Abstract:
There is provided a barcode data management device including: a conversion unit that converts print data including barcode data into electronic format data for viewing; an extraction unit that extracts barcode data included in the print data, the barcode data including a start position, a range, a type and actual encoded data from the barcode image rendered into a viewable state; and an attachment unit that attaches the barcode data extracted by the extraction unit to a non-viewing region provided in the electronic format data.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-073680 filed on Mar. 25, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a barcode data management device and a printing apparatus. 
     2. Related Art 
     In printing systems for enterprise operations and the like, print data of material for printing in the printing system is described by a print language of a page description language or the like. The printing system interprets this page description language format and generates bit map format data, then performs printing based on this bit map format data. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is a barcode data management device that, when converting print data including a barcode image into an electronic format and printing based on the converted electronic format, can perform printing of a more accurate barcode image in comparison to printing based on the barcode image converted into the electronic format. 
     A first aspect of the present invention provides a barcode data management device including: 
     a conversion unit that converts print data including barcode data into electronic format data for viewing; 
     an extraction unit that extracts barcode data included in the print data, the barcode data including a start position, a range, a type and actual encoded data from the barcode image rendered into a viewable state; and 
     an attachment unit that attaches the barcode data extracted by the extraction unit to a non-viewing region provided in the electronic format data. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic configuration diagram of an enterprise printing system according to the present exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2A to 2D  are plan views when a form is divided into separate categories of data; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic configuration diagram of an enterprise printing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a hardware configuration diagram of an electronic format data management device according to the present exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram for execution of print data acquisition processing and reprint instruction in an electronic format data management device according to the present exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing a print data acquisition control routine in an electronic format data management device according to the present exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing a reprint control routine in an electronic format data management device according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic formats in the present invention are data formats interpretable by a display unit for displaying on a display screen. Examples of electronic document formats include, for example, PDF documents (Portable Document Format), Word documents (Microsoft Office Word), Excel documents (Microsoft Office Excel), and these are formats that can each be interpreted by their respective dedicated applications. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic configuration diagram showing an enterprise printing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that “enterprise system” refers to activities that occurs within an organization. For example, administration of all the central corporate activities, such as sales management, production management, HR, payroll etc. A related systems that prints forms with runs of several thousand to several tens of thousands of sheets is referred to as a “enterprise printing system”. 
     The main body of an enterprise printing system is an enterprise printing apparatus  100 , and print data is input to this enterprise printing apparatus  100 . 
     The enterprise printing apparatus  100  is, for example, sometimes called on to print on recording paper  50  (see  FIG. 3 ) that has been preprinted. Printing of print data is performed so that the data is filled into the spaces at appropriate locations of a form (table etc.). 
       FIG. 2A  shows an example of a form blank  50 A that has been pre-printed with a form. The form blank  50 A shown in  FIG. 2  is a “payment transaction form” accepted in convenience stores etc., for example, with columns for filling in with the amount of payment, payee name, electronic money transfer financial institution, etc., formed by ruled lines  52  and text  54 . 
     There is sometimes a barcode image  56  already present on such a form blank  50 A (print data). 
     Alternatively, barcode image data may be incorporated in the print data, to be printed as the barcode image  56  during printing. The barcode image  56  is printed in a specific region at a specific location of the form blank  50 A. The actual encoded data of the barcode image  56  can be obtained by reading the barcode image  56  with a reading device (barcode reader etc.). 
     Schematic Configuration of the Enterprise Printing Apparatus  100   
       FIG. 3  shows the enterprise printing apparatus  100  according to the present exemplary embodiment. The enterprise printing apparatus  100  is broadly divided into an image forming unit  12 , a paper storage unit  14 , and a post-processing unit  16 , in sequence from the left hand side of  FIG. 3 . 
     The image forming unit  12  is provided with a main control unit  20  on the top face of a casing  18  of the image forming unit  12 , the main control unit  20  controlling the enterprise printing apparatus  100  overall. The main control unit  20  is equipped with a control main body  22 , a keyboard  24 , and a display  26 . 
     A rectangular shaped opening portion is also provided at the right hand side of the main control unit  20  in  FIG. 3  (on the top face of the image forming unit  12 ). An openable lid  32  is attached to this opening. 
