Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and image forming system

Abstract

To improve the usability of the forced printing function. [Solution] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a media tray 22 capable of storing media, a print data receiving unit 4 capable of receiving print data, an image generation unit 5 that generates raster data to be printed based on the print data, a print range determination unit 14 that determines the print range PA in the image data based on the object OB when printing the image data, and a printing unit 20 that performs printing of the print range PA.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when the image size, which is the size of the medium specified by the print data, and the medium size, which is the size of the printable medium housed in the media tray, are different, an image forming apparatus having a forced printing function that forcibly prints on the medium of the medium size regardless of the image size has been known (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, there has been a problem that an image may not be placed in the area printed in the forced printing function.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and intends to propose an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming system that can improve the convenience of the forced printing function.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve these problems, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a media storage unit capable of storing a medium, a receiving unit capable of receiving print data, an image generation unit that generates image data to be printed based on the print data, a print range determination unit that determines the print range in the image data based on the print area when printing the image data, and a printing unit that performs printing of the print range.

[0007] Furthermore, the image forming method of the present invention includes a receiving step of receiving print data, an image generation step of generating image data to be printed based on the print data, a print range determination step of determining the print range in the image data based on the print area when printing the image data, and a printing step of performing printing of the print range.

[0008] Furthermore, in the image forming system of the present invention, an image forming system having an image forming apparatus and a server is provided, which includes a media storage unit capable of storing media, a receiving unit capable of receiving print data, an image generation unit that generates image data to be printed based on the print data, a print range determination unit that determines the print range in the image data based on the print area when printing the image data, and a printing unit that performs printing of the print range.

[0009] The present invention allows for the printing of an image on a medium when the image size, which is the size of the medium specified in the print data, differs from the media size, which is the size of the printable medium stored in the media storage unit. In this case, when performing forced printing, which prints regardless of the image size, the position of the print area is adjusted according to the arrangement of the print area in the image data, so that the image is printed on the medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, when performing forced printing, the position of the printing area can be adjusted according to the arrangement of the printing area in the image data, so that the image is printed on the medium. Thus, the present invention can realize an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming system that can improve the convenience of the forced printing function. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the printing process. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the process of determining the print area. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The embodiments for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] [1. Configuration of the image forming apparatus] As shown in Figure 1, the image forming apparatus 1 comprises a control unit 2, a printing unit 20, a media tray 22, and a display operation unit 24, with the control unit 2 providing overall control. The control unit 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (not shown), and performs various processes by reading and executing predetermined programs. The image forming apparatus 1 also receives print data from a higher-level device (not shown) and performs printing of the print data.

[0014] The control unit 2 includes, as internal modules, a print data receiving unit 4, an image generation unit 5, and a device control unit 10. The print data receiving unit 4 receives print data from a host device, such as a PC or mobile terminal, which is an information processing device. The image generation unit 5 includes an editing processing unit 6 and an expansion processing unit 12, and generates image data to be printed based on the print data.

[0015] The editing processing unit 6 includes a print data analysis unit 7, which processes the print data received by the print data receiving unit 4 and generates an intermediate code to perform editing. The print data analysis unit 7 includes an image size detection unit 8 and an intermediate code generation unit 9, which performs PDL (Printer Description Language) analysis of the print data using a PDL (Printer Description Language) interpreter. The image size detection unit 8 analyzes the print data and detects the image size, which is the size of the image in the print data (i.e., the size of the medium specified in the print data). The intermediate code generation unit 9 generates an intermediate code that is used by the unfolding processing unit 12 to generate raster data.

[0016] The device control unit 10 has a media size detection unit 11, which manages and controls the state of the image forming apparatus 1. The media size detection unit 11 detects the media size, which is the size of the media in the media tray 22 installed in the image forming apparatus 1.

[0017] The unfolding processing unit 12 includes an image forming unit 13 and a print range determination unit 14, and performs the unfolding process by rendering the intermediate code generated by the editing processing unit 6 and generating printable raster data. The image forming unit 13 includes an intermediate code analysis unit 15 and a raster data generation unit 16, and generates raster data from the intermediate code. The intermediate code analysis unit 15 analyzes the intermediate code generated by the editing processing unit 6 and obtains information necessary for generating raster data and determining the print range. The raster data generation unit 16 generates printable raster data based on the intermediate code. The print range determination unit 14 includes a forced printing determination unit 17 and a print range control unit 18, and performs a print range determination process that determines where and within what area of ​​the actual medium the generated raster data should be printed based on the objects in the raster data. The forced printing determination unit 17 compares the image size of the intermediate code analyzed by the image forming unit 13 with the medium size detected by the medium size detection unit 11 and determines whether or not to perform forced printing. The print range control unit 18 controls which areas of the generated raster data are to be placed on the medium as an image (i.e., an object).

