JP2015000507A - Image forming apparatus, control method, and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce occurrence of standby time for a print process based on a print job, caused by shortage of a spare zone in a storage medium in an image forming apparatus for use in printing based on the print job stored in the storage medium.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 capable of forming an image based on a print job stored in a print job storage part 133, performs: determining a threshold of a spare zone of the print job storage part 133 on the basis of each respective job size of print jobs stored in the print job storage part 133; and deleting, in a case where a size of the spare zone of the print job storage part 133 is smaller than the determined threshold, a print job or jobs from among the print jobs stored in the print job storage part 133 in a predetermined order until the size of the spare zone of the print job storage part 133 reaches or exceeds the threshold.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method, and a control program, and more particularly, to a print job storage process in an image forming apparatus that executes a print process based on a print job stored in a storage medium.

  In recent years, there has been a tendency to digitize information, and image processing apparatuses such as printers and facsimiles used for outputting digitized information and scanners used for digitizing documents have become indispensable devices. Such an image processing apparatus is configured as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) that can be used as a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, and a copier by providing an imaging function, an image forming function, a communication function, and the like. Many.

  Among such image processing apparatuses, a printer used for outputting digitized information does not receive a print job received from a PC (Personal Computer) or the like again, and performs print processing again based on the print job. It often has a reprint mode function to perform. When the reprint mode is valid, the printer having such a reprint mode function does not delete the print job even after the print processing based on the received print job is completed, and does not delete the print job. Remember me.

  However, if the print job is continuously stored in the storage medium as described above, there is no free space in the storage medium, and the subsequent print job cannot be stored. Therefore, in the reprint mode, when it is determined that there is no free space in the storage medium for storing the print job and the received print job cannot be stored, the print job stored in the storage medium is deleted. A method of deleting a print job having a power attribute with priority is proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when it is determined that the received print job cannot be stored in the storage medium, a print job to be deleted from the print job stored in the storage medium is determined, Delete the determined print job to free up space. For this reason, the reception buffer area is not empty and the next print job cannot be accepted until the empty area is generated after the received print job is stored in the reception buffer, so waiting for print processing based on the next print job. Time will occur.

  Note that such a problem is not limited to the reprint mode as described above, and a print job is stored in a storage medium until user authentication is performed in an image processing apparatus that requires user authentication at the time of print output. Similar problems may occur in an image processing apparatus that executes print processing based on a print job stored in a storage medium.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and in an image forming apparatus that executes print processing based on a print job stored in a storage medium, a print job due to a lack of free space in the storage medium. An object of the present invention is to reduce the occurrence of waiting time for printing processing based on the above.

  In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus capable of executing image formation based on an image forming instruction stored in a storage medium, and the image stored in the storage medium Based on the data size of each of the formation instructions, a threshold value determination unit that determines a threshold value of the free area of the storage medium, and when the size of the free area of the storage medium is smaller than the determined threshold value, And an image formation command deletion unit that deletes the image formation commands stored in the storage medium in a predetermined order until the size of the empty area becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an image forming apparatus capable of executing image formation based on an image formation command stored in a storage medium, the image formation command stored in the storage medium. Based on the size of each data, a threshold of the free area of the storage medium is determined, and when the size of the free area of the storage medium is smaller than the determined threshold, the size of the free area is The image forming commands stored in the storage medium are deleted in a predetermined order until the threshold value is exceeded.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control program for controlling an image forming apparatus capable of executing image formation based on an image forming instruction stored in a storage medium, the control program stored in the storage medium. A step of determining a free space threshold of the storage medium based on the data size of each of the image forming instructions, and the free space when the free space size of the storage medium is smaller than the determined threshold And causing the information processing apparatus to execute a step of deleting the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium in a predetermined order until the size of the area becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value.

