JP2000153661A - Image-forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent error contents from being printed out and printed papers from being wasted and also prevent a process efficiency of a printing operation from decreasing. SOLUTION: Image data transmitted from a host apparatus is received via a network, based on which images are formed in the image-forming apparatus. The apparatus has a memory means 1 for storing received image data, a setting condition memory means 2 for storing a setting condition for forming images, an image-processing means 3 for processing to convert image data to bit map data based on the stored setting condition, an image-forming means 4 for forming images based on the processed bit map data, and an error memory means 5 for pairing and storing image data which cannot be processed by the image-processing means and the setting condition to the image data into a nonvolatile memory when the image data which cannot be processed is generated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile and the like, and more particularly to an error processing in an image forming apparatus connected to a host device via a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In many conventional image forming apparatuses,
Even when image data that cannot be processed is mixed in the image data received from the host device, the received image data is printed as it is by mistake.
However, if printing is performed incorrectly, a situation may occur where a reader who has read the printed matter after the printing is completed cannot analyze the error location, or if there are many error locations, the printed paper may be wasted. That was the problem. To solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-160731 has been proposed.
In this publication, when an error occurs during processing of image data transmitted from the host device, printing is stopped, and the processed error data is sent to the host device for analysis, and the display of the host device is performed. Are displayed, and an image forming apparatus for confirming what kind of error has occurred is shown.

[0003]

However, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-160731 as described above, a situation occurs in which an error location cannot be analyzed after printing is completed, or a situation in which printed paper is wasted occurs. Although the above problem can be solved, the printing operation is temporarily stopped due to the occurrence of an error, so that a new problem that the processing efficiency is reduced has occurred. Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve the problem that it is not possible to analyze an error portion after printing is completed, and that the printed paper is wasted, and to stop the printing operation even when an error occurs. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the processing efficiency does not decrease because there is no image forming apparatus.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, image data transmitted from a host device is received via a network, and an image is generated based on the received image data. In an image forming apparatus for forming, a storage unit for storing received image data, a setting condition storage unit for storing setting conditions for forming an image, and the storage unit according to the setting conditions stored in the setting condition storage unit. Image processing means for converting image data stored in the image processing apparatus into bitmap data, image forming means for forming an image based on the bitmap data converted by the image processing means, and processing by the image processing means. When image data that cannot be processed occurs, the image data that cannot be processed and the setting conditions for the image data are stored in pairs in the nonvolatile memory. An error storage means for, is characterized in that it comprises a. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the image forming unit determines, in a page of an image to be formed, a position where an error that cannot be processed by the image processing unit has occurred. And printing the received error message to form an image. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect,
The pair of the image data that cannot be processed and the setting condition for the image data stored in the error storage unit is stored in correspondence with the printing of a predetermined error message. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first, second, or third aspect, the pair of the unprocessable image data stored in the error storage unit and a setting condition for the image data is set. Is transmitted to the host device. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect, corrected image data obtained by correcting an error portion received from the host device is stored in the storage unit, and the corrected image data is stored in accordance with a setting condition for the image data. An error correction control means for converting the corrected image data into bitmap data by the image processing means and forming an image by the image forming means based on the corrected image data. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the error correction control unit forms an image corresponding to the error message when forming an image based on the corrected image data. It is characterized by the following.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when image data that cannot be processed by the image processing unit occurs, the image data that cannot be processed by the error storage unit and the setting conditions for the image data are compared. Is stored in the non-volatile memory, so that the contents stored in the normal memory after the image forming process is completed or after the image forming apparatus is once turned off and then turned on again It is possible to correct the error location by analyzing the error information stored in the error storage means at a convenient time, including when the error disappears. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, an image forming unit prints a predetermined error message at a position in the page where an error has occurred. Since an image can be formed by printing, even if an error occurs, the printing operation is not stopped so that the processing efficiency is not reduced, and the error portion in the page can be easily found. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, a pair of unprocessable image data stored in the error storage unit and a setting condition for the image data is set. ,
Since the error information is stored in correspondence with the error message printed by the image forming means, the error information corresponding to the unprocessable image data stored in the error storage means is analyzed even after the printing is completed. Corrections can be made. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the invention of the image forming apparatus constructed as in the first, second, or third aspect, the processing stored in the error storage unit by the error information transmitting unit cannot be performed. Since the image data and the pair of the setting conditions for the image data are transmitted to the host device, the host device analyzes the error information sent thereto, thereby easily correcting an error portion in the image data. Can be performed. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect, based on corrected image data in which an error portion has been corrected sent from the host device by the error correction control means. Therefore, an image in which an error portion is corrected can be obtained. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the image forming apparatus of the fifth aspect, the image formation based on the corrected image data is formed in correspondence with the printing of the error message. Therefore, by checking the corrected portions together with the print paper that has already been printed, all of the received image data and the corrected portions in the entire image data can be understood.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a typical printer as an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. Since the detailed configuration and functions of the printer are known, only the outline related to the present invention will be described below. The printer 18 is connected to a host device 19 such as a host computer via a network. Commands and image data from the host device 19 are received by the printer 18 through the external connection unit 10 connected to the network, and further stored in the RAM 1 as storage means via the bus line 12. External connection 1
0 can be transmitted bi-directionally.
The printer 18 can transmit a printer setting command, image data, and a font such as an external character code not prepared on the printer 18 to the printer 18. 18 unique information can be transmitted (replyed). The setting condition storage unit 2 stores setting conditions for processing image data input by operation keys from the operation unit 11 or command instructions from the host device 19.
The image processing unit 3 converts the image data in the RAM 1 into bitmap data in accordance with the setting conditions stored in the setting condition storage unit 2, and stores the converted data in a predetermined position in the RAM 1 again. When bitmap data for one page is prepared by the image processing unit 3, an image based on the bitmap data is formed on a sheet (not shown) by the image forming unit 4. The CPU 8 holds a microprocessor,
The operation unit 11 according to the program stored in the ROM 9
A system control unit that controls the entire printer 18 by taking in a mode instruction from the host device and data from the host device 19 is configured.

