Image forming device, control method of image forming device and program

Abstract

To provide a technique that can properly display an installation method in which a specific paper in which there are a plurality of installation methods using a paper tray can be fed to a paper tray designated by a printing job.SOLUTION: A CPU 201 of an image forming device 100, which holds paper information in which installation methods that can feed a paper to a paper tray are associated with respective paper trays, with respect to a specific paper in which there are a plurality of installation methods using a paper tray, sets a paper size of a paper that can be fed to a paper tray designated by a printing job, which is also designated by the printing job, on the paper tray designated by the printing job; and when the paper size set on the paper tray designated by the printing job is a paper size of the specific paper, performs guidance display, for the installation method in which the paper of the paper size designated by the printing job can be fed to the paper tray designated by the printing job, on the basis of paper size set on the paper tray designated by the printing job and the paper information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method for an image forming apparatus, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 proposes a technology that enables a user to preset printing information used when printing an image on an envelope in an image forming device, thereby allowing the orientation of a non-standard envelope and the orientation of an image printed on that envelope to match with high accuracy. In detail, in the technology proposed in the following Patent Document 1, the image forming device rotates an image appropriately when printing an envelope by presetting the envelope size, flap position, and flap opening / closing information as printing information related to any envelope that the user wants to print. Furthermore, the image forming device presents the user with a display means such as a UI, showing the appropriate installation orientation of the paper in the paper tray. This allows the user to easily and correctly install the paper, even if it is a paper that is easily installed incorrectly, such as an envelope. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-38776 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, depending on the image forming device, for example, there may be a limit to the combination of the flap position and the open / closed state of the envelope that can be fed into the image forming device. In such a case, if the user sets the print information in advance, if the flap position and the open / closed state of the envelope that the user envisions cannot be used, there is a problem that it is necessary to set a different combination of the flap position and the open / closed state for the same envelope again.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method for an image forming apparatus, and a program that can appropriately display the installation methods that can feed a specific paper that has multiple installation methods in a paper tray specified by a print job, for the specific paper. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that retains paper information for a specific paper for which there are multiple installation methods in a paper tray, in which installation methods that can be fed into a paper tray are linked to each paper tray, and is characterized in that it is equipped with a setting means that sets the paper size specified by the print job to the paper tray specified by the print job, which is a paper size of paper that can be fed into the paper tray specified by the print job, and when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is the paper size of the specific paper, a display means that displays guidance on an installation method that can feed paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job based on the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job and the paper information. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, for a specific paper sheet for which there are multiple paper tray installation methods, it is possible to appropriately display the installation methods that can be used to feed the paper sheet into the paper tray specified by the print job. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus; [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a controller unit of the image forming apparatus; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a network configuration. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a method of setting envelopes that can be fed into a paper tray of an image forming apparatus. [Diagram 5] 11 is a flowchart showing a process flow when the image forming apparatus displays guidance on how to place an envelope when a user sets a paper size for a paper tray of the image forming apparatus. [Figure 6A] 13 is a diagram showing a paper tray selection screen, which is an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on the operation unit when setting a paper tray. FIG. [Figure 6B] 13 is a diagram showing a paper size selection screen, which is an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on the operation unit when setting the paper tray. FIG. [Figure 6C] 13 is a diagram showing an envelope size selection screen, which is an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on the operation unit when setting a paper tray. FIG. [Figure 6D] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place envelopes is displayed on the operation unit when setting the paper tray, and is a standard size selection screen. FIG. [Figure 6E] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on the operation unit when setting a paper tray, and is a diagram showing an envelope placement guidance screen. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is a flowchart showing a process flow when the image forming apparatus displays guidance on how to place an envelope when a user feeds paper during execution of a print job. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing a paper feed request screen, which is an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on the operation unit during execution of a print job. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the configurations described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the configurations described in the embodiments. For example, each part constituting the present invention can be replaced with any configuration that can perform the same function. Any configuration may be added. Any two or more configurations (features) of the present embodiment can be combined. Examples of application of the image forming apparatus of the present invention include, for example, a multifunction peripheral (MFP), a printer, or an image forming apparatus that forms an image on paper by an electrophotographic method, but in this embodiment, a multifunction peripheral (hereinafter, referred to as an "image forming apparatus") will be described. Note that a multifunction peripheral is an apparatus that has at least two or more functions among multiple types of functions including, for example, a print function, a scan function, a copy function, and a facsimile function. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0010] <Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 has an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as "ADF") 101, an image reading unit 102, a controller unit 103, and an image forming unit 104. The ADF 101 exchanges control signals with the image reading unit 102 via a data bus, conveys documents, and notifies the values ​​of various sensors including document detection sensors. The image reading unit 102 cooperates with the ADF 101 to read documents in response to a document reading instruction received from the controller unit 103 via the data bus. The controller unit 103 controls the entire image forming apparatus 100 including the ADF 101, the image reading unit 102, and the image forming unit 104 via the data bus, analyzes input image data, performs appropriate image processing, and generates image data to be output. The image forming unit 104 transports paper, prints image data acquired from the controller unit 103 via a data bus onto the transported paper as a visible image, and ejects the printed paper outside the device.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the controller unit 103 of the image forming apparatus 100. The detailed configuration of the controller unit 103 will be described below with reference to FIG. 2. The controller unit 103 has a CPU 201, an eMMC 202, a storage unit 203, a scanner I / F 204, a printer I / F 205, an image memory 206, and an operation unit 207. The CPU 201 controls the entire image forming apparatus 100. The eMMC 202 is configured as a flash memory that stores a control program for the CPU 201. The storage unit 203 is a non-volatile memory for holding information required for various controls. The scanner I / F 204 transmits and receives data to and from the image reading unit 102. The printer I / F 205 transmits and receives data to and from the image forming unit 104. The image memory 206 stores image data acquired through the scanner I / F 204. The operation unit 207 has a touch panel and hard keys that present information to a user and accept operations such as job input and various settings.

