JPH09123562A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate waste paper even when odd number of same documents are produced and align the cut face of paper with a specified side of a booklet when an input image data for a plurality of pages is printed on one side of a sheet of paper and the booklet is produced by cutting the printed paper. SOLUTION: Input image data from first page to (M-1) page corresponds to the first half page and that from M page to F page corresponds to the second half page. In the case of lateral writing, first page and M page are allocated, respectively, to right and left halves on one side (surface) of a paper S1 while second page and (M+1) page are allocated, respectively, to right and left halves on the rear side paper S1 when viewed from the surface. Images on M and (M+1) pages are inverted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer (in this specification, printing includes copying, and the printing apparatus includes a copying machine in addition to the printer).
Image processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printing device such as a copying machine or a printer prints a plurality of pages of image data for each page on one side of a sheet of paper, which is known as so-called Nup or Nin1.

For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-317182 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-143827, in order to shorten the printing time and save paper, as shown in FIG. A method of printing minutes on one side of one sheet 1 and a method of printing four pages of image data on one side of one sheet 1 as shown in FIG.

[0004]

However, in the conventional method described above, after printing, the paper 1 is placed at the position of the broken line 2 in FIG. 7A or at the positions of the broken lines 3a and 3b in FIG. 8A.
When the sheets are cut and the cut portions are stacked to form a booklet, the cut surfaces of the sheets are not aligned with a certain side of the booklet, and the appearance of the booklet is poor.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7B or 8B, a plurality of pages of the same document of image data are printed on one side of one sheet 1 to generate a plurality of copies of the same document. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 (B) or FIG. 8 (B), paper is not wasted in even-numbered portions, but paper is wasted in odd-numbered portions.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the invention, in a printing apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, when a plurality of pages of image data for each page are printed on one side of one sheet, the sheet is cut after printing. , When the cut parts are piled up into a booklet, the cut surfaces of the paper are aligned with a certain side of the booklet, and even when the same document is generated in an odd number, the waste of paper is not generated. .

According to the invention of claim 2 or 3, when a plurality of pages of image data for each page are printed on one side of one sheet, the sheet is cut after printing, and the cut portions are overlapped to form a booklet. Then, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the reference numerals of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described later are quoted in parentheses after each means, each page is regarded as an image processing apparatus. Input image data acquisition means (75, 76 or 74, 7) for capturing or generating the input image data of
1) and the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means (75, 76 or 74, 71) to generate output image data for printing out an image on a sheet. Image processing means (71, 72,
73) and the image processing means (71, 72, 7)
In 3), two different pages of the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition unit (75, 76 or 74, 71) in the same document are relatively placed on one side of one sheet. The output image data is generated by erecting the image of one page and inverting the image of the other page.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, if the reference numerals of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 and described later are quoted in parentheses after each means, the image processing apparatus takes in the input image data for each page. , Or input image data acquisition means (75, 76 or 74, 71) to be generated, and the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means (75, 76 or 74, 71) are processed,
An image processing means (71, 72, 73) for generating output image data for printing out an image on a sheet is provided, and the image processing means (71, 72, 73) is the input image data acquisition means ( 75,76 or 74,71), two pages of the same page in the same document of the input image data for each page are relative to one side of one sheet, and the image of one page is Upright,
The output image data is generated by inverting and allocating the image of the other page.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the reference numerals of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 and described later are quoted in parentheses after each means, the image processing apparatus takes in the input image data for each page. , Or input image data acquisition means (75, 76 or 74, 71) to be generated, and the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means (75, 76 or 74, 71) are processed,
An image processing means (71, 72, 73) for generating output image data for printing out an image on a sheet is provided, and the image processing means (71, 72, 73) is the input image data acquisition means ( 75, 76 or 74, 71), and the input image data for each page, two pages of the same page in the same document and two pages of the same page different from this, a total of four pages, The output image data is generated by allocating the image of one page upright and the image of the other page upside down on one side of one sheet of paper relative to the same page.

In the present specification, the "paper" includes all sheet-shaped sheets on which an image can be printed.

