JP2502477B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a display device as an interface.
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is connected via a chair and forms an image on a sheet .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been an electronic copying apparatus which electronically stores an image based on image data stored in an image memory.

[0003]

However, since an image memory as an image data storage device for storing image data has a small storage capacity and has only one processing system, that is, one channel, a plurality of processing systems are required. There was a problem when dealing with image data from an image source. For example, image data of a document read by a document reading device (document scan) and image data of a document created by a document creation device (word processor) are reproduced on an image recording medium such as paper using the same electronic copying device. It is difficult or time-consuming to form an image with the structure.
Even if the configuration is possible, the electronic copying apparatus cannot perform the input processing for the other image generating apparatus before the reproduction for one image generating apparatus is completed due to the lack of the image memory storage capacity and the number of channels. That is, the reproduction procedure is as follows.

(1) Image data of an original is stored in an image memory.

(2) The contents stored in the image memory are recorded to form an image.

(3) The image data of the document is stored in the image memory.

(4) An image is formed by recording the contents stored in the image memory.

As described above, in the image forming process, when both the document reading device and the document creating device use a copying machine, one of those image generating devices is used for the copying machine of the other image generating device. There is a drawback that the usage time of the image forming apparatus and the electronic copying machine is lowered, and the image processing time of the electronic copying apparatus becomes long because the usage time is kept waiting.

In addition, the state of the copying machine, for example, the operating state of the document reading device or the document creating device, the use state of the image memory, etc. must be confirmed by confirming the actual operation of each device. It was very annoying to the user.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an operator for inputting a command.
A display device having an operation unit and a display unit for displaying various information
Is connected via the interface and the image is displayed on the sheet.
An image forming apparatus for forming an image, comprising:
And determine by means operating states you determine the storage means for storing state information indicating an operation state is determined by pre-Symbol Determination means, input via said interface from said display device
The input command is a request frame requesting the status information.
Command and the entered command is
If the command is a request command,
Reading the state information stored in the storage means,
The interface is used to display the status information on the display device.
Control means for outputting to the display device via an interface
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including:

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, an example of a copying system by the copying apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the configuration shown in the figure, 1 is a copying machine including an image memory controller 10 and printer sections 11 to 20, 2 is a sorter for classifying and storing recording sheets of images formed by the electronic copying apparatus 1, and 3 is for reading originals. And a cathode ray tube display device 4 for displaying the state of the copying apparatus 1.
Is a general-purpose computer that performs document creation, office calculation, etc., and in the illustrated system example, the cathode ray tube display device 4 is replaced by the copying device 1
It can be shared with. Reference numeral 6 denotes a communication device (facsimile or the like) that transmits and receives image data via a communication line such as a telephone.

Usually, the copying machine performs a copying operation according to the image data (pixel data) from the document reading device 3. A cross-sectional view of that example is shown in FIG. Briefly, the document 101 placed on the platen glass is illuminated by the illumination lamp 30 which is integrally formed with the first scanning mirror 31 when one of the operation keys 24 is turned on, and the reflected light is subjected to the first scanning. Mirror 31
And is scanned by the second scanning mirror 32. Since the first scanning mirror and the second scanning mirror move at a speed ratio of 1: 1/2, slit exposure scanning of the document is performed while the optical path length in front of the lens 102 is always kept constant.

After passing through the lens 102, the reflected light image is formed on the light receiving portion of the image sensor 103. The image is converted into an electric signal for each slit line by the self-scanning function of the CCD and stored in the buffer. Then, data for one slit line is output from this buffer memory as serial data, converted into parallel data and input to the image memory 59 or 60 (described later), and stored sequentially from the initial address of the memory.

After the storage of the data for one page of the original,
The image data is output from the memory and sent to the laser unit via the buffer. Then, the oscillation of the laser light and its deflection and modulation are started.

