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1. A printing system adapted to cause a printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation, the system comprising: an acceptor adapted to receive a user request associated with a double-sided printing job from a user via a user interface unit; and a controller adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium, wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus, and wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when an amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls to process data of the double-sided printing job to shift a printing position of data of one of the first side and second side of the printing medium from a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium in a predetermined direction.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user select the first mode and second mode for each job to be double-sided printed.
5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to determine an operation mode to be executed of the first mode and the second mode via the user interface unit.
6. The system according to claim 3, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to determine an operation mode to be executed of the first mode and the second mode in advance as an initial setting of the printing apparatus via the user interface unit.
7. The system according to claim 3, wherein said controller is further configured to automatically determine an operation mode to be executed of the first mode and the second mode.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the double-sided printing job to be processed after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute double-sided printing processing using print data itself of the job to be processed as the specific double-sided printing operation.
10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute double-sided printing processing using specific data which is different from print data of the job to be processed and is registered in a storage unit as the specific double-sided printing operation.
11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein said controller is configured to allow the user to select the first mode after double-sided printing processing for a predetermined number of pages of the job to be double-sided printed is executed by the printing apparatus.
12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein said controller is configured to allow the user to select the first mode via the user interface unit after double-sided printing processing for a predetermined number of pages of the job to be double-sided printed is executed by the printing apparatus.
13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein said controller is configured to automatically select the first mode after double-sided printing processing for a predetermined number of pages of the job to be double-sided printed is executed by the printing apparatus.
14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein, when the first mode is executed, said controller controls to print the data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium to have a specific direction based on the user request accepted via the user interface unit as the predetermined direction, and the predetermined shift amount.
15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to allow the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein, when the first mode is executed, said controller controls to print the data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium to have the predetermined direction and a specific shift amount based on the user request accepted via the user interface unit as the predetermined shift amount.
16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls the user interface unit to make a display that accepts the specific user request, and said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the double-sided printing job to be processed when the specific user request is accepted via the display made on the user interface unit.
17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in a plurality of double-sided printing jobs to be processed.
18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to continuously execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the plurality of double-sided printing jobs to be processed.
19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to continuously execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the plurality of double-sided printing jobs to be processed without a plurality of times of print execution instructions input by the user via the user interface unit.
20. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller accepts a first setting associated with double-sided printing for the printing medium from the user via the user interface unit, said controller accepts, from the user via the user interface unit, a second setting that can change a printing position of data to be printed on the printing medium after the beginning of printing by the printing apparatus, and said controller accepts, from the user via the user interface unit, the change in printing position after completion of a double-sided printing operation for a predetermined number of pages by the printing apparatus when the first setting and the second setting are accepted from the user via the user interface unit.
21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation for a predetermined number of pages after the change in printing position is accepted via the user interface unit upon completion of the double-sided printing operation for a predetermined number of pages by the printing apparatus, and accepts the change in printing position again via the user interface unit.
22. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the double-sided printing job to be processed after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus, and said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations based on a specific processing condition that considers a double-sided printing result on the printing medium printed by the printing apparatus by the specific double-sided printing operation in the double-sided printing job to be processed as the series of double-sided printing operations using the function.
23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations including shift processing of an image to be printed on one side of a printing medium required in the job to be processed in the double-sided printing job to be processed as the series of double-sided printing operations using the function.
24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said controller is further configured to accept the specific processing condition that considers the double-sided printing result from the user via the user interface unit after execution of the specific double-sided printing operation.
25. The system according to claim 22, wherein said controller automatically sets the specific processing condition that considers the double-sided printing result on the basis of information from a sensor unit arranged on a convey unit that conveys a printing medium inside the printing apparatus.
26. The system according to claim 22, wherein said controller controls the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations including image shift processing for printing an image obtained by shifting an image to be printed in a specific direction by a specific shift amount on one side of a printing medium required in the job to be processed in the double-sided printing job to be processed as the series of double-sided printing operations using the function, and said controller accepts the specific direction and the specific shift amount from the user via the user interface unit.
27. The system according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus can print data from at least one of a scanner unit and a computer via a storage unit, and said controller accepts the user request via an operation unit of the printing apparatus as the user interface unit.
28. The system according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus can print data from at least one of a scanner unit and a computer via a storage unit, and said controller accepts the user request via a display unit of a computer, on which a printer driver of the printing apparatus is installed, as the user interface unit.
29. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for making a computer implement a job processing method of executing a double-sided printing operation, the job processing method comprising the steps of: receiving a user request associated with a double-sided printing job via a user interface unit; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; and causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function based on a user=s manipulation from the user interface unit when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value.
30. A printing system adapted to cause a printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation, the system comprising: an acceptor adapted to receive a user request associated with a double-sided printing job via a user interface unit; and a controller adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium, wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus, and wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function based on a user's manipulation from the user interface unit when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value.
31. A printing system adapted to cause a printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation, the system comprising: an acceptor adapted to receive a user request associated with a double-sided printing job via a user interface unit; and a controller adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium, wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus, and wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value, and wherein said controller is adapted to cause execution of the printing apparatus a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value, and wherein said controller is adapted to cause the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job without using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of the printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation does not exceed the predetermined value.
32. A job processing method adapted to cause a printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation, the method comprising: receiving a user request associated with a double-sided printing job from a user via a user interface unit; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; and causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value.
33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling to process data of the double-sided printing job to shift a printing position of data of one of the first side and second side of the printing medium from a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium in a predetermined direction.
34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount.
35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to select the first mode and the second mode for each job to be double-sided printed.
36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to determine an operation mode to be executed of the first mode and the second mode via the user interface unit.
37. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to determine an operation mode to be executed of the first mode and the second mode in advance as an initial setting of the printing apparatus via the user interface unit.
38. The method according to claim 34, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling to automatically determine an operation mode to be executed of the first mode and the second mode.
39. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the double-sided printing job to be processed after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus.
40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to execute double-sided printing processing using print data itself of the job to be processed as the specific double-sided printing operation.
41. The method according to claim 39, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to execute double-sided printing processing using specific data which is different from print data of the job to be processed and is registered in a storage unit as the specific double-sided printing operation.
42. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein the controlling step further comprises allowing the user to select the first mode after double-sided printing processing for a predetermined number of pages of the job to be double-sided printed is executed by the printing apparatus.
43. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein the controlling step further comprises allowing the user to select the first mode via the user interface unit after double-sided printing processing for a predetermined number of pages of the job to be double-sided printed is executed by the printing apparatus.
44. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein the controlling step further comprises controlling to automatically select the first mode after double-sided printing processing for a predetermined number of pages of the job to be double-sided printed is executed by the printing apparatus.
45. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein the controlling step further comprises controlling, when the first mode is executed, to print the data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium to have a specific direction based on the user request accepted via the user interface unit as the predetermined direction, and the predetermined shift amount.
46. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises allowing the user to selectively execute a first mode of controlling to print data to be printed on one of the first side and second side of the printing medium on said one side of the printing medium to have a predetermined direction and a predetermined shift amount with respect to a printing position of data on the other side of the printing medium, and a second mode of controlling to print data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium irrespective of the predetermined direction and the predetermined shift amount, and wherein the controlling step further comprises controlling, when the first mode is executed, to print the data to be printed on said one side of the printing medium to have the predetermined direction and a specific shift amount based on the user request accepted via the user interface unit as the predetermined shift amount.
47. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises: controlling the user interface unit to make a display that accepts the specific user request; and controlling the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the double-sided printing job to be processed when the specific user request is accepted via the display made on the user interface unit.
48. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in a plurality of double-sided printing jobs to be processed.
49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to continuously execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the plurality of double-sided printing jobs to be processed.
50. The method according to claim 48, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to continuously execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the plurality of double-sided printing jobs to be processed without a plurality of times of print execution instructions input by the user via the user interface unit.
51. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises: accepting a first setting associated with double-sided printing for the printing medium from the user via the user interface unit; accepting, from the user via the user interface unit, a second setting that can change a printing position of data to be printed on the printing medium after the beginning of printing by the printing apparatus; and accepting, from the user via the user interface unit, the change in printing position after completion of a double-sided printing operation for a predetermined number of pages by the printing apparatus when the first setting and the second setting are accepted from the user via the user interface unit.
52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation for a predetermined number of pages after the change in printing position is accepted via the user interface unit upon completion of the double-sided printing operation for a predetermined number of pages by the printing apparatus, and accepting the change in printing position again via the user interface unit.
53. The method according to claim 32, wherein the controlling step comprises: controlling the printing apparatus to execute the series of double-sided printing operations using the function in the double-sided printing job to be processed after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; and controlling the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations based on a specific processing condition that considers a double-sided printing result on the printing medium printed by the printing apparatus by the specific double-sided printing operation in the double-sided printing job to be processed as the series of double-sided printing operations using the function.
54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations including shift processing of an image to be printed on one side of a printing medium required in the job to be processed in the double-sided printing job to be processed as the series of double-sided printing operations using the function.
55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the controlling step comprises accepting the specific processing condition that considers the double-sided printing result from the user via the user interface unit after execution of the specific double-sided printing operation.
56. The method according to claim 53, wherein the controlling step comprises automatically setting the specific processing condition that considers the double-sided printing result on the basis of information from a sensor unit arranged on a convey unit that conveys a printing medium inside the printing apparatus.
57. The method according to claim 53, wherein the controlling step comprises: controlling the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations including image shift processing for printing an image obtained by shifting an image to be printed in a specific direction by a specific shift amount on one side of a printing medium required in the job to be processed in the double-sided printing job to be processed as the series of double-sided printing operations using the function; and accepting the specific direction and the specific shift amount from the user via the user interface unit.
58. The method according to claim 32, wherein the printing apparatus can print data from at least one of a scanner unit and a computer via a storage unit, and the controlling step comprises accepting the user request via an operation unit of the printing apparatus as the user interface unit.
59. The method according to claim 32, wherein the printing apparatus can print data from at least one of a scanner unit and a computer via a storage unit, and the controlling step comprises accepting the user request via a display unit of a computer, on which a printer driver of the printing apparatus is installed, as the user interface unit.
60. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for making a computer implement a job processing method of executing a double-sided printing operation, the job processing method comprising the steps of: receiving a user request associated with a specific double-sided printing job via a user interface unit; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when an amount of misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value; and causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job without using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation does not exceed the predetermined value.
61. A job processing method adapted to cause a printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation, the method comprising: receiving a user request associated with a double-sided printing job via a user interface unit; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; and causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function based on a user's manipulation from the user interface unit when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exeeds a predetermined value.
62. A job processing method adapted to cause a printing apparatus to execute a double-sided printing operation, the method comprising: receiving a user request associated with a specific double-sided printing job via a user interface unit; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when an amount of misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value; and causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job without using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation does not exceed the predetermined value.
63. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for making a computer implement a job processing method of executing a double-sided printing operation, the job processing method comprising the steps of: receiving a user request associated with a double-sided printing job from a user via a user interface unit; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using a function in a case that the user request is a specific user request about the function, the function being adapted to adjust misalignment about a printing position of first and second sides of a printed medium; causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function after a specific double-sided printing operation is executed by the printing apparatus; and causing the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations for the job by using the function when the amount of misalignment about the printing position of first and second sides of a printed result obtained by the specific double-sided printing operation exceeds a predetermined value.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus which allows double-sided printing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, colorization, digitization, and speeding up of printing apparatuses have advanced, and such advanced printing apparatuses on some level have began to prevail. Use applications of such printing apparatuses are not only markets mainly including the office equipment field such as offices and the like but also become diffused to the printing business field that requires advanced bookbinding and the like. For example, a POD market has been examined in recent years. This market is in the following environment. That is, an operator who undertakes a printing request from a customer operates a printing apparatus to generate a print product that the customer wants. Then, the print product of a final product as an article is delivered to the customer, thus getting a reward from the customer (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-310746).
In the above POD market, a case is assumed wherein the customer often requires various kinds of post-processing such as bookbinding, stitching, and the like for printing materials printed by the printing apparatus. In addition, a case is assumed wherein the customer requires not only single-sided printing but also double-sided printing as a printing mode of data to be output.
Therefore, in order to cope with such cases, it is desired to improve functions associated with double-sided printing provided by the printing apparatus not to a level required in the office environment but to a level that can meet the needs required in the POD market. For example, a printing apparatus which comprises a function designed with advanced post-processing required in the POD environment in place of a simple double-sided printing function is to be provided. In other words, it is desirable to provide a printing apparatus which can suppress a double-sided printing result which is useless as an article from being printed out, and can generate a double-sided printing result with high precision. For example, it is desirable to provide an advanced double-sided image alignment function or the like under the condition of post-processing or the like.
Upon delving the above items to be examined, in general, in an office environment, printing materials printed by the printing apparatus are rarely bound up as an article. For example, in the office environment, even if the positions of images printed on the front and back sides of a printing material in the double-sided printing mode are misaligned, that print product is not handled as an article. Hence, the user neither regards nor sees such product as a problem.
On the other hand, in the POD environment, a case is assumed wherein a print product is bound up as a manual, guide book, or the like, and is delivered as an article to the customer. In addition, the print product to be bound up may undergo double-sided printing on the front and back sides of a single printing material in some cases. In such case, if the printing position of an image printed on the front side of the printing material is misaligned from that of an image printed on the back side of the printing material, the print product is unlikely to be adopted as an article. Such print product is more unlikely to be adopted with increasing degree of misalignment (misalignment amount) between the printing positions of images on the front and back sides. In this manner, the position misalignment of the printing result of the images on the front and back sides in double-sided printing, which is not apprehended in the office environment, must be coped with in the POD environment in some cases.
Upon further delving the above examinations, the position misalignment between the images on the front and back sides of a printing material in double-sided printing results from, e.g., the alignment precision of a printing material in the printing apparatus. For example, if the product specification associated with the alignment precision of images on a printing material of the printing apparatus itself is 2 mm, the positions of images on the front and back sides are likely to be misaligned by a maximum of 4 mm. If the printing apparatus outputs such printing result in which the positions of images on the front and back sides are misaligned by 4 mm under such product specification, such position misalignment is on a negligible level in the office environment.