[0012]

In the image processing apparatus of the first aspect of the invention configured as described above, after the image is output on the paper by the image output apparatus (80) by the output image data from the image processing apparatus (70). The printed matter (4) was cut so as to divide each sheet into two parts, and the cut one part (5) was rotated by 180 degrees and overlapped with the other part (6) to form a booklet (7). At this time, the cut surface of the paper comes to align with a certain side of the booklet (7).

In the case of double-sided printing, when the total page number F of one document is a multiple of 4, when the total page number F is not a multiple of 4 by printing on (F / 4) sheets, When α = 1, 2 or 3, printing is performed on {(F + α) / 4} sheets, and in the case of single-sided printing, when the total number of pages F of a document is an even number, (F / 2) sheets are printed. When the total number of pages F is an odd number due to printing on paper,
By printing on {(F + 1) / 2} sheets, it is possible to print one copy of the document without wasting each of the sheets, and therefore, even when generating an odd number of copies of the same document, waste of paper occurs. Absent.

In the image processing apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention configured as described above, after the image is output on the paper by the image output apparatus (80) by the output image data from the image processing apparatus (70). , The printed matter (4) is cut so as to divide each sheet into two parts, and the cut one part (7a) and the other part (7a) are cut.
In b), each booklet is for the same document, and in each booklet, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet.

In the image processing apparatus of the third aspect of the invention configured as described above, after the image is output on the paper by the image output apparatus (80) by the output image data from the image processing apparatus (70). , The printed matter (4) is cut into quarters of each sheet, and the cut second
The part (4b) becomes the first part (4a) and the fourth part (4d).
By overlapping with the third part (4c),
The first part (4a) on which the second part (4b) is superposed and the third part (4c) on which the fourth part (4d) is superposed each serve as a booklet for the same document. In each booklet, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet.

The "booklet" here is not limited to a booklet or a booklet that is bound by staples (needle stitching) or the like, and is simply a stack of sheets after print cutting. Including things.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[System Configuration ... FIG. 1] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a printing system including an example of the image processing apparatus of the present invention. The printing apparatus is configured as a printer arranged on a communication network, that is, a so-called network printer. , With a copy function.

That is, the printing system of this embodiment is constructed by arranging the job issuing device 20 and the printing device 30 on the communication network 10 such as a LAN (local area network).

The job issuing device 20 is composed of a personal computer, a workstation, or the like. From now on, print data (print information) expressed in a page description language such as PostScript (registered trademark of Adobe Systems) or T
A print job in which print instruction information and post-processing instruction information described below are added to image data such as IFF (Tag Image File Format) (hereinafter simply referred to as a job)
Are transmitted to the printing device 30 via the communication network 10 and are captured by the image processing device 70.

The printing device 30, in this example, is an image reading device 40, a data storage device 50, and a user interface 6.
0, an image processing device 70, an image output device 80, and a post-processing device 90.

The image reading device 40 reads an original to obtain image data for each page, and the image data from this is taken into the image processing device 70 as input image data for each page.

The data storage device 50 is an image reading device 40.
Storage of a floppy disk, a network magnetic disk, or the like, in which image data for each page similar to the image data from the job issuing device 20 or print data expressed in the same page description language as the above print data from the job issuing device 20 is written. In the apparatus, the image data or print data from now on is the input image data for each page in the case of image data, and as the data to be converted into the input image data for each page in the image processing apparatus 70 as described later in the case of print data. , And is taken into the image processing device 70.

The user interface 60 comprises a control panel or a display and a keyboard, and the user makes various selections for the printing device 30.
Alternatively, an instruction is input, and guidance for selection or instruction by the user, operation status of the printing device 30, and the like are displayed.

In this embodiment, as described above, one of the job from the job issuing device 20, the image data from the image reading device 40, and the image data or the print data from the data storage device 50 is selectively image processed. Device 70
Therefore, in the user interface 60, the image processing device 70 is always loaded in the job issuing device 2
When the user selects the image reading device 40 or the data storage device 50, the mode for accepting jobs from 0 is set, or the mode for accepting the image data or print data from the selected one is set, or the user selects By selecting the job issuing device 20, the image reading device 40, or the data storage device 50, the image processing device 7
A mode in which 0 is accepted for jobs, image data, or print data from the selected one is set.

When the user selects the image reading device 40 or the data storage device 50, the user interface 60 gives a printing instruction and a post-processing instruction as described later.