  According to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus that executes print processing based on a print job stored in a storage medium, it is possible to reduce occurrence of waiting time for print processing based on the print job due to insufficient storage medium free space. it can.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a main control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a diagram illustrating a print job management table according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating print job storage processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the threshold value determination process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating print job deletion processing according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the threshold value setting screen which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the threshold value determination process based on the upper limit which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an image forming apparatus as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) including a printer function will be described as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a configuration similar to that of a general server, a PC (Personal Computer), or the like.

  That is, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 20, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 30, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 40, and an I / F 50. 80 is connected. Further, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 60 and an operation unit 70 are connected to the I / F 50. In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an engine that executes image forming output and scanning.

  The CPU 10 is a calculation unit and controls the operation of the entire image forming apparatus 1. The RAM 20 is a volatile storage medium capable of reading and writing information at high speed, and is used as a work area when the CPU 10 processes information. The ROM 30 is a read-only nonvolatile storage medium and stores a program such as firmware. The HDD 40 is a non-volatile storage medium that can read and write information, and stores an OS (Operating System), various control programs, application programs, and the like. In addition to the HDD, a semiconductor storage device such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) may be used.

  The I / F 50 connects and controls the bus 80 and various hardware and networks. The LCD 60 is a visual user interface for the user to check the state of the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 70 is a user interface for a user to input information to the image forming apparatus 1 such as a keyboard, a mouse, various hard buttons, and a touch panel.

  In such a hardware configuration, a program stored in a storage medium such as the ROM 30, the HDD 40, or an optical disk (not shown) is read into the RAM 20, and the software control unit is configured by the CPU 10 performing calculations according to those programs. . A functional block that realizes the functions of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured by a combination of the software control unit configured as described above and hardware.

  Next, functions of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a controller 100, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 110, a scanner unit 111, a paper discharge tray 112, a display panel 113, and a paper feed table. 114, a print engine 115, a paper discharge tray 116, and a network I / F 117.

  The controller 100 includes a main control unit 130, an engine control unit 101, an input / output control unit 102, an image processing unit 103, and an operation display control unit 104. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured as a multifunction machine having a scanner unit 111 and a print engine 115. In FIG. 2, the electrical connection is indicated by solid arrows, and the flow of paper is indicated by broken arrows.

  The display panel 113 is an output interface that visually displays the state of the image forming apparatus 1 and is an input when the user directly operates the image forming apparatus 1 or inputs information to the image forming apparatus 1 as a touch panel. It is also an interface (operation unit). The network I / F 117 is an interface for the image forming apparatus 1 to communicate with other devices such as an administrator terminal via the network, and includes Ethernet (registered trademark), USB, Bluetooth (registered trademark), and Wi-Fi. An interface such as (Wireless Fidelity) is used.

  The controller 100 is configured by a combination of software and hardware. Specifically, a software control unit and an integrated circuit configured by loading a control program such as firmware stored in a non-volatile storage medium such as the ROM 30 or the HDD 40 into the RAM 20 and performing an operation by the CPU 10 according to the program. The controller 100 is configured by hardware such as the above. The controller 100 functions as a control unit that controls the entire image forming apparatus 1.

  The main control unit 130 plays a role of controlling each unit included in the controller 100 and gives a command to each unit of the controller 100. The engine control unit 101 serves as a driving unit that controls or drives the print engine 115, the scanner unit 111, and the like. The input / output control unit 102 inputs signals and commands input from the information processing apparatus and the like connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via the network I / F 117 to the main control unit 130. The main control unit 130 also controls the input / output control unit 102 to access other devices via the network I / F 117.

