Patent Application
20250193331
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-209492, filed on Dec. 12, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate to an image forming device and an image forming method for forming image data on a medium.
In the related art, in enlarged printing or reduced printing of image data, such as PDF, using this type of image forming device, printing is performed to match the size of the image data to a set output paper, for example, A3 or A4, for which the size in a width direction (e.g., a transverse direction) and the size in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the width direction are set in advance.
Since image forming devices are not designed to be able to easily perform appropriate image formation for a wide variety of output paper types, there is a case where a user is forced to determine detailed print settings, such as considering margins as appropriate, depending on a type of the output paper.
In general, according to one embodiment, a technique capable of facilitating appropriate image formation for a wide variety of output paper types is provided.
According to one embodiment, an image forming device that forms image data on a sheet-shaped medium includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire setting information including width information indicating a printable range in which the image data is formable in a width direction of the medium and length information for switching a formation position of the image data in a length direction orthogonal to the width direction according to a type of the medium; and a forming unit configured to form an image on the medium based on the setting information acquired by the acquisition unit.
Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.
A configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment will be described.
As illustrated in
The image forming device 1 forms acquired image data generated in a format such as PDF or JPEG on an output paper (e.g., a medium, an output medium, etc.). Examples of the image forming device 1 include a printer that forms an image on an output paper by an electrophotographic method, an ink jet method, a thermal transfer method, or the like, and a multifunction peripheral (MFP). In the embodiment, the image forming device 1 is a barcode printer which is used as an in-line printer installed in a workplace or the like and can form a two-dimensional barcode or the like as image data on an output paper. Accordingly, the image forming device 1 can use, as the output paper, a roll-shaped label sheet attached with a plurality of labels with no image to be printed formed thereon, or a label sheet used for a receipt, a ticket, or the like where an entire upper surface is a surface to be printed.
The image forming device 1 according to the embodiment is connected to the information processing devices 2 and the server 3 for data communication via a network N such as the Internet or an intranet. The information processing devices 2 and the server 3 transmit, to the image forming device 1, print setting information (e.g., setting information, etc.) related to printing of image data input by a user together with the image data. The image forming device 1 forms an image on a label sheet based on the transmitted image data and print setting information. The information processing device 2 is, for example, a desktop personal computer (PC), smartphone or a tablet terminal such as a laptop computer. The information processing device 2 may access the server 3 and then transmit the image data and the print setting information to the image forming device 1 via the server 3. The server 3 may be constructed as a cloud server.
The image forming device 1 may be connected to the information processing device 2 via a wired or wireless communication method. Examples of the wired communication method include Ethernet (registered trademark), USB, IEEE 1394 [FIREWIRE (registered trademark)], and LIGHTNING (registered trademark). Examples of the wireless communication method include short-range wireless communication such as near field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth (registered trademark), cellular, and Wi-Fi.
Next, hardware configurations of the image forming device 1 and the information processing device 2 will be described.
As illustrated in
The MPU 11 executes various programs such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), an operating system (OS), and a general-purpose application read from the ROM 12, which is a nonvolatile storage area, and a program for executing an image forming process (e.g., an image forming method, etc.) to be described later, by loading the programs on the RAM 13, which is a volatile storage area. The ROM 12 also stores various data used in the image forming process, for example, definition data of first to fourth setting printing described later. In the embodiment, the MPU 11 and the RAM 13 cooperate to execute the image forming process described later. The communication I/F 14 is used for communication with the information processing device 2 and the server 3.
The printer hardware 15 is hardware that prints on a label sheet. For example, for a printer that only sequentially feeds out labels, the printer hardware 15 includes a ribbon winding motor that winds an ink ribbon, a platen motor that drives a platen roller, a supply and discharge motor that supplies and discharges a label sheet, a print head having a heating element, and the like. In addition, for example, for a printer that cuts a label in sheets, a cutter unit (e.g., a cutter, a cutter device, etc.) or the like that cuts a label sheet is further provided. The printer hardware 15 is controlled by the MPU 11.