The image processing apparatus 70 includes a CPU in this example.
71, RAM 72, VRAM 73, network interface 74, interface circuit 75 for the image reading device 40, interface circuit 76 for the data storage device 50, input / output port 7 for the network interface 74 and the interface circuits 75, 76.
7, an interface circuit 78 for the user interface 60, and an interface circuit 79 for the image output device 80.

A print support program to be executed by the CPU 71 including an image generation routine as will be described later is written in the RAM 72, and input image data for each page, print instruction information and post-processing as described later. The instruction information is written.

In the VRAM 73, the CPU 71 has a RAM 72.
This is a buffer memory into which the output image data is written when the input image data written for each page is processed according to an image generation routine to be described later to generate output image data.

The print data fetched from the job issuing device 20 into the image processing device 70 by the network interface 74 through the communication network 10 is stored in the CPU.
The raster image for each page is converted by 71 to the image data for each page, and the image data generated by the CPU 71 is written in the RAM 72 as input image data for each page. The print instruction information and the post-processing instruction information from the job issuing device 20 are also RA
Written to M72.

The print instruction information from the job issuing device 20 includes the type of document vertically or horizontally in the print data, the total number of pages in one document, the size of the paper to be printed, the number of copies, and Nup printing as in the present invention. The post-processing instruction information is used for post-processing such as cutting of printed materials, superposition of post-cutting portions, stapling (stapling), or other methods used when binding booklets by other methods. Such as instructions.

Image reading device 40 or data storage device 5
When the image data or the print data taken in the image processing device 70 by the interface circuit 75 or 76 from 0 is the image data from the image reading device 40 or the data storage device 50, it is stored in the RAM 72 as input image data for each page. Written and data storage device 5
When the print data is from 0, the CPU 71 converts the image data into page-by-page image data, and the image data generated by the CPU 71 is written in the RAM 72 as input image data for each page. In this case, the print instruction information and the post-processing instruction information from the user interface 60 are also written in the RAM 72.

The print instruction on the user interface 60 is the same as the print instruction information from the job issuing device 20.
Vertical or horizontal type of document, total number of pages of one document, size of paper to be printed, number of copies, when Nup printing as in the present invention is to be performed, it is the mode, etc. Similar to the post-processing instruction information from the issuing device 20, the information is, for example, instructions for cutting the printed matter, overlapping the cut portions, stapling (stapling), or binding the booklet by another method.

In the user interface 60, after the user gives the print instruction and the post-processing instruction in this way,
Start printing.

As described above, when causing the printing device 30 to execute a job from the job issuing device 20, the user does not perform any special operation on the user interface 60 or selects the job issuing device 20. By doing so, the image processing apparatus 70 is made to accept the job from the job issuing apparatus 20, the image data for each page is generated from the print data, and the generated image data is used as the input image data for each page.
The job issuing device 20 is caused to write in the AM 72.
Print instruction information and post-processing instruction information from the RAM 72
To be written.

To cause the printing device 30 to carry out the content of the instruction from the user interface 60, the user operates the user interface 60 to select the image reading device 40 or the data storage device 50, and then the above-mentioned operation. By issuing a print instruction and a post-processing instruction, and then performing a print start operation, the image processing apparatus 70 is made to capture the data from the image reading apparatus 40 or the data storage apparatus 50, and the input image data for each page is stored in the RAM 72. In addition to the writing, the print instruction information and the post-processing instruction information from the user interface 60 are written in the RAM 72.

The image processing device 70 thus operates in the RAM 7
When the input image data for each page, the print instruction information, and the post-processing instruction information are written in 2, the process proceeds to the image generation routine without the user's operation, and the CPU 71 causes the RA
The input image data for each page written in M72 is processed to generate output image data, and the generated output image data is written in the VRAM 73.

Then, the CPU 71 has its VRAM 73
The output image data written in the image output device 80 is sent to the image output device 80 together with the print instruction information and the post-processing instruction information.

The image output device 80 prints out the output image data from the image processing device 70 on a sheet according to the print instruction information, and after printing, prints the generated printed matter together with the post-processing instruction information and post-processes it. To the device 90.

The post-processing device 90 post-processes the printed matter from the image output device 80 in accordance with the post-processing instruction information.