The laser light is swept in the horizontal direction by the constant speed rotation of the polygon mirror 14, and is irradiated through the f-θ lens 33 in the horizontal direction on the drum 20 and the photosensitive paper 34 charged by the charger 37. The drum rotates at a constant speed for vertical scanning. The horizontal sweep and the vertical scan are performed at a speed such that the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum matches the original size on the platen. The latent image is developed by the developing unit 35,
The paper is fixed by the fixing roller 36 and discharged. All the original pixel data stored in the image memory is reproduced for this one sheet. If the numeric keypad in the key 24 presets a plurality of playback numbers, the memory reading is resumed when the beam scanning for one copy is completed,
The beam scanning is restarted by repeating the reading for a plurality of times, the latent image is repeatedly formed as described above, and the sheets are continuously fed by that number to obtain the desired number of copies.

The copying machine 1 controls the entire copying operation by the built-in central processing unit 32 shown in FIG.

The CPU in each device is a microprocessor, and constitutes a well-known microcomputer system that processes peripheral program memory ROM, data memory RAM, and interface I / F to perform a desired operation.

A central processing unit 32 (hereinafter referred to as a CPU of a copy processor) of the copying apparatus 1 includes a read-on memory (ROM) 31 for storing a micro program for displaying well-known key entries, copy sequence control, etc. and a working random access memory. Using the (RAM) 30, the image memory controller 10, the printer unit 11
To 20 and the document reading device 3 are controlled via the interface circuit 33, the printer control circuit 17, and the interface circuit 34, respectively.

The operation of starting or stopping the copying apparatus 1 is performed by the operation keys 24 or the keyboard 206 in the cathode ray tube display device 4. The control data (copy start, copy interrupt, copy repetition number of the same image, etc.) input to the operation key 24 is the interface circuit 2
3 is transferred to the copy processor CPU 32, analyzed and contributed to the execution of copy control. In addition, the display panel 2
Reference numeral 6 is for displaying the number of copies by the key 24, and for notifying the operator of operating states such as start-up, stop, standby, and current end-of-copy number in the plurality of devices 1, and the display contents are displayed by the copy processor CPU32. Control.

Further, the printer control circuit 17 for laser control and the main body drive system 21 for driving the drum 20 are synchronized with the image data signal from the image memory controller 10 in response to a command from the copy processor CPU 32. While taking, the laser driver 12 is driven. The image data signal from the image memory controller 10 is output from the terminal O1, and the interface circuit 11,
The laser light is controlled via the laser driver circuit 12 and the laser generator 13. The laser beam reflects a laser beam to scan the polygon mirror 14, a polygon motor 15 that rotationally drives the polygon mirror 14, a motor driver circuit 16 that controls the polygon motor 15, and a beam detector 19 that detects the position of the laser beam. An image is recorded on the photosensitive drum 20 by.

A control signal is sent and received between the CPU 32 of the copy processor and the image memory controller 10 via the interface circuit 33.
From U32, a command signal for image data operation such as image conversion, an image memory input / output terminal switching signal (for example, a signal by the key 24), and an instruction by the key 24 such as starting and stopping of image data input / output. The signal is supplied to the image memory controller 10, and the information signal is supplied from the image memory controller 10 to the copy processor CPU 32 in order to display the state of the image memory, the use state of the input / output terminal and the like.

Next, the interface circuit 34 mediates the transfer of control signals between the document reading device 3 and the copy processor CPU 32 for controlling the start and stop of document reading.

Each image generating device (hereinafter referred to as an input device) will be described below. The document reading device 3 reads a document 101 fed by an automatic document feeder (ADF) 100 with a lens 102 and a solid-state imaging plate (CCD) 103, and a CCD driver 104, a pixel control circuit 105,
An image data signal is supplied to the data terminal I1 of the image memory controller 10 through the interface circuit 106, and further, a reading processor CPU 110, a micro program storing read only memory (ROM) 111 for controlling document reading, and a random access for working. Memory (RAM) 112, interface circuit 113, 1
14, various timings are controlled by the optical system drive circuit 107, and further, the control circuit 108 and the interface circuit 10
Information signals such as the type of the device and the state thereof are exchanged with the control terminal CI ₁ of the image memory controller 10 via the device 9.

