IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, HOST APPARATUS, AND PRINT METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120092705A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Do-hyung, MIN, Sun-ki, Chung, Tae-joon
• Granted Patent: US 8,994,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1252 for sheet based media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1268 Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/20 Details of the management of multiple sources of image data

Abstract

Disclosed are an image forming apparatus, a host apparatus, and a print method thereof. A method includes receiving a one touch print command from a print button provided in the image forming apparatus to print an image of at least one monitor among a plurality of monitors of a host apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus. With this configuration, high quality output products may be provided without any image distortion due to a difference in resolution upon receiving a one touch print command in the multi monitor environment.

Claims

1. A print method of a host apparatus connected to a plurality of monitors and to an image forming apparatus having a one touch print function to print data corresponding to a display of at least one of the plurality of monitors, the print method comprising:

setting an option of the one touch print function to print data corresponding to the display of at least one of the plurality of monitors;

receiving a one touch print command from a one touch print button provided in the image forming apparatus;

generating at least one image buffer in a memory to store therein at least one image data corresponding to the screen of the at least one of the plurality of monitors according to the set option;

storing image data of the monitor screen in at least one generated image buffer; and

generating print data by processing the stored image data corresponding to the option,

wherein storing the image data includes storing image data of a single monitor screen in a single image buffer.

2. The print method according to claim 1, wherein setting the option of the one touch print function includes one of setting an option to print an image corresponding to one screen of one monitor from among the plurality of monitors, and an option to print a plurality of images corresponding to all of the screens of the plurality of monitors.

3. The print method according to claim 2, wherein the generating the at least one image buffer comprises generating a plurality of image buffers in the memory corresponding to the plurality of monitors;

and

the storing the image data comprises storing the screen data of the plurality of monitors in the plurality of image buffers if the option is set to print the images of all of the plurality of monitors.

4. The print method according to claim 1, wherein setting the option comprises at least one of setting the option to print one monitor screen in one page, to print only a screen where a mouse cursor is located from among a plurality of screens corresponding to the plurality of monitors, to print screens in one page by N-Up, to print consecutive images in one page, to print a main monitor screen only, and to print a sub monitor screen only.

5. The print method according to claim 4, further comprising displaying a user interface (UI) to select the option.

6. The print method according to claim 4, wherein the generating the print data comprises scaling the image data corresponding to a size of a print medium according to the option.

7. The print method according to claim 6, wherein the scaling comprises scaling the plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of monitor screens into a size of 1/n if the option is set to print the screens in one page by N-Up (wherein n means the number of the plurality of monitors).

8. The print method according to claim 4, further comprising adjusting the image to print a space in white if the option is set to print consecutive images in one page.

9. The print method according to claim 4, wherein the generating the print data further comprises rotating the image data according to the option.

10. The print method according to claim 4, wherein the storing the image data comprises identifying coordinates of a mouse pointer if the option is set to print only the screen where the mouse cursor is located;

and

storing image data of a monitor screen where the identified coordinates are located in the image buffer.

11. The print method according to claim 1, wherein the one touch print function prints data of a monitor screen as seen in the monitor identically.

12. An image forming apparatus which is connected to a host apparatus comprising a plurality of monitors, the image forming apparatus having a one touch print function to print data of at least one monitor screen from among the plurality of monitors of the host apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which performs a print operation;

a communication unit which communicates with the host apparatus;

a user input unit which comprises a one touch print button to receive a one touch print command and which sets an option of the one touch print function to print image data from the plurality of monitor screens; and

a controller which controls the communication unit to generate and transmit to the host apparatus the one touch print command according to the set option, to receive print data generated according to the option from the host apparatus, and to control the image forming unit to print the received print data if an input of the one touch print button is received.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the one touch print function prints data of a monitor screen as seen in the monitor identically.

14. A host apparatus which is connected to an image forming apparatus having a one touch print function to print data of a monitor screen, the host apparatus connected to a plurality of monitors, the host apparatus comprising:

a user input unit which is provided to set an option of the one touch print function to print an image of at least one monitor screen from among the plurality of monitors;

a communication unit which receives a one touch print command generated by a one touch print button provided in the image forming apparatus;

a memory which comprises at least one image buffer to store therein an image of the at least one monitor screen;

an image processor which generates print data; and

a controller which generates the at least one image buffer in the memory to store therein the image of the at least one monitor screen according to the set option, which stores image data of the at least one monitor screen in the at least one generated image buffer, and which controls the image processor to process the stored image data corresponding to the option and to generate print data if a one touch print command is received through the communication unit,

wherein one image buffer of the at least one image buffers stores image data of a single monitor screen.