As illustrated in
The CPU 21 executes various programs such as a BIOS, an OS, and a general-purpose application read from the ROM 22, which is a nonvolatile storage area, and a program for executing the image forming process to be described later, by loading the programs on the RAM 23, which is a volatile storage area. The ROM 22 also stores various data used in the image forming process, for example, data of an input screen of print setting information. In the embodiment, the CPU 21 and the RAM 23 cooperate to execute the image forming process described later. The communication I/F 24 is used for communication with the image forming device 1 and the server 3. The input and output I/F 25 is used to connect a display 251, a keyboard 252, and other input and output devices such as a mouse to the information processing device 2.
Since the server 3 can have substantially the same hardware configuration as the information processing device 2 in a broad sense, a detailed description of the hardware configuration is omitted here.
Next, functional configurations of the image forming device 1 and the information processing device 2 will be described.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, the image forming process by the image forming system will be described in detail.
First, the promotion reception unit 201 of the information processing device 2 promotes (e.g., displays, provides, etc.) a print setting screen on the display 251, prompts the user to input (e.g., input information, input a setting, etc.), and acquires the following pieces of input information (Act 101).
The printable width indicates a width (e.g., a length in a sheet transverse direction, etc.) of a printable range in a label sheet set in the image forming device 1. Specifically, when the output paper is a label sheet in which a plurality of labels are attached and arranged along a sheet longitudinal direction at regular intervals, the printable width indicates a width of each label. Hereinafter, such a label sheet is referred to as an intermittent label sheet. On the other hand, when the output paper is a label sheet whose entire upper surface is a surface to be printed, the printable width indicates a sheet width of the label sheet. Hereinafter, such a label sheet is referred to as a continuous label sheet. In the input field 41, a numerical value of a general printable width is set in advance as a default value. In
The printable length indicates a length in a printable range of the label sheet in a direction orthogonal to the width direction (e.g., a sheet longitudinal direction: appropriately referred to as a length direction, etc.), and can be switched between valid (e.g., fixed, preset, default, etc.) and invalid (e.g., variable, changing, customizable, etc.) in the embodiment. The term valid indicates that the printable length is a fixed value. On the other hand, invalid indicates that the printable length is a variable value. Specifically, when individual labels of a fixed size are arranged in the sheet longitudinal direction as in the intermittent label sheet, the printable length is preferably valid. By setting the printable length as valid, it is determined that a length of each label in the sheet longitudinal direction, that is, the printable length is a predetermined fixed value, and image data is printed with reference to a position of a substantially center value of the fixed value, in other words, a center position of the printable length. Therefore, the fixed value can also be said to be a value indicating a predetermined printable range in which the image data can be formed. As shown in
On the other hand, when there is no distinction between individual labels as in the continuous label sheet, the printable length is preferably invalid. By setting the printable length as invalid, when the image data is continuously printed, it is possible to print the image data in the sheet longitudinal direction, that is, in close proximity to each other. It is preferable that the proximity interval can be changed. From the above, it can be said that the printable length is used to switch a formation position of the image data in the length direction according to the type of the label sheet.
The scale indicates whether to enlarge or reduce the size of the image data for printing. In the embodiment, three options of invalid, fitting, and fitting (e.g., reduction only) are set to be switchable (e.g., changeable, selectable, etc.). The invalid option indicates that printing is performed without enlarging or reducing the size of the image data. The fitting option indicates that the size of the image data is enlarged or reduced. When the printable length is invalid, a reference for the enlargement and reduction is made based on an original size and the printable width of the image data. That is, when the original size exceeds the printable width, the image data is reduced based on the printable width, and when the original size is less than the printable width, the image data is enlarged based on the printable width. On the other hand, when the printable length is valid, the enlargement and reduction are performed with one of the printable width and the printable length set as a reference while maintaining the aspect ratio of the image data. At this time, when the image data is enlarged or reduced based on one of the values, the image data may not fit within the other value. In such a case, the other value becomes the reference. To explain with an example, when the printable length is set as the reference and enlarging the image data based on the printable length, if a width of the image data exceeds the printable width, the enlargement is performed based on the printable width. The original size here means, for example, an actual size set for data such as a PDF document. Fitting (e.g., reduction only, reducing, etc.) indicates that the image data is reduced. When the original size exceeds the printable width, the image data is reduced based on the printable width, and when the original size is less than the printable width, the original size is maintained. Fitting (e.g., reduction only, etc.) is preferably selected when handling, for example, image data whose content may be missing due to the enlargement, or image data such as a barcode having a possibility of losing a function due to deviation from a reading range of a reader when the image data is enlarged.
