Patent ID: 6043901
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A printing control apparatus comprising:a printing unit for performing printing onto a printing paper;a reading unit for reading information of an original document;a printing paper conveyance mechanism for conveying the printing paper;an original document conveyance mechanism for conveying the original document;a rotary member for producing a rotating force;a switching mechanism including an intermediary unit driven by the rotary member for switching operation modes among a reading mode, printing mode and a copying mode in accordance with a position of revolution thereof around the rotary member, the intermediary member being for transmitting the rotating force of the rotary member to only the original document conveyance mechanism in the reading mode, to only the printing paper conveyance mechanism in the printing mode, and to both of the printing paper conveyance mechanism and the original document conveyance mechanism simultaneously in the copying mode; anda control unit for, by driving the switching mechanism, selecting one from a plurality of processes that include a printing process for executing the printing mode to thereby convey the printing paper by the printing paper conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the printing paper through the printing unit to thereby perform printing onto the printing paper in the printing unit, a reading process for executing the reading mode to thereby convey the original document by the original document conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the original document through the reading unit to thereby perform reading the original document in the reading unit, and a copying process for executing the copying mode to thereby convey the original document by the original document conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the original document through the reading unit to thereby perform reading of the original document in the reading unit and simultaneously convey the printing paper by the printing paper conveyance mechanism and thereby pass the printing paper through the printing unit to thereby perform printing onto the printing paper in the printing unit,wherein the control unit executes the printing mode immediately before the execution of the copying mode in the copying process to thereby perform cueing of the printing paper, and, when performing this cueing, differentiates a top margin feed length corresponding to a top margin of the printing paper from that corresponding to the cueing of the printing paper in the printing mode in other than the copying process, thereby making actual margins provided on the printing papers substantially the same between the respective processes.