JP2012221280A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system for performing temporary printing processing by using a printing preview picture, performing the same processing as actual printing processing without performing printout, acquiring a printing rate, and realizing printing processing which fits printing costs.SOLUTION: In a printing system including a host apparatus and a printer connected via a network to the host apparatus, the host apparatus includes: a printing navigation control unit for setting ecology printing, and for displaying the setting content on a display unit; printing rate acquisition means for performing temporary printing processing on the basis of the setting content of the ecology printing, and for acquiring a printing rate in the temporary printing processing; display control means for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition means on the display unit; and transmission means for transmitting printing data based on the information on the displayed printing rate to the printer, and the printer includes printing processing means for performing printing processing to a recording medium according to the printing data to be transmitted form the host apparatus.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system using a printing apparatus capable of setting ecology printing.

  Today, the preservation of the global environment is screamed worldwide, and emission regulations for greenhouse gases such as CO2 (carbon dioxide) are being realized, centered on the Global Warming Prevention Conference. Under such circumstances, efforts are being made to cope with CO2 reduction for printing apparatuses such as printers and copiers.

  For example, efforts are being made to acquire information related to printing costs such as the printing rate of printed matter as log information after printing and reflect the information in subsequent ecology printing. In addition, efforts have been made to reduce the CO2 by calculating the printing rate based on the print data in advance.

  The invention of Patent Document 1 is an image forming apparatus that receives print information from a host computer and forms an image on a print medium, and counts from the start of use of a non-countable consumable to the end of its life. A predetermined change amount related to a possible printing operation is counted, and the consumption amount of the non-countable consumable item to be newly used is predicted according to the change amount, thereby preventing unnecessary replacement of the consumable item.

  The invention of Patent Document 2 calculates a printing rate or image density from pixel data obtained by developing print data, and starts toner supply amount and toner supply of the image forming apparatus based on the printing rate or image density. The toner density threshold to be corrected is corrected, and appropriate toner replenishment is performed.

JP 2000-135842 A JP 2004-151375 A

  However, when information related to the printing cost such as the printing rate of the printed matter is acquired as log information after printing, it is a printing result and cannot be known unless the printing process is actually performed. In addition, when the print rate is calculated in advance based on the print data, the theoretical value is calculated in the color matching process. When the page composition, toner save, monochrome mode, etc. are further set, the print rate is calculated. The calculation error becomes larger.

  Therefore, the present invention uses the print preview screen to perform a temporary print process, perform the same process as the actual print process without performing print output, calculate the print rate, and perform page composition and toner save. The present invention provides a printing system that realizes printing processing commensurate with printing costs in processing such as monochrome mode.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a printing system comprising a host device and a printing apparatus connected to the host device via a network, wherein the host device performs ecology printing settings and stores the setting contents. Acquired by the print navigation control means displayed on the display unit, the printing rate acquisition means for performing a temporary printing process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing, and acquiring the printing rate in the temporary printing process, and the printing rate acquisition means Display control means for displaying the information of the printed ratio on the display unit, and transmission means for transmitting print data based on the displayed information of the printing ratio to the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus is the host This can be achieved by providing a printing system having print processing means for performing print processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted from the device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to display the printing rate for the print output by the print preview before the execution of the printing process, and it is possible to easily check the printing cost. In addition, since the printing rate can be acquired according to the drawing data based on the setting contents of ecology printing, an accurate printing rate can be acquired, and printing corresponding to the printing cost can be realized. In particular, when a large amount of printing processing is performed, accurate printing cost information can be obtained, which is effective.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the processing operation of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the print preview screen of ecology printing of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a printing system according to the present embodiment. The printing system according to this embodiment includes a host computer 1 that is a host device and a printer device 2. The host computer 1 and the printer device 2 are connected via a local area network (LAN) or a universal serial bus (USB).

  The host computer 1 includes a printer monitoring tool 3, a printer driver 4, a print navigation tool 5, an eco-related tabulation tool 6, a LAN communication control unit 7, and a USB communication control unit 8. The printer monitoring tool 3 includes a monitoring control unit 10 and a one-shot eco setting unit 11. The monitoring control unit 10 monitors the input of eco-related setting notifications transmitted from the printer device 2. The one-shot eco setting unit 11 automatically sets multi-page printing settings, monochrome printing settings, duplex printing settings, and toner save printing settings, which will be described later, without pressing a power saving button (not shown). Has the function to set.

