Abstract:
An image forming apparatus according to this invention comprises: a printer unit for printing and outputting image data; a mode setting unit for setting a print mode to the printer unit, said mode setting unit having an operating unit that can be operated by a user; a submitting unit for submitting recommended modes which are some of print modes relating to a specific job-setting item when the user input the specific job-setting item by operating the operating unit to set the print mode; and a control unit for controlling the printer unit, causing the printer unit to print and output the image data in a mode selected from the recommended modes presented by the submitting unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP), a copier or a printer, and a printing method for use in the image forming apparatus. More particularly, the invention aims at enhancing the maneuverability of the apparatus and method.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     In the image forming apparatus, such as a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP), can function not only as a copier, but also as a printer that can print image data generated in personal computers (PCs) if connected to the PCs by a network.  
         [0005]     The image forming apparatus, such as a copier, must be set to various operating modes in order to perform a copying process. To print data, the desired magnification is set, the desired paper size is selected, the one-sided printing or two-sided printing is selected, the N-in-1 printing (printing of several pages on a single paper sheet) is set, and the desired printing density is set. After the printing is performed, stapling and/or punching may be carried out. To accomplish these post-printing processes, it is necessary to set the stapling position and the punching position.  
         [0006]     In view of this, in general, image forming apparatuses are set to a standard operating mode that is most frequently used, in which the magnification is 100%, paper size is A4, one-sided printing is designated, automatic printing-density is selected and non-sorting is selected. To operate the apparatuses in any mode other than the standard mode, however, the user need to set various mode items individually, spending much time.  
         [0007]     Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-307781 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,842 B1) describes an image forming apparatus in which image-forming conditions set, such as paper size, can be recognized with ease hand in a short time. In this prior art, the operation panel of the copier has a display. To make a copy of an original, the display displays two icons side by side. One icon schematically represents the original, and the other icon schematically represents a copy paper sheet. If the original has size larger than the copy paper sheet, the display displays a message telling that the entire original cannot be copied on the paper sheet. The display displays other messages, prompting the user to change the paper sheet to another and to change the copy magnification.  
         [0008]     Hence, the user can change the copy magnification and select desired paper sheets, while seeing the display screen. In addition, the user can select a stapling position and a punching position to perform stapling and punching, i.e., post-printing processes, just looking at the images displayed on the screen.  
         [0009]     The prior art is indeed advantageous in that the user can set copy modes, while looking at the icons displayed on the screen. However, the prior art is not so useful, because it takes the user much time to set various copy modes because he or she needs to select and input them, one item by one item. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a diagram depicting the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart explaining how various print modes are set in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of an initial menu displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an example of a menu that is displayed when “Application,” i.e., one of the print-job items, is selected and input in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an example of a menu that is displayed when “Recommended Setting,” i.e., one of the print-job items, is selected and input in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of a menu that is displayed when “Number of copies,” i.e., one of the print-job items, is selected and input in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of a menu that is displayed when “Two-sided Printing,” i.e., one of the print-job items, is selected and input in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a diagram showing an example of a menu that is displayed when “Distribution,” i.e., one of the print-job items, is selected and input in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating an example of another initial menu displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a diagram showing an example of the detail setting menu to which the initial menu of  FIG. 10  has been switched in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as examples, rather than limitations on the apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0022]     An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows an image forming apparatus  100  that is a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP). The image forming apparatus  100  can be connected to an external apparatus  300  such as a personal computer (PC), through a network  200  such as a local area network (LAN). The following description is based on the assumption that the image forming apparatus  100  and the external apparatus  300  are an MFP and a client PC, respectively.  
         [0024]     The image forming apparatus  100  has an image data processing unit  10 , a printer unit  20 , and a scanner unit  30 . The image data processing unit  10  has a system controller  11 , an operation panel  12 , and a hard disk drive (HDD)  13 . The system controller  11  stores software that controls the other components of the unit  10 . The operation panel  12  is connected to the system controller  11 . The HDD  13  is a storage device. The image data processing unit  10  further has a network interface (I/F)  14 , which connects the system controller  11  to the PC  300  and the like via a LAN  200 .  