  The image processing unit 103 generates drawing information based on image information to be printed out under the control of the main control unit 130. The drawing information is information for drawing an image to be formed in the image forming operation by the print engine 115 as the image forming output unit. The image processing unit 103 processes image data input from the scanner unit 111 and generates image data. This image data is information stored in the image forming apparatus 1 as a result of the scanner operation or transmitted to another device via the network I / F 117. The operation display control unit 104 displays information on the display panel 113 or notifies the main control unit 130 of information input via the display panel 113.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 operates as a printer, first, the input / output control unit 102 receives a print job from the information processing apparatus or the like connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via the network I / F 117. The input / output control unit 102 transfers the received print job to the main control unit 130. When the main control unit 130 receives a print job, the main control unit 130 controls the image processing unit 103 to generate drawing information based on document information or image information such as a PDL (Page Description Language) format included in the print job. When drawing information is generated by the image processing unit 103, the engine control unit 101 executes image formation on a sheet conveyed from the paper feed table 114 based on the generated drawing information. As a specific mode of the print engine 115, an image forming mechanism using an ink jet method, an image forming mechanism using an electrophotographic method, or the like can be used. A document on which an image is formed by the print engine 115 is discharged to a discharge tray 116.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 operates as a scanner, that is, as an image reading control device, operation display control is performed in accordance with a user operation on the display panel 113 or a scan execution instruction input from an external device via the network I / F 117. The unit 104 or the input / output control unit 102 transfers the scan execution signal to the main control unit 130. The main control unit 130 controls the engine control unit 101 based on the received scan execution signal. The engine control unit 101 drives the ADF 110 and conveys the document to be imaged set on the ADF 110 to the scanner unit 111. Further, the engine control unit 101 drives the scanner unit 111 and images a document conveyed from the ADF 110. If no original is set on the ADF 110 and the original is directly set on the scanner unit 111, the scanner unit 111 captures the set original under the control of the engine control unit 101. That is, the scanner unit 111 operates as an imaging unit.

  In the imaging operation, an imaging element such as a CCD included in the scanner unit 111 optically scans the document, and imaging information based on the optical information is generated. The engine control unit 101 transfers the imaging information generated by the scanner unit 111 to the image processing unit 103. The image processing unit 103 generates image information based on the imaging information received from the engine control unit 101 under the control of the main control unit 130. Image information generated by the image processing unit 103 is stored in a storage medium attached to the image forming apparatus 1 such as the HDD 40. The image information generated by the image processing unit 103 is stored in the HDD 40 or the like as it is according to a user instruction, or is transmitted to an external device by the input / output control unit 102 via the network I / F 117.

  Further, when the image forming apparatus 1 operates as a copying machine, the image processing unit 103 generates drawing information based on imaging information received by the engine control unit 101 from the scanner unit 111 or image information generated by the image processing unit 103. To do. Based on the drawing information, the engine control unit 101 drives the print engine 115 as in the case of the printer operation.

  In such an image forming apparatus 1, the gist of the present invention is that printing due to a lack of free space in a storage medium that stores a print job in an image forming apparatus that executes print processing based on a print job stored in the storage medium. The object is to reduce the occurrence of waiting time for print processing based on a job. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment stores a print job in a reprint mode in which a print job received from a PC or the like can be performed again based on the print job without receiving the print job again. The storage medium free area threshold is determined based on the size of each print job stored in the storage medium, and if the storage medium free area is smaller than the determined threshold, the printing stored in the storage medium is performed. Delete the job from the job in a predetermined order and increase the free space until it exceeds the threshold. Hereinafter, a functional configuration of the main control unit 130 according to the present embodiment will be described as a configuration according to the present embodiment.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the main control unit 130 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the main control unit 130 according to the present embodiment includes a print job receiving unit 131, a print job receiving buffer 132, a print job storage unit 133, a print job management table 134, an image formation control unit 135, a print job. A selection screen generation unit 136 and a print job management unit 150 are included. The print job management unit 150 includes a print job storage processing unit 151, a threshold value determination unit 152, and a print job deletion unit 153.

  The print job reception unit 131 receives a print job transmitted from an external device such as a PC via the network I / F 117 and stores it in the print job reception buffer 132. When the reprint mode is valid, the print job receiving unit 131 notifies the print job storage processing unit 151 to store the received print job in the print job storage unit 133 that is a storage medium. Then, the received print job is output to the image formation control unit 135 to notify the execution of image formation.

