Image formation apparatus and image formation method

Abstract

To accurately perform printing when removing blank pages.SOLUTION: A printer 1 includes: an editing processing unit 12 that executes editing processing to generate an editing processing page 34 from print data; a development processing unit 14 that can execute, in parallel with the editing processing, development processing to generate a development processing page 36 by developing the editing processing page 34; a print control unit 16 that prints the development processing page 36 on a sheet; and a page control unit 11 that, for print data corresponding to a predetermined page, allows the editing processing unit 12 to execute the editing processing and then allows the development processing unit 14 to execute the development processing. The page control unit 11 causes the development processing unit 14 to execute full-page offset processing when execution of blank page removal is designated in the print data and execution of the full-page offset processing which changes the print area of the predetermined page is also designated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, and is suitable for application to, for example, an image forming apparatus that performs printing while removing blank pages.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been an image forming apparatus that removes blank pages during printing (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in such an image forming apparatus, when removing blank pages, printing may not be performed accurately in some cases.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and proposes an image forming apparatus and an image forming method that can perform accurate printing when removing blank pages.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve such problems, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an editing processing unit that executes an editing process for generating intermediate codes from print data, a developing processing unit that can execute a developing process for expanding the intermediate codes to generate image forming data in parallel with the editing process, a printing processing unit that prints the image forming data on a medium, and a control unit that can cause the developing processing unit to execute the developing process after causing the editing processing unit to execute the editing process for the print data corresponding to a predetermined page. The control unit causes the developing processing unit to execute the print area changing process when it is specified to execute blank page removal in the print data and it is specified to execute a print area changing process for changing the print area on a predetermined page.

[0007] Further, in the image forming method of the present invention, an editing process step for executing an editing process for generating intermediate codes from print data, a developing process step that can be executed in parallel with the editing process step and executes a developing process for expanding the intermediate codes to generate image forming data, a printing process step for printing the image forming data on a medium, and a control step that can cause the developing process step to execute the developing process after causing the editing process step to execute the editing process for the print data corresponding to a predetermined page are provided. The control step causes the developing process step to execute the print area changing process when it is specified to execute blank page removal in the print data and it is specified to execute a print area changing process for changing the print area on a predetermined page.

[0008] Even if the page of the intermediate code is removed by blank page removal by the developing process, the present invention can perform a developing process including an offset process according to the printing setting on the front or back surface of the paper surface where the subsequent pages of the intermediate code are arranged in response to the removal of the page of the intermediate code.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, even if the page of the intermediate code is removed by blank page removal in the expansion process, in response to the removal of the page of the intermediate code, the front or back surface of the paper on which the subsequent pages of the intermediate code are arranged can be offset processed according to the printing setting, and an image forming apparatus and an image forming method that can print accurately when performing blank page removal can be realized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] [1. Configuration of Printer] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 is overall controlled by a control unit 2. The control unit 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., which are not shown, and executes various processes by reading and executing a predetermined program. The printer 1 also receives print data from a higher-level device (not shown) and executes printing of the print data. The CPU is a microprocessor in which a plurality of processor cores are integrated on a single IC (Integrated Circuit) chip, and can execute a plurality of processes in parallel.

[0013] The control unit 2 has, as internal modules, a reception unit 10, a page control unit 11, an editing processing unit 12, a development processing unit 14, and a print control unit 16. The reception unit 10 receives print data. The page control unit 11 delivers the print data received by the reception unit 10 to the editing processing unit 12 to generate intermediate code, delivers the generated intermediate code to the development processing unit 14 for rendering, and delivers the generated image formation data to the print control unit 16, thereby causing the image formation data to be printed.

[0014] The editing processing unit 12 has a print data analysis unit 20 and an intermediate code generation unit 22, and performs editing processing. The print data analysis unit 20 is equipped with a plurality of PDL (Printer Description Language) interpreters such as a PCLXL interpreter 24, a PCL5c interpreter 26, and a PostScript interpreter 28. It analyzes the print data passed from the page control unit 11 and interprets the print commands included in the print data. The PCLXL interpreter 24 performs PDL analysis processing of the print data when the PDL of the print data is PCLXL (PCL6). The PCL5c interpreter 26 performs PDL analysis processing of the print data when the PDL of the print data is PCL5c. The PostScript interpreter 28 performs PDL analysis processing of the print data when the print data is PostScript. The intermediate code generation unit 22 generates an intermediate code of the print data analyzed by the print data analysis unit 20 and transmits it to the page control unit 11. Also, when performing object single offset processing described later, the intermediate code generation unit 22 moves the coordinates of the object by the specified offset amount in consideration of the side of the paper surface where the page for generating the intermediate code is arranged during double-sided printing, and then generates the intermediate code after executing the offset processing.

[0015] The expansion processing unit 14 includes an image forming unit 30. The image forming unit 30 performs an expansion process of rendering the intermediate code generated by the intermediate code generation unit 22 and passed from the page control unit 11, generates image formation data, and transmits it to the page control unit 11. Also, when performing blank page removal, if there is no drawing at all on the page for which the expansion process has been performed (i.e., it is a blank page), the image forming unit 30 deletes that page so that it is not printed by the print control unit 16. Further, when performing the page-wide offset process described later, after processing the intermediate code into bitmap data for one page, considering the side of the paper surface where the page for generating the image formation data is arranged during double-sided printing, the image forming unit 30 executes an offset process of moving the entire bitmap data for one page by the offset amount indicated by the information on the value of the offset amount notified from the editing processing unit 12, and then generates the image formation data.