[0012] <Network configuration> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a network 300 in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the image forming apparatus 100 is connected to an external client 301 via the network 300. The external client 301 has an application capable of remotely submitting a job to the image forming apparatus 100. The external client 301 and the application may be a PC and a driver application for the image forming apparatus 100, or a smartphone and a mobile application compatible with the image forming apparatus 100.

[0013] <How to set up envelopes that can be fed into the image forming device> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of setting an envelope that can be fed to the paper tray of the image forming apparatus 100. FIG. 4(a) is a diagram showing a method of setting an envelope that can be fed to the paper tray of the image forming apparatus 100 when the image forming apparatus 100 prints on the front side of the envelope. FIG. 4(b) is a diagram showing a method of setting an envelope that can be fed to the paper tray of the image forming apparatus 100 when the image forming apparatus 100 prints on the back side of the envelope. Here, the surface on which the address is written is generally the front side, and the opposite side is the back side. The image forming apparatus 100 has three paper trays, a manual feed, a cassette 1, and a cassette 2. In this embodiment, when the paper is placed in the paper tray and viewed from directly above, the manual feed feeds the paper to the left, and the cassettes 1 and 2 feed the paper to the right. In addition, the printing surface of the manual feed is the lower surface, and the printing surfaces of the cassettes 1 and 2 are the upper surfaces.

[0014] An envelope is one of the specific papers for which there are multiple ways of setting it in a paper tray. In addition, the information shown in Figs. 4(a) and (b), that is, information on how to set envelopes that can be fed into the paper trays of the image forming apparatus 100, is linked to each paper tray and stored as paper information in the storage unit 203. When displaying the setting method guidance described below, the CPU 201 refers to the paper information stored in the storage unit 203 (information on how to set envelopes that can be fed into the paper trays of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in Figs. 4(a) and (b)) and switches the illustrations and explanations displayed on the operation unit 207.

[0015] The difference in the setting method of the envelope that can be fed for each paper tray as shown in Fig. 4 generally occurs due to the difference in the paper transport path depending on the position of the paper tray, the difference in the paper setting guide device (device that fixes the position of the paper set in the paper tray) that the paper tray has, etc. For this reason, when a user wants to print on an envelope in image forming apparatus 100, the user needs to set the envelope in the paper tray in an appropriate manner according to the size of the envelope to be printed, the side to be printed on, and the paper tray to be used. Based on the above, the flow when image forming apparatus 100 displays the guidance on the setting method of the envelope will be described using a flowchart.

[0016] <Guidance on how to place envelopes when setting the paper tray> FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process flow when the image forming apparatus 100 displays guidance on how to place an envelope when the user sets the paper size for the paper tray of the image forming apparatus 100 (hereinafter referred to as "when setting the paper tray"). The process flow of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 is a process flow when the user places paper before a print job is submitted. The process flow of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 is realized by the CPU 201 loading a program stored in the storage unit 203 into the eMMC 202 and executing it. The process flow of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 (a flow when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed when setting the paper tray) will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6E.

