Media processing device, method of controlling a media processing device, and a storage medium

1. A media processing device that can connect to a control device and comprises:

a storage unit that can hold a plurality of media;

a conveyance path that connects to the storage unit and conveys the media;

a plurality of discharge units that can connect to the conveyance path and receive media discharged from the conveyance path;

a switching unit that changes the discharge unit into which the media are discharged;

a conveyance unit that conveys the media from the storage unit through the conveyance path to the discharge unit;

a recording unit that is disposed to the conveyance path and records on the media conveyed by the conveyance unit; and

a process control unit that controls the switching unit, conveyance unit, and recording unit,

wherein when the length in the conveyance direction of an image to be recorded on the medium is greater than the length of a recording area determined by the length of the medium in the conveyance direction, the process control unit records the part of the image that will fit in the recording area with the recording unit,

causes the switching unit to change the discharge unit so that media are discharged into different discharge units depending on whether the length of the recording area is shorter or longer than the image length, and

then conveys the next medium stored in the storage unit with the conveyance unit.

2. The media processing device described in claim 1 , further comprising:

a sensor that is disposed on the upstream side of the recording unit and detects the medium;

wherein the process control unit detects the trailing end of the medium with the sensor, and uses the recording unit to record the part of the image that will fit in the recording area, by prohibiting the recording unit from recording an image on the upstream side of a position corresponding to the trailing end of the medium when the length of the image is greater than the length of the recording area.

3. The media processing device described in claim 2 , wherein:

when the length of the image is greater than the length of the recording area and the part of the image that will fit in the recording area is recorded, and the next medium stored in the storage unit can be processed, the process control unit reports the same to the control device.

4. The media processing device described in claim 2 , wherein:

when the length of the image is greater than the length of the recording area, and the part of the image that will fit in the recording area is recorded, the process control unit discards the portion of the original image data that was not recorded.

5. The media processing device described in claim 1 , further comprising:

a detection unit that detects the length of the medium conveyed by the conveyance unit;

wherein the process control unit calculates the length in the conveyance direction of the image to be recorded on the medium based on image data received from the control device,

compares the calculated image length and the length of the recording area determined from the length in the conveyance direction of the medium detected by the detection unit, and

when the length of the image is greater, records the part of the image that will fit in the recording area with the recording unit.

6. The media processing device described in claim 1 , further comprising:

a reading unit that is disposed to the conveyance path and reads the medium conveyed by the conveyance unit;

wherein the process control unit controls the switching unit, conveyance unit, recording unit, and reading unit, and continuously applies to the plural media stored in the storage unit a process including conveyance from the storage unit through the conveyance path to the discharge unit, recording on the medium being conveyed using the recording unit, and reading the medium being conveyed using the reading unit.

7. A method of controlling a media processing device that can connect to a control device and has

a storage unit that can hold a plurality of media,

a conveyance path that connects to the storage unit and conveys the media,

a plurality of discharge units that can connect to the conveyance path and receive media discharged from the conveyance path,

a switching unit that changes the discharge unit into which the media are discharged,

a conveyance unit that conveys the media from the storage unit through the conveyance path to the discharge unit, and

a recording unit that is disposed to the conveyance path and records on the media conveyed by the conveyance unit,

wherein the control method comprises steps of:

recording the part of the image that will fit in the recording area with the recording unit,

causing the switching unit to change the discharge unit so that media are discharged into different discharge units depending on whether the length of the recording area is shorter or longer than the image length, and

conveying the next medium stored in the storage unit with the conveyance unit when the length in the conveyance direction of an image to be recorded on the medium is greater than the length of a recording area determined by the length of the medium in the conveyance direction.

8. The method of controlling a media processing device described in claim 7 , further comprising steps of:

detecting the trailing end of the medium with a sensor that is disposed on the upstream side of the recording unit and detects the medium; and

recording the portion of the image that will fit in the recording area with the recording unit by prohibiting the recording unit from recording an image on the upstream side of a position corresponding to the trailing end of the medium when the length of the image is greater than the length of the recording area.

9. The method of controlling a media processing device described in claim 8 , further comprising a step of:

reporting to the control device when the length of the image is greater than the length of the recording area and the part of the image that will fit in the recording area is recorded, and the next medium stored in the storage unit can be processed.

10. The method of controlling a media processing device described in claim 8 , further comprising a step of:

discarding the portion of the original image data that was not recorded when the length of the image is greater than the length of the recording area, and the part of the image that will fit in the recording area is recorded.

11. A recording medium storing a program that is executed by a control unit that controls parts of a media processing device that can connect to a control device and includes

a storage unit that can hold a plurality of media,

a conveyance path that connects to the storage unit and conveys the media,

a plurality of discharge units that can connect to the conveyance path and receive media discharged from the conveyance path,

a switching unit that changes the discharge unit into which the media are discharged,

a conveyance unit that conveys the media from the storage unit through the conveyance path to the discharge unit, and

a recording unit that is disposed to the conveyance path and records on the media conveyed by the conveyance unit,

the program causing the control unit to:

control the switching unit, conveyance unit, and recording unit; and

when the length in the conveyance direction of an image to be recorded on the medium is greater than the length of a recording area determined by the length of the medium in the conveyance direction,

record the part of the image that will fit in the recording area with the recording unit,

cause the switching unit to change the discharge unit so that media are discharged into different discharge units depending on whether the length of the recording area is shorter or longer than the image length, and

convey the next medium stored in the storage unit with the conveyance unit.