[0018] The printing unit 20 prints raster data onto a medium. One or more media trays 22 are provided in the image forming apparatus 1, and the media to be printed by the printing unit 20 are placed thereon. Each media tray 22 is set with a media size which is the size of the media to be placed. The display operation unit 24 as an input unit is configured by, for example, a touch panel, outputs information to the user, and acquires operation inputs from the user.

[0019] [2. Printing process] Next, the specific processing procedure of the printing process by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 2. The control unit 2 starts the printing process procedure RT1 by reading and executing a printing process program, and moves to step SP1. In step SP1, the control unit 2 receives the printing data transmitted from a host device such as a PC or a mobile terminal by the printing data receiving unit 4, and delivers the printing data from the printing data receiving unit 4 to the printing data analysis unit 7 of the editing processing unit 6, and then moves to step SP2.

[0020] In step SP2, the control unit 2 analyzes the content of the received printing data by the printing data analysis unit 7 to generate an intermediate code, and delivers the intermediate code from the printing data analysis unit 7 to the expansion processing unit 12, and then moves to step SP3. At this time, the printing data analysis unit 7 analyzes the printing data by the image size detection unit 8 to detect the image size described in the printing data, and generates an intermediate code including image size information from the analyzed printing data by the intermediate code generation unit 9.

[0021] In step SP3, the control unit 2 compares the image size of the print data with the media size of the media stored in the media tray 22 of the image forming apparatus 1 by the forced printing determination unit 17, and determines whether a media having a media size equal to the image size is stored in the image forming apparatus 1. At this time, the forced printing determination unit 17 acquires, from the intermediate code analysis unit 15, an intermediate code including information on the image size analyzed and generated from the print data by the intermediate code analysis unit 15 in the expansion process, and acquires, from the media size detection unit 11, the media size of the media stored in the image forming apparatus 1 detected by the media size detection unit 11 of the apparatus control unit 10. If a negative result is obtained here, this indicates that there may be a possibility of executing forced printing because a media having a media size equal to the image size is not stored in the image forming apparatus 1. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP4.

[0022] In step SP4, the control unit 2 notifies the user by displaying on the display operation unit 24 whether to execute forced printing because a media having a media size equal to the image size is not stored in the image forming apparatus 1, and determines whether to execute forced printing based on the user's operation on the display operation unit 24. If an affirmative result is obtained here, this indicates that the user desires to execute forced printing. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP5.

[0023] On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP4, this indicates that the user desires not to execute forced printing. At this time, the control unit 2 moves to step SP9. In step SP9, the control unit 2 cancels the printing so as not to execute the printing, moves to step SP10, and ends the print processing procedure RT1.

[0024] In step SP5, the control unit 2 compares the image size with the media size of the medium on which forced printing is to be performed, and the forced printing determination unit 17 determines whether the image size is larger than the media size. If a positive result is obtained here, this indicates that if the image size is larger than the media size, the entire image may not fit within the media during forced printing, and therefore it is necessary to adjust the position of the object during forced printing. At this point, the control unit 2 proceeds to step SP6.

[0025] In step SP6, the control unit 2 executes a print range determination process (details of which will be described later), which allows the print range control unit 18 to scan the raster data generated by the raster data generation unit 16 based on the information analyzed by the intermediate code analysis unit 15 to identify the position of the object, and then proceeds to step SP7.

[0026] In step SP7, the control unit 2 performs a print range determination process (details will be described later), and based on the object information obtained by scanning the raster data in step SP6, the print range control unit 18 detects the largest object, the print range control unit 18 determines the print range for forced printing so that the object is at the center, and the process moves to step SP8 (details will be described later).

[0027] In step SP8, the control unit 2 prints the print range of the image data determined by the print range control unit 18 onto the actual medium using the printing unit 20, then proceeds to step SP10 and ends the printing process procedure RT1.