[Example of the Invention of Claim 1 ... FIGS. 2 and 3] In the invention of Claim 1, for example, in the case of double-sided printing, printing is performed as shown in FIG. 2 and post-processing is performed.

That is, FIG. 2 shows a case in which the total number of pages F of one document in the input image data is a multiple of 4, and in this case, the first half of the pages from the first page to the (M-1) th page, M pages. The page from the eye to the Fth page is the latter half of the page.

In this case, when the document is written horizontally in the portrait direction, the first page is on the right half of one surface (front surface) of the paper S1, as shown in the upper and left sides of FIG.
The M-th page is on the left half of the one side of the sheet S1, the second page is on the right half of the back side of the sheet S1, and the (M + 1) th page is on the left half of the back side of the sheet S1 on the third side. Is on the right half of one side of sheet S2, the (M + 2) th page is on the left half of one side of sheet S2, and the fourth page is sheet S2.
To the right half of the back surface of the sheet, the (M + 3) th page to the left half of the back surface of the sheet S2, and the (M-2) page to the right half of the sheet S (F / 4). (F-
1) The page is on the left half of one side of the paper S (F / 4),
The (M-1) th page is allocated to the right half of the back surface of the paper S (F / 4), and the Fth page is allocated to the left half of the back surface of the paper S (F / 4).

When the document is written vertically with respect to the portrait direction, as shown in the lower right side of FIG. 2, the allocation position of each page is reversed from that when horizontally written.

However, in any case, 1, 2, 3, 4
... The image of the (M-2), (M-1) page is made erect, and M, (M + 1), (M + 2), (M + 3) ...
(F-1), the image of page F is inverted.
Also, the image of each page is reduced or enlarged as necessary.

The printed matter 4 composed of the (F / 4) sheets S1 to S (F / 4) thus produced is cut into two sheets, and further cut. M, (M + 1), (M + 2), (M + 3) ... (F-
1), part 5 of page F is rotated 180 degrees,
The booklet 7 is formed by being overlapped on the rear side of the portion 6 of the 1, 2, 3, 4, ... (M-2), (M-1) page.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an image generation routine in the image processing apparatus 70 for generating such an image. After starting at step 101, first at step 102.
At, it is determined whether the total page number F of one document is a multiple of four.

When F is a multiple of 4, step 1
From 02 to step 103, the total number of pages f in the process is set to F, and then to step 105.

If F is not a multiple of 4, step 1
From 02 to step 104, the total number of pages f in processing is a multiple of 4 fa which is the closest to F and is larger than F.
After that, the process proceeds to step 105.

That is, when F is 1 less than the multiple of 4, f = F + 1, when F is 2 less than the multiple of 4, f = F + 2, and when F is 3 less than the multiple of 4, f = F + 3. .

As will be described later, when the image data is read into the VRAM 73, a blank page, that is, a blank image is generated in the VRAM 73 when the difference between the total number of pages f in the process and the actual total number of pages F. Is inserted.

In step 105, it is determined whether the document is in horizontal writing or vertical writing in the portrait direction. If it is in horizontal writing, the process proceeds from step 105 to step 106, and the counter for the right half of the sheet. Value of i
Is set to 1 and the counter value j for the left half of the sheet is set to f / 2, and then the process proceeds to step 108.

When the document is written vertically in the portrait direction, the process proceeds from step 105 to step 107, i is set to f / 2, j is set to 1, and then the process proceeds to step 108.

In step 108, the i-th page and the j-th page of the input image data written in the RAM 72 are read out, the image of the j-th page is inverted when j> i, and the i-th page is inverted when i> j. Image is inverted, and each image is reduced or enlarged as necessary, and the image data of the i-th page and the j-th page is viewed in the right half when viewed from one side (front side) of one side of a sheet of paper. And read into the VRAM 73 as output image data to be assigned to the left half.

Next, in step 109, output image data for one side of the one sheet and an instruction for printing the same are sent to the image output device 80, and the image output device 80 outputs one side of one sheet. To print.

Next, in step 110, i and j are each incremented by 1, and then step 11
It proceeds to 1 and determines whether j exceeds j when j> i and i exceeds f when i> j.

