U.S. patent application number 09/200951 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-16 for image forming apparatus.
Invention is credited to FUNAHASHI, HIROYUKI.
Application Number | 20010013926 09/200951 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18333665 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010013926 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FUNAHASHI, HIROYUKI |
August 16, 2001 |
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
Abstract
An image forming apparatus is provided to smoothly form images
corresponding to received image data even if the memory becomes
full when collated printing is executed. If the memory never
becomes full during collated printing, images for all of the pages
are expanded to intermediate data, stored in a page memory, and
complete collated printing is enabled. In the meantime, if the
memory becomes full while the print data of part of a page is
expanded to intermediate data and stored, the controller, controls
so that the page memory can be written after collated printing is
executed up to a page immediately before the partial page and the
residual pages are printed in the form of collated printing.
Therefore, even if the memory becomes full, printing can be
executed in a form as close to collated printing as possible.
Inventors: |
FUNAHASHI, HIROYUKI;
(NAGOYA-SHI, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE
P O BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
|
Family ID: |
18333665 |
Appl. No.: |
09/200951 |
Filed: |
November 30, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
355/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 2201/3288 20130101;
G06K 2215/0005 20130101; H04N 1/32486 20130101; G06K 15/00
20130101; H04N 1/32448 20130101; G06K 2215/0088 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
355/40 |
International
Class: |
G03B 027/52 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 10, 1997 |
JP |
9-340094 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming device
that forms an image onto a recording medium based upon image data;
a storage device that stores the image data; a receiving device
that receives image data stored in the storage device; and a
controller that controls the storage of all of the image data
received by the receiving device in the storage device, and
controls the driving of the image forming device multiple times if
multiple copies of images corresponding to the image data are
required to be formed, wherein when a storage capacity of the
storage device becomes full while all of the image data received by
the receiving device is stored in the storage device, the
controller controls the driving of the image forming device
multiple times based upon a quantity of image data stored in the
storage device, deletes the quantity of image data, and stores a
continuation of the received image data in the storage device.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
quantity of image data is at least one page previously stored in
the storage device.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
quantity of image data is a series of image data for pages stored
in the storage device in a complete form.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
quantity of the image data is a first page already stored in the
storage device.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
storage device stores the image data in a form in which the image
data is expanded into print data.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claims 1, wherein the
controller controls the driving of the image forming device
multiple times based upon image data stored in the storage device
so as to execute collated printing.
7. An image forming method, comprising: forming an image onto a
recording medium based upon image data, wherein images are formed
multiple times if multiple copies of images corresponding to the
image data are required to be formed; storing the image data in a
storage device; receiving the stored image data; and controlling
the storage of all of the received image data in the storage
device; wherein when a storage capacity of the storage device
becomes full while all of the image data received in the receiving
step is stored in the storage device, the forming step is performed
multiple times based upon a quantity of image data stored in the
storage device, the quantity of image data is deleted from the
storage device, and a continuation of the received image data is
stored in the storage device.
8. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein the
quantity of image data is at least one page previously stored in
the storage device.
9. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein the
quantity of image data is a series of image data for pages stored
in the storage device in a complete form.
10. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein the
quantity of the image data is a first page already stored in the
storage device.
11. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein the
image data is stored in the storage device in a form in which the
image data is expanded into print data.
12. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein the
driving step drives the forming step multiple times based upon
image data stored in the storage device so as to execute collated
printing.
13. A storage medium for operating an image forming apparatus,
comprising: a program for forming an image onto a recording medium
based upon image data, wherein images are formed multiple times if
multiple copies of images corresponding to the image data are
required to be formed; a program for storing the image data in a
storage device; a program for receiving the stored image data; and
a program for controlling the storage of all of the received image
data in the storage device; wherein when a storage capacity of the
storage device becomes full while all of the image data received in
the receiving step is stored in the storage device, the program for
forming is performed multiple times based upon a quantity of image
data stored in the storage device, the quantity of image data is
deleted from the storage device, and a continuation of the received
image data is stored in the storage device.
14. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the quantity
of image data is at least one page previously stored in the storage
device.
15. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the quantity
of image data is a series of image data for pages stored in the
storage device in a complete form.
16. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the quantity
of the image data is a first page already stored in the storage
device.
17. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the image
data is stored in the storage device in a form in which the image
data is expanded into print data.
18. The storage medium according to claims 13, wherein the program
for forming is performed multiple times based upon image data
stored in the storage device so as to execute collated printing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The invention relates to an image forming apparatus for
forming an image on a recording medium based upon image data, and
more particularly relates to an image forming apparatus which is
provided with a storage device for storing image data provided to
form an image and which can form multiple images corresponding to
image data stored in the storage device.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Heretofore, an image forming apparatus is provided with an
image forming device for forming an image on a recorded medium
based upon image data, a storage device for storing image data, a
receiving device for receiving the image data stored in the storage
device, and a controller for storing all of the image data received
by the receiving device in the storage device if multiple images
corresponding to the image data are required to be formed and for
controlling the process so that the image forming device is driven
multiple times based upon the stored image data.