  The printer driver 4 includes an application (API) setting unit 12, a printing book execution unit 13, a print provisional execution unit 14, and a UI unit 15. The printer driver 4 creates print data according to an application program set in the API setting unit 12. . The print main execution unit 13 converts the print data created by the API setting unit 12 into an intermediate code corresponding to the printer device 2, and the printer device via the LAN communication control unit 7 or the USB communication control unit 8 described above. 2 to send.

  The print navigation tool 5 includes a print preview unit 17 and a setting unit 18. The print preview unit 17 performs display control of a print preview screen, which will be described later, and ecology printing is set by the setting unit 18.

  The eco-related tabulation tool 6 includes a data tabulation unit 19, a data processing unit 20, and a display unit 21. The data tabulation unit 19 tabulates log data related to ecology transmitted from the printer device 2 and transmits the log data to the data processing unit 20. To do.

  The data processing unit 20 processes the data and displays ecology-related aggregate data on the display unit 21. This ecology-related aggregate data includes the usage rate of the above double-sided printing, multi-page printing, toner save printing, and eco performance for each fiscal year for each printing device, integrated power consumption, CO2 conversion value, number of prints, double-sided printing usage Rate, multi-page printing usage rate, and toner save usage rate.

  On the other hand, the printer apparatus 2 includes a control unit 23 and a printer unit 24. The control unit 23 includes a CPU 25, a LAN communication control unit 26, a USB communication control unit 27, a command analysis unit 28, an IC card reader control unit 29, a communication control unit 30, a print execution unit 31, a panel display control unit 32, and a storage device control. The unit 33 is configured. A storage device 34 that is a hard disk (HD) is connected to the storage device control unit 33, and the storage device control unit 33 controls writing of data to the storage device 34 and reading of data stored in the storage device 34. Do.

  The LAN communication control unit 26 and the USB communication control unit 27 communicate with the host computer 1 described above, and perform reception control of print data output from the host computer 1, for example.

  In addition, the command analysis unit 28 performs command analysis included in the received print data, and converts the print data into bitmap data. The IC card reader control unit 29 communicates with an IC card reader (not shown) connected to the printer device 2, receives data from the IC card reader, and transmits data to the CPU 25. Further, the communication control unit 30 inputs a detection signal from a sensor (not shown), for example, a sensor installed in a toner cartridge or a drum set to which a discharge right is given.

  In addition, the print execution unit 31 instructs printing processing of bitmap data created by command analysis processing. In addition, an operation panel (not shown) is connected to the panel display control unit 32 and performs display control of data displayed on the operation panel.

  The recording device 34 stores a system program of the printer device 2, and the CPU 25 performs processing according to this program. The CPU 25 receives the print data transmitted from the host computer 1, performs command analysis to create image data, and transmits the image data to the printer unit 24 configured as described above.

  On the other hand, the printer unit 24 includes a print control unit 36, a printing mechanism unit 37, and a paper feed unit 38, and performs print processing on a recording medium (paper) carried out from the paper feed unit 38 under the control of the print control unit 36. Then, the print mechanism unit 37 is driven to perform print output according to the print data.

In the above configuration, the processing operation of this example will be described below.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of this example. First, print data is created according to the application of the API setting unit 12, and printing execution by simple eco printing is instructed (step (hereinafter referred to as S) 1). In accordance with this instruction, a print preview display instruction is issued to the print preview unit 17 (print navigation tool 5), and the print preview is displayed (S2).

  FIG. 3 is an example of a print preview screen. This print preview screen displays the print output state of the print data created according to the application. In the example shown in FIG. 3, for example, a print output state for 10 pages and a logo screen for ecology printing are displayed. On the right side of the print preview screen, a multi-page printing setting unit 39, a monochrome printing setting unit 40, a duplex printing setting unit 41, and a toner save printing setting unit 42 are arranged.

  Further, a provisional print setting button 43 and a print start button 44 are arranged at the lower right portion of the print preview screen. Further, a printing rate display unit 45 obtained by processing to be described later is also provided.

  Here, for multi-page printing settings, for example, by selecting a logo display such as 1/2, 1/4, 1/9, etc. displayed in the multi-page print setting section 39, two pages are printed on one sheet. It is possible to make a setting for reducing printing of 4 pages, 9 pages, and the like. Also, monochrome printing can be set by selecting a monochrome logo display for color print data input. In addition, for example, in the case of normal single-sided printing, double-sided printing can be set by selecting a logo display indicating double-sided printing. Furthermore, the toner save printing can be set by selecting a logo display indicating the toner save level to set a desired toner save level.