[0017] 6A to 6E are diagrams showing an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on the operation unit 207 during paper tray setting. When setting of a paper size for a paper tray is started, a paper tray selection screen shown in FIG. 6A is displayed on the operation unit 207. The paper tray selection screen shown in FIG. 6A displays paper tray selection buttons 601 to 603, a decision button 604, and an illustration 605. The paper tray selection buttons 601 to 603 accept the selection of a paper tray to be set from the user. The decision button 604 confirms the currently selected paper tray as the paper tray to be set. The illustration 605 shows the external appearance of the image forming apparatus 100. In the illustration 605, the positions of the three paper trays are clearly indicated by illustrations 605a to 605c.

[0018] In the paper tray selection screen shown in FIG. 6A, when the user presses and selects one of the paper tray selection buttons 601 to 603, the selected button (hereinafter referred to as the "selected paper tray selection button") among the paper tray selection buttons 601 to 603 is highlighted. Furthermore, among the illustrations 605a to 605c, an illustration of a paper tray corresponding to the selected paper tray selection button is highlighted. Note that, in the paper tray selection screen shown in FIG. 6A, the paper tray selection button 602, which is the selected paper tray selection button, and the illustration 605a of the paper tray corresponding to the paper tray selection button 602 are highlighted. Furthermore, when the user presses the confirm button 604 with one of the paper tray selection buttons 601 to 603 selected, the paper tray corresponding to the selected paper tray selection button is confirmed as the setting target. Note that, hereinafter, the paper tray confirmed as the setting target among the three paper trays is referred to as the "setting target paper tray."

[0019] When the setting of the paper size for the paper tray is started in this way, as shown in Fig. 5, in step S501, CPU 201 determines whether the paper tray to be set is capable of feeding envelopes. This determination is made by CPU 201 referring to the paper information stored in storage unit 203 and checking whether there is information on the installation method of the envelopes that can be fed and that is linked to the paper tray to be set. If CPU 201 determines that the paper tray to be set is capable of feeding envelopes, the process proceeds to step S502. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that the paper tray to be set is not capable of feeding envelopes, the process proceeds to step S503.

[0020] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, information on how to set up envelopes that can be fed is present for all paper trays. However, for example, if a new paper tray, cassette 3, is added, and cassette 3 is a paper tray that cannot feed envelopes, the paper information in storage unit 203 does not contain information on how to set up envelopes that can be fed that is linked to cassette 3. Therefore, in this case, it is determined that the paper tray that is the setting target cannot feed envelopes.

[0021] In step S502, CPU 201 transitions the paper tray selection screen shown in FIG. 6A to a paper size selection screen shown in FIG. 6B on operation unit 207. On the paper size selection screen shown in FIG. 6B, standard size list button 606, user-defined size list button 607, and envelope size list button 608 are displayed as paper size options. Furthermore, on the paper size selection screen shown in FIG. 6B, decision button 609 is displayed. In step S502, CPU 201 further highlights the button selected by the user by pressing down from standard size list button 606, user-defined size list button 607, and envelope size list button 608. Note that FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the paper size selection screen when envelope size list button 608 is highlighted.

[0022] In step S503, CPU 201 transitions the paper tray selection screen shown in Fig. 6A to the paper size selection screen shown in Fig. 6B on operation unit 207. In this case, however, standard size list button 606 and user-defined size list button 607 are displayed as paper size options, but envelope size list button 608 is not displayed. In step S503, CPU 201 further highlights the button selected by the user by pressing either standard size list button 606 or user-defined size list button 607.

[0023] In step S504, CPU 201 determines whether or not the selection of envelope size list button 608 has been confirmed. When the user presses decision button 609 in a state in which envelope size list button 608 has been selected by the user's pressing on the paper size selection screen shown in FIG. 6B, CPU 201 determines that the selection of envelope size list button 608 has been confirmed. Thereafter, processing proceeds to step S505. In contrast, when CPU 201 determines that the selection of envelope size list button 608 has not been confirmed, processing proceeds to step S506. Note that, examples of cases in which it is determined that the selection of envelope size list button 608 has not been confirmed include a case in which the user presses decision button 609 in a state in which standard size list button 606 or user-defined size list button 607 has been selected by the user's pressing.

[0024] In step S505, CPU 201 transitions from the paper size selection screen shown in Fig. 6B to an envelope size selection screen shown in Fig. 6C on operation unit 207. Envelope size selection buttons 610-615, installation guidance button 616, and decision button 617 are displayed on the envelope size selection screen shown in Fig. 6C. Each of envelope size selection buttons 610-615 shows one of the envelope sizes that can be fed into the paper tray that has been set.

