JP2003196039A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of improving the efficiency in printing-out from a cellular telephone carried by a user who is out, and allowing the user not to carry a connection cable to a portable terminal. <P>SOLUTION: In this image forming device receiving a digital signal to form an image, a means for transmitting and receiving the digital signal from at least one portable terminal is mounted near an operating part. In this image forming device forming the image by receiving the digital signal, a means for supplying the power to at least one portable terminal is mounted near the operating part. Further in the image forming device forming the image by receiving the digital signal, a connecting means for connecting at least one portable terminal to the network is mounted near the operating part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

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 for transmitting / receiving digital data from / to a portable terminal (computer).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, mobile phones and mobile terminals have become widespread due to the development of communication technology and semiconductor technology. On the other hand, the communication infrastructure such as the Internet has been steadily improved, and even when you are out, you can connect to a website or your own personal computer (PC) from a mobile terminal via a public phone or a mobile phone to obtain data from the outside It is becoming possible to transfer and perform various data processing freely from the destination.

[0003]

However, even if the user wants to print the information on the portable terminal on paper while he is out, there is often no device that prints the information.
You cannot output unless you return to your own company or home, the output destination is limited, and it is not possible to obtain the output of the acquired data at the desired destination and create the material requested by the customer at any destination. There was a problem.

Further, there is a possibility that the work may be interrupted when the battery of the portable terminal is exhausted while going out. Therefore, the user carried a power cable for charging the battery, but it was not always possible to charge the battery. Or I carried a large capacity battery with increased weight.

Further, when it is desired to connect to a website or one's personal computer (PC) from a mobile terminal via a public telephone or a mobile telephone while out, it is necessary to carry a network communication cable.

Further, there has been a demand for shortening the working time by simultaneously performing the data communication work and the printout work by the network.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of printout from a mobile phone while out and to carry a connection cable with a mobile terminal. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus that does not require.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an image forming apparatus for receiving a digital signal to form an image, and a transmitting / receiving unit for transmitting / receiving a digital signal from at least one portable terminal is an operation unit. It is characterized in that it is provided in the vicinity.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in an image forming apparatus which receives a digital signal and forms an image, means for supplying electric power to at least one portable terminal is provided in the vicinity of the operation section.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in an image forming apparatus which receives a digital signal and forms an image, a connecting means for connecting at least one portable terminal to a network is provided in the vicinity of the operation section. .

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an information processing system, and FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an operation unit of an image forming apparatus.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a portable terminal owned by the user, and 2 is an image forming apparatus. The mobile terminal 1 and the image forming apparatus 2 are connected by a communication cable 3.

The mobile terminal 1 is a small computer,
It has a control unit including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, performs data processing according to an instruction from a keyboard (not shown), and controls the entire information processing system, and functions as a secondary storage device such as a hard disk. It has a built-in storage means.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the operation section 10 of the image forming apparatus 2 is provided with a display section 11 and operation key sections 12 such as ten keys and a start key. Further, a cable storage portion 16 for storing the communication cable 3 is provided in the vicinity of the operation portion 10, and is completely stored by a storage portion lid 15 (in an open state in FIG. 2).

FIG. 1 shows the image forming apparatus 2 and the portable terminal 1.
2 shows a system in which the communication cable 3 shown in FIG. A data processing system capable of communicating with a mobile terminal 1 and an image forming apparatus 2 each having a storage medium via a predetermined communication medium configured as described above, based on a print output request from the mobile terminal 1 from a user. It is possible to freely construct an input / output processing environment for printing at any time.

As a cable for data communication, a hot plug structure has recently been widely used in which a peripheral device or a cord can be connected / disconnected while a portable terminal (computer) is powered on. For example, it is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard or the like.

