JP2019074767A - Setting device, image forming apparatus including the setting device, and clear coating setting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a setting device capable of easily setting a page for clear coating. A setting device is a device for setting a print page for clear coating. When the print data is acquired, the setting device displays a preview of the print page image represented by the print data. The setting device further receives a designation for the preview-displayed print page image, and sets the print page corresponding to the print page image for which the designation has been received as the print page for clear coat. [Selection diagram] Fig. 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a setting apparatus, an image forming apparatus and a clear coat setting method, and in particular, a setting apparatus for setting a print page to be subjected to clear coating, an image forming apparatus provided with the setting apparatus, and a print page to be subjected to clear coating Related to how to set clear coat.

  In recent years, the demand for higher image quality for full color electrophotographic image forming apparatuses has been increasing. Under such circumstances, a clear coat image forming apparatus has been proposed which further forms a toner image which becomes transparent after fixing on a sheet of paper after forming an image of high quality on a sheet of recording paper. There is.

  Patent Document 1 listed later includes a color image forming apparatus for forming a plurality of color toner images, and a clear coat using a clear toner (clear coating material) which is connected to the subsequent stage of the color image forming apparatus and becomes transparent after fixing. Disclosed is an image forming system comprising a clear coat image forming apparatus for forming an image and a bookbinding apparatus further connected to the rear stage thereof. The colored image forming apparatus and the clear coat image forming apparatus form a clear coat image at the folding position of the sheet when the folding mode by the bookbinding apparatus is designated.

JP 2007-322819 A

  Generally, there are various pages which the user wants to clear coat, not only at the folding position of the cover and the innermost page but also various pages such as a page in which a picture or a picture is inserted, according to the print content. In the image forming system of Patent Document 1, although the clear coat image can be formed at the folding position of the sheet, in order for the user to clear coat an arbitrary page, the user grasps the page to be clear coated in advance and clears each page. It is necessary to set up to apply a coat. Therefore, there is a problem that setting of a page to be subjected to clear coating is very time-consuming.

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems as described above, and one object of the present invention is to provide a setting device capable of easily performing setting of a page to be subjected to clear coating, and the setting device Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and a clear coat setting method.

  In order to achieve the above object, a setting device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a setting device for setting a print page to be subjected to clear coating. The setting device includes a reception unit for receiving a specification for a print page image previewed on the display unit, and a specification unit for specifying in advance a specific print page image among a plurality of print page images represented by the print data. A setting unit configured to set a print page corresponding to the print page image specified by the reception unit or the print page image specified by the specification unit as a print page to be clear-coated; The setting screen has a setting screen for setting a setting method of a page to be subjected to clear coating, and the setting screen receives a user operation and sets a first print sheet individually for each page, and the specific print page image It is possible to select one of the second setting methods to be set collectively.

  Preferably, the designation unit is configured to use, as the specific print page image, a page image corresponding to a cover, a page image corresponding to a back cover, a page image in which a photograph is inserted, and a page image in which a picture is inserted. It contains a unit that specifies at least one of them. Therefore, it is possible to effectively save time and trouble in setting a page to be subjected to clear coating.

  A clear coat setting method according to a second aspect of the present invention is a setting method for setting a print page to be subjected to clear coat. The clear coat setting method includes a step of previewing a print page image represented by print data, a step of accepting designation of the print page image previewed, and a specific one of the plurality of print page images represented by the print data. And designating a print page corresponding to the designated print page image as the print page to be clear-coated, wherein the setting step includes: The setting screen has a setting screen for setting a setting method, and the setting screen receives a user's operation and sets a first print method individually for each page, and a second setting for collectively setting the specific print page image Allows selection of either one of the setting methods.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a setting apparatus capable of easily setting a page to be subjected to clear coating, an image forming apparatus provided with the setting apparatus, and a clear coat setting method.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control structure of the program run by the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen (UI) for setting a page to be previewed. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen (UI) set to clear coat by default. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen (UI) which sets the setting method of the page to clear coat. It is a figure which shows an example of a preview screen display. It is a figure which shows an example of a preview screen display. It is a figure which shows an example of a preview screen display.

