JP2013109202A - Image forming apparatus, method of the same, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem in which the load of users has been conventionally large, for example, the users have been required to manually input data, in order to order a cartridge with an image forming apparatus at the right time in the event that the use frequency of the image forming apparatus changes every moment.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus of the present invention has: notifying means for notifying a statistical information server connected via a network of the consumption of a toner; obtaining means for obtaining, from the statistical information server, statistical data for predicting future consumption of the toner in the image forming apparatus which is calculated on the basis of the consumption notified; holding means for holding the statistical data obtained; and updating means for updating a delivery threshold using the number of days required for a delivery which is from the day when a delivery request is transmitted to the day when a toner cartridge is delivered, and using the statistical data held.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ordering system for consumables of an image forming apparatus.

Conventionally, there is a system that automatically orders consumables used in OA equipment. For example, there is a method in which each OA device notifies a consumable consumption amount to an ordering agency system connected via a network, and automatically orders a new consumable item based on the cumulative value of the notified consumption amount. It is taken.
There is also a technique for automatically ordering a toner cartridge that is one of consumables in an image forming apparatus (see Patent Document 1). Specifically, an order is automatically placed when the remaining amount of toner in the image forming apparatus reaches a predetermined threshold value. When determining the threshold value, the unit time of the toner cartridge calculated based on the data input by the user The amount used per hit is used.

JP 2003-29584 A

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, when a cartridge is ordered at an appropriate timing, the user needs to manually input data when the usage frequency of the image forming apparatus changes. The load on the user side is large.
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a technique for appropriately updating a threshold value managed by an image forming apparatus used for ordering a cartridge.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is connected via a network to request means for transmitting a toner cartridge delivery request to the consumable management system when the remaining amount of toner in the image forming apparatus falls below a delivery threshold. Notification means for notifying the statistical information server of the toner consumption amount, and predicting a future toner consumption amount in the image forming apparatus obtained based on the notified consumption amount from the statistical information server Acquisition means for acquiring statistical data to be performed, holding means for holding the acquired statistical data, required number of days from when the delivery request is sent until the toner cartridge is delivered, and the stored statistics Update means for updating the delivery threshold using data.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to place an order for a cartridge at an appropriate timing according to the customer environment.

1 is an overall schematic diagram of a network system. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus and a configuration of a toner cartridge. It is a flowchart regarding the automatic ordering process of consumables in the present invention. It is a flowchart regarding the update process of the delivery threshold value in this invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a delivery threshold value update process in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining processing when selecting measured data to be notified in the image forming apparatus. It is a data structure of actually measured data to be notified. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining statistical data update processing in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining processing for calculating a shipping threshold in the image forming apparatus.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In this embodiment, the toner cartridge is described as an example of the consumable item. However, the image forming apparatus can be applied to various consumable items that require replacement according to the degree of consumption.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a network system according to the present invention. This system includes a plurality of customer systems 101, 108, 109, 110, the Internet 107, a consumable management system 111, and a statistical information server 112. The customer system is provided with one or more image forming apparatuses. For example, the customer system 101 is provided with image forming apparatuses 102 to 104 connected via a LAN 105. The customer system is connected to the router device 106 and the Internet.

  In this embodiment, the consumables management system 111 and the statistical information server 112 are configured as different systems, but may be operated in the same system.

  FIG. 2A is a hardware configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

  The image forming apparatus includes an image controller unit 401, an operation unit 409, a scanner unit 411, and a printing unit 413. The CPU 402 controls copying and printing from the host computer by comprehensively controlling each device connected to the system bus 415. The ROM 404 stores various parameters and programs necessary for executing the image forming apparatus. The RAM 403 functions as a main memory and work area of the CPU 402, and is also used as a buffer area for image data for scanning and printing. The HDD 405 is accessed from each module as a primary storage of print data received by the network I / F 407 and as a swap area for the raster image processor (RIP) 406 and the image processing unit 414. The RIP 406 expands a page description language (PDL) into raster image data. The operation unit I / F 408 is a communication I / F for controlling key input from the connected operation unit 409 and display output to the operation unit 409. The operation unit 409 includes a hard key and a touch panel, and can perform status display and operation of the image forming apparatus. A scanner I / F 410 is a communication I / F for controlling the connected scanner unit 411, and transmits / receives a control command of the scanner unit 411 and receives an image optically scanned by the scanner unit 411. The scanner unit 411 optically scans a document. The printing unit I / F 412 is a communication I / F for controlling the connected printing unit 413, and transmits / receives a control command of the printing unit 413 and an image to be printed by the printing unit 413. The image processing unit 414 performs image processing such as scaling, rotation, color conversion, and smoothing on the image scanned by the scanner unit 411 and the image generated by the RIP 406. A toner cartridge 416 exists in the printing unit 413, and the supplied toner is consumed each time printing processing is performed.

  FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a configuration related to the toner cartridge 416 existing in the printing unit 413 in the present embodiment. When the toner sensor 420 in the hopper 419 that supplies toner to the printing unit detects that the toner has run out, the toner transport motor 417 in the toner cartridge rotates to rotate the toner transport screw 418, and the toner is supplied to the hopper 419. The Since the toner consumption amount can be calculated based on the driving time of the toner conveyance motor 417 in the toner cartridge, the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge can be calculated from the accumulation of the initial toner amount and the toner consumption amount in the toner cartridge. However, the method for calculating the remaining amount of toner is not limited to this method, and even a method for detecting the remaining amount of toner using a sensor or the like can be applied to the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the automatic ordering process for consumables in this embodiment. FIG. 3A illustrates an ordering process according to the remaining amount of toner, and FIG. 3B illustrates a process according to replacement of consumables in the image forming apparatus.

  First, in step S <b> 201, the image forming apparatus 102 measures the remaining amount of toner when a printing process is performed. For example, the amount of toner consumed is measured each time a printing process is performed, thereby measuring the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge. In step S <b> 202, the image forming apparatus 102 determines whether the measured toner remaining amount is below the delivery threshold. When it is below the delivery threshold value, the process proceeds to S203, and when it is not below, this process is terminated. In step S <b> 203, the image forming apparatus 102 transmits a toner cartridge delivery request to the consumable management system 111. The delivery request includes identification information of the image forming apparatus 102, date and time, the value of the total counter, information on the replaced consumables, and the like. At this time, a flag indicating that the delivery request has already been transmitted is turned ON in order to avoid duplicate orders. If this flag is ON, even if this S is reached during the next toner remaining amount measurement, the delivery request is not transmitted, and the process proceeds to the next S.

  In step S <b> 204, the image forming apparatus 102 determines whether the remaining amount of toner is less than the remaining amount threshold. If it is below this threshold, the process proceeds to S205, and if it is not below, this process ends. In step S <b> 205, the image forming apparatus 102 notifies that the remaining amount of toner is low, and sets the low remaining amount flag to ON. The notification may be displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus or transmitted to an external apparatus via a network. When the low remaining amount flag is ON, no notification is made even when the present S is reached at the next toner remaining amount measurement, and the process proceeds to the next S. In step S <b> 206, the image forming apparatus 102 determines whether the toner is empty. If it is empty, the process proceeds to S207, and if not, this process ends. In step S <b> 207, the image forming apparatus 102 issues a warning about the remaining amount of toner and sets the remaining amount flag to ON. This notification may be displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus or transmitted to the external apparatus via the network, and prompts the user to replace the cartridge. When the remaining amount empty flag is ON, notification is not performed even when the present S is reached at the next toner remaining amount measurement, and the process proceeds to the next S.

  As a user, the toner cartridge is replaced as necessary in accordance with the remaining length notification in S205 and S207.

  Next, processing on the consumables management system 111 side will be described. In S <b> 211, a delivery request from the image forming apparatus 102 is received. In step S212, the consumable management system 111 performs a toner cartridge delivery process to the customer system. Here, it is shown that the delivery procedure is performed by contacting the delivery company and specifying the delivery destination and the type of toner cartridge.

  The above is the description of the delivery technique according to the remaining amount of toner. Next, a process at the time of exchanging consumables will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in step S221, the image forming apparatus 102 determines whether or not a toner cartridge that is a consumable item for which delivery has been requested has been replaced. When it is exchanged, the process proceeds to S222. In step S <b> 222, the image forming apparatus 102 notifies the consumables management system 111 of the replacement completion. This notification includes identification information of the image forming apparatus 102, replacement date and time, information regarding the replaced consumables, and the like. Finally, the transmitted flag, the low remaining amount flag, and the remaining amount empty flag are cleared, and this processing is terminated.

  Next, processing on the consumables management system 111 side will be described. In S231, an exchange notification is received from the image forming apparatus. In S232, since the stock on the customer system side has decreased due to the replacement, the stock quantity is updated and this processing is terminated.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an outline of the delivery threshold value update process according to the present invention.

  In step S <b> 301, the image forming apparatus 102 notifies the statistical information server 112 of measured data of toner consumption measured until then periodically (every other day).

