Patent Publication Number: US-2021165614-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-216236 filed Nov. 29, 2019. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium. 
     2. Related Art 
     JP-A-2009-282947 discloses a printing control device that predicts a consumption of toners in printing in an image forming apparatus, the printing control device including: a development unit that develops a printing job instructed to be printed in the image forming apparatus into image data; a prediction unit that analyzes image data obtained by developing by the development unit and predicts the consumption of toners in printing; and an output unit that outputs a consumption of toners consumed in the printing job based on the consumption of toners predicted by the prediction unit and a consumption of toners of each page included in the printing job. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some cases, data created individually is integrated, data is allocated, and processing is performed on integrated data obtained by integrating the respective data. 
     When such integrated data processing is performed in an information processing apparatus, an attribute value of the integrated data is estimated in advance, and a setting value for defining an operation of the information processing apparatus is set or a user is alerted so that the processing is performed without trouble by referring to the estimated attribute value. 
     However, in the information processing apparatus of the related art, the attribute value of the entire integrated data is estimated by focusing on the start portion of the integrated data, for example, the start page of the integrated data and using the attribute value of the focused data. 
     In this case, since the integrated data is constituted by allocating plural pieces of data, when the configuration of allocation different from the data focused in the integrated data is included, an error between the attribute value of the integrated data estimated from the attribute value of the focused data and the attribute value of the actual integrated data may increase. 
     Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to providing an information processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium capable of accurately estimating an attribute value of entire integrated data as compared with a case of estimating the attribute value of the entire integrated data using data partially taken out from the start portion of the integrated data when processing the integrated data in which individually created data is integrated and the data is allocated. 
     Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure address the above advantages and/or other advantages not described above. However, aspects of the non-limiting embodiments are not required to address the advantages described above, and aspects of the non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure may not address advantages described above. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a processor configured to: acquire (i) integrated data in which data is allocated so as to integrate the data individually created and (ii) configuration information representing an allocation configuration of the data in the integrated data; specify data groups, each having the same data allocation configuration, from the integrated data based on the acquired configuration information; and estimate an attribute value of the integrated data using attribute values in the specified data groups. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system; 
         FIG. 2  is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a flow of information in the information processing system; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of an imposition configuration in image data; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating another example of the imposition configuration in the image data; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration information table; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration information table; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electric system in a server; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electric system in an image forming apparatus; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of imposition processing; 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of image forming processing according to a first exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of image forming processing according to a second exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, the present exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to drawings. The same components and the same processing are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings, and a repetitive description thereof is omitted. 
     First Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system  1  according to the present exemplary embodiment, and  FIG. 2  is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a flow of information in the information processing system  1 . 
     There is no restriction on the type of data handled by the information processing system  1  as long as the information processing system  1  processes integrated data generated by allocating individually created data to a predetermined configuration, but hereinafter, the information processing system  1  will be described by taking the processing of image data as an example. 
     The data allocation refers to arranging individually created data in a data array or configuration desired by a user or processing data based on a predetermined rule or an instruction from the user. An example of data allocation processing in image data corresponds to, for example, imposition processing. The imposition processing is the processing of arranging plural pieces of individually created image data on a recording medium side by side in accordance with a predetermined rule, a user instruction, a predetermined setting, or the like. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the information processing system  1  includes a user terminal  10 , a server  20 , and an image forming apparatus  30 , and the user terminal  10 , the server  20 , and the image forming apparatus  30  are connected to a communication line  2 . 
     The user terminal  10  is an information device for the user to generate image data, and the user terminal  10  transmits the image data specified by the user to the server  20  (see  FIG. 2 : F 1 ). The image data is data representing an image to be formed on a recording medium such as a sheet in the image forming apparatus  30 , and the image data is not limited to an image and may include characters, for example, and further includes layout information of images and characters. 
     Image data to be formed on a recording medium may be generated as one piece of data, but for example, image data may be generated by sharing image data by plural users, and finally, each image data generated by each user may be integrated, or image data may be generated by a certain user by generating plural pieces of image data and integrating the plural pieces of image data, and such integrated image data may be formed on the recording medium by the image forming apparatus  30 . Therefore, the information processing system  1  may include plural user terminals  10 , but the number of user terminals  10  included in the information processing system  1  is not limited because each user may share one user terminal  10  and generate image data. Hereinafter, the integrated data is referred to as “integrated data”, and in particular, when the data is image data, the integrated image data is referred to as “integrated image data”. 