Next, the cathode ray tube display device 4 includes the copying apparatus 1 and the general-purpose computer 5 via the interface circuit 200.
, A display processor CPU201, a read only memory (ROM) 202 for storing a micro program for display control, and a random access memory (R) for working.
AM) 203, keyboard 206, interface circuit 205, cathode ray tube control circuit 207, graphic control circuit 208, character generator 210, interface circuit, cathode ray tube 211, and input / output of arbitrary character data by the key 206 and CRT. Display and graphic display.

It is to be noted that defined routines such as image conversion operation procedures and copy number control performed by the copying apparatus 1 are performed by the keyboard 2 in the form of a program in the cathode ray tube display device 4.
It is possible to input it from 06, transfer it as a signal of a format executable in the copying apparatus 1, and store it in the magnetic bubble storage device 29 through the interface circuit 28. The CPU 32 is configured to be able to automatically and continuously perform a series of copying routine operations by this memory 29 by a simple operation.

Next, the general-purpose computer 5 is a read-only memory (RO) for storing a microprogram for the word processor CPU 300, word process control and the like.
M) 301, working random access memory (RAM)
302, a floppy disk 304 via the interface circuit 303, a magnetic disk 306 via the interface circuit 305, an I / F 2 of the CRT operator 4.
A cathode ray tube display device 4 is used to make documents and perform office calculations. The document or calculation result to be recorded by the copying apparatus 1 is a character that converts a character code signal into a pixel signal.
The interface circuit 309 connected to the input terminal CI ₃ of the image memory controller 10 as image data (as a pixel signal instead of a character code signal) via the interface circuit 311 connected to the generator 310 and the input terminal I3 of the memory controller 10 It mediates the exchange of information signals such as the type of device connected to the memory controller 10 and its state.

Next, the communication device 6 uses the communication line 412,
Image data signals are transmitted and received via the modem 403,
Central processing unit 400, read-only memory (RO for storing microprograms for transmission / reception control)
M) 401, work random access memory (RAM)
The pixel conversion circuit 406, which has a reception circuit 404, converts the received band-compressed image data into a data format handled by the image memory controller 10, stores it in the input terminal I ₂ of the controller 10, and the interface circuit 40.
It has a receiving section consisting of 8 and is connected to the output terminal O ₂ of the controller 10 409, a pixel conversion circuit 407 for compressing the data from the image memory controller 10 and converting it to communication line data, and a transmission circuit 405. It has a transmitter. Information signals such as the type and state of the connected input / output device are exchanged with the image memory controller 10 via the interface circuit 411 connected to CI ₂ and CO ₂ of the memory controller 10 and the control circuit 410.
The printer unit and the transmission unit connected to the output single terminals O ₁ and O ₂ of the controller 10 correspond to the output device.

In the copying system shown in FIG. 1 consisting of the above-mentioned copying machine, each input and output device, the image memory controller 10 sends image data between the document reading device 3, the general-purpose computer 5, the communication device 6 and the printer section. , Exchange control signals, etc. The format of the image data signal, the format of the control signal, etc. are unified to provide versatility. Therefore, for example, CI ₃ and I ₃ of the memory controller 10 can be connected to the reading device 3. Further, according to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the device is divided into a device for generating image data, a device for storing and managing image data, a device for recording image data, and the like, and the data signal format between them is unified into a serial signal and a pixel signal. Therefore, it is easy to design each component of the copying system. Further, when a new terminal device is needed in the future, it has an advantage that it can be dealt with without requiring a design change of the entire system.