  On the other hand, in S <b> 302, the statistical information server 112 receives actual measurement data notified from the image forming apparatus 102. In step S <b> 303, the statistical information server 112 analyzes the received actual measurement data, and stores the data as toner consumption statistical data. In step S304, the statistical information server 112 transmits statistical data to the image forming apparatus as an analysis result in response to the notification.

  In step S <b> 305, the image forming apparatus 102 receives statistical data from the statistical information server 112. Finally, in step S306, the image forming apparatus 102 performs a distribution threshold update process based on the acquired statistical data.

  Here, the image forming apparatus 102 can execute the delivery threshold update timing asynchronously with the actual data notification timing. In this case, the image forming apparatus 102 issues an acquisition request to the statistical information server 112 at the update timing. Statistical data can also be acquired.

  Details of processing in the image forming apparatus 102 will be further described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a delivery threshold value update process in the image forming apparatus 102. A program related to the processing described in this flowchart is stored in the ROM 404 of the image forming apparatus, loaded into the RAM 403, and executed by the CPU 402. In addition, this process shall be performed with high frequency (every day), for example.

  First, in step S501, it is determined whether the date and time (notification timing) for notifying actual measurement data of toner consumption has come. The actual data notification timing is the date and time when the toner consumption measured by the image forming apparatus 102 is transmitted to the statistical information server 112 at regular intervals. In this embodiment, the measured data is notified from the image forming apparatus 102 to the statistical information server 112 at intervals of 14 days. In S502, actual measurement data to be notified to the statistical information server 112 is selected. Details of S502 will be described later with reference to FIG. In step S <b> 503, the selected measurement target measurement data is notified to the statistical information server 112. By collecting the actual measurement data every year, the statistical information server 112 can perform statistics of the past toner consumption per day on the customer side, and the toner consumption that will be used in the future. Can be obtained as statistical data.

  In step S504, it is determined whether the date and time (acquisition timing) for acquiring the statistical data of the toner consumption amount has been reached. The statistical data acquisition timing is a date and time when the image forming apparatus 102 requests acquisition of statistical data held by the statistical information server 112 from the statistical information server 112 at certain intervals. In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 102 makes a request to the statistical information server 112 at intervals of seven days, and acquires statistical data. If it is the acquisition timing of the statistical data, the statistical data is acquired in response to the request to the statistical information server 112 in S505. In step S <b> 506, the statistical data held by the image forming apparatus 102 is updated with the statistical data acquired from the statistical information server 112. Details of S505 and S506 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Finally, in S507, a delivery threshold value update process is performed. Details of this processing will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the details of S502 in FIG. 5 described above.

  In this figure, the notification timing 603 of actual measurement data is assumed to be February 10. The actual measurement data notification interval 605 is 14 days, and January 27, which is earlier than the notification timing 603, corresponds to the previous actual data notification timing 604.

  Here, actual measurement data for 14 days from January 27 to February 9 is the data to be notified to the statistical information server 112. However, in order to reduce the amount of communication data, the statistical information server 112 is notified only of the statistical data acquired in advance from the statistical information server 112 and stored in the image forming apparatus, and the actual measurement data on the day when there is a large difference. Notification target data may be used. Here, the large divergence means, for example, a case where actual measurement data indicating an increase / decrease by a user-specified ratio is measured from statistical data. In the statistical information server 112, the statistical data should be particularly updated when data indicating a tendency different from the conventional statistics is measured. However, there is no problem even if the actual measurement data for all days is sent to improve the accuracy of the statistical data.

  In this figure, for the data of each day for 14 days from January 27 to February 9, the actual measurement data to be notified is January 30, January 31, February 3, February 6 It becomes the data of the day.

  FIG. 7 shows the data structure of actually measured data notified to the statistical information server 112. The actual measurement data is stored for each date, and only the actual measurement data of the day selected by the image forming apparatus 102 in S502 is a notification target.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the details of S505 and S506 in FIG. 5 described above.

  In this figure, the statistical data acquisition timing 801 is January 28th. In this case, the statistical data acquisition target period 805 corresponds to the total number of days required for delivery 804 with respect to the predetermined basic period 803, that is, 12 days from January 28 to February 8.

  The image forming apparatus 102 acquires statistical data for the acquisition target period 805 from the statistical information server 112. Further, the image forming apparatus 102 updates the statistical data held by itself with the statistical data acquired from the statistical information server 112.