     There is no limitation on the communication protocol used in the communication line  2 , and the communication line  2  may be a wired line or a wireless line or may be a line in which a wired line and a wireless line are mixed. Further, the communication line  2  may be a private line or a public line sharing a line with an unspecified number of users such as the Internet. 
     The server  20  integrates plural pieces of image data received from the user terminal  10  to generate integrated image data. When the image data is data that constitutes a book or booklet, after the folding processing of the recording medium is performed in a bookbinding process, the server  20  arranges each image data on the recording medium such that the image data is arranged in a desired order. Further, even when the server  20  does not constitute a book or a booklet, plural pieces of different image data may be arranged on one recording medium surface and printing may be performed on the image forming apparatus  30 . For example, in order to efficiently use the recording medium, the server  20  may control to arrange plural pieces of different image data on the recording medium so that the margin of the recording medium is as small as possible, to cause the image forming apparatus  30  to perform printing and to cut the recording medium so that a printed matter corresponding to each image data is obtained after printing the image. In addition, the server  20  may obtain a printed matter on which an image based on plural pieces of image data is printed on one recording medium surface without cutting the recording medium. The work of arranging the image data on the recording medium for each page in this manner is an example of imposition processing for the integration of the image data executed by the server  20 . 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of imposition processing executed by the server  20  and illustrates an example of imposing image data A having 1000 pages, image data B having 2000 pages, and image data C having 500 pages. Specifically,  FIG. 3  illustrates an example in which imposition is performed such that pages in which two pages of image data A are arranged per page are arranged from page 1 to page 500 of integrated image data, pages in which two pages of image data B are arranged per page are arranged from page 501 to page 1500, and pages in which two pages of image data C are arranged per page are arranged from page 1501 to page 1750. 
     The imposition of the image data illustrated in  FIG. 3  is an example, and the arrangement position of the image data by the imposition conforms to the imposition information set in advance. The arrangement of the image data specified by the imposition information is not limited, and the server  20  arranges the image data in the arrangement instructed by the user or in the arrangement preset in the server  20 . 
     For example, the server  20  may perform imposition processing as illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  illustrates an example in which imposition is performed such that pages in which the image data A and the image data B are respectively arranged in one page are arranged from page 1 to page 1000 of the integrated image data, pages in which two pages of the image data B are arranged per page are arranged from page 1001 to page 1250, and pages in which the image data B and the image data C are respectively arranged are arranged in one page from page 1251 to page 1750. 
     Further, the server  20  generates configuration information representing the imposition configuration of the image in the imposition integrated image data. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration information table  4  for managing the configuration information. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the configuration information table  4  includes a configuration section, the number of impositions, a configuration content, a start page, and an end page and manages each piece of configuration information constituting integrated image data in the row direction of the configuration information table  4 . 
     The configuration section is an identifier for identifying pages having the same imposition configuration in the integrated image data. One configuration section constitutes an image data group having the same imposition configuration. The number of impositions represents the number of arrangements of image data per page in the corresponding configuration section. The configuration content represents the type of image data arranged on each page. The start page represents the start page number at which the corresponding configuration section starts in the integrated image data, and the end page represents the page number at which the corresponding configuration section ends. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , when imposition is performed such that two pages of image data A are arranged from the page 1 to the page 500 of integrated image data per page, in the configuration section of the configuration information table  4  in  FIG. 5 , for example, an identifier “configuration A” is set. Since two pages of image data A are arranged per page in the integrated image data, “2” is set as the number of impositions, and since the types of image data for two pages arranged in each page of the configuration A are both the image data A, “image data A+image data A” is set as the configuration content. Since the image data group of the configuration A constitutes from the page 1 to the page 500 of the integrated image data, “1” is set in the start page, and “500” is set in the end page. 
     Similarly, in a configuration B, configuration information corresponding to imposition in which two pages of image data B are arranged per page from the page 501 to the page 1500 of the integrated image data is set, and in a configuration C, configuration information corresponding to imposition in which two pages of image data C are arranged per page from the page 1501 to the page 1750 is set. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration information table  4  when the imposition processing as illustrated in  FIG. 4  is performed. 
     When imposition is performed such that the image data A and the image data B are arranged in one page from the page 1 to the page 1000 of the integrated image data, for example, an identifier “configuration A” is set in the configuration section of the configuration information table  4  in  FIG. 6 . Since the image data A and the image data B are respectively arranged on one page in the integrated image data, “2” is set as the number of impositions, and since the types of the image data arranged in each page of the configuration A are the image data A and the image data B, “image data A+image data B” is set as the configuration content. Since the image data group of the configuration A constitutes from the page 1 to the page 1000 of the integrated image data, “1” is set in the start page, and “1000” is set in the end page. 
     Similarly, in the configuration B, configuration information corresponding to imposition in which two pages of image data B are arranged per page from the page 1001 to the page 1250 of the integrated image data is set, and in the configuration C, configuration information corresponding to imposition in which image data B and image data C are respectively arranged in one page from the page 1251 to the page 1750 is set. The configuration information table  4  is generated for each integrated image data. 
     The server  20  transmits integrated image information including the generated integrated image data and configuration information representing the imposition configuration in the integrated image data to the image forming apparatus  30  (see  FIG. 2 : F 2 ). 