[0005] In this type of image forming apparatus, image formation is
enabled by storing all of the image data received via the receiving
device, such as an interface, in the storage device, such as a
memory, and controlled so that the image forming device such as a
printer engine, is driven based upon the stored image data,
multiple times. That is, as all of the image data is stored in the
storage device, a copy of the images from the first page to the
final page is formed and then, the number of desired copies of the
images are formed by repeating the similar operation, multiple
times. In this case, so-called collated printing (also called sort
printing) wherein images from a first page to a final page are
sequentially formed and stacked.
[0006] Also, in this case, as all of the image data is stored in
the storage device, image data is not required to be sent from a
computer, and the like, multiple times. Therefore, if the image
forming apparatus is used in a printing system in which multiple
computers and one printer (one image forming apparatus) are
connected via a local area network (LAN), and the like, a series of
image data from the first page to the final page only needs to be
sent from a computer once.
[0007] However, in this type of image forming apparatus, when the
storage capacity of the storage device is full while all of the
image data is stored in the storage device, subsequent processing
is disabled. In this case, the image forming apparatus may be
halted with an error message displayed. If such a situation occurs,
image data is required to be divided into small parts and sent
again from a computer and the like, and collated printing in a
smaller unit is required to be executed. In this case, sending
image data by a computer, and the like, is troublesome.
[0008] An image forming apparatus that performs so-called stack
printing in which desired copies of images are sequentially formed
(i.e., multiple copies of a first page are printed, then a second
page, etc.) can switch its operational mode from collated printing
to stack printing at the beginning of a print job. However, in this
case, image data is required to be re-sent. Further, in this case,
before the image data is sent again, the setting of the image
forming apparatus and data sent together with the image data for
specifying a printing method and the like, are required to be
changed. Therefore, in this case, a user is also required to
perform a complicated task. Further, if the above situation occurs
and the image forming apparatus is halted, image data cannot be
sent from another computer, and the like. In this case, the entire
system process is inconveniently halted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The invention provides an image forming apparatus wherein
even if the storage capacity of the storage device is full when
printing of multiple copies, such as collated printing, is
executed, images corresponding to received image data can be
smoothly formed.
[0010] The invention is based upon an image forming apparatus
provided with an image forming device for forming images onto a
recording medium based upon the image data, a storage device in
which the image data provided to form the images, a receiving
device for receiving image data stored in the storage device and a
controller device for storing all of the image data received by the
receiving device in the storage device, and controlling so that the
image forming device is driven based upon the stored image data,
multiple times if multiple copies of images corresponding to the
image data are to be formed. When the storage capacity of the
storage device is full while all of the image data received by the
receiving device is stored in the storage device, the controller
controls so that the image forming device is driven based upon
image data for at least one page already stored in the storage
device, multiple times, deletes the image data of the page provided
for the above driving from the storage device, and stores the
continuation of the above received image data in the storage
device.
[0011] According to the invention, if multiple copies of images
corresponding to image data are required to be formed, the
controller normally stores all of the image data received by the
receiving device in the storage device and controls so that the
image forming device is driven based upon the stored image data,
multiple times. Therefore, images corresponding to the image data
can be formed in multiple copies by collated printing, and the
like.
[0012] When the storage capacity of the storage device is full
while all of the image data received by the receiving device is
stored in the storage device, the controller controls so that the
image forming device is driven based upon image data for at least
one page stored already stored in the storage device, multiple
times, deletes the image data of the page provided for the above
driving from the storage device and stores the continuation of the
above received image data in the storage device. That is, if the
image forming device is driven based upon image data for at least
one page already stored in the storage device, multiple times, the
images of the page can be formed for multiple copies. Then, storage
of the image data of the formed images becomes unnecessary and
deletion of the data is permitted. The controller deletes the image
data of the page provided for the above driving from the storage
device and stores the continuation of the received image data in
the storage device. Then, forming images based upon the
continuation of the image data is permitted.
[0013] As described above, according to the invention, if the
storage capacity of the storage device is full when printing
multiple copies, such as in collated printing, the corresponding
image data of printed images that is stored is deleted, and new
image data is stored. Therefore, even if the above storage capacity
is full, images corresponding to all of the image data received by
the receiving device can be smoothly formed.
[0014] The deletion of image data described in the invention
entails the management data of a page to be deleted from a memory
management table showing which storage area in the storage device,
the image data of each page is stored. That storage area will be
occupied until it is released and new image data is written
therein. That is, when storage of the continuation of the above
image data to the released storage area is allowed. Therefore,
contents (image data) themselves (itself) stored in the storage
device are/is not deleted (for example, null data and the like are
not substituted). However, it is natural that the above contents
may be also positively deleted (cleared) by substituting null data
and the like.
[0015] A page described in the invention maybe an image formation
unit (an image output unit) in the image forming apparatus, for
example, if one side of a recorded medium is printed, a page is the
side and if both sides of a recorded medium are printed, pages are
a pair of sides equivalent to both sides. In the case of a dual
page print, that is, if one recorded medium is divided into two
parts in the center and printing for two pages is executed, image
data for two pages printed on one recorded medium becomes one image
formation unit.
