Ink jet printer, printer host, printer system provided with them and storage medium storing operating program of printer host

The present invention relates to a printer host suitable for double-sided printing and a storage medium in which an operation program thereof is stored.

[Conventional Techniques] Conventionally, as an inkjet printer capable of double-sided printing, for example, there is one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-147208. The host of this inkjet printer creates print commands for odd-numbered pages and even-numbered pages so that the images of odd-numbered pages and even-numbered pages are flipped upside down when double-sided printing is instructed, and creates print commands in page order. , Sending this to the printer.

[0003] By the way, in reality, the inkjet printer capable of double-sided printing is hardly commercially available. In this way, when performing double-sided printing with an inkjet printer that does not have a double-sided printing function, the user first specifies printing of only odd-sized pages, causes the user to execute this, and then prints only this odd-sized page. After turning the paper over and setting it in the printer, I specified printing of only even pages, and printed even pages on the back of this paper. That is, the host of the inkjet printer having no double-sided printing function first sends only the odd-numbered page printing command to the printer, and then sends only the even-numbered page printing command to the printer.

[0004] In the prior art, when a printer not having a double-sided printing function is connected to a printer host for a printer capable of double-sided printing, the printer host is connected to both sides. When printing is instructed, there is a problem that each sheet is printed upside down.

[0005] Conversely, when an inkjet printer having a double-sided printing function is connected to a printer host for a printer that does not have the double-sided printing function, the printer itself has the double-sided printing function. Since the host cannot instruct double-sided printing, the user has to instruct the host to print odd pages and then instruct even page printing, which is extremely inconvenient.

[0006] The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional problem, and even when an inkjet printer having a double-sided printing function is connected, an inkjet printer having no double-sided printing function is connected. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inkjet printer host capable of performing double-sided printing without imposing a heavy burden on the user, and a storage medium in which the operation program thereof is stored.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A printer host for achieving the above object transmits the mode designating means for designating a double-sided printing mode or a single-sided printing mode, the printing command, and the mode designation. When the double-sided printing mode is specified by the means, the transmission / reception means that inquires the inkjet printer whether or not double-sided printing is possible and receives from the inkjet printer whether or not double-sided printing is possible. When the mode designating means indicates the double-sided printing mode and the transmitting / receiving means receives that double-sided printing is possible, a print command for the double-sided printing mode is created, and the double-sided printing mode is designated by the mode designating means. If the transmission / reception means does not receive the fact that double-sided printing is possible, only the print command for one of the odd page and the even page, which is the print command for the single-sided print mode, is sequentially created. Then, after the transmission of the print command for one page is completed, the print command creation means for sequentially creating the print command for the one-sided print mode and the print command for the other page, A margin setting means for setting a margin area of at least one of odd-numbered pages and an even-numbered page, and a double-sided printing mode are specified by the mode specifying means, and the margin setting means of the one page is used. When set, the left margin of the one page is set as the right margin of the other page, and the right margin of the one page is set to the left margin of the other page. It is characterized in that it is provided with a display means for displaying the paper and even-numbered page paper, and for displaying the margin area set by the margin setting means and the remaining margin automatic setting means.

[0024] The first storage medium for achieving the above object is a storage medium in which an operation program of a printer host having a transmission / reception means for transmitting a print command to an inkjet printer is stored, and is in a double-sided printing mode or a single-sided printing mode. When the mode designation procedure for specifying the mode and the transmission / reception means transmit the print command and the double-sided printing mode is specified in the mode designation procedure, whether or not double-sided printing is possible for the inkjet printer. A transmission / reception control procedure for making an inquiry and controlling reception of whether or not double-sided printing is possible from the inkjet printer. When the double-sided printing mode is instructed by the mode designation procedure and the transmission / reception means receives that double-sided printing is possible, a print command for the double-sided printing mode is created, and the double-sided printing mode is designated by the mode designation procedure. If the transmission / reception means does not receive the fact that double-sided printing is possible, the print command for the single-sided print mode is sequentially created only for one of the odd page and the even page. Then, after the transmission of the print command for one page is completed, the print command creation procedure for sequentially creating the print command for the one-sided print mode and the print command for the other page, and the odd page and the even page Of these, when the double-sided printing mode is specified by the margin setting procedure for setting the margin area of at least one page and the mode specification procedure, and the margin area of the one page is set by the margin setting procedure, the one The left margin of one page is set as the right margin of the other page, and the right margin of one page is set to the left margin of the other page. It is characterized by having a display control procedure for displaying odd-numbered page paper and even-numbered page paper and displaying a margin area set in the margin designation procedure and the remaining margin automatic setting procedure. The program is remembered.