     The image forming apparatus  30  performs image forming processing for forming an image represented by the integrated image data included in the integrated image information received from the server  20  on a recording medium in accordance with the imposition content specified by the configuration information. There is no restriction on the type of the recording medium used in the image forming apparatus  30 , and even if the recording medium is cut paper that is pre-cut to individual sizes such as A 4  or A 3 , continuous paper wound in a roller shape may be used, but here, as an example, the image forming apparatus  30  forms an image on the continuous paper. 
     Before the image represented by the integrated image data is formed on the recording medium, the image forming apparatus  30  estimates the attribute value of the integrated image data using the attribute value in the image data group for each configuration segment constituting the integrated image data. 
     The attribute value is a value representing a characteristic of the data, and includes not only a characteristic of the data itself but also a value characterizing processing when the image forming apparatus  30  processes the data. 
     For example, since the integrated image data is described in a page description language, the image forming apparatus  30  converts the integrated image data into raster image data represented in a bitmap format, and then forms an image. The conversion of the image represented by the integrated image data described in the page description language into information on a set of pixels, that is, a bitmap format so that the image forming apparatus  30  can form an image on the recording medium is referred to as “rasterization”, but the value representing the number of converted pages per unit time when converting integrated image data into raster image data changes depending on the content of the integrated image data. Therefore, the amount of converted data per unit time by rasterization (hereinafter, referred to as “rasterization performance”) is an example of the attribute value of the integrated image data, and for example, a value representing the number of converted pages per unit time, a value representing the number of converted image planes per unit time, a value representing a converted data capacity per unit time, and the like are examples of the attribute value. The rasterization performance may be defined by a transfer data amount (also referred to as a transfer speed) of raster image data that can be transferred in a unit time or may be defined by the amount of data calculated in consideration of the amount of data converted into raster image data per unit time and the transfer speed. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, an example in which [page/minute] is used as a unit of rasterization performance will be described, but the display form of rasterization performance is not limited thereto, and for example, the display form of rasterization performance may be expressed by a time required for rasterizing an image for one page ([time/page]), or in particular, when an image is formed on continuous paper, the conversion capability to raster image data may be represented by the length ([m/min]) of continuous paper on which an image can be formed in one minute. 
     The estimation method of the attribute value of the integrated image data using the estimation of the rasterization performance as an example will be described later in detail. 
     Based on the estimated attribute value of the integrated image data, the image forming apparatus  30  sets a setting value for defining the operation of the image forming apparatus  30  and alerts the user regarding the image forming processing so that an image represented by the integrated image data is efficiently formed on continuous paper as specified by the user. 
     Next, a configuration example of the electric system in the server  20  will be described. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electric system in the server  20 . The server  20  is implemented by, for example, a computer  40 . 
     The computer  40  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  41  that is an example of a processor that executes predetermined processing of the server  20  according to an information processing program, a read only memory (ROM)  42  that stores the information processing program that causes the computer  40  to function as the server  20 , a random access memory (RAM)  43  that is used as a temporary work area of the CPU  41 , a nonvolatile memory  44 , and an input/output interface (I/O)  45 . The CPU  41 , the ROM  42 , the RAM  43 , the nonvolatile memory  44 , and the I/O  45  are connected to each other via a bus  46 . 
     The nonvolatile memory  44  is an example of a storage device in which stored information is maintained even if the power supplied to the nonvolatile memory  44  is cut off, and for example, a semiconductor memory is used, but a hard disk may be used. The configuration information table  4  generated by the servers  20  may be stored in the RAM  43  or the nonvolatile memory  44 . 
     On the other hand, a communication unit  47 , an input unit  48 , and a display unit  49 , for example, are connected to the I/O  45 . 
     The communication unit  47  is connected to the communication line  2  and includes a communication protocol for performing data communication between the user terminal  10  and the image forming apparatus  30 . External devices (not illustrated) other than the user terminal  10  and the image forming apparatus  30  may be connected to the communication line  2 , and the communication unit  47  also includes a communication protocol for performing data communication with such external devices (not illustrated). 
     The input unit  48  is a device that receives an instruction from the user and notifies CPU  41  of the instruction. For example, buttons, a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse are used as the input unit  48 . When an instruction is received by voice, a microphone may be used as the input unit  48 . 
     The display unit  49  is an example of a device for visually displaying information processed by the CPU  41 , and for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic electro luminescence (EL) display, or the like is used as the display unit  49 . 
     The units connected to the I/O  45  are examples, and it is needless to say that units other than the units illustrated in  FIG. 7  are connected as required. 
     The configuration example of the user terminal  10  is also the same as that of the electric system in the server  20  illustrated in  FIG. 7 . However, in this instance, a user terminal program for causing the computer  40  to function as the user terminal  10  is stored in the ROM  42 . 
     On the other hand,  FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electric system in the image forming apparatus  30 . The image forming apparatus  30  is implemented by, for example, a computer  50 . 
     The computer  50  includes a CPU  51  that is an example of a processor that executes predetermined processing of the image forming apparatus  30  according to an image forming program, a ROM  52  that stores an image forming program that causes the computer  50  to function as the image forming apparatus  30 , a RAM  53  that is used as a temporary work area for the CPU  51 , a nonvolatile memory  54 , and an I/O  55 . The CPU  51 , the ROM  52 , the RAM  53 , the nonvolatile memory  54 , and the I/O  55  are connected to each other via a bus  56 . 
     For example, a communication unit  57 , an operation unit  58 , and an image forming unit  59  are connected to the I/O  55 . 
     Similar to the communication unit  47  of the server  20 , the communication unit  57  is connected to the communication line  2  and includes a communication protocol for performing data communication with other devices connected to the communication line  2 . 
