JP4363453B2 - Image data processing apparatus and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data processing apparatus that processes image data, and more specifically, an image data processing apparatus capable of performing processing that enables another image to be superimposed on an image corresponding to the image data, and The present invention relates to a program for configuring the image data processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, various image data processing apparatuses having image data processing means (so-called filters) for processing image data have been proposed. For example, so-called multi-page processing that makes it possible to form an image for a plurality of pages on one side of a sheet of paper, or by processing image data to overlay another image such as a character string on the image corresponding to the image data An image data processing apparatus capable of executing so-called watermark processing that enables formation is considered.

By the way, in these filters, the print result of the image data changes depending on the arrangement order. For example, when the watermark processing filter is arranged next to the multi-page processing filter, the other image is formed at the center of the paper after the arrangement of the images for a plurality of pages, for example. If the reverse is true, the other image is formed on each of a plurality of pages of images arranged on one side of the paper. Therefore, it has been proposed that the arrangement order of the filters can be changed as desired by the user (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-48537 A

  However, in the watermark process, generally, the body of data (for example, font data) corresponding to the other image is attached to the image data by executing the process. When filter processing such as multi-page is executed after such processing is executed, the font data and the like are also subjected to transmission / reception in the filter processing. Font data or the like is larger than page data or the like made up of drawing commands and the like, and when such data becomes a transmission / reception target, the processing speed is lowered, and the time required for printing becomes longer.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an image data processing apparatus capable of performing processing on image data so that another image can be formed on the image corresponding to the image data. Even when the above processing is performed, it was made for the purpose of suppressing a decrease in processing speed.

  The image data processing apparatus of the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, processes the image data so that another image can be formed on the image corresponding to the image data. The first image data processing means to be applied without adding the main body of data corresponding to the other image, and the second image data processed by the first image data processing means to further process the image data The image data processing means and data addition means for adding the data body corresponding to the other image to the image data processed by the image data processing means.

In the image data processing apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the first image data processing means processes the image data so that another image can be formed on the image corresponding to the image data. The processing is performed without adding a data body corresponding to the other image to the image data. Then, the second image data processing means performs further processing on the image data processed by the first image data processing means, and the data addition means performs processing by the image data processing means. A data body (for example, a file) corresponding to the other image is added to the image data.

  As described above, in the image data processing apparatus of the present invention, the processing that enables the formation of another image on the image corresponding to the image data, and the main body of the data corresponding to the other image as the image data. Apply without adding. For this reason, the main body of data corresponding to the other image is not a processing target (including a simple transmission / reception target) by the second image data processing means, and the processing speed of the second image data processing is reduced. Can be suppressed. Further, the data adding means adds the main body of the data corresponding to the other image to the image data processed by each of the image data processing means, so that the final processed image data is the conventional image data. This is the same as when processing is performed. As described above, in the image data processing device of the present invention, even when other processing is performed after the processing that enables another image to be superimposed on the image corresponding to the image data, The data body corresponding to the image is not an object of the other processing, and a decrease in processing speed can be satisfactorily suppressed.

  Although the present invention is not limited to the following configuration, the first image data processing means adds instruction information indicating data corresponding to the other image to the processed image data. The data adding means may add the main body of the data indicated by the instruction information to the image data processed by the image data processing means. In this case, the first image data processing means does not handle the main body of the data corresponding to the other image, and only adds instruction information indicating the data to the image data, so that the processing speed can be further improved. it can.

  In addition, various forms are conceivable as the processing performed by the second image data processing means. For example, the second image data processing means processes the image data, and processes the image data so that a plurality of pages of images can be formed on one side of one recording medium. Thus, the processing for changing the size of the image corresponding to the image data formed on the recording medium, or the image data corresponding to the image data is formed on the recording medium of the image by processing the image data. At least one of the processing processes for changing the direction to be performed may be executed.

  In addition, various forms are conceivable as the other image and the data body corresponding to the image. When the other image is a character, the data corresponding to the other image is font data. Also good.

