Patent Description:
Various technologies have been developed that detect a defect in an image printed by an image forming apparatus, based on the result of reading the image. For example, techniques are known that assign identification information to each page of printed materials and add the identification information to the image of each page so as to facilitate identifying the position of a defective page.

<CIT> discloses a technique that prints identification information such as characters in an area that is not used as a product in a printed material. <CIT> discloses a printing system which prints identification information on the outside of an objective image. A cut line is printed on the boundary of the area where the objective image is arranged.

Since the position to which identification information is added cannot be changed in a typical technique, the identification information may not be properly printed in a printed material. For example, the identification information is added to a position where the identification information is not to be added to the printed material, the identification information is not printed, and in a case where the identification information is added close to an end of a sheet to add the identification information to a cut area, the print position of the identification information overlaps a margin area of the sheet, and the identification information is lost.

An object of the present disclosure is to print identification information more reliably in a conveyance medium.

Embodiments of the present disclosure described herein provide a novel image forming system including a print control unit and a print image generation unit. The print control unit controls printing on a conveyance medium based on print image data for printing a first image in a print area on the conveyance medium. The print image generation unit determines a position at which a second image is printed in a cut area, based on a position of a cutting mark, the second image including identification information to identify each page of the conveyance medium, the cut area being an area to be cut in the print area. The print image generation unit generates the print image data including the second image.

Embodiments of the present disclosure described herein provide a novel computer-executable method of printing identification information. The method includes generating, controlling, and determining. The generating generates print image data for printing a first image in a print area on the conveyance medium. The controlling controls printing on the conveyance medium based on the print image data. The determining determines a position at which a second image is printed in a cut area, based on a position of a cutting mark, to generate the print image data including the second image, the second image including identification information to identify each page of the conveyance medium, the cut area being an area to be cut in the print area.

Embodiments of the present disclosure described herein provide a novel carrier medium carrying computer-readable program code that causes a computer to perform generating, controlling, and determining. The generating generates print image data for printing a first image in a print area on the conveyance medium. The controlling controls printing on the conveyance medium based on the print image data. The determining determines a position at which a second image is printed in a cut area, based on a position of a cutting mark, to generate the print image data including the second image, the second image including identification information to identify each page of the conveyance medium, the cut area being an area to be cut in the print area.

Descriptions are given of an image forming system according to embodiments of the present disclosure, with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of an image forming system according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

An image forming system <NUM> includes a printer <NUM>, an inspection device <NUM>, a digital front end (DFE) <NUM>, and a stacker <NUM>. These devices are communicatively connected to each other via a communication line or a communication network.

The printer <NUM> receives print job data including a user image from an external device such as the DFE <NUM>. Then, the printer <NUM> executes printing in response to receipt of an execution instruction based on the received print job data or a user operation on an operation panel <NUM> of the printer <NUM>.

The printer <NUM> includes photoconductor drums 112Y, <NUM>, 112C, and <NUM> disposed along a conveyance belt <NUM>. The photoconductor drums 112Y, <NUM>, 112C, and <NUM> form yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images, respectively. The conveyance belt <NUM> is a moving unit of an endless loop.

Specifically, the printer <NUM> includes the photoconductor drums 112Y, <NUM>, 112C, and <NUM> disposed in this order from upstream in a traveling direction of the conveyance belt <NUM>. The conveyance belt <NUM> is an intermediate transfer belt on which an intermediate transfer image to be transferred onto a sheet fed from a sheet feeding tray <NUM> along the conveyance belt <NUM> is formed.

The printer <NUM> transfers respective images of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), which are developed with toner on respective surfaces of the photoconductor drums <NUM> for the four colors, onto the conveyance belt <NUM> in a superimposing manner to form a full color image. Then, the printer <NUM> transfers the full color image formed on the conveyance belt <NUM> onto the sheet that has been conveyed by a transfer roller <NUM> along a sheet conveyance passage, at a position at which the full color image comes closest to the sheet conveyance passage indicated with broken lines in <FIG>. Accordingly, the full color image is formed on the sheet.