[0025] As the second storage medium for achieving the above object, it is received that the double-sided printing mode is specified in the mode designation procedure in the first storage medium and that double-sided printing is possible by the transmitting / receiving means. If not, the transmission / reception control procedure causes the transmission / reception means to transmit a print command for the one page, and then inquires the inkjet printer whether or not printing for the one page is completed. When the inkjet printer receives from the inkjet printer that printing on one page has been completed, the transmission / reception means displays that printing on one page has been completed, and issues a print execution instruction for the other page. A program characterized by having a display control procedure for prompting is stored.

[0028] As the third storage medium for achieving the above object, in the first or second storage medium, a drawing command that is a basis for creating the print command in the print command creation procedure is created. , A program used together with a program having a drawing command creation procedure for designating a print area in printing in printing based on the drawing command is stored, and a margin setting procedure for setting a margin area in printing in printing based on the printing command is stored. The print command creation procedure includes a drawing procedure for expanding the image of the drawing command and a part of the print area specified in the drawing command creation procedure as a result of setting the margin area in the margin setting procedure. When it overlaps with the margin area, the drawing command for one page is reduced in the drawing procedure so that the image for one page fits in the area excluding the portion overlapping with the margin area in the print area. It stores a drawing control procedure for developing an image and a program characterized by having.

[0030] The fourth storage medium for achieving the above object is on one side of the printing paper when the inkjet printer executes the double-sided printing mode in any of the first to third storage media. A program is stored that comprises a reversing time setting procedure that sets a reversing time from printing to reversing the printing paper and starting printing on the other side of the printing paper. Is what you are doing.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of a printer system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer system of the present embodiment includes a printer host 10 and a printer 30 that prints based on a print command output from the printer host 10.

[0033] The printer host 10 includes a host main body 11, a display device 12, and a keyboard 13. The host body 11 includes a CPU 20 that executes various programs, a ROM 21 that stores various data and various programs, a RAM 22 that temporarily stores various data and various programs, and a display controller 23 that controls the display device 12. It has a keyboard controller 24 for controlling the keyboard 13, a floppy disk drive 25, a hard disk drive 26, a CD-ROM drive 27, a printer interface 28, and a network interface 29.

[0034] The printer 30 includes a monitor 37, a printing mechanism 40, and a print controller 31 that controls them. The print controller 31 is a CPU 32 that executes various programs, a ROM 33 that stores various data and various programs, a RAM 34 that temporarily stores various data and various programs, and a monitor controller 35 that controls the monitor 37. And the interface 36.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printing mechanism 40 houses a printing head 41 that ejects inks of various colors, a head moving mechanism 42 that moves the printing head 42, and a large number of printing sheets 1. A paper feed tray 44, a paper feed mechanism 45 that guides the printing paper 1 in the paper feed tray 44 between the print head 42 and the platen 43, a paper discharge mechanism 46 that ejects the printed paper 1, and double-sided printing. It is provided with a reversing mechanism 50 for reversing the paper 1 and a mounting sensor (mounting detecting means) 49 for detecting whether or not the reversing mechanism 50 is mounted. In this embodiment, the reversing mechanism 50 can be attached later or in advance as an option of the printer. The mounting sensor 49 is used to detect whether or not the optional reversing mechanism 50 is mounted. The reversing mechanism 50 has a first switching lever 54 for guiding the paper 1 from the paper ejection path 47 of the paper ejection mechanism 46 to the reversing path 51, and pushes the paper 1 into the reversing position 52 while feeding the paper 1 from the reversing position 52. The reversing roller 55, the reversing position detection sensor 56 that detects that the paper 1 has reached the reversing position 52, and the second switching lever 57 that guides the paper 1 to the reversing position 52 and from the reversing position 52 to the return path 53. ,have. The reversing position detection sensor 56 is used to detect that the paper 1 has reached the reversing position 52, reverse the rotation direction of the reversing roller 55, and change the direction of the second switching lever 57.