Next, FIG. 3 shows an example of a detailed configuration of the image memory controller 10 in the copying apparatus having the above-described configuration. In the illustrated configuration, I ₁ , I ₂ , and I ₃ are terminals for inputting image data from the respective input devices, and CI ₁ , C
I ₂ , CI ₃ are control signal input / output terminals corresponding to the input terminals I ₁ , I ₂ , I ₃ , respectively, and O ₁ , O ₂ are terminals for outputting image data to each input / output device, and CO ₁ ,
CO ₂ is a control signal input / output terminal corresponding to the output terminals O ₁ and O ₂ , respectively. In addition, each of these input and output terminals,
Each corresponds to each input / output terminal of the same symbol added to the image memory controller 10 in the configuration shown in FIG.

Further, I ₄ and O ₃ are input terminals and output terminals used for data transfer in the image memory controller 10, are internally connected to each other, and are connected via the internally connected signal path. Data can be transferred between different image memory channels.

Normally, the pixel data from the input terminal I ₁ is
It is sent to the system bus 62 via the channel terminal ICH ₁ and stored in the memory 59 or 60. Bus 62 channel terminal O automatically or according to key input after storage is completed
It is output via CH ₁ and printed out.

As the image memory channel, an image memory 59 which is a semiconductor memory device for controlling image processing such as image editing as well as controlling a central processing unit (CPU of a memory processor) 55 via a system bus 62. , 60, an image memory channel I using a magnetic disk 71 for long-term storage of image data, and an image memory channel III using a magnetic disk 75. The memory channel I is a memory for one page of print, and II and III have a large capacity. Each of these channels has channel input terminals ICH ₁ , ICH ₂ , IC for inputting and outputting image data.
H ₃ and OCH ₁ , OCH ₂ , and OCH ₃ are provided, respectively.

The CPU 55 of the memory processor includes a read-only memory (ROM) 56 and a random access memory (R) for work which store a microprogram according to a flow chart as described later for input / output control of each memory.
AM) 57 is used to perform the above-described image data processing. Further, the CPU 55 has a system bus 62 for transmitting image data and control data, and control signals α ₁ , α ₂
An interface circuit 5 for inputting / outputting information relating to the input / output device via the peripheral control circuit 63 that outputs information such as
0, 51, 52, 66, 67, multiplexers 53, 6
5. It controls the input / output change-over switches 68 and 72 of the disk, and also controls the image memory channels II and III.

Next, the serial-parallel conversion circuit 54
Is a channel input terminal I configured as bit serial
The image data signal (pixel signal) from CH ₁ is converted into bit parallel, stored in the image memories 59 and 60, and then processed by the CPU 55 of the memory processor. Note that real data is used for data transfer in the memory channels II and III in order to reduce the required number of signal lines. Since the frequency of data transfer is high between the components connected by the thickened system bus 62 in FIG. 3, data transfer is performed in the form of parallel data in order to shorten the time required for data transfer.

Further, the parallel-serial conversion circuit 64
Contrary to the above description, is for converting the bit parallel image data from the image memories 59 and 60 into bit serial and transferring it from the channel output terminal OCH ₁ to the outside. The serial-parallel conversion circuit 54
By using the parallel-serial conversion circuit 64, the image memory channel I can also be treated as an image memory of serial input / output with respect to the outside, and the data transfer can be performed between the image memory channels. Can be performed in a unified manner.

Next, the DMA circuit 58 does not use the CPU 55 of the memory processor, but each of the conversion circuits 5 described above.
4 and 64 and the image memories 59 and 60 are used for high-speed image data transfer, and the high-speed arithmetic unit 61 is used for complicated and large-scale image conversion such as image rotation. It is used to enhance the calculation capability of the CPU 55 of the memory processor when signal calculation is required.

Next, the interface circuit 76 is the CPU 3 of the copy processor of the printer control system shown in FIG.
This is for mediating the transfer of the above-mentioned various control signals between the CPU 55 of the memory processor and the printer control system via 2 and the interface circuit 33.