[0016] In addition, when the storage capacity of the storage device
is full while all of the image data received by the receiving
device is stored in the storage device, the controller controls so
that the image forming device is driven based upon a series of
image data for pages stored in the storage device in a complete
form, multiple times, deletes the image data provided for the above
driving from the storage device, and stores the continuation of the
above received image data in the storage device.
[0017] According to the invention, when the storage capacity is
full, the controller controls so that the image forming device is
driven based upon a series of image data for pages stored in the
storage device in a complete form, multiple times. Therefore,
images corresponding to a series of image data for pages once
stored in the storage device in a complete form can be formed for
collated printing. Afterward, the controller deletes image data
provided for the above driving from the storage device, and stores
the continuation of the above received image data in the storage
device.
[0018] Therefore, even if the storage capacity is full, images
corresponding to all of the image data received by the receiving
device can be smoothly formed in a form as close to collated
printing as possible. That is, if the storage capacity is full,
complete collated printing is disabled. However, according to the
invention, printed matter after images are formed can be brought
close to the form of collated printing by an extremely small
adjustment. Also, according to the invention, image data for pages
stored in a complete form when the storage capacity is full is
provided to the image forming device which is driven under control,
and the corresponding images are formed. Therefore, a user can know
on which page the above storage capacity becomes full when image
data is stored to the page. Therefore, when a user sends the
similar image data to an image forming apparatus again, he/she can
delimit the image data in a suitable place and can increase the
storage capacity of the storage device.
[0019] Therefore, printed matter in the form of collated printing
can be more readily formed and a guide when the similar image data
is sent again, can be provided.
[0020] In addition, when the storage capacity of the storage device
is full while all of the image data received by the receiving
device is stored in the storage device, the controller controls so
that the image forming device is driven based upon the image data
of a first page already stored in the storage device, multiple
times, deletes the image data of the first page from the storage
device, and stores the continuation of the above received image
data in the storage device.
[0021] Therefore, images corresponding to only the image data of
the first page already stored in the storage device, can be formed
for multiple copies. Afterward, the controller deletes the image
data of the first page from the storage device and stores the
continuation of the above received image data in the storage
device.
[0022] Generally, a busy signal and the like are output to the host
computer when the storage capacity of the storage device becomes
full and the host computer is instructed that the sending of the
residual data is interrupted. Thus, the host computer cannot
complete the sending of print data and is kept waiting while
printing is continued. At this time, if a part of the data stored
in the storage device can be deleted by completing the printing of
image data for at least a page stored in the storage device, more
data can be received from the host computer.
[0023] That is, as time required for the printing is fairly long if
all of the copies for complete pages stored when the storage
capacity of the storage device is full, are printed, the host
computer may be required to wait for a long time though only a
small quantity of data is left. However, if printing processing for
even one page is finished earlier, the possibility that the host
computer can be released early is high. For example, possibility
that even only a small amount of data cannot be sent though
printing is completed, is reduced. Therefore, the image forming
apparatus can start receiving new date for the next print job,
early.
[0024] In addition, in general printed matter, relatively
complicated decorative images are often formed on the first page to
attract attention. In such printed matter, image data corresponding
to images on the first page may be extremely large, compared with
image data on another page. In this case, the image data of pages
except for the first page can be all stored in the storage device.
In the invention, when the storage capacity becomes full, only the
image data of a first page already stored is provided for the
driving of the image forming device under control. Then, the image
data of the page is deleted from the storage device and the image
data of another page is stored. Therefore, if the above printed
matter is printed, multiple copies of images on the first page are
continuously formed and images on the next page and the following
pages can be formed in the form of collated printing. Therefore,
all of the printed matter can be brought close to the form of
collated printing by an extremely small adjustment.
[0025] Therefore, the possibility that processing of new data for
the next print job can be started early is high and if decorative
images are formed on the first page, printed matter in the form of
collated printing can be produced.
[0026] In the invention, if the storage capacity of the storage
device becomes full again when the image data of the first page is
deleted from the storage device and the continuation of image data
is stored, control by any of the following methods may be executed.
That is, the image forming device may be driven based upon a series
of image data for pages stored in the storage device in a complete
form, multiple times under control. In addition, the image forming
device may also be driven based upon the image data of the first
page of pages stored in the storage device. In the case of the
former, even if image data uniformly exists in all of the printed
matter, the possibility that the storage capacity of the storage
device becomes full afterward is small, and all of the printed
matter can be readily brought close to the form of collated
printing by a small adjustment. In the case of the latter, the
possibility that the host computer will be kept waiting for a long
time although only a small quantity of data is left when the
storage capacity of the storage device becomes full, is reduced,
new data may be received for the next print job early, and if the
image data of pages in the vicinity of the head (for example, the
first few pages) is extremely large, compared with the image data
of another page, the image can be formed in a form close to
collated printing.