Functionally, as shown in FIG. 3, the printer host 10 functionally stores the application (drawing command creating means) 61 and the drawing command created by the application 61 as a spool file 62. A print condition storage unit (storage means) 63 that stores print conditions, a print command creation unit (print command creation means) 64 that creates print commands from a bundle of drawing commands for one job, and various data, etc. A user interface that controls the display unit (display means) 71, the input unit (mode designation means, margin setting means, paper type designation means) 72 for inputting user instructions, and the display unit 71 and the input unit 72. Control unit 73 (mode designation means, display means, margin designation means, margin automatic setting means, paper type designation means) and a reverse time setting unit (reverse time setting) for setting the paper reversal time at the time of double-sided printing according to the paper type. Transmission / reception control unit (transmission / reception means, transmission / reception control procedure) 75 that controls transmission / reception of data between the means) 74 and the printer 30, and transmission / reception unit (transmission / reception control means) 76 that transmits / receives data between the printer 30. And have.

The print command creation unit 64 includes a rasterizer 65 that converts drawing commands into RGB image data, a rasterization control unit (drawing control means) 70 that controls the rasterizer 65, and RGB image data expansion in which RGB image data is expanded. The area 66, the color conversion / halftone processing unit 67 that creates CMYK binarized image data by performing color conversion processing and halftone processing on the RGB image data, and the CMYK binarized image data are expanded. It has a CMYK binarized image data expansion unit 68 and a command conversion unit 69 that converts CMYK binarized image data into print commands that can be interpreted by the printer 30.

[0038] Further, functionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the inkjet printer 30 transmits / receives data between the print control unit 81 that controls the printing mechanism 40 according to a printing command from the host 10 and the host 10. It has a transmission / reception unit (transmission / reception means) 82 for performing the above.

[0039] Of the functional components of the printer host 10, the application 61, the print command creation unit 64, the user interface control unit 73, the inversion time setting unit 74, and the transmission / reception control unit 75 store the programs stored in the RAM 22. It works when CPU20 executes it. Further, the spool file storage unit 62 and the print condition storage unit 63 include RAM 22. The display unit 71 includes a display device 12, a display controller 23, a CPU 20, and a RAM 22, and the input unit 72 includes a keyboard 13, a keyboard controller 24, a CPU 20, and a RAM 22. The transmission / reception unit 76 includes a CPU 20, a RAM 22, and a printer interface 28. A program for executing the functions of the printer host 10 can be obtained by playing the CD-ROM 17 (shown in FIG. 1) in which it is stored on the CD-ROM drive 27 and loading it into the RAM 22.

[0040] Among the functional components of the inkjet printer 30, the print control unit 81 is configured to include a ROM 33 and a RAM 34 for storing various programs, and a CPU 32 for executing the programs, and the transmission / reception unit 82 is a CPU 32. , ROM33, RAM34, and interface 36.

Next, the operation of the printer system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0042] The host 10 accepts various print conditions by operating the user input unit 72 (step 1). Printing conditions include paper size, paper type, margin area in printing paper, single-sided printing / double-sided printing, and the like. When the double-sided printing mode specification is accepted, a confirmation message "Is ink for double-sided printing set?" Is displayed on the screen of the display unit. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the odd-numbered page paper 91a and the even-numbered page paper 91b are displayed on the screen of the display unit 71. On the displayed paper 91a, the vertical dimension 92 and the horizontal dimension 93 of the paper are also displayed. Further, each dimension input area 94a, 94b, 94c, 94d of the upper margin area, the lower margin area, the left margin area, and the right margin area is displayed at the upper, lower, left, and right positions, respectively.