When j and i do not exceed f,
The process returns from step 111 to step 108, and steps 108 to 111 are repeated. When j or i exceeds f, the image generation processing ends.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 2 (where F is a multiple of 4 and f = F in FIG. 2), (f /
4) The image is printed out on a sheet of paper, and the post-processing device 90
At, the booklet 7 is formed as described above.

In this case, when F is not a multiple of 4,
In the booklet 7, the back side or both sides of the last sheet, or both sides of the last sheet and the back side of the sheet immediately before it become a blank image. When both sides of the last sheet have a blank image, the last sheet may be removed as necessary.

FIG. 2 showing an example of the invention of claim 1
According to the above example, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet 7, that is, the left side in the case of a horizontally written document, and the right side in the case of a vertically written document.

Moreover, since one copy of the document can be printed without waste of paper, waste of paper does not occur even when an odd number of copies of the same document are generated.

In the case of single-sided printing, the total number of pages f in the processing of one document is set to a multiple of 2, and when the document is written horizontally in the portrait direction, 1 of the input image data is written.
The page number is {(f /
2) +1} page is on the left half of one side of the first sheet,
The second page is on the right half of one side of the second sheet, {(f /
2) +2} page is on the left half of one side of the second sheet,
The (f / 2) th page is allocated to the right half of the (f / 2) th sheet of paper, and the fth page is allocated to the left half of the (f / 2) th sheet of paper. When the document is written vertically with respect to the portrait direction, the allocation position of each page is reversed from that when it is written horizontally.

The upright and inverted images are the same as in the double-sided printing. Note that f is set to f = F when the actual total number of pages F of a document is an even number, and is closest to F and is an even number larger than F when f is an odd number.

In the case of single-sided printing, the same effect as in double-sided printing can be obtained.

When the document is written horizontally and vertically with respect to the landscape direction, the layout may be performed in the direction opposite to the method shown in FIG. 2 and described above.

[Example of Invention of Claim 2 ... FIGS. 4 and 5] In the invention of Claim 2, for example, in the case of double-sided printing, printing is performed as shown in FIG. 4 and post-processing is performed.

That is, FIG. 4 shows a case in which the total number M of pages of one document in the input image data is an even number. In this case, when the document is written horizontally in the portrait direction, FIG.
As shown on the upper side and the left side of FIG. 2, the first page of the input image data is two pages on the right half and the left half of one side (front side) of the sheet S1, and the second page is the right half and the left half of the back side of the sheet S1. For the second page, the third page has two pages on the right half and the left half of the one side of the paper S2, and the fourth page has two pages on the right half and the left half of the back side of the paper S2.
1) The page 2 has two pages on the right half and the left half of the paper S (M / 2), and the page M has two pages on the right half and the left half of the back of the paper S (M / 2). Assigned.

When the document is written vertically with respect to the portrait direction, it is the same as when it is written horizontally as shown in the lower right side of FIG.

However, in the case of horizontal writing, the sheets S1 and S
2. The image on the right half is upright when viewed from one side,
The image on the left half when viewed from one side is inverted. In the case of vertical writing, conversely, the image of the left half when viewed from one side of the sheets S1, S2 ... Is upright, and the image of the right half when viewed from one side is inverted. Also in this case, the image of each page is reduced or enlarged as necessary.

The printed matter 4 composed of the (M / 2) sheets S1 to S (M / 2) thus produced is cut into two sheets, and further cut. The booklet is formed by rotating the image-erected portion 7b by 180 degrees and overlapping the image-erected portion 7b on the rear side of the image-erected portion 7a.

FIG. 5 shows an example of an image generation routine in the image processing apparatus 70 for generating such an image. After starting at step 201, first at step 202.
At, it is determined whether the total number M of pages in one document is even.

If M is an even number, step 202
To step 203, the total number of pages m in processing is set to M, and then the process proceeds to step 205.

When M is an odd number, the routine proceeds from step 202 to step 204, where the total number of pages m in processing is M +
After setting to 1, the process proceeds to step 205.

As will be described later, one page of the difference between the total number of pages m in this process and the actual total number of pages M is VRA.
When reading image data into M73, VRAM73
A blank page, i.e. a blank image, is inserted into.

In step 205, it is determined whether the document is in horizontal writing or vertical writing in the portrait direction. If it is in horizontal writing, the process proceeds from step 205 to step 206 and the page to be assigned to the left half of the paper. After rotating the image 180 degrees, proceed to step 208.

