JP4334289B2 - Image forming device driver - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a personal computer (hereinafter, PC) connected to the image forming apparatus is installed in, together with having the function of obtaining an image directly from a digital camera, an image having one file finisher processing function (staple, punching) The present invention relates to a forming apparatus driver.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In relation to a system in which an image forming apparatus, a digital camera, and a PC are connected, for example, techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 5 below are known.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-275299 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2000-155721 A [Patent Document 3]
JP 2002-015314 A [Patent Document 4]
JP 2002-023979 A [Patent Document 5]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175445
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art, when an image is acquired by connecting a digital camera to a PC, an application dedicated to the digital camera must be used, and there are the following problems.
When an image acquired by a digital camera is printed together with the created document application file and finisher processing is to be performed as one file, the image must be pasted and edited in the document application. This caused the following problems.
(1) New editing time is increased for the user.
(2) The document file must be edited every time the image is replaced.
(3) Since the image is pasted, the document file becomes heavy and management is difficult.
(4) When the same image is used for different files, the capacity is unnecessarily increased because the images are duplicated.
In order to solve these problems, the present invention adds a function for directly acquiring an image of a digital camera and easily editing it, and adding the image acquired from the digital camera to the printing of a document file and performing a finisher process as one file. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus driver having a function to perform.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is obtained from an imaging device connected to the computer in an image forming device driver stored in a computer connected to the image forming device that forms an image. A function for saving image data, a function for creating a data file from application data, a function for creating an image file from the saved image data, and the data file and the image file are converted into independent data of the same printer language. a function of converting the conducted printer language the data file that has been converted into data with a predetermined processing on the image file, characterized in that it comprises a function of the one file, a.
[0005]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the first aspect , the image forming apparatus driver has a function of taking in still image data and moving image data of the imaging apparatus.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the second aspect , the image forming apparatus driver has a function of capturing at least a part of the moving image data of the imaging apparatus as still image data.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the third aspect , the capturing function is a function of capturing still image data of at least two frames, and the moving image data of the imaging device is used as still image data. It is characterized by having a function of designating the still image data by the number of frames when fetching.
[0006]
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, according to claim 1 or any one in the image forming apparatus driver according to claim 4, optionally the image data acquired from the imaging apparatus to display thumbnails, from said stored image data It is characterized by having a function of selecting.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the first aspect , the image forming apparatus driver has a function of adding a header to the head of the file as the one file and adding a footer to the end.
[0007]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus driver has a function of performing a single predetermined processing on the data file and the image file between the added header and the footer. Features.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the seventh aspect , when different predetermined processing is required for each data file and image file between the footer from the added header, for each file. A function of performing a predetermined processing is provided.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus driver according to the first aspect, the image forming apparatus driver has a function of performing image size, resolution, paper size, or aggregation designation for the created image file.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming apparatus driver 100 is installed in a PC (personal computer) 200. The PC 200 performs bidirectional communication with the image forming apparatus (printer) 300 and exchanges information with each other. The removable digital camera (photographing device) 400 is connected to the PC 200 by some method, and transfers the image data to the PC 200.
In the image forming apparatus driver 100, the external device data acquisition unit 101 acquires an image (moving / still image) from the digital camera 400 and stores the image data in a hard disk (hereinafter referred to as HDD) 103. A graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI) 102 performs image file creation, selection of one file finishing function, and thumbnail display for image selection. In the image file creation function, the GUI 102 specifies image size, resolution, selection of images to be used, paper size, and aggregation.
The HDD 103 stores the image data of the digital camera 400 and also stores the image file created by the image file creation unit 105. The image processing unit 104 creates a thumbnail to be displayed on the GUI 102, and acquires a still image instantaneously from the moving image of the digital camera 400 acquired by the external device data acquisition unit 101 with the number of frames specified by the GUI 102 I do. The acquired still image is displayed as a thumbnail on the GUI 102.
[0009]
When an image file creation function is selected by the user on the GUI 102, the image file creation unit 105 creates an image file based on the selected image information. One image is one page, and the created image file is given a name and stored in the HDD 103. The timer 106 measures the timing for acquiring a still image from the moving image of the digital camera 400 and sends a timing signal to the image processing unit 104.
When the user selects one file finisher processing (stapling, punching, etc.) on the GUI 102, the image file combining unit 107 performs a data file to be printed based on the data file to be printed and the image file information. Header information is added to the beginning of the image, footer information is added to the end of the image file data, and the footer from the header is regarded as one file. At this time, the paper size and finisher processing designation of the data file to be printed and the image file must be the same.
In addition, even if the finisher processing specification is different for each file, it has a function of performing stapling and punching for each file.
The printer information acquisition unit 108 performs two-way communication between the PC 200 and the image forming apparatus 300, acquires the paper type and paper size from each other, and constantly updates the information. When using the one-file finisher processing function, the image forming apparatus 300 is notified in advance before sending a job.
The error processing unit 109 displays an error message on the GUI 102 when the external device data acquisition unit 101 fails to acquire data. An error message is also displayed on the GUI 102 when one file finisher processing fails. The printer language conversion processing unit 110 converts application data and image data to be printed into a printer language.
[0010]
An operation until an image acquired from the digital camera 400 can be printed will be described.
The image data of the digital camera 400 connected to the PC 200 by some method is directly captured from the external device data acquisition unit 101 of the image forming apparatus driver 100 and stored in the HDD 103. Here, both still images and moving images can be acquired, and each stored image has its own image information. If the image acquisition fails, the error processing unit 109 displays an error message on the GUI 102.
The user selects an image file creation function on the GUI 102, and designates setting values (image size / resolution) of the image file to be created and an image to be used from the thumbnail. This thumbnail is created by the image processing unit 104. If you want to use a moving image at this time, use GUI 102 to specify the number of still images you want to acquire from the moving image, measure the still image acquisition timing with timer 106 according to the specified number of frames, and send it to image processing unit 104. .
Here, a thumbnail image is displayed on the GUI 102 while still images are acquired and thumbnails are created. The user can select an image from this thumbnail. Based on the designated data, the image file creation unit 105 creates an image file from the image data stored in the HDD 103. One image is one page, and the created image file is given a name and stored in the HDD 103.
When printing an image file after it has been created, printing is executed by designating the image file, paper size, aggregation, etc. on the GUI 102. If consolidation is specified, image index printing is performed. Information such as the paper type and paper size set in the image forming apparatus 300 is acquired by performing bidirectional communication with the image forming apparatus 300 by the printer information acquisition unit 108.
[0011]
Next, the flow of one file finisher process will be described.
When the user prints an application file, when the finisher process is performed as a single file, the image file of the digital camera 400 directly acquired and processed by the image forming apparatus driver 100 is attached after the data file. The one file finisher processing function is selected on the GUI 102 of the forming apparatus driver 100. In this case, it has a function of stapling or punching as one file. Similarly, the GUI 102 specifies image file selection / aggregation / paper size / finisher processing.
Thereafter, the printer language conversion unit 110 converts the data into a printer language, and the image file combination unit 107 adds header information and footer information for recognizing the application file and the image file as one file. After notifying the image forming apparatus 300 of the one-file finisher processing function use notification via the printer information acquisition unit 108, the print data is transmitted. If the one-file finisher process has failed, the error processing unit 109 displays an error message on the GUI 102.
[0012]
Next, details of the one-file finisher process for performing the finisher process using the application file and the image file created by the image forming apparatus driver 100 as one file will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The condition for the success of the one-file finisher process is that the PJL environment variables related to the paper size designation of the application file and the image file and the finisher process match.
Hereinafter, each step (S1-S19) of FIG. 2 will be described.
S1: When selecting the file finisher processing function, the process of S2 is performed. When the 1-file finisher processing function is not selected, a standby state is entered.
S2: When selecting an image file for which finisher processing is to be performed, the processing of S3 is performed. If no image file for finisher processing is selected, the process ends.
S3: If aggregation is selected by some method, the process of S4 is performed. If aggregation is not selected, the process of S8 is performed.
S4: When collecting application files, the process of S5 is performed. If the application files are not aggregated, the process of S6 is performed.
S5: Specify application file aggregation.
S6: When collecting image files, the process of S7 is performed. If the image files are not aggregated, the process of S8 is performed.
S7: Designate image file aggregation.
S8: Specify the paper size common to the two files.
S9: Specify finisher processing common to the two files.
S10: The application file / image file is converted into printer language data (PJL + PDL).
[0013]
S11: When the PJL environment variables of the paper size and finisher process in the application file / image file are compared and the same, the process of S12 is performed. If the PJL environment variables are different, the process of S16 is performed.
S12: Add header information to the head of the PDL data of the application file.
S13: Add footer information to the end of the PDL data of the image file.
S14: A notification for performing the file finisher process is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 300.
S15: Print data is transmitted.
S16: An error message is displayed.
S17: When the application file and the image file are transmitted separately, the process of S18 is performed. When not transmitting, the process of S19 is performed.
S18: The application file data and the image file data are transmitted separately.
S19: If the file finisher process is successful, the process ends. If unsuccessful, the process returns to a state of waiting for the user to select the one file finisher processing function.
[0014]
【The invention's effect】
As described above , according to the image forming apparatus driver of the present invention , printing can be performed without going through other applications, and work steps can be reduced and at the same time the complexity of the user can be eliminated.
Further, the image data can be easily added by adding a created image file to the data file to be printed and providing a function for performing predetermined processing with the data file and the image file as one file.
In addition, providing a function of capturing still image data and moving image data of the imaging apparatus has an effect of widening the range of user image selection.
In addition, a data file to be printed can be recognized as one file by providing a function of adding a header at the beginning of a file as one file and adding a footer at the end.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a one-file finisher processing function.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image forming apparatus driver, 103 Hard disk, 105 Image file creation part, 200 Personal computer, 300 Image forming apparatus, 400 Digital camera