Next, image memory channels II and III
Has the same configuration using magnetic disks 71 and 75, has input / output change-over switches 68 and 72, and synchronizes the input / output image data with the image data when stored in the magnetic disks 71 and 75. Disk control circuit 7 for controlling the synchronizing circuits 69, 73 and the magnetic disks 71, 75
It has 0 and 74. Among them, output changeover switch 68 and 72, the channel input terminal ICH _2, IC is to memorize the image data to the magnetic disk 71, 75
When H ₃ is connected to each disk and image data is reproduced from the magnetic disks 71 and 75, a channel output terminal OC
It is for connecting H ₂ and OCH ₃ to each disk. Therefore, in the case of a disk memory, serial pixel data can be sent directly to the printer unit.

Next, the multiplexer 53 switches and connects the respective channel input terminals ICH ₁ , ICH ₂ , ICH ₃ and the respective input terminals I ₁ , I ₂ , I ₃ , I ₄ as shown by broken lines. Channel input terminal IC
The input terminals I ₁ , I ₂ , I ₃ , I ₄ are selectively connected or switched by the control signal α ₁ for each of H ₁ , ICH ₂ , ICH ₃ . For example, overlapping connection of the input terminals I ₁ and I ₂ to the channel input terminal ICH ₁ is prohibited because synchronization between two image data is difficult, but conversely, to the input terminal I _1. It is possible to redundantly connect the channel input terminals ICH ₁ and ICH ₂ because the same image data is stored redundantly. That is, the image read by the input device can be stored in the semiconductor memory and the disk memory II.

Next, the multiplexer 65 connects each channel output terminal OCH ₁ , OCH ₂ , OCH ₃ and each output terminal O ₁ , O ₂ , O ₃ with a control signal α ₂ as shown by a broken line. is intended to switching connection, in the same manner as described above per multiplexer 53, to the channel output terminal _{OCH 1, OCH 2, OCH 3} , O 1, O 2,
O ₃ is selectively connected or switched by the control signal α ₂ . Further, for example, OCH ₁ can be connected to both O ₁ and O ₂ in an overlapping manner, but for example, OCH is connected to the output terminal O ₁ .
Duplication of ₁ and OCH ₂ is prohibited.

The connection switching of the multiplexers 53 and 65 is performed by the memory processor CPU 55 based on the following information (control data), and the required connection can be performed by automatically determining whether or not the redundant connection is possible. Controlled as.

Next, the control signal input / output terminals CI ₁ and CI
₂ , CI ₃ and CO ₁ , CO ₂ will be described. All of these are configured to connect control signal lines of 8-bit configuration, and these signal lines are set as follows, respectively.

(1) Control signal lines 0 to 2 Control signal lines for discriminating the type of the connected input / output device, which are set as shown in Table 1 below, and information is transferred. C of each indicated device and memory processor
Perform with PU55.

[0047]

[Table 1]

(2) Control signal line 3 This is a signal line showing the flow of image data between each used device and the image memory channel, and information transfer is performed between each device and the CPU 55 of the image processor.

(2-a) When the control signal line 3 is 1 The image data is transferred from each device to the image memory channel.

(2-b) When the control signal line 3 is 0: Image data is transferred from the image memory channel to each device.

(3) Control signal line 4 This is a signal line for confirming whether or not each device is in a usable state.

(3-a) When the control signal line 4 is 1, each device can be used.

(3-b) When the control signal line 4 is 0, each device cannot be used.

(4) Control signal line 5 The CPU of the memory processor determines whether each device is operating.
This is a signal line for the device 55 to confirm.

(4-a) When the control signal line 5 is 1, each device is operating.

(4-b) When the control signal line 5 is 0 Each device is not operating.

(5) Control signal line 6 The signal line for requesting the operation start from each device to the CPU 55 of the memory processor, and the control signal line 7 described later is its response signal line.

(5-a) When the control signal line 6 is 1, the operation start of the memory process is requested.

