Print management device and method

Abstract

To provide a print management device and a method that allow easy and intuitive setting of a medium cutting position.SOLUTION: A print management device includes: a job management unit 330 that holds a job list 331 for managing an arrangement order of a plurality of jobs; and a display processing unit 340 that displays the job list 331 on a display unit. The job management unit 330 adds, in response to an instruction of a user, a cutting job for cutting a medium to a position between designated print jobs in the job list 331. The display processing unit 340 displays the job list 331 to which the cutting job is added on the display unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for managing printing of a printing apparatus having a cutting function.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a printer (printing apparatus) having a cutting function has been known. Among printers having a cutting function, when a roll-type (long-sized) medium is used as a printing medium, after printing data is output to the medium, the printed medium can be separated into sheet form (single-sheet form).

[0003] Such a printer having a cutting function is, for example, connected to a computer and used. In this case, for example, printing and printing management of print data are performed using print management software installed on the computer connected to the printer.

[0004] In such print management software, for example, when print data to be printed (for example, a pdf file or the like) is specified, a print job for outputting the specified print data is created and added to a print job list. A plurality of print jobs can be added to the print job list. For example, a plurality of print jobs added to the print job list can be grouped and continuously executed in a single operation.

[0005] Note that Japanese Patent Publication No. 3528086 discloses an image printing apparatus that receives image data captured by a mobile terminal, performs editing processing, and then prints on sticker paper. The apparatus can cut a plurality of sheets in a state where a sticker sheet is attached to a mount without using scissors or the like. A user can specify the position (coordinates) of a cutting guide line for easily dividing an image printing sticker into a plurality of sheets without using scissors or the like and the cutting type from among the image data displayed on a display unit by operating a touch panel.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In a printer equipped with a cutting function, when printing a plurality of print data continuously, it may be desired to cut the media (sheet cut) at a position between desired print data. For example, when continuously printing three pieces of print data, the first to the third, in this order, there may be a case where it is desired to cut the media between the second and the third print data.

[0008] In this case, in the conventional print management software described above, for example, it is necessary to open a print job setting screen for outputting the second print data and set (sheet cut setting) to cut the media after outputting the print data.

[0009] Also, even if a sheet cut setting is made for the corresponding print job in this way, only the print job is displayed in the print job list, so it is not clear at what timing (between which print data) the media is cut just by looking at the print job list.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a print management apparatus and method capable of easily and intuitively setting a cutting position of a medium and the like.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The print management apparatus according to the present invention includes a display unit, a job management unit that holds a job list for managing the order of a plurality of jobs, and a display processing unit that causes the display unit to display the job list. The job management unit adds a cutting job for cutting a medium at a position between specified print jobs in the job list in response to a user's instruction, and the display processing unit causes the display unit to display the job list to which the cutting job has been added.

[0012] According to the print management apparatus according to the present invention, since the position where the cutting job is inserted can be specified in the job list displayed on the display unit, the cutting position of the medium can be set easily and intuitively.

Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and intuitively set the cutting position of the medium and the like.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

[0017] As shown in the same figure, a printing system 100 to which the present invention is applied includes a printing management device 110 and a printing device 120.

[0018] The printing management device 110 manages printing jobs and the like for outputting printing data to the printing device 120, and includes a control unit 111, an input unit 112, and a display unit 113.

[0019] The control unit 111 controls the operation of the printing management device 110 and is configured by, for example, an ordinary personal computer or other computer. Further details of the control unit 111 will be described later.

[0020] The input unit 112 is for inputting user instructions and the like. In this embodiment, it includes a keyboard 1121 and a pointing device 1122. Hereinafter, it will be described assuming that the pointing device 1122 is configured as a mouse having at least two left and right buttons.

[0021] The display unit 113 is for displaying a print management screen or the like for managing print jobs and the like. For example, it is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL display (OELD).

[0022] The printing device 120 performs a print output on the medium set in the printing device 120 based on the print output data sent from the print management device 110, and performs a cut (sheet cut) in the width direction of the medium set in the printing device 120 based on the cutting data sent from the print management device 110. For example, it is composed of an inkjet printer equipped with a cutting function. The printing device 120 is provided with a cutting blade, for example, and can move the cutting blade in the width direction of the medium to cut the medium.

[0023] The control unit 111 and the printing device 120 are connected via a predetermined interface cable (for example, a USB cable) or a wired or wireless LAN, and are configured to be able to transmit and receive various data.

[0024] Next, the details of the control unit 111 will be described.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a hardware configuration example of the control unit 111.

[0026] As shown in the figure, the control unit 111 includes a CPU 210, a ROM 220, a RAM 230, an auxiliary storage interface unit 241, an auxiliary storage device 242, an input control unit 250, a display control unit 260, and a communication unit 270.