[0028] On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP5, this indicates that if the image size is less than or equal to the media size, the entire image will fit within the media during forced printing, and therefore there is no need to adjust the position of the object during forced printing. At this point, the control unit 2 moves to step SP8. In step SP8, the control unit 2 performs forced printing without adjusting the position of the object and prints onto the actual media using the printing unit 20, then moves to step SP10 and terminates the printing process procedure RT1.

[0029] On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP3, this indicates that a medium with the same size as the image is stored in the image forming apparatus 1, and therefore there is no need to perform forced printing. At this point, the control unit 2 moves to step SP8. In step SP8, the control unit 2 performs normal printing and prints onto the actual medium using the printing unit 20, then moves to step SP10 and terminates the printing process procedure RT1.

[0030] [3. Regarding the process of determining the print area] Here, the print range determination process performed in steps SP6 and SP7 of the printing procedure RT1 (Figure 2) will be explained using Figure 3. In Figure 3, the upward direction along the vertical direction indicates the transport direction of the medium in the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in Figure 3(A), the raster data RD has, for example, star-shaped objects OBs and roughly circular objects OBc (hereinafter collectively referred to as object OB) positioned lower and to the right of the center in the vertical direction.

[0031] In the image forming apparatus 1, when forced printing is performed when the image size of the raster data RD is larger than the media size, the print area PA is initially set to the position and range shown in Figure 3(A), for example. This print area PA is positioned so that the leading edge of the transport direction of the print area PA coincides with the leading edge of the transport direction of the raster data RD, and the center of the transport width direction of the print area PA coincides with the center of the transport width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the raster data RD. Therefore, if the image forming apparatus 1 prints the raster data RD (Figure 3(A)) without performing the print area determination process described later, only a portion of the upper part of the objects OBs will be printed on the media within the print area PA.

[0032] The unfolding processing unit 12 divides the raster data RD for one page (Figure 3(A)), which is the base data generated by the raster data generation unit 16, into CMYK planes: plane PNc for cyan (C), plane PNm for magenta (M), plane PNy for yellow (Y), and plane PNk for black (K) (Figure 3(B)). Hereafter, planes PNc, PNm, PNy, and PNk will be collectively referred to as plane PN.

[0033] Next, the unfolding processing unit 12 divides each plane PN into multiple bands BD, which are rectangular units that are linearly separated along the transport width direction and equally spaced in the longitudinal direction (transport direction). In this embodiment, for example, the unfolding processing unit 12 divides each plane PN into nine bands BD, from band BD1 to band BD9. The unfolding processing unit 12 can scan each plane PN band BD and can determine which band BD contains the image.

[0034] The unpacking processing unit 12 divides the raster data RD into planes PN, divides each plane PN into multiple bands BD, and scans each band BD to determine whether or not abnormal data exists in the raster data RD, at the time of the original unpacking process.

[0035] The print range control unit 18, when scanning data for each band BD during the unfolding process, identifies and weights the band BD on which data (i.e., object OB) is located. Specifically, the print range control unit 18 weights each band BD based on the amount of printing. The amount of printing is calculated based on at least one of the number of data points or the density. The number of data points indicates the number of data points on each band BD and is either 0 or another value. Density indicates a specific numerical value such as 0 to 255. Since areas of the printed image on the medium with higher density contain more data, and there is a demand to check the color of these high-density areas, density is used as a criterion for determination.

[0036] For example, in the case of a plain PNc, since there are no objects OB in bands BD1, BD2, BD3, BD8, and BD9, the weight values ​​of these bands BD are "0". Band BD4 has a small number of objects OBs, so the weight value of band BD4 is "1". Band BD5 has a slightly larger number of objects OBs, so the weight value of band BD5 is "2". Band BD7 has even more objects OBs, so the weight value of band BD7 is "4". Band BD6 has even more objects OBs, so the weight value of band BD8 is "5".

[0037] The print range control unit 18 determines the base band BD of the print range PA based on the results of this weighting. Specifically, the print range control unit 18 sums the weighting values ​​of all planes PN for each band BD and sets band BD6, which has the largest sum, as the base band BDB (Figure 3(D)). Next, the print range control unit 18 aligns the center of the transport direction in the print range PA with the base band BDB, deletes the upper band BD (bands BD1, BD2, and BD3) that are unnecessary to fit the media size, deletes the lower band BD (band BD9) that is in the opposite direction to the transport direction, and changes the offset position in the left-right direction (i.e., transport width direction) of the print range PA, thereby determining the print range PA (Figure (E)).

