JP6163911B2 - Print control apparatus, print control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a print control apparatus , a print control method, and a program for a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays, and more particularly to a technique for selecting a sheet optimal for a print job.

  In general, in a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays, if papers having the same attribute are stored in a plurality of paper feed trays, the papers in the paper feed tray having a higher priority are used. This paper is less frequently used and deteriorates. To prevent this, the time when the paper is set in the paper feed tray (paper set time) is recorded, and the paper in the paper feed tray with the old paper set time is preferentially selected to prevent paper deterioration. Such a technique is conventionally known (for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, the paper in the paper feed tray with the old paper set time deteriorates compared with the paper in the new paper feed tray with the new paper set time. By the way, depending on the print job (for example, the ratio of image data is large), the necessary print quality may not be maintained unless printing is performed on paper that has not deteriorated.

  In the prior art, the paper setting time is old, and deteriorated paper is always preferentially selected compared to the paper in the new paper feed tray at the new paper setting time. There was a problem that I could not keep it.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and preferentially select a deteriorated paper in a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays and containing paper of the same attribute in the paper feed trays. And maintaining the necessary print quality.

The present invention is a printing control device of a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays, the means for acquiring the degree of deterioration of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays, and each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays A selection unit for selecting a sheet having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data according to the content of the print job, and a set time of each sheet in the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter referred to as a sheet set time). ) have a, and means for holding the means for obtaining the degree of deterioration of the paper, calculates the paper set elapsed time of each sheet of the plurality of paper feed tray from the difference between the current time and the paper-set time The means for acquiring the degree of deterioration of the paper and selecting the paper selects the paper having the smallest degree of deterioration when there is no paper of the degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data. to, the major that And butterflies.

  According to the present invention, depending on the content of the print job, when the deteriorated sheet is acceptable, the deteriorated sheet is selected. When the less deteriorated sheet is required, the undegraded sheet is selected. Therefore, it is possible to preferentially select the deteriorated paper and maintain the required print quality.

1 is a diagram illustrating a printing system to which a printing control apparatus of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram according to an embodiment of a print control apparatus of the present invention. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print job image data ratio table. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper set elapsed time versus image data ratio maximum value conversion table. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper set time table. FIG. It is a process flowchart of an image data ratio calculation process part. It is a processing flowchart of a paper selection processing unit.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a printing system to which a printing control apparatus of the present invention is applied. The print control device 10 is connected to a host device 20 such as a personal computer, and is further connected to a printing device (print engine) 30. In general, a plurality of host devices 20 can be connected to the print control device 10. The printing apparatus 30 includes a plurality of paper feed trays and paper feed cassettes (hereinafter collectively referred to as paper feed trays), and at least some of the plurality of paper feed trays contain sheets of the same attribute (same size, etc.). Has been.

  The host device 20 sends a print job to the print control device 10. The print control apparatus 10 converts the print job sent from the host apparatus 20 into print data and sends it to the printing apparatus 30. Further, the print control apparatus 10 selects a sheet optimal for printing the print job or a paper feed tray containing the sheet according to the contents of the print job, and sends the information to the printing apparatus 30. . The printing apparatus 30 feeds paper from the paper feed tray based on the paper or paper feed tray information sent from the print control apparatus 10 and prints the printing data sent from the print control apparatus 10. .

  Hereinafter, the configuration and operation according to the embodiment of the print control apparatus 10 will be described in detail. The print control apparatus 10 acquires the degree of deterioration of each sheet in the plurality of paper feed trays included in the printing apparatus 30 and selects the print job from each of the sheets in the paper feed tray according to the content of the print job. Select a printable sheet of deterioration or its paper feed tray. Unless otherwise specified in the embodiment, the content of the print job is the ratio of the image data in the print job, and the degree of paper deterioration is the elapsed time since the paper was set in the paper feed tray (paper set elapsed time). Suppose that

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram according to an embodiment of the print control apparatus 10. The print control apparatus 10 includes a RIP processing unit 110, a print processing unit 120, and a storage unit 130. The RIP processing unit 110 has an image data ratio calculation processing unit 115, and the print processing unit 120 has a paper selection processing unit 125. The storage unit 130 includes a print job image data ratio table 132, a paper set elapsed time versus image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134, and a paper set time table 136.