When the document is written vertically in the portrait direction, the process proceeds from step 205 to step 207, and the page image to be allocated to the right half of the paper is set to 18
After rotating 0 degree, the process proceeds to step 208.

In step 208, the page counter value i is set to 1, and the process proceeds to step 209. In step 209, the image data of the i-th page rotated by 180 degrees as described above, and the image is not rotated. When writing horizontally, the output image data is assigned to the left and right halves of one side of one sheet when writing horizontally. As the output image data when writing vertically, the right half and left of one side of one sheet of paper is read. It is read into the VRAM 73 as output image data to be divided in half.

Next, in step 210, output image data for one side of the one sheet and an instruction for printing the same are sent to the image output device 80, and the image output device 80 outputs one side of one sheet. To print.

Next, in step 211, i is incremented by 1, and then in step 212,
It is determined whether i exceeds m.

If i does not exceed m, the process returns from step 212 to step 209, and steps 209-
212 is repeated, and when i exceeds m, the image generation processing ends.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 4 (however, in FIG. 4, when M is an even number and m = M), (m / 2)
The image is printed out on a sheet of paper, and the booklet is formed in the post-processing device 90 as described above.

In this case, when M is an odd number, the back surface of the last sheet of the booklet has a blank image.

And, which is an example of the invention of claim 2, FIG.
According to the above example, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet, that is, the left side in the case of a horizontal writing document, and the right side in the case of a vertical writing document.

In the case of single-sided printing, the total number of pages m in processing one document is set equal to the actual total number of pages M, and when the document is written horizontally in the portrait direction, the input image data The first page of the first sheet is 2 pages on the right half and the left half of the first sheet, and the second page is 2 pages on the right half and the left half of the second sheet of paper, M
Two pages are allocated to the right half and the left half of the one surface of the M-th sheet, respectively.

When a document is written vertically with respect to the portrait direction, it is the same as when it is written horizontally. The erect image and the inverted image are the same as in the double-sided printing.
Also, in the case of single-sided printing, the same effect as in the case of double-sided printing can be obtained.

When the document is written horizontally and vertically with respect to the landscape direction, the layout may be performed in the direction opposite to the method shown in FIG. 4 and described above.

[Example of Invention of Claim 3 ... FIG. 6] In the invention of Claim 3, for example, in the case of double-sided printing, printing is performed as shown in FIG. 6 and post-processing is performed.

That is, FIG. 6 shows a case where the total number M of pages of one document in the input image data is an even number. In this case, when the document is written horizontally in the portrait direction, FIG.
As shown on the upper side and the left side of FIG. 2, the first page of the input image data is two pages in the upper right portion and the lower left portion of the one surface (front surface) of the paper S1, and the M page is the upper left portion and the lower right portion of the one surface of the paper S1. For 2 pages and the second page is paper S
2 pages on the upper right and lower left of the back of 1,
-1) The second page is two pages in the upper left and lower right parts of the back surface of the paper S1, the third page is two pages in the upper right part and the lower left part of one surface of the paper S2, and the (M-3) th page is the paper Two pages are in the upper left and lower right parts of one side of S2, a fourth page is two upper right parts and two lower pages in the lower left part of the paper S2, and (M-4) page is an upper left part of the back surface of the paper S2 and Two pages are allocated in the lower right part.

When the document is written vertically in the portrait direction, as shown in the lower right side of FIG. 6, the allocation positions from the first page to the (M / 2) th page and the Mth page to {(M / 2) +1} page allocation position is
It is reversed from horizontal writing.

However, in any case, the image of one page is erected and the image of the other page is inverted between two pages of the same page of the input image data. Also, the image of each page is reduced or enlarged as necessary.

The printed matter 4 composed of the (M / 2) sheets S1, S2 ... Generated in this way is cut into four sheets. Further, the portion 4b from the cut Mth page to the {(M / 2) +1} th page where the image is erected is from the first page to (M
/ 2) Part 4 where the image is upright up to the 4th page
A booklet of one copy is generated by stacking the pages in the page order on the rear side of a, and from the Mth page, {(M /
2) + 1th page, the part 4d where the image is inverted, from the first page to the (M / 2) th page,
Another copy of the booklet is generated by stacking the images in the page order on the rear side of the inverted portion 4c.