By the combination of these settings, various types of printing, in the embodiment, the first setting printing to the fourth setting printing described below can be performed.
Referring back to
After the transmission, the information acquisition unit 101 of the image forming device 1 acquires the image data and the print setting information transmitted from the information processing device 2 (Act 103). After the acquisition, the setting determination unit (e.g., setting determiner, etc.) 102 determines whether the setting of the printable length included in the print setting information is valid (Act 104). When it is determined that the setting of the printable length is not valid (Act 104, NO), the setting determination unit 102 determines whether to change the scale of the image data, that is, to enlarge or reduce the image data based on the print setting information (Act 105). In this determination, when the setting of the scale included in the print setting information is fitting or fitting (e.g., reduction only), it is determined to change the scale, and when the setting of the scale is invalid, it is determined not to change the scale.
When it is determined not to change the scale of the image data (Act 105, NO), the image forming unit 103 performs the first setting printing to print the image data of the original size based on the print setting information and the original size of the image data (Act 106), and the image forming process ends. When a plurality of print copies of the image data are set, the first setting printing is performed for the number of copies. The same applies to the second to fourth setting printing described later.
On the other hand, when it is determined to change the scale of the image data (Act 105, YES), the setting determination unit 102 determines whether a predetermined scaling condition is satisfied based on the print setting information and the information on the size of the image data (Act 107). In the embodiment, when the printable length is invalid, the scaling conditions are other than “the setting of the scale included in the print setting information is fitting (reduction only), and a length in the width direction of the original size of the image data is smaller than the printable width”. On the other hand, when the printable length is valid, in addition to these conditions, “a length in the longitudinal direction of the original size of the image data is smaller than the printable length” is further added. When it is determined that the predetermined scaling condition is not satisfied (Act 107, NO), the first setting printing in Act 106 is executed. This means that the predetermined scaling condition is not satisfied when the length in the width direction of the original size of the image data is smaller than the printable width although the fitting (only reduction) is set in the print setting information. Therefore, since the image data may be enlarged, the first setting printing is performed when it is determined that there is no scale change.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the predetermined scaling condition is satisfied (Act 107, YES), the image forming unit 103 performs the second setting printing of scaling and printing the image data based on the print setting information and the original size of the image data, and the image forming processing ends.
When it is determined in Act 104 that the setting of the printable length is valid (Act 104, YES), the setting determination unit 102 determines whether to change the scale of the image data based on the print setting information (Act 109), as in Act 105. When it is determined not to change the scale of the image data (Act 109, NO), the image forming unit 103 performs the third setting printing to print the image data of the original size based on the print setting information and the original size of the image data (Act 110), and the image forming process ends.
On the other hand, when it is determined to change the scale of the image data (Act 109, YES), the setting determination unit 102 determines whether the scaling condition is satisfied based on the print setting information and the information on the size of the image data (Act 111). When it is determined that the predetermined scaling condition is not satisfied (Act 111, NO), the third setting printing in Act 110 is executed.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the predetermined scaling condition is satisfied (Act 111, YES), the image forming unit 103 performs the fourth setting printing of scaling and printing the image data based on the print setting information and the original size of the image data (Act 112), and the image forming processing ends.
The first to fourth setting printing will be described in detail together with printing results.
In the first setting printing, the image data is printed without changing the scale while the original size is applied in the sheet longitudinal direction and a substantially central position in the width direction is positioned at a substantially central position of the printable width. Therefore, the image data D illustrated in (a) of
An imaginary line indicated by a dashed-dotted line with a symbol C indicates both ends of the label in the sheet longitudinal direction, and serves as a cutting line to be cut with a cutter (e.g., a cutting device, a blade, etc.) or the like. In the first setting printing, the image data D can be printed closer to a discharge side leading end in the longitudinal direction of the label sheet S, in other words, closer to the cutting line C. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the label sheet S from being excessively cut, that is, it is possible to prevent the label formed by cutting from including an excessive margin, and the label sheet can be used effectively, and costs can be reduced. Such a printing method is particularly useful in a label printer using a continuous label sheet.