[0027] The CPU 210, ROM 220, RAM 230, auxiliary storage interface unit 241, input control unit 250, display control unit 260, and communication unit 270 are each connected to a bus 280. An auxiliary storage device 242 is connected to the auxiliary storage interface unit 241. An input unit 112 is connected to the input control unit 250, and a display unit 113 is connected to the display control unit 260.

[0028] The CPU 210 is for controlling the operation of the control unit 111, and is a central processing unit that realizes various functions (for example, the function as a print management device) provided by the control unit 111 by executing programs stored in the ROM 220 and RAM 230.

[0029] The ROM 220 is a read-only storage device (memory) that stores programs and data used by the CPU 210. The RAM 230 is a readable and writable storage device (memory) that temporarily stores programs and data used by the CPU 210.

[0030] The auxiliary storage interface unit 241 controls the data exchange between the auxiliary storage device 242 and the bus 280. The auxiliary storage device 242 records the operating system (OS) and application software (for example, print management software) and other various programs and data used by the CPU 210, and is constituted by, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).

[0031] The input control unit 250 is connected to the input unit 112 (in this embodiment, the keyboard 1121 and the mouse 1122) and controls the data exchange between the input unit 112 and the bus 280.

[0032] The display control unit 260 is connected to the display unit 113 and controls the display on the display unit 113.

[0033] The communication unit 270 is connected to the printing device 120 either by wire or wirelessly to transmit and receive various data between the communication unit 270 and the printing device 120.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the functional configuration (software configuration) of the control unit 111.

[0035] As shown in the figure, the control unit 111 includes an input processing unit 310, an instruction discrimination unit 320, a job management unit 330, a display processing unit 340, a job processing unit 350, and a communication processing unit 360. The functions of each of the units 310 to 360 are basically realized by the CPU 210 executing various programs loaded into the RAM 230.

[0036] The input processing unit 310 detects an operation of the input unit 112 by the user and notifies the instruction discrimination unit 320 of the operation content of the user.

[0037] The instruction discrimination unit 320 discriminates the instruction content of the user based on the operation content of the user notified from the input processing unit 310.

[0038] The job management unit 330 creates and manages jobs in response to an instruction from the user via the input unit 112. In the present embodiment, the job management unit 330 creates a print job for printing print data and a job for performing cutting in the width direction of the medium (sheet cut) (hereinafter referred to as "cutting job"). Further, the job management unit 330 holds a job list 331 for managing the order (execution order) of a plurality of jobs, and adds or rearranges jobs in response to an instruction from the user via the input unit 112. In addition, the job management unit 330 has a cut line addition function, and adds a cut line to one selected print job in response to an instruction from the user via the input unit 112. Further details of the cut line addition function will be described later.

[0039] The display processing unit 340 is for causing the display unit 113 to display the job list 331 and the like managed by the job management unit 330.

[0040] The job processing unit 350 performs job processing in response to a user instruction via the input unit 112. The job processing unit 350 performs RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing on the print job selected in the job list 331, and transmits the print output data after the RIP processing to the printing apparatus 120 via the communication processing unit 360. Further, the job processing unit 350 converts the cutting job selected in the job list 331 into cutting data, and transmits it to the printing apparatus 120 via the communication processing unit 360. Note that when a plurality of jobs are selected in the job list 331 (when a plurality of jobs are grouped), the job processing unit 350 sequentially and continuously processes the selected jobs in the order in the job list 331.

[0041] The communication processing unit 360 transmits the print output data and the cutting data sequentially passed from the job processing unit 350 to the printing apparatus 120.

[0042] Next, the operation of the print management apparatus 110 having the above configuration will be described.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a print management screen displayed on the display unit 113.

[0044] As shown in the figure, the print management screen 400 includes a menu bar area 410, a printing apparatus area 420, a job area 430, a preview area 440, and a layout area 450.

[0045] The menu bar area 410 is an area where menu items for setting and operating the print management apparatus 110 are displayed.

[0046] The printing apparatus area 420 is an area where the state of the printing apparatus 120 connected to the print management apparatus 110 (control unit 111) is displayed.

[0047] The job area 430 is an area for performing outputs and settings of print jobs and the like.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the job area 430 includes a print queue area 431 for displaying the print status of print jobs waiting to be printed and being printed, a RIP queue area 432 for displaying the RIP processing status of print jobs waiting for RIP processing and being RIP processed, a job list area 433 for displaying a job list, and a toolbar area 434 for displaying command icons.

[0049] The preview area 440 is an area where a preview of the print job selected in the job area 430 (job list area 433), file information, setting information, etc. are displayed.