  In the following embodiments, the same parts are given the same reference numerals. Their functions and names are also identical. Therefore, detailed description about them will not be repeated.

  Referring to FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is, for example, an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) having a copy function, a scanner function, a printer function, and the like. The image forming apparatus 100 has a so-called laser (electrophotographic) printing function that uses laser light for exposure. However, other types of printing functions may be provided. The image forming apparatus 100 has a function of performing a clear coat on a recording sheet after forming an image on the recording sheet which is a paper medium.

  When the image forming apparatus 100 acquires print data (original data) by reading (scanning) an original image, the image forming apparatus 100 displays a preview of the image represented by the acquired print data in page units. The image forming apparatus 100 further performs area separation processing on the acquired print data to automatically discriminate an image area (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “photograph area” or a “picture area”) on the image represented by the print data. Do. Thereby, the image forming apparatus 100 determines a page in which a photo or a picture is inserted in the print page included in the print data. The image forming apparatus 100 can display a preview of only a page into which a picture or a picture is inserted. For example, when a desired page is designated by the user on the preview screen, the image forming apparatus 100 sets the designated page as a page to be clear-coated. When an instruction to start printing is received, the image forming apparatus 100 prints an image on a recording sheet based on the print data, and clear coats the entire surface of the set page.

[Hardware configuration]
<< Image Forming Apparatus 100 >> Referring to FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 110, a scanner unit 120, an image processing unit 130, an image forming unit 140, a clear image forming unit 150, and a network. An interface (hereinafter referred to as “interface” as “I / F”) 160 and an operation panel 170 are included.

  The control unit 110 is substantially a computer, and includes a central processing unit (CPU) 112, a read only memory (ROM) 114, a random access memory (RAM) 116, and a hard disk drive (HDD) 118. A BUS line 180 is connected to the CPU 112, and the ROM 114, the RAM 116, and the HDD 118 are electrically connected to the BUS line 180. The CPU 112 executes various computer programs in response to an instruction from the operation panel 170 or the like, thereby making it possible to operate each part of the image forming apparatus 100 and communicate with an external device such as an information processing apparatus (not shown). Execute the process of The various computer programs described above are stored in advance in the ROM 114 or the HDD 118, and are read from the ROM 114 or the HDD 118 and transferred to the RAM 116 when desired processing is performed. The CPU 112 reads and interprets a program instruction from an address in the RAM 116 specified by a value stored in a register called a program counter (not shown) in the CPU 112. The CPU 112 also reads data necessary for the operation from the address specified by the read instruction, and executes the operation corresponding to the instruction on the data. The result of execution is also stored at an address designated by the instruction, such as the registers in the RAM 116, the HDD 118, and the CPU 112.

  The HDD 118 stores a computer program for realizing the general operation of the image forming apparatus 100. The computer program is provided from an information processing apparatus or the like via the network and the network I / F 160. The computer program may be provided by a storage medium such as a DVD, for example, in which the computer program is recorded. That is, a DVD as a recording medium for the computer program may be mounted on a DVD drive (not shown) incorporated in the image forming apparatus 100, and the computer program may be read from the DVD and installed on the HDD 118. The HDD 118 also stores various data including print data (image data) and the like.

  Further, the scanner unit 120, the image processing unit 130, the image forming unit 140, the clear image forming unit 150, the network I / F 160, and the operation panel 170 are electrically connected to the BUS line 180.

  The scanner unit 120 includes a document detection sensor and a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) line sensor (all not shown). The document detection sensor is a light source (not shown) for the image surface of a document placed on a document placement table (not shown) manually by a user or by an automatic document feeder (not shown). ) To form a reflected light image obtained by irradiating light from the above on a CCD line sensor. The CCD line sensor sequentially photoelectrically converts the formed reflected light image and outputs it to the image processing unit 130 as image data. That is, when copying or scanning a document, the scanner unit 120 reads image information from the document placed on the document placement table by the document detection sensor, converts the read image information into an electrical signal by the CCD line sensor, The data is output to the image processing unit 130 as data.