[0043] The user specifies a margin area in the printing paper while looking at this screen. The user first specifies whether to specify the margin area of even-numbered pages or the margin area of odd-numbered pages. This is because, in double-sided printing, the positions of the binding margins are different between the odd-numbered pages and the even-numbered pages, and the left and right margin areas of the odd-numbered pages and the left and right margin areas of the even-numbered pages are different. Subsequently, the user inputs dimensions in the dimension input areas 94a, 94b, 94c, 94d of the upper margin area, the lower margin area, the left margin area, and the right margin area. For example, when the user specifies the margin area designation of even-numbered pages and then inputs the dimensions of each margin area, the boundary line 95b of the margin area is displayed in the displayed even-numbered page paper 91b. Further, along with the setting of the margin area of the even page 91b, the margin area of the odd page is automatically set by the user interface control unit 73, and the boundary line 95a of the margin area is displayed in the displayed odd page paper 91a. To. In the odd page margin settings, the even page top margin dimension, bottom margin dimension, right margin dimension, and left margin dimension are automatically set to the top margin dimension, bottom margin dimension, left margin dimension, and right margin dimension of the odd page, respectively. Will be done. That is, the left margin dimension of the even page is automatically set to the right margin dimension of the odd page, and the right margin dimension of the even page is automatically set to the left margin dimension of the odd page. When the user wants to change the margin dimension of the odd-numbered page that is automatically set, the user further specifies the margin area of the odd-numbered page and inputs each margin area dimension. This input result takes precedence over the automatically set margin dimension.

[0044] Subsequently, the host 10 accepts the print execution by the operation of the input unit 72 of the user (step 2). The host 10 determines whether or not this printing is specified in the double-sided printing mode, and if it is not specified in the double-sided printing mode, the host 10 creates a single-sided printing mode, that is, a normal printing command (step 4), and prints this on the inkjet printer. Send to 30 (step 5). If the double-sided printing mode is specified, the transmitter / receiver 76 inquires the printer 30 whether double-sided printing is possible (step 6).

[0045] In response to this inquiry, if the mounting sensor 49 detects that the reversing mechanism 50 is mounted, the printer 30 replies "double-sided printing is possible" from the transmitter / receiver 82 to the host 10. ..

[0046] If the printer 30 responds that "double-sided printing is possible" (step 7), the reversing time setting unit 74 sets the reversing time of the paper in double-sided printing on the printer 30. This inversion time is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 76 to the printer 30. When double-sided printing is performed with the inkjet printer 30, if the front and back surfaces of the paper are reversed after printing on the front surface before the ink on the front surface dries, the ink on the front surface rubs against rollers and the like, and the print quality on the front surface deteriorates. Resulting in. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the reversing time setting unit 74 sets the reversing time according to the paper type set at the time of setting the printing conditions (step 1). The print condition storage unit 63 stores in advance the relationship between the paper type and the reversal time, and the reversal time setting unit 63 determines the reversal time with reference to this relationship. Here, the reversal time is determined only according to the paper type, but the reversal time may be determined according to the paper type and the ink type. Further, the inversion time may be set by user input.

When the paper reversal time is set (step 8), a print command for the double-sided printing mode is created (step 8), and this is transmitted from the transmitter / receiver 76 to the printer 30 (step 9).