  Here, each processing function of the RIP processing unit 110 and the print processing unit 120 is realized by the CPU executing a program. The storage unit 130 is a generic term for ROM, RAM, HDD, and the like. For example, the ROM stores a CPU activation program. The RAM is used as a work area for print jobs, print data, and CPU program execution. The HDD stores print data and the like temporarily, and various programs and tables executed by the CPU.

  The host device 20 sends a print job to the print control device 10. The print job includes drawing data such as image data, text data, and graphic data, and attribute data such as paper size, resolution, and image quality. Here, since image data generally includes a lot of shading information, it is desirable to print on paper with little deterioration. On the other hand, text data and graphic data are mostly data with clear contrast, and it can be said that there is no problem even if printing is performed on paper having deteriorated. Therefore, in the embodiment, when the ratio of the image data in the print job is small, the paper having deteriorated is selected, but when the ratio of the image data is large, the paper having little deterioration is selected.

  Note that instead of the ratio of image data in the print job, depending on the resolution and image quality set for the print job, if low resolution or low image quality is acceptable, select degraded paper and select high resolution. Or, in the case of high image quality, it is possible to select a sheet with little deterioration.

  The RIP processing unit 110 in the print control apparatus 10 performs a process of converting a print job received from the host apparatus 20 into print data (raster data). The print data is temporarily stored in the storage unit 130. On the other hand, the image data ratio calculation processing unit 115 in the RIP processing unit 110 calculates the ratio of image data in the print job, and holds the calculated image data ratio in the print job image data ratio table 132 in the storage unit 130. To do.

  The print processing unit 120 reads print data from the storage unit 130, generates data for the printing device 30 (such as data for laser writing), and sends the data to the printing device 30. On the other hand, the paper selection processing unit 125 in the print processing unit 120 refers to the print job image data ratio table 132, the paper set elapsed time versus image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 and the paper set time table 136 in the storage unit 130. In accordance with the ratio of the image data in the print job, a sheet having a degree of deterioration that can print the print job is selected from the sheets in the plurality of paper feed trays, and the information is sent to the printing apparatus 30. To do. Note that the printing apparatus 30 may be sent with information on a paper feed tray that stores the paper.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the print job image data ratio table 132 in the storage unit 130. The print job image data ratio table 132 holds an image data ratio for each print job. The print job ID is information for identifying a print job, and is uniquely assigned to each print job. The image data ratio indicates the ratio of image data in units of jobs. The image data ratio is a printing ratio of image data with respect to the paper size. For example, job 2 indicates that 30% of the area of the paper size is image data.

  When the print control apparatus 10 sends the print data to the printing apparatus 30, it deletes the print job ID and the image data ratio information of the corresponding print job in the print job image data ratio table 132.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the paper set elapsed time versus image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 in the storage unit 130. The paper set elapsed time vs. image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 divides the elapsed time (paper set elapsed time) after setting the paper into the paper feed tray into a plurality of groups (in FIG. 4, No. 1 to No. 7 is a table that defines the maximum value of the ratio of printable image data (image data ratio maximum value) for each group within the paper set elapsed time. For example, the group No. 1 indicates that if the paper set elapsed time is within 0 to 10 hours, printing is possible for a print job with an image data ratio of 100% or less. In other words, when the paper set elapsed time is within 0 to 10 hours, all print jobs can be printed. Similarly, for example, the group No. 2 indicates that the maximum value of the printable image data ratio is 70% when the paper set elapsed time is within 10 to 100 hours. For example, the group No. 7 indicates that a print job including even a small amount of image data cannot be printed when the paper set elapsed time exceeds 5000 hours. However, a print job with only text data and graphic data can be printed.