  The image processing unit 130 includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit, not shown). The image processing unit 130 performs various processing including predetermined image processing such as rasterization processing on image data received from the scanner unit 120 or an information processing apparatus or the like, for example, and prints print data of a predetermined gradation. It is created and output to the image forming unit 140.

  The image forming unit 140 prints an image represented by print data in color or single color on a recording sheet, and, for example, a photosensitive drum, a charging device, a laser scanning unit (LSU), a developing device, a transfer device, and cleaning A device, a fixing device, and a charge removing device are provided. For example, a conveyance path is provided in the image forming unit 140, and a recording sheet fed from a paper feed unit (not shown) is conveyed along the conveyance path. The sheet feeding unit pulls out the recording sheets stored in a sheet cassette (not shown) or the recording sheets placed on the manual feed tray one by one, and feeds the recording sheets to the conveyance path of the image forming unit 140. . While the recording sheet is being conveyed along the conveyance path of the image forming unit 140, the recording sheet passes between the photosensitive drum and the transfer device, passes through the fixing device, and performs printing on the recording sheet. Be

  The photosensitive drum is rotated in one direction, and the surface thereof is uniformly charged by the charging device after being cleaned by the cleaning device and the charge removing device. The laser scanning unit modulates laser light based on print data to be printed, and repeatedly scans the surface of the photosensitive drum in the main scanning direction with this laser light to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum Do. The developing device supplies toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum to develop an electrostatic latent image, and forms a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The transfer device transfers the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum to the recording sheet passing between the transfer device and the photosensitive drum.

  The fixing device includes a heating roller for heating the recording sheet, and a pressure roller for pressing the recording sheet. The recording sheet is heated by the heating roller and pressurized by the pressure roller, whereby the toner image transferred onto the recording sheet is fixed to the recording sheet. The recording sheet discharged (printed) from the fixing device is discharged to the discharge tray. When it is set to perform a clear coat on a recording sheet, the recording sheet discharged (printed) from the fixing device is conveyed to the clear image forming unit 150.

  The clear image forming unit 150 forms a clear image on the printed recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit 140 based on the print data for clear coat. The clear image forming unit 150 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, a laser scan unit (LSU), a developing device, a transfer device, a cleaning device, a fixing device, a charge removing device, and the like. In the clear image forming unit 150, unlike the image forming unit 140, the developing device contains clear toner. That is, in the clear image forming unit 150, clear toner which becomes transparent at least after fixing is used as the clear coat material. The recording sheet subjected to the clear coating by the clear image forming unit 150 is discharged to the sheet discharge tray. Note that in the clear image forming unit 150, the configuration of the photosensitive drum, charging device, laser scan unit (LSU), developing device, transfer device, cleaning device, fixing device, discharging device, etc. is the same as that of the image forming unit 140. is there. Therefore, detailed description about them will not be repeated.

  The network I / F 160 interfaces with the network. The image forming apparatus 100 can perform data communication with an information processing apparatus or the like on the network via the network I / F 160 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol. The image forming apparatus 100 can receive, from the information processing apparatus, an instruction signal instructing execution of various processes such as a print job via the network I / F 160.

  Operation panel 170 includes touch panel display 172. The touch panel display 172 is a touch panel integrated liquid crystal display device configured by overlapping the display panel 174 and the touch panel 176. The display panel 174 provides the user with various information such as information regarding the state of the image forming apparatus 100 and the states of various processes. The touch panel display 172 also provides an interactive operation interface (user interface) to the user. The interactive operation interface receives a user's instruction for the entire operation of the image forming apparatus 100 from the touch panel 176, displays the content of the instruction on the display panel 174, and controls the control unit 110 or the control signal according to the instruction. It is output to the MPU of the image processing unit 130. The touch panel display 172 also displays a preview of the image represented by the print data.