         [0025]     The operation panel  12  can be operated by the user. It has an input unit  121  that is operated to input various instructions to the system controller  11 . The operation panel  12  has a display  122 , which can display various data items.  
         [0026]     The HDD  13  is a storage medium that temporarily stores the print data generated by the PC  300 , the data read by the scanner unit  30  and some other data. The printer unit  20  has a printer CPU  21 , a laser CPU  22 , and a paper feeding control CPU  23 . The CPUs  21 ,  22  and  23  are connected to one another. The printer CPU  21  controls the printer unit  20 , cooperating with the system controller  11 .  
         [0027]     The laser CPU  22  controls a laser  24 . It controls the emission of a laser beam from the laser  24 , which scans the photosensitive body to form an image. The paper feeding control CPU  23  controls an automatic paper feeding unit (ADU)  41  and a paper feeding unit  42 , so that paper sheets may be fed to undergo one-sided printing or two-sided printing. The printer CPU  21  controls a finisher  43 . The finisher  43  first performs stapling, punching or saddle stitching and then feeds out of the image forming apparatus  100 .  
         [0028]     The scanner unit  30  has a scanner CPU  31 , an automatic document feeder (ADF)  32 , and a CCD  33 . The scanner CPU  31  controls the other components of the scanner unit  30 , cooperating with the system controller  11 . Using an exposure lamp, the scanner unit  30  irradiates the original placed on the original table. The CCD  33  receives the light reflected from the original, reads the image printed on the original and converts the image into image data. The ADF  32  is a device that feeds originals onto the original table, one after another.  
         [0029]     The client PC  300  provides print data. It has a data generating unit  301  and a printer driver  302 . The data generating unit  301  uses application software, generating print data resubmitting texts and figures. The printer driver  302  receives the image data from the data generating unit  301  and outputs the image data as page-describing language (PLD) data to the image forming apparatus  100  via the network  200 . The printer driver  302  has an input unit  303 , which can input instructions such as print request to the MFP  100 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 2  shows an example of the operation panel  12 . The input unit  121  has keys  12   a , a clear key  12   b , and a start key  12   c . When pushed, the keys  12   a  input, for example, the number of copies to make. When depressed, the clear key  12   b  cancels any erroneous inputs. When pushed, the start key  12   c  instructs that the printing sequence be started. The operation panel  12  has a display  122  of touch-panel type. When the user touches the items displayed on the display  122 , various image-forming conditions are set, such as paper size, one- or two-sided printing, stapling, and punching and the like. Thus, the system controller  11  controls the printer unit  20  in the print mode desired by the user, in accordance with the operation of the touch panel, the operation of the start key, and the like.  
         [0031]     This invention is characterized in that the display  122  displays some recommended print modes when the user places an original on the original table of the scanner unit  30  and operates the operation panel  12 , inputting some of the items displayed. Then, the user can select the desired print mode from the recommended copy modes.  
         [0032]     The print modes include modes directly related to printing, such as one-sided printing, two-sided printing and N-in-1 mode, and process modes for post-printing process, such as stapling, punching and saddle stitching (bookbinding) that the finisher performs. In the following description, these modes will be generally called print modes. The recommended modes are those of the print modes, which are preset and used in any possible combination in order to output data in any state the user desires.  
         [0033]     The user can set any desired print mode by performing an easy operation. The user need not select many items as with the conventional image forming apparatus, before he or she can set a desired print mode. The user can of course set a mode in detail if the desired print mode is not included in the recommended copy modes.  
         [0034]     How the image forming apparatus that is an embodiment of this invention operates as a whole will be described, with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart explaining how the scanner unit  30  reads an original, thereby to copy the original. Step S 1  is the start step. In Step S 2 , the user sets the original on the original table of the scanner unit  30 . In Step S 3 , it is determined whether a specific print-job item has been input or not. The specific print-job item is a job-setting item that has been selected from the job-function setting menu displayed by the display  122  of the operation panel  12 . That is, it is determined whether the user has touched (or selected) the job item.  
