Abstract:
A method and system for setting print options for media to be printed in image-forming devices according to a specific form format is provided. The print option setting method and system comprises the steps of detecting line feed information from a print file in the image-forming device, and extracting at least one or more lines included in the print file based on the line feed information; setting the number of characters to be printed per unit length for each of the extracted lines and the number of lines; and sending the information on the characters set line by line and the number of lines to the image-forming device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean Patent Application No. 2003-52433, filed on Jul. 29, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a method and system for setting print options in image-forming devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for setting print options for media to be printed in image-forming devices according to specific form formats.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Typically, image-forming devices such as laser printers, inkjet printers, and facsimile machines print text or graphics on a medium such as paper, by applying pre-set character-per-inch (CPI) and line-per-inch (LPI) values. The CPI value and/or the LPI value can be set by a user for each page if necessary. The CPI indicates the number of characters to be printed per inch in the width direction of a medium such as paper, and the LPI indicates the number of text lines to be printed in the height direction of the medium. That is, if the CPI value is set larger, the number of characters to be printed per text line increases, and, if the LPI value is set larger, the number of text lines to be printed per page increases.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a conventional printer output of an exemplary receipt.  
         [0007]     In the case of a receipt issued from institutions such as banks, the receipt size is usually standardized for banking transactions, and if lots of characters are printed in a limited space, the CPI value is generally set high. Since the image-forming device such as a printer has a function of re-setting the CPI value and the LPI value for every page, the numbers and characters entered on the shown receipt are printed in the same CPI and LPI values.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, printing has to be performed in a smaller font for the details to be captured for an area  10  illustratively shown as “card number” in which many characters to be printed in a small area, and in a large font for characters in the area  11  illustratively shown as “231935309”. As a result of using different font sizes, the text for area  11  does not look like it is on the same line as the characters in area  10 .  
         [0009]     Further, if a number is entered in the area  12 , the entire format of the receipt is affected by the CPI value so that the number and lines may overlap as shown in the area A. Thus, in order to solve the above problem, users have to design the receipt format according to the available CPI and LPI values, which requires lots of time and effort. In addition, if a standard exists for the receipt size and format, it takes more time to solve the problem.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a print method and system capable of easily re-setting character-per-inch (CPI) and line-per-inch (LPI) values on a single page regardless of the kinds of formats for a form.  
         [0011]     In order to achieve the above aspects, a print option setting method and system for image-forming devices according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of detecting line feed information from a print file in the image-forming device, and extracting at least one or more lines from the print file based on the line feed information; setting the number of characters to be printed per unit length for each of the extracted lines and the total number of lines; and transmitting the information on the characters set line by line and the number of lines to the image-forming device.  
         [0012]     Preferably, the image-forming device stores the transmitted information on the number of characters to be printed per unit length and the number of lines by unit group.  
         [0013]     It is preferable that the image-forming device has information on the number of characters per unit length for each of the lines and the number of lines, and the information being formed by at least one or more unit groups and provided in the print file.  
         [0014]     In order to achieve the above aspects, a print option setting method for image-forming devices in which print options are set through an information processing system having a display unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of extracting at least one piece of line information from a print file using the information processing system; displaying individual lines on the display unit through predetermined Graphic User Interface(GUI) menus based on the extracted line information; setting the number of characters to be printed per unit length based on the lines and the number of lines displayed on the display unit; and transmitting the number of characters to be printed per unit length set line by line and the number of lines to the image-forming device.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the GUI menus include a preview function for displaying on a portion of the display unit a result obtained from applying the number of characters to be printed per unit length and the number of lines that are set to the print file.  
         [0016]     It is preferable that the step of setting the number of characters to be printed per unit length and the number of lines further includes a step of re-setting the number of characters to be printed per unit length and the number of lines.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the GUI menus include a line display menu for displaying the extracted line feed information; a setting value entry menu provided on one side of the line display menu, and for entering the number of characters to be printed per unit length and the number of lines regarding the line display menu; and a menu for selecting and releasing values of the numbers entered in the setting value entry menu.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the setting value entry menu includes a character setting menu for entering a value of the number of characters to be printed per unit length; and a line setting menu for entering a value of the number of lines to be printed per unit length.  