[0025] In step S506, CPU 201 transitions the paper size selection screen shown in Fig. 6B to a standard size selection screen shown in Fig. 6D or a user-defined size selection screen (not shown) on operation unit 207. However, the standard size selection screen shown in Fig. 6D and the user-defined size selection screen (not shown) do not display the above-mentioned installation guidance button 616. In detail, the standard size selection screen shown in Fig. 6D displays standard size option buttons 618 to 628 for paper that can be fed into the paper tray that is the setting target, and a decision button 629, but does not display the above-mentioned installation guidance button 616.

[0026] Also, in the user-defined size selection screen (not shown), like the standard size selection screen shown in Fig. 6D, the user-defined size option button and the OK button are displayed, but the above-mentioned installation guidance button 616 is not displayed. Therefore, in the processing from step S506 onwards, the installation guidance button 616 is not displayed. Therefore, the processing flow from step S506 onwards is the same as the processing flow from step S505 onwards, except that the processing always proceeds to step S511 described later if a No determination is made in step S507 described later. Therefore, a description of the processing flow from step S506 onwards will be omitted.

[0027] In step S507, CPU 201 determines whether installation guidance button 616 has been pressed. CPU 201 determines that installation guidance button 616 has been pressed when the user presses installation guidance button 616 on the envelope size selection screen shown in Fig. 6C. If CPU 201 determines that installation guidance button 616 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S508. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that installation guidance button 616 has not been pressed, the process proceeds to step S511.

[0028] In step S508, CPU 201 transitions the envelope size selection screen shown in Fig. 6C to an envelope installation method guidance screen shown in Fig. 6E on operation unit 207. An illustration 630 of the paper tray that is the setting target, and a speech bubble 631 that explains the installation method of envelopes that can be fed into the paper tray that is the setting target are displayed on the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in Fig. 6E. Furthermore, a "print on back side" button 632 and a close button 633 are displayed on the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in Fig. 6E.

[0029] Furthermore, CPU 201 refers to the paper information (information on the installation method of the envelope that can be fed to the paper tray of image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 4(a) and (b)) stored in storage unit 203 for the paper tray to be set, and determines the explanatory content to be shown in speech bubble 631. The explanatory content shown in speech bubble 631 may be shown by illustrations as in 631a and 631b, or may be shown by text, or a combination of text and illustration. Note that the explanatory content shown in speech bubble 631 includes information for enabling the user to determine whether the installation method of the envelope is appropriate for each of the cases where the user wants to print on the front side and the back side. Such information includes information such as the position of the flap (whether it is on the long side or the short side of the envelope), the open / closed state of the flap, which of the back side or the front side of the envelope faces upward, and which side of the envelope is the leading edge side in the conveying direction. As mentioned above, the side on which the addressee is generally written is referred to as the front side, and the opposite side is referred to as the back side.

[0030] CPU 201 may also switch the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in Fig. 6E to one for the front side or the back side depending on whether the side the user wants to print on is the front side or the back side. In this case, a button for switching the display of the print side is provided, such as button 632 for printing on the back side, and CPU 201 switches to the installation method guidance screen for the front side or the installation method guidance screen for the back side according to the user's input using that button. Incidentally, the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in Fig. 6E is the installation method guidance screen for the front side because it has button 632 for printing on the back side.

[0031] Also, as in the case of manual feeding in this embodiment, there may be cases where a paper tray provides multiple installation methods for the same envelope, such as "vertical" or "horizontal" (see FIGS. 4(a) and (b)). For such a paper tray, it is necessary to present the "vertical" and "horizontal" installation methods to the user. Therefore, in order to present the "vertical" and "horizontal" installation methods to the user, the CPU 201 may display the "vertical" and "horizontal" installation methods side by side on the same envelope installation method guidance screen. Also, a button for switching between the display of "vertical" and "horizontal" may be provided, and the CPU 201 may switch to the "vertical" envelope installation method guidance screen or the "horizontal" envelope installation method guidance screen by the user's input using the button. The user can easily install the envelope in the correct way by feeding the envelope into the desired paper tray while referring to the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in FIG. 6E.

[0032] In step S509, CPU 201 determines whether or not close button 633 has been pressed. CPU 201 determines that close button 633 has been pressed when the user presses close button 633 on the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in FIG. 6E. If CPU 201 determines that close button 633 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S510. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that close button 633 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S509. In step S510, CPU 201 returns the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in FIG. 6E on operation unit 207 to the screen before the transition, that is, the envelope size selection screen shown in FIG. 6C. Therefore, unless the user presses close button 633 on the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in FIG. 6E, CPU 201 keeps the envelope installation method guidance screen shown in FIG. 6E displayed.