     The image forming unit  12  is covered by the casing  18  and is equipped with: a light-scanning unit that scans a light beam generated according to image data from the main control unit  20 ; a photoreceptor drum on which a latent electrostatic image is formed when irradiated with the light bean scanned by the light-scanning unit; a developing unit that develops by supplying developer, such as toner or the like, onto the latent electrostatic image on the photoreceptor drum; a transfer unit that transfers the image made visible by developing onto recording paper; and a fixing unit that fixes the image that has been transferred onto the recording paper. The processes in the above sequence are referred to below so as “image forming processing” in general. “Image forming processing” will also be referred to below as “printing” where appropriated. 
     Substantially all the area of the front face of the casing  18  housing the image forming unit  12  is open, as seen in  FIG. 3 , and a pair of doors  34  are attached thereto in a double-door configuration. 
     By opening the pair of doors  34 , a maintenance operating space is thereby provided of substantially the same surface area as that of the whole face of the casing  18  when maintenance is carried out on the image forming unit  12 . 
     Configuration is made such that the recording paper  50  (for example the form blank  50 A shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2D ) to be fed to the image forming unit  12  is selectively taken out from a tray  36  provided below the openable lid  32  or from plural trays  38  provided in the paper storage unit  14 . The plural trays  36 ,  38  are capable of storing recording paper  50  of different sizes (and sometimes of the same size), and one or other of the trays  36 ,  38  is selected according to the instruction of the image forming unit  12  based on the instruction from the main control unit  20 , and, for example, the recording paper  50  is fed out in sequence from the uppermost sheet thereof. 
     The top portion of the paper storage unit  14  is a conveying unit  40  for conveying recording paper  50  that has been printed by the image forming unit  12 . Namely, when post-processing is required on the recording paper  50  printed by the image forming unit  12 , the recording paper  50  is conveyed to the post-processing unit  16  via the conveying unit  40 . It should be noted that recording paper  50  not requiring post-processing is discharged to a discharge tray unit  42  disposed below the openable lid  32 . 
     The post-processing unit  16 , also referred so as a finishing unit, executes, for example, processes such as book binding, fastening, hole opening, folding etc., and collation processing by job or by a plural number of copies. 
     Configuration of the Reprinting System 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , when print data is input to the enterprise printing apparatus  100 , print processing is executed in the enterprise printing apparatus  100 , and the recording paper  50  resulting from printing is output. 
     When output of the print data to the recording paper  50  (the form blank  50 A) is completed, the print data is not held in the enterprise printing apparatus  100  but is destroyed. Therefore, it is necessary to re-acquire the print data in order to view contents that have once been printed, or to carry out reprinting thereof. The present exemplary embodiment is configured such that the print data input to the enterprise printing apparatus  100  is received by the electronic format data management device  10 . 
       FIG. 4  is a hardware configuration diagram of the electronic format data management device  10 . 
     A control device main body  10 A includes a CPU  14 , a RAM  16 , a ROM  18  and an I/O (input-output unit)  20 , and, connecting these together, a bus  22  that is a data bus, control bus etc. 
     A keyboard  10 B, a mouse  10 C, and a monitor  10 D are each respectively connected to the I/O  20 . A hard disk drive (HDD)  24  that is a large capacity storage medium, having a storage capacity at least larger than the ROM  18 , is connected to the I/O  20 , such that job data (PDF data etc. as described later) for plural jobs can be stored therein. The I/O  20  is connected to a communications circuit network  12  via an interface unit (I/F)  26 . 
     The electronic format data management device  10  configured as described above has the role of editing received print data to the print format for the form blank  50 A, and storing the edited print data. When performing such editing, the electronic format data management device  10  converts the received print data into, for example, PDF data. The barcode image  56  (see  FIG. 2A ) is therefore downloaded in a format (for example a barcode font, barcode pattern data etc.) aligned to the enterprise printing apparatus  100 . 
     As well as the monitor  10 D for viewing, there is also a printing apparatus  110  (see  FIG. 1 ) connected to the electronic format data management device  10  via the communications circuit network  12 , the printing apparatus  110  being for reprinting a portion of the enterprise print run. Reference will be made below to the “reprint device  110 ”, in order to differentiate from the enterprise printing apparatus  100 . 