In this case, the image generation routine in the image processing apparatus 70 is allocated to one side of one sheet for two pages of two different input image data, and the first half page is one page. The pages in the latter half are sequentially allocated from the eye, and the pages in the latter half are allocated in order from the last page. Accordingly, the pages shown in FIG. 5 are the pages for rotating the image in steps 206 and 207, the pages to be read into the VRAM 73 in step 209, and The page is the same as that shown in FIG. 5 except that the reference page in step 212 is different.

When M is an odd number, the back side of the last sheet in each booklet may be a blank image.
This is the same as the case of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an example of the invention of claim 3.
According to the above example, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with the fixed side of each booklet, that is, the left side and the lower side in the case of a horizontal writing document, and the right side and the lower side in the case of a vertical writing document.

Also in this case, single-sided printing can be performed,
Also, in the case of single-sided printing, the same effect as in double-sided printing can be obtained.

When the document is written horizontally and vertically with respect to the landscape direction, the layout may be done in the opposite direction to the method shown in FIG. 6 and described above.

[Other Embodiments] In all of the above examples, the cut surface of the paper is placed on the spine of the booklet or on the spine and the lower part. You may

Depending on the type of the image output device 80, printing may be performed sequentially from the last page to the first page. However, even in that case, the image processing device 70 may be configured to perform a process corresponding thereto.

It is also possible that the printing apparatus 30 does not have the post-processing apparatus 90, and post-processing including cutting and superposition of the generated printed matter is separately performed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the communication network 1 is used as an input means of print data or image data.
0, the image reading device 40, and the data storage device 50, but at least one of them is sufficient.

Note that the specific configuration of the image processing apparatus 70 can be changed as appropriate, for example, by providing the image processing apparatus 70 with a disk memory for writing and storing image data.

[0101]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, regardless of whether the document is written horizontally or vertically, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet, and the same document is printed in odd parts. The paper is not wasted even when it is generated.

According to the invention of claim 2 or 3, the cut surface of the paper is aligned with a certain side of the booklet regardless of whether the document is written horizontally or vertically.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a printing system including an example of an image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the invention of claim 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an image generation routine for performing the processing in the case of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the invention of claim 2;

5 is a diagram showing an example of an image generation routine for performing the processing in the case of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the invention of claim 3;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining Nup.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining Nup.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 communication network 20 job issuing device 30 printing device 40 image reading device 50 data storage device 60 user interface 70 image processing device 71 CPU (image processing means, input image data acquisition means) 72 RAM (image processing means) 73 VRAM (image processing Means) 74 Network interface (input image data acquisition means) 75 Interface circuit (input image data acquisition means) 76 Interface circuit (input image data acquisition means) 80 Image output device 90 Post-processing device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toru Murai 32-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa KSP R & D Business Park Building Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. (72) Kenji Okubo Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 3-2-1 KSP R & D Business Park Building Fuji Xerox Stock Company In-house (72) Inventor Hideto Kizaki 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa KSP R & D Business Park Building Fuji Xerox Stock Company In-house

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Input image data for each page,
Or input image data acquisition means for generating and image processing means for processing the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means to generate output image data for printing out an image on a sheet of paper. The image processing means includes two different pages in the same document of the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means, on one side of a sheet of paper, relative to one of the two sides. An image processing apparatus for generating the output image data by arranging the image of the page upright and the image of the other page upside down. 2. Input image data for each page is fetched,
Or input image data acquisition means for generating and image processing means for processing the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means to generate output image data for printing out an image on a sheet of paper. The image processing means includes two pages of the same page in the same document of the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means, relative to one side of one sheet of paper. An image processing apparatus for generating the output image data by arranging an image on one page upright and an image on the other page upside down. 3. Input image data for each page is fetched,
Or input image data acquisition means for generating and image processing means for processing the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means to generate output image data for printing out an image on a sheet of paper. The image processing means includes two pages of the same page in the same document and two pages of the same page different from the input image data for each page acquired by the input image data acquisition means. The output image is obtained by allocating a total of four pages on one side of one sheet so that the image of one page is upright and the image of the other page is upside down relative to the same page. An image processing device that generates data.