     The operation unit  58  provides the user with an interface with the image forming apparatus  30 . Specifically, the operation unit  58  includes an input unit  58 A and a display unit  58 B. 
     The input unit  58 A is a device that receives an instruction from the user and notifies the CPU  51  of the instruction, and includes, for example, buttons, a touch panel, a pointing device, and the like. When an instruction is received by voice, a microphone may be used as the input unit  58 A. 
     The display unit  58 B is an example of a device for visually displaying information processed by the CPU  51 , and for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like is used as the display unit  58 B. 
     A touch panel, which is an example of the input unit  58 A, is attached to the display unit  58 B in an overlapping manner, and when a button on a screen displayed on the display unit  58 B is pressed, for example, information on the pressed position is input to the touch panel, and processing corresponding to the button displayed on the pressed position is executed by the CPU  51 . 
     Next, the operation of imposition processing in the server  20  will be described. 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of the imposition processing executed by the CPU  41  of the server  20  when the server  20  is started. The server program defining the imposition processing is stored in advance in the ROM  42  of the server  20 , for example. The CPU  41  of the server  20  reads the server program stored in the ROM  42  and executes the imposition processing. It is assumed that imposition information is stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory  44  of the server  20 . 
     In step S 10 , the CPU  41  determines whether or not all the image data constituting the same integrated image data has been received from the user terminal  10 . 
     The image data includes information necessary for imposition such as, for example, an identifier of integrated image data including image data, corresponding imposition information, the number of divisions of integrated image data, and an identifier of image data. Therefore, for example, when image data including an identifier of the same integrated image data is obtained by the number represented by the number of divisions of the integrated image data, the CPU  41  may determine that all the image data constituting the same integrated image data has been received. For example, if the number of divisions of the integrated image data is “3”, it is determined that all the image data constituting the same integrated image data has been received when three types of image data including the identifier of the same integrated image data have been received. 
     If all the image data constituting the same integrated image data has not been received, the process proceeds to step S 50 . 
     In step S 50 , the CPU  41  determines whether or not an instruction to end the imposition processing has been received from an operator of the server  20 . If an instruction to end the imposition processing has not been received, the process proceeds to step S 10 , and it is determined again whether or not all the image data constituting the same integrated image data has been received from the user terminal  10 . 
     The determination processing of step S 10  and step S 50  is repeatedly executed until all the image data constituting the same integrated image data are received from the user terminal  10 , and when it is determined in the determination processing of step S 10  that all the image data constituting the same integrated image data has been received from the user terminal  10 , the process proceeds to step S 20 . 
     In step S 20 , the CPU  41  generates integrated image data in which each image data is combined and arranged according to imposition information corresponding to the integrated image data. 
     In step S 30 , the CPU  41  generates configuration information representing the imposition configuration of the integrated image data generated in step S 20  and manages the generated image data in the configuration information table  4 . 
     In step S 40 , the CPU  41  transmits the integrated image data generated in step S 20  and the integrated image information including the configuration information generated in step S 30  to the image forming apparatus  30  via the communication unit  47 . As a result, the image forming apparatus  30  executes the image forming processing for the image represented by the integrated image data. 
     In step S 50 , as described above, the CPU  41  determines whether or not an instruction to end the imposition processing has been received from the operator of the server  20 , and when the instruction to end the imposition processing has not been received, the process proceeds to step S 10  to receive image data constituting another integrated image data. On the other hand, when an instruction to end the imposition processing is received, the imposition processing illustrated in  FIG. 9  is ended. 
     On the other hand,  FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of the image forming processing executed by the CPU  51  of the image forming apparatus  30  when the integrated image information is received from the server  20 . The information processing program defining the image forming processing is stored in advance in the ROM  52  of the image forming apparatus  30 , for example. The CPU  51  of the image forming apparatus  30  reads information processing program stored in the ROM  52  and executes image forming processing. 
     In step S 100 , the CPU  51  refers to the configuration information included in the received integrated image information to acquire delimiter information indicating the delimiters of the image data groups constituting the integrated image data. Specifically, the CPU  51  refers to the start page of the configuration information to acquire the page number of the start page in each configuration section in which the imposition configuration changes in the integrated image data as the delimiter information. 
     In step S 110 , the CPU  51  specifies image data groups each having the same image imposition configuration from the integrated image data included in the received integrated image information based on the delimiter information acquired in step S 100  and divides the integrated image data into configuration sections according to the configuration segments of the image data group. When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 6 , the integrated image data is divided into three configurations: a configuration A, a configuration B, and a configuration C. 
     In step S 120 , the CPU  51  selects any one of the configurations generated by dividing the integrated image data by step S 110  based on the separation information. For the convenience of description, the configuration selected in step S 120  is referred to as a “selected configuration”. 
     In step S 130 , the CPU  51  estimates the rasterization performance required to rasterize the set of image data group of the selected configuration. Specifically, the CPU  51  actually rasterizes image data corresponding to the preset number of pages among the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration and estimates the rasterization performance of the image data group of the selected configuration. For example, if the preset number of pages (hereinafter, referred to as the “set number of pages”) is set to one page, the CPU  51  rasterizes the image data corresponding to the start page of the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration, acquires the time required to rasterize the image data for one page, calculates the number of pages that can be converted into raster image data in one minute from the acquired time, and estimates the rasterization performance. 