[0027] In addition, the storage device may store image data in a
form in which the image data is expanded to intermediate data. The
image data received by the receiving device is stored in the
storage device in a form in which the image data is expanded to
intermediate data. The intermediate data may be bit map data (for
example, video data) compressed every scan line according to
run-length coding for actually driving the image forming device
under control. The bit map data is compressed in block units
composed of a predetermined number of picture elements or data
shown, by combining a pointer of a character and a graphic form
stored in the apparatus beforehand, to bit map data and positional
data showing in which position on a recorded medium the character
or the graphic form is to be output. Images can then be promptly
formed by the image forming device with as small storage capacity
as possible by storing image data in the form of the intermediate
data. However, when an extremely large quantity of data received by
the receiving device is expanded to intermediate data in any form
and stored, the storage device inevitably becomes full.
[0028] In the meantime, even if the storage capacity of the storage
device is full, images corresponding to all of the image data
received by the receiving device can be smoothly formed as
described above. Therefore, images can be more promptly formed by
the image forming device.
[0029] In addition, the controller controls so as to execute
collated printing so that the image forming device is driven based
upon image data stored in the storage device, multiple times.
[0030] The controller controls so as to execute collated printing
so that the image forming device is driven based upon image data
stored in the storage device, multiple times. As described above,
if the storage capacity of the storage device is full, complete
collated printing is disabled. However, the image forming device
can be driven so that collated printing is executed. Therefore,
each part of the printed matter in which images are formed
according to the invention is in the form of collated printing
(even if partial) and all of the printed matter can be brought
close to the form of collated printing by an extremely small
adjustment. Therefore, printed matter in the form of collated
printing can be more readily formed and produced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in
detail with reference to the following figures wherein:
[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of a printing system
including a printer to which the invention is applied;
[0033] FIG. 2 is as block diagram showing the configuration of a
control system of the printer;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the first portion of the
control process executed by the control system;
[0035] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the latter portion of the
control process executed by the control system;
[0036] FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory drawings showing the
deletion of intermediate data in the control process;
[0037] FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory drawings showing print
configurations by the control process;
[0038] FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory drawings showing print
configurations by a transformed example of the control process;
[0039] FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing showing a print
configuration by another transformed example of the control
process;
[0040] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another transformed example of
the control process;
[0041] FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C are explanatory drawings showing the
passage of printing process;
[0042] FIG. 11 is an explanatory drawing showing passage by a
transformed example of the printing process; and
[0043] FIGS. 12A and 12B are explanatory drawings showing other
examples of passage by the transformed example of printing
process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] Next, referring to the drawings, embodiments of the
invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the
configuration of a printing system including a printer 10 as an
image forming apparatus to which the invention is applied. As shown
in FIG. 1, this printing system is provided with multiple host
computers 1, 2 and the like, provided with a CPU, a ROM and a RAM
(hereinafter, only two host computers 1 and 2 are given as an
example). A keyboard 3 and a mouse 5 are respectively connected to
the host computers 1 and 2. The host computers 1 and 2 share one
printer 10 via a server dedicated device (not shown) and are
remotely connected via a local area network (hereinafter called
LAN). A user sends print data generated by his/her host computer 1
or 2 as image data to the printer 10 to execute printing
processing.
[0045] The LAN may be a relatively small-scale LAN wherein the
printer 10 is connected to one host computer 1 or 2 and can be also
used from another host computer 2 or 1 or may be a large-scale LAN
provided with a server dedicated device (a computer for a server)
that serves as a print server, and the like.
[0046] Next, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of
the control system of the printer 10. As shown in FIG. 2, a control
unit 10a built in the printer 10 includes a microcomputer including
CPU 11, ROM 13 and RAM 15. CPU 11 is provided with a timer 11a
utilizing a clock signal and controls the entire printer 10. ROM 13
is provided with a program memory 13a for storing various programs
described below and a bit map generator 13b for expanding
intermediate data (so-called page data) stored in a page memory 15c
described below, to bit-mapped video data. Further, RAM 15 is
provided with a receive buffer 15a for temporarily storing print
data received from an external device and the like, a memory 15b
for storing intermediate data and various flags used when a program
is executed and the like, and the page memory 15c for storing the
above received print data (intermediate data) for each page,
together with positional data, onto recording paper P equivalent to
a recording medium (see FIGS. 6A and 6B).
[0047] CPU 11, ROM 13 and RAM 15 are mutually connected via a bus
23 together with video RAM 17 for temporarily storing the above
video data and structured so that data can be sent or received. An
input/output interface 25 for receiving print data from the host
computer 1 or 2 and the like, a key panel 27 for enabling a user to
provide input and a printer engine interface 29 in which a driving
circuit (not shown) is built for communicating with a laser printer
engine 31, are connected to the bus 23. The key panel 27 is
provided with a liquid crystal display 27a for displaying the
working condition and the like, of the printer 10 in addition to
keys (not shown) related to setting various modes and normal
printing. As the laser printer engine 31 is a well-known component,
the description is omitted.
[0048] The operation of the laser printer engine 31 is controlled
by the control unit 10a that outputs a driving signal based upon
print data sent from the host computer 1 or 2. Next, FIGS. 3 and 4
are flowcharts showing control processing over the laser printer
engine 31 executed by the control unit 10a. The process starts when
the control unit 10a receives print data from the host computer 1
or 2.
