Printing device

Abstract

To provide a printing device that can print individual printing data including individual information on each user by simple operation.SOLUTION: The printing device comprises: a user management part 12 that manages user information; a printing data analyzing part 16 that detects user information included in printing data and analyzes a position of the user information to detect a fixed part and a variable part in the printing data; an each- user printing data generating part 17 that generates, as printing data corresponding to each user of the user management part 12, printing data for each user by extracting only a portion corresponding to each user out of the variable part and synthesizing the portion with the fixed part; and a storing part 15 that stores the printing data for each user so that each user can print the data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, when a school teacher distributes printed materials to students, he or she writes individual information for each student on a basic manuscript containing common items such as a title. That is, the necessary content for each student is written on the basic manuscript. Techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known as methods for printing different content for each user.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that allows other users to print a print job of one user. Patent Document 2 describes preparing one print job and adding information for each user as a watermark. Also, there are commercially available word processors that have a mail merge function. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-162165 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-33512 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, Patent Document 1 does not mention creating different print data for each user. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 allows users to add information but does not allow for the deletion of unnecessary information, making it impossible to separate and print print information for each user. Furthermore, the mail merge function of commercially available word processors requires a great deal of effort and difficulty in creating data for mail merge. Furthermore, since the print results are printed all at once, distributing them to each user is time-consuming.

[0006] In other words, when a school teacher creates printed materials with different content for each student, the technologies disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2, or the mail merge function of a word processor, have the problem of placing a heavy burden on the teacher and requiring skill.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve such conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide a printing device that can print individual print data including individual information for each user with simple operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a printing device according to one aspect of the present application comprises a user management unit that manages user information, a print data analysis unit that detects the user information contained in the print data and analyzes the position of the user information to detect the fixed and variable parts of the print data, a user print data generation unit that extracts only the part of the variable part that corresponds to each user as print data corresponding to each user of the user management unit and combines this with the fixed part to generate print data for each user, and a storage unit that stores the print data for each user in a state that allows each user to print it. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to print individual print data including individual information of each user with a simple operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram showing histograms in the vertical and horizontal directions of print data written horizontally. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram showing histograms in the vertical and horizontal directions of vertically written print data. [Figure 3A]FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram showing an area R1 corresponding to a key in horizontally written print data. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing an area R1 corresponding to a key in vertically written print data. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing a fixed portion R2 of print data written horizontally. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing a fixed portion R2 of vertically written print data. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram showing a fixed portion R2 and a variable portion R3 of print data written horizontally. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram showing a fixed portion R2 and a variable portion R3 of vertically written print data. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing how individual print data is extracted from print data written horizontally. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram showing how individual print data is extracted from vertically written print data. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how to handle information when there are two or more lines of login user information. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing device according to this embodiment.

[0012] 1, the printing device 1 according to this embodiment includes an input unit 11, a user management unit 12, a login unit 13, a printing condition specification unit 14, a storage unit 15, a print data analysis unit 16, a user print data generation unit 17, and a printing unit 18. Each component included in the printing device 1 can be configured as an integrated computer including, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) and storage means such as RAM, ROM, and a hard disk.

[0013] The input unit 11 accepts input from each user. The information input by the user includes user registration information, login user information, and printing condition information. The input unit 11 outputs the information input by the user to the user management unit 12.

[0014] The user management unit 12 registers users who operate the printing device 1. The user management unit 12 sets, stores, and manages unique login information for each user. In other words, the user management unit 12 manages user information.

[0015] When a print operation is input by a user registered in the user management unit, the login unit 13 approves the print operation by this user.

[0016] When printing conditions are input by a user registered in the user management unit 12 , the printing condition designation unit 14 designates the printing conditions and outputs them to the printing data analysis unit 16 .

[0017] The storage unit 15 stores the print data of each user in a state where each user can print it. The print data includes a title and individual print data for multiple users. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, data such as "Sports Day" and "Footrace" are included as titles. In addition, data such as "5th leg, 3rd course" is included as individual print data for logged-in user information "AA."

[0018] The print data analysis unit 16 analyzes the print data stored in the storage unit 15 and extracts the title included in the print data and the user login information set for each user. The print data analysis unit 16 analyzes the position of the user information included in the print data to detect the fixed part and variable part of the print data. The print data analysis procedure will be described later.

[0019] The user print data generation unit 17 acquires the title extracted by the print data analysis unit 16 and the user login information corresponding to each user, and generates individual print data by combining these. The user print data generation unit 17 extracts only the portion corresponding to each user from the variable portion as print data corresponding to each user in the user management unit 12, combines it with the fixed portion, and generates individual print data for each user. Individual print data will be described later.