         [0019]     Preferably, the GUI menu further includes a setting value transfer option for transmitting information on the set number of characters and lines to the image-forming device. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary conventional printed receipt;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a personal computer and printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is diagram illustrating a structure of a print file applied to the image-forming device from the personal computer system shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4A  is a diagram illustrating a Graphical User Interface (GUI) window displayed on a monitor of the personal computer system shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4B  is a diagram illustrating a result after a preview function is performed on the GUI window  100  shown in  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating print position changes depending upon character-per-inch (CPI) values set in the GUI window shown in  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 6A through 6C  are diagrams illustrating print position changes depending upon line-per-inch (LPI) values set in the GUI window shown in  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a print option setting method for image-forming devices according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating a print option setting method for image-forming devices according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]     It should be understood that in the drawings, like reference numbers refer to like features and structures.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]     Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a personal computer and printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a personal computer system  50  having a monitor  51  sets character-per-inch (CPI) and line-per-inch (LPI) values for lines comprising a file to be printed (hereinafter, referred to as a print file), and sends the set CPI and LPI values to an image-forming device  60 , illustratively shown as a printer. For example, if a print file is determined to contain  10  lines, a user sets CPI and LPI values for each of the first to tenth lines using the computer system  50 , and sends the set values to the image-forming device  60 . The procedures are repeated, and CPI and LPI values corresponding to individual formats of the lines are stored by mode corresponding to each format. The procedures display a certain Graphic User Interface (GUI) window on the monitor  51 , have a CPI value and an LPI value entered on the displayed GUI window, and verify an output through a preview function. Further, the procedures allow the personal computer  50  to have a CPI value and an LPI value based on mode corresponding to a print file having a variety of formats, so that a user can select the CPI and LPI values according to a desired format and apply the selected CPI and LPI values to a print task.  
         [0034]     Thereafter, upon printing a print file, the image-forming device  60  selects a desired mode of modes mode 1 , mode 2 , and so on and mode set by group as to CPI and LPI values through a setting key  61  a provided on the operation panel  61 , and performs printing according to the CPI and LPI values set line by line.  
         [0035]     The embodiments of the present invention include an application program for setting CPI and LPI values for each line in a Read Only Memory (ROM) such as flash ROM, Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), and so on which is provided in the image-forming device  60 , in order to perform the setting of the CPI and LPI values for each line without using the personal computer system  50 .  
         [0036]     In this case, a user directly sets CPI and LPI values for individual lines forming a print file through the operation panel  61  provided on the image-forming device  60 , and matches the CPI and LPI values with a certain mode such as model. However, when setting the CPI and LPI values using such a method, the user can not perform a preview function through the monitor  51  provided for the personal computer system  50 , but directly performs test printing for a print file through the image-forming device  60 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a structure of a print file applied to the image-forming device  60  from the personal computer system  50  shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a print file is applied to the image-forming device  60  sequentially for each line, and has a code 0X1B indicating the start of the file, a control code Command for a corresponding line, print data data, and a line feed (LF) information illustratively shown as 0DOA indicating the end of the line. The control code Command has a function for setting character sizes, character styles such as italic font, arial font, and so on, and print resolution, when a print file is printed.  
         [0039]      FIG. 4A  is a diagram illustrating GUI windows displayed in the monitor  51  shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0040]     The shown GUI windows have a file menu  100 , a “search line feed” menu  110 , a “setting value entry” menu  120 , and an “additional function” menu  130 .  
         [0041]     The file menu  100  has options for opening or printing desired print files for the print files stored in the personal computer system  50 .  
         [0042]     The “search line feed” menu  110  analyzes a print file opened through the file menu  100  and extracts a line feed signal LF provided in the print file. The extracted line feed signal LF is displayed on a “line display” menu  121  provided in the “setting value entry” menu  120  in detected order.  
         [0043]     The “setting value entry” menu  120  can be provided with CPI values and LPI values referred to as numbers LF 1 , LF 2 , up to LF 10  corresponding to respective line feed signals searched from the “search line feed” menu  110 . A user enters the CPI values and LPI values on the “line display” menu  121  displayed on the monitor  51  through an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse provided on the personal computer system  50 .  
         [0044]     The “additional function” menu  130  is used to store or send CPI values and LPI values to the image-forming device  60  such as a printer after the CPI values and LPI values have been entered in the “setting value entry” menu  120 .  
