JP6268840B2 - Image forming apparatus, image forming control method, and image forming control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming control method, and an image forming control program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms a high-quality image while giving priority to a print job that requires speed-priority printing. The present invention relates to an image formation control method and an image formation control program.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as composite apparatuses, printer apparatuses, and copiers have various print modes as print modes. Among them, speed is higher than image quality when it is desired to obtain print results quickly. Is provided with a speed-priority printing mode.

  The image forming apparatus receives a print job from the host apparatus, or when the print mode for the image data stored in the image forming apparatus is designated by the operation unit and the print instruction is issued, the print job or the print instruction operation is performed. Get the print mode specified in. When the print mode is the speed priority print mode, the image forming apparatus generates image data with the lowest resolution (lowest resolution) when generating image data that can be processed by the image forming unit from image data to be printed by the image processing unit. Image quality image forming image data) is generated. The image forming apparatus causes the image forming unit to form an image on a recording medium such as paper (hereinafter simply referred to as paper) based on the image data generated by the image processing unit.

  However, even if the speed priority print mode is specified, for example, it is not possible to execute printing such as warming up when returning from the power saving mode, occurrence of paper jam, waiting for replacement of consumables, etc. The image forming apparatus cannot output the printing result until the printing disabled state is resolved and printing is completed. Even in such a case, the conventional image forming apparatus prints out a low-quality image when the unprintable state is resolved.

  Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus having an adjustment function for satisfactorily outputting an image to a microcontroller unit, the microcontroller unit outputs an image when the image forming apparatus is turned on or returned from an energy saving mode. There has been proposed an image forming apparatus having a function capable of selecting speed priority or image quality priority (see Patent Document 1).

  In other words, this prior art can select whether to prioritize speed or image quality when turning on the power or returning from the power saving mode (energy saving mode), and at the time of turning on the power or returning from the energy saving mode. It is possible to select whether to output an image with priority given to speed while omitting an image adjustment process that is normally performed, or to execute an image adjustment process and perform an image output with a high quality image.

  However, in the prior art described in the above publication, only the speed priority or the image quality priority can be selected when the power is turned on or when returning from the power saving mode. Therefore, the speed priority print mode is designated by the user. In order to improve the utilization efficiency while ensuring appropriate image processing, there has been a need for improvement.

  In other words, the prior art described in the publication performs image adjustment processing in order to output an image by omitting the image adjustment processing that is normally executed when power is turned on or when returning from the power saving mode when speed priority is selected. Therefore, there is a possibility that a defect occurs in the formed image or the image formation itself cannot be executed normally. In addition, when image quality priority is selected by the user, when a print job set in the speed priority print mode is received, if the power save mode is selected, the image adjustment process is executed after returning from the power save mode. After that, low-quality image processing is performed to form an image, and there is a problem that a low-quality image is output although there is no difference in processing time from when the high-quality mode is set. there were.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the quality of an image by effectively using the time required to ensure an appropriate print process in speed priority printing.

In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, a mode determination unit that determines a print mode in which a speed priority print mode that prioritizes speed over image quality is set as a print mode for image data; Image processing means for generating image forming image data having a plurality of stages by performing various image processing on the image data, and an image for forming an image on a recording medium based on the image forming image data Forming means, state determining means for determining whether or not the image forming means can form an image, and low-quality image forming image data from all pages of the image data to the image processing means in the speed priority printing mode. causes generated in page units, while being determined with at least said state determining means is image forming disabling state, to the image processing means, said Teie Of according to a predetermined priority is ascending order of time required to generate the image data for image forming, for each page of the image data, to generate image-forming high-quality image data, the image quality of the generated characterized in that it and a corresponding said low-quality pages sequentially replaced Ru image quality control means of the image data in a list of image data.

  According to the present invention, in speed-priority printing, it is possible to improve the image quality by effectively using the time required to ensure an appropriate printing process.