[0020] The printing unit 18 prints the individual print data generated by the print data division generation unit 17 on a predetermined printing paper, and outputs the printed matter to the outside.

[0021] Next, the print data analysis procedure by print data analysis unit 16 will be explained using the example of processing to print an information program for an athletic meet. Figures 2A, 2B to 6A, 6B, and 7 are explanatory diagrams of processing to print an information program. Note that Figure 2A shows horizontally written print data D1, and Figure 2B shows vertically written print data D2. Vertical and horizontal writing differ only in their orientation, so the following will explain the example of horizontally written print data shown in Figures 2A to 6A and 7.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2A, the print data analysis unit 16 detects a histogram h1 that indicates the frequency of user login information in the horizontal direction and a histogram h2 that indicates the frequency of user login information in the vertical direction for rectangular print data D1. Based on the horizontal and vertical histograms h1 and h2, the print data analysis unit 16 searches for the location of the most frequent value and recognizes this location as the location where user login information exists. This location is set as a key.

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the portion indicated by symbol p1 in horizontal histogram h1 is the portion with the most frequent value and is set as a key (hereinafter referred to as "key p1"). That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, region R1 corresponding to key p1 is recognized as the region where user login information is written. In the vertical writing example shown in FIG. 2B, key p1 exists in vertical histogram h2, so region R1 is recognized as the region where user login information is written, as shown in FIG. 3B.

[0024] Next, the print data analysis unit 16 searches for the vertical histogram h2 shown in FIG. 2A. That is, it searches for a histogram h2 in a vertical direction different from the horizontal direction in which key p1 was searched. The print data analysis unit 16 searches for a portion of the histogram h2 where the frequency of user login information is low, and sets this portion as a fixed section, which is an area where no user login information exists and where a title is written. Specifically, the fixed section R2 shown in FIG. 4A is set. In the vertical writing example shown in FIG. 3B, the fixed section R2 shown in FIG. 4B is set. The fixed section R2 is an area where no information linked to the logged-in user exists.

[0025] The print data analysis unit 16 further sets the area other than the fixed section R2 as a variable section in which the user login information is written. Specifically, the variable section R3 shown in FIG. 5A is set. In the example of vertical writing, the variable section R3 shown in FIG. 5B is set. The variable section R3 is an area in which information linked to the logged-in user exists. Furthermore, each user login information is extracted from the variable section R3. In this way, the title, which is the fixed section, and the variable section containing each user login information are extracted from the print data D1 (print data D2 in the case of vertical writing).

[0026] The print data division and generation unit 17 extracts user login information and associated information corresponding to a specific user from variable portion R3, deletes other user login information and associated information, and generates individual print data by combining the titles in static portion R2. That is, as shown in FIG. 6A, for user login information "AA," individual print data D11 is generated by combining the characters "Athletics Meet," "Footrace," "Name," and "Participation" present in static portion R2 with the characters of the user login information "AA," "5th Race," and "3rd Course" present in variable portion R3. Similarly, for user login information "BB," individual print data D12 is generated by combining the characters "Athletics Meet," "Footrace," "Name," and "Participation" with the characters of the user login information "BB," "3rd Race," and "4th Course." The same process is performed for other user login information.

[0027] In the vertical writing example, as shown in Figure 6B, for user login information "AA", individual print data D21 is generated by combining the characters in static part R2 and the characters in user login information "AA", "5th race", and "3rd course" that exist in variable part R3. Also, for user login information "BB", individual print data D22 is generated by combining the characters in static part R2 and the characters in user login information "BB", "3rd race", and "4th course" that exist in variable part R3.

[0028] 7, when there are two or more lines of characters for each piece of login user information, that is, when there are characters shown in areas r1 to r4, area R4 including r1 between the user login information "AA" and "BB" is treated as information for the user login information "AA." In this way, when there is a gap below the user login information "AA" to the next piece of user login information "BB," the information from the user login information "AA" to the above the next piece of user login information "BB" is treated as information for "AA."

[0029] The same applies to the user login information "BB", "CC", and "DD", and the portions including r2, r3, and r4 respectively become the information for the user login information "BB", "CC", and "DD", respectively.

[0030] While Figure 7 shows an example of horizontal writing, the same applies to vertical writing (not shown). When there is a gap between the user login information "AA" and the next user login information "BB" to the left of the user login information "AA," the information from the user login information "AA" to the right of the next user login information "BB" is treated as information for "AA."

