Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-28
2001-01-16
Evans, Arthur G. (Department: 2722)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S001160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175426
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and print control method which enables e.g., a host computer, to designate a plurality of copies of a document having a plurality of pages to be printed.
When the number of copies of a document to be printed is designated, a conventional printing apparatus of this type consecutively prints out the designated number of one page and proceeds to the next page. In another conventional-type printing apparatus, image data where command interpretation has been performed is stored in a memory having a large capacity, then a plurality of copies of the document are printed by reading the image data out of the memory.
However, assuming a case where an operator designates the number of copies of a document to be printed by the aforementioned former-type printing apparatus, if the apparatus does not have a sorting function where receiving trays are moved every time a page is discharged so as to discharge each copy of the document to different receiving trays, the operator must manually collate the outputted pages into the designated number of copies of the document after printing is completed. Moreover, the printing apparatus of this type cannot automatically staple each copy of the document.
Further, there is a problem in the latter-type printing apparatus that the apparatus requires an extremely large memory capacity since the image data is stored in the form where commands are processed and developed.
Furthermore, in order to print a plurality of copies of the document, print data arranged in the page order is repeatedly transferred for a plural number of times. However in this method, in a case where the print data includes e.g., a command for permanently registering a font, the same font is repeatedly registered, wasting the memory capacity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide a printing apparatus and print control method which can print a designated number of copies of a document consisting of a plurality of pages, based on received print data corresponding to one copy of the document, even in a case where a sorter is not provided or a case where a memory having a large capacity is not provided.
In order to attain the above object, the present invention has the following configuration. More specifically, a printing apparatus for printing a plurality of copies of a document in accordance with a command, comprises: receiving means for receiving print data and storing the received print data in a first memory portion; determining means for determining whether or not the print data received by the receiving means includes a command for printing a plurality of copies of a document, including print number data indicative of a number of copies of the document to be printed; data transferring means for transferring the received print data from the first memory portion to a second memory portion in a case where the command for printing the plurality of copies of the document is included; outputting means for printing an image based on the print data; and print control means for, in a case where the command for printing the plurality of copies of the document is not included, controlling the outputting means to perform printing by reading the data out of the first memory portion, and in a case where the command for printing the plurality of copies of the document is included, controlling the outputting means to perform printing for the number of copies specified by the print number data by reading the data out of the second memory portion.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a print control method for printing a plurality of copies of a document based on received data, received by reception means, in accordance with a command for printing the plurality of copies of the document, comprising: a receiving step of reading print data out of a spool memory in a case where data is stored in the spool memory, and in a case where data is not stored in the spool memory, reading the received data from the reception means; and an outputting step of storing the received data in the spool memory in a case where the data read in the receiving step includes a command for printing a plurality of copies of a document, and in a case where the data does not include the command for printing the plurality of copies of the document, the data read in the receiving step is used for printing, wherein in a case where the print data is stored in the spool memory, the receiving step and the outputting step are repeated in order to print a specified number of copies of the document.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a computer-readable memory storing print control programs for printing a plurality of copies of a document based on received data, received by reception means, in accordance with a command for printing the plurality of copies of the document, the programs make a computer function as: receiving means for reading print data out of a spool memory in a case where data is stored in the spool memory, and in a case where data is not stored in the spool memory, reading the received data from the reception means; and output processing means for storing the received data to the spool memory in a case where the data read by the receiving means includes the command for printing the plurality of copies of the document, and performing printing based on the data read by the receiving means in a case where the data does not include the command for printing the plurality of copies of the document, wherein in a case where the print data is stored in the spool memory, processing performed by the receiving means and the output processing means are repeated in order to print a specified number of copies of the document.
Other objects and advantages besides those discussed above shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows. In the description, reference is made to accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and which illustrate an example of the invention. Such example, however, is not exhaustive of the various embodiments of the invention, and therefore reference is made to the claims which follows the description for determining the scope of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5764863 (1998-06-01), Fall et al.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Evans Arthur G.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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