     The set number of pages is stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory  54  of the image forming apparatus  30 , for example, and can be corrected by an administrator of the image forming apparatus  30  or the like. Since the number of pages actually rasterized increases as the set number of pages increases, the estimation accuracy of the rasterization performance for the image data group of the selected configuration increases, while the estimation time required for the estimation of the rasterization performance increases. Therefore, a value considering a trade-off between the estimation accuracy of the rasterization performance and the estimation time of the rasterization performance is set in the set number of pages. 
     In the above description, as an example, the rasterization performance for the image data group of the selected configuration is estimated by rasterizing the image data corresponding to the set number of pages from the start page of the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration. However, it is not always necessary to perform rasterization from the start page of the image data group, and the rasterization of the image data for the set number of pages may be started from the middle of the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration. A start page for starting rasterization for estimating the rasterization performance of the image data group of the selected configuration is also stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory  54  and can be corrected by the administrator of the image forming apparatus  30  or the like. 
     After estimating the rasterization performance for the image data group of the selected configuration in this manner, in step S 140 , the CPU  51  determines whether or not there is an unselected configuration which has not been selected in step S 120  among the configurations generated by dividing the integrated image data in step S 110 . If there is an unselected configuration, the process proceeds to step S 120 , and the CPU  51  selects any one of the unselected configurations in step S 120  and updates the selected configuration. That is, by repeatedly executing the processing of step S 120  to step S 140  until there is no unselected configuration, rasterization performance is estimated for each image data group constituting the integrated image data. 
     That is, when the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a rasterization performance R 5aa  for the image data group of the configuration A, a rasterization performance R 5bb  for the image data group of the configuration B, and a rasterization performance R 5cc  for the image data group of the configuration C are estimated. When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a rasterization performance R 6ab  for the image data group of the configuration A, a rasterization performance R 6bb  for the image data group of the configuration B, and a rasterization performance R 6bc  for the image data group of the configuration C are estimated. 
     In the determination processing of step S 140 , when it is determined that there is no unselected configuration that has not been selected in step S 120  among the configurations generated by dividing the integrated image data by step S 110 , the process proceeds to step S 150 . 
     In step S 150 , the CPU  51  estimates the rasterization performance (hereinafter, referred to as “integrated rasterization performance”) of the entire integrated image data using the rasterization performance of the respective image data groups constituting the integrated image data estimated in step S 130 . The setting values that define the operation of the image forming apparatus  30 , such as transport speed of continuous paper, are set in accordance with the estimated integrated rasterization performance, but when the largest value among the rasterization performances of respective image data groups constituting the integrated image data is estimated as an integrated rasterization performance, for image data groups other than the image data group to which the largest value of rasterization performance is associated, conversion to raster image data cannot be performed in time at the transport speed of continuous paper. In this case, when the storage area provided in the RAM  53  for transferring the raster image data to the image forming unit  59  becomes empty, the so-called “intermittent printing” occurs, in which the raster image data formed by the image forming unit  59  on the continuous paper disappears and a blank portion appears on the continuous paper. 
     Therefore, the CPU  51  sets the smallest value of the rasterization performances among the rasterization performances of respective image data groups constituting the integrated image data as an integrated rasterization performance. As a result, an integrated rasterization performance that does not cause intermittent printing can be obtained. 
     When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the integrated rasterization performance is expressed by Min (R 5aa , R 5bb , R 5cc ). When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the integrated rasterization performance is expressed by Min (R 6ab , R 6bb , R 6bc ). The function Min is a function for selecting the smallest value among plural values separated by commas in parentheses. 
     When the recording medium used in the image forming apparatus  30  is cut paper, intermittent printing does not occur because the transport of the cut paper is stopped until raster image data is generated, even if the largest value among the rasterization performances of respective image data groups is set as an integrated rasterization performance. Instead, compared with the case where the smallest value among the rasterization performances of respective image data groups is set as an integrated rasterization performance, the number of images to be formed per unit time is lowered, and the image forming efficiency is lowered. 
     In step S 160 , the CPU  51  sets the setting values defining the operation of the image forming apparatus  30  so that the operation suitable for the integrated rasterization performance is performed, such as setting the transport speed of the continuous paper according to the integrated rasterization performance estimated in step S 150  and prepares for image formation. 
     In step S 170 , the CPU  51  controls the image forming unit  59  in accordance with the setting values set in step S 160  to form an image represented by the integrated image data on continuous paper and ends the image forming processing illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
     In step S 130  of  FIG. 10 , the rasterization performance for each image data group is estimated by actually rasterizing the image data corresponding to the set number of pages, but the rasterization performance for each image data group may be estimated by rasterizing the image data group for a preset period of time, for example, one second. 
     The CPU  51  may display the integrated rasterization performance estimated in step S 150  on the display unit  58 B to notify the outside. 
     As described above, according to the image forming apparatus  30  of the first exemplary embodiment, image data groups having the same imposition configuration are specified from the integrated image data, and an attribute value of the image data group such as a rasterization performance is estimated for each specified image data group. Then, the image forming apparatus  30  estimates the attribute value of the integrated image data using the attribute value of each image data group. 