[0016] The print control unit 16 transfers toner onto actual paper based on the image formation data formed by the image forming unit 30 and passed from the page control unit 11, and performs printing.

[0017] [2. Examples of Print Data Commands] [2-1. Examples of Print Data Commands with White Page Removal Setting ON] [2-1-1. Examples of Print Data Commands with Offset Command Described Before the First Drawing Data] Figure 2 shows the language configuration of print data 44 described by PJL (Printer Job Language) and PCL (Printer Control Language) as an example of print data. The print data 44 includes, as PJL commands, a blank page removal setting PJL command 45 and a PDL type specification PJL command 46. The print data 44 also includes, as PCL commands, an offset command 47a and drawing data 48a and 48b. Hereinafter, the drawing data 48a and 48b are also collectively referred to as drawing data 48. In the print data 44, a command indicating the information of the entire print data 44 is described before the PDL type specification PJL command 46 (that is, above the PDL type specification PJL command 46), and commands indicating the information of each page (that is, the offset command 47a and the drawing data 48a and 48b) are described after the PDL type specification PJL command 46 (that is, below the PDL type specification PJL command 46).

[0018] The blank page removal setting PJL command 45 is a PJL command that represents whether to turn on or off the setting for removing blank pages. In the case of the print data 44, it is a command such as "@PJL SET LPARM:PCL OKIWHITEPAGESKIP=ON". In the case of the blank page removal setting PJL command 45, as described by "=ON" at the end of the command, the print data 44 indicates that the setting for removing blank pages is ON.

[0019] Also, before the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46, there may be a command (double - sided printing setting command) such as "@PJL SET DUPLEX=ON" that indicates whether to set double - sided printing to ON or OFF. In such a case, as described by "=ON" at the end of the command, the print data 44 indicates that double - sided printing is set to ON. Such double - sided printing setting commands may be described before the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46, but may also be described in the commands indicating the information of each page after the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46. In the latest case, the double - sided printing setting command may be described in the command of the last page. When the double - sided printing setting command is described in the command indicating the information of each page after the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46, its ON / OFF takes precedence over the double - sided printing setting command described before the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46. That is, when double - sided printing is set to ON in the double - sided printing setting command in the command indicating the information of each page after the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46, even if double - sided printing is set to OFF in the double - sided printing setting command described before the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46, double - sided printing is performed in the print data.

[0020] Also, depending on the print data, the blank - page removal setting PJL command 45 may not be described. In such a case, the control unit 2 selects whether to perform blank - page removal according to the print settings of the printer 1.

[0021] The PDL type - specifying PJL command 46 is a PJL command representing the type of PDL used for printing. In the case of print data 44, it is a command such as "@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE=PCL". In the case of the PDL type - specifying PJL command 46, as described by "=PCL" at the end of the command, the print data 44 indicates that the type of PDL is PCL5.

[0022] The offset command 47a is described before the drawing data 48a which is the first drawing data 48 within the page in the case of the print data 44, and is not described after the drawing data 48a within the same page. That is, in the case of the print data 44, the offset command 47 is described only before the drawing data 48a which is the first drawing data 48 within the page. Also, the offset command 47a is, in the case of the print data 44, " <esc>The command is something like "&l50u70Z". In the case of the offset command 47a, it indicates that the drawing data 48 is moved (i.e., offset) 50 / 720 [inch] to the right and 70 / 720 [inch] down on the paper surface. In PCL5, if the offset command 47a is described before the first drawing data 48a and no other offset command 47 is described thereafter, that offset command 47a is applied to all the drawing data 48 (e.g., drawing data 48a and 48b) within the page. Therefore, in the case of the print data 44, both the drawing data 48a and 48b are offset by the amount specified by the offset command 47a.

[0023] In this way, the process of offsetting all the drawing data 48 within the page together, that is, changing the printing area on the page, is also called the page-wide offset process.

[0024] The drawing data 48a and 48b are specified as "Hello" and "World" respectively as text drawing data.

[0025] [2-1-2. Example of the command of the print data where the offset command is described after the first drawing data] On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows the language composition of the print data 49 described by PJL and PCL as another example of the print data. Compared with the print data 44 (FIG. 2), an offset command 47b is added between the drawing data 48a and the drawing data 48b (i.e., after the first drawing data 48a). Hereinafter, the offset commands 47a and 47b are also collectively called the offset command 47. In PCL5, although the offset command 47 is generally described before the first drawing data 48 within the page, it can be specified any number of times for the page according to the command specification.

[0026] In the case of PCL5, when an offset command 47b is described after the first drawing data 48a within a page, unless there are other offset commands 47 described thereafter, the offset command 47b is applied to the drawing data 48 (for example, drawing data 48b) described after the offset command 47b. Therefore, in the case of print data 49, the drawing data 48b is offset by the amount specified by the offset command 47b. Thus, the process of offsetting the specified specific drawing data 48 within a page is also called the object unit offset process.

[0027] Therefore, in the case of print data 49, the drawing data 48a is offset by the amount specified by the offset command 47a, and the drawing data 48b is offset by the amount specified by the offset command 47b. Also, in the case of print data 49, the offset command 47b is " <esc>The command is something like "&l40u60Z". In the case of the offset command 47b, it indicates that the drawing data 48 is moved 40 / 720 [inch] to the right and 60 / 720 [inch] down on the paper surface (i.e., offset).