  A program according to the present invention is characterized by causing a computer to operate as each of the above-described means constituting the image data processing apparatus described above. For this reason, if the computer executes the program of the present invention, the image data processing apparatus described in any of the above can be easily configured.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view showing the configuration of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a printing system according to the present embodiment includes a color laser printer (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer) 1 and a personal computer as an example of an image data processing apparatus connected to the printer 1 via a cable 200. A computer (hereinafter simply referred to as a personal computer) 300 is configured. The printer 1 and the personal computer 300 may be connected via a network such as a LAN or infrared communication.

  The printer 1 includes a known printer engine 2 (see FIG. 2) that forms an image by electrophotographic method using yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toners. The printer engine 2 is accommodated in an accommodation tray 3. Images are formed one by one on a sheet (not shown) as an example of the recorded medium, and are discharged to the stacker 4. An operation panel 5 for performing various settings and instructions is provided on the surface of the printer 1.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in this printing system. As shown in FIG. 2, the personal computer main body 310 of the personal computer 300 includes a CPU 311, a ROM 312, a RAM 313, and a hard disk device (HDD) 314 as an example of a recording medium. A display 320 such as a CRT, a keyboard 330, and a mouse 340 are connected to the personal computer main body 310 (see FIG. 1 for all). Further, the personal computer main body 310 has a LAN interface (LAN I / F) 350 for connecting to a LAN (not shown) and a printer port interface (printer port I / F) 360 for connecting to the printer 1 via the cable 200. Is also connected.

  The printer 1 includes a control unit 10 that controls the printer engine 2 and the like. The control unit 10 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU 10A, a ROM 10B, and a RAM 10C. The control unit 10 also includes an NVRAM 10D that prevents the stored contents from being erased even when the power switch is turned off. Further, the control unit 10 includes a printer port interface (printer port I / F) 11 for connecting to the personal computer 300 via the cable 200 in addition to the printer engine 2 and the operation panel 5, and a LAN (not shown). A LAN interface (LAN I / F) 12 and the like are connected. Note that the printer 1 and the personal computer 300 may be connected by a network such as a LAN via the LAN interfaces 12 and 350 as described above.

[Control in Embodiment]
Next, processing executed in this control system will be described. When print data as image data is created by various applications in the personal computer 300, the printer driver is called for printing and the printing is instructed on the printer driver, the CPU 311 of the personal computer 300 stores the data in the hard disk device 314. The following print processing is executed based on the programmed program.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a main routine of the printing process executed by the CPU 311. As shown in FIG. 3, in this process, first, in S1 as an example of the first image data processing means (S represents a step: the same applies hereinafter), another image is added to the image corresponding to the print data. As an example, a watermark process is performed that enables the watermark to be formed in an overlapping manner. In S2, S3, and S4 as an example of subsequent second image data processing means, a multi-page process that enables an image for a plurality of pages to be formed on one side of the paper, an image corresponding to the print data is formed on the paper. A scaling process for changing the size and an inversion process for changing the orientation of the image corresponding to the print data formed on the paper are sequentially executed.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of print settings in this print processing. When such print settings are made, the image formed on the paper changes as illustrated in FIG. First, when the watermark processing of S1 is performed on the image of 3 pages illustrated in FIG. 5A, the image is in the above-described print setting as illustrated in FIG. 5B. In this way, data processing is performed so that the character string “confidential” is arranged in a Gothic font at an angle of 0 degrees in the center of the paper, and the size of the character string is 100 and the color is black. Subsequently, when 4-in-1 multi-page processing is performed in S2 as in the print setting, four pages of images are arranged on one sheet as illustrated in FIG. 5C. The data is processed. Further, when the scaling process of S3 is performed at a magnification of 75% as in the print setting, data is processed so that the image is reduced as illustrated in FIG. 5D. Then, when 180 degree inversion is performed as in the print setting by the inversion processing in S4, the data is processed so that the image orientation is rotated by 180 degrees as illustrated in FIG. 5E. .

