JP6421641B2 - Image forming apparatus, print control method, and print control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a print control method, and a print control program, and in particular, an image forming apparatus that displays an image of data described in a data description language, and an image forming method and an image executed by the image forming apparatus. Concerning formation program.

  A technique for printing a Web page displayed on a portable information device such as a smart phone with an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral (hereinafter referred to as “MFP”) is known. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-069784, a multi-function system that forms a network in cooperation with a mobile terminal receives URL information transmitted from the mobile terminal, that is, URL specified by the user and print mode data. A technique is described in which an html file is captured as image data from a web site based on the URL on the Internet, and the image data is printed out on paper based on the received print mode data.

  Some web servers send different web pages depending on the user agent included in the web page request so that the web page can be properly displayed on the device that receives the web page. For example, some web servers transmit different web pages between a device having a relatively large display area, such as a computer, and a device having a relatively small display area, such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Further, in order to provide an optimal web page depending on a device that displays a web page, a web page using a CSS media query (Cascading Style Sheets Media Queries) may be returned. is there.

The portable information device and the MFP may have different user agents set for them, and the display sizes of the respective displays may be different. For this reason, when a user operating the portable information device instructs the MFP to print a Web page displayed on the portable information device, an image formed on the sheet by the MFP is displayed on the portable information device. There is a problem that it may be different from the image.
JP 2003-069784 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and one object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming the same image as the image displayed on the portable information device. That is.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a print control method capable of forming the same image as that displayed on a portable information device.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a print control program capable of forming the same image as the image displayed on the portable information device.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with a portable information device, and display data described in a data description language from the portable information device. Address acquisition means for acquiring the address, display capability acquisition means for acquiring the display capability of the display means provided in the portable information device, and display data specified by the acquired address using the acquired display capability A browsing unit that generates a display image to be displayed on the display unit, and an image formation control unit that forms an image of the display image on a recording medium.

  According to this aspect, the display capability of the display means of the portable information device is acquired, and the display capability of the portable information device is used based on the display data specified by the address acquired from the portable information device. A display image to be displayed on the display means is generated, and an image of the display image is formed. For this reason, the same image as the display image displayed on the display means of the portable information device can be formed. As a result, an image forming apparatus capable of forming the same image as the image displayed on the portable information device can be provided.

  Preferably, based on the display capability and the size of the recording medium, a dividing unit that divides the display image into a plurality of partial images, a printing image generating unit that generates a printing image in which the plurality of partial images are arranged, and Is further provided.

  According to this aspect, based on the display capability of the portable information device and the size of the recording medium, the display image is divided into a plurality of partial images, and a print image in which the plurality of partial images are arranged is generated. The image for use can be formed on one recording medium.

  Preferably, the display capability includes the size of the display surface of the display unit, and the image generation unit for printing has the same size as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit for each of the partial images. And arrange them side by side in the horizontal direction.

  According to this aspect, a printing image is generated in which a plurality of partial images are arranged side by side in the same horizontal size as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit of the portable information device. Therefore, the horizontal size of the image displayed on the portable information device can be made the same.

  Preferably, the dividing unit includes a dividing number determining unit that determines a dividing number from the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit and the horizontal size of the recording medium.

  Preferably, the dividing unit has a vertical size after the display image is scaled to the same size as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit, and the vertical size of the recording medium. Division number determining means for determining the division number from

  Preferably, when the image displayed on the display unit is enlarged and displayed while the image corresponding to the display data is displayed on the display unit in the portable information device, the image is displayed on the display unit from the portable information device. An enlargement ratio acquisition means for acquiring an enlargement ratio obtained by magnifying the image being printed, and the print image generation means displays a plurality of partial images and their respective horizontal sizes when the enlargement ratio is acquired. The horizontal size of the display surface of the means is set to the same size as the enlarged size based on the enlargement ratio, and the display surfaces are arranged in the horizontal direction.

  According to this aspect, the same image as the image enlarged and displayed by the portable information device can be formed on the recording medium.

  Preferably, the dividing unit includes a dividing number determining unit that determines the dividing number from a size obtained by enlarging a horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit with an enlargement ratio and a horizontal size of the recording medium.

  Preferably, the dividing unit records the display image in the vertical direction after scaling the horizontal size of the display image to the same size as the size of the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit enlarged by the enlargement factor, Division number determining means for determining the division number from the vertical size of the medium is included.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a print control method is a print control method executed by an image forming apparatus communicable with a portable information device, and display data described in a data description language from the portable information device. An address acquisition step for acquiring the address of the display, a display capability acquisition step for acquiring the display capability of the display means included in the portable information device, and display data specified by the acquired address using the acquired display capability A browsing step for generating a display image to be displayed on the display unit, and an image formation control step for forming an image of the display image on a recording medium.

  If this aspect is followed, the print control method which can form the same image as the image displayed on the portable information device can be provided.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the print control program is a print control program that is executed by a computer that controls an image forming apparatus that can communicate with a portable information device, and is described in a data description language from the portable information device. An address acquisition step for acquiring the address of the display data that has been obtained, a display capability acquisition step for acquiring the display capability of the display means included in the portable information device, and an acquired address using the acquired display capability A print control program for causing a computer to execute a browsing step for generating a display image for display on a display unit based on display data to be displayed and an image formation control step for forming an image of a display image on a recording medium.

  If this aspect is followed, the print control program which can form the same image as the image displayed on the portable information device can be provided.

1 is a diagram showing an overall outline of an image forming system in one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an MFP. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of a portable information device. It is a figure which shows an example of the function which CPU with which a portable information device is provided has. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of functions of a CPU included in an MFP. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a browsing process. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of print processing. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a division | segmentation process.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall outline of an image forming system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, image forming system 1 includes a multifunction peripheral (hereinafter referred to as “MFP”) 100, portable information device 200, and wireless station 5, each connected to network 3. Therefore, the MFP 100 can communicate with the wireless station 5 via the network 3.

  The figure shows an example in which one MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) 100 is connected to the network 3 as an example of an information processing apparatus. However, the number of MFPs is not limited to this, and one MFP is used. That is all you need. Further, instead of the MFP 100, any apparatus having a function of processing an image may be a computer, a facsimile, a printer, or the like.

  The network 3 is a local area network (LAN), and the connection form may be wired or wireless. The network 3 is connected to the Internet 7. Therefore, MFP 100 can communicate with server 400 connected to Internet 7. The network 3 is not limited to a LAN but may be a network using a wide area network (WAN), a public switched telephone network, or the like.

  The portable information device 200 is another example of an information processing device, and is a computer that is carried and used by a user, such as a smart phone, a tablet terminal, or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Here, a case where portable information device 200 is a smartphone will be described as an example. The portable information device 200 is connected to a cellular phone network by wirelessly communicating with a cellular phone base station, and can make a call. The portable information device 200 can transmit and receive data by wirelessly communicating with a mobile phone base station, and can communicate with a server 400 connected to the Internet 7. In addition, the portable information device 200 has a wireless LAN function.