  That is, the paper set elapsed time versus image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 shows the relationship between the degree of paper deterioration and the ratio of printable image data in the print job.

  The paper set elapsed time versus image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 shown in FIG. 4 is created and saved in the storage unit 130 at the time of factory shipment, for example, but can be changed later by the user.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the paper set time table 136 in the storage unit 130. The paper set time table 136 indicates the set time of paper in the paper feed tray for each paper feed tray of the printing apparatus 30. In FIG. 5, the printing apparatus 30 has four paper feed trays 1 to 4. The paper feed tray number is information for identifying a paper feed tray in the printing apparatus 30. The paper set time indicates the time when the paper was last set in each paper feed tray. For example, it is indicated that the paper in the paper feed tray 1 was finally set at 14:30:25 on May 11, 2012. That is, the older the paper set time, the more advanced the paper in the paper feed tray.

The paper set time in the paper set time table 136 is updated every time paper is set (supplemented) in the paper feed trays 1 to 4. Specifically, the print control apparatus 10 is a clock (soft clock).
Is received, and the paper set time of the paper feed tray is updated by receiving information on the paper feed tray supplemented with paper from the printing apparatus 30.

  Next, processing in the image data ratio calculation processing unit 115 in the RIP processing unit 110 and the paper selection processing unit 125 in the print processing unit 120 in the print control apparatus 10 in FIG. 2 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 6 is a process flowchart according to an embodiment of the image data ratio calculation processing unit 115. The image data ratio calculation processing unit 115 calculates the ratio of image data as follows while there are pages to be printed in the print job and while there are data to be drawn in the pages.

  The image data ratio calculation processing unit 115 checks whether there is a page to be printed in the print job (step 1001). When there is a page to be printed, the following processing is performed for each page.

  First, the paper size is acquired from the print job at the beginning of each page (step 1002), and the acquired paper size is added to the paper size of the print job (step 1003). The added value for the paper size of the print job is initially zero. Next, it is checked whether there is data to be drawn in the page (step 1004). If there is no data to be drawn, the process proceeds to the next page (step 1009). If there is data to be drawn, it is checked whether the data to be drawn is image data (step 1005). If it is image data, the drawing area of the image data is acquired (step 1006), the acquired drawing area is added to the image data area of the print job (step 1007), and the next drawing data in the page is obtained. (Step 1008). The image data area of the print job is initially zero. Further, the drawing area of the image data is acquired from, for example, a drawing result (raster data). Thereafter, while there is data to be drawn for the page, the processing in steps 1004 to 1008 is repeated, and when there is no data to be drawn, the process proceeds to the next page (step 1009).

  By repeating the above processing for each page in the print job, when the processing for all pages is completed (NO in step 1001), the total paper size of the entire print job (paper size of the print job) and the print The sum of the drawing areas of the image data of the entire job (image data area of the print job) is obtained.

  Next, the image data ratio calculation processing unit 115 calculates the ratio (image data ratio) of the image data area of the print job to the paper size of the print job (step 1010), and the print job image data ratio in the storage unit 130 is calculated. The table 132 stores the print job ID and image data ratio (step 1011).

  Here, the image data ratio is calculated for each print job, but the image data ratio may be calculated for each page of the print job. That is, the image data area is obtained for each page of the print job, and the ratio of the image data area to the paper size (image data ratio) is calculated. In the print job image data ratio table 132 in the storage unit 130, a page is set under the print job ID, and the image data ratio is registered for each page.

  If you want to use the resolution and image quality specified in the print job instead of the ratio of the image data in the print job, you can obtain the resolution and image data from the print job and convert it to the image data ratio. Good. For the conversion, a conversion table prepared in advance in the storage unit 130 or the like may be used, or a predetermined conversion formula may be used. Thereby, even when the resolution and image quality are used, the print job image data ratio table 132 can be used as it is.

  FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart according to an embodiment of the paper selection processing unit 125.

  When the processing is started, the paper selection processing unit 125 first refers to the paper set time table 136 in the storage unit 130 and acquires the paper set time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays in the printing apparatus 30 ( Step 2001). Also, the current time of the device is acquired (step 2002). Then, from the difference between the current time and the paper set time of each paper feed tray, the paper set elapsed time for each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays is acquired (step 2003). That is, the degree of deterioration of each sheet in the plurality of sheet feeding trays in the printing apparatus 30 is acquired. It should be noted that a device (means) for measuring the degree of deterioration of paper in each paper feed tray may be added to acquire the actual degree of paper deterioration in each paper feed tray. The degree of deterioration of the paper can be obtained, for example, by measuring the gloss of the paper.

  Next, the paper set elapsed time vs. image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 in the storage unit 130 is referred to, and the paper set elapsed time and paper set elapsed time vs. image data ratio maximum value conversion table 134 of each paper feed tray are stored. By comparing the set elapsed time, the maximum value of the image data ratio (image data ratio maximum value) that can be printed on the paper is obtained for each paper in each paper feed tray (step 2004).

  Next, the image data ratio of the print job is acquired with reference to the print job image data ratio table 132 in the storage unit 130 (step 2005). Then, the image data ratio maximum value of the paper in each paper feed tray acquired earlier is compared with the image data ratio of the print job, and the image data ratio maximum value in the paper in each paper feed tray is the image of the print job. It is checked whether there is a data ratio or more (step 2006). This means that, depending on the contents of the print job, there is a deterioration degree sheet that can print the print job data in each sheet of the plurality of paper feed trays.

  If the maximum value of the image data ratio is greater than or equal to the image data ratio of the print job among the paper in each paper tray, select the paper with the smallest image data ratio maximum value or the paper tray (Step 2007). This means that, when there are a plurality of sheets having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data, the sheet having the highest degree of deterioration is selected. On the other hand, if the maximum value of the image data ratio is less than the image data ratio of the print job for any paper in any paper feed tray, the paper having the largest image data ratio maximum value or its paper feed tray is selected ( Step 2008). This means that, when there is no sheet having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data, a sheet having the smallest degree of deterioration is selected from the sheets in each paper feed tray.

  This makes it possible to select the most deteriorated paper among the papers that can be printed with the required quality for the print job, and satisfy the desire to use the paper that has deteriorated as much as possible. be able to. In addition, since only the paper that can be printed with the quality required for the print job or the latest quality is selected, it is deteriorated depending on the contents of the print job (here, the ratio of image data in the print job). It is possible to satisfy the desire to use a blank paper.

  Here, the printable paper or its paper feed tray is selected for each print job, but as described above, the image data ratio for each page of the print job in the print job image data ratio table 132. Is registered, it is possible to select printable paper or its paper feed tray for each page of the print job.

  In addition, in the paper selection processing unit 125, when there is no deterioration sheet capable of printing a print job in any of the plurality of paper supply trays, printing by the printing apparatus 30 is stopped and a new paper supply tray is provided. You may make it require a user to set to.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Print control apparatus 20 Host apparatus 30 Printing apparatus 110 RIP process part 115 Image data ratio calculation process part 120 Print process part 125 Paper selection process part 130 Storage part 132 Print job image data ratio table 134 Paper set elapsed time vs. image data ratio maximum Value conversion table 136 Paper setting time table

JP 2006-117432 A

Claims (10)

