JP2014218003A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce standby electric power without making usability worse when a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by a wired network and those image forming apparatuses are connected to a terminal device through a wireless network.SOLUTION: A master MFP 1 receives a print job transmitted by wireless from a laptop PC 5 (S1), and determines whether the print job is a print job addressed to a slave MFP in an energy-saving standby state (S2). Then the master MFP 1 transmits a return instruction for return from the energy-saving standby state to a slave MFP 2 through a wired network 6 when determining that the print job is the print job addressed to the slave MFP in the energy-saving standby state (for example, to the slave MFP 2) (S3). The slave MFP 2 starts supplying electric power to a wireless communication part and receives the print job by the wireless communication part upon receiving the return instruction from the master MFP 1 through the wired network 6.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system, and more particularly to an image forming system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by a wired network, and the image forming apparatus and a terminal device are connected by a wireless network such as a wireless LAN.

  In recent years, a wireless network infrastructure environment has been established in a company, and it has become possible to connect to a wireless network on a daily basis and perform network access and access between devices for various purposes. In addition to notebook PCs (personal computers), mobile terminals and smartphones equipped with wireless network functions such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) are also widespread. Images of each terminal device and MFP (digital multifunction peripheral) etc. There has been an increase in system configurations in which data is exchanged by direct wireless connection with a forming apparatus.

  In the above, for example, Wi-Fi Direct is known as a wireless LAN communication method. This Wi-Fi Direct is a standard formulated with the intention of wirelessly connecting devices such as mobile terminals equipped with wireless LAN, smartphones, and MFPs without an access point. Accordingly, each user can connect to the MFP by P2P (Peer to Peer) using the terminal device, push data stored in the terminal device, and perform printing, for example.

  Also in the above MFP, reduction of power consumption (energy saving) is one of important issues. Conventionally, as a technology related to energy saving of an MFP, for example, in Patent Document 1, an MFP can be connected to another device via a wireless access point so as to be communicable, and an energy saving mode for reducing the power consumption of the MFP can be selected. Techniques to do this are disclosed. Patent Document 2 discloses an option board in which only power is supplied to an option board corresponding to the data processing when the MFP performs data processing, and the data processing is not performed. For the above, a technique for setting a low power mode is disclosed.

JP 2012-4638 A JP-A-9-116666

  Here, in order to immediately establish a wireless network connection and exchange data between the terminal device and the MFP, the MFP must be in a standby state while being connected to the wireless network. In other words, the MFP enables the wireless network function, determines whether the wireless packet is packet data addressed to itself, and waits in a state where the wireless packet addressed to itself can be processed (so-called idle standby state). ) Must be supplied to a wireless module that performs a wireless network function even during standby (for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or SDIO (Secure Digital Input Output) wireless network dongle module). Must not.

  Also, recently, a usage form in which a plurality of MFPs are connected via a wired network and these MFPs and terminal devices are connected via a wireless network has become common. However, in such a usage pattern, the total standby power when a plurality of MFPs are in an idle standby state (standby power is several tens of watts) becomes large, and thus energy saving is required.

  On the other hand, for example, in a time zone when the user is absent, such as at night, it is considered that the necessity of continuously supplying power to the wireless module of the MFP is small. In this case, if power supply to the main hardware including the wireless module can be stopped, the power consumption can be reduced to 1 W or less during standby, and standby power can be significantly reduced. Below, this is called 1W energy saving standby mode. However, when the 1 W energy saving standby mode is set, the wireless module does not function. For example, even if a print job is wirelessly transmitted from the terminal device to the MFP, there is a problem that the response cannot be made and the usability is deteriorated.

  That is, when a plurality of MFPs are connected via a wired network and these MFPs and terminal devices are connected via a wireless network, it is desired that standby power can be reduced without deteriorating usability. Such a problem cannot be solved by the prior art described in (1).