         [0036]     If the specific print-job item has been selected (if YES), the display  122  of the operation panel  12  displays a menu of modes recommended for the copying process in Step S 4 . Thus, several icons of recommended copy modes are displayed. In Step S 5 , the user selects a desired print mode from the icons displayed. Once the user has selected a recommended mode, the flow goes to Step S 6 , in which it is determined whether the start key  12   c  has been depressed or not. If the user has depressed the start key  12   c , the printing process and the post-printing process are carried out in Step S 7 , in the recommended mode that has been selected. Thus, the copying process is performed.  
         [0037]     If the icons presented in Step S 4  do not include the desired recommended mode and if no recommended modes are selected in step S 5  or it is determined in Step S 6  that the start key  12   c  has not been depressed, the flow goes to Step S 8 . In Step S 8 , a mode can be set in detail. Thus, the print mode the user desires can be set in Steps S 9  to S 13 , which will be described below.  
         [0038]     The user can set the paper size in Step S 9 , sorting in Step S 10 , the printing-density in Step S 11 , stapling in Step S 12 , and punching in Step S 13 . If these items are set in Steps S 9  to S 13 , respectively (if YES), the menu displayed on the display  122  is changed to another, displaying the contents of the items set in these steps. Then, the copying process is performed in Step S 7  if it is determined in Step S 6  that the start key  12   c  has been depressed.  
         [0039]     Incidentally, in Steps S 9 , S 10 , S 11 , S 12  and S 13 , the standard mode has already been set. If the user switches the standard mode to another mode (if YES), the flow goes to Step S 14 . If the user does not switch the standard mode to another, the process is carried out in the standard mode until the flow proceeds to Step S 6 . If the user needs to set additional items in detail, a step to perform after Step S 13  is added.  
         [0040]     The user can thus set print modes while looking at the screen of the display  122 . In addition, recommended modes are displayed when the user inputs a few items. The user can therefore select the mode he or she desires, from the recommended modes. Hence, the copying process can be carried out, without setting modes in detail in such a way as is required with the conventional apparatus. If the desired mode is not included in the recommended modes, the user can set the desired mode in detail as with the conventional image forming apparatus.  
         [0041]     How print modes are set in the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention will be described, with reference to  FIG. 4  et seq. and the step numbers shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 4  illustrates an initial menu that the display  122  displays when the user sets an original (Step S 1 , S 2 ). The menu displayed on the display screen is a job-function setting menu. The job-function setting menu has a plurality of job items  51 ,  52 ,  53  and  54 , which are, for example, “BASIC”, “EDIT”, “PROGRAM” and “SETTINGS”.  
         [0043]     When the user selects, for example, the job item  51 , “BASIC” in the screen, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the display  122  displays such a low-layer menu as depicted in  FIG. 5 . The low-layer menu has a plurality of icons. These icons include an icon  61  of a “Recommend”.  
         [0044]     If the user selects the icon  61  of the “Recommend”, the display  122  displays such a recommended-setting menu as shown in  FIG. 6 . The recommended-setting menu has print-job setting icons  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  65  and  66 , i.e., “Page”, “Duplex”, “Distribute”, “Sort” and “One Side”.  
         [0045]     Assume that the user selects the icon  62 , i.e., “Page” (Step S 3 ). Then, the recommended modes are displayed in the form of icons, as shown in  FIG. 7  (Step S 4 ).  
         [0046]     As  FIG. 7  shows, an input item  70  is displayed, enabling the user to input the number of copies desired. The user may input “2” to have two copies, or “4” for four or more copies. If the user inputs “4”, a plurality of icons  71  to  75  will be displayed as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0047]     The icon  71  represents a mode of carrying out stapling in the one-side printing. The icon  72  indicates a mode of performing stapling in the two-sided printing. The icon  73  indicates a mode of carrying out stapling and punching in the two-sided printing. The icon  74  indicates a mode of performing 2-in-1 process (A3 paper sheet) and stapling in the two-sided printing. The user selects a desired icon from of these icons  71  to  74  (Steps S 5 ). Then, the user pushes the start key  12   c , whereby the copying process is carried out (Steps S 6  and S 7 ). Thus, the user can set any desired modes, by performing a minimum input operation.  
         [0048]     The display  122  displays four icons  71  to  74  as is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . It may display additional icons of 4-in-1 print mode and saddle stitching mode. Further, it may display an icon of non-stapling mode.  