[0033] In step S511, CPU 201 determines whether an envelope size has been selected. CPU 201 determines that an envelope size has been selected when the user presses any one of envelope size option buttons 610-615 on the envelope size selection screen shown in FIG. 6C. If CPU 201 determines that an envelope size has been selected, the process proceeds to step S512. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that an envelope size has not been selected, the process returns to step S507. In step S512, CPU 201 highlights the selected envelope size. Specifically, CPU 201 highlights the button (the envelope size shown on) that has been pressed among envelope size option buttons 610-615 as the selected envelope size. Note that FIG. 6C is a diagram showing the envelope size selection screen when the Western long No. 3 envelope size has been selected and highlighted when the user presses envelope size option button 611.

[0034] In step S513, CPU 201 determines whether or not decision button 617 has been pressed. CPU 201 determines that decision button 617 has been pressed when the user presses decision button 617 with envelope size selected and highlighted on the envelope size selection screen shown in FIG. 6C. If CPU 201 determines that decision button 617 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S514. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that decision button 617 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S507. Therefore, unless CPU 201 determines that decision button 617 has been pressed, CPU 201 accepts input of installation guidance button 616 or envelope size option buttons 610 to 615 on the envelope size selection screen shown in FIG. 6C any number of times. In step S514, CPU 201 sets the currently selected and highlighted envelope size as the paper size for the paper tray to be set, and stores the paper setting information in storage unit 203. Then, the flow chart of Fig. 5 ends. This completes the paper size setting for the paper tray.

[0035] <Displaying guidance on how to place envelopes when executing a print job> FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process flow when the image forming apparatus 100 displays guidance on how to place an envelope when a user feeds paper during execution of a print job. The process flow of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 is a process flow when, after a print job is submitted, paper is not fed to a paper tray specified by the print job and the user places paper during the print job. The process flow of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 (a control method of the image forming apparatus) is realized by the CPU 201 (computer) expanding a program stored in the storage unit 203 into the eMMC 202 and executing it. The process flow of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 (a flow when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed during execution of a print job) will be described below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0036] 8 is a diagram showing a paper feed request screen, which is an example of a UI display when guidance on how to place an envelope is displayed on operation unit 207 during execution of a print job. In the following description and the flowchart of FIG. 7, a print job is referred to as a "job." Image forming apparatus 100 accepts job submission from a user via operation unit 207 or external client 301. When a job is started in this manner, as shown in FIG. 7, in step S701, CPU 201 determines whether the paper size specified by the job is set for the paper tray specified by the job. This determination is made based on paper setting information held in storage unit 203.

[0037] The paper tray designation by the job may be, for example, "manual feed" which indicates the paper tray itself individually, or "automatic" which indicates in a comprehensive manner any of the paper trays in which the paper size specified by the job is set. When the paper tray designation by the job is in a comprehensive manner, there may be cases where the corresponding paper tray does not exist. In this case, any of the paper trays capable of feeding the paper size specified by the job is selected as the paper tray specified by the job.

[0038] If the CPU 201 determines that the paper size specified by the job is set for the paper tray specified by the job, the process proceeds to step S703. On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the paper size specified by the job is not set for the paper tray specified by the job, the process proceeds to step S702. An example of a case where the paper size specified by the job is not set for the paper tray specified by the job is when no paper size is set for the paper tray specified by the job. In addition, a paper size different from the paper size specified by the job may be set for the paper tray specified by the job. If the paper size to be specified by the job is not a paper size that can be fed into the paper tray specified by the job, an error message to that effect is displayed by the printer driver at the stage of specifying the paper tray or paper size. Therefore, when the job is executed, the paper size specified by the job is a paper size that can be fed into the paper tray specified by the job.

[0039] In step S702, the CPU 201 (setting means) sets the paper size specified by the job for the paper tray specified by the job (setting process). To this end, the CPU 201 sets the paper size specified by the job as the paper size for the paper tray specified by the job, and causes the storage unit 203 to hold the paper setting information.

[0040] In step S703, CPU 201 determines whether paper of the paper size specified by the job is fed in the paper tray specified by the job. This determination is made based on detection information from a sensor provided in the paper tray. For example, if the sensor can detect the presence or absence of paper in the paper tray and the size of the paper, the determination in step S703 is made as follows. CPU 201 determines that paper of the paper size specified by the job is fed in the paper tray specified by the job if paper is present in the paper tray specified by the job and the size of the paper matches the paper size specified by the job.