[0049] Intermediate data described hereinafter, represents device
bit map data compressed according to run-length coding every scan
line, bit map data compressed in block units composed of a
predetermined number of picture elements or data shown by combining
a pointer stored in the apparatus beforehand with character data
(dot data), and various graphic data and positional data showing
how to relate the above pointer to a position on a recorded medium
on which the character data or the graphic data is finally
output.
[0050] Generally, print data in a format in which bit map data is
compressed, is sent to a printer that is not provided with
character data, such as font data, by the printer driver run on the
host computer. Print data sent as a character code and a control
code from the host computer to a printer provided with font data
and the like, is often converted intermediate data.
[0051] In any form, intermediate data takes a form suitable to be
printed by a printing mechanism, such as the laser printer engine
31, in a form which can be expanded to output data (video data and
others) in a predetermined time, and a form in which memory
capacity for storing intermediate data is as small as possible.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 3, when processing is started, first,
received print data stored in the receive buffer 15a is read in S1
(S represents a step), print data for one page is sequentially
converted to intermediate data in S3 and then, the converted
intermediate data is sequentially stored in the page memory 15c of
RAM 15 in S5. At this time, when the conversion process for one
page is finished by processing a paper eject (paper feed) code and
the like, information showing that intermediate data for one page
is completed is stored together with a position (a storage area) of
the intermediate data of the page in the page memory 15c in a
management table provided in RAM 15 and shown in FIG. 5.
[0053] In S7, it is determined whether the storage capacity of the
page memory 15c is full in the storage processing in S5. If the
page memory 15c is not full (YES in S7), processing proceeds to S9
and it is determined whether the print job is finished, that is,
whether data processing related to one document is completed. If
the job is not finished (NO in S9), processing is returned to S1
and the above processing is repeated. When the processing from S1
to S9 for all of the print data related to one document is
completed and the job is finished (YES in S9), processing proceeds
to S11 and printing is actually executed on to record paper P as
follows:
[0054] First, in S11, the intermediate data stored in the page
memory 15c in S5 is read, in S13 the intermediate data is expanded
to video data and output to the laser printer engine 31. The laser
printer engine 31 is driven by the processing and printed matter
corresponding to the above print data can be formed. In S11 and
S13, intermediate data is processed in a predetermined quantity
corresponding to the storage capacity of the video RAM 17 and the
speed of the laser printer engine 31. In S15, it is determined
whether all of the intermediate data has been printed. If printing
is not finished (NO in S15), processing is returned to S11 and if
printing of all of the intermediate data is finished (YES in S15),
processing proceeds to S17.
[0055] If processing proceeds to S11 without the page memory 15c
becoming full (YES in S7), print data from the first page to the
final page in the above document is expanded to intermediate data
and stored in the page memory 15c. In the processing from S11 to
S15, one copy of the document from the first page to the final page
can be sequentially printed and stacked on individual record paper
P.
[0056] When one copy of the document is printed (YES in S15) and
processing proceeds to S17, it is determined whether printing of
all of the preset copies is finished. If printing of multiple
copies is specified, a negative determination is made when
processing first proceeds to S17, processing is returned to S11 and
the printing of the second copy and following copies is executed by
repeating the processing from S11 to S15. When processing is
returned from S17 to S11, the pointer and the like, indicating the
position in which intermediate data is read, are returned to a
start position. The document sequentially stacked one by one from
the first page to the final page, can be printed in multiples
copies by repeating the above processing. That is, above copies of
documents can be printed by collating.
[0057] When all of the copies have been printed (YES in S17) and
processing proceeds to S19, the printed intermediate data stored in
the page memory 15c is deleted. The above deletion of intermediate
data entails not actively deleting print data stored in the page
memory 15c (for example, substituting null data and others) but
releasing the occupied storage area by deleting the management data
of the printed page from a management table showing the portion of
the storage area of the page memory 15c the intermediate data of
each page is stored and allowing other print data, that is, new
print data, to be written in the released storage area. However, it
is natural that the contents (intermediate data) themselves
(itself) stored in the storage area may be also deleted (cleared)
by substituting null data and the like.
[0058] In the meantime, when the page memory 15c becomes full (YES
in S7) while print data is expanded to intermediate data and stored
in the page memory 15c (from S1 to S9), the above collated printing
is disabled. In this case, the control unit 10a makes a processing
jump to S31 to execute the following processing:
[0059] First, in S31, it is determined whether intermediate data
for at least one page exists in the page memory 15c. As described
in relation to the above processing in S5, the above is determined
based upon information (memory management data) stored in the
management table in RAM 15 when the generation of intermediate data
for one page is completed. If intermediate data for at least one
page exists (YES in S31), processing proceeds to S33 to S37 and all
of the intermediate data stored in the page memory 15c is printed
as one copy as in the above S11 to S15. That is, the operation for
reading the intermediate data in S33, expanding it to video data
and outputting to the laser printer engine 31 in S35, is repeated
until all of the intermediate data is printed in S37. If
intermediate data halfway on a certain page is stored in the page
memory 15c (not only the information of a page the generation of
the intermediate data of which is completed but the information of
a page the intermediate data of which is being generated, are
stored together with information showing that the intermediate data
is being generated in the above management table), printing is
executed up to the page immediately before the above page in S33 to
S38. That is, printing is executed based upon a series of print
data for a page stored in a complete form. In S39, it is determined
whether all of the above copies have been printed and if not,
processing is returned to S33 and the printing of all of the
intermediate data is executed for the next copy.