  A wireless station 5 is further connected to the network 3. The wireless station 5 is a relay device of the network 3 and communicates with the portable information device 200 having a wireless LAN communication function to connect the portable information device 200 to the network 3. Therefore, portable information device 200 can transmit and receive data with MFP 100 connected to network 3, and can also communicate with server 400 connected to Internet 7.

  In the image forming system 1 in the present embodiment, the server 400 functions as a web server. Since the hardware configuration and functions of server 400 are well known, detailed description will not be repeated here, but server 400 receives a page transmission request command from either MFP 100 or portable information device 200 in which a browsing program is installed. In response, the web page corresponding to the page transmission request command is returned. The web page is described in a data description language such as a markup language. The page transmission request command is, for example, a GET command in the HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) protocol. The page transmission request command includes a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for specifying a web page. Here, when the server 400 receives the page transmission request command, the server 400 returns a web page specified by the URL included in the page transmission request command. The web page returned by the server 400 may be a web page corresponding to the user agent or a web page using a CSS media query (Cascading Style Sheets Media Queries).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the MFP. Referring to FIG. 2, MFP 100 includes a main circuit 110, a document reading unit 130 for reading a document, an automatic document feeder 120 for transporting a document to document reading unit 130, and a document reading unit 130. An image forming unit 140 for forming an image on a sheet or the like based on image data output by reading the image, a sheet feeding unit 150 for supplying the image forming unit 140 with a sheet, a post-processing unit 155, a user interface As an operation panel 160.

  The main circuit 110 includes a CPU 111, a communication interface (I / F) unit 112, a ROM 113, a RAM 114, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM) 115, a hard disk drive (HDD) 116 as a mass storage device, A facsimile unit 117 and an external storage device 119 on which a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) 119A is mounted are included. CPU 111 is connected to automatic document feeder 120, document reading unit 130, image forming unit 140, paper feeding unit 150, post-processing unit 155, and operation panel 160, and controls the entire MFP 100.

  The ROM 113 stores a program executed by the CPU 111 or data necessary for executing the program. The RAM 114 is used as a work area when the CPU 111 executes a program. The RAM 114 temporarily stores read data (image data) continuously sent from the document reading unit 130.

  Operation panel 160 is provided on the upper surface of MFP 100. Operation panel 160 includes a display unit 161 and an operation unit 163. The display unit 161 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic ELD (Electro-Luminescence Display), and displays an instruction menu for the user, information about acquired image data, and the like. The operation unit 163 includes a plurality of keys and accepts input of various instructions, data such as characters and numbers, by user operations corresponding to the keys. The operation unit 163 further includes a touch panel 165 that detects a position designated by the user on the display surface of the display unit 161. The touch panel 165 is provided on the upper surface or the lower surface of the display unit 161, and outputs the coordinates of the position instructed by the user to the CPU 111. The touch panel 165 is a multi-touch screen panel, and outputs a plurality of coordinates respectively corresponding to the plurality of positions designated by the user to the CPU 111 when a plurality of positions are designated by the user at the same time. The touch panel 165 is preferably the same size or larger than the display surface of the display unit 161. Since the touch panel 165 is provided so as to be superimposed on the display unit 161, the touch panel 165 is positioned at one or more positions designated by the user on the display surface of the display unit 161 when the user indicates the display surface of the display unit 161. The corresponding one or more coordinates are output to the CPU 111. For the touch panel 165, for example, a resistive film method, a surface acoustic wave method, an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, or a capacitance method can be used, and the method is not limited.

  The automatic document feeder 120 automatically conveys a plurality of documents set on the document feeding tray one by one to a predetermined document reading position set on the platen glass of the document reading unit 130, and reads the document. The document whose document image is read by the unit 130 is discharged onto a document discharge tray. The document reading unit 130 includes a light source that irradiates light to the document conveyed to the document reading position and a photoelectric conversion element that receives light reflected from the document, and scans a document image corresponding to the size of the document. The photoelectric conversion element converts the received light into image data that is an electrical signal and outputs the image data to the image forming unit 140. The paper feed unit 150 conveys the paper stored in the paper feed tray to the image forming unit 140.

  The image forming unit 140 forms an image by a well-known electrophotographic method, and the image data after data processing is obtained by performing various data processing such as shading correction on the image data input from the document reading unit 130. Alternatively, based on image data received from the outside, an image is formed on a sheet conveyed by the sheet feeding unit 150, and the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged to the post-processing unit 155.

  The post-processing unit 155 includes a plurality of bins for storing sheets, and performs post-processing on one or more sheets conveyed from the image forming unit 140. The post-processing includes a sorting process for classifying one or more sheets into a plurality of bins in order to classify them into a plurality of sets, a punching process for punching holes in the sheet, and a staple process for driving staples into the sheet. Note that the post-processing is not limited to these, and may include other processing as long as it is a processing for conveying or processing one or more sheets.

  Communication I / F unit 112 is an interface for connecting MFP 100 to network 3. The CPU 111 communicates between the portable information device 200 connected via the communication I / F unit 112 via the wireless station 5 and the server 400 connected to the Internet 7 to transmit / receive data.

  The facsimile unit 117 is connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and transmits / receives facsimile data. The facsimile unit 117 converts image data read by the document reading unit 130 or data stored in the HDD 116 into facsimile data, and transmits the facsimile data to a facsimile machine connected to the PSTN. In addition, the facsimile unit 117 stores the received facsimile data in the HDD 116 or causes the image forming unit 140 to form an image of the facsimile data on a sheet.

  The external storage device 119 is loaded with a CD-ROM 119A. The CPU 111 can access the CD-ROM 119A via the external storage device 119. The CPU 111 loads the program recorded on the CD-ROM 119A attached to the external storage device 119 into the RAM 114 and executes it. Note that the program executed by the CPU 111 is not limited to the program recorded on the CD-ROM 119A, and the program stored in the HDD 116 may be loaded into the RAM 114 and executed. In this case, another computer connected to the network 3 may rewrite the program stored in the HDD 116 of the MFP 100 or may write a new program. Further, MFP 100 may download a program from another computer connected to the network and store the program in HDD 116. The program here includes not only a program directly executable by the CPU 111 but also a source program, a compressed program, an encrypted program, and the like.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the portable information device. Referring to FIG. 3, portable information device 200 includes a CPU 211 for controlling the entire portable information device 200, a camera 212, a flash memory 213 for storing data in a nonvolatile manner, a calling unit 215, and a calling unit. 215, a wireless communication unit 214 connected to 215, a display unit 216 for displaying information, an operation unit 217 for accepting an input of a user operation, a wireless LAN interface (I / F) 218, a triaxial acceleration sensor 219, including.