[0041] On the other hand, if the sensor can only detect the presence or absence of paper in the paper tray, the determination in step S703 is made as follows. CPU 201 sets the size change flag stored in storage unit 203 only if the paper size setting for the paper tray was changed in step S702. Then, CPU 201 determines that paper of the paper size specified by the job has been fed to the paper tray specified by the job when the sensor detects that paper is present in the paper tray specified by the job and the size change flag is cleared. Note that if the size change flag is used, CPU 201 always clears the size change flag at the end of step S703.

[0042] If CPU 201 determines that paper of the paper size specified by the job is fed in the paper tray specified by the job, the process proceeds to step S708. In this case, since there is no need to feed paper, guidance on how to set up the paper is not displayed to the user. This allows image forming apparatus 100 to prevent unnecessary guidance. In contrast, if CPU 201 determines that paper of the paper size specified by the job is not fed in the paper tray specified by the job, the process proceeds to step S704. In this case, since there is a need to feed paper, guidance on how to set up the paper may be displayed to the user depending on the type of paper that needs to be fed.

[0043] In step S704, CPU 201 determines whether the paper size set in the paper tray specified by the job is one of the envelope sizes. This determination is made by CPU 201 confirming the paper size set in the paper tray specified by the job from the paper setting information held in storage unit 203. The content of the paper feed request screen to be displayed next on operation unit 207 is determined based on the result of this determination. If CPU 201 determines that the paper size set in the paper tray specified by the job is one of the envelope sizes, the process proceeds to step S705. On the other hand, if CPU 201 determines that the paper size set in the paper tray specified by the job is not one of the envelope sizes, the process proceeds to step S706.

[0044] In step S705, CPU 201 (display means) displays a paper feed request screen shown in Fig. 8 on operation unit 207 (display step). Information 801, an illustration 802 of a paper tray that needs to be fed, a speech bubble 803 explaining how to set up an envelope to be fed, and a completion button 804 are displayed on the paper feed request screen shown in Fig. 8. The contents of information 801 are the paper tray that needs to be fed and the size of the envelope to be fed, and are acquired from the paper setting information used in the determination in step S704, but may be acquired from the job. CPU 201 refers to the acquired paper tray and envelope size and the paper information held in storage unit 203 (information on how to set up an envelope that can be fed into the paper tray of image forming apparatus 100 shown in Figs. 4(a) and (b)), and determines the explanation content shown in speech bubble 803.

[0045] The explanatory content shown in the speech bubble 803 may be shown as illustrations, such as 803a and 803b, or as text, or as a combination of text and illustrations. The explanatory content shown in the speech bubble 803 also includes information that enables the user to determine whether the way the envelope is set is appropriate for each of the cases where the user wants to print on the front side and the back side. Such information includes information such as the position of the flap (whether it is on the long side or the short side of the envelope), the open / closed state of the flap, whether the back side or the front side of the envelope faces upward, and which side of the envelope is the leading edge in the conveying direction. Here, as described above, the side on which the addressee is generally written is the front side, and the opposite side is the back side.

[0046] FIG. 8 shows a paper feed request screen in which the paper tray specified by the job is cassette 1 and the paper size specified by the job is a Western long No. 3. The user can easily set the envelope in the correct way by feeding the envelope in the paper tray specified by the job while referring to the balloon 803 on the paper feed request screen shown in FIG. 8. In this way, a guidance display on a setting method that allows paper of the paper size specified by the print job to be fed in the paper tray specified by the print job is displayed on the paper feed request screen shown in FIG. 8 as an envelope setting method guidance display. In this regard, the balloon 803 displays all the setting methods that allow the feeding of the Western long No. 3 envelope of the paper size specified by the print job in the cassette 1 of the paper tray specified by the print job, as shown in 803a and 803b (see FIGS. 4(a) and (b)). In this way, the image forming apparatus 100 can present all the envelope setting method guidance displays to the user at once.

[0047] However, in the paper feed request screen shown in Fig. 8, a button for switching the display of the print side, similar to button 632 for printing on the back side in Fig. 6E, may be provided, and illustrations 803a and 803b may be switched by user input using that button. In this case, the explanation content shown in speech bubble 803 is switched, which is useful when the explanation content shown in speech bubble 803 cannot be displayed completely on a single screen.