[0050] The layout area 450 is an area where the layout on the medium of the job selected in the job area 430 (job list area 433) is displayed.

[0051] Hereinafter, basically, the job list area 433 directly related to the present invention will be described.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a job list displayed in the job list area 433.

[0053] In the example shown in the figure, three print jobs for printing three print data (dataA.pdf, dataB.pdf, dataC.pdf) are displayed. In this embodiment, the file name of the print data is used as the job name of the print job.

[0054] The addition of a print job to the job list is performed, for example, by dragging and dropping a print data file to be printed (for example, a pdf file) onto the job list. The order of the print jobs in the job list is the order of addition, but within the job list, the print jobs can be rearranged by dragging and dropping.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a right click is performed within the job list area 433, a context menu (shortcut menu) is displayed.

[0056] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a context menu displayed when a right click is performed within the job list area 433. FIG. 6(a) shows an example when the output destination printing device does not support perforated sheet cutting, and FIG. 6(b) shows an example when the output destination printing device supports perforated sheet cutting.

[0057] As shown in the figure, in the context menus 600a and 600b, there is "Insert Sheet Cut" as a menu item. Furthermore, in FIG. 6(b), in addition to "Insert Sheet Cut", there is "Insert Perforated Sheet Cut" as a menu item so that the type of sheet cut to be inserted (complete cut or perforation) can be selected.

[0058] In this embodiment, when one print job in the job list is left clicked to select the print job, and then a right click is performed to display the context menu, and "Insert Sheet Cut" or "Insert Perforated Sheet Cut" in the displayed context menu is selected, a cut job is added either before or after (in this embodiment, before) the selected print job. When "Insert Perforated Sheet Cut" is selected, the cut type of the cut job is set to "perforation" accordingly. Here, the cut type refers to the method of cutting the media during sheet cutting. For example, there are methods such as continuously cutting the media or cutting the media with dotted lines at predetermined intervals (perforation). The type of cut line included in the cut job is set according to the cut type. The cut line is a line representing the location where the media is cut.

[0059] For example, in the job list shown in FIG. 5, after left-clicking and selecting the third print job (dataC.pdf), right-click to display the context menu, and select "Insert Sheet Cut" in the displayed context menu. Then, a cut job will be added between the second print job (dataB.pdf) and the third print job (dataC.pdf).

[0060] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a job list with a cut job added.

[0061] As shown in the figure, a cut job (job name: Sheet Cut) is added between the second print job (dataB.pdf) and the third print job (dataC.pdf).

[0062] In this way, the print management device 110 can insert a cut job at a desired position between print jobs with a simple operation. Also, since the cut job is explicitly displayed in the job list separately from the print jobs, the sheet cut position can be easily recognized.

[0063] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an image of the output result when the jobs in the job list are executed in a batch. FIG. 8(a) shows the output result image when the jobs in the job list shown in FIG. 5 are executed in a batch, and FIG. 8(b) shows the output result image when the jobs in the job list shown in FIG. 7 are executed in a batch.

[0064] When the three print jobs in the job list shown in FIG. 5 are selected (grouped) and executed in a batch, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the print output results 811a to 813a of the three print jobs (dataA.pdf to dataC.pdf) will be arranged on the continuous medium 801a.

[0065] When one selects (groups) four jobs in the job list shown in FIG. 7 and executes them in batch, as shown in FIG. 8(b), a sheet cut is made between the print output result 812b of the second print job (dataB.pdf) and the print output result 813b of the third print job (dataC.pdf), and the media 801b on which the print output results 811b and 812b of the first and second print jobs (dataA.pdf, dataB.pdf) are arranged and the media 802b with only the print output result 813b of the third print job (dataC.pdf) are separated.

[0066] Next, the cut line addition function will be described.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 6, in the context menus 600a and 600b, in addition to the menu items "Insert Sheet Cut" and "Insert Perforated Sheet Cut", there is "Add Cut Line" for activating the cut line addition function.

[0068] With one print job in the job list selected, right-click to display the context menu and then select "Add Cut Line", and the cut line addition function will be activated.

[0069] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a cut line addition screen displayed on the display unit 113 when the cut line addition function is activated.

[0070] As shown in the figure, on the cut line addition screen 900, a preview (print output image) of the selected print job is displayed.

[0071] On the cut line addition screen 900, it is configured such that a cut line can be added at an arbitrary position. For example, on the cut line addition screen 900, when the left click is sequentially performed to specify the start point and the end point, a straight cut line connecting the start point and the end point is added. When the output destination printing device supports perforated sheet cutting, as the type of the cut line, a normal (solid line) cut line and a perforated cut line can be selected. Further, after adding the cut line, for example, the cut line can be edited by dragging and dropping the start point, the end point, etc. of the added cut line.