  The wireless communication unit 214 performs wireless communication with a mobile phone base station connected to a telephone communication network. The wireless communication unit 214 connects the portable information device 200 to the telephone communication network and enables a call using the call unit 215. The radio communication unit 214 decodes a voice signal obtained by demodulating the radio signal received from the mobile phone base station, and outputs the decoded signal to the call unit 215. In addition, the wireless communication unit 214 encodes the voice input from the call unit 215 and transmits it to the mobile phone base station. The call unit 215 includes a microphone and a speaker, outputs the voice input from the wireless communication unit 214 from the speaker, and outputs the voice input from the microphone to the wireless communication unit 214. Further, the wireless communication unit 214 is controlled by the CPU 211 and transmits / receives data via the mobile phone base station, and for example, connects the mobile information device 200 to the server 400 connected to the Internet 7.

  The camera 212 includes a lens and a photoelectric conversion element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, and focuses light collected by the lens on a CMOS sensor. The CMOS sensor photoelectrically converts the received light to convert image data. Output to the CPU 211.

  The display unit 216 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic ELD, and displays an instruction menu for a user, data received from the outside, and the like. The operation unit 217 includes a plurality of keys, and accepts input of various instructions, data such as characters and numbers by user operations corresponding to the keys.

  The operation unit 217 includes a touch panel 217A. Touch panel 217A detects a position designated by the user on the display surface of display unit 216. The touch panel 217A is provided on the upper surface or the lower surface of the display unit 216, and outputs the coordinates of the position instructed by the user to the CPU 211. The touch panel 217A is a multi-touch screen panel, and outputs a plurality of coordinates respectively corresponding to a plurality of positions designated by the user to the CPU 211 when a plurality of positions are designated by the user at the same time. The touch panel 217A is preferably the same size or larger than the display surface of the display unit 216. Since the touch panel 217A is provided so as to be superimposed on the display unit 216, the touch panel 217A is provided at one or more positions designated by the user on the display surface of the display unit 216 when the user indicates the display surface of the display unit 216. One or more corresponding coordinates are output to the CPU 211. For the touch panel 217A, for example, a resistance film method, a surface acoustic wave method, an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, or a capacitance method can be used, and the method is not limited.

  The wireless LAN I / F 218 is an interface for communicating with the wireless station 5 and connecting the portable information device 200 to the network 3. The portable information device 200 can communicate with the MFP 100 and the server 400 via the wireless LAN I / F 218 and can transmit and receive data.

  The triaxial acceleration sensor 219 detects accelerations in three directions orthogonal to each other. The triaxial acceleration sensor 219 determines the direction of gravity from the detected accelerations in the three directions, and outputs the determined direction of gravity to the CPU 211. Instead of the triaxial acceleration sensor 219, for example, a sensor capable of detecting the direction of gravity such as a geomagnetic sensor can be used.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of functions of a CPU included in the portable information device. The functions shown in FIG. 4 are functions formed in the CPU 211 when the CPU 211 included in the portable information device 200 executes a program stored in the flash memory 213. Referring to FIG. 4, the CPU 211 receives an operation input by a user, an operation receiving unit 251, a display control unit 253 that controls the display unit 216, a browsing unit 255, an operation state transmission unit 257, a display capability A transmission unit 259.

  The operation reception unit 251 receives an operation input by the user to the operation unit 217. The operation received by the operation receiving unit 251 includes a page transmission request operation. The page transmission request operation is an operation for requesting transmission of a web page stored in a computer connected to the Internet 7. For example, when the operation receiving unit 251 detects that the key assigned to the operation unit 217 and the key assigned with the URL is instructed by the user, the operation receiving unit 251 includes the web page specified by the URL assigned to the key. A page transmission request operation for requesting transmission is accepted. The key assigned to the URL provided in the operation unit 217 is, for example, a key for starting a browsing program. The key is not limited to a hard key provided with a contact switch, and is a soft key displayed on the display unit 216. Also good. In this case, the operation accepting unit 251 accepts a page transmission request operation for requesting transmission of a web page specified by a URL defined by default by the browsing program. When a URL input to the operation unit 217 by the user is detected, a page transmission request operation for requesting transmission of a web page specified by the detected URL is accepted. When the web page displayed on the display unit 216 includes a button linked to another web page, when the touch panel 217A included in the operation unit 217 detects that the button is designated, the designated button is displayed. A page transmission request operation for requesting transmission of a linked web page is accepted. The operation receiving unit 251 outputs a page acquisition instruction to the browsing unit 255 when receiving a page transmission request operation. The page acquisition instruction includes a URL assigned to the web page.

  The browsing unit 255 is a function formed in the CPU 211 when the CPU 211 executes a browsing program. The browsing unit 255 includes a description data acquisition unit 261, a generation unit 263, and a URL transmission unit 265. The description data acquisition unit 261 receives a page acquisition instruction from the operation reception unit 251. In response to the input of the page acquisition instruction from the operation reception unit 251, the description data acquisition unit 261 generates a page transmission request command that includes the URL included in the page acquisition instruction and requests transmission of a web page. The page transmission request command is, for example, a GET command in the HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) protocol. The GET command includes a user agent defined by the browsing program. Here, a case where the page acquisition instruction input from the operation reception unit 251 includes a URL assigned to a web page stored in the server 400 will be described as an example. When the description data acquisition unit 261 generates the page transmission request command, the description data acquisition unit 261 transmits the generated page transmission request command to the server 400 specified by the URL included in the page transmission request operation via the wireless LAN I / F 218. When the wireless LAN I / F 218 receives a web page from the server 400 after transmitting a page transmission request command to the server 400, the description data acquisition unit 261 acquires the received web page and generates the acquired web page To H.263.

  The generation unit 263 generates a display image by interpreting the web page input from the description data acquisition unit 261, and outputs the generated display image to the display control unit 253. Specifically, when the web page defines a style sheet defined by the CSS media query, the generation unit 263 generates a display image using a style sheet corresponding to the size of the display screen of the display unit 216. The display control unit 253 controls the display unit 216 to display the display image input from the browsing unit 255 on the display unit 216.

  When the operation reception unit 251 receives an operation for instructing printing while the display image is displayed on the display unit 216, the operation reception unit 251 displays a print condition setting screen on the display unit 216, and the user displays the print condition on the operation unit 217. A setting operation input according to the setting screen is accepted. The print condition setting screen includes an area for setting a print condition, an area for setting an apparatus for executing image formation, and a button to which an operation for instructing execution of printing is assigned.

  The print condition includes the size and direction of use of a sheet that is a recording medium on which an image is formed. Since the paper is rectangular, the paper size is determined by the length in the longitudinal direction of the paper and the length in the short direction. The size may be an A4 size, a B4 size, or the like in which the length in the longitudinal direction of the paper and the length in the lateral direction are predetermined. The direction of use is either the vertical direction when the image is formed with the longitudinal direction of the paper vertical, or the horizontal direction when the image is formed with the longitudinal direction of the paper horizontal. Note that a paper size that allows the MFP 100 to form an image may be acquired from the MFP 100, and the user may select from the acquired paper sizes. The operation reception unit 251 outputs the set print conditions to the URL transmission unit 265.