However, a print product which suffers even the position misalignment which is on the negligible level in the office environment is unlikely to be adopted as an article in the POD environment. In this manner, in the POD environment, when the operator detects the position misalignment on such level upon inspecting a print product as an article, it is more likely to be re-printed. Such image position misalignment phenomenon may take place due to, e.g., shrinkage of a printing material (to be also simply referred to as a sheet hereinafter) under the influence of environmental changes of an ambient temperature, humidity, and the like while the printing apparatus conveys the printing material. In this manner, the above phenomenon takes place due to not only internal causes of the printing apparatus itself but also external causes surrounding the printing apparatus.
Under such circumstances, on the actual spot of the POD environment, the operator may be required to have advanced skills and to do many works so as to suppress the above situation upon execution of double-sided image printing for bookbinding. For example, the operator manually performs fine adjustment of image positions of image data input to the printing apparatus based on his or her empirical rules from the beginning while calculating the misalignment amount. Also, the operator aligns images by executing pre-printing or the like.
Upon completion of the alignment work of images on the front and back sides through a variety of operations, the operator finally saves the image data that has undergone the image alignment, and performs actual printing using the saved image data. In some cases, the operator on the spot of the POD environment is required to do such advanced and complicated works.
As described above, the alignment precision of a printing material in the printing apparatus may change due to a plurality of factors such as the environmental conditions, i.e., the ambient temperature, humidity, and the like of the installation location of the printing apparatus, shrinkage of a sheet upon fixing, displacement in a paper convey path, and the like. In other words, the image position misalignment amount may dynamically vary on a dairy basis. Therefore, even if the image data which has undergone image alignment on the front and back sides by the aforementioned method can be saved to be re-usable even after it is printed once, that image data cannot be used intact in the next printing processing. That is, even when identical image data is re-usably held, the operator must consequently redo image alignment every time that data is used. From such viewpoint, a reduction of the work load on the operator upon performing image alignment will be further pressed in the future.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system, job processing method, and storage medium which can solve the aforementioned problems.
It is another object of the present invention to establish a convenient printing environment which can solve the aforementioned problems, can flexibly meet various needs of users involved in double-sided printing such as a reduction of the load on the operator and the like upon execution of double-sided printing, and can also cope with the POD environment.
It is still another object of the present invention to establish a convenient printing environment which can solve the aforementioned problems and considers the productivity of a printing apparatus and a reduction of the work load on the operator, even when image alignment that corrects misalignment of image positions is performed upon printing in a printing apparatus which allows double-sided printing.
In order to achieve the above objects, a printing system according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is, a printing system comprising a printing apparatus which can execute a double-sided printing operation, comprising:
an acceptor adapted to accept a user request associated with a double-sided printing job from a user via a user interface unit; and
a controller adapted to control the printing apparatus to execute a series of double-sided printing operations using a function of adjusting a printing position of data to be printed on one of a first side and second side of a printing medium in the double-sided printing job to be processed when the user request accepted via the user interface unit is a specific user request.
According to the present invention, a convenient printing environment which can flexibly meet various needs of users involved in double-sided printing such as a reduction of the load on the operator and the like upon execution of double-sided printing, and can also cope with the POD environment can be established.
For example, according to the present invention, a convenient printing environment which can solve the aforementioned problems and considers the productivity of a printing apparatus and a reduction of the work load on the operator, even when image alignment that corrects misalignment of image positions upon printing in a printing apparatus which allows double-sided printing, can be established.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the overall printing system including printing apparatuses (MFPs 105 and 106 ) to be controlled by an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the printing apparatus to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of the hardware arrangement of the printing apparatus to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining one example of a UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a view for explaining one example of a data processing method of a print job to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a view for explaining one example of the data processing method of a print job to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining one example of the data processing method of a print job to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a view for explaining one example of the data processing method of a print job to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 19 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 20 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a flowchart for explaining one example of the data processing method of a print job to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the printing apparatus to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a sectional view showing another example of the hardware arrangement of the printing apparatus to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a view for explaining a control example using a sensor arranged on a sheet convey path of the printing apparatus to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 26 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 28 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 29 is a flowchart for explaining one example of the data processing method of a print job to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 30 is a view for explaining a control example according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 31 is a view for explaining a control example according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 32 is a view for explaining a control example according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 33 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 34 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 35 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 36 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 37 is a view for explaining one example of the UI unit to be controlled by the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.
An overview of respective embodiments of the present invention will be explained first. The first and second embodiments of those to be described hereinafter comprise an arrangement for reducing the work load on the operator upon executing image alignment that corrects the misalignment of image positions upon printing.
As a practical arrangement, for example, a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention controls the printing apparatus to start the printing operation of a job which is to be printed in a double-sided printing mode, and to automatically pause the printing operation of that job upon completion of the printing operation for a predetermined number of copies. During pause of the printing operation of the job, a setting window (double-sided image alignment detailed setting window) used to correct image printing positions of the job on the basis of a user's instruction is displayed on a user interface unit.
The fist and second embodiment comprise an arrangement which controls to restart the printing operation of the job whose printing operation is paused under the image position adjustment control according to the user's instruction input via that window.
Note that the first embodiment will mainly explain a control example upon processing print data of a job accepted via a scanner unit of the printing apparatus. The second embodiment will mainly explain a control example upon processing print data of a job accepted from a client (host computer) corresponding to one example of an external apparatus which can make data communications with the printing apparatus.
The first and second embodiments comprise an arrangement that can execute control associated with correction of printing position misalignment of data of a job which is to be double-sided printed on the basis of an instruction from the operator.
By contrast, the third embodiment comprises a detector which detects printing position misalignment of data of a job which is to be double-sided printed. Hence, the third embodiment comprises an arrangement that can automatically execute control associated with correction of printing position misalignment of data of a job upon detection of the printing position misalignment, irrespective of an instruction from the operator.
In addition, the arrangement of the printing apparatus or printing system to be provided by the embodiments of the present invention may comprise all constituent elements of the embodiments of the present invention which include the first, second, and third embodiments and will be described hereinafter, or a plurality of (e.g., two or the like) arrangements, and may selectively execute them. Alternatively, the arrangement of the printing apparatus or printing system may implement only one of the embodiments to be described hereinafter. In other words, any of the arrangements of the embodiments of the present invention may be adopted or may be combined within a consistent range as long as they can solve the problems assumed in the prior art.
First Embodiment
<Arrangement of Overall Printing System>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the arrangement (one example) of the overall printing system which comprises printing apparatuses (MFPs 105 and 106 ), computers ( 103 and 104 ), sheet processing apparatuses ( 108 and 109 ), and the like to be provided by the embodiments of the present invention including the first embodiment and embodiments to be described later of the present invention.