[0038] As a result, the print range PA is changed from its initial value (Figure 3(A)) to a position where the base band BDB (band BD6) is the center in the transport direction, and the offset position in the transport width direction is shifted to the right to match the object OB within the base band BDB, which is positioned to the right in the transport width direction in the raster data RD (Figure 3(E)).

[0039] [4. Effects, etc.] In conventional technology, when the image size specified by the print instructions in the print data (image size) differs from the size of the medium contained in the image forming apparatus (medium size), there is a forced printing function that prints the image on the medium at its original size for the purpose of roughly checking the appearance and color of the image. However, with the conventional forced printing function, if the image size is larger than the medium size, the image forming apparatus cuts out only a predetermined area of ​​the image data and prints it on the medium. As a result, there is a possibility that the cut-out area does not actually contain an image, and the medium may be ejected as nearly blank. In such cases, the image forming apparatus fails to meet the requirement of forced printing, which is to roughly check the appearance and color of the image.

[0040] In response to this, the image forming apparatus 1 is configured such that if a medium with the same size as the image is not stored in the image forming apparatus 1, the user desires to perform forced printing, and the image size is larger than the size of the medium to which forced printing is to be performed, the print range determination unit 14 will perform a print range determination process.

[0041] In the print area determination process, the image forming apparatus 1 divides the raster data RD (Figure 3(A)) generated by rendering intermediate code in the unfolding processing unit 12 into planes PN for each color (Figure 3(B)), scans each band BD which is a divided region within each plane PN (Figure 3(C)), identifies the band BD on which the data (object OB) is located, and assigns weights to the band BD. The image forming apparatus 1 also sums the weight values ​​of all planes PN for each band BD, sets the band BD with the largest sum as the base band BDB (Figure 3(D)), aligns the center of the transport direction in the print area PA with the base band BDB, deletes the upper band BD (bands BD1, BD2, and BD3) which are unnecessary to fit the media size, deletes the lower band BD (band BD9) which is in the opposite direction to the transport direction, and changes the offset position in the left-right direction (i.e., transport width direction) of the print area PA, thereby determining the print area PA (Figure 3(E)).

[0042] Therefore, when the image size is larger than the media size, the image forming apparatus 1 automatically adjusts the position of the print range PA, which indicates which area of ​​the raster data RD to be printed on the media, to the position where an object OB exists in the raster data RD, so that the image is always printed on the media. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can always satisfy the objective of checking the image output and color, which is expected in forced printing.

[0043] Furthermore, as a technique for cropping the print area when the image size is larger than the media size, there is a technique in copy printing where the user specifies the print area for the scanned image before the image forming machine prints it. However, in this case, the user has to specify the print area, which is troublesome for the user, and depending on how the print area is specified, there may be cases where no corresponding media exists, resulting in forced printing.

[0044] In contrast, the image forming apparatus 1 can improve convenience by automatically determining the print area PA, and in copy printing, when the user specifies the print area, then performs editing and development processing, and then performs the print area determination process before forced printing, it can ensure that the image is always printed on the medium.

[0045] Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 has conventionally performed the unfolding process of the unfolding processing unit 12 by dividing the raster data RD into planes PN, dividing each plane PN into multiple bands BD, and scanning each band BD to determine whether or not abnormal data exists in the raster data RD. The image forming apparatus 1 has reused this conventional process and, when scanning the data for each band BD, has identified and weighted the band BD on which the data is located. As a result, the image forming apparatus 1 can reuse conventional processes and minimize the amount of new processing added in the present invention.

[0046] With the above configuration, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a media tray 22 capable of storing media, a print data receiving unit 4 capable of receiving print data, an image generation unit 5 that generates raster data as image data to be printed based on the print data, a print range determination unit 14 that determines the print range PA in the image data based on an object OB which is the print area when printing the image data, and a printing unit 20 that performs printing of the print range PA.

[0047] As a result, when the image forming apparatus 1 performs forced printing, which prints regardless of the image size, in the event that the image size (the size of the medium specified in the print data) differs from the media size (the size of the printable medium stored in the media tray 22), it can adjust the position of the print area PA according to the arrangement of objects OB in the raster data RD, so that the image is printed on the medium.

