JPH10151827A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide an image forming system capable of obtaining printing at the same resolution many times and in a short time. An identification code assigning unit assigns an identification code corresponding to a print image for each page or print job, and stores the identification code in a storage unit of the image forming apparatus.
The identification code selected in step 4 is transmitted from the I / F unit 12 to the I / F unit 2, and a print image corresponding to the identification code is extracted from the storage unit 4 and printed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that receives image data from an external device such as a personal computer, which creates image data, and converts the image data into a print image, and performs print processing. The present invention relates to an image forming system having a forming device.

[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 21 includes an I / F unit 22 for receiving image data from the outside and an image data received by the I / F unit 22. A data conversion unit 23 for converting the image data into data for printing; a storage unit 24 for storing a program required for controlling the image forming apparatus 21 and a font required for the data conversion unit 23; And a control unit 26 that controls 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. If image data is not stored on a floppy disk or hard disk, the only option is to copy the printed paper with a copier.To take advantage of the high resolution, re-create the data with an external device. There was a problem that had to be.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has been made in consideration of the above-described problems, and has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances. In an image forming system having an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus includes an I / F unit that receives data such as image data, and an identification code assigning unit that assigns an identification code for each page or print job of a print image. And a storage unit for storing a print image and an identification code corresponding thereto, and a card insertion unit serving as a readable / writable card insertion slot, and the identification code can be written on the card inserted in the card insertion unit. The external device is written on an I / F unit for transmitting image data, an identification code, and the like, a card insertion unit serving as a card insertion slot, and a card inserted in the card insertion unit. A display unit for displaying another code; and a selection unit for selecting one of the identification codes displayed on the display unit. The identification code selected by the selection unit is transmitted from the I / F unit of the external device to the image forming apparatus. The image forming system transmits the print image corresponding to the identification code to the I / F unit, retrieves the print image from the storage unit, and performs print processing.

With such a configuration, the same image data can be printed many times simply by selecting one of the identification codes displayed on the display unit of the external device by the selection unit.

Further, the image forming apparatus can write the identification code and related information of the identification code on the card inserted into the card insertion section, and the display section of the external device is written on the card inserted into the card insertion section. This is an image forming system for displaying identification codes and related information of the identification codes.

With such a configuration, it is possible to know general information of a print image corresponding to the identification code without looking at the printed transfer material.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming system according to the present invention. The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus 1 and an external device 11, and the image forming apparatus 1 includes an I / F unit 2 and a data conversion unit 3. , A storage unit 4, a print processing unit 5, a control unit 6, an identification code providing unit 7, and a card insertion unit 8. The external device 11 includes an I / F unit 12, a display unit 13, a selection unit 14, a control unit 16, a card An insertion portion 18 is provided.

The I / F unit 2 is connected to the external device 11 via a cable or wirelessly, and receives image data desired to be printed from the external device 11 and data such as an identification code. The data conversion unit 3 includes an I / F
This section converts the image data received by the section 2 into data that can be printed by the print processing section 5. The identification code assigning unit 7 is a unit that assigns an identification code in correspondence with a print image for each page or each print job (that is, for each file). Information included in this identification code includes:
What is necessary is just a printer serial number, a document serial number, a password, and the like, and these information may be given as characters, numbers, symbols, or a combination thereof.

The storage unit 4 includes a program required for controlling the entire image forming apparatus 1, a font image required by the data conversion unit 3, a print image to be printed by the print processing unit 5, and an identification code providing unit 7. This is a part for storing an identification code corresponding to the given print image. Print processing unit 5
Is a part for printing the data formed by the data conversion unit 3 on a transfer material. The control unit 6 is a part that controls the entire image forming apparatus 1. The card insertion unit 8 is an insertion slot into which a readable / writable card can be inserted, and when the card is inserted, writes the identification code given by the identification code giving unit 7 as data to the card. The written identification code is
You may want to save it until the card is full.

The I / F unit 12 is connected to the I / F unit 2 via a cable or wirelessly, transmits image data to the image forming apparatus 1, and transmits an identification code.
The display unit 13 displays characters, numbers, symbols, combinations thereof, and the like, and can display identification codes. The selection unit 14 is a portion that is configured by a normal keyboard, can create an image, and can select one of the identification codes displayed on the display unit 13. The control unit 16 is a part that controls the entire external device 11. The card insertion unit 18 is an insertion slot into which a card can be inserted. When a card with an identification code written therein is inserted into the card insertion unit 8, the identification code written on the card is read out, and the display unit 13 is read. Will be displayed.

According to the present invention, it is necessary to store the print image and the corresponding identification code in the storage unit 4 and, at the same time, to print the identification code on the card inserted in the card insertion unit 8 again. In this case, the user inserts the card into the card insertion unit 18 to display the identification code on the display unit 13, and selects the identification code desired to be printed by the selection unit 14; The print image corresponding to the identification code can be taken out of the storage unit 4 via the / F unit 2 and printing can be performed any number of times.

In this embodiment, the case where the identification code is not printed on the transfer material but is written on the card has been described. However, when the print image is printed by the print processing unit 5, the identification code is also printed. It may be. By doing so, it is possible to determine which image data the identification code corresponds to by looking at the transfer material, and it is possible to greatly reduce the selection time when the selection unit 14 selects the identification code.

As a further embodiment, at the same time as writing the identification code on the card inserted into the card insertion section 8, the relevant information of the print image corresponding to the identification code, for example, the title,
A document number, a document name, a data creation date, a creator (user name), or a file name of an external device such as a personal computer or the like is written. It is good also as composition which displays related information together. In this way, it is possible to know the rough information of the print image corresponding to the identification code without looking at the transfer material, and it is possible to greatly reduce the selection time when the selection unit 14 selects the identification code. .

[0016]

As described above in detail, according to the image forming system of the present invention, an identification code is added to a print image, and the print image and the identification code corresponding to the print image are stored.
To provide an image forming system that can be printed at the same resolution many times and in a short time because a print command can be issued by the identification code, and is particularly effective when employed in a color printer. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 21: image forming apparatus 2, 12, 22: I / F section 3, 23: data conversion section 4, 24: storage section 5, 25: print processing section 6, 16, 26: control section 7: identification code addition Units 8, 18: Card insertion unit 11: External device 13: Display unit 14: Selection unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming system comprising: an external device that creates image data; and an image forming device that receives image data from the external device, converts the image data into a print image, and prints the image. An I / F unit for receiving data such as image data, an identification code assigning unit for assigning an identification code for each page or print job unit of a print image, and a storage for storing the print image and an identification code corresponding thereto; And a card insertion portion serving as an insertion slot of a readable / writable card, and the identification code can be written on the card inserted into the card insertion portion. An I / F unit for transmitting data of the card, a card insertion unit serving as a card insertion slot, and a display unit for displaying an identification code written on the card inserted into the card insertion unit. A selection unit for selecting one of the identification codes displayed on the display unit, and transmitting the identification code selected by the selection unit from the I / F unit of the external device to the I / F unit of the image forming apparatus. An image forming system for extracting a print image corresponding to the identification code from the storage unit and performing print processing. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification code and information related to the identification code can be written on the card inserted into the card insertion unit, and the display unit of the external device has a card inserted into the card insertion unit. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the identification code written in the image information and information related to the identification code are displayed.