1 is a block diagram of a main part of an image forming apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a functional block configuration diagram of a main part of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating print control processing in a speed priority print mode. The figure which shows an example of an image quality improvement page production | generation order table. 10 is a flowchart showing image quality improvement page generation order table creation processing. The flowchart which shows a data replacement process. Explanatory drawing of a data replacement process.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable Example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, However, The range of this invention is unduly limited by the following description. However, not all the configurations described in the present embodiment are essential constituent elements of the present invention.

  1 to 7 are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an image forming apparatus, an image forming control method, and an image forming control program according to the present invention. 2 is a block diagram of the main part of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 is an image forming apparatus having an image output function such as a copying apparatus, a printer apparatus, or a composite apparatus, and includes a control unit 11, a main storage unit 12, an auxiliary storage unit 13, and a user I / F. (Interface) 14, a communication I / F 15, an image output unit 16, and the like.

  The main storage unit 12 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and stores programs and system data and is used as a work memory. In particular, the main storage unit 12 stores the image formation control program of the present invention and data necessary for executing the image formation control program.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 1 based on a program stored in the main storage unit 12 to execute basic functions as the image forming apparatus, and the present invention. The image formation control method is executed.

  The auxiliary storage unit 13 is configured by a hard disk (HDD) or the like, and stores image data to be processed, various logs in print processing, and the like under the control of the control unit 11.

  The user I / F 14 is connected to an operation display unit (not shown), and the operation display unit includes various operation keys and a display unit such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The user I / F 14 acquires various operation contents operated on the operation display unit and notifies the control unit 11, and passes various information such as display data passed from the control unit 11 to the operation display unit for display output and audio. Make output etc.

  The communication I / F 15 is connected to the network NW, and exchanges data and control signals with a counterpart terminal, in particular, the host device HS (see FIG. 2) via the network NW. The network NW is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network), the Internet, or the like.

  The image output unit 16 uses, for example, a printer that prints out an image by electrophotography on a sheet sent from a paper feed tray 16a (see FIG. 2), and uses the image as a sheet based on the image data. The printed and printed paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 16b (see FIG. 2).

  Although not shown, the image forming apparatus 1 may include a document reading unit that reads a document image using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or the like.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes ROM, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), EPROM, flash memory, flexible disk, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), CD-RW (Compact Disc Rewritable), DVD (Digital Mainly reads an image formation control program for executing the image formation control method of the present invention recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a Versatile Disk (SD), a Secure Digital (SD) card, or a Magneto-Optical Disc (MO). An image formation control method that improves the image quality by effectively using the time necessary to ensure appropriate print processing in speed priority printing described later by being introduced into the storage unit 12, the auxiliary storage unit 13, and the like. It is constructed as an image forming apparatus to be executed. This image formation control program is a computer-executable program written in a legacy programming language such as assembler, C, C ++, C #, Java (registered trademark) or an object-oriented programming language, and is stored in the recording medium. Can be distributed.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, the print control unit 20 is constructed as shown in FIG. 2 by introducing the image forming control program of the present invention. The print control unit 20 includes a print job reception function unit 21, a print job management function unit 22, an image data generation function unit 23, and a main print control function unit 24. The print job management function unit 22 A replacement control function unit 25 is provided.

  The print job reception function unit 21 is constructed by the communication I / F 15 or the like, is connected to the host device HS via the network NW, and receives a print job from the host device HS. This print job mainly includes image data and print setting information for printing an image on the image forming apparatus 1 based on the image data. The print job reception function unit 21 passes the received print job to the print job management function unit 22.

  The print job management function unit (mode determination unit) 22 acquires setting information such as print setting information of the print job received from the print job reception function unit 21 and manages the setting information. Then, it is determined whether or not the speed priority printing mode is designated. Further, the print job management function unit 22 designates the image quality of image data that is image data for image formation to be generated by the image data generation function unit 23 to be described later, manages the generated image data, and controls an image to be described later. Perform image formation control processing for quality improvement.