Claims (9)

In an image forming apparatus driver stored in a computer connected to an image forming apparatus that forms an image,
A function of saving image data acquired from an imaging device connected to the computer;
A function of creating a data file from the application data and creating an image file from the stored image data;
A function of converting the data file and the image file into independent data of the same printer language ;
The printer performs a language predetermined processing to the data file and the image file is converted into the data of the image forming apparatus driver comprising: the function of the one file, a. The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 1 , further comprising a function of capturing still image data and moving image data of the imaging apparatus. The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 2 , further comprising a function of capturing at least a part of moving image data of the imaging apparatus as still image data. The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 3 , wherein the capturing function is a function of capturing at least two frames of still image data, and the moving image data of the imaging device is captured as still image data. An image forming apparatus driver having a function of designating a frame by the number of frames. In claim 1 the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 4 drivers, that a function of the image data obtained from the imaging apparatus to display thumbnails, is arbitrarily selected from the stored image data A featured image forming apparatus driver. 2. The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 1 , further comprising a function of adding a header to the beginning of the file as the one file and adding a footer to the end. 7. The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 6 , further comprising a function of performing a single predetermined processing on the data file and the image file between the added header and the footer. 8. The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 7 , wherein when different predetermined processing is required for each data file and image file between the footers from the added header, a function of performing predetermined processing for each file is provided. An image forming apparatus driver comprising the image forming apparatus driver.   The image forming apparatus driver according to claim 1, further comprising a function of performing image size, resolution, paper size, or aggregation designation for the created image file.

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