[0048] [5. Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, if the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with multiple media trays 22, and the media tray 22 to be used for printing is specified in the print data, and no media of the same size as the image is stored in the specified media tray 22, then even if media of the same size as the image is stored in the other media trays 22, a negative result may be obtained in step SP3 of the print processing procedure RT1 (Figure 2).

[0049] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 has been described in a case where, in step SP4 of the printing process RT1 (Figure 2), the user determines whether or not to perform forced printing through operation on the display operation unit 24. The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 1 may omit step SP4 of the printing process RT1 and perform forced printing if the print data contains information indicating that forced printing should be performed.

[0050] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 1 has determined in step SP5 of the printing procedure RT1 (Figure 2) that the image size is larger than the media size, and has executed the print range determination process in steps SP6 and SP7. The present invention is not limited to this, but the image forming apparatus 1 may, when it determines in step SP5 of the printing procedure RT1 (Figure 2) that the image size is larger than the media size, notify the user whether or not to execute the print range determination process when executing forced printing by displaying it on the display operation unit 24 which is a print range determination process setting unit, and allow the user to decide whether or not to execute the print range determination process by operating on the display operation unit 24, and execute the print range determination process if the user wishes to execute it.

[0051] Alternatively, the image forming apparatus 1 may, in advance, set by the print range determination processing setting unit whether or not to perform print range determination processing during forced printing. If it is determined in step SP5 of the printing process procedure RT1 (Figure 2) that the image size is larger than the media size, the print range determination processing may be performed if it is pre-set to perform print range determination processing during forced printing.

[0052] Furthermore, if the image forming apparatus 1 determines in step SP5 of the printing procedure RT1 (Figure 2) that the image size is larger than the media size, it notifies the user by displaying a print preview on the display operation unit 24 showing the print range PA as it is in the initial value figure (3(A)). The user then decides whether or not to perform the print range determination process based on the user's operation on the display operation unit 24, and if the user wishes to perform the print range determination process, the apparatus may perform the print range determination process.

[0053] Furthermore, if the image forming apparatus 1 determines in step SP5 of the printing procedure RT1 (Figure 2) that the image size is larger than the media size, and the amount of printing within the printing area PA remains at its initial value (Figure 3(A)), for example, is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, the image forming apparatus 1 may notify the user by displaying this on the display operation unit 24, and allow the user to decide whether or not to perform the printing area determination process by operating the display operation unit 24. If the user wishes to perform the printing area determination process, the image forming apparatus 1 may perform the printing area determination process without notifying the user. Alternatively, if the printing area PA remains at its initial value (Figure 3(A)), and the amount of printing within the printing area PA remains at or less than a predetermined amount, the image forming apparatus 1 may perform the printing area determination process without notifying the user.

[0054] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 1 divides the raster data RD (Figure 3(A)) into planes PN for each color and weights each band BD of each plane PN in the print range determination process of step SP6 of the printing process RT1 (Figure 2). The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 1 may weight each band BD of the raster data RD without dividing the raster data RD (Figure 3(A)) into planes PN for each color.

[0055] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 1 divides each plane PN into a plurality of bands BD, which are rectangular units that are linearly divided at equal intervals in the transport direction along the transport width direction, in the printing range determination process of step SP6 of the printing process RT1 (Figure 2). The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 1 may divide each plane PN into a plurality of bands BD that are linearly divided at equal intervals in the transport width direction along the transport direction, or divide each plane PN into a plurality of bands BD that are linearly divided at equal intervals in the transport width direction along the transport direction, or divide each plane PN into a plurality of square-shaped regions, for example.

[0056] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 1 identifies the position of object OB by scanning the raster data RD during the unfolding process in the printing range determination process of step SP6 of the printing process RT1 (Figure 2). The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 1 may also identify the position of object OB by identifying object OB at the stage of the PDL analysis process in the editing process.

[0057] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 1 calculates the amount of printing for each band BD based on at least one of the number of data points or the density in the printing range determination process of step SP6 of the printing process RT1 (Figure 2). The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 1 may also calculate the amount of printing based on the types of colors such that the amount of printing increases as the number of types of colors increases.