  When the reprint mode is invalid, the print job receiving unit 131 outputs the received print job to the image formation control unit 135 and notifies the image formation to be executed. Whether the reprint mode is valid or invalid is set, for example, by the user or administrator of the image forming apparatus 1 via the display panel 113 or the like. It is stored in the HDD 40 or the like.

  The print job reception buffer 132 stores the print job received by the print job reception unit 131. The print job stored in the print job reception buffer 132 is acquired by the print job storage processing unit 151 when there is a free area for storing the print job in the print job storage unit 133.

  The print job storage unit 133 stores the print job stored in the print job reception buffer 132 in the reprint mode. The print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 is used for reprinting. The print job management table 134 stores print job information (hereinafter referred to as “print job information”) stored in the print job storage unit 133 for each print job.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the print job management table 134. As shown in FIG. 4, the print job management table 134 includes, for each print job, “job ID”, “user code”, “job name”, “job size”, “save date”, “last print date”, and “Storage period” and the like are stored as print job information. “Job ID” indicates information for uniquely identifying a print job stored in the print job storage unit 133, and “User code” indicates identification information for a user who has instructed print processing based on this print job.

  “Job name” indicates the name of this print job, and “Job size” indicates the size of this print job (data size of image forming command). “Save date” indicates the date when this print job is stored in the print job storage unit 133, and “Last print date” indicates the date when the print process was last performed based on this print job. . “Retention period” indicates the date of the deadline for storing this print job in the print job storage unit 133. For example, when the “retention period” of a certain print job is December 20, 2012, 2012 is displayed. After December 20, 2012, the print job is deleted from the print job storage unit 133.

  The print job information is information that can be acquired from the print job by some method, such as added to the print job. In addition, the value of each item included in the print job information is input from the user via the display panel 113 of the image forming apparatus 1 or the display unit of the information processing apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus 1 or the print job receiving unit. It is set by recording the reception date and time and the job size acquired by 131.

  When the print job stored in the print job reception buffer 132 can be stored in the print job storage unit 133, the print job storage processing unit 151 stores the print job in the print job storage unit 133 and the stored print job. The print job information of the job is stored in the print job management table 134 (details will be described later with reference to FIG. 5). That is, the print job storage processing unit 151 functions as an image formation command storage processing unit that stores a print job, that is, an image formation command in the print job storage unit 133.

  The threshold value determination unit 152 refers to the print job management table 134 to determine a threshold value indicating a size to be secured as a free area of the print job storage unit 133 (details will be described later with reference to FIG. 6). The print job deletion unit 153 deletes the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 based on the threshold value determined by the threshold value determination unit 152 (details will be described later with reference to FIG. 7). That is, the print job deletion unit 153 functions as an image formation command deletion unit that deletes a print job stored in the print job storage unit 133, that is, an image formation command.

  The image formation control unit 135 controls print processing (image formation processing) based on the print job received by the print job reception unit 131. That is, under the control of the image formation control unit 135, the image processing unit 103 generates drawing information based on document information or image information included in the print job, and the print engine 115 performs image processing based on the generated drawing information. Will be executed. Further, when the image formation based on the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 is completed, the image formation control unit 135 completes the “last printing date” of the corresponding print job information stored in the print job management table 134. Update the information.

  The print job selection screen generation unit 136 receives a reprint instruction input via the network I / F 117 or the like, and performs a print job that performs reprinting based on the print job information stored in the print job management table 134 A selection screen for selecting is generated. On the selection screen, for example, a list of print jobs corresponding to the print job information stored in the print job management table 134 (that is, print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 133) is displayed.

  In addition, among the print job information stored in the print job management table 134, the print job corresponding to the print job information that matches the user code that can be acquired from the login information to the image forming apparatus 1 of the user who performs reprinting. The list may be displayed as a selection screen. In addition, a list screen of user names identified from the user codes and user codes included in the print job information stored in the print job management table 134 is displayed first, and then matches the user code selected from the list screen. A list of print jobs corresponding to the print job information to be displayed may be displayed as a selection screen.