  Next, in the state where the print preview screen of the ecology printing is displayed, the operation of the user is waited, and for example, it is determined whether there is a setting change (S3). This setting change is, for example, when a predetermined level of multi-page printing setting or toner save printing setting has been performed in advance in the one-shot eco setting unit 11. If not, new settings are made by the user.

  Here, when the above setting (setting change) operation is performed (YES in S3), the corresponding ecology printing is set (S4). For example, when the multi-page print setting unit 39 is operated and the division number is changed, the corresponding division number is changed, and the toner save print setting unit 42 is operated and the toner save level is changed. The corresponding toner save level is set.

In the state where the print preview screen is displayed, for example, when the temporary printing setting button 43 is operated (S5 is YES), the temporary printing is designated (S6).
Thereafter, the above-described print start button 44 is operated (S7), and when there is a print instruction, the print navigation tool 5 determines whether the print rate acquisition is designated (S8), and the print rate acquisition is designated. If YES (S8 is YES), a temporary printing execution process is instructed (S9). If the print rate acquisition is not designated (S8 is NO), a print execution process is performed (S10). This process will be described later.

  When there is the above instruction, the printer driver 4 performs a print execution process (S11), and first determines whether there is a provisional execution instruction (S12). If the provisional printing setting button 43 is operated as described above and a provisional printing execution instruction is issued (YES in S12), the provisional printing execution process is immediately performed (S13).

  This process is a process of acquiring the printing rate by drawing processing. For example, if multi-page printing is set, a screen with the corresponding number of divisions is inserted into one page, and drawing processing is performed to acquire the printing rate. To do. If monochrome printing is instructed, color matching processing is performed, color printing data is converted into monochrome printing data, and a printing rate is acquired. If toner save printing is set, the corresponding toner save level is drawn to obtain the printing rate.

  The print rate data acquired as described above is specific print rate data corresponding to ecology printing, and the printer driver 4 sends the acquired print rate data to the print navigation tool 5 through response processing (S15). Send to.

  The print navigation tool 5 acquires the print rate data from the printer driver 4 (S16), and displays the print rate data on the print rate display unit 45 (S17). By this display processing, the user can confirm the printing rate when the print data is actually printed out, and can also determine the printing cost. Further, the print rate data displayed on the print rate display unit 45 is not a theoretical value as in the prior art, but is a specific print rate data when a drawing process is performed.

  Therefore, by acquiring the printing rate in ecological printing such as toner save printing, it is possible to compare printing costs and perform printing output commensurate with the printing costs. In particular, in printing processing that consumes a large amount of paper and toner, such as POP (Point Of Purchase advertising) printing, ecological printing such as toner save printing can be used to perform printing processing commensurate with the printing cost.

  Next, when performing a print instruction, for example, based on the print rate data displayed on the print rate display unit 45, the user operates the above-described print start button 44 (S7) and performs a print execution process. In this case, since the print rate acquisition process is not performed (S7 is NO), the print execution process is performed (S10), and the print book execution unit 13 of the printer driver 4 is driven (S11, S12 is NO). (S18).

  The printing book execution unit 13 converts the print data created according to the above-described application into an intermediate code corresponding to the printer device 2 and transmits it to the printer device 2 via the LAN communication control unit 7 or the USB communication control unit 8 described above. To do.

  The print data transmitted to the printer apparatus 2 is command-analyzed by the command analysis unit 28 as described above, converted into drawing data, transmitted to the printer unit 24, and controlled by the print control unit 36 to supply the paper feed unit 38. The printing process is performed on the recording medium (paper) carried out from the printer, and the printing mechanism unit 37 is driven to perform printing output according to the drawing data.

  At this time, the printed matter discharged from the printer apparatus 2 is an ecological printed matter set by the user, and is a printed matter having an optimum printing rate corresponding to the printing cost.

  In the description of the above embodiment, the print rate is acquired in accordance with the settings for multi-page printing, monochrome print setting, double-sided printing, and toner save print, and print processing corresponding to the print rate is performed. May designate a printing rate and perform ecology printing corresponding to the printing rate. For example, when a table for storing information on the number of divisions for multi-page printing corresponding to the printing rate and toner save level information for toner saving printing is prepared in advance, when the printing rate is designated, the multi-page printing can be performed by referring to this table. The number of divisions and the toner save level may be determined.

  In the above description, multi-page printing, monochrome printing, duplex printing, and toner save printing have been described as ecology printing. However, the present invention is not limited to the above settings.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is included in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. Hereinafter, the invention described in the scope of claims at the beginning of the filing of the present patent application will be added.