The printer <NUM> further conveys the sheet having the image on the surface, so that the image is fixed to the sheet by a fixing roller pair <NUM>. Then, the sheet is conveyed to a reading device <NUM> disposed downstream from the fixing roller pair <NUM> in a conveyance direction of the sheet. The reading device <NUM> reads the sheet conveyed via the fixing roller pair <NUM> and generates read image data. Note that the reading device <NUM> may read the full color image after the full color image is fixed to the sheet by the fixing roller pair <NUM>. Alternatively, the reading device <NUM> may read the full color image before the sheet enters the fixing roller pair <NUM> after the full color image is transferred by the transfer roller <NUM>.

In the case of single-side printing, the printer <NUM> directly ejects the sheet read by the reading device <NUM> to the stacker <NUM>. In the case of duplex printing, the printer <NUM> reverses the sheet read by the reading device <NUM>, in a sheet reverse passage <NUM>, and then conveys the sheet to a transfer position of the transfer roller <NUM> again.

Subsequently, the printer <NUM> transfers and fixes a toner image to the opposite side of the sheet having the printed image on one side. Then, the reading device <NUM> reads the printed surface. Subsequently, the printer <NUM> ejects the duplex printed sheet to the stacker <NUM>.

The stacker <NUM> stacks and stores sheets ejected from the printer <NUM> on a sheet ejection tray <NUM>.

The inspection device <NUM> is a device that inspects printed sheets output from the printer <NUM>. Specifically, the inspection device <NUM> generates a master image based on rasterized image data received from the printer <NUM>. Then, the inspection device <NUM> compares the read image read by the reading device <NUM> with the master image and determines whether the read image includes any defect. The operation panel <NUM> acquires information indicating an inspection result from the inspection device <NUM> and displays the information. The rasterized image is, for example, in the CMYK format (format in a subtractive color mode including cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) with <NUM>-bit colors and <NUM> dpi resolution. The read image is, for example, in the red, green, and blue (RGB) format with <NUM>-bit colors and <NUM> dpi resolution.

The DFE <NUM> receives and manages print job data from a terminal operated by a user. The print job data includes image data and print job information indicating attributes of the job such as the number of copies to be printed, the number of pages to be printed, duplex or single-side printing, and the type of sheet. The DFE <NUM> adds the received print job data as a queue to a memory that stores the print job data. The DFE <NUM> extracts the print job data from the queue in the order in which the print job data is added to the queue or in accordance with a priority set appropriately. Then, the DFE <NUM> transmits the print job data to the printer <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the printer <NUM>.

The printer <NUM> includes a controller <NUM>, a short-range communication circuit <NUM>, an engine controller <NUM>, the operation panel <NUM>, and a network interface (I/F) <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> includes a central processing unit (CPU) <NUM> that is a main part of a computer, a system memory (MEM-P) <NUM>, a north bridge (NB) <NUM>, a south bridge (SB) <NUM>, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) <NUM>, a local memory (MEM-C) <NUM> that is a memory device, a hard disk drive (HDD) controller <NUM>, and a hard disk (HD) <NUM> that is a memory device.

The NB <NUM> and the ASIC <NUM> are connected with an accelerated graphics port (AGP) bus <NUM>.

The CPU <NUM> is a control device that performs overall control of the printer <NUM>. The NB <NUM> is a bridge to connect the CPU <NUM>, the MEM-P <NUM>, the SB <NUM>, and the AGP bus <NUM>. The NB <NUM> includes a memory controller that controls reading from and writing to the MEM-P <NUM>, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) master, and an AGP target.

The MEM-P <NUM> includes a read only memory (ROM) 1102a and a random access memory (RAM) 1102b. The ROM 1102a is a memory to store programs and data for implementing various functions of the controller <NUM>. The RAM 1102b is a memory to deploy programs, data or to render print data for memory printing. The program stored in the RAM 1102b may be provided as a file in an installable format or an executable format that the program is recorded in a computer-readable storage medium such as a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), a compact disc-recordable (CD-R), or a digital versatile disc (DVD).

The SB <NUM> is a bridge to connect the NB <NUM> to PCI devices and peripheral devices. The ASIC <NUM> is an integrated circuit (IC) for image processing having a hardware element for image processing and has a role of a bridge that connects the AGP bus <NUM>, a PCI bus <NUM>, the HDD controller <NUM>, and the MEM-C <NUM> to each other.