  An image data generation function unit (image processing means) 23 processes the image data passed from the print job management function unit 22 with the image quality instructed from the print job management function unit 22 to generate image data, For example, it is stored in an internal memory (image data storage means) constructed by the auxiliary storage unit 13. In addition, when the image data generation function unit 23 performs image processing with low image quality and stores the image data in the internal memory, when there is a replacement request specifying a page from the image data replacement control function unit 25. Then, the image data of the page is subjected to image processing with high image quality to generate image data again, and is replaced with low-quality image data of the same page stored in the internal memory.

  That is, when the speed priority print mode is designated as the print mode of the print job, the print job management function unit 22 passes the image data to the image data generation function unit 23 to perform image processing with the lowest image quality. To generate image data. Further, the image data replacement control function unit 25 of the print job management function unit 22 manages image data in the order of high image quality (priority) for each page, and the image data generation function unit 23 performs image data for all pages. If the main print control function unit 24 notifies the image output unit 16 that image formation (printing) is impossible after the image processing is completed, printing is not possible until the unprintable state is resolved. During the state cancellation time, the image data generation function unit 23 performs image processing with a predetermined image quality higher than the low image quality (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as high image quality) for each page based on the image quality improvement order. . Then, the image data replacement control function unit 25 replaces the image data of the page processed by the image data generation function unit 23 with high image quality with the low-quality image data of the same page in the internal memory.

  The print job management function unit 22 including the image data replacement control function unit 25 functions as an image quality control unit.

  When there is a data request from the main print control function unit 24, the image data generation function unit 23 passes the image data to the main print control function unit 24 for each page in a predetermined order such as page order for each print job.

  The main print control function unit (status determination unit) 24 receives setting information for each print job from the print job management function unit 22 and monitors the status of the image output unit 16 so that the image output unit 16 can print. In this state, a data request is made to the image data generation function unit 23. The main print control function unit 24 receives the image data passed from the image data generation function unit 23 in response to the data request, passes it to the image output unit 16, and controls the image output unit 16 based on the setting information. An image corresponding to the image data is formed on a sheet. That is, the image output unit 16 takes out one sheet at a time from the sheet feed tray 16a, forms an image corresponding to the image data on the sheet, and discharges the image-formed sheet to the sheet discharge tray 16b.

  Then, the main print control function unit 24 acquires whether the image output unit 16 is in a printable state or a print-not-ready state, and, if possible, a waiting time until the image-unprintable state becomes a printable state. To do. The print disabled state of the image output unit 16 is, for example, maintenance of consumables that require maintenance such as replenishment and replacement of paper and toner during warm-up processing immediately after power supply, during a return operation from a power saving mode that reduces power consumption Waiting etc. When the main print control function unit 24 acquires the print enable / disable state and waiting time of the image output unit 16, it passes the acquired print enable / disable state and wait time to the image data replacement control function unit 25 of the print job management function unit 22. .

  As described above, the image data replacement control function unit 25 performs the data replacement control process for replacing the image data from the low image quality to the high image quality based on the print availability state and the waiting time from the main print control function unit 24. Do.

  When the user I / F 14 performs a print setting change operation on the print settings of the print job received by the print job reception function unit 21, the main print control function unit 24 sets the print settings according to the change operation. change. When the print setting is changed, the main print control function unit 24 passes the changed print setting to the print job management function unit 22.

  When the changed print settings are transferred from the main print control function unit 24, the print job management function unit 22 performs processing of image data relating to the print settings based on the print settings, and performs the above-described speed priority print mode. Perform data processing.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment improves the image quality by effectively using the time necessary to ensure an appropriate print process in speed priority printing.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when a print job including print data and print settings is transmitted from the host apparatus HS via the network NW (S1), the image forming apparatus 1 performs a print job of the print control unit 20. The reception function unit 21 receives the print job.

  When the print data is designated by the user and the print setting is set, the host device HS generates a print job in which print setting information indicating the set print setting content is added to the print data, and the network The image is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 via the NW.

  The print job reception function unit 21 passes the received print job to the print job management function unit 22.