[0028] Thus, in PCL5, when focusing on a given drawing data 48, only the offset command 47 described at the position closest to the drawing data 48 on the front side of the drawing data 48 is applied to the drawing data 48.

[0029] In the print data 49, although the offset command 47b is described behind the first drawing data 48a in the page and the offset command 47a is described in front, the offset command 47a may be omitted. In that case, the drawing data 48a is not offset, the drawing data 48b is offset by the amount specified by the offset command 47b, and further, unless an offset command 47 is described thereafter, the drawing data 48 described after the drawing data 48b is offset by the amount specified by the offset command 47b.

[0030] [Example of commands for print data with the setting of blank page removal being OFF] On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows the language configuration of print data 50 described by PJL and PCL as another example of print data. The print data 50 includes, as PJL commands, a blank page removal setting PJL command 51 and a PDL type specification PJL command 52 corresponding to the blank page removal setting PJL command 45 and the PDL type specification PJL command 46 in the print data 44 (FIG. 2). The print data 50 also includes, as PCL commands, an offset command 53a and drawing data 54a and 54b corresponding to the offset command 47a and the drawing data 48a and 48b in the print data 44 (FIG. 2).

[0031] The blank page removal setting PJL command 51, in the case of the print data 50, is a command such as "@PJL SET LPARM:PCL OKIWHITEPAGESKIP=OFF". In the case of the blank page removal setting PJL command 51, as described by "=OFF" at the end of the command, the print data 50 indicates that the setting for blank page removal is OFF.

[0032] The PDL type specification PJL command 52, in the case of the print data 50, is a command such as "@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE=PCL", similar to the print data 44. In the case of the PDL type specification PJL command 52, as described by "=PCL" at the end of the command, the print data 50 indicates that the type of PDL is PCL5.

[0033] The offset command 53a and the drawing data 54a and 54b are the same as the offset command 47a and the drawing data 48a and 48b.

[0034] [3. Regarding the operations of the editing process and the expansion process] The control unit 2 executes an editing and expansion parallel process during printing. The editing and expansion parallel process is a processing method in which an editing process of generating intermediate codes by the intermediate code generation unit 22 of the editing process unit 12 and an expansion process of generating image formation data from the intermediate codes by the image formation unit 30 of the expansion process unit 14 are processed in parallel. Also, as a comparative example, the editing and expansion sequential process will be described. The editing and expansion sequential process is a processing method in which, after the expansion process of the intermediate codes for one page by the image formation unit 30 of the expansion process unit 14 is completed, the editing process for the next page is performed by the intermediate code generation unit 22 of the editing process unit 12, that is, the editing process and the expansion process are processed sequentially.

[0035] In the editing and expansion parallel process, the expansion process is executed by a predetermined microprocessor among a plurality of processor cores in the CPU. Also, the editing process is executed by a microprocessor different from the microprocessor performing the expansion process among the plurality of processor cores in the CPU.

[0036] In this way, in the editing and expansion parallel processing, the printer 1 uses a plurality (i.e., two) of core processors to perform the editing process and the expansion process in parallel (i.e., simultaneously) on different core processors. Therefore, the printer 1 can shorten the time required until printing is completed as compared with the editing and expansion sequential processing.

[0037] [3-1. Editing and Expansion Parallel Processing When the Offset Command is Described Only Before the First Drawing Data in the Page] First, regarding the editing and expansion parallel processing in which the offset command 47 is described only before the first drawing data 48 in the page among the editing and expansion parallel processing, it will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, the editing processing unit 12 has intermediate-coded editing processing pages 34a, 34b, 34c,..., 34n (hereinafter also collectively referred to as the editing processing page 34). The expansion processing unit 14 has expansion processing pages 36a, 36b, 36c,..., 36n (hereinafter also collectively referred to as the expansion processing page 36) which are image formation data obtained by rendering each of the editing processing pages 34a, 34b, 34c,..., 34n. In FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, time elapses from top to bottom.

[0039] In the edit and expand parallel process, which is a process that operates the edit process and the expand process in parallel, the page control unit 11 transmits an edit instruction for instructing the edit process of the edit process page 34 to the edit process unit 12 together with the print data. When the edit process unit 12 receives the edit instruction from the page control unit 11, it generates the edit process page 34 specified by the edit instruction, which includes information on the value of the offset amount, without performing the page-wide offset process. When one page of the edit process page 34 is generated, the edit process page 34 is transmitted to the page control unit 11. When the page control unit 11 receives the edit process page 34 from the edit process unit 12, it transmits the edit process page 34 to the expand process unit 14 and transmits an expand instruction for instructing the expand process of the edit process page 34 to the expand process unit 14, thereby requesting image formation. When the expand process unit 14 receives the expand instruction from the page control unit 11, it executes the page-wide offset process based on the information on the value of the offset amount included in the edit process page 34, and then generates the expand process page 36 specified by the expand instruction. When one page of the expand process page 36 is generated, the expand process page 36 is transmitted to the page control unit 11. When the page control unit 11 receives the expand process page 36 from the expand process unit 14, it transmits the expand process page 36 to the print control unit 16 to perform printing.

[0040] When there are multiple pages in the print data, the page control unit 11 transmits the first-page edit instruction, which is an edit instruction for instructing the edit process of the edit process page 34a, to the edit process unit 12 together with the print data. When the edit process unit 12 receives the first-page edit instruction from the page control unit 11, it generates the edit process page 34a specified by the first-page edit instruction, which includes information on the value of the offset amount, without performing the page-wide offset process. When one page of the edit process page 34a is generated, the edit process page 34a is transmitted to the page control unit 11.