  In the area for setting the device on the print condition setting screen, device identification information for identifying the device is set. For example, if device identification information for identifying a printable device is registered in advance and a list of registered device identification information is displayed in a selectable manner, the user selects one from the list. The selected device identification information may be set in the area. When the operation reception unit 251 detects that a button to which an operation for instructing execution of printing on the print condition setting screen is assigned is specified, the device identification of the device set in the area for setting the device on the print instruction input screen A print instruction including information is output to the URL transmission unit 265, the operation state transmission unit 257, and the display capability transmission unit 259. Here, a case will be described as an example where MFP 100 is designated as a device for executing printing by the user. In this case, the user selects device identification information of MFP 100 on the print instruction input screen.

  The URL transmission unit 265 receives the URL and the print condition from the operation receiving unit 251 and then receives the print instruction from the operation receiving unit 251, and the print condition and the URL are included in the print instruction. The data is transmitted to the apparatus specified by the identification information, in this case, the MFP 100 via the wireless LAN I / F 218.

  When the operation reception unit 251 receives an operation for changing the display image displayed on the display unit 216, the operation state transmission unit 257 displays the display image in response to a print instruction input from the operation reception unit 251. The operation state indicating the history of the operation to change is transmitted to the device specified by the device identification information included in the print instruction, here, the MFP 100 via the wireless LAN I / F 218. The operation for changing the display image includes an enlargement operation or a reduction operation for instructing enlargement or reduction of the display image, and a scroll operation for changing the displayed portion when a part of the display image is displayed. Including.

  The enlargement operation is an operation for instructing to enlarge and display the display image. The operation accepting unit 251 accepts the enlargement operation when detecting that the key to which the enlargement operation included in the operation unit 217 is assigned is designated. The enlargement operation includes a pinch out operation. The pinch-out operation is an operation detected by an operation of widening the interval between two fingers while the user puts two fingers on the touch panel 217A. When the operation receiving unit 251 detects an event in which two positions indicated by the user's two fingers are detected on the touch panel 217A and an interval between the two positions is increased with time, the operation receiving unit 251 performs a pinch-out operation. Accept. When the operation reception unit 251 receives an enlargement operation while the display image is displayed on the display unit 216, the operation reception unit 251 outputs an enlargement display instruction to the operation state transmission unit 257 and the display control unit 253. The enlarged display instruction includes a magnification. When an enlarged display instruction is input from the operation receiving unit 251, the display control unit 253 enlarges a part of the display image displayed on the display unit 161 by the magnification included in the enlarged display instruction, and the display unit 216. To display. When an enlarged display instruction is input from the operation accepting unit 251, the operation state transmitting unit 257 stores an operation state that includes the magnification included in the enlarged display instruction and indicates that there has been an enlarged operation.

  The reduction operation is an operation for instructing to reduce and display the display image. When the operation reception unit 251 detects that a key to which a reduction operation provided in the operation unit 217 is assigned is specified, the operation reception unit 251 receives the reduction operation. The reduction operation includes a pinch-in operation. The pinch-in operation is an operation detected by an operation of narrowing the interval between two fingers while the user puts two fingers on the touch panel 217A. The operation accepting unit 251 accepts a pinch-in operation when two positions designated by the user's two fingers are detected on the touch panel 217A and an interval between the two positions becomes narrower as time passes. . When the operation reception unit 251 receives a reduction operation while the display image is displayed on the display unit 216, the operation reception unit 251 outputs a reduction display instruction to the operation state transmission unit 257 and the display control unit 253. The reduction display instruction includes a magnification. When the reduced display instruction is input from the operation accepting unit 251, the display control unit 253 reduces a part of the display image displayed on the display unit 161 by the magnification included in the reduced display instruction and displays the reduced image on the display unit 161. indicate. When a reduction display instruction is input from the operation reception unit 251, the operation state transmission unit 257 stores an operation state that includes a magnification included in the reduction display instruction and indicates that a reduction operation has been performed.

  The scroll operation is an operation for changing a portion to be displayed on the display unit 216 in a state where a part of the display image is displayed on the display unit 216. The scroll operation includes a horizontal operation in which a part of the display image is moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the display image in the display image, and a part of the display image with respect to the display image in the display image. And a vertical operation for moving in the vertical direction. When the operation reception unit 251 detects that a key to which a vertical operation or a horizontal operation provided in the operation unit 217 is assigned is specified, the operation reception unit 251 receives the vertical operation or the horizontal operation. The vertical operation or the horizontal operation includes a swipe operation. The swipe operation is an operation of moving one or more fingers in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in a state where the user places one or more fingers on the touch panel 217A. When the operation receiving unit 251 detects an event in which one or more positions indicated by one or more fingers of the user are detected by the touch panel 217A and the one or more positions move with the passage of time, the operation receiving unit 251 Accept horizontal operation. When the operation reception unit 251 receives a vertical operation or a horizontal operation while the display image is displayed on the display unit 216, the operation reception unit 251 outputs a scroll instruction to the operation state transmission unit 257 and the display control unit 253. The scroll instruction includes a direction and a moving amount for moving a part of the display image in the display image. When a scroll instruction is input from the operation receiving unit 251, the display control unit 253 parallels a part of the display image displayed on the display unit 161 in the direction included in the scroll instruction by the amount of movement included in the scroll instruction. The moved part is specified, and the specified part is displayed on the display unit 161. When a scroll instruction is input from the operation reception unit 251, the operation state transmission unit 257 stores an operation state that includes the direction included in the scroll instruction and indicates that the scroll operation has been performed. The direction included in the scroll instruction is the direction of the scroll operation.

  In response to the input of a print instruction from the operation reception unit 251, the display capability transmission unit 259 wirelessly transmits to the device, in this case, the MFP 100, the display capability of the display unit 216 specified by the device identification information included in the print instruction. The data is transmitted via the LAN I / F 218. The display capability of the display unit 216 includes the size of the display surface of the display unit 216. The size of the display surface of the display unit 216 includes the vertical length and the horizontal length of the display surface of the display unit 216. The display capability transmission unit 259 determines the vertical direction and horizontal direction of the display surface of the display unit 216 based on the gravity direction input from the triaxial acceleration sensor 219. Specifically, since the display surface of the display unit 216 is rectangular, the display capability transmission unit 259 determines the direction close to the gravitational direction among the longitudinal direction and the short direction of the display surface as the vertical direction. Here, the display capability is the size of the display surface of the display unit 216. However, the pixel density indicating the number of pixels per unit length and the number of pixels in the longitudinal direction and the short direction of the display unit 216 are shown. Resolution may be used.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of functions of a CPU included in the MFP. The functions shown in FIG. 5 are functions formed in CPU 111 when CPU 111 provided in MFP 100 executes an image forming program stored in ROM 113, EEPROM 115, HDD 116, or CD-ROM 119A. Referring to FIG. 5, the CPU 111 includes a data reception unit 51, a display capability acquisition unit 53, an operation state acquisition unit 55, a browsing unit 57, a division unit 59, a printing image generation unit 61, and image formation. And a control unit 63.