  When receiving the print job, the print job management function unit 22 analyzes the print job and determines whether the speed priority print mode is set as the print setting (S2).

  Here, when the speed priority print mode is not set, the print job management function unit 22 ends the process in the speed priority print mode shown in FIG. 3 and performs a normal print control process according to the set print mode. I do.

  The print job management function unit 22 determines whether or not the image output unit 16 can perform the print output when the speed priority print mode is set, and until the print output is possible when the print output is impossible. (Print output disabled state cancellation time) is inquired, and the print output disabled state cancellation time is acquired (S3). In FIG. 3, the warm-up canceling time is described as an example of the print output disabled state canceling time. In the following description, warming up is described as an example. However, the print output disabled factor is not limited to warming up. Absent. The print output impossibility factors include all states in which printing cannot be executed, for example, during warm-up when returning from the power saving mode, when paper jam occurs, or when waiting for replacement of consumables.

  When the speed priority print mode is set, the print job management function unit 22 causes the image data generation function unit 23 to perform image processing with low image quality and generate image data in parallel with the acquisition of the warm-up cancellation time. .

  When the print job management function unit 22 acquires the warm-up cancel time, the print job management function unit 22 determines whether the cancel time has reached, that is, print output is possible.

  When print output is possible, the print job management function unit 22 outputs low-quality image data generated by the image data generation function unit 23 from the main print control function unit 24 to the image output unit 16 together with print settings. The image output unit 16 prints out each page.

  If print output is impossible, the print job management function unit 22 causes the image data generation function unit 23 to perform image processing with low image quality on all pages (described as RIP in FIG. 3). Image processing is referred to as RIP), and the time required for low-quality image processing is acquired.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the image data replacement control function unit 25 of the print job management function unit 22 displays a page number, a low image quality image processing time (low image quality RIP required time), and a high image quality page selection flag. A corresponding image quality improvement page generation order table (image quality improvement order table) Tb1 is created. That is, in the image data replacement control function unit 25, the image data generation function unit 23 generates low-quality image data, acquires the low-quality image processing required time, and sets the low-quality image processing required time for each page. Register in the high image quality page generation order table Tb1. The high image quality page generation order table Tb1 is a table for determining the order in which low-quality image data is generated and replaced with high-quality image data from the image data of the page for each page. In other words, in this embodiment, the time required for low-quality image processing (low-quality RIP) required to generate low-quality image data is high-quality image processing (high-quality RIP) required to generate high-quality image data. ) Is often used for determining the high-quality page generation order because it often takes a similar rate.

  The high image quality page generation order table Tb1 indicates that the high image quality page selection flag for all pages has not been improved in image quality because the low image quality image data has not been improved in image quality at this stage. Not set to "".

  When the image data replacement control function unit 25 generates the high image quality page generation table Tb1, the high image quality page generation table until the warm-up cancellation time is reached or until the high image quality of all pages is completed. Image quality enhancement processing is performed with reference to Tb1 (S6).

  That is, in the image quality improvement process, the image data replacement control function unit 25 refers to a predetermined priority, for example, the image quality improvement page generation table Tb1, and starts the image quality improvement page in ascending order of the low image quality RIP required time. And the page with the highest image quality improvement order is selected as the image quality improvement page (S6.1).

  The image data replacement control function unit 25 passes the image data of the page selected as the high image quality page to the image data generation function unit 23 to generate image data with high image quality (S6.2).

  When the image data generation function unit 23 generates high-quality image data, the image data replacement control function unit 25 stores the high-quality image data in the page stored in the internal memory of the image data generation function unit 23. Are replaced with the low-quality image data (S6.3).

  The image data replacement control function unit 25 repeats the processes of S6.1 to S6.3 until the warm-up release time is reached or the image quality of all pages is improved. When the warm-up cancellation time is reached, or when the image output unit 16 is ready for printing when the image quality of all pages is complete and the image output unit 16 is ready for printing, the image data replacement control function unit 25 The image data for each page stored in is transferred to the main print control function unit 24 in the order of printing. The main print control function unit 24 passes the image data to the image output unit 16, and forms an image on a sheet based on the image data (S6.4).