15. The host apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the option is set to print an image of one of the plurality of monitor screens or to print a plurality of images corresponding to all of the plurality of monitor screens.

16. The host apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the controller generates a plurality of image buffers in the memory corresponding to the plurality of monitors and stores data of the plurality of monitor screens in the plurality of image buffers if the option is set to print the plurality of images corresponding to all of the plurality of monitor screens.

17. The host apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a display unit which displays thereon a user interface to select the option, wherein

the option comprises at least one of printing one monitor screen in one page, printing only a screen where a mouse cursor is located, printing screens in one page by N-Up, printing consecutive images in one page, printing a main monitor screen only, and printing a sub monitor screen only.

18. The host apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the image processor scales the image data corresponding to a size of a print medium according to the option.

19. The host apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the image processor scales the plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of monitor screens into a size of 1/n if the option is set to print screens in one page by N-Up (wherein n means the number of a plurality of monitors).

20. The host apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the image processor adjusts the image to print a space in a white color if the option is set to print consecutive images in one page.

21. The host apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the image processor rotates the image data according to the option.

22. The host apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller identifies coordinates of a mouse pointer and stores image data of a monitor screen where the identified coordinates are located, in an image buffer if the option is set to print only a screen where a mouse cursor is located.

23. An image forming apparatus which is connected to a host apparatus comprising a plurality of monitors, the image forming apparatus having a one touch print function to print data of a monitor screen of the host apparatus as seen in the monitor, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which performs a print operation;

a communication unit which communicates with the host apparatus;

a user input unit which comprises a one touch print button to receive a one touch print command; and

a controller which generates and transmits the one touch print command to the host apparatus, controls the communication unit to receive print data comprising data of one of the plurality of monitor screens from the host apparatus and controls the image forming unit to print the received print data if an input of the one touch print button is received.

24. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit to generate an image onto a printing medium;

a communication unit including a port to communicate with a host device including at least one monitor; and

a user interface to receive user input to print a plurality of screens corresponding to all of the plurality of monitors with the image forming unit,

wherein the user input includes one of a command to print the plurality of screens onto a same sheet of the printing medium and a command to print the plurality of screens on different sheets of the printing medium.

25. The image forming apparatus of claim 24, wherein the user interface includes a button to generate a command to print the screen of the at least one monitor as seen in the monitor identically.

26. A host apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of monitors to display an image;

at least one communication unit including a port to connect to a printing device;

a user input unit to receive setting information; and

a controller to receive from the printing device via the at least one communication unit a command to print a screen of at least one monitor of the plurality of monitors, to generate print data corresponding to the screen of the at least one monitor, to determine whether to print the screen of only one of the plurality of monitors or to print the screens of all of the plurality of monitors based upon the received setting information, and to transmit the print data to the printing device via the at least one communication unit.

27. The host apparatus of claim 26, wherein when the controller determines whether to print the screen of only one of the plurality of monitors, the controller further determines, based upon the received setting information, whether to print the screen of a predetermined monitor or to print the screen of a monitor corresponding to a location of a computer mouse icon.

28. The host apparatus of claim 26, wherein when the controller determines whether to print the screens of the plurality of monitors, the controller further determines, based upon the received setting information, whether to print the screens onto only one sheet of the printing medium or onto a plurality of sheets of the printing medium.

29. The host apparatus of claim 26, further comprising memory,

wherein the controller partitions only one image buffer in memory to store data corresponding to only one screen of the plurality of monitors when the controller determines to print only one screen, and

the controller partitions a plurality of image buffers in memory when the controller determines to print screens of all of the plurality of monitors.

30. A method of printing an image with an image forming apparatus connected via a port to a host apparatus having a plurality of one monitors, comprising:

receiving a user input at the image forming apparatus to print an image of a screen of at least one monitor of the plurality of monitors;

determining, upon receiving a command to generate the print data, whether to generate print data corresponding to only one screen of the plurality of monitors or to generate print data corresponding to each screen of the plurality of monitors;

transmitting from the host apparatus the generated print data corresponding to the at least one monitor; and

printing with the image forming apparatus the print data.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein when the host apparatus determines to generate the print data corresponding to only one screen of the plurality of monitors, the host apparatus further determines whether to generate print data corresponding to a predetermined screen of the plurality of monitors or to generate print data corresponding to a screen having a computer mouse icon.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein when the host apparatus determines to generate the print data corresponding to each screen of the plurality of monitors, the host apparatus further determines whether to generate print data to control the image forming apparatus to generate the print data of each screen onto a same sheet of a printing medium or onto separate sheets of the printing medium.