A printing control apparatus for a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays,
Means for acquiring a degree of deterioration of each sheet of the plurality of sheet feeding trays;
Means for selecting, from each of the papers of the plurality of paper feed trays, a paper having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data according to the content of the print job;
Means for holding a set time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter, paper set time);
I have a,
The means for obtaining the degree of paper deterioration calculates the paper set elapsed time for each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays from the difference between the current time and the paper set time, and obtains the degree of paper deterioration. ,
The means for selecting the paper selects the paper with the smallest degree of deterioration when there is no paper with the degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data.
A printing control apparatus characterized by that. A printing control apparatus for a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays,
Means for acquiring a degree of deterioration of each sheet of the plurality of sheet feeding trays;
Means for selecting, from each of the papers of the plurality of paper feed trays, a paper having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data according to the content of the print job;
Means for holding a set time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter, paper set time);
Have
The means for obtaining the degree of paper deterioration calculates the paper set elapsed time for each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays from the difference between the current time and the paper set time, and obtains the degree of paper deterioration. ,
The means for selecting the paper stops printing and requests the user to set a new paper when there is no paper of a degree of deterioration that can print the data of the print job.
A printing control apparatus characterized by that. Means for calculating a ratio of image data in the print job;
The means for selecting the sheet has a degree of deterioration at which the print job data can be printed according to the calculated ratio of the image data in the print job from the sheets of the plurality of paper feed trays. the print control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by selecting a paper. The means for selecting the paper is a paper having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data in accordance with the resolution or image quality set for the print job from the papers of the plurality of paper feed trays. the print control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that selection. The print control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises means for measuring the degree of paper degradation to each sheet feed tray.   The means for selecting the sheet, when there are a plurality of sheets having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data, selects a sheet having the greatest degree of deterioration. The printing control apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5. A printing control method in a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays,
Acquiring a degree of deterioration of each sheet of the plurality of sheet feeding trays;
Selecting a sheet having a degree of deterioration capable of printing data of the print job from the sheets of the plurality of paper feed trays according to the content of the print job;
Holding a set time of each sheet of the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter referred to as a sheet set time);
Including
The step of acquiring the degree of deterioration of the paper calculates the paper set elapsed time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays from the difference between the current time and the paper setting time, and acquires the degree of paper deterioration. ,
In the step of selecting the paper, when there is no paper having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data, the paper having the smallest degree of deterioration is selected.
And a printing control method. A printing control method in a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays,
Acquiring a degree of deterioration of each sheet of the plurality of sheet feeding trays;
Selecting a sheet having a degree of deterioration capable of printing data of the print job from the sheets of the plurality of paper feed trays according to the content of the print job;
Holding a set time of each sheet of the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter referred to as a sheet set time);
Including
The step of acquiring the degree of deterioration of the paper calculates the paper set elapsed time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays from the difference between the current time and the paper setting time, and acquires the degree of paper deterioration. ,
The means for selecting the paper stops printing and requests the user to set a new paper when there is no paper of a degree of deterioration that can print the data of the print job.
And a printing control method. A computer for controlling a print control device of a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays;
Means for acquiring a degree of deterioration of each sheet of the plurality of sheet feeding trays;
Means for selecting, from each of the papers of the plurality of paper feed trays, a paper having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data according to the content of the print job;
Means for holding a set time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter, paper set time);
Function as
The means for obtaining the degree of paper deterioration calculates the paper set elapsed time for each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays from the difference between the current time and the paper set time, and obtains the degree of paper deterioration. ,
The means for selecting the paper selects the paper with the smallest degree of deterioration when there is no paper with the degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data.
A program characterized by that. A computer for controlling a print control device of a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper feed trays;
Means for acquiring a degree of deterioration of each sheet of the plurality of sheet feeding trays;
Means for selecting, from each of the papers of the plurality of paper feed trays, a paper having a degree of deterioration capable of printing the print job data according to the content of the print job;
Means for holding a set time of each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays (hereinafter, paper set time);
Function as
The means for obtaining the degree of paper deterioration calculates the paper set elapsed time for each paper in the plurality of paper feed trays from the difference between the current time and the paper set time, and obtains the degree of paper deterioration. ,
The means for selecting the paper stops printing and requests the user to set a new paper when there is no paper of a degree of deterioration that can print the data of the print job.
A program characterized by that.

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