  Here, when the processes of S1 to S4 are the same as the conventional processes, the print data D corresponding to the above example changes as follows. That is, first, in the state before processing, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, page data PD1, PD2, and PD3 corresponding to the first page, the second page, and the third page are added to the document data DD, Furthermore, image data ID1, ID2 and ID3 corresponding to the images (sun and cloud, train, car) of each page are added. The document data DD contains information such as the document structure such as how many pages the document consists of and the creator. The page data PD1, PD2, and PD3 include layout information for each page, When an image is created by drawing, a drawing command for the image is written, and image data ID1, ID2, and ID3 are image data such as JPG used in each page. Further, since the character “car” is included in the third page, font data FD3 corresponding to the character is also added. The font data FD3 is data indicating character features necessary for character drawing.

  In the watermark process (S1), a watermark drawing command or the like is added to the page data PD1, PD2, and PD3, and the watermark font data WD corresponding to the character string “confidential” (FIG. 6B). File) is added. In the subsequent multi-page process of S2, page data PD1, PD2, and PD3 for three pages are grouped into page data PD1 for one page. Further, in the scaling process (S3) and the inversion process (S4), the page data PD1 Necessary modifications are made. Thus, the final processed print data D is illustrated in FIG. 6B.

  However, as described above, when the watermark process (S1) is first executed and the file of watermark font data WD is added to the print data D, the file is also transmitted and received in various processing processes of S2 to S4. It becomes the target of. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the watermark processing of S1 is configured as follows.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing in detail the watermark processing in S1. As shown in FIG. 7, in this process, first, in S 11, one of the unprocessed print data created by the application and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 313 is received by the CPU 311. In subsequent S13, it is determined whether or not data has been received in S11. At first, since the print data is not processed at all, the data is received in S11 (S13: Y). Therefore, in subsequent S14 and S15, the data is analyzed, and it is sequentially determined whether it is page data (S14) and whether it is document data (S15).

  If the data is other data that is neither page data nor document data (S14: N, S15: N), the other data is transmitted as it is to the RAM 313 in S17, and the process proceeds to S11 described above. . If the read data is document data (S14: N, S15: Y), the document data is transmitted as it is to the RAM 313 in S18, and the process proceeds to S11 described above. . Furthermore, when the read data is page data (S14: Y), the watermark addition / transmission process described below is executed in S19, and the process proceeds to S11 described above. When all the print data is processed by repeating the above processes, the data cannot be received (S13: N), and the process proceeds to S2 in FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing in detail the watermark addition / transmission process of S19. As shown in FIG. 8, in this process, first, in S190, the watermark setting is acquired from the print setting. In the subsequent S191, it is determined whether or not the watermark setting has been turned ON in the print setting, that is, whether or not any watermark has been set. If the watermark setting is ON (S191: Y), the page size is acquired from the received page data in S192, and the watermark drawing position is calculated from the page size in S193. . For example, when a watermark of 2000 dots wide and 600 dots high is added to the center of a page of 4000 dots wide and 6000 dots long, the drawing start position is 1000 dots and 2700 dots.

  In subsequent S194, a watermark drawing command is added to the end of the page data, and the page data to which the drawing command is added is transmitted to the RAM 313 in S195. The watermark drawing command includes the character code and font name of the character string acquired in S191, the drawing position calculated in S193, and the like. Further, in the subsequent S196, index information (in this case, the font name “Gothic”) as an example of instruction information indicating the font name is transmitted to a predetermined area of the RAM 313 different from the storage area of the print data, and the processing is shown in FIG. 7 to S11. On the other hand, if the watermark setting is OFF (S191: N), the page data is transmitted as it is to the RAM 313 in S199, and the process proceeds to S11 in FIG.

  As described above, in the watermark processing according to the present embodiment, the index information is replaced with the RAM 313 without attaching a watermark font data file as an example of a data body corresponding to another image to the print data. The transmission is completed.