A prepress server 103 scans a paper document accepted from an end user by a device (scan device) having a scan function such as a scanner 102 , MFP 105 , MFP 106 , or the like, and captures the scanned paper document as a scan image file. Also, the prepress server 103 executes image correction such as skew correction, spot removal, and the like of the captured data. The prepress server 103 executes various kinds of edit processing of data of a plurality of document/image files received from the end user or a plurality of scan image files scanned by the scan device. For example, the prepress server 103 performs merging of a plurality of data, insertion/deletion of pages, addition of page numbers and annotations, and insertion of index sheets, cover sheets, and interleaving sheets. Furthermore, the prepress server 103 executes various kinds of page layout edit processing and page imposition processing such as designation of an N-in-1 printing mode, page repeat printing mode, and the like. A controller of the server 103 controls to execute such various kinds of processing in response to an operation from the operator of the server 103 .
Note that the arrangement of the printing system may include one prepress server 103 and a client PC 104 , as shown in FIG. 1, or may include a plurality of client PCs without any prepress server 103 .
In the printing system shown in FIG. 1, when a paper document is copied and undergoes bookbinding, the paper document is scanned by the scan device such as the MFP 105 , MFP 106 , or the like, and the obtained scan image file is printed by a print function of the MFP 105 or 106 .
On the other hand, in the printing system shown in FIG. 1, when image data is to be printed and undergoes bookbinding, the prepress server 103 or client PC 104 fetches a document/image file received from the end user. If there are a plurality of document/image files received from the end user or scan image files scanned by the scan device, these files are merged. When the document/image file received from the end user or the scan image file scanned by the scan device is to be further edited, the following operations can be executed. For example, the operator inserts a page from another file into a file to be edited or deletes a page of the file to be edited while confirming the layout of a plurality of pages. Also, the following processing can be executed in response to a request from the operator. For example, page numbers and annotations (text or image such as a watermark, logo, or the like indicating secret information) can be added, or an N-in-1 printing mode or page repeat printing mode (printing mode that lays out a plurality of pages on a single print surface) can be designated. Also, index sheets, cover sheets, or interleaving sheets can be inserted, and post-processing such as staple, punch, Z-folding, and the like can be designated. In this way, various kinds of page layout edit processing and page imposition processing can be executed.
When the prepress server 103 or client PC 104 transmits the document/image file or scan image file that has undergone these processes, to the MFP 105 or 106 , the file is printed using the print function of the MFP 105 or 106 .
In this arrangement, a variable printing system which prints a plurality of copies of an identical document while replacing addresses and related data in collaboration with a database formed in the prepress server 103 or another server (not shown) can be built. In this manner, one-to-one marketing such as address printing of direct mail and customer-dependent broachers can be realized.
The printing business uses an output called a color comprehensive layout, which is formed for the purpose of presentation to an advertiser prior to the prepress/printing step. Hence, to cope with such color comprehensive layout, the printing apparatus of this embodiment can print a digital color image, which is processed by DTP that creates a publication using a personal computer or CEPS used in image correction or composition in the print step. In this way, such digital color image can be used for the aforementioned color comprehensive layout. Note that DTP is an abbreviation for DeskTop Publishing, and CEPS is an abbreviation for Color Electronic Prepress System.
In consideration of the POD environment, the MFP 105 or 106 can execute proof printing processing as well as layout confirmation corresponding to the color comprehensive layout, and detailed tint confirmation corresponding to basic tint confirmation or proofing.
In this way, with this arrangement, in order to confirm the layout or tint of a final product as needed, data can be proof-output to the MFP 105 or 106 .
The prepress server 103 , client PC 104 , scanner 102 , and MFPs 105 and 106 are connected to a network, and comprise a data communication function. With this function, the devices exchange image data of jobs to be processed and control commands, and can process accepted jobs.
A sheet folding machine 107 executes processing for folding printed sheets for a manual or guidebook, which are printed by the printing apparatus ( 105 or 106 ) of this embodiment by a designated sheet folding method on the basis of an instruction from the operator input via an operation unit of the sheet folding machine 107 .
A case binder 108 enwraps and adheres the output document folded by the sheet folding machine 107 with a sheet that serves as a cover sheet of the manual or guidebook.
A trimmer 109 trims the output document to which the cover sheet is adhered by the case binder 108 . The trimmer 109 can trim sheets at the positions of marks called registry guides as indications of the trimming positions on sheets printed by the printing apparatus ( 105 or 106 ) of this embodiment. As the type of trimming, the trimmer 109 can execute three-side trimming that trims three end portions except for the adhered portion of the four end portions of a case-bound print product.
In this embodiment, the MFPs 105 and 106 each of which comprises a plurality of functions are exemplified as the printing apparatus. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to such MFPs. For example, the present invention can be applied to a single-function printing apparatus such as a printing apparatus comprising only a function of printing print data from a computer or the like. Note that such apparatus will be referred to as an SFP (Single Function Peripheral) hereinafter.
<Functional Arrangement of MFPs 105 and 106 >
The arrangement of the MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) will be described below using FIG. 2.
Each of the MFPs 105 and 106 comprises a memory such as a hard disk or the like, which can store data of a plurality of jobs to be processed in the self apparatus. The MFP comprises a copy function of printing job data accepted from a scanner unit 201 of the self apparatus by a printer unit 203 via the memory. The MFP also has a print function of printing job data accepted from an external apparatus such as a computer or the like via a communication unit using the printer unit 203 and the like via the memory. The MFP is a printing apparatus (also called an image forming apparatus) which comprises these plurality of functions.
In general, a full-color apparatus and monochrome apparatus are available as the MFP, and the full-color apparatus often includes the arrangement of the monochrome apparatus in a basic part except for color processing, internal data, and the like. Hence, the following description will be given focused on the full-color apparatus, and a description of the monochrome apparatus will be added as needed. In other words, the present invention can be applied to either arrangement of a printing apparatus which can execute color printing processing or that which can execute monochrome printing processing as long as it can execute various kinds of control described in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the printing apparatus (MFP 105 or 106 ) of this embodiment. The printing apparatus of this embodiment comprises the scanner unit 201 which scans a document image and applies image processing to the scanned image data. The apparatus comprises an external I/F unit 202 which exchanges image data and the like with a facsimile, network connection apparatus, and external dedicated apparatus. The apparatus comprises a hard disk 208 which can store image data of a plurality of jobs to be printed accepted from one of the scanner unit 201 and the external I/F unit 202 . The apparatus comprises the printer unit 203 which executes printing processing of data of the jobs to be printed stored in the hard disk 208 onto printing materials. The printing apparatus also comprises an operation unit 204 which has a display unit as an example of a user interface unit of this printing system.
A CPU 205 corresponding to an example of a control unit of this printing system systematically controls processes, operations, and the like of various units of this printing apparatus. A ROM 207 stores various control programs required by this embodiment, which include programs for implementing various kinds of processing and the like of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 14, 22 , and 29 to be described later. The ROM 207 also stores a display control program required to display various user interface windows on the display unit of this embodiment, which include operation windows shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, FIGS. 15 and 16, and FIGS. 26 to 28. The CPU 205 reads out and executes the programs in the ROM 207 to control this printing apparatus to execute various operations described in this embodiment. A program required to interpret PDL (page description language) code data received from an external apparatus ( 103 , 104 , or the like) via the external I/F unit 202 and to rasterize to raster image data (bitmap image data) and the like are also stored in the ROM 207 . These are processed by software.
A memory controller unit 206 controls access to the ROM 207 , a RAM 208 , and the HDD 209 as connected storage devices. Upon contention of memory access from connected master devise, the memory controller unit 206 performs arbitration to access slave memories selected in turn by priorities.