[0041] When the page control unit 11 receives the editing process page 34a from the editing process unit 12, it transmits the editing process page 34a to the expansion process unit 14 and transmits a first page expansion instruction, which is an expansion instruction for instructing the expansion process of the editing process page 34a, to the expansion process unit 14, thereby requesting image formation.

[0042] When the expansion process unit 14 receives the first page expansion instruction from the page control unit 11, it executes page-wide offset processing based on the information of the offset amount value included in the editing process page 34a, and then generates the expansion process page 36a specified by the first page expansion instruction. When generating the expansion process page 36a for one page, it transmits the expansion process page 36a to the page control unit 11.

[0043] At this time, without waiting for the completion of the generation of the expansion process page 36a in the expansion process unit 14 (i.e., the completion of image formation), the page control unit 11 transmits a second page editing instruction, which is an editing instruction for instructing the editing process of the next editing process page 34b, together with the print data to the editing process unit 12. The page control unit 11 repeats such processing until the expansion process page 36n is generated in the expansion process unit 14.

[0044] [3-2. Editing and Expansion Parallel Processing When the Offset Command is Described After the First Drawing Data in the Page] Next, regarding the editing and expansion parallel processing in the case where the offset command 47 is described after the first drawing data 48 in the page among the editing and expansion parallel processing, it will be described using FIG. 6 in which the same reference numerals are given to the corresponding parts as in FIG. 5.

[0045] On pages 1 and 2, since the offset command 47 is not described, the page control unit 11 executes normal editing and expansion parallel processing. On the other hand, on page 3, the offset command 47 is described after the first drawing data 48. Also, on page n, the offset command 47 is not described. The page control unit 11 transmits a third-page editing instruction that instructs the editing process of the editing process page 34c to the editing process unit 12 together with the print data. When the editing process unit 12 receives the third-page editing instruction from the page control unit 11, it starts the editing process and discovers the offset command 47 described after the first drawing data 48 on page 3. At this time, the editing process unit 12 transmits an interruption notice to the page control unit 11, which is a notice to interrupt the editing process. At the time when this interruption notice is transmitted, since the page control unit 11 has already transmitted a page 2 expansion instruction, which is an expansion instruction that instructs the expansion process of the editing process page 34b, to the expansion process unit 14, the expansion process unit 14 has started generating the expansion process page 36b.

[0046] When the page control unit 11 receives the interruption notice from the editing process unit 12, it interrupts the editing process in the editing process unit 12 until the expansion process of the editing process page 34b, which is the page immediately before page 3 where the current editing process is being executed (i.e., one page before), is completed. The expansion process unit 14 generates the expansion process page 36b specified by the second-page expansion instruction, and when it generates one page of the expansion process page 36b, it transmits the expansion process page 36b to the page control unit 11.

[0047] When the page control unit 11 receives the expansion process page 36b from the expansion process unit 14, it performs printing by transmitting the expansion process page 36b to the print control unit 16, and at the same time, transmits a resume notice, which is a notice to resume the editing process, to the editing process unit 12.

[0048] When the editing processing unit 12 receives the restart notification from the page control unit 11, it resumes the editing processing of the editing processing page 34c. At this time, the editing processing unit 12 executes the object unit offset processing for applying the offset command 47 described after the first drawing data 48 to the subsequent drawing data 48, and then generates the editing processing page 34c. When generating one page of the editing processing page 34c, it transmits the editing processing page 34c to the page control unit 11.

[0049] Here, when resuming the editing processing of the editing processing page 34c, the editing processing unit 12 inquires of the page control unit 11 whether to generate the currently generated editing processing page 34c as the front or back page of the paper surface, and after executing the object unit offset processing according to the printing setting of the front or back surface of the paper surface indicated by the response, generates the editing processing page 34c.

[0050] When the page control unit 11 receives the editing processing page 34c from the editing processing unit 12, it transmits the editing processing page 34c to the expansion processing unit 14 and, by transmitting a third-page expansion instruction, which is an expansion instruction for instructing the expansion processing of the editing processing page 34c, to the expansion processing unit 14, makes a request for image formation. The page control unit 11 repeats such processing until the expansion processing page 36n is generated in the expansion processing unit 14.

[0051] [3-3. Editing and Expansion Sequential Processing] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, to which the same reference numerals are assigned as those corresponding to FIG. 5, in the edit and expand sequential process, which is a process of sequentially operating the edit process and the expand process, the page control unit 11 transmits an edit instruction to the edit processing unit 12 together with print data. When receiving the edit instruction from the page control unit 11, the edit processing unit 12 appropriately executes an offset process, which is a page-wide offset process or an object-by-object offset process, and then generates an edit processing page 34 specified by the edit instruction. When generating an edit processing page 34 for one page, the edit processing unit 12 transmits the edit processing page 34 to the page control unit 11. When receiving the edit processing page 34 from the edit processing unit 12, the page control unit 11 transmits the edit processing page 34 to the expand processing unit 14 and transmits an expand instruction for instructing the expand process of the edit processing page 34 to the expand processing unit 14, thereby making a request for image formation. When receiving the expand instruction from the page control unit 11, the expand processing unit 14 generates an expand processing page 36 specified by the expand instruction. When generating an expand processing page 36 for one page, the expand processing unit 14 transmits the expand processing page 36 to the page control unit 11. When receiving the expand processing page 36 from the expand processing unit 14, the page control unit 11 performs printing by transmitting the expand processing page 36 to the print control unit 16.