  The print control unit 20 ends the printing process when the printing of all pages in the image output unit 16 is completed.

  Then, the image data replacement control function unit 25 executes the process for creating the high image quality page generation table Tb1 as shown in FIG. That is, the image data replacement control function unit 25 first sets a variable i for determining the number of pages to “1” (step S101). Next, when the image data generation function unit 23 generates low image quality image data (low image quality RIP) and acquires the required time, the image data replacement control function unit 25 acquires the low image quality RIP required time for the i-th page. Is registered in the high image quality page generation table Tb1 (step S102). The image data replacement control function unit 25 sets the high image quality selection page flag of the i page for which the low image quality RIP required time has been registered to “not yet” (step S103), and increments the variable i by “1”. (I = i + 1) (step S104).

  The image data replacement control function unit 25 checks whether or not the incremented variable i is the total page of the print job. If not, the process returns to step S101 and repeats the same processing (steps S101 to S105). ).

  In step S105, when the variable i is a total page, the image data replacement control function unit 25 ends the image quality improvement page generation table creation process.

  Then, the image data replacement control function unit 25 performs the data replacement process as shown in FIG. That is, as described above, the image data replacement control function unit 25 first causes the image data generation function unit 23 to generate low-quality image data by low-quality image processing and store the low-quality image data in the internal memory. (Step S201). At this stage, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), the image data replacement control function unit 25 stores the page numbers of all pages, the time required for low image quality RIP, and “not yet” for all pages in the internal memory. The high image quality page generation table Tb1 in which the high image quality page selection flag set as "and the warm-up release time (time for releasing the warm-up) Ts" is registered. The built-in memory of the image data generation function unit 23 stores low-quality image data Dl generated from the image data of the print job. Although not shown in FIG. 7, the original image data of the print job is stored. ing. Furthermore, the image data replacement control function unit 25 creates an image data storage list Ld as shown in FIG. 7B in its internal memory.

  Next, the image data replacement control function unit 25 starts processing of converting low-quality image data into high-quality image data, and first monitors whether or not the current time has reached the warm-up cancellation time Ts. Start loop processing. In this time monitoring infinite loop process, the image data replacement control function unit 25 first acquires the current time (step S202), and checks whether the current time has reached the warm-up release time Ts (step S203). When the current time has not reached the warm-up cancellation time Ts in step S203, the image data replacement control function unit 25 confirms the continuation of the time monitoring infinite loop (step S205), returns to step S202, and so on. This process is repeated (steps S202 to S205). If the current time has reached the warm-up cancel time Ts in step S204, the image data replacement control function unit 25 ends the data replacement process. When the image data replacement control function unit 25 ends the data replacement process, the image data stored in the data generation function unit 23 is set as print target data to the image output unit 16 via the main print control function unit 24. Output (step S214).

  The image data replacement control function unit 25 performs the data replacement process while performing the time monitoring infinite loop process.

  At this time, the image data replacement control function unit 25 stores the current time, the high image quality page generation order table Tb1, and the image data storage list Ld as shown in FIG. It is in a state. The image data storage list Ld is a list in which the page number and image quality information indicating whether the image data of the page number (described as image data in FIG. 7) has low image quality or high image quality are registered.

  That is, the image data replacement control function unit 25 sets the variable i indicating the page to “1” (step S206). Next, the image data replacement control function unit 25 refers to the high image quality page generation order table Tb1, and among the low image quality RIP required time in which the high image quality page selection flag is “not yet”, the required time A short page is acquired (step S207).

  For example, in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, among the high image quality page selection flags “not yet”, “1” seconds of the page number “2” is the shortest time required for the low image quality RIP, so page 2 is selected. . In FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, the page numbers “2”, page number “4”, page number “1”, page number “5”, and page number “3” are shown in the order of the low image quality RIP required time. The selection pages are selected in order.

