JPH10151823A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide an image forming apparatus capable of obtaining printing at the same resolution many times and in a short time. A first identification code assigning section for assigning an identification code to each print image, a storage section for storing a print image and an identification code corresponding thereto, and a printing process for printing the print image A unit 5, a second identification code providing unit 9 for transferring the identification code to the transfer material at the time of printing, and an identification code reading unit 8 for reading the identification code given to the transfer material are provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for performing printing processing on image data input from the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional image forming apparatus, a printer,
When image data is received from an external device such as a personal computer or a host, a print image is formed based on the image data, and the number of copies specified by the external device is printed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus 11 includes an I / F unit 12 for receiving image data from the outside, and an image data received by the I / F unit 12. A data conversion unit 13 for converting the image data into data for printing, a storage unit 14 for storing a program necessary for controlling the image forming apparatus 11 and a font required for the data conversion unit 13, and a data conversion unit 13 And a control unit 16 for controlling these units.

[0004]

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, after performing the printing process, in order to erase all the data related thereto, in order to obtain the same image, a print command is again issued from the external device. There was a problem that it had to be put out and it took time. In addition, when data is not stored on a floppy disk or the like, there is no other choice but to copy the printed paper with a copier, and in order to take advantage of the high resolution, the data must be recreated with an external device. Was.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an image forming apparatus for printing image data from the outside, in which an identification code is assigned to each page of a print image. A first identification code providing unit, a print processing unit for printing a print image on a transfer material, a second identification code providing unit for providing an identification code to the transfer material when printing is performed by the print processing unit, and a print image And a storage unit for storing an identification code corresponding thereto, and an identification code reading unit for reading the identification code given to the transfer material, and a print image corresponding to the identification code read by the identification code reading unit is stored in the storage unit. take out,
This is an image forming apparatus in which a print processing unit prints a transfer material, or a print processing unit prints a transfer material and at the same time assigns an identification code by a second identification code assigning unit.

Further, the identification code is applied to all pages of the transfer material to be printed, or is applied to only the first page of the transfer material to be printed.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
/ F unit 2, data conversion unit 3, storage unit 4, print processing unit 5,
It comprises a control unit 6, a first identification code giving unit 7, an identification code reading unit 8, and a second identification code giving unit 9.

The I / F unit 2 is connected to a computer or the like via a cable and receives image data desired to be printed from the computer or the like. Data conversion unit 3
Converts the image data received by the I / F unit 2 into a print processing unit 5
This is the part that converts the data into data that can be printed.

The first identification code assigning section 7 is a section for assigning an identification code corresponding to a print image for each page unit. The information included in the identification code may be a printer serial number, a document serial number, a password, or the like, and the information may be compressed and encrypted.

The storage unit 4 includes a program necessary for controlling the entire image forming apparatus 1, a print image to be printed by the print processing unit 5 such as a font required by the data conversion unit 3, and an identification code providing unit 7. This is a part for storing an identification code corresponding to the given print image.

The print processing section 5 is a section for printing the data formed by the data conversion section 3 on a transfer material.

The second identification code providing unit 9 includes a print processing unit 5
This is a part for assigning an identification code to the transfer material when printing is performed by using. Specifically, the identification code may be given by a paint that emits infrared rays or a magnetic toner that cannot be seen by a person, and it is only necessary that something other than the printed image is not printed on the transfer material.

The control section 6 controls the entire image forming apparatus 1.

The identification code reading section 8 is a section for reading the identification code given to the transfer material. For example, when the second identification code giving section 9 gives an identification code with a paint that emits infrared rays, an infrared sensor is used. In the case where the identification code is given by magnetic toner, it may be constituted by a magnetic reader.

According to the present invention, when a print image is printed on a transfer material and an identification code is given thereto, and these are stored in the storage unit 4, when printing is necessary again, the transfer image is transferred. By simply causing the identification code reading unit 8 to read the identification code given to the material, the print image can be taken out from the storage unit 4 and printing can be performed many times. In addition, the identification code can be given to the transfer material so as not to be seen.

The identification code may be specifically given as follows. Which method is to be set in advance, or a selection means is provided in the image forming apparatus to select or combine any of them. What should I do? (1) It is applied to all pages of the transfer material to be printed. Thus, only the page to be printed can be printed immediately. (2) Apply to only the first page of the transfer material to be printed. As a result, the identification code is not added to the second and subsequent pages. (3) When reading and printing with the identification code reading unit 8,
Print only the print image on the transfer material. Thus, it can be determined that the one with the identification code is the original, and the one without the identification code is read and printed by the identification code reading unit 8. (4) Even when reading and printing by the identification code reading unit 8, an identification code is added at the same time when a print image is printed on a transfer material. As a result, all of the printed transfer materials can be read by the identification code reading unit 8.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a network-compatible control unit that can access other external devices, and a read-out output unit that can read and output a print image of another device. Then, since the serial number of the image forming apparatus is entered as the identification code, a document of another image forming apparatus can be pulled out, and the print image can be shared.

Further, if the image forming apparatus is connected to a host or the like and provided with means capable of responding to a search, readout, or output instruction from the host or the like, the host can perform file management,
A list of stored print image contents can be displayed.

If means for responding to the setting of copy protection from the host or the like is provided, the confidentiality of the print image can be maintained.

[0020]

As described above in detail, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an identification code is given to a print image, and an identification number is given at the same time when a print image is printed on a transfer material. And by storing its identification code,
When the same material is to be printed, if there is a transfer material after printing, the identification code can be read by the identification code reading unit 8 to obtain exactly the same output, and printing at the same resolution can be performed many times and in a short time. This makes it possible to provide an image forming apparatus that is particularly effective when employed in a color printer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11: image forming apparatus 2, 12: I / F section 3, 13: data conversion section 4, 14: storage section 5, 15: print processing section 6, 16: control section 7: first identification code adding section 8: identification code reading unit 9: second identification code providing unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus that prints image data from the outside, a first identification code providing unit that provides an identification code for each page of a print image, and a print that prints the print image on a transfer material. A processing unit, a second identification code assigning unit that assigns an identification code to the transfer material when printing is performed by the print processing unit, a storage unit that stores the print image and the identification code corresponding thereto, and the transfer unit. An identification code reading unit that reads an identification code given to the material, retrieves a print image corresponding to the identification code read by the identification code reading unit from the storage unit, and prints a print image on the transfer material by the print processing unit. Do
Alternatively, an image forming apparatus is characterized in that the print processing unit prints a transfer material and at the same time assigns an identification code by the second identification code assigning unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification code is assigned to all pages of a transfer material to be printed. 3. The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the identification code is one of transfer materials to be printed.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is provided only on the page.