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. When a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by a wired network and the image forming apparatus and the terminal apparatus are connected by a wireless network, the usability is deteriorated. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system capable of reducing standby power without any problems.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the first technical means of the present invention is such that the first image forming apparatus on the master side and the second image forming apparatus on the slave side are connected via a wired network. An image forming system in which the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus are connected to a terminal device via a wireless network, wherein the first image forming apparatus includes the second image forming apparatus. A standby state storage unit that stores whether the standby state of the apparatus is an energy saving standby state in which power supply to the wireless communication unit of the second image forming apparatus is stopped; and from the terminal device via the wireless network To communicate with the second image forming apparatus via the wired network and a control unit for determining whether the transmitted print job is a print job addressed to the second image forming apparatus in the energy saving standby state. A wired communication unit, wherein the control unit is configured such that the print job is a print job addressed to the second image forming apparatus, and the second image forming apparatus is in the energy saving standby state by the standby state storage unit. If it is determined that the second image forming apparatus transmits a return instruction for returning from the energy-saving standby state to the second image forming apparatus via the wired network by controlling the wired communication unit. When the apparatus receives a return instruction from the first image forming apparatus via the wired network, the apparatus starts power supply to the wireless communication unit and receives the print job by the wireless communication unit. It is what.

  According to a second technical means, in the first technical means, when the second image forming apparatus shifts to the energy saving standby state, the second image forming apparatus notifies the first image forming apparatus via the wired network. And the control unit stores, in the standby state storage unit, information indicating that the second image forming apparatus has shifted to the energy saving standby state based on the notification from the second image forming apparatus. It is characterized by that.

  According to a third technical means, in the first or second technical means, when the control unit determines that the print job is a print job other than a print job addressed to the first image forming apparatus, the print job It is characterized by discarding a job.

  According to a fourth technical means, in any one of the first to third technical means, when the second image forming apparatus has passed a predetermined time from the end of processing of the print job received by the wireless communication unit, The power supply to the wireless communication unit is stopped, and the state shifts to the energy saving standby state.

  According to the present invention, when a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by a wired network and the image forming apparatus and the terminal apparatus are connected by a wireless network, standby power can be reduced without deteriorating usability. .

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image forming system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a terminal device and an image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows an example of the energy-saving management table memorize | stored in the management part of a master MFP. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a processing flow of the image forming system shown in FIG. 1.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to an image forming system of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an image forming system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 to 4 are MFPs (digital multifunction peripherals) as an example of an image forming apparatus, 5 is a notebook PC as an example of a terminal device, 6 is a wired network, and 7 is a wireless network. The terminal device may be other than a notebook PC, for example, a mobile terminal, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or the like. The MFPs 1 to 4 are connected via a wired network 6 such as Ethernet (Ethernet: registered trademark), and the MFPs 1 to 4 and the notebook PC 5 are connected via a wireless network 7 such as a wireless LAN (for example, Wi-Fi Direct). Connected.

  The basic configurations of the MFPs 1 to 4 are the same, and the normal idle standby mode (standby power is several tens of watts) that can respond to standby without stopping the power supply to the wireless module, and the power supply to the wireless module. It has a 1W energy saving standby mode that can be stopped and the standby power can be reduced to 1W or less. Further, any one of the MFPs 1 to 4 can be set in advance as a master MFP (parent MFP) and another MFP as a slave MFP (child MFP). In this example, the MFP 1 is a master MFP (corresponding to the first image forming apparatus of the present invention), and the MFPs 2 to 4 are slave MFPs (corresponding to the second image forming apparatus of the present invention).

  The slave MFPs 2 to 4 are set to shift to the 1 W energy saving standby mode when it is determined that the operation input from the user is not within a predetermined time, for example. Accordingly, the slave MFPs 2 to 4 shift to the 1 W energy saving standby mode in a time zone when the user is absent outside business hours such as at night, and therefore cannot receive a print job by a wireless packet wirelessly transmitted from the notebook PC 5. Can not.

  On the other hand, the master MFP 1 monitors the standby state of the slave MFPs 2 to 4 and monitors a print job by a wireless packet wirelessly transmitted from the notebook PC 5. The master MFP 1 waits in the idle standby mode during standby, but unlike the slave MFPs 2 to 4, it does not shift to the 1W energy saving standby mode. Therefore, only master MFP 1 stands by in a state where power is supplied to the wireless module (that is, a state where the wireless network function is valid). Since the wired network function is effective in both the idle standby mode and the 1W energy saving standby mode, the master MFP 1 and slave MFPs 2 to 4 can exchange data via the wired network 6 even during standby.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the terminal device and the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. Although the master MFP 1 is described as an example of the image forming apparatus here, the slave MFPs 2 to 4 basically have the same configuration.