Software Configuration
Referring to FIG. 2, a control structure of a computer program executed by image forming apparatus 100 to set a page to be subjected to clear coating will be described. In the following, the case of copying and printing an original will be described. This program is activated by selecting a clear coat function in the copy printing mode.

  This program is executed after step S1000 for setting the printing conditions and after step S1000, and determines whether or not the start key (not shown) for instructing the start of copy printing is pressed, and the start key is pressed. The process includes a step S1010 of waiting until it is performed, and a step S1020 which is executed when it is determined in step S1010 that the start key has been pressed, and reads an original image.

  In step S1000, for example, in accordance with a user's instruction, the same setting as general copy printing setting is performed. The setting of the printing conditions includes, for example, settings of printing methods (saddle stitching, double-sided printing, N-UP (aggregate printing), etc.), sheet types, and number of copies.

  In step S1020, the scanner unit 120 reads all pages of a copy-printed document, and converts the document image into electronic data.

  The program further includes step S1030 which is executed after step S1020 and performs preview CC (Clear Coat) page setting.

  In step S1030, the setting of the page to be previewed, the default setting of the page to be subjected to clear coating, and the setting method of the page to be subjected to clear coating are performed. In step S1030, control unit 110 first displays setting screen 200 shown in FIG. 3 on touch panel display 172.

  Referring to FIG. 3, setting screen 200 includes four check boxes 202 to 208 and “Next” key 210 for proceeding with the process. When the check box 202 is checked by the operation of the user, all pages are set as pages to be previewed. When the check box 204 is checked by the operation of the user, the cover page (first page) and the back cover page (final page) are set as pages to be previewed. When the check box 206 is checked by the operation of the user, the page in which the picture or picture is inserted is set as the page for preview display. When the check box 208 is checked by the operation of the user, the pages of the front cover and the back cover, and the page in which a photo and a picture are inserted are set as pages to be previewed. In the setting screen 200, it is possible to select one of the four check boxes 202-208. With these settings, it is possible to preview and display only pages that the user may clear coat. By displaying the preview in this manner, when selecting a page to be subjected to clear coating, it is not necessary to confirm useless pages (pages for which it is determined not to perform clear coating). Therefore, it is possible to save time and effort. When the user operates the “next” key 210, the screen changes to the setting screen 300 shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 4, setting screen 300 is a screen for setting a page designated (set) to “clear coat” by default. That is, in the setting screen 300, setting is performed to designate in advance a page to be subjected to clear coating. The setting screen 300 includes five check boxes 302 to 310 and a “next” key 312 for proceeding with the process. When the check box 302 is checked by the operation of the user, all pages are set to be designated as pages to be clear-coated by default. When the check box 304 is checked by the operation of the user, it is set that the front cover and back cover pages are designated as pages to be clear-coated by default. When the check box 306 is checked by the operation of the user, the page in which the picture or the picture is inserted is set as the page to be clear-coated by default. When the check box 308 is checked by the operation of the user, it is set to designate a page on which a cover and a back cover, and a page in which a photo and a picture are inserted as a page to be clear-coated by default. When the check box 310 is checked by the user's operation, it is set to “do not set as default”. That is, in this case, any page is set by default not to be designated as a page to be clear-coated. In the setting screen 300, it is possible to select one of the five check boxes 302 to 310. By these settings, it is possible to designate (set) "clear coat" a page for which the user has decided to perform clear coat by default, so it is possible to save the trouble of specifying the page on which the clear coat is to be performed. When the user operates the “next” key 312, the screen changes to a setting screen 400 shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 5, setting screen 400 is a screen for setting a setting method of a page to be subjected to clear coating. The setting screen 400 includes four check boxes 402 to 408 and a “next” key 410 for proceeding with the process. When the check box 402 is checked by the operation of the user, the setting method of the page is set to a method of setting individually for each page. When the check box 404 is checked by the operation of the user, the page setting method is set to the method of collectively setting related pages. Either of the check box 402 and the check box 404 can be selected. When the check box 404 is checked, the control unit 110 requests the check box 406 or the check box 408 to be checked. It is also possible to check both the check box 406 and the check box 408.