     Therefore, the attribute value of the integrated image data is accurately estimated as compared with the case where the attribute value of the entire integrated image data is estimated using the image data partially taken out from the head of the integrated image data without considering the change in the configuration of the integrated image data. 
     Second Exemplary Embodiment 
     In the first exemplary embodiment, an example of estimating an rasterization performance as an attribute value of the integrated image data has been described, but in a second exemplary embodiment, the colorant consumption when the entire image represented by the integrated image data is formed on the recording medium as an attribute value of the integrated image data is estimated. 
     The colorant is a material used to form an image in a specified color by adhering to a recording medium, and in the image forming apparatus  30  for forming a color image, for example, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toners and inks are used as colorants. 
     Since the configuration example of the information processing system  1  according to the second exemplary embodiment, the flow of information in the information processing system  1 , the configuration example of the electric system in the server  20 , the configuration example of the electric system in the image forming apparatus  30 , and the imposition processing executed by the CPU  41  of the server  20  are the same as in  FIGS. 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9 , the description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of the image forming processing executed by the CPU  51  of the image forming apparatus  30  when the integrated image information is received from the server  20 . The image forming processing illustrated in  FIG. 11  differs from the image forming processing according to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10  in that step S 130  and step S 150  are replaced with step S 130 A and step S 150 A, respectively, and the processing of step S 162  to step S 168  are newly added. Since the other processing is the same as the processing of the image forming processing according to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10 , processing different from the image forming processing according to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10  will be described below. 
     After the configuration corresponding to any one image data group is selected in step S 120 , step S 130 A is executed. 
     In step S 130 A, the CPU  51  actually rasterizes the image data corresponding to the set number of pages among the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration and estimates the colorant consumption per page for each colorant from the obtained raster image data. For example, if the set number of pages is set to three pages, the CPU  51  rasterizes the image data for three pages from the start page of the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration and calculates the colorant consumption of each page for each colorant from the pixel values of each image set for each YMCK. Then, the CPU  51  calculates, for example, the average value of the colorant consumption of each page for each colorant and estimates the colorant consumption per image page constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration. 
     Here, as an example, the average value of the colorant consumption of each page is set as a colorant consumption per image page constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration, but the colorant consumption per image page constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration may be estimated using other statistics such as the maximum value and the minimum value of the colorant consumption. 
     Further, as described in the processing of step S 130  of  FIG. 10 , it is not always necessary to rasterize from the start page of the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration, and the rasterization of the image data for the set number of pages may be started in the middle of the pages constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration to estimate the colorant consumption per image page constituted by the image data group of the selected configuration. 
     By repeatedly executing the processing of step S 120  to step S 140  until there is no unselected configuration, the colorant consumption per page is estimated for each colorant for each image data group constituting the integrated image data. 
     When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a colorant consumption C 5aa  of the cyan colorant, a colorant consumption M 5aa  of the magenta colorant, a colorant consumption Y 5aa  of the yellow colorant, and a colorant consumption K 5aa  of the black colorant per page for the image data group of the configuration A, a colorant consumption C 5bb  of the cyan colorant, a colorant consumption M 5bb  of the magenta colorant, a colorant consumption Y 5bb  of the yellow colorant, and a colorant consumption K 5bb  of the black colorant per page for the image data group of the configuration B, a colorant consumption C 5cc  of the cyan colorant, a colorant consumption M 5cc  of the magenta colorant, a colorant consumption Y 5cc  of the yellow colorant, and a colorant consumption K 5cc  of the black colorant per page for the image data group of the configuration C are estimated. Further When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a colorant consumption C 6ab  of the cyan colorant, a colorant consumption M 6ab  of the magenta colorant, a colorant consumption Y 6ab  of the yellow colorant, and a colorant consumption K 6ab  of the black colorant per page for the image data group of the configuration A, a colorant consumption C 6bb  of the cyan colorant, a colorant consumption M 6bb  of the magenta colorant, a colorant consumption Y 6bb  of the yellow colorant, and a colorant consumption K 6bb  of the black colorant per page for the image data group of the configuration B, a colorant consumption C 6bc  of the cyan colorant, a colorant consumption M 6bc  of the magenta colorant, a colorant consumption Y 6bc  of the yellow colorant, and a colorant consumption K 6bc  of the black colorant per page for the image data group of the configuration C are estimated. 
     In the determination processing of step S 140 , when it is determined that there is no unselected configuration that has not been selected in step S 120  among the configurations generated by dividing the integrated image data in step S 110 , the process proceeds to step S 150 A. 
     In step S 150 A, the CPU  51  estimates, for each colorant, the colorant consumption (hereinafter, referred to as “integrated colorant consumption”) when the entire image represented by the integrated image data is formed on continuous paper, using the colorant consumption per page in each image data group estimated in step S 130 A. 
     More specifically, the CPU  51  calculates the colorant consumption for each colorant (hereinafter, referred to as “colorant consumption in the image data group”) obtained by multiplying the colorant consumption per page in each image data group constituting the integrated image data by the number of pages of the image constituted by the image data group serving as the estimation target of the colorant consumption. Then, the CPU  51  estimates the integrated colorant consumption for each colorant by adding the colorant consumption in each image data group constituting the integrated image data for each colorant. 
     When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the integrated colorant consumption for each colorant is estimated by Equation (1). 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   
                                     