  In FIG. 2A, the master MFP 1 is configured as a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a printer function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and a scanner function. The master MFP 1 includes an image forming unit 11 that performs data printing processing, a device control unit 12 that controls each function included in the master MFP 1, and a management unit 13 that is a memory that stores control information, setting information, and the like of the master MFP 1. , A wireless communication unit (wireless module) 14 that executes a wireless network function, an HDD (hard disk drive) 15 that stores data, a wired communication unit 16 that executes a wired network function, and various image processing on the data The image processing unit 17 for performing the operation, the operation unit 18 for receiving the operation input by the user, and the timer 19 for executing the timer function are provided.

  The image forming unit 11 includes a printing unit 11a such as an LSU (Laser Scanning Unit) and a volatile memory 11b that temporarily holds data processed by the image processing unit 17. .

  The operation unit 18 includes a display unit 18a such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a touch panel unit 18b that receives an operation input from a user via the touch panel, and input keys such as various operation keys and numeric keys. The input key 18c is configured, and the user can input an operation input and various settings to the master MFP 1 by operating the operation unit 18.

  When the master MFP 1 according to the present embodiment is used as a printer, data received from the wireless communication unit 14 is output from the image forming unit 11 via the volatile memory 11b or the like. That is, the wireless communication unit 14 receives data from the notebook PC 5 that is a terminal device connected via the wireless network 7. The data received in this way is sent to the volatile memory 11b as output data to the volatile memory 11b, and is temporarily stored in the HDD 15 as needed. The data is again sent from the HDD 15 to the volatile memory 11b and transferred to the printing unit 11a.

  Each component of the master MFP 1 is controlled by the device control unit 12 to monitor an operation instruction from an input key 18c such as an input key group provided on the operation unit 18, and the master MFP 1 via the display unit 18a. Information that should be notified to the user, such as information on the state of the user, is accurately displayed. Further, the management unit 13 manages information regarding each component controlled by the device control unit 12, and the device control unit 12 controls the operation of the entire master MFP 1 based on the information.

  In FIG. 2B, a notebook PC 5 which is an example of a terminal device is constituted by, for example, a general-purpose computer, a CPU 51 for controlling the operation of the notebook PC 5, a RAM 52 serving as an execution area for a control program, and a control program. Connected to the wireless network 7, a ROM 53 storing data and data, a storage unit 54 including an HDD, an input unit 55 including a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard, a display unit 56 such as an LCD A wireless communication unit 57, which is a wireless communication interface, and a system bus 58 that connects these units to each other. The printer driver 54a necessary for executing printing by the master MFP 1 (or slave MFPs 2 to 4) is stored in, for example, the storage unit 54, and the CPU 51 reads it into the RAM 52 and executes it when executing printing.

  A main object of the present invention is to reduce standby power without deteriorating usability when connecting a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a wired network and connecting these image forming apparatuses and terminal apparatuses via a wireless network. is there. As a configuration for this, master MFP 1 (corresponding to the first image forming apparatus) is in a standby state of slave MFPs 2 to 4 (corresponding to the second image forming apparatus) and supplies power to the wireless communication units of slave MFPs 2 to 4. The management unit 13 corresponding to the standby state storage unit for storing whether or not it is in the energy saving standby state (that is, the state of the 1W energy saving standby mode), and a print job transmitted from the notebook PC 5 via the wireless network 7 Is a device control unit 12 corresponding to a control unit that determines whether or not a print job addressed to a slave MFP in an energy saving standby state, and a wired communication unit 16 for communicating with the slave MFPs 2 to 4 via the wired network 6. Is provided.

  The device control unit 12 determines that the print job is a print job addressed to the slave MFP (here, addressed to the slave MFP 2), and the management unit 13 (see FIG. 3 to be described later) determines that the slave MFP 2 is in the energy saving standby state. In this case, by controlling the wired communication unit 16, a return instruction for returning from the energy saving standby state is transmitted to the slave MFP 2 via the wired network 6. Note that the number of slave MFPs 2 to 4 is not limited to a plurality, and at least one slave MFP may be provided.