The user connects the communication cable 3 preliminarily provided in the vicinity of the operation unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 2 according to the present invention to the portable terminal 1 owned by the user while going out. Since the communication cable 3 is provided in the operation unit, the work of connecting with the mobile terminal can be performed smoothly. As a result, it is possible to flexibly respond to the output request of the user, print the print data at any time in a nearby print shop, and obtain a desired print result, which is convenient for the user of the mobile terminal 1. It can be greatly improved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the communication cable 3 is housed in the cable housing portion 16 in the vicinity of the operating portion 10, and is completely housed by the housing lid 15 (in the opened state in FIG. 2).
The communication cable 3 is not limited to the box-shaped storage portion, and the effect of the present invention does not change even if it is a retractable storage portion. or,
When connecting the mobile terminal 1, the lid 12 can be opened and the communication cable 3 can be connected as shown in FIG. As a result, when the mobile terminal 1 is not connected, the communication cable 3
Since it is stored, it does not hinder the use of the image forming apparatus 2 even when the mobile terminal 1 is not used.

In the present invention, since the image forming apparatus 2 is equipped with the communication cable 3 in advance, it is not necessary to carry the communication cable 3 when going out.

<Second Embodiment> A second embodiment shown in FIG.
Includes not only the communication cable 3 but also a power supply cable 4 for supplying electric power to the mobile terminal 1. When the image forming apparatus 2 and the mobile terminal 1 are connected by the communication cable 3 to communicate printout data, power can be supplied from the image forming apparatus 2 to the mobile terminal 1. No more worrying about running out of battery.

Further, at the same time as data communication, the battery of the portable terminal 1 can be charged from the power supply cable 4. As a result, since the image forming apparatus 2 is equipped with the power supply cable 4 in advance, it is not necessary to carry the power supply cable 4 when going out. Large capacity batteries are no longer required.

<Third Embodiment> A third embodiment shown in FIG.
Indicates that the image forming apparatus 2 is connected to an external network line 8 such as a telephone line.

In the present embodiment, the network communication cable 5 is provided in the operation unit of the image forming apparatus 2 so that the portable terminal 1 can easily connect to the external network while out of the office. As a result, since the image forming apparatus 2 is equipped with the network communication cable 5 in advance, the network communication cable 5 can be used when going out.
You don't have to carry.

Although the cable has been described in the above-described embodiment, the operability of the connection between the portable terminal and the image forming apparatus is improved by providing each of the connector sections in the operating section of the image forming apparatus. It is a thing. This improves the productivity of work by the user.

[0026]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when the user tries to print the information of the portable terminal on paper while he is out, the information is output without returning to his or her company or home. The output destination is not limited. Further, it becomes possible to acquire the output of the acquired data at a desired destination and create the material requested by the customer at an arbitrary destination.

Further, according to the present invention, since the connection cable for connecting the image forming apparatus and the portable terminal is provided in advance, it is not necessary to carry the communication cable when going out. Further, since the connection cable to the mobile terminal equipped in the image forming apparatus can be stored, it does not interfere with the use of the image forming apparatus even when the mobile terminal is not used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information processing system including an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an information processing system including an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an information processing system including an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 mobile terminal 2 Image forming device 3 communication cable 4 power supply cable 5 network communication cable 8 network lines 10 Operation part 11 Display 12 Operation key section 15 Storage lid 16 Cable storage

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for receiving a digital signal to form an image, wherein at least one transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving a digital signal from a portable terminal is provided in the vicinity of an operation unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal transmitting / receiving unit is a data communication cable or a connector unit. 3. An image forming apparatus for receiving a digital signal to form an image, characterized in that means for supplying electric power to at least one portable terminal is provided in the vicinity of the operation unit. 4. The means for supplying power to the mobile terminal comprises:
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming apparatus is a power supply cable or a connector section. 5. An image forming apparatus for receiving a digital signal to form an image, wherein a connecting means for connecting at least one mobile terminal to a network is provided near an operation unit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection means for connecting the mobile terminal to the network is a network connection cable or a connector section.