         [0049]      FIG. 7  illustrates the case where four or more copies are made. If the user inputs “2” for two copies and selects the two-sided printing, stapling need not be carried out. In this case, the icon  72  shown in  FIG. 7  is switched to an icon that represents the non-stapling mode. Similarly, stapling need not be performed in the 2-in-1 print mode. Hence, the print mode icon is switched when the number of copies is changed from “2” to “4”, and vice versa.  
         [0050]     Two recommended modes for setting “number of copies,” i.e., “2” and “4”, are displayed as described above. This facilitates the selection on the part of the user. That is, to set the number of copies desired, one of only two choices (i.e., two copies and four or more copies) is set because it is not wise to count copies one by one. This enhances the convenience for the user.  
         [0051]     In the menu shown in  FIG. 7 , the user may select the item  63 , i.e., “Duplex”. Then, such recommended modes as shown in  FIG. 8  will be displayed as icons. If the user selects the item  64 , i.e., “Distribute”, such recommended modes as shown in  FIG. 9  will be displayed as icons.  
         [0052]     The recommended modes for “Duplex” shown in  FIG. 8  are in a menu for the two-sided copying process. The icon  81  indicates the mode of performing stapling in the two-sided printing. The icon  82  indicates the mode of performing stapling in the two-sided printing and performing the 2-in-1 process (A3 paper sheet). The icon  83  represents the mode of performing no stapling and performing the two-sided printing in the 4-in-1 process.  
         [0053]     In the menu of “Distribute” shown in  FIG. 9 , icons are displayed, which can be well recognized as documents to be distributed in such a way as to save resources. The icon  91  indicates the mode of performing stapling in the one-sided printing. The icon  92  represents the mode of performing stapling in the two-sided printing. The icon  93  indicates the mode of carrying out the 2-in-1 process (A3 paper sheet). The icon  94  indicates the mode of performing no stapling and performing the two-sided printing in the 4-in-1 process (A3 paper sheet).  
         [0054]     Not only for “Page”, “Duplex” and “Distribute”, but also the items  65  and  66 , i.e., “Sort” and “One Side” shown in  FIG. 7 , are displayed as icons of recommended modes such as stapling, N-in-1, and saddle stitching. The user can select any one of these icons displayed. Further, icons of “energy-saving modes” may be displayed. More precisely, additional modes, such as N-in-1 print mode, low-density print mode and paper-size reducing mode of switching A3 size to A4 size, may be displayed.  
         [0055]     Thus, the user can select any desired mode from the recommendable modes. If none of the menus shown in  FIGS. 7, 8  and  9  include the print mode that the user desires, the user may select the icon  75 ,  84  or  95  for “Detail”. Then, the display  122  displays the initial menu shown in  FIG. 4  (Step S 8 ). The user can then select the basic-job items  55 ,  56 ,  57  and  58  from the basic screen to set various print modes, respectively (Steps S 9  to S 14 ).  
         [0056]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating an example of another initial menu that the display  122  can display in the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention. This initial menu immediately shows the recommended modes. The initial menu is identical to the initial menu of  FIG. 6 , except that an icon  67 , “Detail” is added. When the icon  67 , or “Detail” is selected, the menu is switched to the menu shown in  FIG. 11  (which corresponds to the menu of  FIG. 4 ). With the image forming apparatus according to this invention, the user only need to select a desired print mode form several recommended modes, and data is then printed in the desired print mode. The apparatus is therefore useful, and any print mode set can be well recognized.  
         [0057]     Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent for those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit of the present invention. All such changes, modifications, and alterations should therefore be seen as within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0058]     For example, the image forming apparatus according to this invention has been described as an MFP  100 . Needless to say, this invention can be applied an image forming apparatus such as a printer.  
         [0059]     In the embodiment described above, the scanner unit  30  reads the original so that the apparatus may make a copy of the original. Instead, the display unit of the client PC  300  may display such a menu as shown in  FIG. 4 , which is switched to any one of the menus shown in FIGS.  5  to  9  when a print is input to the MFP  100 . The image forming apparatus  100  can therefore be set to the print mode. Hence, the image forming apparatus  100  can be set to any print mode selected from the recommendable modes and can then print the image data output to it from the client PC  300  via the network  200 .