                                       
                                         C 
                                         T 
                                       
                                       = 
                                       
                                         
                                           500 
                                            
                                           
                                             C 
                                             
                                               5 
                                                
                                               aa 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           1000 
                                            
                                           
                                             C 
                                             
                                               5 
                                                
                                               bb 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           250 
                                            
                                           
                                             C 
                                             
                                               5 
                                                
                                               cc 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                 
                                 
                                   
                                     
                                       
                                         M 
                                         T 
                                       
                                       = 
                                       
                                         
                                           500 
                                            
                                           
                                             M 
                                             
                                               5 
                                                
                                               aa 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           1000 
                                            
                                           
                                             M 
                                             
                                               5 
                                                
                                               bb 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           250 
                                            
                                           
                                             M 
                                             
                                               5 
                                                
                                               cc 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   Y 
                                   T 
                                 
                                 = 
                                 
                                   
                                     500 
                                      
                                     
                                       Y 
                                       
                                         5 
                                          
                                         aa 
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                   + 
                                   
                                     1000 
                                      
                                     
                                       Y 
                                       
                                         5 
                                          
                                         bb 
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                   + 
                                   
                                     250 
                                      
                                     
                                       Y 
                                       
                                         5 
                                          
                                         cc 
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                         
                       
                     
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             K 
                             T 
                           
                           = 
                           
                             
                               500 
                                
                               
                                 K 
                                 
                                   5 
                                    
                                   aa 
                                 
                               
                             
                             + 
                             
                               1000 
                                
                               
                                 K 
                                 
                                   5 
                                    
                                   bb 
                                 
                               
                             
                             + 
                             
                               250 
                                
                               
                                 K 
                                 
                                   5 
                                    
                                   cc 
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                         
                       
                     
                   
                   } 
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     Here, C T  represents the integrated colorant consumption of the cyan colorant, M T  represents the integrated colorant consumption of the magenta colorant, Y T  represents the integrated colorant consumption of the yellow colorant, and K T  represents the integrated colorant consumption of the black colorant. 
     When the configuration information included in the integrated image information conforms to the configuration information table  4  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the integrated colorant consumption for each colorant is estimated by Equation (2). 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   
                                     
                                       
                                         C 
                                         T 
                                       
                                       = 
                                       
                                         
                                           1000 
                                            
                                           
                                             C 
                                             
                                               6 
                                                
                                               ab 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           250 
                                            
                                           
                                             C 
                                             
                                               6 
                                                
                                               bb 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           500 
                                            
                                           
                                             C 
                                             
                                               6 
                                                
                                               bc 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                 
                                 
                                   
                                     
                                       
                                         M 
                                         T 
                                       
                                       = 
                                       
                                         
                                           1000 
                                            
                                           
                                             M 
                                             
                                               6 
                                                
                                               ab 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           250 
                                            
                                           
                                             M 
                                             
                                               6 
                                                
                                               bb 
                                             
                                           
                                         
                                         + 
                                         
                                           500 
                                           
                                             6 
                                              
                                             bc 
                                           
                                         
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   Y 
                                   T 
                                 
                                 = 
                                 
                                   
                                     1000 
                                      
                                     
                                       Y 
                                       
                                         6 
                                          
                                         ab 
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                   + 
                                   
                                     250 
                                      
                                     
                                       Y 
                                       
                                         6 
                                          
                                         bb 
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                   + 
                                   
                                     500 
                                      
                                     
                                       Y 
                                       
                                         6 
                                          
                                         bc 
                                       
                                     
                                   
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                         
                       
                     
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             K 
                             T 
                           
                           = 
                           
                             
                               1000 
                                
                               
                                 K 
                                 
                                   6 
                                    
                                   ab 
                                 
                               
                             
                             + 
                             
                               250 
                                
                               
                                 K 
                                 
                                   6 
                                    
                                   bb 
                                 
                               
                             
                             + 
                             
                               500 
                                
                               
                                 K 
                                 
                                   6 
                                    
                                   bc 
                                 
                               
                             
                           
                         
                       
                     