  When the check box 406 is checked by the operation of the user, the method is set to “set together the back cover (cover) when the cover (back cover) is set” ”. When the check box 408 is checked by the operation of the user, "If one page of a page in which a picture or picture is inserted across multiple pages is set, the remaining pages are also set collectively" Set to With these settings, when setting a page to be clear-coated, if the user sets one page, the related page of that page is also set at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of setting the page to be subjected to the clear coat. When the user operates the “next” key 410, the process in step S1030 shown in FIG. 2 ends.

  Referring back to FIG. 2, this program is further executed after step S1030 to perform preview display of the image (print page image) represented by the print data, and printing executed after step S1040 to perform clear coating The page is set (CC page setting), and step S1050 of ending this program is included. In step S1040, control unit 110 causes touch panel display 172 to display a preview screen on which the print page image is displayed.

  Referring to FIG. 6, preview screen 500 (500A) has a preview display area 510 for displaying a preview of a print page image and a check box display area for displaying a check box for selecting a page to be subjected to clear coating. 520, and a "next" key 530 for proceeding with the process. A check box is arranged above the print page image. When this check box is checked, the control unit 110 sets a print page corresponding to the checked print page image as a print page to be clear-coated. When the user operates the “next” key 530, the setting of the page to be clear-coated is finished. Note that FIG. 6 shows, as an example of the preview screen, a screen in the case where “cover page, back cover page, and a page in which a photograph and a picture are inserted” is displayed as a preview on the setting screen 200 (see FIG. 3) 500A is shown.

[Operation]
The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment operates as follows. In the following description, only the part related to the present invention in the operation of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described. The other operations are similar to those of the conventional image forming apparatus 100.

  It is assumed that in the image forming apparatus 100, when the original is copied and printed, the recording sheet on which the image is formed is set to be clear-coated. When the printing conditions are set by the user, the image forming apparatus 100 receives the input of the setting operation of the printing conditions by the user, and sets the printing conditions (step S1000 shown in FIG. 2). When the user presses a start key instructing start of copy printing (YES in step S1010), image forming apparatus 100 reads an image of a set document using scanner unit 120, and acquires print data (step S1020). Here, as an example, it is assumed that a document of 20 pages is read.

  The image forming apparatus 100 displays the setting screen 200 shown in FIG. 3 on the touch panel display 172 of the operation panel 170. When the user performs an input operation on the setting screen 200, the image forming apparatus 100 sets a page to be previewed according to the user's input operation. Specifically, referring to FIG. 3, when any of check boxes 202 to 208 is checked by the user's input operation, image forming apparatus 100 displays a page of previewed conditions of the checked condition on the page. Set

  When the “Next” key 210 of the setting screen 200 is operated by the user, the screen display of the touch panel display 172 changes to the setting screen 300 shown in FIG. When the user performs an input operation on setting screen 300, image forming apparatus 100 sets a page to be set to “clear coat” by default according to the user's input operation. Specifically, referring to FIG. 4, when any of check boxes 302 to 308 is checked by the user's input operation, image forming apparatus 100 clears the page of the checked condition by default. Set to Coat. When the check box 310 is checked by the user's input operation, the image forming apparatus 100 sets the default setting.

  When the “Next” key 312 of the setting screen 300 is operated by the user, the screen display of the touch panel display 172 changes to the setting screen 400 shown in FIG. When the user performs an input operation on the setting screen 400, the image forming apparatus 100 sets the setting method of the “clear coat” page according to the input operation of the user. Referring to FIG. 5, in the setting screen 400, it is possible to select whether the setting of the page to be subjected to clear coating is individually set for each page or collectively setting related pages.

  When the user operates the "Next" key 410 on the setting screen 400, the process of setting the preview CC page (step S1030) shown in FIG. 2 is finished, and the image (print page image) represented by the print data is previewed. (Step S1040).