  The image data replacement control function unit 25 sets the page of the low image quality RIP required time as the image quality selection page (step S208). The image data replacement control function unit 25 passes the original image data of the selected page to the image data generation function unit 23, and performs image processing (RIP) with high image quality to generate high-quality image data (step S209). ).

  When the image data generation function unit 23 generates the high-quality image data of the selected page, the image data replacement control function unit 25 stores the low-quality image data of the selected page stored in the internal memory of the image data generation function unit 23. Is replaced with high-quality image data. When the replacement of the image data is completed, the image data replacement control function unit 25 replaces the image quality information of the selected page in the image data storage list Ld from the low image quality to the high image quality (step S210).

  When the replacement of the image data and the image data storage list Ld is completed, the image data replacement control function unit 25 changes the image quality improvement page selection flag of the selected page of the image quality improvement page generation order table Tb1 to “completed”. (Step S211).

  Next, the image data replacement control function unit 25 increments the variable i by “1” (step S212), and checks whether the variable i has reached the total page of the print job (step S213).

  If it is determined in step S213 that the variable i has not reached the total page, the process returns to step S207, and the same processing is repeated for the incremented page (steps S207 to S213).

  When the variable i reaches the total page in step S213, the image data replacement control function unit 25 finishes the data replacement process, and when the current time reaches the warm-up cancellation time Ts in step S204, the data The replacement process is terminated. For example, as shown in FIG. 7C, the image data replacement control function unit 25 completes the image quality improvement for the page number “1” in which the image quality improvement page order is third, and the current time When the warm-up cancellation time Ts is reached, the image data replacement control function unit 25 ends the data replacement process.

  When the image data replacement control function unit 25 completes the data replacement process, the image data stored in the memory of the data generation function unit 23 at that time is used as print target data via the main print control function unit 24. The image is output to the image output unit 16 (step S214).

  As shown in FIG. 7C, the image data replacement control function unit 25 determines which page of the image data to be output as print data from the high image quality page generation order table Tb1 and the image data storage list Ld. It is possible to grasp whether the image data has high image quality or low image quality.

  In the case of FIG. 7C, the image data replacement control function unit 25 converts the image data stored in the memory of the image data generation function unit 23 according to the image data storage list Ld to the first page (high image quality), The second page (high image quality), the third page (low image quality), the fourth page (high image quality), and the fifth page (low image quality) are sequentially sent to the image output unit 16 via the main print control function unit 24. The image output unit 16 outputs the image.

  In the above description, for clarity of explanation, two types of image quality, low image quality and high image quality, have been described, but the image quality is not limited to two types. When there are three or more types of image quality, the image data replacement control function unit 25 may determine which image quality is to be replaced automatically or appropriately according to the user's setting when improving image quality.

  In the above description, the low image quality RIP is defined as the order in which the high image quality is generated and the low image quality RIP generation time (low image quality RIP required time) corresponds to the time required to generate the high image quality image data. Although it is determined based on the required time, it is not limited to this. For example, the order of improving the image quality that preferentially increases the image quality of a page including a photo, an image, or the like may be determined. In this way, it is possible to preferentially improve the image quality of a page containing a photo or image. Further, the order of improving the image quality may be determined according to the difference in the area of the photograph or image.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a print job management function unit (mode determination unit) 22 that determines a print mode for image data, and performs various image processing on the image data in multiple stages. An image data generation function unit (image processing means) 23 that generates divided image data (image forming image data), and an image output unit (image recording medium) that forms an image based on the image data An image forming unit) 16, a main print control function unit (state determination unit) 24 for determining whether or not an image can be formed in the image output unit 16, and a print job management function unit 22 as a print mode for the image data, rather than image quality. If it is determined that the speed priority print mode that gives priority to the speed is set, the image data generator generates low-quality image data from all the pages of the image data. While the image data is generated by the image forming unit 23 and at least the main print control function unit 24 determines that the image formation is not possible, the image data generation function unit 23 instructs the image data generation function unit 23 for each page of the image data according to a predetermined priority. And an image data replacement control function unit (image quality control means) 25 for generating image data with higher image quality than the low image quality.