  The data reception unit 51 controls the communication I / F unit 112. When the communication I / F unit 112 receives the URL and the print condition from the portable information device 200, the data reception unit 51 outputs the URL to the browsing unit 57 and sets the print condition. The data is output to the dividing unit 59 and the image formation control unit 63.

  The display capability acquisition unit 53 controls the communication I / F unit 112, and when the communication I / F unit 112 receives the display capability from the portable information device 200, the display capability is output to the browsing unit 57 and the dividing unit 59.

  The operation state acquisition unit 55 controls the communication I / F unit 112. When the communication I / F unit 112 receives the operation state from the portable information device 200, the operation state acquisition unit 55 outputs the operation state to the division unit 59.

  The browsing unit 57 is a function formed in the CPU 111 when the CPU 111 executes a browsing program. The browsing unit 57 includes a data acquisition unit 71 and a rendering unit 73. The data acquisition unit 71 stores a first type of user agent and a second type of user agent in advance. Based on the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53, the data acquisition unit 71 stores the first type of user agent. One of the user agent and the second type of user agent is selected. The first type of user agent is one of a plurality of user agents determined by a combination of the type and version of an operating system installed on a personal computer or the like, and the second type of user agent is a mobile phone or PDA. Any one of a plurality of user agents determined by a combination of the type and version of an operating system installed in a portable information device such as one is predetermined in MFP 100. Here, since the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53 is the display capability of the portable information device 200, the second type of user agent is selected.

  The data acquisition unit 71 includes a URL input from the data reception unit 51 and the selected second type user agent, and generates a page transmission request command for requesting transmission of a web page. The page transmission request command is, for example, a GET command in the HTTP protocol. When the data acquisition unit 71 generates the page transmission request command, the data acquisition unit 71 transmits the generated page transmission request command to the server 400 specified by the URL included in the page transmission request operation via the communication I / F 116. When the communication I / F unit 112 receives a web page from the server 400 after transmitting a page transmission request command to the server 400, the data acquisition unit 71 acquires the received web page and renders the acquired web page To the unit 73.

  The rendering unit 73 interprets the web page input from the data acquisition unit 73 to generate a display image, and outputs the generated display image to the dividing unit 59. Specifically, the rendering unit 73 uses the style sheet corresponding to the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53 among the style sheets defined by the CSS media query described in the web page, and displays the display image. Is generated.

  The dividing unit 59 divides the display image input from the rendering unit 73 into a plurality of partial images, and outputs the plurality of partial images to the printing image generation unit 61. The dividing unit 59 receives a print condition from the data receiving unit 51, a display capability from the display capability acquisition unit 53, and an operation state from the operation state acquisition unit 55.

  The dividing unit 59 includes a division number determining unit 75. The division number determination unit 75 determines the number of partial images into which the display image is divided. When the operation state acquired by the operation state acquisition unit 55 does not include an operation state indicating that an enlargement operation has been performed, the division number determination unit 75 includes a display included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. The number of divisions is determined based on the size of the surface and the size and direction of use of the paper included in the print conditions.

  The division number determining unit 75 determines the length of the side in the vertical direction of the paper and the length of the side in the horizontal direction of the paper based on the size and use direction of the paper included in the print conditions. Here, the length of the side in the vertical direction of the paper and the length of the side in the horizontal direction of the paper indicate a range in which the image forming unit 140 can form an image. Further, the display image has a horizontal size that is the same as the horizontal size of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. The division number determination unit 75 determines the division number when the vertical size of the display image is larger than the vertical size of the paper. The division number determination unit 75 determines the division number to be “1” when the vertical size of the display image is equal to or smaller than the vertical size of the paper. The division number determination unit 75 can arrange the display image in the horizontal direction on the paper so that the horizontal size of the display image is the same as the horizontal size of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. The maximum number is determined as the number of divisions. Here, the horizontal size of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53 is the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit 216 included in the portable information device 200. If the horizontal side length LH1 of the display surface of the display unit 216 included in the portable information device 200 is set to the horizontal side length LH2, the maximum displayable image can be arranged in the horizontal direction of the paper. The number NH1 is an integer part of a value obtained by dividing the length LH2 of the lateral side of the sheet by the length LH1 of the lateral side of the display surface. The division number determination unit 75 generates arrangement size information including the horizontal length of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. When the integer part of the value N is represented by MOD (N), the maximum number NH1 in the horizontal direction is represented by the following formula (1).

NH1 = MOD (LH2 / LH1) (1)
In addition, the division number determination unit 75 displays the operation state when the operation state is acquired by the operation state acquisition unit 55 and includes an operation state indicating that the acquired operation state includes an enlargement operation. The maximum number that can be arranged in the horizontal direction on the paper is determined as the number of divisions, with the horizontal size of the image being the same as the size after the horizontal size is enlarged at a magnification corresponding to the enlargement operation. The division number determination unit 75 determines the division number when the vertical size after the display image is enlarged at a magnification corresponding to the enlargement operation is larger than the vertical size of the paper. The division number determination unit 75 determines the division number to be “1” when the vertical size after the display image is enlarged at a magnification corresponding to the enlargement operation is equal to or smaller than the vertical size of the paper. Assuming that the magnification corresponding to the enlargement operation is B, the maximum number NH1 capable of arranging the enlarged display image on the paper in the horizontal direction is a value obtained by multiplying the horizontal length LH1 of the display surface by the magnification B. Is the integer part of the value obtained by dividing the length LH2 of the side in the horizontal direction of the paper. The arrangement number determination unit 59 generates arrangement size information including the horizontal length after the horizontal length of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53 is enlarged by the magnification B. . When the integer part of the value N is represented by MOD (N), the maximum number NH1 in the horizontal direction is represented by the following equation (2).

NH1 = MOD (LH2 / (LH1 * B)) (2)
The dividing unit 59 generates the same number of partial images as the dividing number NH1 by dividing the display image into the dividing number NH1 which is the maximum number NH1 determined by the dividing number determining unit 75. The division unit 59 outputs the same number of partial images as the division number NH1 and the arrangement size information to the print image generation unit 61.

  The printing image generation unit 61 receives the same number of partial images as the division number NH1 and the arrangement size information from the division unit 59. The print image generation unit 61 includes an arrangement unit 77. The array unit 77 has the same number of partial images as the number of divisions NH1 so that each of the partial images having the same number as the number of divisions NH1 input from the division unit 59 has a horizontal size that is specified by the arrangement size information. By enlarging or reducing each image, the same number of printing partial images as the division number NH1 are generated.

  The printing image generation unit 61 generates a printing image in which the same number of printing partial images as the division number NH1 are arranged in the horizontal direction. The print image generation unit 61 outputs the generated print image to the image formation control unit 63.

  The image formation control unit 63 receives print conditions from the data reception unit 51 and receives print images from the print image generation unit 61. The image formation control unit 63 controls the image formation unit 140 to form an image for printing on a sheet according to the printing conditions.