The ROM 207 is a read-only memory, and pre-stores various programs such as programs such as a boot sequence, font information, and the aforementioned programs.
The RAM 208 is a random access memory, which stores image data sent from the scanner unit 201 or external I/F unit 202 via the memory controller unit 206 , various programs, and setting information.
The HDD (hard disk) 209 is a large-capacity storage device which stores image data compressed by a compression/decompression unit 210 . The HDD 209 can hold a plurality of data such as print data of jobs to be processed and the like. The CPU 205 controls the printer unit 203 to execute, via the HDD 209 , printing processing of data of jobs to be processed input via various input units such as the scanner unit 201 , external I/F unit 202 , and the like. The CPU 205 also controls to transmit such data to an external apparatus via the external I/F unit 202 . In this way, the CPU 205 controls to execute various kinds of output processing of data of jobs to be processed stored in the HDD 209 .
The compression/decompression unit 210 compresses/decompress image data stored in the RAM 208 and HDD 209 by various compression methods such as JBIG, JPEG, and the like.
<Hardware Arrangement of MFP>
The hardware arrangement of the MFP 105 or 106 will be described below using FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the arrangement of a ID type color MFP will be explained. Note that 4D type color and monochrome MFPs are also examples of the printing apparatus of this embodiment, but a description thereof will be omitted.
An auto document feeder (ADF) 301 separates a bundle of documents set on a stacking surface of a document tray, and conveys each separated document onto a platen glass to scan the document by a scanner 302 .
The scanner 302 reads a document image conveyed onto the platen glass and converts the read document image into image data by a CCD. A rotary polygonal mirror (polygon mirror or the like) 303 receives light such as a laser beam or the like, which is modulated according to the image data, and irradiates a photosensitive drum 304 with reflected scanning light via a reflection mirror.
A latent image formed by the laser beam on the surface of the photosensitive drum 304 is developed by toner to form a toner image, which is transferred onto a sheet material adhered on a transfer drum 305 . A series of image forming processes is executed in turn for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toners, thus forming a full-color image. After the four image forming processes, the sheet material on the transfer drum 305 on which the full-color image is formed is separated by a separation pawl 306 and is conveyed to a fixing unit 308 by a pre-fixing convey unit 307 .
The fixing unit 308 comprises a combination of belts and rollers, incorporates a heat source such as a halogen heater or the like, and melts and fixes the toner on the sheet material on which the toner image is transferred by heat and pressure.
An exhaust flapper 309 is configured to be swingable about its swing shaft, and specifies a convey direction of the sheet material. When the exhaust flapper 309 swings clockwise in FIG. 3, the sheet material is conveyed upright, and is exhausted outside the apparatus by exhaust rollers 310 . On the other hand, when images are to be formed on the two sides of the sheet material, the exhaust flapper 309 swings counterclockwise in FIG. 3 to change the path of the sheet material downward, and is fed into a double-sided convey unit.
The double-sided convey unit comprises a reversal flapper 311 , reversal rollers 312 , reversal guide 313 , and double-sided tray 314 . The reversal flapper 311 is configured to be swingable about its swing shaft to specify the convey direction of the sheet material. Upon processing a double-sided print job, the CPU 205 controls the reversal flapper 311 to swing counterclockwise in FIG. 3, and to feed the sheet material which has undergone the printing process of the first side in the printer unit 203 into the reversal guide 313 via the reversal rollers 312 . After the trailing end of the sheet material is clamped between the reversal rollers 312 , the CPU 205 temporarily stops the reversal rollers 312 , and then controls the reversal flapper 311 to swing clockwise. In addition, the CPU 205 controls the reversal rollers 312 in the reverse direction. In this manner, the CPU 205 controls to switch back the sheet, and to guide it onto the double-sided tray 314 while the positions of the trailing and leading ends of the sheet are switched.
The double-sided tray 314 temporarily stacks the sheet material, which is then fed into registration rollers 316 by re-feed rollers 315 . At this time, the sheet material is fed while the side opposite to that of the transfer step of the first side opposes the photosensitive drum. In the same manner as in the aforementioned processes, an image for the second side is formed on the second side of the sheet. The images are formed on the two sides of the sheet material, and the sheet is exhausted from the interior of the printing apparatus main body to outside the apparatus via the exhaust rollers 310 via the fixing step. The CPU 205 allows the printing apparatus of this embodiment to execute double-sided printing processing of the data of the job which is to be double-sided printed for the two sides, i.e., the first and second sides of the sheet by executing such series of double-sided printing sequences.
A paper feed/convey unit includes paper feed cassettes 317 and 318 , paper deck 319 , manual insertion tray 320 , and the like as paper feed units that store sheets required in printing processing. Units for feeding sheets stored in these paper feed units, paper feed rollers 321 , the registration rollers 316 , and the like are arranged.
The paper feed cassettes 317 and 318 and paper deck 319 can be distinctly set with sheets of various sheet sizes and various materials for respective paper feed units. Also, the manual insertion tray 320 can be set with various print materials including special sheets such as OHP sheets and the like. The paper feed rollers 321 are respectively provided to the paper feed cassettes 317 and 318 , paper deck 319 , and manual insertion tray 320 to be able to continuously feed sheets one by one. For example, stacked sheet materials are sequentially picked up by a pickup roller, and a separation roller which is arranged to oppose the paper feed roller 321 prevents double feeding, thus feeding sheet materials into convey guides one by one. The separation roller receives a drive force for rotating it in a direction opposite to the convey direction via a torque limiter. When only one sheet material enters a nip formed with the paper feed roller, the separation roller rotates in the convey direction to be driven by the sheet material. On the other hand, when double feeding has occurred, the separation roller rotates in the direction opposite to the convey direction to return the double-fed sheet material, thus feeding the only one uppermost sheet material.
The fed sheet material is guided between the convey guides, and is conveyed to the registration rollers 316 by a plurality of convey rollers. At this time, the registration rollers 316 stand still, and the leading end of the sheet material abuts against a nip formed between the registration rollers 316 , so that the sheet material forms a loop, thus correcting a skew. After that, the registration rollers 316 begin to rotate to convey the sheet material in synchronism with the timing of a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 304 by an image forming unit.
The sheet material fed by the registration rollers 316 are electrostatically attached onto the surface of the transfer drum 305 by an attraction roller 322 .
The sheet material exhausted from the fixing unit 308 enters an online finisher unit (if the finisher is connected). The online finisher unit includes a sample tray 323 and stack tray 324 , and the sheet material is exhausted while switching these trays in accordance with the type of job and the number of sheet materials to be exhausted.
Note that the printing apparatus of this embodiment comprises a shift sheet function. This function exhausts a plurality of sheets stacked on a processing tray 325 in the finisher as bundles of sheets onto the tray 324 while shifting these sheets for each bundle of sheets. In this manner, a plurality of bundles of sheets can be stacked on the tray 325 while being divided for respective bundles.
The printing apparatus of this embodiment also comprises an electronic sort function. This function stores all pages of print data to be processed including a plurality of pages in the HDD 209 , repetitively reads out the data of that job in the order of pages for the number of copies set by the user, and controls the printer unit 203 to print them. In this manner, a plurality of copies of printing results with the uniform page order can be output onto the tray 324 without any mechanical sort function using a plurality of bins.