[0058] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 1 determines the print area PA (Figure (E)) in the print area determination process of step SP7 of the printing process RT1 (Figure 2) by aligning the center of the transport direction in the print area PA with the base band BDB, removing the upper and lower bands BD that are unnecessary to match the media size, and changing the left-right offset position in the print area PA. The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus 1 may determine the print area PA by aligning the center of the transport direction in the print area PA with the base band BDB without changing the left-right offset position in the print area PA. Even in that case, the image forming apparatus 1 can change the print area PA to an appropriate position, at least in terms of the transport direction.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the print range determination unit 14 may be provided on a server other than the image forming apparatus 1, and data may be exchanged between the image forming apparatus 1 and the server, and the server may, for example, perform the print range determination process.

[0060] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and other embodiments. That is, the scope of the present invention also extends to embodiments obtained by arbitrarily combining some or all of the embodiments described above and other embodiments. In addition, the scope of the present invention also extends to embodiments obtained by extracting some of the components described in any of the embodiments described above and other embodiments and substituting or adapting them for some of the components of any of the embodiments described above and other embodiments, or by adding some of the extracted components to any embodiment.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, we have described a case in which the image forming apparatus 1 is configured with a media tray 22 as a media storage unit, a print data receiving unit 4 as a receiving unit, an image generation unit 5 as an image generation unit, a print range determination unit 14 as a print range determination unit, and a printing unit 20 as a printing unit. The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus may be configured with a media storage unit, a receiving unit, an image generation unit, a print range determination unit, and a printing unit having various other configurations. [Industrial applicability]

[0062] This invention can be used when performing forced printing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 1...Image forming apparatus, 2...Control unit, 4...Print data receiving unit, 5...Image generation unit, 6...Editing processing unit, 7...Print data analysis unit, 8...Image size detection unit, 9...Intermediate code generation unit, 10...Device control unit, 11...Media size detection unit, 12...Decompression processing unit, 13...Image forming unit, 15...Intermediate code analysis unit, 16...Raster data generation unit, 14...Print range determination unit, 17...Forced printing determination unit, 18...Print range control unit, 20...Printing unit, 22...Media tray, 24...Display operation unit, RD...Raster data, PN...Plane, BD...Band, BDB...Base band, OB...Object, PA...Print range.

Claims

1. A media storage unit capable of storing media, A receiving unit capable of receiving print data, An image generation unit that generates image data to be printed based on the aforementioned print data, A print range determination unit that determines the print range in the image data based on the print area when printing the image data, A printing unit that performs printing within the aforementioned print area and An image forming apparatus having

2. The print range determination unit is, The print range is determined based on the calculation result of the print amount for each divided region, which is divided at predetermined intervals in the image data. The image forming apparatus according to feature 1.

3. A print range determination processing setting unit can be configured to set whether or not to perform the print range determination by the print range determination unit when forced printing is performed, which prints regardless of the image size, if the image size, which is the size of the medium specified in the print data, and the medium size, which is the size of the printable medium stored in the medium storage unit, are different, and forced printing is performed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the following:

4. The image generation unit, An editing processing unit that performs editing processing to generate intermediate code based on the aforementioned print data, An expansion processing unit that performs expansion processing to generate the image data based on the intermediate code. It has, The print range determination unit determines the print range after the unfolding process performed by the unfolding processing unit. The image forming apparatus according to feature 1.

5. An input unit that receives an execution instruction for forced printing, which prints regardless of the image size, when the image size, which is the size of the medium specified in the print data, differs from the medium size, which is the size of the printable medium stored in the medium storage unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the following:

6. The print range determination unit, The position of the printing area in at least the transport direction of the medium is determined based on the printing area when printing the image data. The image forming apparatus according to feature 1.

7. The print range determination unit, The position of the printing area in the transport direction of the medium and the transport width direction perpendicular to the transport direction is determined based on the printing area when printing the image data. The image forming apparatus according to feature 6.

8. A receiving step for receiving print data, Image generation step of generating image data to be printed based on the aforementioned print data, A print range determination step in which the print range in the image data is determined based on the print area when printing the image data, A printing step that performs printing of the aforementioned print range and An image forming method having the following characteristics.

9. In an image forming system having an image forming apparatus and a server, A media storage unit capable of storing media, A receiving unit capable of receiving print data, An image generation unit that generates image data to be printed based on the aforementioned print data, A print range determination unit that determines the print range in the image data based on the print area when printing the image data, A printing unit that performs printing within the aforementioned print area and An image forming system having the following features.

Images