<Specific example>
Here, a specific example will be described. The A4 size paper has a horizontal size of 210 mm and a vertical size of 294 mm. When the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit 216 of the portable information device 200 is 90 mm, the number of divisions is “2”. In this case, when the URL is received from the portable information device 200, two partial images obtained by dividing the display image displayed on the portable information device 200 into two equal parts are displayed on the portable information device 200. Printing images arranged in the horizontal direction in the same size as the horizontal direction of the display image are formed on A4 size paper.

  When the horizontal size of the display surface of the tablet terminal is 200 mm, the number of divisions is “1”. When the same URL as the URL received from the portable information device 200 is received from the tablet terminal, a print image including a display image having the same size as the display image displayed on the tablet terminal is generated, and the print image is displayed. Are formed on A4 size paper.

  The size of the A3 size paper in the horizontal direction is 420 mm, and the vertical size is 297 mm. When the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit 216 of the portable information device 200 is 90 mm, the number of divisions is “4”. In this case, when receiving the URL from the portable information device 200, four partial images obtained by dividing the display image displayed on the portable information device 200 into four equal parts are displayed on the portable information device 200. Printing images arranged in the horizontal direction in the same size as the horizontal direction of the display image are formed on A3 size paper.

  When the horizontal size of the display surface of the tablet terminal is 200 mm, the number of divisions is “2”. When receiving the same URL as the URL received from the portable information device 200 from the tablet terminal, two partial images obtained by dividing the display image displayed on the tablet terminal into two equal parts were displayed on the tablet terminal. Printing images arranged in the horizontal direction in the same size as the horizontal direction of the display image are formed on A3 size paper.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of browsing processing. The browsing process is a process executed by the CPU 211 when the CPU 211 included in the portable information device 200 executes a program stored in the flash memory 213. Referring to FIG. 6, CPU 211 determines whether or not a URL has been accepted. The process waits until a URL is received. If a URL is received, the process proceeds to step S02. When the URL input by the user is detected by the operation unit 163, the detected URL is accepted. Further, when a predetermined URL is determined, the predetermined URL may be determined without accepting the input of the URL by the user when the browsing program is activated.

  In step S02, a page transmission request command in which the URL accepted in step S01 is set is transmitted. The page transmission request command is, for example, a GET command, and a case where the GET command is transmitted to the computer specified by the URL, here, the server 400 via the wireless LAN I / F 218 will be described as an example.

  In the next step S03, it is determined whether or not a web page has been received. It is determined whether or not the wireless LAN I / F 218 has received a web page from the computer that transmitted the page transmission request command in step S02, here, the server 400. The process waits until a web page is received from server 400. If a web page is received, the process proceeds to step S04.

  In step S04, the web page received in step S03 is interpreted to generate a display image. In the next step S05, the display image is displayed on the display unit 216, and the process proceeds to step S06. The display image is enlarged or reduced to be displayed so that the horizontal size of the display image is the same as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit 216. In this case, the display image after enlargement or reduction may be larger in size in the vertical direction than the display surface of the display unit 216. In this case, a part of the display image is displayed on the display unit 216. Hereinafter, a portion displayed on the display unit 216 in the display image is referred to as a display portion.

  In step S06, it is determined whether an operation by the user is accepted. An operation input by the user to the operation unit 217 is received. The user's operation includes a display change instruction operation for instructing to change the display portion displayed on the display unit 216 of the display image, a print instruction operation for printing the display image, and an end to end the processing. An instruction operation and a page switching instruction operation for switching to display of another web page are included. The display change instruction operation includes an enlargement operation or reduction operation for instructing enlargement or reduction of an image displayed on the display unit 216, and a so-called scroll operation for instructing movement of a display portion in the display image.

  In the next step S06, the process is branched according to the accepted operation. If a display change instruction operation is accepted, the process proceeds to step S07. If a print instruction operation is accepted, the process proceeds to step S12. If an end instruction operation is accepted, the process is terminated, and a page switching instruction operation is accepted. If so, the process proceeds to step S18.

  In step S07, the display part is changed, and the process proceeds to step S08. When accepting an enlargement operation, the size of the display portion is reduced, and the display portion after the size is changed in the display image is enlarged and displayed on the entire display unit 216. When accepting the reduction operation, the size of the display portion is increased, and the display portion after the size is changed in the display image is reduced and displayed on the entire display unit 216. When a scroll operation is accepted, the display part is moved in parallel, and the display part after the movement in the display image is displayed on the entire display unit 161.

  In step S08, it is determined whether or not the operation accepted in step S07 is an enlargement operation or a reduction operation. If it is an enlargement operation or a reduction operation, the process proceeds to step S09; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S09, the operation state including the magnification enlarged or reduced by the enlargement operation or the reduction operation and indicating that the enlargement operation or the reduction operation has occurred is stored in the flash memory 213, and the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, it is determined whether or not the operation accepted in step S06 is a scroll operation. If the operation is a scroll operation, the process proceeds to step S11; otherwise, the process returns to step S06. In step S11, the operation state indicating the scroll operation direction including the direction of the scroll operation is stored in the flash memory 213, and the process returns to step S06.

  The process proceeds to step S12 when the print instruction operation is accepted in step S06. In step S12, an output destination is accepted. Specifically, device identification information for identifying a printable device is registered in advance, and a list of registered device identification information is displayed on the display unit 216 so as to be selectable. If one is selected, the device specified by the selected device identification information is accepted as an output destination device. Here, a case where MFP 100 is selected as the output destination will be described as an example.

  In the next step S13, the paper size and direction of use are accepted. A print condition setting screen is displayed on the display unit 216, and a paper size and a use direction input by the user to the operation unit 217 according to the print condition setting screen are received. Since the paper is rectangular, the paper size is determined by the length in the longitudinal direction of the paper and the length in the short direction. The paper size may be an A4 size, a B4 size, or the like in which the length in the longitudinal direction and the length in the short direction of the paper are predetermined. The direction of use is either the vertical direction when the image is formed with the longitudinal direction of the paper vertical, or the horizontal direction when the image is formed with the longitudinal direction being horizontal. In the next step S14, the paper size and direction of use are set as print conditions, and the process proceeds to step S15.

  In step S15, the URL and print conditions are transmitted to the output destination accepted in step S12, and the process proceeds to step S16. The URL is the URL accepted in step S01. In addition, when step S18 described later is executed, the URL of the page determined in step S18. Specifically, the URL and the print conditions are transmitted to the output destination received in step S12, here, the MFP 100 via the wireless LAN I / F 218. In step S16, the display capability of display unit 216 is transmitted to the output destination accepted in step S12, and the process proceeds to step S17. The display capability of the display unit 216 includes the vertical length and the horizontal length of the display surface of the display unit 216 as the size of the display surface of the display unit 216. Based on the direction of gravity detected by the triaxial acceleration sensor 219, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the display surface of the display unit 216 are determined.

  In step S17, the operation state stored in the flash memory 213 in step S11 or step S13 is transmitted to the output destination accepted in step S12, and the process returns to step S06. Specifically, the operation state is transmitted to the output destination accepted in step S12, here, the MFP 100 via the wireless LAN I / F 218.