[0052] When there are a plurality of pages in the print data, the page control unit 11 waits for the completion of the generation of the expand processing page 36a (i.e., the completion of image formation) in the expand processing unit 14 and then transmits a second-page edit instruction, which is an edit instruction for the next edit processing page 34b, to the edit processing unit 12. The page control unit 11 repeats such processing until the expand processing page 36n is generated in the expand processing unit 14.

[0053] Here, when generating the edit processing page 34, the edit processing unit 12 inquires of the page control unit 11 whether to generate the currently to-be-generated edit processing page 34 as a page on the front or back surface of the paper, and generates the edit processing page 34 according to the print setting on the front or back surface of the paper indicated by the response.

[0054] [4. Printing Process] Next, the printing process procedure by the printer 1 will be described using the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10. As described above, the printer 1 executes the editing process and the expansion process in parallel as the printing process.

[0055] [4-1. Editing Process] First, the editing process procedure RT1 will be described using the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In step SP1, the control unit 2 receives the print data by the reception unit 10, transfers the print data from the reception unit 10 to the print data analysis unit 20 via the page control unit 11, and moves to step SP2. In step SP2, the control unit 2 determines whether the type of the PDL of the print data is PCLXL or PCL5c by having the print data analysis unit 20 confirm the type of the PDL of the print data. If an affirmative result is obtained here, this indicates that the type of the PDL of the print data is PCLXL or PCL5c, and at this time the control unit 2 moves to step SP3. Specifically, for example, when the print data is print data 44 (FIG. 2), the print data analysis unit 20 determines that the type of the PDL of the print data 44 is PCL5 by confirming the PDL type designation PJL command 46.

[0056] In step SP3, the control unit 2 determines whether the setting of blank page removal in the print data is set to either OFF or ON by having the print data analysis unit 20 confirm the setting of blank page removal in the print data. Specifically, for example, when the print data is print data 44 (FIG. 2), the print data analysis unit 20 determines whether the blank page removal in the print data 44 is set to either OFF or ON by confirming the blank page removal setting PJL command 45.

[0057] In step SP3, if the removal of blank pages in the print data is set to ON, this indicates that the page on which the pages subsequent to the page removed by the blank page removal in the expansion process are arranged may change with respect to the page assumed when the editing process page 34 is generated in the editing process. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP4. In step SP4, the control unit 2 determines, based on the analysis result of the print data analysis unit 20, whether an offset command 47 is described before the first drawing data 48 (above the drawing data 48) in the print data. If an affirmative result is obtained here, this indicates that since the offset command 47 is described before the first drawing data 48, it is necessary to execute page-wide offset processing in the expansion processing unit 14. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP5.

[0058] In step SP5, the control unit 2 starts generating intermediate code for the received drawing data 48 without taking into account the offset amount indicated by the offset command 47 by the editing processing unit 12, and moves to step SP7 (FIG. 9). On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP4 (FIG. 8), this indicates that since the offset command 47 is not described before the first drawing data 48, page-wide offset processing is not performed. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP6. In step SP6, the control unit 2 starts generating intermediate code for the received drawing data 48 by the editing processing unit 12, and moves to step SP7 (FIG. 9).

[0059] In step SP7, the control unit 2 determines, based on the analysis result of the print data analysis unit 20, whether an offset command 47 is described after the first drawing data 48 (below the drawing data 48) in the print data. If an affirmative result is obtained here, this indicates that it is necessary to wait until the page on which the page being edited is arranged is determined. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP8. On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP7, at this time, the control unit 2 skips steps SP8 and SP9 and moves to step SP10.

[0060] In step SP8, the control unit 2 stops generating the intermediate code in the editing processing unit 12 until the expansion processing of the page immediately before the page where the editing processing is being executed is completed, and when the expansion processing of the immediately preceding page is completed, it proceeds to step SP9.

[0061] In step SP9, the control unit 2 causes the editing processing unit 12 to generate an intermediate code taking into account the offset amount indicated by the offset command 47 received in step SP7 for the drawing data 48 (that is, offsetting the drawing data 48), and proceeds to step SP10. In this way, the editing processing unit 12 executes the object-by-object offset process in step SP9.

[0062] When the print data analysis unit 20 analyzes the commands until the end of the page, in step SP10, the control unit 2 notifies the expansion processing unit 14 of the offset amount by transmitting the editing processing page 34 including the information on the offset amount of the page-wide offset process from the editing processing unit 12 to the page control unit 11, and proceeds to step SP11.

[0063] In step SP11, the control unit 2 determines based on the analysis result of the print data analysis unit 20 whether the editing process has ended up to the last page in the print data. If a negative result is obtained here, at this time, the control unit 2 returns to step SP4 (FIG. 8) and repeats the above-described process for the next page. On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP11 (FIG. 9), at this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP19 and ends the editing process procedure RT1.

[0064] On the one hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP2 (Fig. 8), this indicates that since the type of PDL of the print data is, for example, PostScript other than PCLXL or PCL5c, different print settings are not possible for the front and back sides during duplex printing. At this time, the control unit 2 skips step SP3 and moves to step SP12. On the other hand, if white page removal in the print data is set to OFF in step SP3, this indicates that the page on which the page following the page removed by white page removal in the expansion process is placed cannot change with respect to the page assumed when the editing process page 34 is generated in the editing process. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP12.