[0060] Images corresponding to a series of print data for pages
once stored in a complete form in the page memory 15c can be
printed in a collated form from S33 to S39. When the printing of
the all of the copies is finished (YES in S39), the printed
intermediate data is deleted in S41. The memory once full is
released for any further processing. This situation will be
described below, using FIG. 5.
[0061] In examples shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the page memory 15c is
provided with storage areas from No. 1 to No. 16. For a method of
managing the page memory 15c, the page memory 15c is not
necessarily required to be managed in block units (area number) for
example, but may be also managed in units of bytes or words. As
shown in FIG. 5A, suppose that in the processing from S1 to S9
until the memory becomes full, the intermediate data of the first
page is stored in the storage areas from No. 1 to No. 8, the
intermediate data of the second page is stored in the storage areas
from No. 9 to No. 12, the intermediate data of the third page is
stored in the storage areas from No. 13 to No. 15, respectively, in
a complete form and when a part of the intermediate data of the
fourth page is stored in the storage area of No. 16, the memory
becomes full. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, the rest of the
intermediate data of the fourth page can be stored in the storage
areas of No. 1 and No. 2 by deleting the intermediate data of the
first page, that is, deleting the data in the storage area
corresponding to the intermediate data of the first page from the
management table of the page memory 15c.
[0062] In processing in S41, memory space that was once full can be
released as described above. If cases shown in FIGS. 5 are applied
to this processing, the intermediate data of the first to the third
pages stored in a complete form is printed in S33 to S39.
Therefore, in this case, data in storage areas corresponding to the
intermediate data of the first to the third pages is deleted from
the management table. In S41, intermediate data may be also
positively deleted.
[0063] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the control unit 10a executes the
above S1 to S5 next to S41 and stores the continuation of the
intermediate data in the page memory 15c. If the memory does not
become full (NO in S7) and the job is not yet finished (NO in S9),
the next print data is further read in S1, is expanded to
intermediate data in S3 and stored in the page memory 15c in S5.
When the job is finished (YES in S9) without having the memory
become full (YES in S7) by repeating the above processing, the next
intermediate data (the intermediate data of the fourth page and the
following pages in the examples shown in FIG. 5) is printed in the
collated form in S11 to S17, the intermediate data is deleted in
S19 and the processing is finished. If the memory become full again
(YES in S7) while the processing from S1 to S9 is repeated, print
data expanded to intermediate data and stored in a complete form
until the memory becomes full, is printed in the collated form by
the processing from S31 to S39, and the processing from S1 to S9 is
repeated again.
[0064] In the meantime, if intermediate data for one page does not
exist in the page memory 15c (NO in S31) when the memory becomes
full (YES in S7), a failure may occur in the print data or the page
memory 15c. In this case, an error message is displayed on the
liquid crystal display 27a in S43 and processing is on standby
until a user inputs an instruction to continue the processing in
S45. When a user inputs an instruction to continue the processing
(YES in S45), the processing is terminated.
[0065] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 10, the printed form of the above
document by the above processing will be described below. That is,
if the memory never becomes full, images for five pages for
example, can be printed on record paper P in the order of page 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as shown in FIG. 6(A) in the form of
complete collated printing (by two copies in this case) by a series
of processing from S1 to S19. In the meantime, if the memory
becomes full while the print data of the fourth page is expanded to
intermediate data and stored, images can be printed in the order of
page 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4 and 5 in the form of collated
printing. That is, as shown in FIG. 6B, first, images up to page 3
are printed for two copies in the form of collated printing by
processing from S33 to S39 and next, the images of the fourth and
fifth pages can be printed for two copies in the form of collated
printing by processing from S1 to S19, assuming that the memory
does not become full.
[0066] As described above, in the printer 10 equivalent to this
embodiment, if the page memory 15c becomes full (YES in S7) when
collated printing is executed, images corresponding to intermediate
data stored at that time, are printed by the processing from S33 to
S39, the printed intermediate data is deleted, and the next
intermediate data is stored in S41, S1 to S9. Therefore, even if
the memory becomes full, printing corresponding received print data
can be smoothly executed.
[0067] FIG. 10A shows a process that after the collated printing of
the first to third pages is finished, the residual print data of
the fourth page and the print data of the fifth page are received
from the host computer, expanded to intermediate data, afterward,
the laser printer engine 31 is activated and the collated printing
of the fourth and fifth pages is executed. However, the invention
is not limited to this process and as shown in FIG. 10B, the laser
printer engine 31 is activated when the residual print data of the
fourth page is received, expansion to intermediate data is
finished, so that printing of the fourth page may also be started.