     An operator views (displays on the monitor) desired data and instructs reprinting as required by searching PDF data held in the electronic format data management device  10 . 
     However, when reprinting, the barcode image  56  (see  FIG. 2A ) that has become PDF data has a format aligned to printing in the enterprise printing apparatus  100  (barcode font, barcode pattern data, etc. as mentioned above). Therefore there is the possibility of barcode reading problems arising after printing if the format is not suitable for the reprint device  110 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the following actions are performed in the electronic format data management device  10  in order to address this. 
     (Action 1) 
     Barcode data, including the start position, region, type and actual encoded data, of the barcode image  56  is embedded in a non-viewing region present in the PDF data. The non-viewing regions of the PDF data indicates “bookmark”, “comment”, “note”, “PDF mark” regions. 
     (Action 2) 
     The region of the barcode image  56  in the electronic format downloaded as PDF data is clipped out. 
     (Action 3) 
     For the region clipped in Action 2, the type and actual encoded data of the barcode data embedded in the non-viewing region is read out, and barcode image data is regenerated, in a barcode format appropriately aligned to the reprint device  110 . 
     (Action 4) 
     The barcode image data regenerated in Action 3 is pasted into the PDF data based on the start position and region of the barcode data embedded in the non-viewing region. 
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram for the execution of the above Action 1 to Action 4 in the enterprise printing apparatus  100 . It should be noted that the blocks in  FIG. 5  are purely functionally separated, and do not limit the hardware configuration. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , an input unit (a collective name for the keyboard  10 B and mouse  10 C above)  200  is connected to an input analysis unit  202 . 
     The input analysis unit  202  analyses the instruction input to the input unit  200 , and, in particular, analysis (determines) here whether print data acquisition is instructed, or whether reprinting of stored PDF data is instructed. 
     Print Data Acquisition Instruction 
     The input analysis unit  202  is connected to a print data acquisition unit  204 . When determination is made, as a result of the analysis of the input analysis unit  202 , that the input instruction is a print data acquisition instruction, then the print data acquisition unit  204  is activated. 
     The print data acquisition unit  204  acquires print data via the interface unit  205 . It should be noted that configuration may be made such that such print data acquisition does not depend on the input unit  200 , and acquisition is always made when print data is sent to the enterprise printing apparatus  100 . 
     The print data acquisition unit  204  is connected to a data division unit  206 . When the print data acquisition unit  204  has acquired print data, the print data is sent to the data division unit  206 . 
     The data division unit  206  has the role of dividing the acquired print data according to each category of data. 
     For example,  FIG. 2A to 2D  shows the form blank  50 A on which processing by the enterprise printing apparatus  100  is made. This form blank  50 A is a “payment transaction form” applicable for making payments of bills etc. at a convenience store or the like, and the form blank  50 A has printing related thereto printed in advance on the recording paper  50 . 
     In this case of the form blank  50 A, the image data is divided by the data division unit  206 , from the original contents shown in  FIG. 2A , into image data for an overlay image  58  of  FIG. 2B , a text image  54  of  FIG. 2C , and a barcode image  56  of  FIG. 2D . PDF conversion processing is executed for each of the units of image data divided in this manner. 
     After the print data has been divided in the data division unit  206 , all of the divided image data (the overlay image  58 , the text image  54  and the barcode image  56 ) are sent to the viewing PDF data generation unit  208 . 
     From among all the image data divided by the data division unit  206 , barcode data is extracted from the barcode image  56 , and sent to the barcode data analysis unit  210 . 
     PDF conversion processing is executed in the viewing PDF data generation unit  208  on the image data that has been divided into each category, and the viewing PDF data is generated. The generated PDF data is sent to an embedding processing unit  212 . 
     The extracted barcode data is analyzed in the barcode data analysis unit  210  and data (1) to (4) below are obtained. 
     (1) Start position data:
         Data identifying the start location when printing the barcode image  56         

     (2) Region data:
         Data specifying the print region of the barcode image  56         

     (3) Type data:
         Data to discriminate the type of barcode (for example I AN-code, J AN-code, etc.)       