  When the print job selection screen generation unit 136 generates the selection screen, the selection screen is displayed on the display panel 113 via the operation display control unit 104 or on the display unit of the information processing apparatus via the network I / F 117. Will be. When a print job to be reprinted is selected via the selection screen, the image formation control unit 135 acquires the selected print job from the print job storage unit 133, and print processing based on the acquired print job To control.

  Next, print job storage processing by the print job storage processing unit 151 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating print job storage processing by the print job storage processing unit 151. As shown in FIG. 5, the print job storage processing unit 151 acquires the print job information of the print job stored in the print job reception buffer 132 (S500).

  The print job storage processing unit 151 that has acquired the print job information includes the job ID included in the acquired print job information in the print job management table 134, that is, the print job stored in the print job reception buffer 132 is If already stored in the print job storage unit 133 (S501 / NO), the process ends.

  On the other hand, the print job storage processing unit 151 is a new job in which the print job is not stored in the print job storage unit 133 (S501 / YES), and the print job job in which the size of the free area in the print job storage unit 133 is acquired. If it is larger than the size, that is, there is a free area for storing the print job in the print job storage unit 133 (S502 / YES), this print job is stored in the print job storage unit 133 (S503). The print job storage processing unit 151 that has stored the print job in the print job storage unit 133 stores the print job information acquired in S500 of the print job in the print job management table 134 (S504).

  On the other hand, if the print job is a new job (S501 / YES) and there is no free space for storing the print job in the print job storage unit 133 (S502 / NO), the print job storage processing unit 151 stores the print job. The print job is deleted from the print job storage unit 133 until a free area is secured (S505). For example, the print job storage processing unit 151 starts from the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 in the order of the date and time when printing was last performed (that is, “last print date” in the print job management table 134). Is deleted. The print job storage processing unit 151 that has deleted the print job deletes the print job information of the deleted print job from the print job management table 134 (S506).

  Next, threshold determination processing by the threshold determination unit 152 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating threshold determination processing by the threshold determination unit 152. The threshold value determination process is a process performed after the print job storage processing unit 151 stores a new print job in the print job storage unit 133 in S503.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the threshold value determination unit 152 acquires the current threshold value (S600). The current threshold value is a threshold value determined by the process described below before a new print job is stored in the print job storage unit 133. Next, the threshold value determination unit 152 acquires the job size included in the stored print job information of the print job (that is, the print job information acquired in S500) (S601).

  When the job size is larger than the current threshold value (S602 / YES), the threshold value determination unit 152 that has acquired the current threshold value and job size changes the current threshold value to the acquired job size and sets it as the new current threshold value. Determine (S603). On the other hand, when the job size is equal to or smaller than the current threshold value (S602 / NO), the threshold value determining unit 152 ends the process, that is, does not change the current threshold value.

  By such processing, the largest job size (maximum value) among the job sizes of the print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 133 is determined as the threshold value. For example, when the print job with the print job information shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the print job storage unit 133, the threshold is 12,926 KB (the job size of the print job with the job ID “J00001”). Note that the initial value of the threshold value may be a predetermined value or the job size of the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 first.

