Patent ID: 6727999
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G03G,H04N

Abstract:
An image formation system, which includes at least one of a plurality of apparatuses including a computer, a plurality of image formation apparatuses, and a collator apparatus, the plurality of image formation apparatuses including at least a first image formation apparatus and a second image formation apparatus adapted to print on sheets to be assembled by the collator apparatus, the collator apparatus including a plurality of storage units for storing the sheets and adapted to assemble a plurality of sheaves of sheets respectively held in the plurality of storage units as one sheaf of sheets, said system comprising:separation means for causing the first image formation apparatus and the second image formation apparatus to execute a separation print process of a job outputted by the computer, in order to divisionally execute printing of the job outputted by the computer by the first image formation apparatus and the second image formation apparatus, such that a first sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the first image formation apparatus and a second sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the second image formation apparatus in the separation print process are assembled as one sheaf of sheets by the collator apparatus; guide means for providing guidance information, which includes information for enabling a user to discriminate which storage unit of the collator apparatus the first sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the first image formation apparatus should be set to and information for enabling the user to discriminate which storage unit of the collator apparatus the second sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the second image formation apparatus should be set to, in a case in which the first sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the first image formation apparatus and the second sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the second image formation apparatus respectively set in different storage units by the user are to be assembled as one sheaf of sheets by the collator apparatus; and mixing means for causing assembly of the first sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the first image formation apparatus and the second sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the second image formation apparatus, respectively set by the user in the different storage units of the collator apparatus, as one sheaf of sheets in proper page order, in a case in which the first sheaf of sheets of the job printed by the first image formation apparatus and the second sheaf of sheet of the job printed by the second image formation apparatus respectively set in the different storage units of the collator apparatus are to be assembled as one sheaf of sheets by the collator apparatus.