The ASIC <NUM> includes a PCI target, an AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) serving as a core of the ASIC <NUM>, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C <NUM>, a plurality of direct memory access controllers (DMAC) that rotates image data by hardware logic, and a PCI unit that transfers data between a scanner section <NUM> and a printer section <NUM> via the PCI bus <NUM>. Note that a universal serial bus (USB) interface or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers <NUM> (IEEE <NUM>) interface may be connected to the ASIC <NUM>.

The MEM-C <NUM> is a local memory used as a copy image buffer and a code buffer. The HD <NUM> is a memory device that stores image data, font data used in printing, and forms. The HD <NUM> controls reading or writing of data from or to the HD <NUM> under the control of the CPU <NUM>.

The AGP bus <NUM> is a bus interface for a graphics accelerator card that has been proposed to speed up graphics processing. The AGP bus <NUM> is a bus that allows direct access to the MEM-P <NUM> at high throughput to speed up the graphics accelerator card.

The short-range communication circuit <NUM> includes a short-range communication antenna 1120a. The short-range communication circuit <NUM> is a communication circuit that communicates in compliance with the near field radio communication (NFC) or the Bluetooth®.

The engine controller <NUM> includes the scanner section <NUM> and the printer section <NUM>. The operation panel <NUM> includes a panel display 117a and hard keys 117b. The panel display 117a is, e.g., a touch screen that displays current settings or a selection screen that receives a user input. The hard keys 117b include, e.g., a numeric keypad and a start key. The numeric keypad receives setting values of image forming parameters such as an image density parameter. The start key receives an instruction to start copying.

The controller <NUM> controls the overall printer <NUM> and controls, for example, drawing, communication, and input from the operation panel <NUM>. The scanner section <NUM> reads an image formed on a conveyance medium such as a sheet and generates image data. The printer section <NUM> includes a transfer device to transfer the image using a color material such as a toner image onto the conveyance medium such as the sheet, a fixing device to fix the image, a heating device, a drying device, and performs image formation on the sheet. Further, the scanner section <NUM> or the printer section <NUM> executes image processing such as error diffusion and gamma conversion.

Note that the sheet is an example of the conveyance medium. The conveyance medium may be any medium other than paper, such as a film sheet or a plastic sheet, as long as the conveyance medium is stacked in a sheet feeding tray provided for the printer <NUM>, to be conveyed and output according to an output instruction of a sheet.

The network I/F <NUM> is an interface that performs communication of data through the communication network. The short-range communication circuit <NUM> and the network I/F <NUM> are electrically connected to the ASIC <NUM> via the PCI bus <NUM>.

Although the example of the printer <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> includes an electrophotographic image forming mechanism, the printer <NUM> may include another image forming mechanism such as an inkjet image forming mechanism.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the printer <NUM> of the image forming system of <FIG>.

The printer <NUM> includes a system control unit <NUM>, a display control unit <NUM>, a network I/F control unit <NUM>, an external I/F control unit <NUM>, a storage unit <NUM>, a mechanism control unit <NUM>, a print job receiving unit <NUM>, an image processing control unit <NUM>, and a printing control unit <NUM>. Each of these units of the printer <NUM> is achieved by the CPU <NUM> or the ASIC <NUM> of the printer <NUM> executing a process defined in programs stored in the MEM-P <NUM> or the MEM-C <NUM>.

The system control unit <NUM> controls the overall operation of the printer <NUM>. The system control unit <NUM> includes a job information processing unit <NUM>, a rasterized image processing unit <NUM>, and a job information generation unit <NUM>.

The job information processing unit <NUM> processes job information included in the print job data transmitted from the DFE <NUM>. The job information processing unit <NUM> adds an identification number for identifying a conveyance medium such as the sheet to job information. The identification number may be, for example, a serial number that is incremented by one for each time a sheet is fed, or may be a number including a job ID, a copy number, and a page number. In addition, the identification number may be matched with the page number of each print job as long as a user recognizes which print job is associated with the identification number.

The identification number is an example of identification information for identifying a conveyance medium. The identification information may be in any form, for example, a numerical value, a character, a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or a combination of these forms. When duplex printing is performed, the identification information may include information indicating whether a page is a front face or a back face or may be a different number for each page so that whether the page is the front face or the back face is identified.

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> performs predetermined color conversion processing on the CMYK values or the RGB values of the image data included in the print job data, using a rasterized image processing engine and converts the CMYK values or the RGB values into image data in a CMYK format suitable for printing.

