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of an aggregate file generated by the host device 1 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the aggregate file includes a header portion and a data portion, and the data portion includes first to Nth data portions that are data of N selected files.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a header portion of an aggregate file generated by the host device 1 according to the first embodiment.

  The header section includes information such as an identification header, total data, data information, page configuration information, and print settings. The identification header is a unique identifier indicating that the file is an aggregate file. The total number of data is the number N of data parts (that is, selected files) included in the aggregated file. The data information indicates the offset position from the head of the data part and the data format type (PDF, XPS, etc.) of the first to Nth data parts. For example, [3] [3008] [PDF] indicates that for the third data portion, the offset is 3008 bytes and the data format is PDF. The page configuration indicates a set of a data part (corresponding to a file) used for printing among the first to Nth data parts and a page to be printed in the order of printing. For example, [1] [1] indicates the first page of the first data portion, and [2] [4] indicates the fourth page of the second data portion. The print setting is a print setting specified by the print setting unit 32. In FIG. 6, the attribute value of the PJL set command is described, and the print settings of resolution 600 dpi, number of copies 1, duplex printing off are described.

  Note that the header portion may be in another text format such as XML or in binary format. Moreover, the 1st-Nth data part may each be compressed.

  When the aggregated file as described above is generated, the data transmission unit 34 transmits the aggregated file to the image forming apparatus 2 using the communication device 11 (step S4).

  In this way, an integrated file including the electronic document data file selected by the user and specifying the page of the electronic document selected by the electronic user is generated and transmitted.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment.

  In the image forming apparatus 2, when the data receiving unit 51 receives the consolidated file (step S11), the job control unit 53 starts a print job (step S12). Then, the header analysis unit 54 analyzes the header portion of the aggregate file, and specifies the print setting and the total number of pages to be printed (steps S13 and S14).

  Next, the header information processing unit 55 specifies the data portion and the page to be printed in the order described in the page configuration information of the aggregate file (initially on the first page) (step S15). Then, the data reading position is specified from the offset position of the data portion in the data information of the aggregate file to the head position of the data portion (step S16), and the data format of the data portion described in the data information of the aggregate file ( That is, the data format of the print target page is specified (step S17), and the data reading position and the print target page are set for the data processing unit (any of the processing units 56a to 56d) corresponding to the data format. Specify and execute the processing of the page. The data processing unit reads the data part from the designated data reading position, generates print data only for the designated page, and passes it to the print engine control unit 57 (step S18).

  Then, the header information processing unit 55 determines whether or not the processing of steps S15 to S18 has been executed for the total number of pages (step S19), and the processing of steps S15 to S18 has not been executed for the total number of pages. In that case, the processing of steps S15 to S18 is executed for the next page. When the processes of steps S15 to S18 are executed for the total number of pages, the job control unit 53 ends the execution of the print job for the aggregated file (step S20).

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, in the host device 1, the file selection unit 31 selects a plurality of electronic document data files and pages of different electronic document formats to be printed in accordance with a user operation, The aggregate file generation unit 33 combines the electronic document data file selected by the file selection unit 31 with a header unit having data information indicating the data format of the electronic document data file and page configuration information for specifying a page to be printed. Then, the aggregate file is generated, and the data transmission unit 34 transmits the aggregate file. On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus 2, when the data receiving unit 51 receives the aggregated file, the header analyzing unit 54 analyzes the header part in the aggregated file and identifies the data format of the page to be printed. A data processing unit corresponding to the data format is selected from the plurality of processing units 56a to 56d, and the selected processing unit is used to generate page print data from the page data to be printed. Based on this, the page is printed.

  Accordingly, printing can be performed as one print job using electronic document data files having different data formats.

Embodiment 2. FIG.

  In the image forming system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, background settings can be added to the aggregated file.

  The basic configuration of the image forming system according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the file selection unit 31, the aggregated file generation unit 33, the header analysis unit 54, and the header information processing. The function of the unit 55 is different from that of the first embodiment as described below.

  Next, the operation of each device in the second embodiment will be described.

  First, the operation of the host device 1 will be described.

  In the second embodiment, the file selection unit 31 of the host device 1 includes a background setting for designating one of the selected pages as a background image according to a user operation.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file selection operation screen displayed by the host device 1 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, in the second embodiment, when the background setting button 111 is displayed and the background setting button 111 is pressed, the file selection unit 31 selects the file currently selected in the print target list 102. Is selected as the background image.

  Further, when the background setting button 111 is pressed, the background setting can be input. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of background setting on the operation screen illustrated in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 9, when the background setting button 111 is pressed, a background setting window 121 is displayed, and the setting of whether to superimpose the selected background image on either the front or the back of each page and the transparency Setting is possible.

  In FIG. 9, the first page of the file “a.pdf” is selected as the background image, and is set to be superimposed on the front with a transparency of 50%. Note that the page selected as the background image is not printed alone.

  When the background setting is specified by the negative file selection unit 31 as described above, the aggregate file generation unit 33 describes the background setting in the header part. The background setting in the header part includes designation of the data part and page number corresponding to the selected file, designation of whether the background image is to be arranged on the back or front side, and designation of transparency.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a header portion of an aggregate file generated by the host device 1 according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 10, the first page of the first data portion is designated as a background image by File information (File = [1] [1]), and superimposition on the back side is designated by BackGround information (BackGround = Yes). The transparency of 50% is designated by Transparency information (Transparency = 50). When BackGround = No, superimposition to the front is specified.