[0048] When double-sided printing is performed with the printer 30, as shown in FIG. 7A, when the odd-numbered page 1a is printed and then the paper 1 is inverted by the inversion mechanism 50 of the printer 30, the same figure (b) is obtained. As shown, the paper 1 is turned upside down, so when printing the back side of the paper 1, that is, even page 1b, it is necessary to rotate the image by 180 °. In the figure, the arrows indicate the direction of paper supply to the print head, the top, bottom, left, and right with () in the figure (b) indicate the top, bottom, left, and right of the odd page 1a on the back, and the top, bottom, left, and right without (). , Shows the top, bottom, left, and right of even page 1b of the table. Therefore, in creating a print command for the double-sided print mode (step 9), a print command is created in which the image of the even page 1b is rotated 180 ° with respect to the image of the odd page 1a.

Specifically, first, the rasterizer 65 of the print command creation unit 64 converts the drawing command stored in the spool file storage unit 62 into RGB image data, and expands this into the expansion area 66. Next, the color conversion / halftone processing unit 67 performs color conversion processing, halftone processing, and the like on the RGB image data to convert it into CMYK binarized image data, and expands this into the expansion area 68. Then, the command conversion unit 69 converts the print command into a print command that can be interpreted by the printer 30, and then the transmission / reception unit 76 sends this print command to the printer 30. When the print command for one page is sent to the printer 30, the print command creation unit 64 creates the next page, that is, the print command on the back side. At this time, the rasterizer 65 converts the drawing command into RGB image data according to the instruction from the rasterization control unit 70, turns the image upside down, and expands it in the expansion area 66. Next, when the color conversion / halftone processing unit 67 reads this RGB image data from the expansion area 66, it reads from the direction opposite to the normal direction in the left-right direction, converts this into CMYK binarized image data, and then converts the RGB image data into CMYK binarized image data. Expand to expansion area 68. As a result, the image data on the back surface is expanded to the expansion area 68 in a state of being rotated by 180 °. Then, this CMYK binarized image data is commanded by the commanding unit 69, and this is transmitted to the printer 30 as a print command on the back side.

[0050] When the printer 30 receives the above print command, it prints on the front surface of the paper based on the odd-numbered page print command sent earlier. When the printing of the front surface is completed, this paper is sent to the reversing mechanism 50, where the front and back sides are inverted and sent again to the position facing the print head. Then, printing is performed on the back surface based on the even-numbered page printing command sent later, and printing is performed on both the front and back surfaces. At this time, the reversal time from the printing of the front surface to the start of printing of the back surface is the reversal time sent from the host 10 in step 8. As described above, in the present embodiment, since printing is not performed on the back surface until the ink on the front surface dries, it is possible to prevent the front surface from rubbing against a roller or the like and deteriorating the print quality.

If there is no response from the printer 30 that "double-sided printing is possible" in step 7, the print command creation unit 64 sequentially creates only odd-numbered page print commands (step 11), and the transmission / reception unit 76 printers this. Send to 30 (step 12). When creating a print command for only odd-numbered pages, the rasterization control unit 70 of the print command creation unit 64 gives an instruction to the rasterizer 65, and gives the rasterizer 65 a drawing command for only odd-numbered pages from the spool file storage unit 62. Load it. The printer 30 executes printing in the normal single-sided printing mode based on the printing command for only odd-numbered pages.

[0052] When the transmission of the print command for only the odd-numbered pages is completed (step 12), the transmission / reception unit 76 inquires the printer 30 whether or not the printing of the odd-numbered pages is completed (step 13). In response to this inquiry, when "Odd page printing finished" is received from the printer 30 (step 14), the display unit 71 of host 10 sends a message "Odd page printing finished. Prepare to print even pages." "Please" is displayed, and an "OK" button is also displayed (step 15).

[0053] Looking at this display, the user turns over the paper 1 on which only the odd-numbered pages are printed on the output tray 48 (shown in FIG. 2) of the printer 30 and sets it in the paper feed tray 44. When the setting is completed, click the "OK" button displayed on the display unit 71.

[0054] When the "OK" button is clicked, the host 10 creates a print command for only even-numbered pages (step 17), and sequentially sends this to the printer 30 (step 18). Upon receiving this print command, the printer 30 prints even pages on the back side of the paper on which the odd pages are printed.