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> generates print image data for printing an image included in the print job data on a sheet. The image included in the print image data is referred to as a user image or as a first image. In addition, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> acquires a setting value for adding an identification number image. The identification number image is an image indicating the identification number and may also be referred to as a second image. In a case where the print job assumes the cutting of the sheet and the setting value indicates adding identification number image, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> performs processing of adding the identification number.

In other words, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> acquires the identification number from the job information processing unit <NUM>, generates the identification number image, and generates print image data including the generated identification number image and the user image.

To be more specific, in a case where the print job assumes the cutting of the sheet, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> generates the print image data including the identification number image and the user image. The identification number image is included in an area to be cut in a sheet (referred to as a cut area or a first area). The user image is included in an area other than the cut area (referred to as a non-cut area or a second area). The specific process of the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> is described below. Note that the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> is an example of a print image generation unit that generates a print image.

In a case where a print image is transferred onto a conveyance medium such as a sheet at a position close to the leading end of the conveyance medium in a conveyance direction of the conveyance medium in an electrophotographic printing process, the separation error of the conveyance medium is more likely to occur when the sheet is separated from a fixing device that fixes a color material onto the conveyance medium after the transfer of the print image on the conveyance medium. For this reason, a known technique provides a margin area having an appropriate size at the leading end of a sheet. The margin area is an area set in advance for each type of sheet as an area where printing is not performed.

The job information generation unit <NUM> generates special job information based on information received from the inspection device <NUM>. For example, in a case where a defect occurs in an image, the job information generation unit <NUM> may receive information to be printed on a slip sheet from the inspection device <NUM> and generate job information for printing the slip sheet.

The display control unit <NUM> controls to display various types of information including job information on the operation panel <NUM>. The network I/F control unit <NUM> controls the network I/F <NUM> and controls connection with the communication network. When another device is connected to the printer <NUM>, the external I/F control unit <NUM> controls connection with the connected device. The storage unit <NUM> stores various types of information including job information.

The mechanism control unit <NUM> controls operations of mechanisms included in the printer <NUM>, such as operations of a mechanism that performs sheet conveyance and operations of a mechanism that performs a transfer process in the printer <NUM> including the printer section <NUM>. The print job receiving unit <NUM> receives the print job data from the DFE <NUM>. The image processing control unit <NUM> processes a print image transferred by the mechanism control unit <NUM>. The printing control unit <NUM> controls the image formation on the conveyance medium. The mechanism control unit <NUM>, the image processing control unit <NUM>, and the printing control unit <NUM> cooperate with each other to function as a print control unit that forms an image on the conveyance medium.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the margin area and the cut area according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

A margin area <NUM> along an edge <NUM> of a sheet <NUM> is set in advance for each type of sheet as an area where printing is not performed. An area of the sheet <NUM> excluding the margin area <NUM> is a user image area <NUM>. The user image designated by the print job data is printed in the user image area <NUM> of the sheet <NUM>.

The margin area <NUM> is an area within a certain length from an edge of the sheet <NUM> to the center of the sheet <NUM>. In the following description, it is assumed that the identification number image is printed in the margin area <NUM> at each of an upper end, a lower end, a left end, and a right end of the sheet <NUM>. Note that the identification number image may be printed in the margin area <NUM> at one, two, or three of the upper end, the lower end, the left end, and the right end of the sheet <NUM>. The margin area <NUM> at the upper end of the sheet <NUM> is, for example, an area that fits within a certain length from the upper edge of the sheet <NUM>.

In a case where the sheet <NUM> is cut, the user image may include a cutting mark <NUM>. In a case where the user image includes the cutting mark <NUM>, the position of a cutting line <NUM> is specified from the shape of the cutting mark <NUM>. Then, the area outside the cutting line <NUM> is the cut area. In the user image area <NUM>, an area that is not cut is the non-cut area. The cutting line <NUM> is a line indicating a boundary between the cut area and the non-cut area.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of determining a print position of the identification number image, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines to set the print position of the identification number image to the cut area near the cutting mark <NUM>. Specifically, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> sets a position closest to the non-cut area, of the cut area in the user image area <NUM>, as the print position of the identification number image. In the example of <FIG>, the position closest to the non-cut area is a position in contact with the cutting line <NUM> in the cut area. The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> may set the print position of the identification number image to a position where the distance between the print position of the identification number image and the cutting line <NUM> is a predetermined offset value. Alternatively, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> may set the print position of the identification number image to a position where the distance is smaller than the offset value.