  Next, print job deletion processing by the print job deletion unit 153 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating print job deletion processing by the print job deletion unit 153. The print job deletion process is a process performed after the print job storage processing unit 151 stores a new print job in the print job storage unit 133 or after the threshold value determination unit 152 determines a threshold value in step S503.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, the print job deletion unit 153 acquires the threshold value determined by the threshold value determination unit 152 (S700). Next, the print job deletion unit 153 acquires the size of the free area in the print job storage unit 133 (S701). The print job deletion unit 153 that has acquired the threshold and the size of the free area is stored in the print job storage unit 133 until the size of the free area becomes equal to or larger than the threshold when the size of the free area is smaller than the threshold (S702 / NO). The print job being deleted is deleted (S703). The print job deletion unit 153, for example, print jobs from the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 in the order of the date and time of last printing (that is, “last print date” in the print job management table 134). delete. The print job deletion unit 153 that has deleted the print job deletes the print job information of the deleted print job from the print job management table 134 (S704). On the other hand, if the size of the free area is equal to or larger than the threshold (S702 / YES), the print job deletion unit 153 ends the process without performing the print job deletion process.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the largest job size among the job sizes of the print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 133 is determined as a threshold, and the size of the free area in the print job storage unit 133 is determined. Is smaller than the determined threshold value, the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 is deleted until the size of the empty area becomes equal to or larger than the threshold value. As a result, at least a free area corresponding to the largest job size of the stored print job is secured in the storage medium in which the print job is stored for reprinting. When storing a print job in a storage medium, the possibility that a free area is insufficient is reduced. Therefore, when storing the print job stored in the reception buffer in the storage medium, the print job to be deleted from the storage medium is decided, and it is less likely to delete the decided print job and increase the free space. Between the time when a print job is stored in the reception buffer and the time when an empty area is generated, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of print processing wait time due to the reception buffer area not being empty and the next print job not being accepted. Become.

  Next, an embodiment according to the present invention when setting an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the threshold will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a threshold setting screen displayed on the display panel 113 of the image forming apparatus 1 or the display unit of the information processing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 8, on the threshold setting screen, it is possible to select whether to enable or disable threshold determination based on the job size of the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133. When the determination of the threshold based on the job size is disabled via the threshold setting screen, the value (for example, 50M) input in the “standard value” input box illustrated in FIG. 8 is used as the threshold.

  On the other hand, when threshold value determination based on the job size is enabled via the threshold setting screen, the threshold value is determined based on the values input in the “upper limit value” and “lower limit value” input boxes shown in FIG. Is done. The lower limit value indicates an initial value of the threshold value. When the job size is larger than the lower limit value compared to the job size of the print job first stored in the print job storage unit 133, the threshold value is changed from the lower limit value to the job size. change. As described above, when the initial threshold value is set to the job size of the first print job stored in the print job storage unit 133, it is not always necessary to set the lower limit value.

  Next, threshold value determination processing based on the upper limit value by the threshold value determination unit 152 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a threshold determination process based on the upper limit value by the threshold determination unit 152. As shown in FIG. 9, the threshold value determination unit 152 acquires the current threshold value as in S600 (S900). Next, the threshold value determination unit 152 acquires the job size included in the print job information of the print job stored in the same manner as in S601 (that is, the print job information acquired in S500) (S901).

  The threshold value determination unit 152 that has acquired the current threshold value and the job size acquires the upper limit value set via the threshold value setting screen illustrated in FIG. 8 when the job size is larger than the current threshold value (S902 / YES). (S903). On the other hand, when the job size is equal to or smaller than the current threshold value (S902 / NO), the threshold value determination unit 152 ends the process, that is, does not change the current threshold value.

  When the job size is larger than the acquired upper limit value (S904 / YES), the threshold determination unit 152 that has acquired the upper limit value changes the current threshold value to the upper limit value and determines the new current threshold value (S905). . On the other hand, when the job size is equal to or smaller than the upper limit value (S904 / NO), the threshold value determination unit 152 changes the current threshold value to the job size and determines the new current threshold value (S906).

  With such a configuration, even if the job size of the print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 is larger than the upper limit value, the threshold value does not exceed the upper limit value. It is possible to prevent the threshold value from becoming unnecessarily large due to the exceptional reception of a print job of the size, the free area of the print job storage unit 133 being too large, and the number of print jobs to be stored from decreasing.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the threshold determination unit 152 determines the largest job size among the job sizes of each print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 as an example has been described. In addition, the threshold determination unit 152 may determine an average value of job sizes of the print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 133 as the threshold. In such a case, since the free area is held in accordance with the size of each print job stored so far in the print job storage unit 133, it is possible to prevent the free area from being excessively increased.

