Image forming apparatus for generating reconfigured image by arranging paper piece images, image forming method for generating reconfigured image by arranging paper piece images, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium that stores image forming program for generating reconfigured image by arranging paper piece images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11245808-B1
Application number	US-202017037827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2020
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

An image forming method includes: determining a number of copies; obtaining an original image including an object of a paper piece; detecting a paper piece size, the paper piece size being a size of the object of the paper piece included in the original image; clipping the object of the paper piece having the paper piece size from the original image to generate a paper piece image; and arranging the paper piece images of the number of copies on a printable area of one or more pages based on a printable size and the paper piece size and add a guide image to generate a reconfigured image, the printable size being a size of the printable area, the guide image being an image of a guide for dividing the paper piece images of the number of copies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a controller circuitry that executes an image forming program to operate as
a variable determining module configured to determine a number of copies,
an image obtaining module configured to obtain an original image including an object of a paper piece,
a size detector module configured to detect a paper piece size, the paper piece size being a size of the object of the paper piece included in the original image,
a clipper module configured to clip the object of the paper piece having the paper piece size from the original image to generate a paper piece image, and
a reconfiguring module configured to arrange the paper piece images of the number of copies on a printable area of one or more pages based on a printable size and the paper piece size and add a guide image to generate a reconfigured image, the printable size being a size of the printable area, the guide image being an image of a guide for dividing the paper piece images of the number of copies, wherein
the image obtaining module is configured to obtain paper piece images of double sides,
the size detector module is configured to detect the paper piece sizes of the double sides,
the clipper module is configured to adjust the paper piece image of one side, which has a smaller paper piece size, with reference to the paper piece image of another side, which has a larger paper piece size, to generate paper piece images of the double sides having a same size, and
the reconfiguring module is configured to
arrange the paper piece images on the printable area such that the paper piece images of the double sides of the same size are arranged on duplex sides to generate the reconfigured images of the double sides, and
add the guide image to the reconfigured image of at least one side.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reconfiguring module is configured to arrange the paper piece images on the printable area such that a number of total cuttings is minimum, where paper on which the reconfigured image is printed is to be cut into paper pieces.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reconfiguring module is configured to
arrange the paper piece images on the printable area such that a number of total cuttings is minimum, where paper on which the reconfigured image is printed is to be bent and then cut into paper pieces, and
add, as the guide image, an image showing a bend line on a margin.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the reconfiguring module is configured to downsize the paper piece image, arrange downsized paper piece images on the printable area, and add the image showing the bend line on a margin generated as a result of the downsizing.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reconfiguring module is configured to downsize the paper piece image and arrange downsized paper piece images on the printable area to reduce a number of total pages of the reconfigured image.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reconfiguring module is configured to, where the paper piece images of the number of copies are arranged in the printable area and the printable area has a space, further arrange the paper piece image(s) of a maximum number arrangeable on the space.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reconfiguring module is configured to detect a blank area included in the paper piece image, and add a unique object to the blank area of each of the paper piece images to generate the reconfigured image.

8. An image forming method, comprising:
determining a number of copies;
obtaining an original image including an object of a paper piece;
detecting a paper piece size, the paper piece size being a size of the object of the paper piece included in the original image;
clipping the object of the paper piece having the paper piece size from the original image to generate a paper piece image; and
arranging the paper piece images of the number of copies on a printable area of one or more pages based on a printable size and the paper piece size and add a guide image to generate a reconfigured image, the printable size being a size of the printable area, the guide image being an image of a guide for dividing the paper piece images of the number of copies, wherein
the image obtaining step includes obtaining paper piece images of double sides,
the size detecting step includes detecting the paper piece sizes of the double sides,
the clipping step includes adjusting the paper piece image of one side, which has a smaller paper piece size, with reference to the paper piece image of another side, which has a larger paper piece size, to generate paper piece images of the double sides having a same size, and
the reconfiguring step includes
arranging the paper piece images on the printable area such that the paper piece images of the double sides of the same size are arranged on duplex sides to generate the reconfigured images of the double sides, and
adding the guide image to the reconfigured image of at least one side.

9. The image forming method according to claim 8 , wherein
the reconfiguring step includes arranging the paper piece images on the printable area such that a number of total cuttings is minimum, where paper on which the reconfigured image is printed is to be cut into paper pieces.

10. The image forming method according to claim 8 , wherein
the reconfiguring step includes
arranging the paper piece images on the printable area such that a number of total cuttings is minimum, where paper on which the reconfigured image is printed is to be bent and then cut into paper pieces, and
adding, as the guide image, an image showing a bend line on a margin.

11. The image forming method according to claim 10 , wherein
the reconfiguring step includes downsizing the paper piece image, arranging downsized paper piece images on the printable area, and adding the image showing the bend line on a margin generated as a result of the downsizing.

12. The image forming method according to claim 8 , wherein
the reconfiguring step includes downsizing the paper piece image and arrange downsized paper piece images on the printable area to reduce a number of total pages of the reconfigured image.

13. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium that stores an image forming program executable by a controller circuitry of an image forming apparatus, the image forming program causing the circuitry of the image forming apparatus to operate as
a variable determining module configured to determine a number of copies,
an image obtaining module configured to obtain an original image including an object of a paper piece,
a size detector module configured to detect a paper piece size, the paper piece size being a size of the object of the paper piece included in the original image,
a clipper module configured to clip the object of the paper piece having the paper piece size from the original image to generate a paper piece image, and
a reconfiguring module configured to arrange the paper piece images of the number of copies on a printable area of one or more pages based on a printable size and the paper piece size and add a guide image to generate a reconfigured image, the printable size being a size of the printable area, the guide image being an image of a guide for dividing the paper piece images of the number of copies, wherein
the image obtaining module is configured to obtain paper piece images of double sides,
the size detector module is configured to

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Osada Yoshihiro

Classifications

• H04N1/3873

  defined only by a limited number of coordinate points or parameters, e.g. corners, centre; for trimming · CPC title

• H04N1/3871

  the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals · CPC title

• H04N1/233

  according to characteristics of the data to be reproduced, e.g. number of lines · CPC title

• H04N1/2323 Primary

  according to characteristics of the reproducing medium, e.g. type, size or availability · CPC title

• H04N1/00679 Primary

  after scanning · CPC title