  The required delivery days 804 indicates the number of days from when the image forming apparatus 102 notifies the consumables management system 111 to the delivery request until the toner cartridge is delivered to the user. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the required number of delivery days is 5 days.

  The reason why the required number of delivery days 804 is considered as the statistical data acquisition target period 805 is that, when calculating the shipment threshold value in S507, the statistical data for the period necessary for the number of days required for shipment is required. For example, when the shipment request threshold value is calculated on February 3, which is the day before the next statistical data acquisition scheduled timing 802, statistical data after February 4 is also used. The acquisition target period 805 needs to be set.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the details of S507 in FIG. 5 described above. In this figure, a process for calculating a delivery threshold value on February 2 will be described as an example.

  When the image forming apparatus 102 sends a delivery request to the consumables management system 111, the toner cartridge arrives at the user's hand where the image forming apparatus 102 is installed after the required number of delivery days (5 days) have passed. It becomes. Therefore, when the remaining amount in the toner cartridge falls below the predicted amount of toner consumed for 5 days from February 2, a delivery request is sent to the consumables management system 111 so that the toner does not run out. Need to send. The predicted amount of toner consumed for 5 days is an important value when calculating the delivery threshold.

  As described above, in order to calculate the delivery threshold value, the total value of the statistical data from February 2 to 6, that is, the predicted value of the amount of toner consumed in five days from February 2 to 6 is obtained. The predicted value is divided by the initial (full) amount of toner in the toner cartridge and multiplied by 100 is the delivery threshold (unit:%). Accordingly, in the image forming apparatus, when the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge falls below the distribution threshold calculated here, the distribution request is automatically transmitted.

  In the subsequent schedules, the delivery threshold is updated in the same manner as in the case of February 2, using the total value of statistical data for the number of days required for delivery. As described above, it is possible to optimize the toner cartridge delivery timing by updating the delivery threshold every day based on the statistical data.

  In this embodiment, the toner consumption amount is predicted by simply adding the statistical data, but the prediction may be performed by another algorithm.

(Application examples)
In the embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 102 predicts the toner consumption based on the statistical data acquired from the statistical information server 112 and updates the delivery threshold value. However, there is a case in which the toner consumption prediction different from the statistical data is known in advance by the user. For example, it can be said that it is known that a large amount of printed material is required at a meeting several days later. In that case, if a prediction based on statistical data is performed, a delivery request may be transmitted at an inappropriate timing.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to check the statistical data held in the image forming apparatus 102 in the operation unit 409. Furthermore, a mechanism is provided that enables the statistical data held in the image forming apparatus 102 to be manually set and updated as necessary. Therefore, it is possible to optimize the delivery request transmission timing based on the user input.

(Other examples)
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes a system configured by appropriately combining the above-described embodiments and functions thereof.

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus capable of measuring toner consumption when printing processing is performed,
Requesting means for transmitting a toner cartridge delivery request to the consumables management system when the amount of toner remaining in the image forming apparatus falls below a delivery threshold;
Notification means for notifying the consumption amount of toner to a statistical information server connected via a network;
Obtaining means for obtaining statistical data for predicting a future toner consumption amount in the image forming apparatus determined based on the notified consumption amount from the statistical information server;
Holding means for holding the acquired statistical data;
Image formation comprising: a required number of delivery days from when the delivery request is sent until a toner cartridge is delivered; and an update unit that updates the delivery threshold value using the held statistical data. apparatus.   2. The notification unit according to claim 1, wherein when the toner consumption deviating from the toner consumption indicated by the stored statistical data is measured, the measured toner consumption is notified. The image forming apparatus described in 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit configured to update the stored statistical data by a user.   The update means obtains a predicted value of the amount of toner consumed during the required number of delivery days using statistical data, and according to the ratio of the predicted value to the toner amount in the toner cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the delivery threshold value is updated.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the consumable management system and the statistical information server are configured by a single server device. A method in an image forming apparatus capable of measuring toner consumption when a printing process is performed,
A requesting step of transmitting a toner cartridge delivery request to the consumables management system when the amount of toner remaining in the image forming apparatus falls below a delivery threshold;
A notification step of notifying the statistical information server connected via the network of toner consumption;
An acquisition step of acquiring statistical data for predicting a future toner consumption amount in the image forming apparatus determined based on the notified consumption amount from the statistical information server;
Holding step for holding the acquired statistical data;
An image forming method comprising: an update step of updating the delivery threshold value using the number of days required for delivery of the toner cartridge after the delivery request is sent and the held statistical data; apparatus.   The program for functioning a computer as a means of any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5.

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