Note that a user may designate the print position of the identification number image. In this case, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> may determine the position designated by the user as the print position of the identification number image regardless of the presence or absence or the position of the cutting mark.

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> generates the identification number image for each page and adds the identification number image to the print image of each page. The identification number image includes an identification number portion and a blank portion. The blank portion is white color. Note that the blank portion may be clear instead of white color so that the user image is visible. The identification number image does not include a frame border of, for example, black color.

<FIG> is a diagram another example of the method of determining the print position of the identification number image, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in a case where the cut area is narrow, the identification number image may not fit in the cut area. In this case, a position closest to the non-cut area in the cut area and the margin area <NUM> is set as the print position of the identification number image. The above-described configuration can prevent the identification number image from being completely missing.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example of calculation of the print position of the identification number image.

The coordinates of two L-shaped corner portions of an upper left cutting mark <NUM> are represented by (ax0, ay0) and (ax1, ay1), respectively. Similarly, the coordinates of an upper right cutting mark <NUM> are represented by (bx0, by0) and (bx1, by1), respectively. The coordinates of a lower left cutting mark <NUM> are represented by (cx0, cy0) and (cx1, cy1), respectively. The coordinates of a lower right cutting mark <NUM> are represented by (dx0, dy0) and (dx1, dy1), respectively.

The horizontal and vertical lengths of the identification number image are represented by L1 and L2, respectively. Note that L1 and L2 may be common to each identification number or may be individually set. Next, the coordinates of four corners of an identification number image 405a are represented by (px0, py0), (px1, py1), (px2, py2), and (px3, py3), respectively. Similarly, the coordinates of four corners of an identification number image 405b are represented by (qx0, qy0), (qx1, qy1), (qx2, qy2), (qx3, qy3), respectively. The coordinates of four corners of an identification number image 405c are represented by (rx0, ry0), (rx1, ry1), (rx2, ry2), (rx3, ry3), respectively. The coordinates of four corners of an identification number image 405d are represented by (sx0, sy0), (sx1, sy1), (sx2, sy2), (sx3, sy3), respectively.

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> calculates coordinates (px0, py0) in a case where the identification number image 405a is arranged at the center between the upper left and upper right cutting marks <NUM>, for example, as in Equation <NUM> and Equation <NUM> described below. <MAT> <MAT>.

Similarly, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> calculates the coordinates (qx0, qy0), (rx0, ry0), and (sx0, sy0) of the identification number images 405b, 405c, and 405d, respectively, as in Equation <NUM> to Equation <NUM> described below. <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> <MAT>.

Note that the equations from Equation <NUM> to Equation <NUM> are examples, and for example, Equation <NUM> may be set in a range from ax0 to (bx0 - L1), may be set to a fixed value as appropriate, or an equation may be changed, and the same applies to the equations from Equation <NUM> to Equation <NUM>. Alternatively, Equation <NUM> and Equation <NUM> or Equation <NUM> and Equation <NUM> may be common.

A description is given of operations of the image forming system <NUM>, with reference to <FIG>. When the printer <NUM> acquires the print job data from the DFE <NUM> and performs printing of the print job data, the printer <NUM> executes a process of determining the print position of the identification number image.

<FIG> is a flowchart of an example of the process of determining the print position of the identification number image.

The following processing is executed for each page included in the print job data. The inspection device <NUM> generates master image data based on the rasterized image data (step S101). Next, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> acquires a setting value for adding an identification number image (step S102). The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines whether the setting value indicates printing the identification number image (step S103). When the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the setting value indicates printing the identification number image (YES in step S103), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines whether the print job assumes the cutting of the sheet (step S104).

When the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the setting value does not indicate printing the identification number image (NO in step S103) or determines that the print job does not assume the cutting of the sheet (NO in step S104), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> ends the process of determining the print position of the identification number image.

When the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the print job assumes the cutting of the sheet (YES in step S104), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines whether a user has designated the print position of the identification number image. When the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the user has designated the print position of the identification number image (YES in step S105), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> holds print coordinates of the identification number image designated by the user (step S112).

When the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the user has not designated the print position of the identification number image (NO in step S105), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines whether the print position of the identification number image is to be determined from the cutting marks to be added (step S106).