(5-b) When the control signal line 6 is 0: No operation start is requested.

(6) Control signal line 7 This is a response signal line from the CPU 55 of the memory processor to the control signal line 6.

(6-a) When the control signal line 7 is 1, the operation start of the memory process is permitted.

(6-b) When the control signal line 7 is 0: The operation start is prohibited.

By using each control signal line set as described above, the CPU 55 of the memory processor is
Can know which device is connected to the image data input terminals CI ₁ , CI ₂ , CI ₃ and the image data output terminals O ₁ , O ₂ , O ₃ , respectively, Can be controlled. RAM for this information
The data is stored in 57, and the CPU 55 determines this control data at the time of channel selection or switching and performs various controls.

Tables 2 and 3 below show examples of the display of states and the like by the cathode ray tube display device 4 in the system shown in FIG. These display contents are based on the control data stored in the RAM 57. I / F as described above
It is displayed on the CRT 211 of the CRT display 4 through 76, 33, 35 and 200 in order.

[0065]

[Table 2]

[0066]

[Table 3]

The above-mentioned various displays can be performed by instructing the display of these by operating the keyboard 206. Therefore, the usage state of the image memory controller, each device, the sorter, etc., the allocation state, etc. can be easily viewed. Therefore, the work efficiency can be improved.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the cathode ray tube display device is used for displaying, but a character recording device such as an ordinary printer is used so that various information can be displayed as necessary. You can also

The control by the CPU 55 of the memory processor will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. These flowcharts are programs stored in the ROM 52 and processed by the CPU 55. The copying apparatus 1 is
When an image data input request is issued from the document reading device 3, the general-purpose computer 5, or the communication device 6, the request is sent to the memory processor 1.
0 receives and copies it or relays data.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the outline of the program. First, the CPU 55 is reset by power-on, and immediately thereafter, in step SP1 the RAM 57
And the peripheral control circuit 63 are reset and initialized.

For example, the multiplexers 53 and 65 are set to the non-connection state, and the control lines CI ₁ , CI ₂ , CI ₃ and C are set.
The signals from O ₁ and CO ₂ are read, and the type of connected device and the state of the device are stored in the RAM 57.

At step SP2, the CPU 32 sends the CP
It is determined whether or not there is an information transfer request command for the connected device and an image transfer command for image editing to the U55, and if a command is input, the operation described below is performed for the command.

In step SP3, CI ₁ , CI ₂ , and CI
_It is determined whether or not there is a data input request from the device connected to the CPU 55, and if there is a data input request, the operation described below is performed.

In step SP4, it is determined whether or not the image data feeding operation of the input device is completed in step SP3, and if it is completed, the operation described later is performed.

In step SP5, it is determined whether or not there is a request for image data output by the key 24 or the RAM 57 for O ₁ and O ₂ , and if there is a request, it is determined whether a print operation or a transmission operation is possible. Judge and, if possible, start the operation of O ₁ or O ₂ of the output device.

In step SP6, it is judged whether or not the image data sending to O ₁ or O ₂ operated in step SP5 is completed, the output operation at completion and the copy operation are stopped, and the next operation request is prepared. Steps SP2 to S above
P6 is repeatedly executed.

Next, the flowchart of FIG. 4 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of command processing, which is executed when a command is input with the operation keys 24 or the like.

At steps SP10 and SP11, the contents of the command from the CPU 32 of the copy processor via the I / F 76 are discriminated, and if the command is invalid, the process proceeds to step SP12 to perform error processing such as displaying an error message. I do.

Step SP13 is executed when an image conversion processing command is input, and has already been executed in memories I, II, I.
Processing such as movement, rotation, duplication, and deletion of the images stored in II is performed using the high-speed arithmetic unit 61.

Since the method of the above image conversion processing is generally well known, its explanation is omitted. During the image conversion process, the fact that the process is in progress is stored in the RAM 57 and is displayed on the display panel 26, the CRT 211 or the like as needed.