[0031] Next, the processing procedure of the printing device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 8. First, in step S11, the print data analysis unit 16 creates histograms of the login information of users present in the vertical and horizontal directions for the manuscript data pre-stored in the storage unit 15. For example, the histograms h1 and h2 shown in Fig. 2A are created.

[0032] In step S12, the print data analysis unit 16 detects the most frequent value from the horizontal histogram h1 and the vertical histogram h2.

[0033] In step S13, the print data analysis unit 16 determines whether the most frequent value detected in step S12 is one location. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2A, the location indicated by key p1 shows an exceptionally large numerical value, and there are no other locations with outstanding numerical values, so it is determined that the most frequent value is one location. If the most frequent value is one location (S13; YES), the process proceeds to step S14; if not (S13; NO), the process proceeds to step S20.

[0034] In step S20, the print data analysis unit 16 determines that the user login information cannot be read, outputs error data, and ends this process. That is, if multiple most frequent values ​​are detected, the location of the user login information cannot be identified, so it is determined to be an error.

[0035] In step S14, the print data analysis unit 16 sets the location of the most frequent value detected in the processing of step S12 to the region R1 where the key p1 exists (see FIGS. 2A and 2B).

[0036] In step S15, the print data analysis unit 16 sets the portion of a histogram h2, which is different from the histogram h1 in which the key p1 is detected, where no user login information exists, to a fixed portion R2 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B).

[0037] In step S16, the print data analysis unit 16 sets the area of ​​the print data D1 other than the fixed part R2 as the variable part R3.

[0038] In step S17, the print data division and generation unit 17 creates print data according to the user login information. Specifically, of the print data D1, only the static portion R2 and the variable portion R3 containing the user login information are left, and portions unrelated to the user login information are deleted as unnecessary information. As a result, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, individual print data (e.g., D11, D12, D21, and D22) are generated in which only the title and portions corresponding to specific user login information are described.

[0039] In step S18, the print data analysis unit 16 determines whether individual print data for all user login information has been generated. If not (S18; NO), the process proceeds to step S19. If generated (S18; YES), the process ends.

[0040] In step S19, print data analysis unit 16 sets the next user login information and returns the process to step S17. In this way, individual print data corresponding to each user login information is created. Then, each individual print data is printed on printing paper by printing unit 18 shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the print data may not be printed immediately, but may be saved in saving unit 15 so that the user can print it when they log in.

[0041] 2A and 2B, the printing device 1 according to this embodiment divides the print data D1 and D2 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B into a static section R2 containing the title and a variable section R3 containing each user's login information. When extracting information about each logged-in user to create individual print data, the printing device 1 creates and prints the individual print data by combining the contents of the static section R2 with the logged-in user information contained in the variable section R3. This allows the creator of the print data (e.g., a school teacher) to easily create individual print data containing the individual information of each user (e.g., a student).

[0042] Furthermore, if each piece of login user information contains multiple lines of text, the text will correspond to the user login information above the text (or to the right if written vertically), as shown in Figure 7, making it possible to reliably distinguish each user's information and create individual print data.

[0043] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, all of the components shown in the embodiments may be appropriately combined. Naturally, various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention as set forth in the claims of the original application of this application is set forth below.

[0044] [Appendix 1] a user management unit that manages user information; a print data analysis unit that detects user information included in the print data and analyzes the position of the user information to detect fixed portions and variable portions of the print data; a user print data generation unit that extracts only a portion corresponding to each user from the variable portion as print data corresponding to each user of the user management unit, and combines the extracted portion with the fixed portion to generate print data for each user; a storage unit that stores the print data of each user in a state that allows each user to print the print data; A printing device comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1 Printing device 11 Input section 12 User Management Department 13 Login section 14 Printing condition specification section 15 Preservation Department 16 Printing data analysis unit 17 Print data division generation unit 18 Printing Department D1, D2 print data D11, D12, D21, D22 Individual print data h1 histogram h2 histogram R1 area R2 fixed part R3 variable part

Claims

[Claim 1] a user management unit that manages user information; a print data analysis unit that detects user information included in the print data and analyzes the position of the user information to detect fixed portions and variable portions of the print data; a user print data generation unit that extracts only a portion corresponding to each user from the variable portion as print data corresponding to each user of the user management unit, and combines the extracted portion with the fixed portion to generate print data for each user; a storage unit that stores the print data of each user in a state that allows each user to print the print data; A printing device comprising:

Images