  The preview display is displayed based on the settings on the setting screen 200 shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 6, when “cover page, back cover page, and a page into which a picture and a picture are inserted” is set as a page to be preview-displayed on setting screen 200 shown in FIG. Screen 500A is displayed. In the preview screen 500A, only the cover page, the back cover page, and the page in which a picture and a picture are inserted are displayed in a preview. The second to fourth pages, the sixth to ninth pages, and the eleventh to nineteenth pages are not displayed as a preview because they are pages in which a picture or a picture is not inserted.

  In the preview screen, when a page to be subjected to clear coat is designated by the user (the clear coat check box above the print page image is checked), the image forming apparatus 100 designates the designated page (checked print) The page corresponding to the page image is set as the page to be clear-coated.

  Furthermore, when default setting is performed on the setting screen 300 shown in FIG. 4, a page to be clear-coated is specified in advance based on the default setting. That is, the check box of the print page image previewed is checked in advance and set. When “cover page, back cover page and photograph, page inserted with picture” is set to “clear coat” by default in the setting screen 300, for example, the preview display screen 500B (500) shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. Referring to FIG. 7, in the preview display screen 500B, since one page is a front cover, "clear coat" is set as a default (the upper clear coat check box is checked). Since page 20 is a back cover, it is set by default to "clear coat" as in the case of the cover page. Since page 3 is a page in which a photo is inserted, this page is also set to "clear coat" by default.

  Furthermore, when the setting method is set on the setting screen 400 shown in FIG. 5, when designating a print page on the preview display screen, the print page is set according to the setting method.

  In the following, for example, “Set related pages collectively” is set in the setting screen 400, and as the setting method “When the cover (back cover) is set, the back cover (cover) is also set collectively”, and A case will be described where "when one page of a page in which a picture or picture is inserted across a plurality of pages is set, the other pages are also set collectively" is set. For example, a preview screen 500C (500) shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the touch panel display 172. The preview screen 500C includes preview images of pages on the front cover and the back cover, and pages (2 pages and 3 pages) in which a photo straddling a plurality of pages (2 pages in FIG. 8) is inserted.

  Referring to FIG. 8, image forming apparatus 100 is designated by the user as a page to be subjected to clear coating in preview page 500 C (the clear coat check box above the print page image is checked) In response to that, the page of the back cover (final page) which is a page related to the cover is designated as the page to be clear-coated (check box is checked). The image forming apparatus 100 sets the designated (checked) cover page and back cover page as the page to be clear-coated.

  In the preview screen 500 </ b> C, a photograph straddling these pages is inserted in two pages and three pages. When the user designates one of the pages (for example, two pages) as the page to be clear-coated (check the check box), three pages are automatically designated as the page to be clear-coated (check Check the box). The image forming apparatus 100 sets the designated (checked) 2 pages and 3 pages as the pages to be clear-coated.

  The image forming apparatus 100 determines whether or not the inserted photograph or picture straddles a plurality of pages as follows. The image forming apparatus 100 first performs region separation processing on the acquired print data to determine a photo area or a picture area of a print page. Next, it is determined whether a photo area or a picture area is inserted in a plurality of continuous pages. When a photo area or a picture area is inserted in a plurality of continuous pages, it is determined whether or not the photo area or the picture area straddles a plurality of pages in consideration of the arrangement position of the photo area or the picture area. .

  When the setting of the page to be subjected to clear coating is completed, the image forming apparatus 100 forms an image represented by the print data on a recording sheet based on the print data read by the scanner unit 120. The image forming apparatus 100 conveys the recording sheet on which the image is formed to the clear image forming unit 150. The clear image forming unit 150 forms a clear image on the recording sheet of the page set in the above among the conveyed recording sheets. Clear coating is performed on the recording sheet of the page set by this.