That is, printing processing can be completed early by executing
processing for receiving print data from the host computer,
expanding it to intermediate data, and printing the data onto
recording paper P by the laser printer engine 31, simultaneously in
parallel using interruption processing or time sharing control, and
the like. As shown in FIG. 10C, when the first page of print data
is received from the host computer and expansion to intermediate
data is finished, the laser printer engine 31 is activated and
printing of the first page may be also executed, so that printing
processing can be completed earlier.
[0068] Also in this embodiment, as the invention is applied to the
printing system in which the multiple host computers 1 and 2 are
connected to the printer 10, when the memory becomes full, data
transmission from the other host computer 2 or 1 can be minimized
and the effect of the invention is more remarkably produced.
Further, in the printer 10, as print data is expanded to
intermediate data, stored in the page memory 15c, and expanded to
video data when printed, printing speed can be more enhanced.
Therefore, the printing operation of the printer 10 can be more
satisfactorily prevented from having an effect upon data
transmission from the other host computer 2 or 1.
[0069] Further, in the printer 10, images corresponding to all of
the received print data can be printed in a form as close to
collated printing as possible. Therefore, obtained printed matter
can be brought close to collated printing by an extremely small
adjustment. Also in the printer 10, as intermediate data for pages
stored in a complete form is printed in the form of collated
printing when the memory becomes full, a user can know that the
memory becomes full when print data is expanded to intermediate
data up to a particular page. Therefore, a user can also delimit
print data in a suitable location when similar (or similar amount)
print data is sent to the printer 10 again or expand the page
memory 15c. That is, the printer 10 can provide a guide when the
similar print data is sent again by a user.
[0070] The page in the above embodiment is also considered an image
formation unit (an image output unit) in the image forming
apparatus (the printer 10) and if printing is executed on one side
of the recording paper (a recorded medium) P, the page means the
one side and in the case of double sided printing in which printing
is executed on both sides of the recording paper P, a page means a
pair of sides equivalent to both sides. In the case of dual page
printing, that is, if one recorded medium is divided into two parts
in the center and printing is executed on two pages, the image data
for two pages printed on one sheet of recording paper P, composes
one image formation unit.
[0071] The invention is not limited to the above embodiment and
various embodiments are allowed within a range in which the aspects
of the invention are not deviated. For example, when the memory
becomes full, various printing forms may be devised. In examples
shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 11, preset multiple copies of only the
first page are printed and then, after the intermediate data of the
first page is deleted, the residual pages are printed in the form
of collated printing. Such processing can be readily executed by
changing the determination in S37 in FIG. 4 of whether printing of
all of the intermediate data is finished to the determination of
whether the printing of the first page is finished.
[0072] As the printer 10 outputs a busy signal to the host computer
to instruct the host computer to interrupt the sending of the
residual data when the storage capacity of the page memory 15c
becomes full, the host computer cannot complete the sending of
print data and is kept on standby while printing continues. At this
time, if printing corresponding to print data for one page is
completed, new print data can be stored in the page memory 15c and
receiving data from the host computer can be restarted.
[0073] That is, as time required for the following printing is
fairly long if all of the copies for pages stored in a complete
form when the storage capacity of the page memory 15c becomes full,
are printed, a situation that the host computer is required to wait
for a long time although a small quantity of data is left may
occur. However, if even the printing processing of one page is
finished earlier, the possibility that the host computer can be
released earlier is high. For example, the possibility that a small
amount of data cannot be sent, although printing is completed when
the small amount of data is sent, is reduced. Therefore, the image
forming apparatus can start new data receiving processing for the
next print job sent from the host computer earlier.
[0074] In addition, in general printed matter, relatively
complicated decorative images are often printed on a first page to
attract attention. In such printed matter, print data corresponding
to images on the first page may be extremely large, compared with
image data for another page. In this case, print data of all of the
pages except for the print data of the first page, is expanded to
intermediate data and can be all stored in the page memory 15c. If
a print form shown in FIG. 7A is adopted for such printed matter,
the second page and all of the following pages, can be printed in
the form of collated printing although the multiple copies of the
first page are continuously printed. Therefore, all of the printed
matter can be brought close to the form of collated printing by an
extremely small adjustment.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 7B, the first and second pages are printed
in the form of collated printing and after the intermediate data of
those pages is deleted, the residual pages may be also printed in
the form of collated printing. In the instruction manuals and
others of various equipment, decorative images for attracting
attention are often printed on the first page, graphic forms such
as a part drawing are printed on the second page, and print data
composed of characters which can be relatively readily compressed
is printed on the residual pages. In such printed matter, if a
print format shown in FIG. 7B is adopted, the print format can be
brought close to the form of collated printing by less of an
adjustment. In this case, the printer 10 can also start receiving
new data for the next print job earlier, compared with the cases
shown in FIG. 10.
[0076] Further, if the memory becomes full when collated printing
is executed as shown in FIG. 8, preset copies of images may also be
switched to so-called stack printing in which printing is executed
for every page. Such processing can be readily executed by
proceeding to a well-known routine for stack printing if an
affirmative determination is made in S7 in FIG. 3.