Furthermore, the printing apparatus of this embodiment comprises a group sort function. This function stores all pages of a job which includes a plurality of pages and is set to be printed by a plurality of copies in the HDD 209 , continuously reads out identical page data from the HDD 209 for the designated number of copies to be printed, and controls the printer unit 203 to print them. This function repetitively executes this processing for all the pages. In this manner, a plurality of copies of printing results can be output onto the tray 324 while being divided for respective pages. The CPU 205 controls to execute such various functions for a job to be processed in accordance with print settings from the user via the user interface unit.
Furthermore, when the user sets a staple mode for a job to be output, the CPU 205 controls the finisher to process sheets of that job as follows. For example, printed sheets of that job from the printer unit 203 are sequentially stacked on the processing tray 325 in the finisher until they are stacked on the tray 325 for a bundle. After all the sheets which belong to one bundle are stacked on the tray 325 , the bundle of sheets of that job on the processing tray 325 is stapled by a stapler 326 . After that, the stapled bundle of sheets of the job is exhausted from the tray 325 onto the stack tray 324 . In this way, this printing system can provide a staple function.
In addition, this printing system comprises a punch function. For example, when a punch processing setting is made via the user interface unit as a setting associated with sheet processing of a job to be printed, the CPU 205 operates as follows. That is, the CPU 205 controls a puncher 327 to execute punch processing (e.g., two holes, three holes, or the like) for a print sheet of that job. After that, the CPU 205 controls to exhaust the sheet of that job onto a stacking unit such as the stack tray 324 , sample tray 323 , or the like.
This printing system comprises a saddle stitching function by a saddle stitcher 328 of the finisher. The saddle stitcher 328 executes processing (saddle stitching processing) for forming a booklet such as a brochure or the like by center-folding sheet materials by nipping their central portion by rollers after the central portions of the sheet materials are bound at two positions. The sheet materials which are bound by the saddle stitcher 328 are exhausted onto a booklet tray 329 . The CPU 205 determines based on the sheet processing setting by the user for a job to be processed whether or not to execute the sheet processing operation such as the saddle stitching processing by the saddle stitcher 328 or the like, as described above.
This printing system comprises an insert function by an inserter 330 of the finisher. For example, when a job set with this function is to be processed, the CPU 205 controls to convey printed special sheets for cover sheets and the like set on an insert tray 331 to the stacking unit such as the stack tray 324 , sample tray 323 , or the like without going through the printer unit. In this way, insert processing of sheets from the inserter 330 into sheets printed by the printer unit 203 can be executed. Note that the user sets sheets facing up on the insert tray 331 of the inserter 330 , and these sheets are fed by the pickup roller in turn from the uppermost one.
Therefore, the sheet material from the inserter 330 is conveyed to the stack tray 324 or sample tray 323 intact, and is exhausted facing down. When such sheet material is to be fed to the saddle stitcher 328 , it is fed into the puncher side, and is then switched back and fed into the saddle stitcher 328 , thus adjusting the direction of the side. The CPU 205 also determines based on the sheet processing setting by the user for a job to be processed whether or not to execute the sheet processing operation such as the insert processing by the inserter 330 or the like, as described above.
<Arrangement of Operation Units of MFPs 105 and 106 >
The operation unit 204 corresponding to an example of the user interface unit of the printing apparatus (MFP 105 or 106 ) of this printing system will be described below using FIG. 4. The operation unit 204 has a key input unit 402 which can accept user's operations by hardware keys, and a touch panel unit 401 as an example of a display unit which can accept user's operations by software keys (display keys).
As shown in FIG. 5, the key input unit 402 comprises an operation unit power switch 501 . In response to the user's operation of the switch 501 , the CPU 205 controls to selectively switch a standby mode and sleep mode. Note that the standby mode corresponds to a normal operation state, and the sleep mode corresponds to a state in which the program is suspended in an interrupt waiting state to prepare for network printing processing, facsimile processing, or the like, thus saving power consumption. The CPU 205 controls to accept the user's operation of the switch 501 while a main power switch (not shown) which is used to supply electric power of the entire system is ON.
A start key 503 can accept from the user an instruction that makes the printing apparatus start job processing designated by the user such as the copying operation, transmission operation, or the like of a job to be processed. A stop key 502 can accept from the user an instruction that makes the printing apparatus cancel the processing of the accepted job. A numeric keypad 506 allows the user to set numerical values of various settings. A clear key 507 is used to clear various parameters such as numerical values and the like set via the numeric keypad 506 . A reset key 504 accepts from the user an instruction to disable all settings set for a job to be processed by the user and to revert setting values to default values. A user mode key 505 is used to shift to a system setting window for each user.
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the touch panel unit (to be also referred to as a display unit hereinafter) 401 corresponding to an example of the user interface unit provided by this printing system. The touch panel unit 401 has an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a touch panel display which is adhered on the LCD and has transparent electrodes. The unit 401 has both a function of accepting various settings from the operator, and a function of presenting information to the operator. For example, upon detection of user's depression on a portion corresponding to a display key in an active display state on the LCD, the CPU 205 controls to display an operation window corresponding to the key operation on the display unit 401 according to a display control program pre-stored in the ROM 207 . Note that FIG. 6 shows an example of an initial window to be displayed on the display unit 401 when the state of this printing apparatus is a standby mode (there are no jobs to be processed by the printing apparatus).
When the user presses a copy tab 601 on the display unit 401 shown in FIG. 6, the CPU 205 controls to display the operation window of the copying function of this printing apparatus on the display unit 401 . When the user presses a send tab 602 , the CPU 205 controls to display the operation window of a data send function such as facsimile, e-mail sending, and the like of this printing apparatus on the display unit 401 . When the user presses a box tab 603 , the CPU 205 controls to display the operation window of a box function of this printing apparatus.
Note that the box function uses a plurality of data storage boxes (to be referred to as boxes hereinafter) which are virtually assured on the HDD 209 and can be distinctly used for respective users. With this function, the CPU 205 allows the user to select a desired one of the plurality of boxes via the user interface unit, and controls to accept a desired operation from the user.
For example, the CPU 205 controls the HDD 209 to store document data of a job accepted from the scanner unit 201 of this printing apparatus in the box selected by the user in response to a user's instruction input via the operation unit 204 . The same applies to document data of a job or the like accepted from an external apparatus (e.g., the host computer 103 , 104 , or the like) via the external I/F unit 202 . More specifically, the CPU 205 controls the HDD 209 to store data in the box designated by the user in accordance with a user's instruction of the external apparatus designated via the user interface unit of the external apparatus.
The CPU 205 controls, e.g., the printer unit 203 to print data of a job stored in the box in an output mode of user's choice or controls the external I/F unit 202 to transmit that data to an external apparatus of user's choice in accordance with a user's instruction from the operation unit 204 . In order to allow the user to execute various box operations in this way, the CPU 205 controls to display the operation window of the box function on the display unit 401 in response to user's depression on the box tab 603 .