     (4) Actual encoded data:
         The actual encoded data contents of the data represented by the barcode       

     The acquired data (1) to (4) will be referred to collectively below as “barcode data”. 
     The barcode data is sent from the barcode data analysis unit  210  to the temporary data storage unit  214 , where it is temporarily stored. 
     When the barcode data has been input to the temporary data storage unit  214 , the non-viewing region identification unit  216  is activated, and the storage location for the barcode data is identified. For example, PDF data generally has embedding regions for bookmarks, comments, notes, PDF marks etc., and one or other of these regions is identified as the storage location where the barcode data is to be stored. 
     When the storage location of the barcode data has been identified by the non-viewing region identification unit  216 , this identification data is sent to the embedding processing unit  212 . The temporary data storage unit  214  is synchronized with the activation of the non-viewing region identification unit  216  and sends the barcode data to the embedding processing unit  212 . 
     The embedding processing unit  212  embeds the barcode data in the identified embedding location of the PDF data sent from the viewing PDF data generation unit  208 . 
     The embedding processing unit  212  is connected to a storage processing unit  218 . When embedding of the barcode data is completed by the embedding processing unit  212 , the PDF data is sent to the storage processing unit  218 . The PDF data is stored in the hard disk drive  24  by the storage processing unit  218 . 
     PDF Data Reprint Instruction 
     In the input analysis unit  202 , when a signal from the input unit  200  is confirmed to be an instruction to reprint the PDF data stored in the hard disk drive  24 , the input analysis unit  202  specifies an instruction print data identification unit  220  to reprint the PDF data. 
     The instruction print data identification unit  220  is connected to a data reading unit  222 . The data reading unit  222  reads out the PDF data identified in the instruction print data identification unit  220  from the hard disk drive  24 . 
     The data reading unit  222  is connected to a display control unit  224 , a barcode image region clipping unit  226 , and a non-viewing region embedded data acquisition unit  228 , respectively. 
     The display control unit  224  receives the PDF data read by the data reading section  222 , controls a viewing device  230  (the monitor  10 D) and displays an image. 
     The barcode image region clipping unit  226  subjects the barcode image  56  region in the PDF data read by the data reading unit  222  to clipping processing. The print result of the PDF data at this point has the barcode image  56  portion missing, and is an image of a “moth eaten” state. 
     The barcode image region clipping unit  226  is connected to a combining unit  232 , and sends the PDF data to the combining unit  232  in a state in which the barcode image region is clipped out. 
     The non-viewing region embedded data acquisition unit  228  acquires the barcode data (1) to (4) stored in the non-viewing region of the PDF data (the identified region of the bookmark, comment, note, PDF mark regions). The non-viewing region embedded data acquisition unit  228  is connected to the barcode image regeneration unit  234  and sends the barcode data to a barcode image regeneration unit  234 . 
     The barcode image regeneration unit  234  is connected to a barcode font data memory  236 . Barcode fonts applicable when printing with the reprint device  110  (see  FIG. 1 ) are stored in the barcode font data memory  236 . 
     Namely, in the barcode image regeneration unit  234 , the barcode image  56  is regenerated based on a barcode font appropriate to printing by the reprint device  110  in order to print the barcode image in the optimum state when reprinting with the reprint device  110 . 
     The barcode image regeneration unit  234  is connected to a combining unit  232 . 
     As a result, in the combining unit  232 , the PDF data in the state with the barcode image region, input from the barcode image region clipping unit  226 , clipped out, is matched up with the regenerated barcode image data input from the barcode image regeneration unit  234 , and combined together. 
     The combining unit  232  is connected to the print control unit  238 , and sends the combined PDF data to the reprint device  110  via the interface unit  205 . 
     Explanation will be given below of the operation of the present exemplary embodiment, with reference to the flow charts of  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing a print data acquisition control routine in the electronic format data management device  10  according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
     At step  300 , determination is made as to whether or not data acquisition has been instructed, and when this determination is negative the routine is ended. 
     When step  300  is determined in the affirmative, the routine proceeds to step  302 , and print data acquisition processing is executed. 