  Returning to FIG. 3, after executing such watermark processing (S1), as described above, the same multi-page processing (S2), scaling processing (S3), and inversion processing (S4) are executed. Then, the process proceeds to S5, and it is determined whether or not the index information is stored in the RAM 313. If it is stored (S5: Y), the process proceeds to S6 as an example of the data adding means.

  In S6, data corresponding to the index information (Gothic font file in the above example) is added to the print data, and in S7, PDL processing is executed for the print data, and the process ends. Note that the PDL processing in S7 refers to the printer 1 by converting the print data into a bitmap, performing color conversion, binarization processing, and compression processing, and adding necessary PJL (Printer Job Language). This is a process for making the data transmittable. On the other hand, when the index information is not stored in the RAM 313 (S5: N), the process directly proceeds from S5 to S7, and the PDL processing is executed.

[Effects and Modifications of Embodiment]
As described above, in the present embodiment, in the watermark process (S1), the index font information is transmitted to the RAM 313 instead of attaching the watermark font data file to the print data. For this reason, the watermark font data file is not subject to transmission / reception in the various processing processes of S2 to S4, and it is possible to satisfactorily suppress a decrease in processing speed. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6C, the print data D to which the watermark font data WD file is not attached becomes the processing target of S2 to S4, so that the processing can be speeded up. Since the watermark font data file is added to the print data before the PDL processing (S7) (S6), the print result by the printer 1 is the same as the conventional one.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment at all, It can implement with a various form in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. For example, in the above embodiment, font data corresponding to the character string of the watermark is added using the index information. If the watermark is an image such as a logo, the image data for the image is index information. You may add using. Further, the first image data processing means is not limited to the watermark process, and may be a process of adding a date or the like as the other image. Further, the second image data processing means may be a process other than S2 to S4.

  Furthermore, the data body corresponding to the other image, such as watermark font data, does not necessarily have to be added using the instruction information such as index information. For example, it is stored in an attachment file storage area set in the RAM 313 in advance. It is possible to read the data and add the data stored in the area after each processing. However, when instruction information such as index information is used as in the above embodiment, it is not necessary to handle the data body at all in the watermark process or the like, and the processing speed can be further improved. In addition, instruction information such as index information may be stored in page data. However, in this case, a filtering process is required to determine the presence or absence of index information.

1 is an external view illustrating a configuration of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. It is a block diagram showing the structure of the control system in the printing system. 4 is a flowchart showing a main routine of print processing executed by a personal computer of the print system. It is explanatory drawing showing an example of the print setting in the printing process. It is explanatory drawing which illustrates the change of the image by the printing process. It is explanatory drawing which illustrates the change of the print data corresponding to the change of the image by comparison with a prior art example. It is a flowchart showing in detail the watermark processing of the print data processing. It is a flowchart showing in detail the watermark addition / transmission process of the watermark process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Color laser printer 2 ... Printer engine 10 ... Control part 300 ... Personal computer 310 ... Personal computer body 314 ... Hard disk apparatus 320 ... Display D ... Print data WD ... Watermark font data

Claims (5)

By processing the image data, the processing corresponding to the image corresponding to the image data can be formed on the image data without adding the main body of the data corresponding to the other image. First image data processing means;
Second image data processing means for further processing the image data processed by the first image data processing means;
Data adding means for adding a data body corresponding to the other image to the image data processed by each of the image data processing means;
An image data processing apparatus comprising: The first image data processing means adds instruction information indicating data corresponding to the other image to the image data after the processing,
2. The image data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data adding means adds the main body of the data indicated by the instruction information to the image data processed by each of the image data processing means.   The second image data processing means processes the image data so that a plurality of pages of images can be formed on one side of one recording medium, and the image data is processed. The processing for changing the size of the image corresponding to the image data formed on the recording medium, or the direction in which the image corresponding to the image data is formed on the recording medium by processing the image data The image data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the processing processes for changing the image data is executed.   4. The image data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the other image is a character, the data corresponding to the other image is font data.   A program for causing a computer to operate as each of the means constituting the image data processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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