Appendix 1
A printing system having a host device and a printing apparatus connected to the host device via a network;
The host device is
Print navigation control means for setting ecology printing and displaying the setting contents on the display unit;
A printing rate acquisition means for performing a temporary printing process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquiring a printing rate in the temporary printing process;
Display control means for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition means on the display unit;
Transmission means for transmitting print data based on the displayed printing rate information to the printing apparatus,
The printing apparatus includes:
Print processing means for performing print processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted from the host device;
A printing system characterized by that.

Appendix 2
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the ecology printing setting is a multi-page printing setting, a monochrome printing setting, a duplex printing setting, or a toner save printing setting.

Appendix 3
The printing system according to appendix 1 or 2, wherein the printing rate acquisition unit performs command analysis of the printing data according to the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquires the printing data based on the obtained drawing data.

Appendix 4
A host device connected to the printing apparatus via a network and outputting print data to the printing apparatus;
Print navigation control means for setting ecology printing and displaying the setting contents on the display unit;
A printing rate acquisition means for performing a temporary printing process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquiring a printing rate in the temporary printing process;
Display control means for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition means on the display unit;
Transmission means for transmitting print data based on the displayed printing rate information to the printing apparatus,
A host device that causes the printing apparatus to perform printing processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted by the transmission unit.

Appendix 5
A print processing method of a host device connected to a printing apparatus via a network and outputting print data to the printing apparatus;
Processing for setting ecology printing and displaying the setting content on the display unit;
A print rate acquisition process for performing a temporary print process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquiring a print rate in the temporary print process;
A display control process for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition process on the display unit;
A transmission process for transmitting print data based on the displayed printing rate information to the printing apparatus;
A printing processing method characterized by causing the printing apparatus to perform printing processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted by the transmission processing.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Host computer 2 ... Printer apparatus 3 ... Printer monitoring tool 4 ... Printer driver 5 ... Print navigation tool 6 ... Eco-related totaling tool 7 ... LAN communication control part 8 · · USB communication control unit 10 · · Monitoring control unit 11 · · One-shot eco setting unit 12 · · Application setting unit 13 · · Print book execution unit 14 · · Print provisional execution unit 15 · · UI unit 17 · · Print preview Unit 18 setting unit 19 data totaling unit 20 data processing unit 21 display unit 23 control unit 24 printer unit 25 CPU
26..LAN communication control unit 27.USB communication control unit 28.Command analysis unit 29.IC card reader control unit 30.Communication control unit 31.Print execution unit 32..Panel display control unit 33 .. Storage device control unit 34 Storage device 36 Print control unit 37 Printing mechanism unit 38 Paper feed unit 39 Multi-page print setting unit 40 Monochrome print setting unit 41 Double-sided print setting unit 42 .. Toner save printing setting section 43.. Temporary printing setting button 44... Printing start button 45.

Claims (5)

A printing system having a host device and a printing apparatus connected to the host device via a network;
The host device is
Print navigation control means for setting ecology printing and displaying the setting contents on the display unit;
A printing rate acquisition means for performing a temporary printing process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquiring a printing rate in the temporary printing process;
Display control means for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition means on the display unit;
Transmission means for transmitting print data based on the displayed printing rate information to the printing apparatus,
The printing apparatus includes:
Print processing means for performing print processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted from the host device;
A printing system characterized by that.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the ecology printing setting is a multi-page printing setting, a monochrome printing setting, a duplex printing setting, or a toner save printing setting.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing rate acquisition unit performs a command analysis of the printing data according to the setting contents of the ecology printing, and acquires the printing data based on the obtained drawing data. A host device connected to the printing apparatus via a network and outputting print data to the printing apparatus;
Print navigation control means for setting ecology printing and displaying the setting contents on the display unit;
A printing rate acquisition means for performing a temporary printing process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquiring a printing rate in the temporary printing process;
Display control means for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition means on the display unit;
Transmission means for transmitting print data based on the displayed printing rate information to the printing apparatus,
A host device that causes the printing apparatus to perform printing processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted by the transmission unit. A print processing method of a host device connected to a printing apparatus via a network and outputting print data to the printing apparatus;
Processing for setting ecology printing and displaying the setting content on the display unit;
A print rate acquisition process for performing a temporary print process based on the setting contents of the ecology printing and acquiring a print rate in the temporary print process;
A display control process for displaying information on the printing rate acquired by the printing rate acquisition process on the display unit;
A transmission process for transmitting print data based on the displayed printing rate information to the printing apparatus;
A printing processing method characterized by causing the printing apparatus to perform printing processing on a recording medium in accordance with print data transmitted by the transmission processing.