  Therefore, when printing is not possible in speed-priority printing, it is possible to improve the image quality from low image quality to high image quality by using the time during which printing is not possible, and ensure appropriate printing processing. It is possible to improve the quality of the image by effectively using the time required to do this.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a mode determination processing step for determining a print mode for image data, and various types of image processing performed on the image data to obtain image data having a plurality of stages (image formation). Image processing step for generating image data), an image forming processing step for forming an image on a sheet (recording medium) based on the image data, and a state for determining whether or not an image can be formed in the image forming processing step If it is determined in the determination processing step and the mode determination processing step that the speed priority print mode that gives priority to the speed over the image quality is set as the print mode for the image data, a low image quality is determined from all pages of the image data. Image data is generated by the image processing step, and at least the state determination processing step An image quality control process for generating image data with higher image quality than the low image quality for each page of the image data in accordance with a predetermined priority while the image processing step is determined to be incapable of generation. And executing an image forming control method.

  Therefore, when printing is not possible in speed-priority printing, it is possible to improve the image quality from low image quality to high image quality by using the time during which printing is not possible, and ensure appropriate printing processing. It is possible to improve the quality of the image by effectively using the time required to do this.

  Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment performs a mode determination process for determining a print mode for image data and a variety of image processes for the image data on a control processor such as a CPU, and the image quality is divided into a plurality of stages. Image processing for generating image data, image forming processing for forming an image on a sheet based on the image data, state determination processing for determining whether image formation is possible in the image forming processing, and mode determination processing When it is determined that a speed priority print mode that prioritizes speed over image quality is set as the print mode for the image data, the image processing generates low-quality image data from all pages of the image data, and At least while the state determination process determines that an image cannot be formed, the image process is performed according to a predetermined priority. , For each page of the image data, it is equipped with image formation control program for executing an image quality control process to generate image data of high image quality than the low quality.

  Therefore, when printing is not possible in speed-priority printing, it is possible to improve the image quality from low image quality to high image quality by using the time during which printing is not possible, and ensure appropriate printing processing. It is possible to improve the quality of the image by effectively using the time required to do this.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the image data replacement control function unit (image quality control unit) 25 sets the priority to a page including an image.

  Therefore, a page including an image can be preferentially made to have high image quality, and usability can be improved.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment stores the image data generated by the image data generation function unit (image processing unit) 23 for each page, and outputs the stored image data to the image output unit 16. A memory (image data storage means) for storing the low-quality image data generated from the image data of all pages in the memory, and then image data replacement control. When the high-quality image data is generated for each page in accordance with an instruction from the function unit 25, the low-quality image data and the high-quality image data of the page stored in the memory are switched. I keep it.

  Therefore, it is possible to efficiently and reliably replace low-quality image data with high-quality image data for each page, and effectively and efficiently use the time required to ensure proper printing processing. Can be improved.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the image data replacement control function unit (image quality control unit) 25 is configured to increase the image quality based on the priority for each page of the image data. An image quality generation page generation order table (image quality improvement order table) Tb1 for registering the image quality improvement order is provided. An image data generation function is provided for each page of the image data with reference to the image quality improvement page generation order table Tb1. The unit 23 generates the high-quality image data.

  Therefore, it is possible to easily and more efficiently replace low-quality image data with high-quality image data on a page-by-page basis, and the image quality can be easily and efficiently utilized by effectively using the time required to ensure proper printing processing. Can be improved.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the main print control function unit (state determination unit) 24 indicates that the image output unit 16 is warming up, paper is being jammed, and consumables are stored. -If at least one of waiting for replacement completion has occurred, it is determined that the image cannot be formed.