[0065] In step SP12, the control unit 2 determines, based on the analysis result of the print data analysis unit 20, whether an offset command 47 is described before the first drawing data 48 (above the drawing data 48) in the print data. If an affirmative result is obtained here, this indicates that since the offset command 47 is described before the first drawing data 48, it is necessary to execute page-wide offset processing in the editing unit 12. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP13.

[0066] In step SP13, the control unit 2 starts generating intermediate codes for the received drawing data 48 in consideration of the offset amount indicated by the offset command 47 (i.e., offsetting the drawing data 48) by the editing unit 12 and moves to step SP15 (Fig. 9). On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP12 (Fig. 8), this indicates that since the offset command 47 is not described before the first drawing data 48, page-wide offset processing is not performed. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP14. In step SP14, the control unit 2 starts generating intermediate codes for the received drawing data 48 by the editing unit 12 and moves to step SP15 (Fig. 9).

[0067] In step SP15, the control unit 2 determines based on the analysis result of the print data analysis unit 20 whether an offset command 47 is described after (below the drawing data 48) the first drawing data 48 in the print data. If an affirmative result is obtained here, at this time the control unit 2 moves to step SP16. On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP15, at this time the control unit 2 skips step SP16 and moves to step SP17.

[0068] In step SP16, the control unit 2 causes the editing processing unit 12 to generate an intermediate code that takes into account the offset amount indicated by the offset command 47 for the drawing data 48 received in step SP15 (that is, offsets the drawing data 48), and then moves to step SP17. In this way, the editing processing unit 12 executes the object-by-object offset process in step SP16.

[0069] When the print data analysis unit 20 analyzes the commands until the end of the page, in step SP17, the control unit 2 sends the edited processing page 34 from the editing processing unit 12 to the page control unit 11 and then moves to step SP18.

[0070] In step SP18, the control unit 2 determines based on the analysis result of the print data analysis unit 20 whether the editing process has been completed up to the last page in the print data. If a negative result is obtained here, at this time the control unit 2 returns to step SP12 (FIG. 8) and repeats the above-described process for the next page. On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP18 (FIG. 9), at this time the control unit 2 moves to step SP19 and ends the editing process procedure RT1.

[0071] [4-2. Expansion Process] Next, the expansion process procedure RT2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 10. In step SP21, the control unit 2 performs an expansion process based on the intermediate code of the edited processing page 34 by the image forming unit 30 to generate an expanded processing page 36 (image forming data), and then moves to step SP22 to end the expansion process procedure RT2.

[0072] At this time, when the image forming unit 30 includes information on the value of the offset amount related to the page-wide offset process in the editing process page 34, the image forming unit 30 processes the intermediate code and, considering the side of the paper surface on which the page for generating the image forming data is arranged during double-sided printing, executes a page-wide offset process for moving the bitmap data of the entire page by the offset amount indicated by the information on the value of the offset amount included in the editing process page 34, and then generates the image forming data.

[0073] [5. Effects, etc.] By the way, in the PDL language, there is a PDL language such as PCLXL or PCL5c in which different coordinate systems can be set for the front and back sides of the paper surface during double-sided printing. Specifically, regarding the setting of the offset, the front side of the paper surface is offset 1 [cm] to the right, and the back side of the paper surface is offset 1 [cm] to the left, etc. In such a PDL language, correct output cannot be obtained unless it is determined on which side of the front or back side of the paper surface the page is arranged during double-sided printing.

[0074] On the other hand, in print data in which both double-sided printing and blank page removal are set to ON, an edit-development parallel process is performed in which the generation of the editing process page 34 by the editing processing unit 12 and the generation of the development process page 36 by the development processing unit 14 are processed in parallel. In this case, if a page before the editing process page 34 for which the editing process has been completed is removed by blank page removal in the development process, the editing process page 34 may be arranged on a surface different from the surface on which it was originally supposed to be arranged. That is, in the case of print data in which both double-sided printing and blank page removal are set to ON, the surface on which the page subsequent to the page removed by blank page removal in the development process is arranged may change with respect to the surface assumed when the editing process page 34 is generated in the editing process. In such a case, incorrect printing different from the printing instruction specified by the user may be performed.

[0075] On the other hand, when the printer 1, for example, selects the editing and expansion parallel processing to improve the processing speed compared to the editing and expansion sequential processing when the removal of blank pages in the print data is set to OFF, and when the removal of blank pages in the print data is set to ON, even if the editing process page 34 is removed by the removal of blank pages by the expansion process, the printer 1 may perform an editing process corresponding to the print setting on the front or back surface of the paper where the subsequent editing process pages 34 are arranged in response to the removal of the editing process page 34. However, in that case, when the removal of blank pages is set to ON, the time required for printing becomes longer than in the case of the editing and expansion parallel processing.

[0076] On the other hand, when the removal of blank pages in the print data is set to ON and the offset command 47 is described only before the first drawing data 48 within the page, the printer 1 selects the editing and expansion parallel processing to improve the processing speed compared to the editing and expansion sequential processing.

[0077] At the same time, the printer 1 does not perform the page-wide offset process in the editing process unit 12 so that the coordinates of the object are not moved during the generation of the intermediate code, and generates an editing process page 34 including information on the value of the offset amount specified by the offset command 47, and notifies the offset amount of the drawing data 48 (object) for the entire page from the editing process unit 12 to the expansion process unit 14 by delivering the editing process page 34 from the editing process unit 12 to the expansion process unit 14.