[0072] In the example shown in the figure, cut lines 911 and 912 as sheet cut lines are added between the figures 901, 902 and the figure 903, and between the figure 903 and the figure 904. In the example shown in the figure, the sheet cut lines 911 and 912 are composed of a single straight cut line, but it is also possible to add a zigzag sheet cut line by combining a plurality of short straight cut lines.

[0073] After adding and editing the sheet cut line, when the cut line addition function is saved and terminated, the printing job with the added sheet cut line is added to the job list as a new printing job.

[0074] The printing job with the added sheet cut line will be converted into cutting data at the time of execution and sent to the printing device 120.

[0075] By using the cut line addition function, it is possible to perform sheet cutting not only between printing jobs but also within a single printing job.

[0076] As described above, according to the printing management apparatus described above, a cutting job for sheet cutting can be added by a simple operation in the job list, and the added cutting job is explicitly displayed in the job list, so that the presence or absence of sheet cutting setting and the setting position can be easily recognized.

[0077] Also, in the printing management apparatus described above, when the output destination printing apparatus supports perforated sheet cutting, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the type of sheet cutting (ordinary sheet cutting or perforated sheet cutting) can be selected, so that the setting of the desired type of sheet cutting can be easily and intuitively performed.

[0078] Also, in the printing management apparatus described above, by activating the cut line addition function, a cut line can be added in the selected printing job. Therefore, a cut line for sheet cutting can be added not only between printing jobs but also within one printing job.

[0079] Also, in the cut line addition function, the type of cut line (ordinary cut or perforated cut) can be selected, so that a desired type of cut line for sheet cutting can be added within one printing job.

[0080] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Of course, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above. For example, in the above-described embodiment, with one print job selected, a right click is performed to display a context menu, and by selecting "Insert Sheet Cut" in the displayed context menu, a cut job is added either before or after the selected print job (in this embodiment, before). However, it is also conceivable that without selecting a print job, with the mouse pointer (mouse cursor) positioned between desired print jobs, a right click is performed to display a context menu, and by selecting "Insert Sheet Cut" etc. in the displayed context menu, a cut job is inserted at the position of the mouse pointer.

[0081] Also, in the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the menu items of the context menu were changed depending on whether the output destination printing device supports perforated sheet cuts. However, for example, in any case, the context menu shown in FIG. (b) of the same figure is displayed, and when the output destination printing device does not support perforated sheet cuts, "Insert Perforated Sheet Cut" is grayed out (grayed out) so that it cannot be selected.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0082] 100 Printing System 110 Printing Management Device 111 Control Unit 112 Input Unit 1121 Keyboard 1122 Pointing Device (Mouse) 113 Display Unit 120 Printing Device 210 CPU 220 ROM 230 RAM 241 Auxiliary Storage Interface Unit 242 Auxiliary Storage Device 250 Input Control Unit 260 Display Control Unit 270 Communication Unit 280 Bus 310 Input Processing Unit 320 Instruction Discrimination Unit 330 Job Management Unit 331 Job List 340 Display Processing Unit 350 Job Processing Unit 360 Communication Processing Unit 400 Printing Management Screen 410 Menu Bar Area 420 Printing Device Area 430 Job Area 431 Printing Queue Area 432 RIP Queue Area 433 Job List Area 434 Toolbar Area 440 Preview Area 450 Layout Area 600a, 600b Context Menu 801a, 801b, 802b Media 811a~813a, 811b~813b Printing Output Results 900 Screen for Adding Cut Lines 901~904 Graphics 911, 912 Sheet Cut Lines

Claims

1. A display unit, a job management unit that holds a job list for managing the order of a plurality of jobs, and a display processing unit for causing the display unit to display the job list are provided, wherein the job management unit adds a cutting job for cutting media between specified print jobs in the job list in response to a user instruction, and the display processing unit causes the display unit to display the job list with the cutting job added thereto Print management apparatus.

2. The job management unit sets the type of cut in the cutting job in response to a user instruction The print management apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The display processing unit causes the display unit to display a print output image of a print job selected in the job list in response to a user instruction, the job management unit creates a print job with a cut line added at a specified position in the print output image in response to a user instruction, and the display processing unit causes the display unit to display the print output image with the cut line added thereto The print management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The job management unit sets the type of the cut line added to the print job in response to a user instruction The print management apparatus according to claim 3.

5. A first job list display step of displaying a job list in which a plurality of print jobs are arranged in the order of execution, a cutting job addition step of adding a cutting job for cutting media between specified print jobs in the job list in response to a user instruction, a second job list display step of displaying the job list with the cutting job added thereto, and a job processing step of executing a job based on the job list with the cutting job added thereto Print management method.

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