  Therefore, it is possible to appropriately determine that the image output unit 16 is in a state where image formation is not possible, and to improve the quality of the image.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to that described in the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 11 Control part 12 Main memory part 13 Auxiliary memory part 14 User I / F
15 Communication I / F
16 Image output unit 16a Paper feed tray 16b Paper discharge tray 20 Print control unit 21 Print job reception function unit 22 Print job management function unit 23 Image data generation function unit 24 Main print control function unit 25 Image data replacement control function unit NW network HS host device Tb1 High image quality page generation order table Ts Warm-up release time Dl Low image quality image data Ld Image data storage list

JP 2003-345180 A

Claims (7)

Mode determination means for determining a print mode in which a speed priority print mode that prioritizes speed over image quality is set as a print mode for image data;
Image processing means for performing various image processing on the image data to generate image forming image data of image quality divided into a plurality of stages;
Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on the image forming image data;
State determination means for determining whether or not image formation is possible in the image forming means;
In the speed priority printing mode, the image processing unit generates low-quality image forming image data from all pages of the image data, and at least the state determination unit determines that the image formation is disabled. During this period, the image processing unit is configured to form a high-quality image for each page of the image data in accordance with a predetermined priority that is in the order of a short time required for generating the low-quality image forming image data. to generate use image data, and said corresponding Ru sequentially replaced with low-quality page image quality control means in the image data list of image data of the generated the image quality,
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image quality control means includes
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the priority is set high for a page including an image. The image forming apparatus includes:
Image data storage means for storing the image forming image data generated by the image processing means for each page, and outputting the stored image forming image data to the image forming means,
The image processing means includes
The image data for low-quality image formation generated from the image data of all pages is stored in the image data storage unit, and then the high-quality image is stored for each page according to an instruction from the image quality control unit. When the image forming image data is generated, the low-quality image forming image data and the high-quality image forming image data of the page stored in the image data storage unit are switched and stored. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The image quality control means includes
For each page of the image data, an image quality improvement order table for registering an image quality improvement order for improving the image quality based on the priority is provided.
4. The image forming unit according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit is configured to generate the image data for high-quality image formation for each page of the image data with reference to the image quality enhancement order table. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The state determination means includes
If at least one of the image forming means is warming up, the recording medium is being jammed, the consumables are being stored / replaced, the image forming means is in an image forming impossible state. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is determined to be present. A mode determination processing step for determining a print mode in which a speed priority print mode that prioritizes speed over image quality is set as a print mode for image data;
An image processing step of performing various image processing on the image data to generate image data for image formation having a plurality of stages of image quality;
An image forming process step of forming an image on a recording medium based on the image forming image data;
A state determination processing step for determining whether or not an image can be formed in the image formation processing step;
In the speed priority printing mode, the image processing step generates low-quality image forming image data from all pages of the image data in units of pages , and at least the state determination processing step determines that image formation is not possible While the image processing step is being performed, a high-quality image is generated for each page of the image data in accordance with a predetermined priority that is in the order of a short time required for generating the image data for low-quality image formation. to generate form image data, a corresponding one of said sequentially replacing Ru image quality control processing steps as low image quality of the pages in the image data list of image data of the image quality of the generated,
An image formation control method comprising: To the control processor,
A mode determination process for determining a print mode in which a speed priority print mode that prioritizes speed over image quality is set as a print mode for image data;
Image processing for performing various image processing on the image data to generate image forming image data of image quality divided into a plurality of stages;
An image forming process for forming an image on a recording medium based on the image forming image data;
A state determination process for determining whether or not an image can be formed in the image forming process;
The speed priority printing mode, said with a low-quality image data for image formation from the entire page of image data is generated in units of pages in the image processing, it is determined to be an image forming disabling state at least the state determination process While the image processing is in progress, a high-quality image-forming image is generated for each page of the image data in accordance with a predetermined priority in the order of shortest time required for generating the low-quality image-forming image data. data to generate a corresponding said sequential replacement and low-quality pages Apply predicates image quality control processing in the image data list of image data of the image quality of the generated,
An image formation control program for executing

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