The printer <NUM> has, in advance, a setting of whether the cutting marks are assumed to be added to the user image in advance or the cutting marks are assumed to be added by the printer <NUM>.

In the processing of step S106, in a case where the cutting marks are assumed to be added to the user image in advance, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the print position of the identification number image is not to be determined from the cutting marks to be added (NO in step S106).

Alternatively, in the processing of step S106, in a case where the cutting marks are assumed to be added by the printer <NUM>, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the print position of the identification number image is to be determined from the cutting marks to be added (YES in step S106).

In a case where the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the print position of the identification number image is to be determined from the cutting marks to be added (YES in step S106), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> holds the print coordinates of the identification number image obtained from the cutting marks to be added (step S111).

In a case where the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the print position of the identification number image is not to be determined from the cutting marks to be added (NO in step S106), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> searches for the cutting marks in the user image area (step S107). A detailed description of a method of searching for the cutting marks is given below.

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines whether the cutting marks are included in the user image for each page (step S108). In a case where the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the cutting marks are not included in the user image for each page (NO in step S108), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> ends the process of determining the print position of the identification number image.

In a case where the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the cutting marks are included in the user image for each page (YES in step S108), the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> calculates the coordinates of each cutting mark and the print coordinates of the identification number image (step S109). Then, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> holds the coordinates of each cutting mark and the print coordinates of the identification number image for each page (step S110).

The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> generates a print image including the identification number image at the position of the print coordinates held in the processing of step S110.

Next, descriptions are given of the setting of a function to add the identification number image by the above-described rasterized image processing unit <NUM>. The function is referred to as an identification number image adding function.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting screen according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

The setting screen <NUM> is a screen displayed on the operation panel <NUM> under the control of the display control unit <NUM>. The setting screen <NUM> includes a check box <NUM>.

The check box <NUM> is a graphical user interface (GUI) for receiving a selection of whether to use the identification number image adding function.

The printer <NUM> stores the content selected on the setting screen <NUM> as a setting value in the storage unit <NUM>. For example, the storage unit <NUM> stores information indicating that the setting value of the identification number image adding function is ON (valid) when the check box <NUM> is checked and information indicating that the setting value of the identification number image adding function is OFF (invalid) when the check box <NUM> is not checked.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the method of searching for the cutting marks, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

In step S107 of the process of determining the print position of the identification number image in <FIG> described above, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> searches for the cutting marks in the user image area. Here, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> searches for the cutting marks in the master image generated in the processing of step S101. The cutting mark is, for example, a trim mark <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

Specifically, for example, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> performs corner detection and detects a feature point (feature point Pf) in an area (given area At) having a constant length from the upper left edge of the sheet. A corner is an area where a large change in pixel value is observed in each direction. The rasterized image processing unit <NUM> employs, for example, a Harris operator as a corner detection method (algorithm). Further, since the cutting mark is generally printed on the end of the sheet, the feature points closest to the upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right edges of the sheet are selected from the feature points detected by the corner detection. Then, the rasterized image processing unit <NUM> determines that the cutting marks are present in the step S108 of <FIG> when the feature points Pf are detected at the upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right ends of the sheet.

Next, descriptions are given of the process for determining whether to display an identification number in a case where the printer <NUM> displays information about a defect detected by the inspection device <NUM>.

<FIG> is a flowchart of an example of a determination process of identification number display, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

The job information processing unit <NUM> acquires information indicating whether the identification number image is added to the print image data, in other words, information indicating the addition status of the identification number image (step S201). The information indicating the addition status of the identification number image is the information stored in, for example, the storage unit <NUM> at step S110, S111, or S112 of the process of determining the print position of the identification number image illustrated in <FIG> described above.

The job information processing unit <NUM> determines whether the identification number image has been added to the user image based on the information indicating the addition status of the identification number image (step S202). In a case where the job information processing unit <NUM> determines that the identification number image has been added (YES in step S202), the job information processing unit <NUM> displays the identification number (step S203).

