Patent ID: 8654391
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: G03G,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming device comprising: an image data storing unit which stores image data of a plurality of pages; an operating unit; a number-of-sheets setting unit which sets, in response to an operation performed on the operating unit, a number of sheets of paper that is used for N-up printing of the plurality of pages; a number-of-pages determining unit which determines a number of pages that is aggregated on a single side of a single sheet of paper when N-up printing of the plurality of pages is performed using the number of sheets of paper set by the number-of-sheets setting unit; a paper orientation selecting unit for selecting a paper orientation that enables a reduction ratio of a page to be lowered when N-up printing of the plurality of pages is performed on the number of pages determined by the number-of-pages determining unit; an image forming unit which uses the image data of the plurality of pages stored in the image data storing unit to form images of the plurality of pages onto sheets of paper according to the number of sheets of paper set by the number-of-sheets setting unit, the number of pages determined by the number-of-pages determining unit, and the paper orientation selected by the paper orientation selecting unit; and a page editing unit that reduces a number of the plurality of pages, the page editing unit including: an image area calculating unit which calculates a size of an image area in which an image of each of the plurality of pages is formed using image data of the plurality of pages stored in the image data storing unit; an image area synthesis judging unit which judges, with respect to the size of the image area calculated by the image area calculating unit, whether or not a sum of sizes of image areas of two adjacent pages among respective pages is smaller than a predetermined value; an image area synthesizing unit which generates, for two adjacent pages for which the sum is judged by the image area synthesis judging unit to be smaller than the predetermined value, image data in which the image areas of the two adjacent pages are synthesized into a single page; and an image data substituting unit which substitutes, for image data of the plurality of pages stored in the image data storing unit, image data of the two adjacent pages for which the sum is judged by the image area synthesis judging unit to be smaller than the predetermined value, by the single page image data generated by the image area synthesizing unit, wherein the number-of-pages determining unit determines the number of pages using the plurality of pages edited by the page editing unit, and the image forming unit forms images of the plurality of pages onto a sheet of paper using image data of the plurality of pages which is stored in the image data storing unit, the plurality of pages being edited by the page editing unit.