         [0045]     Preferably, the “additional function” menu  130  is provided with a preview option  131 , a setting value store option  132 , and a printer transfer option  133 .  
         [0046]     The preview option  131  outputs on the monitor  51  a print file opened through the file menu  100  after a user completes the settings for each of the lines LF 1  to LF 10  with respect to the CPI values and LPI values entered in the “setting value entry” menu  120  by pressing the “setting value store” option  132 . The user can re-set the CPI values and LPI values if the output displayed on the monitor  51  is not satisfactory.  
         [0047]     The setting value store menu  132  stores final CPI values and LPI values set on the GUI window. Files have to be in a format that can be stored in a ROM (not shown) or a flash ROM (not shown) provided in the image-forming device  60  such as a printer. The files are typically converted into a binary file format and transferred to the image-forming device  60 , but the files can be in other formats that can be stored in the ROM (not shown) or the flash ROM (not shown) of the image-forming device  60 .  
         [0048]     The printer transfer option  133  transfers the CPI values and LPI values entered in the “setting value entry” menu  120  to the image-forming device  60 .  
         [0049]      FIG. 4B  is a diagram illustrating a result after the preview function is performed on the GUI window  100  shown in  FIG. 4A . The result is compared as follows with  FIG. 1 .  
         [0050]     First, the CPI and LPI values are set page by page in  FIG. 1 , so that, for details for the card number  10  and the card number  11 , the card number  11  in a smaller font does not look like it is on the same line and has the detail of the card number  10 . The card number  11  looks like it is biased upwards or downwards compared to card number  10 , but a conventional method has difficulties in performing controls for such bias line by line.  
         [0051]     Next, the CPI and LPI values are set line by line with respect to a file selected through the GUI window  100  shown in  FIG. 4B . Then, a user selects a preview option  131 , and the file selected by the user is displayed in the middle of the window. As shown in  FIG. 4B , it can be seen that the LPI value is set in order for the details of the card number  141  and the card number  142  printed on the displayed window  140  to be placed on the same line as much as possible. The spacing between lines is reduced by increasing the LPI value for the details of the card number  141  and the card number  142  that are located on the same line, and it can be seen that the card number  142  moves in the direction of B. Further, it can be seen that the numbers and lines are not overlapped by extending the interval between numbers with the CPI value reduced for the amount of characters printed in an area C. A user selects the preview option  131  and checks an output result of a selected file, so as to avoid unnecessary print tasks.  
         [0052]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating print position changes depending upon CPI values set in the GUI window shown in  FIG. 4A .  
         [0053]      FIG. 5A  is a diagram illustrating an example of a print result where a CPI value per unit length such as one inch is set to 6, and  FIG. 5B  is a diagram illustrating an example of a print result where a CPI value per unit length is set to 12. As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the number of characters that can be printed per unit length increases as the CPI value increases, so it is possible to print a large amount of characters in a limited space of a medium having a limited size such as interim receipts.  
         [0054]      FIGS. 6A through 6C  are diagrams illustrating print position changes depending upon LPI values set in the GUI window shown in  FIG. 4A .  
         [0055]      FIG. 6A  is a diagram illustrating a print result in case that an LPI value per unit length such as one inch is set to 5,  FIG. 6B  is a diagram illustrating a print result in which an LPI value per unit length is set to 9, and  FIG. 6C  is a diagram illustrating a print result in which an LPI value for the third line LF 3  is set to 9.  
         [0056]     As shown in  FIGS. 6A through 6C , the position of the second line shown in  FIG. 6B  is shifted upwards by “A” on the medium compared to the second line shown in  FIG. 6A . As stated, if the LPI value increases, the print position moves upwards when a print file is printed, and, if the LPI value is decreases, the print position moves downwards. Meanwhile,  FIG. 6C  is a diagram illustrating a print output when the LPI value for a specific line LF 3  is set to 9, which shows that only the line LF 3  has moved upwards. As described, the embodiment of the present invention can be set to a user&#39;s desired positions with respect to individual lines when printing print files, and print the individual lines at the desired positions.  