When the user presses an expansion tab 604 on the display unit 401 of FIG. 6, the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display a window to set an expansion function of scanner settings and the like. When the user presses a system monitor key 617 , the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display a display window to inform the user of the status and conditions of the MFP.
A color selection/setting key 605 is a display key which allows the user to select color copy, monochrome copy, or automatic selection. Scale setting keys 608 are used to display, on the display unit 401 , a setting window that allows the user to make scale settings such as an equal scale, enlarged scale, reduced scale, or the like. When the user presses a sorter key 609 , the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display a window that allows the user to input an instruction to execute one of various kinds of sheet processing such as staple, punch, and the like, which can be executed by the aforementioned finisher of this system.
When the user presses a double-sided key 614 , the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display a window that allows the user to set whether to execute single-sided printing or double-sided printing in the printing processing of a job to be printed.
When the user presses a paper selection key 615 , the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display a window that allows the user to set a paper feed unit, sheet size, and sheet type (media type) required in the printing processing of a job to be printed.
In response to user's depression of a key 612 , the CPU 20 controls the display unit 401 to display a window that allows the user to select an image processing mode suited to a document image such as a text mode, photo mode, or the like. When the user presses one of density setting keys 611 , the density of an output image of a job to be printed can be adjusted.
As described above, the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to make display corresponding to a user's instruction, and controls this system to execute processing according to various processing conditions corresponding to user's instructions accepted via the display in a job to be processed.
Referring to FIG. 6, the CPU 205 controls to make display that allows the user to confirm the operation state of a current event in this printing apparatus such as standby, warming up, printing, jam, error, and the like, on a status display field 606 of the display unit 401 .
The CPU 205 controls to display information that makes the user confirm the print scale of a job to be processed on a display field 607 . Also, the CPU 205 controls to display information that makes the user confirm the sheet size and paper feed mode of a job to be processed on a display field 616 . Furthermore, the CPU 205 controls to display information that makes the user confirm the number of copies to be printed of a job to be processed, and information that makes the user confirm the page number which is being printed during the printing operation on a display field 610 . In this manner, the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display various kinds of information to be notified the user.
Furthermore, when the user presses an interrupt key 613 , the CPU 205 interrupts the printing processing of a job which is being printed by this printing apparatus and allows to execute printing processing of a job of that user. When the user presses an applied mode key 618 , the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to display a window to set various kinds of image processing, layouts, and the like such as page continuous shot, cover sheet/interleaving sheet settings, reduced-scale layout, image move, and the like.
Note that the arrangement of the printing apparatus (MFP 105 or 106 ) described using FIGS. 1 to 6 are the basic arrangement common to all the embodiments of the present invention including the first to third embodiments.
<Display Control Example Upon Executing Double-sided Printing of Job of Copying Function by This Printing Apparatus>
A description pertaining to the operation flow upon executing as a processing target job double-sided printing of print data of a job of the copying function as one of principal characteristic features of this embodiment will be given using FIGS. 6 to 11. In this example, a control example of the CPU 205 upon executing double-sided printing of print data of a job to be processed accepted via the scanner unit 201 of this printing apparatus by the printer unit 203 via the HDD 209 will be explained.
When the operator presses the double-sided setting key 614 on the initial window of the display unit 401 shown in FIG. 6, the CPU 205 displays the double-sided setting key 614 in a selected state (see FIG. 7), and then displays a window shown in FIG. 8 on the display unit 401 . The CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to accept, from the user, a setting associated with double-sided printing of a job to be processed via the window shown in FIG. 8 displayed on the display unit 401 .
When the user presses a “single-sided→double-sided” key of four instruction keys which are displayed on the central portion of the window in FIG. 8 and are used to instruct printing modes, the CPU 205 controls the scanner unit 201 to execute single-sided scanning processing of a job to be processed of a series of documents including a plurality of pages. Also, the CPU 205 controls the HDD 209 to store the scanned print data of the job. Furthermore, the CPU 205 controls the printer unit 203 to execute double-sided printing processing for printing the print data of the job in the HDD 209 on the front and back sides of sheets.
On the other hand, when the user presses a “double-sided→double-sided” key on the window of FIG. 8, the CPU 205 controls the scanner unit 201 to execute double-sided scanning processing of a job to be processed of a series of documents including a plurality of pages. Also, the CPU 205 controls the HDD 209 to store the scanned print data of the job. Furthermore, the CPU 205 controls the printer unit 203 to execute double-sided printing processing for printing the print data of the job in the HDD 209 on the front and back sides of sheets.
When the user presses a “double-sided→single-sided” key on the window of FIG. 8, the CPU 205 controls the scanner unit 201 to execute double-sided scanning processing of a job to be processed of a series of documents including a plurality of pages. Also, the CPU 205 controls the HDD 209 to store the scanned print data of the job. Furthermore, the CPU 205 controls the printer unit 203 to execute single-sided printing processing for printing the print data of the job in the HDD 209 on only one side of each sheet.
In this manner, the CPU 205 controls units such as the scanner unit 201 , HDD 209 , printer unit 203 , and the like to make this printing apparatus execute the operations according to the user's setting associated with double-sided printing.
With this configuration, assume that the user presses the “single-sided→double-sided” key or “double-sided→double-sided” key on the window in FIG. 8. In this case, that is, when the double-sided printing setting is made for a job to be processed, the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to set a detail setting key on the window in FIG. 8 in an active display state to allow the user to press that key.
In this manner, when the double-sided printing setting is made for a job to be processed, the CPU 205 controls to accept detailed settings associated with double-sided printing from the user via the user interface unit. For example, in response to depression of a detail setting key 801 by the operator on the window in FIG. 8, the CPU 205 displays a detail setting window shown in FIG. 9 on the display unit 401 .
The window shown in FIG. 9 which is displayed on the display unit 401 by the CPU 205 comprises an “adjust images on front and back sides” key 901 as one of characteristics features of this embodiment in addition to “horizontal opening” and “vertical opening” keys which allows the user to set the type of double-sided printing. When the user presses the key 901 , the CPU 205 controls this printing apparatus to output a double-sided printing result in a state wherein the positions of images on the front and back sides of a sheet are adjusted in a job to be double-sided printed.
For example, of two images, i.e., a front side image and back side image which are printed on the front and back sides of a sheet in the job to be double-sided printed, the printing position of the image on one side on the sheet is controlled not to be misaligned from that of the image to be printed on the other side on the sheet by a predetermined value or more. To this end, the image is printed on one side of the sheet while a printing region of the image to be printed on one side is shifted in a predetermined direction by the predetermined value. A series of control processes by the CPU 205 will be described later.
When the operator presses the sorter key 609 on the window in FIG. 6, the CPU 205 displays a window in FIG. 10 on the display unit 401 .
The window shown in FIG. 10 comprises a “sort (every copy)” key, “sort (every page)” key, and “staple sort” key which allows the user to set the type of finishing to be executed by the finisher. As in the above example, the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to make display that allows the user to set processing to be executed by the sheet processing apparatus of this system in a job to be processed from a plurality of types of sheet processing. Note that the plurality of types of sheet processing to be executed by the sheet processing apparatus of this system include sort, staple, punch, shift, bookbinding, and the like.