Step SP14 is executed when an information transfer command is input, and each device connected to the input / output terminals I ₁ , I ₂ , I ₃ , O ₁ , O ₂ stored in the RAM 57. , And the connection states and operating states of memories such as the image memories 59 and 60 and the magnetic disks 71 and 75 are transferred to the CPU 32 of the copy processor. The CPU 32 transfers this information to the cathode ray tube display device 4, and the CRT 2
Information is transmitted to the user by displaying on the display 11 or on the display panel 26 of the copying apparatus 1. The displayed contents are clear as shown in Tables 2 and 3 described above. Since these pieces of information are always stored in the RAM 57, they are extracted via the I / F 76 as needed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the preprocessing of image data input, which is executed when the control signal line 6 in CI ₁ , CI ₂ and CI ₃ is 1.

In the order from step SP20 to step SP23, if the image memory 59, the image memory 60, the magnetic disk 71, and the magnetic disk 75 are unused, CI ₁ ,
Corresponding memories are allocated to CI ₂ and CI ₃ . If all memories are in use, step SP
24, the input is not permitted, so CI ₁ , CI
_2. The control signal line 7 for answering the CI ₃ operation start request is set to 0.

That is, when the image memory 59 is unused,
Proceed to step SP25, connection regarding the image memory 59,
Information such as the used data input device and operation is set in the RAM 57 to prepare for the information transfer command from the CPU 32. In step SP26, the DAM 58 is set to prepare for the DMA transfer of image data.

When the image memory 60 is not used, steps SP27 and SP28 are similarly executed.

If the magnetic disk 71 is unused, the process proceeds to step SP29, where the magnetic disk 71 is stored in the RAM 57.
Set information about. In step SP30, the disk control 70 is set and the changeover switch 68 is set to ICH2.
It prepares for switching image data input to the side.

Similarly, when the magnetic disk 72 is unused, step SP31 and step SP32 are executed.

At step SP33, the multiplexer 53 on the input side is switched to connect the corresponding memory to the data input device which has issued the request. In step SP34, the information about the data input device is set in the RAM 57,
In step 14, the status display data is changed. Further, the control signal line 7 is set to 1 to start inputting the image data to the memory controller 10.

As described above, according to the flowchart of FIG. 6, the image memory 59, the image memory 60, and the magnetic disk 7 are sequentially arranged.
1. To see the usage state of the magnetic disk 75, this order is used as it is as the priority order of the memory.

In the connection example of FIG. 1, the CI ₁ input request is caused by the original reading command, and the reading is not performed when the input is not permitted. The CI ₂ input request is generated by the request to transmit the signal 412, and when the input is not permitted, the transmission is not performed. The CI ₃ input request is generated when the sentence creation by the keyboard 206 is completed or when the request key is turned on. When the input is not permitted, the dedicated memories 304, 3
The image data is stored in 06. If none also of CI ₁ ~CI ₃ only now all memory is unused and set the request signal 6 to 1, CPU 55 is CI from CI ₁
Because it requires determining the order of _3, the image data from the CI ₁ ~CI ₃ is respectively stored in the memory 59,60,71.

When a duplicate store request is made by the key or automatically, the unused plural memories are prepared and the multiplexer 53 is switched as in steps 35 to 37.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the data input post-processing, which is executed when the image data input is completed. The image memory 5 is processed in steps SP40 to SP43.
9. This is a step of checking which memory of the image memory 60, the magnetic disk 71, and the magnetic disk 75 has completed the image data input. If the image data input has been completed, the process proceeds to the corresponding steps SP44 to SP47.
Step SP44 is a step of setting information regarding the image memory 59 in the RAM 57 similar to step SP25 of FIG. Step SP45 to Step SP47
The same is true for

At step SP48, the information on the RAM 57 regarding the data input device which has completed the image data input is changed, the corresponding control signal line 7 is set to 0, and the input operation is prohibited. In step SP49, the multiplexer 5
3 is switched and the corresponding input device and the memory are disconnected.