  When the process proceeds to step S18, a page switching instruction operation is accepted at step S06. In step S18, the web page specified by the page switching instruction operation is determined, and the process returns to step S02. The page switching instruction operation is an operation for switching to display of another web page, for example, an operation for instructing an image linked to another web page included in the display image.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of print processing. The print processing is processing executed by CPU 111 when CPU 111 provided in MFP 100 executes an image forming program stored in ROM 113, EEPROM 115, HDD 116, or CD-ROM 119A. Referring to FIG. 7, CPU 111 determines whether a URL and print conditions have been received (step S51). The process waits until the URL and print conditions are received (NO in step S51). If they are received (YES in step S51), the process proceeds to step S52. In other words, the print process is a process that is executed on condition that the URL and the print condition are received. Here, a case where the communication I / F unit 112 receives a URL and print conditions from the portable information device 200 will be described as an example.

  In step S52, a page transmission request command in which the URL received in step S51 is set is transmitted. The page transmission request command is, for example, a GET command, and a case where the GET command is transmitted to the computer specified by the URL, here, the server 400 via the communication I / F unit 112 will be described as an example.

  In the next step S53, it is determined whether or not a web page has been received. The communication I / F unit 112 determines whether or not a web page is received from the computer that has transmitted the page transmission request command in step S52, here, the server 400. The process waits until a web page is received from server 400. If a web page is received, the process proceeds to step S54.

  In step S54, the web page received in step S53 is interpreted and a display image is generated. In the next step S55, display capability is acquired. When communication I / F unit 112 receives display capability from portable information device 200, it acquires the display capability. In the next step S56, the operation state is acquired. When communication I / F unit 112 receives an operation state from portable information device 200, the operation state is acquired.

  In the next step S57, the paper size and direction of use are acquired. Specifically, the paper size and use direction set in the print condition received in step S51 are extracted. In the next step S58, a dividing process is executed, and the process proceeds to step S59. Although details of the division processing will be described later, this is processing for generating one or more partial images obtained by equally dividing the display image by the number of divisions.

  In step S59, a print image is generated. Each of the one or more partial images generated in step S59 is enlarged so that the horizontal size thereof is the same as the horizontal size of the display surface of the portable information device 200 included in the display capability acquired in step S55. Alternatively, the image for printing is generated by reducing and arranging one or more enlarged or reduced partial images in the horizontal direction. In the next step S60, the image forming unit 140 is controlled to form the generated printing image on a sheet having a size and use direction set according to the printing conditions, and the process is terminated.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of division processing. The division process is a process executed in step S58 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 8, CPU 111 determines the display surface size of display unit 216 of portable information device 200 that has transmitted the display image. The display surface size is determined as the vertical length and the horizontal length included in the display capability acquired from the portable information device 200 in step S55 of FIG.

  In the next step S72, the paper size and the direction of use of the paper on which the image is formed are determined. In step S51 of FIG. 7, the paper size and the usage direction determined by the printing conditions acquired from the portable information device 200 are determined.

  In the next step S73, based on the operation state acquired from the portable information device 200 in step S56 of FIG. If an operation state including information indicating that the enlargement operation has been performed is acquired, it is determined that the enlargement operation has been performed. If the enlargement operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S74; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S75. In step S74, the display surface size determined in step S71 is enlarged at the magnification included in the operation state including the signal indicating that the enlargement operation has been performed, and the process proceeds to step S75.

  In step S75, it is determined whether the vertical size of the display image is larger than the vertical size of the paper. The vertical size of the display image is the same as the vertical size of the display surface of portable information device 200 when step S74 is not executed, and portable information device 200 when step S74 is executed. This is the same as the size obtained by multiplying the vertical size of the display surface by the enlargement factor. Further, the size in the vertical direction of the paper is the size in the vertical direction within the range in which the image forming unit 140 can form an image. If the vertical size of the display image is larger than the vertical size of the paper, the process proceeds to step S76; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S77. In step S77, the number of divisions is determined as “1”, and the process proceeds to step S78.

  In step S76, the maximum number of display images that can be arranged in the horizontal direction is determined as the division number, and the process proceeds to step S78. If the length LH1 of the horizontal side of the display surface of the display unit 216 provided in the portable information device 200 is set to the length LH2 of the horizontal side of the sheet, the display image is displayed when step S74 is not executed. The maximum number NH1 that can be arranged in the horizontal direction of the paper is an integer part of a value obtained by dividing the length LH2 of the horizontal side of the paper by the length LH1 of the horizontal side of the display surface. In addition, when step S74 is executed, if the magnification corresponding to the enlargement operation is B, the maximum number NH1 that can arrange the enlarged display image on the paper in the horizontal direction is the horizontal number of the display surface. This is an integer part of the value obtained by dividing the side length LH2 in the horizontal direction of the paper by the value obtained by multiplying the side length LH1 by the magnification B.

  In step S78, a partial image of the number of divisions is generated, and the process returns to the print process. By dividing the display image by the number of divisions, partial images of the number of divisions are generated.

<First Modification>
The dividing unit 59 in the modified example divides the display image input from the rendering unit 73 into a plurality of partial images, and outputs the plurality of partial images to the printing image generating unit 61. The dividing unit 59 in the modified example receives the print condition from the data receiving unit 51, the display capability from the display capability acquisition unit 53, and the operation state from the operation state acquisition unit 55.

  The dividing unit 59 in the modification includes a division number determining unit 75 in the modification. The division number determination unit 75 in the modification example determines the number to divide the display image. When the operation state acquired by the operation state acquisition unit 55 does not include an operation state indicating that an enlargement operation has been performed, the division number determination unit 75 in the modification example uses the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. The number of divisions is determined based on the size of the display surface included and the size and direction of use of the paper included in the print conditions.

  The division number determination unit 75 in the modification determines the length of the vertical side of the paper and the length of the horizontal side of the paper based on the size and use direction of the paper included in the print condition, and displays The horizontal size of the image is the same as the horizontal size of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53, and each of the plurality of partial images obtained by dividing the display image after scaling is divided. The number of divisions is determined so that the maximum size in the vertical direction is not more than a threshold value determined with respect to the size in the vertical direction of the paper. The threshold value determined for the vertical size of the paper is a value smaller than the vertical size of the paper, and is a value within a range in which the image forming unit 140 can form an image. Here, assuming that the threshold value is TLH and the vertical length of the display image after scaling is LV3, the division number NH2 of the display image is the vertical length of the display image after scaling. This is a value obtained by adding 1 to the integer part of the value obtained by dividing the length LV3 by the threshold value TLH. The division number determination unit 75 in the modified example generates arrangement size information including the horizontal length of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. When the integer part of the value N is represented by MOD (N), the division number NH2 is represented by the following expression (3).