     In the next step  304 , the acquired print data is divided into each data category. 
     For example, when the enterprise printing apparatus  100  is to process the original print data of the form blank  50 A, the original data is shown in  FIG. 2A  (blank form). 
     The blank form is sequentially divided into image data of the overlay image  58  (see  FIG. 2B ), the text image  54  (see  FIG. 2C ), and the barcode image  56  (see  FIG. 2D ) respectively. When this is undertaken, the barcode data is extracted from the barcode image  56 . 
     In the next step  306 , the image data of the divided categories is read out in a specific sequence and the routine proceeds to step  308 . At step  308 , determination is made as to whether or not the category of the read image data is the barcode image  56 , and when this determination is affirmative the routine proceeds to step  310 , the barcode data is analyzed, and the information (1) to (4) is acquired. 
     At the next step  312 , the non-viewing region (embedded location of the barcode data) of the data after conversion (in this case PDF data) is identified, and then the routine proceeds to step  314  and the barcode data is embedded in the identified embedding location (for PDF data this is in one or other of the bookmark, comment, note, PDF mark locations), and the routine proceeds to step  316 . 
     However, when the determination at step  308  is negative, then there is no need to analyze the barcode data and so the routine proceeds to step  316 . 
     At step  316 , conversion processing is executed on the print data by each of the categories, and the routine proceeds to step  318 . 
     At step  318 , determination is made as to whether or not conversion processing is completed for all data (all of the categories of data), and when determination is negative the routine returns to step  306 , and the above steps are repeated until affirmative determination is made. 
     The routine is ended when determination at step  316  is affirmative. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing a reprinting control routine in the electronic format data management device  10 . 
     At step  350 , determination is made as to whether or not reprinting has been instructed. When this determination at step  350  is negative, the routine is ended. When determination at step  350  is affirmative, the routine proceeds to step  352 , the variable i, used for counting the number of items of barcode data embedded in the non-viewing region, is set to 1 and the routine proceeds to step  354 . 
     At step  354 , the instructed print data is identified, the routine then proceeds to step  356  where the PDF data corresponding to the identified print data is read from the hard disk drive  24 , and the routine proceeds to step  358 . 
     At step  358 , the embedded data (namely the barcode data) is acquired from the non-viewing region of the read PDF data. 
     At the next step  360 , the number of items of acquired embedded data n is confirmed, and the routine proceeds to step  362 . At step  362 , the i th  barcode image in the PDF data is clipped out. The PDF data at this point is of a “moth eaten” state, a state with the barcode image portion(s) missing. 
     At the next step  364 , a barcode image is regenerated based on the i th  barcode data. When this is done, since regeneration is based on a barcode font applicable to the reprint device  110 , there is no reduction due to reprinting in the certainty of barcode reading, by a barcode reader or the like. 
     In the next step  366 , determination is made as to whether or not the variable i (barcode data count) has reached the number of items of acquired embedded data n, and when determination is negative then the routine proceeds to step  368 , the variable 1 is incremented (i←i+1) and the routine returns to step  362 , and the above steps are repeated. 
     When the determination at step  366  is affirmative, the routine proceeds to step  370 , the regenerated barcode image(s) is/are pasted into the clipped out region(s), the moth eaten state PDF data is returned to a complete data state, and the routine proceeds to step  372 . In step  372 , instruction is made to execute print processing based on the PDF data in which the barcode image(s) has/have been regenerated, and the routine is ended. 
     On receipt of the instruction to execute print processing, the reprint device  110  executes print processing based on normal PDF data. When this occurs, for example, variation in the image due to differences in barcode font, spreading etc. are eliminated, and printing is executed with a barcode image aligned with the reprint device  110 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment configuration is made such that when converting print data into PDF data, the information (barcode data) relating to the barcode image is read out and embedded in a non-viewing region of the PDF data, barcode image(s) in the PDF data are regenerated so as to be aligned with the reprint device  110 , the original barcode image(s) is/are clipped out from the PDF data, and the regenerated barcode image(s) are pasted. However, it should be noted that configuration may be made with only one or other of embedding in the non-viewing region of the PDF data, or clipping and pasting the barcode image carried out. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.