[0055] As described above, in the present embodiment, even when an inkjet printer having a double-sided printing function is connected to the host 10, or when an inkjet printer having no double-sided printing function is connected to the host 10. If double-sided printing is instructed, double-sided printing can be performed, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

Moreover, even if double-sided printing is performed with an inkjet printer having a double-sided printing function, the paper is not reversed until the ink on the side printed first dries, so that the print quality of the side printed first is deteriorated. Can be prevented.

[0057] Further, in the present embodiment, different left and right margin areas can be set for the odd-numbered pages and the even-numbered pages in consideration of the binding margin of the paper at the time of double-sided printing. The margin area can also be set in the single-sided printing mode.

By the way, in the application 61, when the print area 2 is set as shown in FIG. 8 (a) and the print conditions are set (step 1), the margin area 95 is set as shown in FIG. 8 (b). When set, the area that can be actually printed becomes the area inside the margin area, which is narrower than the originally planned area 2. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the margin area 95 overlaps a part of the print area 2 set in the application 61, as shown in FIGS. Therefore, the image is expanded by reducing the aspect ratio without changing the aspect ratio so that the image of the entire page fits in the area 97 excluding the overlapping part 96. In this way, when the image is reduced and expanded, the image size planned by the user is not printed, and therefore a display indicating that the image may be reduced or the image is reduced is displayed. Here, the image of the entire page is set to fit in the area 97 excluding the overlapping portion 96 in the print area 2, but the image in the initially set print area fits in the area 97. You may do so. In this reduction work, the rasterization control unit 70 determines the reduction ratio with reference to the print area and the margin area stored in the print condition storage unit 63, and when the rasterizer 65 expands the image of the drawing command, the rasterizer 65 is subjected to the reduction work. Notify the reduction ratio of the lever and develop the image at this reduction ratio.

[0059] Although the above embodiment considers the left and right binding margins of the printing paper, both the left and right binding margins and the upper and lower binding margins may be considered.

[0060] In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, a binding margin position designation area for selecting whether the binding margin position is left / right or top / bottom of the paper is displayed in the margin setting screen shown in FIG. 6, and the binding margin position is displayed. Allows you to specify whether is the left, right, or top and bottom of the paper. Then, if the binding margin position is on the left and right of the paper, the printer host sends a print command for the normal rotation print image for the odd page when the printer can print on both sides, as in the above embodiment, and the print command for the forward print image is sent for the even page. For, the print command of the reverse print image (the image obtained by rotating the forward print image by 180 °) is sent, and if the printer cannot print on both sides, the print command of the forward print image is sent for both the odd page and the even page. If the binding margin position is above and below the paper, the printer host sends a print command for the normal rotation print image for both odd and even pages if the printer can print on both sides, and if the printer cannot print on both sides, the odd page. Sends a print command for the forward print image for, and sends a print command for the reverse print image for even pages.

According to the present invention, even when an inkjet printer having a double-sided printing function is connected to the printer host, or even when an inkjet printer having no double-sided printing function is connected. If double-sided printing is instructed, double-sided printing can be performed, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a printing mechanism of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a printer host according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printer host according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a margin setting screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical relationship between a front surface and a back surface during double-sided printing in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a process when a margin area overlaps a part of a print area in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a binding margin position designation area in a margin setting screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of code] 1 ... Paper 10 ... Printer host 17 ... CD-ROM20,32 ... CPU21,33 ... ROM22,34 ... RAM30 ... Inkjet printer 40 ... Printing mechanism 41 ... Printing head 49 ... Mounting sensor 50 ... Inverting mechanism 61 ... Application 62 ... Spool file storage 63 ... Printing condition storage 64 ... Print command creation unit 65 ... Rasterizer 67 ... Color conversion / halftone processing unit 69 ... Command conversion unit 70 ... Rasterize control unit 7071 ... Display unit 72 ... Input unit 73 ... User interface control unit 74 ... Inversion time setting unit 75 ... Transmission / reception control unit 76,82 ... Transmission / reception unit 81 ... Print control unit