                   
                   } 
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   2 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     The integrated colorant consumption for each colorant illustrated in Equation (1) or Equation (2) is an estimated value of the colorant consumption consumed by the image forming apparatus  30  when the entire image represented by the integrated image data is formed on continuous paper. 
     In step S 162 , the CPU  51  acquires, from the image forming unit  59 , a colorant capacity for each colorant included in the image forming apparatus  30 . 
     In step S 164 , the colorant volume acquired in step S 162  and the integrated colorant consumption estimated in step S 150 A are compared for each colorant. If the colorant capacity of the at least one colorant is less than the integrated colorant consumption, there may be a shortage of colorant during the formation of the image represented by the integrated image data and the formation of the image may stop until, for example, the colorant is replenished. Accordingly, the CPU  51  determines whether or not the colorant capacity of at least one colorant is less than the integrated colorant consumption, that is, whether or not at least one colorant is insufficient. When at least one colorant is insufficient, the process proceeds to step S 166 . 
     In step S 166 , the CPU  51  displays a warning on the display unit  58 B that alerts the user to replenish the insufficient colorant. The CPU  51  may give this warning by voice. The replenishment of the colorant includes a form in which the colorant is added to the container containing the colorant, and a form in which the container lacking the colorant is replaced with a new container containing the colorant. 
     In step S 168 , the CPU  51  determines whether or not the replenishment of the insufficient colorant has been completed. When the replenishment of the colorant has not been completed, the determination processing of step S 168  is repeatedly executed to monitor the replenishment state of the insufficient colorant. On the other hand, when the replenishment of the insufficient colorant is completed, the process proceeds to step S 170 , and the CPU  51  controls the image forming unit  59  to start forming an image represented by the integrated image data. 
     When it is determined in the determination processing of step S 164  that none of the colorants is insufficient, the process proceeds to step S 170  because there is no need to supplement the colorants, and the CPU  51  controls the image forming unit  59  to start forming an image represented by the integrated image data. Thus, the image forming processing illustrated in  FIG. 11  is completed. 
     As described above, according to the image forming apparatus  30  of the second exemplary embodiment, the image data groups having the same imposition configuration are specified from the integrated image data, and the attribute value of the image data group such as the colorant consumption per page is estimated for each specified image data group. Then, the image forming apparatus  30  estimates the colorant consumption per page in each image data group and the colorant consumption consumed by the image forming apparatus  30  for each colorant when the entire image represented by the integrated image data is formed on continuous paper from the number of pages of the image constituted by each image data group. 
     In the first exemplary embodiment and the second exemplary embodiment, the server  20  performs the imposition processing, but the image forming apparatus  30  may perform the imposition processing. In this case, since the user terminal  10  only needs to transmit the image data to the image forming apparatus  30 , the server  20  becomes unnecessary. Conversely, the estimation of the attribute value of the integrated image data in the image forming processing performed by the image forming apparatus  30  may be performed by the server  20 . Specifically, for example, the server  20  may execute the processing up to step S 150  of the image forming processing according to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10  and the processing up to step S 150 A of the image forming processing according to the second exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
     The method of estimating the attribute value of the integrated image data from the attribute values of the image data groups having the same imposition configuration is applied not only to the image forming apparatus  30  but also to an information processing apparatus that processes the integrated data in which the data is allocated so as to integrate the individually created data. In this case, the information processing apparatus may acquire integrated data and the configuration information of the integrated data, specify data groups each having the same data allocation configuration from the integrated data based on the configuration information, and estimate the attribute value of the integrated data using the attribute values in the data groups. 
     The present disclosure has been described using the exemplary embodiments. It is noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Various changes or improvements can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the gist of the present disclosure, and such changes or improvements are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. For example, the order of processing may be changed without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. 
     In addition, although exemplary embodiments have been described in which the imposition processing and the image forming processing are implemented by software as an example, processing equivalent to the flowcharts illustrated in  FIGS. 9 to 11  may be implemented in, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic device (PLD), and the processing may be performed by hardware. In this case, the processing speed can be increased as compared with the case where each processing is implemented by software. 
     In this manner, the CPU  41  of the servers  20  and the CPU  51  of the image forming apparatus  30  may be replaced with a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, such as an ASIC, FPGA, a PLD, a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a floating point unit (FPU). 
     The operation of the CPU  41  of the server  20  and the operation of the CPU  51  of the image forming apparatus  30  in the exemplary embodiments may be implemented by plural CPUs  41  and  51 , respectively, in addition to the mode implemented by one CPU  41  and the CPU  51 . Further, the operation of the CPU  41  of the server  20  and the operation of the CPU  51  of the image forming apparatus  30  in the exemplary embodiments may be implemented by the cooperation of the CPU  41  of the computer  40  located at a physically separated position and the cooperation of the CPU  51  of the computer  50  located at a physically separated position. 
     In the above-described exemplary embodiments, the ROM  42  and the ROM  52  have programs installed therein, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Each program according to the exemplary embodiments can be provided in a form recorded in a computer-readable storage medium. For example, the programs may be provided in a form of being recorded on an optical disc such as a compact disc (CD)-ROM or a digital versatile disc (DVD)-ROM. Further, the programs according to the exemplary embodiments may be provided in the form of being recorded in a portable semiconductor memory such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory or a memory card. 
     Further, the server  20  and the image forming apparatus  30  may acquire the program from an external device connected to the communication line  2  via the communication unit  47  and the communication unit  57 , respectively. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure 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 disclosure and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.