[Effect of this embodiment]
As apparent from the above description, by using the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

  The image forming apparatus 100 previews the print page image represented by the print data. Image forming apparatus 100 further accepts specification for the print page image displayed as a preview, and sets a print page corresponding to the print page image for which specification has been accepted as a print page to be subjected to clear coating. Pages to be subjected to clear coat are often limited in pages, such as a cover, a back cover, a page in which a photograph or a picture is inserted, and the like. In the present image forming apparatus 100, since the page to be clear-coated can be set while confirming the image of the print data in the preview display of the display means, an appropriate page (for example, a page in which a cover, back cover, photograph or picture is inserted) Etc.) can be easily set to the page to be clear-coated.

  The image forming apparatus 100 can also preview and display only a specific print page image among the plurality of print page images represented by the print data, by setting on the setting screen 200 (see FIG. 3). For example, by preview-displaying only a specific print page (specific print page image) which is highly likely to be clear-coated, confirmation of a page which is unlikely to be clear-coated becomes unnecessary. That is, unnecessary confirmation of pages is unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to effectively save time and trouble in setting a page to be subjected to clear coating.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 100 can specify in advance a specific print page image among a plurality of print page images represented by the print data by default setting on the setting screen 300 (see FIG. 4). As a result, for example, it is possible to set a specific print page (specific print page image) that is likely to be clear-coated as a page to be clear-coated by default. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively save time and effort in setting a page to be subjected to clear coating.

  The specific print page image is configured to include at least one of a page image corresponding to a cover, a page image corresponding to a back cover, a page image in which a photo is inserted, and a page image in which a picture is inserted. It is preferable that Since such pages are highly likely to be clear-coated, it is possible to save more time and effort in setting up the pages to be clear-coated by the specific printed page image including such page images. .

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 100, one print page (print page image) of a plurality of mutually related pages is designated (set) by the user by setting of the setting method on the setting screen 400 (see FIG. 5). In response, the page setting method can be set so that the remaining pages (printed page images) related to the page (printed page image) are also designated (set) collectively. As a result, it is possible to more effectively save trouble in setting the page to be subjected to the clear coating.

  For example, since the front cover and the back cover are associated with each other, when the front cover is designated as the page to be clear-coated, the back cover is also automatically designated to the page to be clear-coated. Therefore, only by setting one page (for example, a cover) as a page to be subjected to clear coating, it is possible to automatically set a page to be subjected to clear coating also for a related page (for example, back cover). Also, when a photo or picture spans multiple pages, these consecutive pages are related to each other. In such a case, by designating one of the plurality of pages as the page to be clear-coated, the remaining pages can be automatically designated to be the page to be clear-coated. As a result, it is possible to effectively save the trouble of setting the page to be subjected to the clear coating, and to set the page to be subjected to the clear coating as the page to be definitely subjected to the clear coating. Therefore, clear coating can be performed without leaking the page to be clear coated.

(Modification)
In the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a multifunction peripheral that is an example of an image forming apparatus is shown, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The image forming apparatus may be other than the multifunction peripheral as long as it has a printing function. For example, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine may be used, or an image forming apparatus such as a printer may be used.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which a print page is specified (set) by putting a check in a check box on the preview screen has been shown, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The page to be clear-coated may be designated (set) by a method other than the method of checking the check box. For example, a page to be subjected to clear coat may be designated (set) by a touch on a print page image displayed as a preview. In that case, it is preferable that the designated print page image is configured to be changed in display mode by reverse display or the like.

  When specifying (setting) a print page by putting a check in the check box on the preview screen, the method of putting a check in the check box may be a method of putting a check in the corresponding check box by touching the check box. , And the method of checking the check box by touching the preview image (print page image).

  In the above embodiment, the method of preview display may be changed according to the setting of the printing conditions. In this case, for example, when saddle stitching printing is set, there is a button for selecting a finish preview for preview display in page order and a document preview for distributing pages and preview display so that they become page order when it becomes a booklet. You may add it. When the number of pages to be displayed is, for example, eight pages, the preview is displayed in order of one page, two pages,..., Seven pages, and eight pages in the finish preview. In the case of the document preview, the preview is displayed in the order of page 1, page 8,... Page 4 and page 5. By providing such a button, the preview display mode can be easily switched to the finish preview or the document preview.