  In this way, in the second embodiment, an aggregate file including background settings is generated and transmitted to the image forming apparatus 2.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment.

  In the image forming apparatus 2, when the above-described aggregate file is received (step S11), the background setting process is executed after the job is started (step S12) (step S41). FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the background setting process (step S41) in FIG.

  In the background setting process, the header analysis unit 54 first determines the presence / absence of background setting in the header part (step S51). If there is no background setting, the background setting process ends.

  When there is a background setting, the header information processing unit 55 identifies the data part and page (that is, file information) specified in the background setting in the header part of the aggregate file, and the data information in the header part, and the background setting The offset position of the designated data part is set as the data reading position (step S52), and the transparency information in the background setting is read to specify the transparency (step S53).

  Then, the header information processing unit 55 determines whether or not the front is designated in the background setting (step S54).

  If the front side is designated, masking is set (step S55). At this time, in the checkered mask pattern, the mask density in the mask pattern is set according to the transparency. Then, the header information processing unit 55 uses a data processing unit corresponding to the data format specified by the data information to generate a bitmap image of the background image from the page of the data unit (step S56). At this time, background image data having pixel values only in the area masked according to the mask pattern is generated.

  On the other hand, in the case of specifying the back side, the header information processing unit 55 uses the data processing unit corresponding to the data format specified by the data information to specify the transparency (step S57), and the data processing unit 55 A bitmap image of the background image is generated from the page (step S58).

  The background image data generated in this way is held in the RAM or the storage device 12 until this print job is completed (step S59).

  After that, as in the first embodiment, the header information processing unit 55 processes each page according to the page configuration information of the header part.

  Then, in the processing of each page, before the data processing (step S18) by the data processing unit (any of the processing units 56a to 56d), the header information processing unit 55 performs the case where the back side is designated in the background setting. (Step S42) Before the drawing process for the page, the background image data generated by the background setting process is written in the drawing area (Step S43). Therefore, the image data of the page is superimposed on the background image. At this time, if the data processing unit can execute the blending process, the blending process of both is executed. On the other hand, when the data processing unit cannot execute the blending process, each pixel value is adjusted in accordance with the set transparency. For example, when the transparency is 50% in the case of an additive color space, 128 is added to each color value of the back side image, and when the transparency is 50% in the case of a subtractive color space, the back side Subtract 128 from each color value in the image.

  On the other hand, if the front side is designated in the background setting (step S44), the header information processing unit 55 performs the mask process after the drawing process of the page, and generates the background generated by the background setting process described above. Image data is written in the drawing area (step S45).

  In this way, background processing is executed in accordance with the aggregate file from the host device 1.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the background setting can be performed using the aggregate file.

  Each embodiment described above is a preferred example of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is.

  The present invention can be applied to printing using a plurality of electronic documents in which a plurality of data formats such as XPS and PDF are mixed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host apparatus 2 Image forming apparatus 31 File selection part 32 Print setting part 33 Aggregation file generation part 34 Data transmission part 51 Data reception part 54 Header analysis part 55 Header information processing part (an example of a control part)
56a TIFF processing unit (an example of a data processing unit)
56b JPEG processing unit (an example of a data processing unit)
56c XPS processing unit (an example of a data processing unit)
56d PDF processing unit (an example of a data processing unit)

Claims (4)

A host device, and an image forming apparatus that performs printing based on data from the host device,
The host device, according to a user operation, a file selection unit for selecting a plurality of electronic document data files and pages of different electronic document formats to be printed,
An aggregated file obtained by combining the electronic document data file selected by the file selection unit with a header portion having data information indicating the data format of the electronic document data file and page configuration information for designating the page to be printed An aggregate file generation unit for generating
A data transmission unit that transmits the aggregated file generated by the aggregated file generation unit to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus includes:
A plurality of data processing units for generating print data from data of the plurality of different data formats;
A data receiving unit for receiving the aggregated file;
Analyzing the header part in the aggregated file received by the data receiving part, and specifying the data format of the page to be printed;
A data processing unit corresponding to the specified data format is selected from the plurality of data processing units, and the print data of the page is generated from the data of the page using the selected data processing unit, and generated. have a control unit for executing printing of the page based on the print data,
The file selection unit of the host device includes, in the header unit, a background setting that designates any of the selected pages as a background image according to a user operation,
The control unit of the image forming apparatus performs printing of each page other than the page specified by the background setting by superimposing the page specified by the background setting on each of other pages. Letting
An image forming system. The host device has a print setting unit for specifying print settings according to a user operation,
The aggregate file generation unit includes the print setting in the header unit,
The control unit of the image forming apparatus generates the print data by prioritizing the print setting included in the header portion over the print setting included in the electronic document data file;
The image forming system according to claim 1. The background setting is either a back designation that superimposes the page specified by the background setting on the back of each page, or a front designation that superimposes the page specified by the background setting on the front of each page. Have
The control unit of the image forming apparatus draws each page on the page specified by the background setting in the case of the back designation, and on the page by the background setting in the case of the front designation. Drawing the specified page,
The image forming system according to claim 1 . The plurality of electronic document data file, the image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises an XPS file and PDF files.

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