  When the slave MFP 2 receives a return instruction from the master MFP 1 via the wired network 6, the slave MFP 2 starts supplying power to the wireless communication unit of the slave MFP 2 and receives a print job by the wireless communication unit. That is, the slave MFP 2 can return the wireless communication unit from the standby state in response to a return instruction from the master MFP 1, receive a print job, and perform print processing.

  Here, the print job from the notebook PC 5 is transmitted by a wireless packet, but the slave MFP 2 designated as the destination of the print job cannot return a response to this wireless packet when in the energy saving standby state. . Therefore, if the notebook PC 5 determines that there is no response from the slave MFP 2, it will repeatedly transmit the wireless packet a predetermined number of times until the slave MFP 2 returns from the energy saving standby state and returns a response.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the energy saving management table stored in the management unit 13 of the master MFP 1. In the figure, reference numeral 13a denotes an energy saving management table. When the slave MFPs 2 to 4 shift to the 1 W energy saving standby mode, the slave MFPs 2 to 4 notify the master MFP 1 via the wired network 6. Based on the notifications from slave MFPs 2 to 4, management unit 13 of master MFP 1 stores information indicating that slave MFPs 2 to 4 have shifted to the 1W energy saving standby mode. Specifically, for example, it is stored as the energy saving management table 13a of FIG. In this energy saving management table 13a, if the 1W energy saving standby mode of each of the slave MFPs 2 to 4 is “ON”, it indicates that the slave MFP 2-4 has shifted to the 1W energy saving standby mode, and if it is “OFF”, it indicates that it is in the idle standby mode. Show.

  Hereinafter, the flow of processing by the image forming system of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIG. Here, slave MFPs 2 to 4 are on standby in the 1 W energy saving standby mode. That is, in the energy saving management table 13a (FIG. 3) of the master MFP 1, all the 1W energy saving standby modes of the slave MFPs 2 to 4 are “ON”, and in the master MFP 1, the slave MFPs 2 to 4 are in the 1W energy saving standby mode. Is recognized.

  First, the notebook PC 5 broadcasts a print job specifying the slave MFP 2 via the wireless network 7 (S1). Since the slave MFP 2 (and slaves 3 and 4) has shifted to the 1 W energy saving standby mode, it cannot receive this print job. However, the master MFP 1 is on standby in the idle standby mode, monitors a print job transmitted wirelessly, receives this print job, and analyzes it (S2). That is, the device control unit 12 of the master MFP 1 analyzes the print job and specifies that the print job is destined for the slave MFP 2, and determines whether or not the slave MFP 2 is in 1W energy saving standby using the energy saving management table 13a. To do.

  Here, as described above, after specifying that the destination of the print job is to the slave MFP, it may be determined by the energy saving management table 13a whether or not the slave MFP is in 1W energy saving standby. Alternatively, after specifying the slave MFP in 1W energy saving standby by the energy saving management table 13a, it may be determined whether or not the received print job is a print job specifying the slave MFP in 1W energy saving standby.

  When the master MFP 1 determines that the slave MFP 2 is in the 1W energy saving standby state, the master MFP 1 sends a return instruction for returning from the 1 W energy saving standby state to the slave MFP 2 via the wired network 6. Transmit (S3).

  Here, when it is determined that the print job is a print job other than the print job addressed to the master MFP 1, the master MFP 1 desirably discards the print job. Specifically, in S2, when the master MFP 1 determines that the print job is a print job destined for the master MFP 1, the master MFP 1 prints the print job as it is, and prints to the slave MFPs 2 to 4 other than the master MFP 1. If the job is determined to be a job, the print job is discarded regardless of whether or not the slave MFPs 2 to 4 are on standby for 1 W energy saving. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the master MFP from accumulating print jobs destined for the slave MFP that are unnecessary for the master MFP.

  When the slave MFP 2 receives a return instruction from the master MFP 2, the slave MFP 2 starts supplying power to the wireless communication unit of the slave MFP 2, thereby receiving a print job and performing print processing for the received print job.

  In this way, in a system configuration in which a plurality of MFPs are connected by a wired network, and these MFPs and terminal devices are connected by a wireless network, a print job to a slave MFP in which the master MFP is in a 1W energy saving standby state via the wireless network To monitor. When the master MFP receives a print job to the slave MFP that is in the 1W energy saving standby mode, the master MFP transmits a return instruction to the slave MFP via the wired network, thereby returning the slave MFP from the 1W energy saving standby state to the wireless network. Is configured to receive a print job. Thereby, standby power can be reduced without deteriorating user convenience.