Upon completion of a series of printing settings for a job to be processed by the user via the windows shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 and the like, the CPU 205 controls the display unit 401 to make display that allows the user to confirm the printing conditions set by the user. FIG. 11 shows this display example. Note that the CPU 205 allows the user to set the number of copies to be printed of the job to be processed using numeric keypad 506 .
In the example of FIG. 11, the user makes the following settings via the user interface unit as the printing conditions of the job to be processed.
-
- Number of copies to be printed: “5” copies
- Print scale: “100%”
- Setting of single- or double-sided printing: “double-sided printing”
- Sheet processing to be executed by sheet processing apparatus: “staple”
- Size and type of sheet to be used: “A4 size and plain paper”
In this way, in response to depression of the start key 503 by the user after a series of printing conditions for the job to be processed are accepted from the user, the CPU 205 controls this printing apparatus to execute the processing of the job according to the user's printing conditions.
<Copy Example in Double-Sided Copying>
A copying example upon executing double-sided copying for bookbinding of a manual, guidebook, or the like will be described below.
FIG. 12 is a view for explaining an example when the printing apparatus (MFP 105 or 106 ) of this embodiment is used to create, e.g., a manual (guidebook) of a product as a print product. The print product is an example when it is printed in the double-sided printing mode.
An example when document data with a document name “MFP user's manual” is printed in the double-sided printing mode will be explained. This job includes a series of print data of a plurality of pages like the first page, second page, third page, fourth page, . . . , and the last page is the (2n)-th page. That is, the job includes document data for 2n pages as the total number of pages.
Note that the printing apparatus of this embodiment is configured to accept data of a job to be printed from the scanner unit 201 of the self apparatus, and is also configured to accept data of a job to be printed transmitted from an external apparatus via the external I/F unit 202 . With this configuration, the CPU 205 controls the HDD 209 which can store data of a plurality of jobs to sequentially store data of these jobs to be processed. The CPU 205 controls the printer unit 203 to print data of the job to be printed of those of the plurality of jobs stored in the HDD 209 . Note that the CPU 205 controls in accordance with the printing processing conditions from the user set via the user interface unit of this system.
When a job to be processed is accepted from the scanner unit 201 , the printing processing conditions of that job are accepted from the user using the operation unit 204 of this printing apparatus. On the other hand, when a job to be processed is accepted from an external apparatus, the printing processing conditions of that job are accepted from the user via the user interface unit of the external apparatus. In this way, in this embodiment, the user can set the processing conditions of a job to be processed via the user interface unit of the apparatus which serves as a transmission source of print data of that job.
Since such arrangement is adopted, when the document data with the document name “MFP user's manual” is input from the scanner unit 201 , the CPU 205 accepts the printing processing conditions of that job from the user via the operation unit 204 of this printing apparatus. On the other hand, when the data of that job is input from an external apparatus, the CPU 205 allows the user to set the printing processing conditions of this job via the user interface unit of the external apparatus. In addition, the CPU 205 accepts printing condition data of the job via the external I/F unit 202 together with the print data of that job.
A case will be exemplified in FIG. 12 wherein the manual of a product is printed as a print product in consideration of the POD environment. Also, the job of interest includes an example of print data including three types of image data. The three types of image data include contents (image data of a body text part), frame image data 1201 corresponding to a frame part of the contents, and index image data 1202 corresponding to an index part of the contents.
Also, the job of interest includes document data which is to be double-sided printed. Therefore, as for data of each odd page to be printed on the first side (front side) of a sheet, the index image data 1202 is laid out so that the index image 1202 is printed on the right end portion of the sheet when the first side of the sheet is viewed from an erected state.
In the example of FIG. 12, data of (the first, third, . . . , m-th, . . . , (2n−1)-th pages) of that job fall into this case. Also, as for data of each even page to be printed on the second side (back side) of a sheet, the index image data 1202 is laid out so that the index image 1202 is printed on the left end portion of the sheet when the second side of the sheet is viewed from an erected state.
In the example of FIG. 12, data of (the second, fourth, . . . , (2n)-th pages) of that job fall into that case.
Furthermore, the job of interest is a print product to be output as a manual. Therefore, index images are laid out so as to distinguish index parts for respective chapters of print data including a plurality of chapters like the first chapter, second chapter, and the like. In the example of FIG. 12 as well, the index images are laid out so that the printing regions of index images are shifted in increments of chapter number.
A practical example will be explained below. An index image of each page which belongs to a predetermined chapter to be printed is laid out so that its printing position shifts downward by one index from that of an index image of each page which belongs to the immediately preceding chapter. For example, an index image of each page which belongs to the second chapter is laid out so that its printing position shifts downward of the sheet by one index from that of an index image of each page which belongs to the first chapter. Note that all the index images of pages which belong to the same chapter are laid but to have the same printing positions.
For example, all the index images of pages which belong to the second chapter are laid out to have the same printing positions. This embodiment comprises a function of controlling to prevent the printing positions of index images of pages which belong to the same chapter from being misaligned on the front and back sides of the sheet, which undergoes double-sided printing, as much as possible, when print data of the job with such data format are to be printed on the front and back sides of sheets. This example is the “adjust positions of images on back and front sides” function.
A and B of FIG. 13 show an example of the print product bound up as the printing result of the job shown in FIG. 12 as schematic views. The example of FIG. 13 corresponds to a case wherein the printing processing of a job to be double-sided printed is executed without using the “adjust positions of images on back and front sides” function that can be executed in such job in the printing system.
A of FIG. 13 shows the print product as a three-dimensional projected view. When the job shown in FIG. 12 undergoes double-sided printing and the printed sheets are bound up, the index images printed on the end portions of respective pages are reflected as the printing result shown in A of FIG. 13 on a portion (called a fore edge) opposite to a back portion of the print product since the pages are combined into a bundle as a bound product. A of FIG. 13 indicates the result indicating that there are three portions to be distinguished from other blocks like the first, second, and third chapters, and the index images are respectively assigned to these portions.
B of FIG. 13 shows a sectional view of an arbitrary paper sheet which forms an index in a portion encircled by a dotted circle in A of FIG. 13. In other words, B of FIG. 13 shows a sectional view of one sheet on the front and back sides of which index images have already been printed in the double-sided printing mode. In the example of B of FIG. 13, data to be processed were laid out to print index images on the front and back sides on print regions originally corresponding to an identical portion. As a result of actual double-sided printing on the front and back sides of a sheet, position misalignment has occurred in this example.
When double-sided printing processing is executed without using the “adjust positions of images on back and front sides” function of this embodiment, position misalignment of images on the front and back sides is likely to occur, as shown in B of FIG. 13, due to the precision associated with position alignment of the printing apparatus. In other words, a phenomenon that the image printing position of an index image 1202 for the front side to be printed on the front side of a sheet cannot be precisely aligned with that of an index image 1202 for the back side to be printed on the back side of the sheet may occur. Such phenomenon resulting from the precision of the image alignment mechanism associated with the printing process of the printing apparatus may occur. The position misalignment phenomenon of the front and back images is negligible for the user in an environment which is not an environment that creates print products as articles. However, for example, if products that consider the POD environment or the like are put into practical use, more convenient printing environment can be provided by taking a measure against the above phenomena.
A case will be examined below wherein the positio