[0078] Also, in the expansion processing unit 14 of the printer 1, after processing the intermediate code into bitmap data for one page, considering the side of the paper surface where the page for generating the image formation data is arranged during double-sided printing, the printer 1 executes page-wide offset processing to move the entire bitmap data for one page by the offset amount indicated by the information on the value of the offset amount notified from the editing processing unit 12, and then generates the image formation data.

[0079] In this way, when the blank page removal in the print data is set to ON in the printer 1 and the offset command 47 is described only before the first drawing data 48 within the page, the printer 1 executes the page-wide offset processing that is originally to be executed in the editing processing unit 12 in the expansion processing unit 14.

[0080] Therefore, even if the editing processing page 34 is removed by blank page removal by expansion processing in the printer 1, the printer 1 can perform expansion processing including offset processing according to the print settings on the front or back surface of the paper where the subsequent editing processing pages 34 are arranged in response to the removal of the editing processing page 34. Thus, the printer 1 can perform expansion processing according to print settings such as a change in the offset direction between the front and back surfaces of the paper.

[0081] As a result, when the blank page removal is set to ON in the printer 1, the printer 1 can print according to the print instruction specified by the user without imposing complicated procedures on the user, such as changing the print settings, while shortening the time required for printing compared to the case of sequential editing and expansion processing.

[0082] Also, as described above, in PCL5, although the offset command 47 is generally described before the first drawing data 48 within the page, it can be specified any number of times for the page according to the command specification.

[0083] On the other hand, when white page removal is set to ON in the print data and the offset command 47 is described after the first drawing data 48 within the page, the printer 1 interrupts the editing process by the editing processing unit 12 until the unfolding process of the page immediately before the page on which the editing process is being executed at that time (i.e., one page before) is completed (i.e., until the unfolding process of all the pages that have been edited at that time is completed).

[0084] When the unfolding process of all the pages at that time is completed, the printer 1 resumes the editing process in the editing processing unit 12, and considering the side of the paper surface on which the page being edited is arranged during double-sided printing, it executes object unit offset processing to move the drawing data 48 by the offset amount indicated by the offset command 47. After performing coordinate movement of the object during the generation of the intermediate code, it generates the edited processing page 34 and transfers the edited processing page 34 from the editing processing unit 12 to the unfolding processing unit 14.

[0085] Also, when the offset amount value information is included in the edited processing page 34 in the unfolding processing unit 14, the printer 1 executes page-wide offset processing to move the bitmap data of the entire page by the offset amount and then generates image formation data. At this time, for the objects for which the object unit offset processing has already been executed in the editing processing unit 12, the printer 1 does not execute the offset processing for the object unit.

[0086] In this way, when white page removal is set to ON in the print data and the offset command 47 is described after the first drawing data 48 within the page, the printer 1 interrupts the editing process by the editing processing unit 12 until the unfolding process of the page immediately before the page being edited at that time is completed and the side on which the page being edited is arranged is determined. When the unfolding process of all the pages at that time is completed, the printer 1 executes object unit offset processing in the editing processing unit 12.

[0087] Therefore, even if the offset command 47 can be specified any number of times for a page in the PDL that satisfies the command specification, when the blank page removal is set to ON, the printer 1 can make the time required for printing shorter than that in the case of the editing and expansion sequential processing for the entire print data.

[0088] According to the above configuration, the printer 1 includes an editing processing unit 12 that executes an editing process for generating an edited processing page 34, which is an intermediate code, from print data, a developing processing unit 14 that can execute a developing process for developing the edited processing page 34 to generate a developed processing page 36, which is image forming data, in parallel with the editing process, a print control unit 16 that prints the developed processing page 36 on a sheet as a medium, and a page control unit 11 that can cause the developing processing unit 14 to execute the developing process after causing the editing processing unit 12 to execute the editing process for print data corresponding to a predetermined page. When the execution of blank page removal is specified in the print data and the execution of the page offset process as a print area change process for changing the print area on a predetermined page is specified, the page control unit 11 causes the developing processing unit 14 to execute the page offset process.

[0089] Thereby, even if the edited processing page 34 is removed by the blank page removal by the developing process, the printer 1 can perform a developing process including an offset process according to the print setting on the front or back surface of the paper surface where the subsequent edited processing pages 34 are arranged in response to the removal of the edited processing page 34.

[0090] [6. Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, when the printer 1 has white page removal set to ON and the execution of page-wide offset processing is specified, the expansion processing unit 14 performs page-wide offset processing. On the other hand, when white page removal is set to OFF and the execution of page-wide offset processing is specified, the case where the editing processing unit 12 performs page-wide offset processing has been described. The present invention is not limited to this. When double-sided printing and white page removal are set to ON and the execution of page-wide offset processing is specified, the expansion processing unit 14 performs page-wide offset processing. On the other hand, when at least one of double-sided printing or white page removal is set to OFF and the execution of page-wide offset processing is specified, the editing processing unit 12 may perform page-wide offset processing. In that case, as described above in the print data 44 (Fig. 2), since the double-sided printing setting command may be described in the command of the last page in the latest case, although the time required until the start of the editing processing and the expansion processing may become long, when at least one of white page removal or double-sided printing is set to OFF and originally there is no need for the expansion processing unit 14 to perform page-wide offset processing, the printer 1 can perform page-wide offset processing in the editing processing unit 12.