         [0057]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a print option setting method for the image-forming device  60  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0058]     First, the personal computer system  50  displays a certain GUI window on the monitor  51  for CPI and LPI value entries. The GUI window displayed on the monitor  51  is shown in  FIG. 4A , and the “search line feed” menu  110  shown in  FIG. 4A  is selected to extract a line feed signal LF included in a print file (S 200 ). Next, using the GUI window displayed on the monitor  51 , a user enters the CPI and LPI values for the lines LF 1  to LF 10  corresponding to the respective extracted line feed signals LF using a keyboard and a mouse provided in the personal computer system  50  (S 210 ). At this time, the entered CPI values have values ranging from 1 to 20, and the LPI values have values ranging from 1 to 10. A user can adjust the values according to the feature of a print file that the user wishes to print. Next, after applying the CPI and LPI values entered in the “setting value entry” menu  120  through the setting value store option  132 , the user selects the preview option  131  for the print file (S 220 ). The preview function performed when the preview option  131  is selected can be implemented by any program having a similar function such as the word processing program of Microsoft Corporation or the StarOffice program of the StarOffice Corporation, for example. The preview function provided in most word processing programs is a function of previewing a print result and widely used in most word processing programs, so a detailed description of its function will not be provided. Next, a user selects a preview option  131 , checks a print image for the print file displayed on the monitor  51 , and determines whether the result is suitable when the CPI and LPI values are applied (S 230 ), and, if suitable as a result of the decision, the CPI and LPI values set line by line are sent to the image-forming device  60  such as a printer (S 250 ). On the contrary, if the user is not satisfied with a result obtained when the CPI and LPI values are applied, the CPI and LPI values for the respective lines such as LF 1  to LF 10  are re-set through the “setting value entry” menu  120  (S 240 ). Thereafter, the CPI and LPI values sent to the image-forming device  60  through the above procedure are applied in the same manner when the image-forming device  60  such as a printer prints a print file applied from the personal computer system  50 .  
         [0059]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating a method for setting print options in an image-forming device according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0060]     The present embodiment shows a method for setting CPI values and LPI values using the operation panel  61  provided in the image-forming device  60  such as a printer instead of the GUI environment that the personal computer system  50  provides. The present embodiment has an advantage of eliminating an information processing device such as the personal computer system  50  when the CPI and LPI values are set.  
         [0061]     First, a user selects a mode number through the operation panel  61  provided in the image-forming device  60  such as a printer (S 300 ). The mode number is used for storing by unit group the set CPI and LPI values regarding individual lines provided in print data. For example, the CPI and LPI values that are necessary when bank receipts are printed can be set in the model, and CPI and LPI values necessary when interim receipts are printed can be set in mode 2 . That is, a user stores by unit group print option setting values with respect to different form formats, and selects and uses any of the stored modes according to the user&#39;s needs. Next, the CPI and LPI values are set for individual lines to be printed in a selected mode (S 310 ). This function is not provided in a general printer or facsimile machine, but the function can be implemented by storing a certain program into a ROM (not shown) or a flash ROM (not shown) provided in the image-forming device  60  such as a printer. When a user selects a specific mode, the above program has functions of displaying the number of lines that can be printed, storing a number entered through the setting key  61   a  provided on the image-forming device regarding the displayed lines, and applying the stored number when the image-forming device such as a printer performs print tasks. Next, the user stores the CPI and LPI values set through the operation panel  61  that the user selects to be matched with a corresponding mode number (S 320 ). Next, the user supplies a medium such as paper into the image-forming device  60  based on the stored setting values, and performs test printing (S 330 ). Lastly, if positions of characters and lines printed on the medium are appropriate as a result of the test printing, the user stores and completes the setting values, and, otherwise, the user re-sets the LPI and CPI values through the operation panel  61 , and performs the test printing. According to the print options, the user can obtain printed matter, applying CPI and LPI values depending on a specific form format that the user wishes to use.  
         [0062]     As stated above, an embodiment of the present invention can display a print file on the GUI window through an operation panel provided on a personal computer system or an image-forming device, and easily perform print option settings depending upon diverse form formats by setting CPI and LPI values for individual lines forming each page. Accordingly, the embodiment of the present invention enables banks and corporations requiring a large number of receipts and approval forms to rapidly prepare the forms.  
         [0063]     Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention should not be limited to the described preferred embodiments, but various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.