Here, when an error that cannot be processed occurs while the image processing unit 3 is processing the image data, the system control unit including the CPU 8 processes the image data that cannot be processed and the image data. The setting conditions for performing the setting are stored in the NVRAM 5 serving as an error storage unit. The NVRAM 5 is known as a non-volatile memory, and has a configuration in which the contents stored in the memory are maintained even when the power of the apparatus main body is turned off. The above-described error processing for storing error information in which image data that cannot be processed and setting conditions for the image data are paired is continued until one image forming job is completed. Further, when there is image data that cannot be processed, the image processing unit 3 stores the predetermined error message in the RAM 1 in a form of printing a predetermined error message at an error location. FIG. 3 shows an example in which a page including an error message is launched by the image forming unit 4. In the figure, err. no
The display of 12 is an error part. The display of no12 indicates that this error location corresponds to the twelfth. Accordingly, if there is image data that cannot be processed next, e
rr. No. is displayed. Each time image data that cannot be processed is generated, the serial number is incremented by one.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of the printer according to the second embodiment, which has a configuration in which an error information transmitting unit 6 and an error correction control unit 7 are added to the block diagram of FIG. is there. Therefore, in the following description, the operation of the error information transmitting unit 6 and the error correction control unit 7 will be mainly described, and the others will be as described with reference to FIG. Also in this embodiment, the NVRAM 5 serving as an error storage unit stores image data that cannot be processed and setting conditions for processing the image data. Once one job is processed,
The error information transmitting unit 6 extracts error information generated during the job processing from the NVRAM 5 and transmits the error information to the host device 19 via the bus line 12 and the external connection unit 10. In the host device 19, the error information sent from the error information transmitting unit 6 is displayed on the CRT so that the image data is corrected by the image creator, or after the error information sent by the host device 19 is analyzed, For example, letting the image creator modify the image data. Also, the host device 1
In step 9, when the image data is corrected based on the error information sent from the error information transmitting unit 6, the corrected image data is sent back to the printer 18 again. Printer 18
The error correction control unit 7 on the side executes a printing process using the corrected image data sent from the host device 19. That is, when notified of the reception of the corrected image data sent from the host device 19, the error correction control unit 7
, And issues an instruction to the image processing unit 3 to convert the corrected image data into bitmap data in accordance with the corresponding setting conditions.
The image forming unit 4 is instructed to form an image based on the converted bitmap data of the corrected image data. Therefore, the RAM 1, the image processing unit 3, and the image forming unit 4 operate as instructed to complete the correction of the error location.