  Here, the slave MFP 2 may stop supplying power to the wireless communication unit of the slave MFP 2 and shift to the 1 W energy saving standby state again when a predetermined time has elapsed since the end of the print job processing. Specifically, the timer function of the slave MFP 2 is used to count this predetermined time, thereby shifting to the 1W energy saving standby mode. As a result, the slave MFP can be set to the 1 W energy saving standby mode except when printing processing is necessary, and standby power can be further reduced.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the processing flow of the image forming system shown in FIG. Also in the case of this example, as described above, the slave MFPs 2 to 4 are on standby in the 1 W energy saving standby mode. That is, in the energy saving management table 13a (FIG. 3) of the master MFP 1, all the 1W energy saving standby modes of the slave MFPs 2 to 4 are “ON”, and in the master MFP 1, the slave MFPs 2 to 4 are in the 1W energy saving standby mode. Is recognized.

  First, the master MFP 1 determines whether or not there is a print job request from the notebook PC 5 via the wireless network 7 (step S11). If it is determined that there is a print job request (YES), the print job is An energy saving management table stored in the management unit 13 and the MFP name specified in the print job, whether the print job is addressed to the slave MFP and the slave MFP is in the 1W energy saving standby mode (1W energy saving standby mode). A determination is made based on 13a (step S12). If it is determined in step S11 that no print job is requested (NO), monitoring of the print job on the wireless network 7 is continued in step S11.

  Next, if the master MFP 1 determines in step S12 that the print job is a print job addressed to the slave MFP that is waiting for 1W energy saving (if YES), the master MFP 1 A return instruction for returning from the 1 W energy saving standby state is transmitted via the wired network 6 (step S13). In this example, since the notebook PC 5 wirelessly transmits a print job addressed to the slave MFP 2 that is on standby for 1 W energy saving, the return instruction is transmitted to the slave MFP 2 by wire. If it is determined in step S12 that the print job is not a print job addressed to the slave MFP that is waiting for 1 W energy saving (in the case of NO), if the print job is a print job addressed to the master MFP 1, a print process is executed. If the print job is directed to another slave MFP in the idle standby mode, the print job is discarded (step S14).

  Next, when the slave MFP 2 receives a return instruction from the master MFP 1 via the wired network 6 (step S15), the slave MFP 2 starts supplying power to its own wireless communication unit, and is able to receive a print job using a wireless packet. The mode is changed (step S16). Here, the slave MFP 2 notifies the master MFP 1 that it has shifted to the idle standby mode via the wired network 6. In response to this, the master MFP 1 changes the 1W energy saving standby mode of the energy saving management table 13a from “ON” to “OFF”.

  Then, the slave MFP 2 determines whether or not a print job has been received via the wireless network 7 (step S17). If it is determined that the print job has been received (YES), the print job is executed (step S17). S18). If it is determined in step S17 that a print job is not received (NO), the process shifts to a print job reception waiting state in step S17.

  Next, the slave MFP 2 determines whether there is another print job on the wireless network 7 (step S19). If it is determined that there is another print job (YES), the process returns to step S17. repeat. If it is determined in step S19 that there is no other print job (NO), it is determined by the timer function whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed after the end of the print job processing (step S20).

  Next, when the slave MFP 2 determines in step S20 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the end of the print job processing (in the case of YES), the slave MFP 2 again shifts to the 1W energy saving standby mode (step S21) and enters the 1W energy saving standby mode. The master MFP 1 is notified of the transition (step S22). Also. If it is determined in step S20 that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the end of the processing of the print job (in the case of NO), the process returns to step S19 and the processing is repeated.

