System and method for setting output plex format using automatic page detection
A method and system prints an output document from an original document having multiple input sheets, each input sheet having a front side and a back side, the output document having multiple output sheets, each output sheet having a front side and a back side, the output sheet of the output document having a same plex as a plex of a corresponding input sheet. The method and system also prints an output document from an original document having multiple input sheets, wherein all output sheets of the output document are simplex. Further, the method and system prints an output document from an original document having multiple input sheets, wherein all output sheets of the output document are duplex.
1. A method for printing an output document from an original document having multiple input sheets, each input sheet having a front side and a back side, the output document having multiple output sheets, each output sheet having a front side and a back side, all output sheets of the output document being printed in a simplex mode, comprising:
(a) duplex scanning the original document;
(b) determining if an input sheet of the scanned original document has an image only on a front side of the input sheet;
(c) determining if the input sheet of the scanned original document has an image only on a back side of the input sheet;
(d) determining if the input sheet of the scanned original document has an image on both a front side and a back side of the input sheet;
(e) storing, in an electronic pre-collation memory, when it is determined that the input sheet of the scanned original document has a non-blank image only on a front side of the input sheet, the non-blank image from the front side of the input sheet as a front side of an electronic output sheet to be printed and a blank image as a back side of the electronic output sheet to be printed;
(f) storing, in the electronic pre-collation memory, when it is determined that the input sheet of the scanned original document has a non-blank image only on a back side of the input sheet, the non-blank image from the back side of the input sheet as a front side of an output sheet and a blank image as a back side of the electronic output sheet to be printed;
(g) storing, in the electronic pre-collation memory, when it is determined that the input sheet of the scanned original document has a non-blank image on a front side and a non-blank image on a back side of the input sheet, the non-blank image from the front side of the input sheet as a front side of an electronic output sheet to be printed and the non-blank image from the back side of the input sheet as a front side of a next electronic output sheet to be printed; and
(h) printing, using a printer in a simplex printing mode, only the front side of each electronic output sheet stored in the electronic pre-collation memory.