Note that the printer <NUM> may transmit information indicating the addition status of the identification number image to the inspection device <NUM>. In this case, the inspection device <NUM> may execute the determination process of identification number display illustrated in <FIG> when the inspection device <NUM> displays the information about the detected defect.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example of an error screen according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

The inspection device <NUM> may instruct the printer <NUM> to stop printing in response to detection of a defect. In this case, the display control unit <NUM> temporarily stops the print job in response to receipt of the instruction to stop the print job from the inspection device <NUM> and displays an error screen <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> on the operation panel <NUM>. The error screen <NUM> includes buttons such as the "Continue Printing" button and the "Cancel Job" button, a job ID in which a defect is detected, the number of copies, the number of pages, and a display <NUM> of an identification number for identifying a page. In the display <NUM>, a value is displayed in a case where the processing of step S110, S111, or S112 of the process of determining the print position of the identification number image in <FIG> is executed, and "-" is displayed in a case where the processing of step S110, S111, or S112 of the process of determining the print position of the identification number image illustrated in <FIG> is not executed. The code "-" indicates that the identification number is not assigned.

The image forming system <NUM> according to the present embodiment determines a position at which a second image including identification information to identify each page of a conveyance medium is printed, based on the position of a cutting mark, and generates print image data including the second image. Accordingly, the identification information can be printed more reliably on the conveyance medium.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine, in the first area, a position where the second image is printed. The position is, in an area where the first image is printed, a position at which the distance from a cutting line indicating a boundary with a second area, which is an area not to be cut, is smaller than a predetermined value. Accordingly, the image forming system <NUM> can prevent missing of the identification number image and print the identification information at a more reliable position in the cut area of the conveyance medium.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine a position in contact with the cutting line in the first area, as the position at which the second image is printed. Accordingly, the image forming system <NUM> can print the identification information at a most reliable position in the cut area of the conveyance medium.

The image forming system <NUM> may be configured to search for the cutting marks from the first image and determine the position at which the second image is printed based on the position of the searched cutting marks. Due to such a configuration, the image forming system <NUM> can contribute to eliminate the load of a user's operation of setting the print position of the identification number image.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine the position at which the second image is printed based on a predetermined position of the cutting mark. Due to such a configuration, even in a case where a cutting mark image is not included in the user image, the image forming system <NUM> can contribute to eliminate the load of the user's operation of setting the print position of the identification number image.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine the print position designated by the user, as the position at which the second image is printed. Such a configuration allows the user to designate the print position of the identification number image.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine any one or a plurality of positions in the first areas of the four sides of the conveyance medium, as the position at which the second image is printed. Such a configuration allows the user to easily recognize the identification number image.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine whether the second image is included in the print image data to be generated, based on a setting value indicating whether the second image is to be printed. Such a configuration allows the identification number image to be added to only the print job designated by the user, and can prevent the identification number image from being constantly attached to the printed material.

The image forming system <NUM> may determine whether the second image is included in the print image data to be generated, based on whether the job of printing the first image is a print job assuming the cutting of the sheet. Such a configuration allows the identification number image to be added to only the print job to be cut, and can prevent the identification number image from being constantly attached to the print material even if the user does not designate the identification number image each time.

The image forming system <NUM> determines whether the mark is present based on the horizontal or vertical position of each of the feature points detected at the four corners. Due to such a configuration described above, the feature of the corner mark or the trimming mark can be captured, and the mark can be more accurately detected.

Although the typical shape of a mark set by a user on a print image is fixed, the position of the mark may vary depending on the size of a sheet to be printed. As a result, the user designates an area corresponding to the position of the mark in the read image, so that the mark is detected more accurately.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the DFE <NUM>, the inspection device <NUM>, and the printer <NUM> may be configured to share the above-described processing steps in various combinations. Further, the elements of the DFE <NUM>, the inspection device <NUM>, and the printer <NUM> may be integrated into one apparatus or may be separately disposed in a plurality of different apparatuses.

In an embodiment, the DFE <NUM> or the inspection device <NUM> may be configured as an information processing system including a plurality of computing devices such as a server cluster. The plurality of computing devices are configured to communicate with one another via any type of communication link, including a network or shared memory to implement the processing described in the present specification.

Claim 1:
An image forming system (<NUM>) comprising:
a print control unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to control printing on a conveyance medium based on print image data for printing a first image in a print area on the conveyance medium; and
a print image generation unit (<NUM>) configured to:
determine a position at which a second image is printed in a cut area, based on a position of a cutting mark, the second image including identification information to identify each page of the conveyance medium, the cut area being an area to be cut in the print area; and
generate the print image data including the second image.