[0091] Also, in the above-described embodiment, when the type of PDL of the print data of the printer 1 is PCLXL or PCL5c, and white page removal is set to ON and the execution of page-wide offset processing is specified, the case where the expansion processing unit 14 performs page-wide offset processing has been described. The present invention is not limited to this. When the type of PDL of the print data of the printer 1 is various other types that enable different printing settings for the front and back surfaces during double-sided printing, and white page removal is set to ON and the execution of page-wide offset processing is specified, the expansion processing unit 14 may perform page-wide offset processing.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the printer 1 switches the processing unit that performs the page-wide offset processing to the expansion processing unit 14 or the editing processing unit 12 according to the ON / OFF setting of white page removal has been described. The present invention is not limited to this. The printer 1 may switch the processing unit that performs the page-wide offset processing to the expansion processing unit 14 or the editing processing unit 12 according to the ON / OFF setting of various other functions related to printing, where there is a possibility that the edited processing page 34 generated in the editing processing is arranged on a surface other than the front or back surface where it was originally planned to be arranged due to the addition or deletion of a predetermined edited processing page 34 in the expansion processing.

[0093] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and other embodiments. That is, the present invention applies to embodiments that arbitrarily combine a part or all of the above-described embodiment and the above-described other embodiments. Also, the present invention applies to embodiments in which a part of the configuration described in any of the above-described embodiment and other embodiments is extracted and replaced / transferred with a part of the configuration of any of the above-described embodiment and other embodiments, or embodiments in which a part of the extracted configuration is added to any of the embodiments.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the printer 1 as an image forming apparatus is configured by the editing processing unit 12 as the editing processing unit, the expansion processing unit 14 as the expansion processing unit, the print control unit 16 as the print processing unit, and the page control unit 11 as the control unit has been described. The present invention is not limited to this, and an image forming apparatus may be configured by an editing processing unit, an expansion processing unit, a print processing unit, and a control unit having various other configurations.

Industrial Applicability

[0095] The present invention can be used when performing printing while removing blank pages.

Explanation of Signs

[0096] 1... Printer, 2... Control unit, 10... Receiver, 11... Page control unit, 12... Editing processing unit, 14... Expansion processing unit, 16... Printing control unit, 20... Print data analysis unit, 22... Intermediate code generation unit, 24... PCLXL interpreter, 26... PCL5c interpreter, 28... PostScript interpreter, 30... Image forming unit, 34... Editing processing page, 36... Expansion processing page, 44, 49, 50... Print data, 45, 51... Blank page removal setting PJL command, 46, 52... PDL type designation PJL command, 47a, 47b, 53a... Offset command, 48a, 48b, 54a, 54b... Drawing data.< / esc> < / esc>

Claims

1. An editing processing unit that executes an editing process for generating intermediate code from print data, An expansion processing unit capable of executing an expansion process for expanding the intermediate code to generate image formation data in parallel with the editing process, A printing processing unit that prints the image formation data on a medium, A control unit capable of causing the expansion processing unit to execute the expansion process after causing the editing processing unit to execute the editing process on the print data corresponding to a predetermined page and having, The control unit, when execution of blank page removal is specified in the print data and execution of a print area change process for changing a print area on the predetermined page is specified, causes the expansion processing unit to execute the print area change process An image forming apparatus characterized by the above.

2. The control unit, when the editing processing unit is executing the editing process and execution of an offset process for moving a predetermined object is specified in the print data corresponding to the predetermined page, stops the editing process of the print data corresponding to the predetermined page in the editing processing unit until the expansion process of the page immediately before the predetermined page being executed in the expansion processing unit is completed, and when the expansion process of the immediately preceding page is completed, resumes the editing process in the editing processing unit and executes the offset process The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The control unit, when a command for specifying execution of the print area change process is described before the first object in the print data corresponding to the predetermined page, causes the expansion processing unit to execute the print area change process The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. The control unit, when a command for specifying execution of the offset process is described after the first object in the print data corresponding to the predetermined page, causes the editing processing unit to execute the offset process The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

5. The print data is described in a page description language capable of different print settings for the front and back surfaces of the medium The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

6. The print data is described by PCLXL or PCL5c The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, characterized by the above.

7. The control unit, When the print data is described by something other than PCLXL or PCL5c, or when the execution of the blank page removal is not specified in the print data and the execution of the print area change process is specified, the editing processing unit executes the print area change process. On the other hand, when the print data is described by PCLXL or PCL5c, the execution of the blank page removal is specified in the print data, and the execution of the print area change process is specified, the expansion processing unit executes the print area change process. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. The control unit When at least one of duplex printing or blank page removal is not specified in the print data and the execution of the print area change process is specified, the editing processing unit executes the print area change process. On the other hand, when the execution of duplex printing and blank page removal is specified in the print data and the execution of the print area change process is specified, the expansion processing unit executes the print area change process. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

9. An editing process step of executing an editing process for generating intermediate code from print data, An expansion process step that can be executed in parallel with the editing process step and executes an expansion process for expanding the intermediate code to generate image formation data, A printing process step of printing the image formation data on a medium, A control step capable of executing the expansion process by the expansion process step after executing the editing process by the editing process step on the print data corresponding to a predetermined page, having The control step When the execution of blank page removal is specified in the print data and the execution of a print area change process for changing the print area on the predetermined page is specified, the expansion process step executes the print area change process. An image forming method characterized by that.

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