[0048] In this embodiment, the envelope installation method guidance display is displayed directly on the paper feed request screen shown in FIG. 8. However, an operation button (accepting means) similar to the installation guidance button 616 in FIG. 6C may be prepared on the paper feed request screen shown in FIG. 8 where the speech bubble 803 is not displayed, and the screen may transition to the speech bubble 803 screen when the user presses the operation button. In this case, the CPU 201 displays the envelope installation method guidance by accepting a display instruction from the user via the above-mentioned operation button. This allows the user to display or not display the envelope installation method guidance at his / her own will. Note that, as a means for accepting a display instruction from the user, in addition to the above-mentioned operation button (i.e., a button displayed on the touch panel of the operation unit 207), for example, a hard key of the operation unit 207 to which a function of accepting a display instruction from the user is assigned may be used. The CPU 201 may also accept a display instruction from the user via the external client 301.

[0049] In step S706, CPU 201 displays the paper feed request screen shown in FIG. 8 on operation unit 207. In this case, information 801 and a complete button 804 are displayed, but illustration 802 of the paper tray that needs to be fed and speech bubble 803 explaining how to set up the envelope to be fed are not displayed. The contents of information 801 are the paper tray that needs to be fed and the size of the paper to be fed, and are acquired from the paper setting information used in the determination in step S704, but may be acquired from the job. In this way, if the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the job is not one of the envelope sizes, guidance is not displayed on the setting method that allows paper of the paper size specified by the print job to be fed into the paper tray specified by the print job. In other words, guidance on how to set up the paper is not displayed.

[0050] In step S707, CPU 201 determines whether or not Complete button 804 has been pressed. CPU 201 determines that Complete button 804 has been pressed when the user completes the paper feeding operation as specified by the job and further presses Complete button 804 on the paper feeding request screen shown in Fig. 8. Note that CPU 201 can detect that the user has completed the paper feeding operation as specified by the job based on detection information from a sensor provided on the paper tray. If CPU 201 determines that Complete button 804 has not been pressed, processing returns to step S707.

[0051] On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines that the Complete button 804 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S708. At that time, the CPU 201 closes the paper feed request screen shown in FIG. 8 on the operation unit 207. In step S708, the CPU 201 issues a print instruction to the image forming unit 104 via the printer I / F 205 to print on paper in the paper tray specified by the job. Thereafter, when the image forming unit 104 completes printing, the flowchart in FIG. 7 ends. This ends the job.

[0052] <Summary> As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, for an envelope having a plurality of installation methods in a paper tray, paper information in which an installation method capable of feeding paper to a paper tray is linked to each paper tray is stored in the storage unit 203 (see FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b)). Furthermore, the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 100 sets the paper size that is the paper size that can be fed to the paper tray specified by the job and is specified by the job to the paper tray specified by the job (step S702). Furthermore, when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the job is the paper size of the envelope, the CPU 201 displays guidance on the installation method of the envelope based on the paper size and paper information set for the paper tray specified by the job. As a result, the CPU 201 displays guidance on the operation unit 207 regarding the installation method capable of feeding paper of the paper size specified by the job to the paper tray specified by the job (step S705). In this manner, for an envelope for which there are multiple ways of setting it in a paper tray, image forming apparatus 100 can appropriately display the setting methods that can be used to feed the envelope in the paper tray specified by the job.

[0053] As described above, for an envelope, which is one of the specific papers, there are multiple ways to place the envelope in the paper tray, so displaying the guidance for the envelope placement method is useful. However, for paper such as plain paper, which has no relationship between normal and reverse positions in the placement direction, that is, paper different from the specific paper, displaying the guidance for the paper placement method every time printing is performed is undesirable because it would complicate the display content on the operation unit 207. In this regard, the CPU 201 of the image forming apparatus 100 does not display the guidance for the paper placement method when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the job is a paper size other than the envelope (step S706). In this way, the image forming apparatus 100 prevents the display content on the operation unit 207 from becoming complicated.

[0054] <Other> Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. In this embodiment, in order to simplify the description, a case is described in which the paper for which the installation method guidance display is performed is limited to envelopes. However, the present invention is applicable to any paper for which there are multiple installation methods in a paper tray. For example, even if the paper specified as the paper feed target for the paper tray to be set is paper other than envelopes, the paper information for the paper may be stored in the storage unit 203 as a paper that requires the installation method guidance display. In this case, the CPU 201 refers to the installation method that can be fed to the paper tray linked to the paper tray to be set from the paper information stored in the storage unit 203, and displays an appropriate installation method guidance screen.

[0055] In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, an envelope is described as an example of a sheet for which the installation method guidance display is displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to envelopes and can be applied to any specific sheet that has multiple installation methods in a paper tray. Examples of specific sheets that have multiple installation methods in a paper tray include postcards, other than envelopes. In the case of postcards, information that enables a user to determine whether the installation method of the paper is appropriate includes, for example, the installation direction based on the postage stamp affixing position and the top and bottom of the face.