  In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the clear image forming unit is connected to the rear stage of the image forming unit, but, for example, the photosensitive drum and the laser scan unit constituting the clear image forming unit are disposed inside the image forming unit. The fixing device may be configured to be shared with the image forming unit. That is, an apparatus for forming a clear image using clear toner may be provided inside the main body of the image forming apparatus. The clear image forming unit may be mounted on the outside of the main body of the image forming apparatus, or may be mounted on the inside of the main body of the image forming apparatus.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which clear coating is performed using a clear toner is shown, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, a clear film may be used to perform clear coating. The clear film is a film-like coating material, and the area can be coated by fixing the area to be coated by the heat of the thermal head.

  An apparatus that performs clear coating using a clear film can be configured to be mounted, for example, on the outer side of the main body of the image forming apparatus. When an apparatus for performing clear coating using clear toner is provided inside the main body of the image forming apparatus, if an apparatus for performing clear coating using a clear film is mounted on the outer side of the main body of the image forming apparatus, one image is formed The device can be equipped with both devices. When both devices are provided, these devices can be used properly depending on the application.

  In the above embodiment, an example of acquiring print data by reading a document image by the scanner unit has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The print data may be acquired by another method. The print data may be acquired, for example, by receiving print data transmitted from an external device such as an information processing apparatus.

  In the above embodiment, an example of setting a page to be subjected to clear coating in the image forming apparatus has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, when printing is performed by transmitting print data from an information processing apparatus such as a client computer to an image forming apparatus, a page to be subjected to clear coating may be set in the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus may be, for example, a tablet type terminal device or the like in addition to the client computer.

  Although the above embodiment shows an example in which the clear coat is applied to the entire surface of the set page, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, when a clear area is applied to a page in which a picture area or a picture area is inserted, only the picture area and the picture area may be clear-coated.

  The embodiment disclosed this time is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The scope of the present invention is defined by each claim of the claims in consideration of the description of the detailed description of the invention, and all the changes within the meaning and range equivalent to the words and phrases described therein Including.

100 image forming apparatus 110 control unit 120 scanner unit 130 image processing unit 140 image forming unit 150 clear image forming unit 170 operation panel 172 touch panel display 200, 300, 400 setting screen 500 preview screen 510 preview display area 520 check box display area

Claims (4)

A setting device for setting a print page to be subjected to clear coating,
A display unit for displaying a preview of a print page image represented by the print data;
A receiving unit for receiving a specification for a print page image previewed on the display unit;
A designation unit that designates in advance a specific print page image among the plurality of print page images represented by the print data;
And a setting unit configured to set a print page corresponding to the print page image designated by the reception unit or the print page image designated by the designation unit as a print page to be subjected to clear coating.
The setting unit has a setting screen for setting a setting method of a page to be subjected to clear coating, and the setting screen receives a user operation and sets the first page individually for each page, and the specification Allowing selection of any one of the second setting methods for collectively setting the print page images of
Setting device.   The designating unit sets, as the specific print page image, a page image corresponding to a cover, a page image corresponding to a back cover, a page image in which a photo is inserted, and a page image in which a picture is inserted The setting device according to claim 1, comprising a unit for specifying at least one. It is a setting method for setting a print page to be subjected to clear coating.
Preview displaying the print page image represented by the print data;
Accepting a specification for the print page image previewed;
A designation step of designating in advance a specific print page image among the plurality of print page images represented by the print data;
Setting a print page corresponding to the designated print page image as a print page to be clear-coated;
The setting step has a setting screen for setting a setting method of a page to be subjected to clear coating, and the setting screen receives a user's operation, and a first setting method for setting individually for each page, and the specification Allowing selection of any one of the second setting methods for collectively setting the print page images of
Clear coat setting method.   In the designating step, a page image corresponding to a cover, a page image corresponding to a back cover, a page image in which a photograph is inserted, and a page image in which a picture is inserted as the specific print page image The clear coat setting method according to claim 3, comprising the step of specifying at least one.

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