NH2 = MOD (LV3 / TLH) +1 (3)
In addition, the division number determination unit 75 in the modified example includes a case where the operation state is acquired by the operation state acquisition unit 55 and includes an operation state indicating that the acquired operation state includes an enlargement operation. In this case, the horizontal size of the display image is set to the same size as the size after the display surface size included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53 is enlarged at a magnification corresponding to the enlargement operation. The number of divisions is determined so that the maximum vertical size of each of the plurality of partial images obtained by dividing the subsequent display image is equal to or less than a threshold value determined with respect to the vertical size of the paper. Assuming that the vertical length of the display image after scaling is LV4, the division number NH2 of the display image is obtained by dividing the vertical length LV4 of the display image after scaling by the threshold value TLH. It is a value obtained by adding 1 to the integer part of the value. The division number determination unit 75 in the modified example generates arrangement size information including the horizontal length of the display surface included in the display capability input from the display capability acquisition unit 53. When the integer part of the value N is represented by MOD (N), the division number NH2 is represented by the following expression (4).

NH2 = MOD (LV4 / TLH) +1 (4)
In the embodiment described above, MFP 100 has been described as an example of an image forming apparatus. However, a print control method that causes MFP 100 to execute the print processing illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 and CPU 111 that MFP 100 includes the print control method are described. Needless to say, the invention can be understood as a print control program to be executed by the computer.

  As described above, MFP 100 according to the present embodiment functions as an image forming apparatus and receives the URL and print conditions of the web page from portable information device 200 that displays the web page downloaded from server 400. For obtaining the display capability of the display unit 216 of the portable information device 200 and displaying it on the display unit 200 of the portable information device 200 using the display capability of the portable information device 200 based on the display data specified by the URL. A display image is generated, and the display image is formed on a sheet. Therefore, the same image as the display image displayed on the display unit of the portable information device 200 can be formed on the paper.

  Further, the number of divisions for dividing the display image is determined based on the size of the display unit 216 of the portable information device 200 and the size of the paper, and the display image is divided into the same number of partial images as the number of divisions. A print image is generated by arranging the same number of partial images. Therefore, the display image can be formed on one recording medium.

  In addition, since a plurality of partial images are generated in such a manner that the horizontal size of each of the partial images is the same as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit 216 of the portable information device 200, and the partial images are arranged in the horizontal direction. The horizontal size of the display size can be set to the same size as the image displayed on the portable information device 200 to form an image.

  Further, when the web page displayed on the portable information device 200 is enlarged and displayed, when the enlargement ratio is acquired from the portable information device 200, a plurality of partial images are displayed with respective horizontal sizes. Since the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit 216 of the device 200 is set to the same size as the size enlarged based on the enlargement ratio, and the images are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, the image and the horizontal summary displayed on the portable information device 200 Images having the same size can be formed on a sheet.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

<Appendix>
(1) The browsing means includes data acquisition means for transmitting an acquisition request including the acquired address and a parameter determined by the display capability to the server and receiving the display data from the server. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
(2) The browsing means according to any one of claims 1 to 8, including rendering means for interpreting a portion of the acquired display data corresponding to the display capability and generating the display data. Image forming apparatus.

1 Image forming system, 3 networks, 5 wireless stations, 7 Internet, 100 MFP, 110 main circuit, 111 CPU, 112 communication I / F unit, 113 ROM, 114 RAM, 115 EEPROM, 116 HDD, 117 facsimile unit, 119 external Storage device, 119A CD-ROM, 120 automatic document feeder, 130 document reading unit, 140 image forming unit, 150 paper feeding unit, 155 post-processing unit, 160 operation panel, 161 display unit, 163 operation unit, 165 touch panel, 200 Portable information device, 211 CPU, 212 camera, 213 flash memory, 214 wireless communication unit, 215 call unit, 216 display unit, 217 operation unit, 217A touch panel, 218 wireless LAN I / F, 219 3-axis acceleration sensor, 400 server, 51 data Reception unit, 53 Display capability acquisition unit, 55 Operation state acquisition unit, 57 Browsing unit, 59 Division unit, 59 Arrangement number determination unit, 59 Division unit, 61 Print image generation unit, 63 Image formation control unit, 71 Data acquisition unit 73 rendering unit 73 data obtaining unit 73 rendering unit 75 division number determining unit 77 array unit 251 operation receiving unit 253 display control unit 255 browsing unit 257 operation state transmitting unit 259 display capability transmitting unit 261 Description data acquisition unit, 263 generation unit, 265 URL transmission unit.

Claims (10)

An image forming apparatus capable of communicating with a portable information device,
Address acquisition means for acquiring an address of display data described in a data description language from the portable information device;
Display capability acquisition means for acquiring the display capability of the display means included in the portable information device;
Browsing means for generating a display image for display on the display means based on display data specified by the acquired address, using the acquired display capability;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming control unit that forms an image of the display image on a recording medium. Dividing means for dividing the display image into a plurality of partial images based on the display capability and the size of the recording medium;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a printing image generation unit configured to generate a printing image in which the plurality of partial images are arranged side by side. The display capability includes the size of the display surface of the display means,
The printing image generation unit arranges the plurality of partial images side by side in the horizontal direction, with each horizontal size being the same size as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit. The image forming apparatus described.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the dividing unit includes a division number determining unit that determines a division number from a horizontal size of a display surface of the display unit and a horizontal size of the recording medium.   The dividing unit has a vertical size obtained by scaling the horizontal size of the display image to the same size as the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit, and the vertical size of the recording medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a division number determining unit that determines a division number from When the image displayed on the display means is enlarged and displayed while the image corresponding to the display data is being displayed on the display means in the portable information apparatus, the display means from the portable information apparatus Further comprising an enlargement ratio acquisition means for acquiring an enlargement ratio obtained by enlarging the image displayed on
When the enlargement ratio is acquired, the printing image generation unit determines the size of each of the plurality of partial images based on the enlargement ratio and the size of the display surface of the display unit in the horizontal direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming apparatus has the same size as the enlarged size and is arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.   The division means includes division number determination means for determining a division number from a size obtained by enlarging a horizontal size of a display surface of the display means with the enlargement ratio and a horizontal size of the recording medium. The image forming apparatus described in 1.   The dividing unit has a vertical size obtained by scaling the display image to the same size as a size obtained by enlarging the horizontal size of the display surface of the display unit with the enlargement factor. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a division number determining unit that determines a division number from a vertical size of the recording medium. A print control method executed by an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with a portable information device,
An address acquisition step of acquiring an address of display data described in a data description language from the portable information device;
A display capability acquisition step of acquiring the display capability of the display means provided in the portable information device;
A browsing step for generating a display image to be displayed on the display means based on display data specified by the acquired address using the acquired display capability;
An image formation control step of forming an image of the display image on a recording medium. A print control program executed by a computer that controls an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with a portable information device,
An address acquisition step of acquiring an address of display data described in a data description language from the portable information device;
A display capability acquisition step of acquiring the display capability of the display means provided in the portable information device;
A browsing step for generating a display image to be displayed on the display means based on display data specified by the acquired address using the acquired display capability;
A print control program for causing the computer to execute an image formation control step of forming an image of the display image on a recording medium.

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