The MPU 11 may determine a cutting position (e.g., a cutting line C, etc.) based on the print setting information. For example, the MPU 11 calculates the cutting position based on a length in the sheet longitudinal direction of the image data D of the original size or a scaled size, and automatically cuts the label sheet S using a cutter.
In the second setting printing, the image data is scaled according to the printable width, and therefore, the image data is printed such that the size of the image data in the sheet longitudinal direction is set to a length scaled according to the printable width. Accordingly, the image data D illustrated in (a) of
As a result, in the second setting printing, the image data D can be scaled and printed, and the label sheet can be used effectively, and costs can be reduced. Such a printing method is particularly useful in a label printer using a continuous label sheet.
In the third setting printing, the image data is printed without changing the scale while a substantially central position in the sheet longitudinal direction is positioned at a substantially central position of the printable length (fixed value), and similarly, a substantially central position in the width direction is positioned at a substantially central position of the printable width. In other words, the image data is centered on the printable length and the printable width, and the center thereof is positioned at the center of the label. In (b) of
Therefore, in the third setting printing, the image data D can be printed in the original size, and the image data D can be positioned substantially at the center of the label sheet S. Such a printing method is particularly useful in a label printer using an intermittent label sheet, a printer or a multifunction peripheral using a paper medium such as A4 or A3 as an output paper.
In the fourth setting printing, the image data is scaled according to the printable width, and therefore, the image data is printed such that the size of the image data in the sheet longitudinal direction is set to a length scaled according to the printable width. Accordingly, the image data D illustrated in (a) of
Therefore, in the fourth setting printing, the image data D can be scaled and printed, and the image data D can be positioned substantially at the center of the label sheet S. Such a printing method is particularly useful in a label printer using an intermittent label sheet, a printer or a multifunction peripheral using a paper medium such as A4 or A3 as an output paper.
In the image forming process described above, only one type of image data D is printed. Alternatively, a plurality of types of image data may be printed in succession.
According to the embodiment described above, by simply acquiring the print setting information appropriately input or selected by the user, it is possible to appropriately form the image data on the output paper according to the type of the output paper, for example, to reduce the margin or to enlarge or reduce the size. In particular, in addition to being able to scale the image data according to the printable width, the printable length can be switched between valid and invalid, that is, between a fixed length and a variable length. Therefore, the length in the sheet longitudinal direction can be changed appropriately, and the switching is also extremely easy.
In the embodiment, the image forming process (image forming method) is described as being executed by the image forming device 1 and the information processing device 2, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The image forming process may be executed by the image forming device I and the server 3, and in this case, the server 3 may have various functions of the information processing device 2. It should be understood that the information processing device according to the embodiment includes not only the information processing device 2 but also the server 3.
In the embodiment, it is described that the information acquisition unit 101 of the image forming device 1 acquires the print setting information together with the image data from the transmission unit 202 of the information processing device 2. However, the print setting information may be stored in advance in the ROM 12 of the image forming device 1 or a database (not shown) of the image forming device 1 or the server 3. Therefore, the image forming device 1 may acquire simply the image data from the transmission unit 202 by the information acquisition unit 101 in Act 103 of
In the above embodiment, programs (such as an image forming program) for implementing various functions of the image forming device 1, the information processing device 2, and the server 3 are installed in the image forming device 1, the information processing device 2, and the server 3 in advance. However, the program may be provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable storage medium. Here, the storage medium includes all media that can be read and executed by a computer as the image forming device 1 or the information processing device 2 described above, such as media that can be attached to and detached from a control device 7, for example, a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk (hard disk drive or the like), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk or the like), a magneto-optical disk (MO or the like), and a flash memory, and media that can be transmitted via a network. Examples of the media that can be transmitted via a network include a medium stored on a computer such as an external server connected to the network N such as the Internet, and the medium is provided via the network N.
While certain embodiments have been described, the embodiments have been presented by way of example, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the disclosure. The embodiments and the modifications thereof are included in the scope and the gist of the exemplary embodiments, and are included in a scope of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the claims and equivalents thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-209492 | Dec 2023 | JP | national |