[0077] If S37 in FIG. 4 is changed as described above to execute
the print form shown in FIG. 7(A), the following printing may be
also executed depending upon a state in which print data is
dispersed in each page: That is, if for the first page, multiple
copies are printed and the memory becomes full again when the
second page and following pages are printed in the form of collated
printing, multiple copies of the second page are printed. If print
data in the first page for example, in the vicinity of the head is
extremely large, compared with print data in another page, collated
printing is enabled when the printing of the page in the vicinity
of the head is finished and the print form is changed to a print
form like the one shown in FIG. 7(B). In this case, the print form
can be brought relatively close to the form of collated printing.
However, if print data is uniformly scattered in the whole printed
matter, the memory may become full many times, as shown in FIG.
12(A), and the print form may be a print form approximately similar
to stack printing shown in FIG. 8, as a result. In such a case, if
the similar print form to that shown in FIG. 6B, is adopted after
multiple copies are printed for the first page, printing may be
executed in a print format close to collated printing.
[0078] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing for executing such
a print form. This processing is similar to the processing in S4
except that processing in S32a, S32b and S32c is inserted between
S31 and S33 and the following S37a is substituted for S37. Only the
different points will be described below.
[0079] If the memory becomes full (YES in S7) and intermediate data
for at least one page exists in the page memory 15c (YES in S31),
it is determined in S32a based upon information in the management
table, whether the intermediate data of a first page exists in the
intermediate data. If the intermediate data of the first page
exists (YES in S32a), the first page is specified in S32b, if the
intermediate data of the first page does not exist (NO in S32a),
all of the data is specified in S32c and processing proceeds to in
S33 and the following steps. In S37a replaced with S37, it is
determined whether the printing of intermediate data specified in
S32b or S32c is finished.
[0080] Therefore, if the data of the first page exists in
intermediate data (YES in S32a), an affirmative determination is
made in S37a after the first page is printed in S33 and S35,
processing proceeds to S39 and the printing of multiple copies is
executed. If no intermediate data of the first page exists, that
is, in the case of the printing of the second page and the
following pages (NO in S32a), printing of all of the pages stored
in a complete form is executed in S37a by repeating the processing
in S33 and S35 and the printing is executed by multiple copies in
S39.
[0081] FIG. 12B shows an example if such processing is executed and
the print form can be brought readily close to the form of collated
printing, compared with the case shown in FIG. 12A. However,
considering that the host computer can be released early, the case
shown in FIG. 12A is advantageous. Therefore, it is desirable that
it is not selected which method for all types of print data is
excellent but even if either is selected by a user, both methods
are kept executable. This is also similar to whether the processing
shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B is to be executed or the processing
shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B is to be executed if the memory becomes
full first, and it is desirable that a user can arbitrarily select
such processing.
[0082] Further, for embodiments of the invention, various
embodiments such as printing executed in the above print form if
the memory becomes full when intermediate data is read and printing
is executed, are allowed. In addition, a printer engine according
to an ink-jet method and a thermal head method is used in place of
the laser printer engine 31 are allowed. However, if the memory
becomes full in the image forming apparatus when image data, such
as print data, is expanded to intermediate data and stored, the
image forming apparatus is halted mainly because the memory becomes
full. In the above embodiments, as the invention is applied to a
situation that the page memory 15c becomes full caused when
intermediate data is stored, the effect of the invention is more
remarkably produced.
[0083] The determination of whether the memory has become full in
the above embodiments, that is, the determination of whether the
above situation occurs in S7 in FIG. 3, is not limited to the above
determination and may be also executed as follows: For example,
intermediate data this time can be stored in S5. However, even if
there is no vacant memory area for storing the next intermediate
data, it may also be determined in S7 that the memory becomes full.
This is effective in case intermediate data has a format of a
predetermined size.
[0084] In S7, it may be also determined that the memory becomes
full if the residual capacity is a predetermined quantity or less.
This is effective in case the predetermined quantity is set to
approximately the maximum size of the intermediate data, so that a
situation where print data converted to intermediate data cannot be
stored in the memory, may be prevented, and the like.
[0085] Further, if space in the memory 15b is short not only when
intermediate data is stored in the page memory 15c but when the
intermediate data is generated in S3, it may be also determined in
S7 that the memory has become full without executing the processing
in S5. In a system in which memories are managed so that the page
memory 15c and the memory 15b are utilized as a part of common
memory space in RAM 15, when the page memory 15c is released when
printing is finished, a part of an area used for the released page
memory 15c can be allocated as an area for the memory 15b. Then,
the possibility that the processing of the next page can be
continued is enhanced and the similar effect to a measure for a
case that the page memory 15c becomes full can be obtained.
[0086] When intermediate data stored in the page memory 15c at that
time is released by executing printing processing, not only in a
system in which such dynamic memory allocation is executed but in
case the memory 15b fixedly allocated is short on space, a part of
the memory 15b used for the printed page can be released. As a
result, the processing in S3 for generating intermediate data using
the memory 15b for the next print data is enabled and the
possibility that the next printing of copies can be completed, is
enhanced. This is particularly effective in case intermediate data
is formed by combining a pointer showing bit map data (generally,
called cache data) temporarily generated in the memory 15b for a
character and a graphic form and positional data, and it is because
the above cache data used for the printed page may be deleted (the
memory area may be released) after printing.
* * * * *