  In the above-described embodiment, the print job storage processing unit 151 and the print job deletion unit 153 delete the print jobs from the print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 133 in order of oldest printing date and time. Was described as an example. In addition, the number of reprints for each print job is recorded in the print job management table 134, and the print job storage processing unit 151 and the print job deletion unit 153 may delete the print jobs in ascending order of the number of reprints. Good. In such a case, it is possible to leave a print job that is likely to be reprinted for a longer period of time.

  In addition, the print job management table 134 records the priority for each print job (for example, indicating the degree of reusability), and the print job storage processing unit 151 and the print job deletion unit 153 are in descending order of priority. The print job may be deleted. The priority is set for a print job via a print setting screen or the like when, for example, a print process is instructed from a PC or the like.

  In the above embodiment, the process for the print job storage unit 133 in the image forming apparatus 1 in the reprint mode has been described as an example. However, this is an example, and the present embodiment is stored in a storage medium such as storing a print job in a storage medium until user authentication is performed in an image processing apparatus that requires user authentication at the time of print output. The present invention is also applicable to the image forming apparatus 1 that executes print processing based on a print job that is present. In the image forming apparatus 1 that requires user authentication at the time of print output, the print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 133 are deleted, for example, in order of oldest storage time. When the user authentication is successful in the image forming apparatus 1, the image formation control unit 135 acquires the corresponding print job stored in the print job storage unit 133 and controls the printing process.

1 Image forming apparatus 10 CPU
20 RAM
30 ROM
40 HDD
50 I / F
60 LCD
70 Operation Unit 80 Bus 100 Controller 101 Engine Control Unit 102 Input / Output Control Unit 103 Image Processing Unit 104 Operation Display Control Unit 110 ADF
111 Scanner unit 112 Paper discharge tray 113 Display panel 114 Paper feed tray 115 Print engine 116 Paper discharge tray 117 Network I / F
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 130 Main control part 131 Print job reception part 132 Print job reception buffer 133 Print job memory | storage part 134 Print job management table 135 Image formation control part 136 Print job selection screen generation part 150 Print job management part 151 Print job memory | storage process part 152 Threshold determination Section 153 Print Job Deletion Section

JP 2012-162041 A

Claims (10)

An image forming apparatus capable of executing image formation based on an image forming instruction stored in a storage medium,
A threshold value determination unit that determines a threshold value of a free area of the storage medium based on the size of each data of the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium;
When the size of the free area of the storage medium is smaller than the determined threshold value, the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium are stored in advance until the size of the free area becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming command deleting unit that deletes the images in a predetermined order. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value determination unit determines a maximum value of data sizes of the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium as the threshold value. . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the threshold value determination unit determines the upper limit value as the threshold value when the determined threshold value is larger than a predetermined upper limit value. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value determination unit determines an average value of data sizes of the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium as the threshold value. The image formation command stored in the storage medium is an image formation command that can repeatedly execute the image formation,
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming command deletion unit deletes the image forming commands in order of the last image formation time. The image formation command stored in the storage medium is an image formation command that can repeatedly execute the image formation,
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming command deletion unit deletes the image forming commands in ascending order of the number of times the image forming is executed. An image formation command storage processing unit for storing an image formation command received in the storage medium,
The image forming command deletion unit deletes the image forming command stored in the storage medium after the received image forming command is stored in the storage medium. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the image formation command deletion unit deletes the image formation command stored in the storage medium after the threshold is determined. Forming equipment. A control method of an image forming apparatus capable of executing image formation based on an image forming command stored in a storage medium,
Based on the data size of each of the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium, determine a free area threshold of the storage medium,
When the size of the free area of the storage medium is smaller than the determined threshold value, the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium are stored in advance until the size of the free area becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value. A control method characterized by deleting in a predetermined order. A control program for controlling an image forming apparatus capable of executing image formation based on an image formation command stored in a storage medium,
Determining a free area threshold of the storage medium based on the data size of each of the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium;
When the size of the free area of the storage medium is smaller than the determined threshold value, the image forming instructions stored in the storage medium are stored in advance until the size of the free area becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value. A control program that causes an information processing device to execute the step of deleting in a predetermined order.