[0056] In addition, in this embodiment, since the flowchart becomes complicated, the description of the alternative flow when the paper size setting for the paper tray or the job is canceled is omitted. Similarly, the description of the alternative flow when a mismatch between the paper size set for the paper tray and the paper size actually fed is detected is also omitted. Note that these alternative flows can be implemented in this embodiment in the same way as the conventional paper tray setting procedure and paper feeding procedure during a job.

[0057] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-mentioned embodiment to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors of a computer in the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0058] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration, method, and program. (Configuration 1) An image forming apparatus that holds paper information in which a specific paper sheet has a plurality of installation methods in a paper tray and a possible installation method for feeding the paper sheet to the paper tray is linked to each paper tray, a setting unit for setting a paper size that is a size of paper that can be fed into a paper tray specified by a print job and that is specified by the print job, to the paper tray specified by the print job; an image forming apparatus comprising: a display means for displaying guidance on a setting method for feeding paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job based on the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job and the paper information when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is the paper size of the specific paper. (Configuration 2) The image forming apparatus according to configuration 1, wherein the setting unit executes the setting process when no paper size is set for the paper tray specified by the print job. (Configuration 3) The image forming apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the setting means is executed when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is different from the paper size specified by the print job. (Configuration 4) The image forming device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the display means displays the guidance when paper of the paper size specified by the print job is not fed in the paper tray specified by the print job. (Configuration 5) The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the display means displays the guidance in response to a display instruction from a user. (Configuration 6) The image forming apparatus according to configuration 5, further comprising a receiving unit for receiving a display instruction from the user. (Configuration 7) An image forming device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that the display means, in the guidance display, displays all possible installation methods for feeding paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job. (Configuration 8) In the image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, the specific paper is an envelope. (Configuration 9) In the image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, the specific paper is a postcard. (Configuration 10) An image forming device as described in any one of configurations 1 to 9, characterized in that the display means does not display the guidance when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is a paper size different from the specific paper. (Method 1) A control method for an image forming apparatus that holds paper information in which a specific paper sheet has a plurality of installation methods in a paper tray and a possible installation method for feeding the paper sheet to the paper tray is linked to each paper tray, the method comprising: a setting step of setting a paper size that is a size of paper that can be fed into a paper tray specified by a print job and that is specified by the print job, for the paper tray specified by the print job; and a display process for, when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is the paper size of the specific paper, displaying guidance on a setting method for feeding paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job based on the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job and the paper information. (Program 1) A program for causing a computer to execute each of the means of the image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 100 Image forming device 201 CPU (setting means) (display means) 203 Storage section 207 Operation section 616 Installation Guidance Button 803 Speech bubble

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus that holds paper information in which a specific paper sheet has a plurality of installation methods in a paper tray and an installation method that can be fed to the paper tray is linked to each paper tray, a setting unit for setting a paper size that is a size of paper that can be fed into a paper tray specified by a print job and that is specified by the print job, to the paper tray specified by the print job; an image forming apparatus comprising: a display means for displaying guidance on a setting method for feeding paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job based on the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job and the paper information when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is the paper size of the specific paper.

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit is executed when no paper size is set for the paper tray specified by the print job.

3. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit is executed when a paper size set for a paper tray specified by the print job is different from the paper size specified by the print job.

4. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the guidance when a paper tray specified by the print job does not contain paper of the paper size specified by the print job.

5. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the guidance in response to a display instruction from a user.

6. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a receiving unit for receiving a display instruction from the user.

7. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays, in the guidance display, all of the possible installation methods for feeding paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job.

8. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific paper is an envelope.

9. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific paper is a postcard.

10. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit does not display the guidance when a paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is a paper size different from the specific paper.

11. A control method for an image forming apparatus that holds paper information in which a specific paper sheet has a plurality of installation methods in a paper tray and a possible installation method for feeding the paper sheet to the paper tray is linked to each paper tray, comprising: a setting step of setting a paper size that is a size of paper that can be fed into a paper tray specified by a print job and that is specified by the print job, for the paper tray specified by the print job; and a display process for, when the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job is the paper size of the specific paper, displaying guidance on a setting method for feeding paper of the paper size specified by the print job into the paper tray specified by the print job based on the paper size set for the paper tray specified by the print job and the paper information.

12. 2. A program for causing a computer to execute each unit of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

Images