  As described above, in the image forming system according to the present invention, the first image forming apparatus on the master side and the second image forming apparatus on the slave side are connected via the wired network, and the first image forming apparatus is connected to the first image forming apparatus on the slave side. The image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus are connected to a terminal device via a wireless network, and the first image forming apparatus is in a standby state of the second image forming apparatus. Is a standby state storage unit that stores whether or not it is an energy saving standby state for stopping power supply to the wireless communication unit of the second image forming apparatus, and a print transmitted from the terminal device via the wireless network A controller for determining whether or not the job is a print job addressed to the second image forming apparatus in the energy saving standby state, and for communicating with the second image forming apparatus via the wired network; A line communication unit, wherein the control unit is a print job addressed to the second image forming apparatus, and the standby state storage unit causes the second image forming apparatus to be in the energy saving standby state. If it is determined that the second image forming apparatus transmits a return instruction for returning from the energy-saving standby state to the second image forming apparatus via the wired network by controlling the wired communication unit. When the apparatus receives a return instruction from the first image forming apparatus via the wired network, the apparatus starts power supply to the wireless communication unit and receives the print job by the wireless communication unit. And Thereby, standby power can be reduced without deteriorating user convenience.

  Further, when the second image forming apparatus shifts to the energy saving standby state, the second image forming apparatus notifies the first image forming apparatus to that effect via the wired network, and the control unit transmits the second image forming apparatus to the second image forming apparatus. It is desirable that information indicating that the second image forming apparatus has shifted to the energy saving standby state is stored in the standby state storage unit based on a notification from the image forming apparatus. According to this, similarly to the above, standby power can be reduced without deteriorating user convenience.

  In addition, when the control unit determines that the print job is a print job other than the print job addressed to the first image forming apparatus, the control unit desirably discards the print job. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the first image forming apparatus from accumulating print jobs destined for the second image forming apparatus that are unnecessary for the first image forming apparatus.

  The second image forming apparatus stops power supply to the wireless communication unit and shifts to the energy saving standby state when a predetermined time has elapsed from the end of processing of the print job received by the wireless communication unit. Is desirable. According to this, the second image forming apparatus can be placed in an energy saving standby state except when printing processing is required, and standby power can be further reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 1st image forming apparatus (master MFP), 2-4 ... 2nd image forming apparatus (slave MFP), 5 ... Terminal device (notebook PC), 6 ... Wired network, 7 ... Wireless network, 11 ... Image Forming unit, 11a ... printing unit, 11b ... memory, 12 ... device control unit, 13 ... management unit, 13a ... energy saving management table, 14 ... wireless communication unit, 15 ... HDD, 16 ... wired communication unit, 17 ... image processing unit , 18 ... operation unit, 18a ... display unit, 18b ... touch panel unit, 18c ... input key, 19 ... timer, 51 ... CPU, 52 ... RAM, 53 ... ROM, 54 ... storage unit, 54a ... printer driver, 55 ... input , 56 ... display unit, 57 ... wireless communication unit, 58 ... system bus.

Claims (4)

The first image forming apparatus on the master side and the second image forming apparatus on the slave side are connected via a wired network, and the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus are terminal devices. An image forming system connected via a wireless network,
The first image forming apparatus stores a standby state for storing whether or not the standby state of the second image forming apparatus is an energy saving standby state in which power supply to the wireless communication unit of the second image forming apparatus is stopped. A status storage unit; a control unit for determining whether a print job transmitted from the terminal device via the wireless network is a print job addressed to the second image forming apparatus in the energy saving standby state; A wired communication unit for communicating with the second image forming apparatus via a network,
The control unit determines that the print job is a print job addressed to the second image forming apparatus, and the standby state storage unit determines that the second image forming apparatus is in the energy saving standby state. By controlling the wired communication unit, a return instruction for returning from the energy saving standby state is transmitted to the second image forming apparatus via the wired network,
When the second image forming apparatus receives a return instruction from the first image forming apparatus via the wired network, the second image forming apparatus starts power supply to the wireless communication unit, and the print job is transmitted by the wireless communication unit. Receiving an image forming system.   2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein when the second image forming apparatus shifts to the energy saving standby state, the second image forming apparatus notifies the first image forming apparatus of the fact via the wired network. The control unit stores, in the standby state storage unit, information indicating that the second image forming apparatus has shifted to the energy saving standby state based on a notification from the second image forming apparatus. An image forming system.   3. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit discards the print job when it is determined that the print job is a print job other than a print job addressed to the first image forming apparatus. An image forming system.   4. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein when the predetermined time has elapsed from the end of processing of the print job received by the wireless communication unit, the second image forming apparatus performs the wireless communication unit. The image forming system is characterized in that the power supply to is stopped and the state is shifted to the energy saving standby state.

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