[0009] Further, at the time of correction printing of an error portion, an error content is printed out, and the error content is printed in accordance with an error message described on an already printed sheet. FIG. 4 is an example showing a state of a part of the content of the issued error. FIG. The corrected contents of the error location are described in order from no1. For example, er which is the location of the error message in FIG.
r. no12 is the err. By referring to the row of no12, it can be seen that the corrected content is the "error portion". As described above, the correction content is issued in response to the error message, and by referring to the error message portion of the printed material that has already been printed, it is possible to know the entire printed material that has already been printed and the correction content in the entirety.

[0010]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
When image data that cannot be processed by the image processing unit occurs, the image data that cannot be processed by the error storage unit and the setting conditions for the image data are stored as a pair in the non-volatile memory. It has become possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of correcting an error portion even after image formation has been completed. According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the invention of the image forming apparatus of claim 1, the image forming means forms an image by printing a predetermined error message at a position where an error has occurred in the page. As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily finding an error portion in a page while preventing a printing operation from being stopped even if an error occurs, thereby preventing a reduction in processing efficiency. Was.
According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the invention of the image forming apparatus of claim 2, the error information stored in the error storage means is stored in correspondence with the error message printed by the image forming means. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can easily correct an error portion by analyzing corresponding error information even after printing is completed. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the image forming apparatus of the first, second or third aspect, the unprocessable image data stored in the error storage unit by the error information transmitting unit and the image data are stored in the error storage unit. Since the pair of the setting conditions for the data is transmitted to the host device, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus which can easily correct an error portion on the host device side. According to the invention of claim 5, in addition to the invention of the image forming apparatus of claim 4, an image is formed based on the corrected image data of the error location sent from the host device by the error correction control means. Therefore, an image forming apparatus capable of easily obtaining an image in which an error portion is corrected can be provided. According to the invention of claim 6, in addition to the invention of the image forming apparatus of claim 5, the image formation based on the corrected image data is formed in accordance with the printing of the error message, so that the printing has already been completed. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can avoid wasting printed paper because it is possible to understand all of the received image data and correction points by viewing the printed paper in association with the printing paper. became.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another block diagram illustrating a main part of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of launching a page including an error message.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which an error portion is corrected corresponding to the page including the error message of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... RAM (storage means), 2 ... setting condition storage part (setting condition storage means), 3 ... image processing part (image processing means), 4 ... image forming part (image forming means) , 5 ...
· NVRAM (error storage means), 6 ··· error information transmission section (error information transmission means), 7 ··· error correction control section (error correction control means), 8 ··· CPU, 9 ···
ROM, 10 external connection unit, 11 operation unit,
12 bus line, 18 printer (image forming apparatus), 19 host device

Claims (6)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus that receives image data transmitted from a host device via a network and forms an image based on the received image data, a storage unit that stores the received image data, Setting condition storage means for storing setting conditions for forming; image processing means for converting image data stored in the storage means into bitmap data according to the setting conditions stored in the setting condition storage means; Image forming means for forming an image based on the bitmap data converted by the image processing means; and image data which cannot be processed when image data which cannot be processed by the image processing means is generated. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an error storage unit configured to store a set condition in a nonvolatile memory in a pair. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the image forming means forms an image by printing a predetermined error message at a position where an error occurs in a page of an image to be formed. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a pair of unprocessable image data and setting conditions for the image data stored in the error storage means is stored in correspondence with printing of a predetermined error message. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of unprocessable image data stored in the error storage unit and a setting condition for the image data is transmitted to the host device. An image forming apparatus comprising an error information transmitting unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
Corrected image data obtained by correcting an error portion received from the host device is stored in the storage unit, and the corrected image data is converted into bitmap data by the image processing unit in accordance with a setting condition for the image data. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an error correction control unit configured to form an image by the image forming unit based on the image data. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
The image forming apparatus, wherein the error correction control means forms an image corresponding to the error message when forming an image based on the corrected image data.