FIG. 8 is a data output preprocessing, which is executed when it is necessary to output image data from each memory to O ₁ and O ₂ .

At steps SP50 and SP51, it is determined which of the O ₁ and O ₂ data output devices is to output the image data. RAM when storing image data in memory
Since the output destination data is stored in 57, the CPU 55 judges it. You can also specify the destination by key input. When there is an output request to O ₁ , in step SP52, it is determined by looking at the control signal line 4 of CO ₁ whether it is operable, and by looking at the control signal line 5, it is confirmed that it is not operating, and at O ₁ When output is possible (when the control signal line 4 is 1 and the control signal line 5 is 0), step SP53 is executed. In step SP53, information about O ₁ in the RAM 57 is set, the control signal line 7 for O ₁ is set to 1, and the operation of the data output device (laser beam printer in this embodiment) is started.

At step SP56, the information on the memory to be connected is set in the RAM 57, and the output selector 65 is set.
To the switching memory.

Similarly, when there is an output request for O ₂ ,
When the process proceeds to step SP54 and the output to O ₂ is possible, step SP55 and step SP56 are executed.

In step SP56, the DMA 58, the disk control 70, the disk control 74, the changeover switch 68, and the changeover switch 72 are connected to the connected memory.
Set at the same time. Output O ₁ has priority. In the case of the duplicate output request, it is judged in step 57 to switch the selector.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the data output post-processing, which is executed when the output of the image data from each memory to O ₁ and O ₂ is completed.

In steps SP60 and SP61, the control signal lines 5 for CO ₁ and CO ₂ are checked to determine whether the image data output is completed. If the operation is completed, the process proceeds to steps SP62 and 63. Step SP62,
In step 63, information on O ₁ and O _{2 is} stored in the RAM 5
7, the control signal lines 7 for CO ₁ and CO ₂ are set to 0, and the operation of the device is prohibited. In step SP64, information about the connected memory is set in the RAM 57,
The output selector 64 is switched.

According to the program described above, the CPU 5
5, the input image data is automatically stored in the memory, and the image output device can be used more efficiently depending on the state of the image output device.

Further, in this embodiment, the multiplexers 53 and 65 have terminals for I ₄ and O ₃ , respectively.
They are connected to each other and are used for transfer of image data between memories such as sending image data from a magnetic disk to the screen memory 59. Further, in the present embodiment, the memory is inserted between the multiplexer 53 and the multiplexer 65, but when it is desired to directly output the image from the input terminal to the output terminal without going through the memory (when high-speed transfer is required,
A direct connection path may be provided between the multiplexer 53 and the multiplexer 65 in order to increase the speed by storing / reading in / from the memory.

Although the program is executed as described above, an example of hardware for executing the program will be described below.

As the CPU 55, for example, an 8086 16-bit general-purpose CPU manufactured by Intel can be used. 808
6 has a large address space of 1 Mbytes, and is widely used together with the standard bus multibus (standard bus of Intel Corporation). Further, many peripheral elements have been developed for the 8086 (for example, 8087 as the high-speed arithmetic unit 61 and 8089 as the DMA 58), and it is easy to use them by connecting them to a multibus.

Since the memories 59 and 60 have a large capacity, 8
Since the address capacity of 186 bytes of 086 is exceeded, it can be realized by dividing the memory into a plurality of pieces and switching the memory bank switch. Also 59, 6
0 is held by refreshing the memory contents.
Documents, using dynamic memory DRAM
Images for one page can be stored.

【The invention's effect】 As described above, according to the present invention,
Operation for operating display device having operation unit and display unit
Enter the command at the appropriate time, and
The operating status of the image forming device connected to the display device
Since it can be displayed on the screen, even if the display device
Even if it is installed away from the image forming device,
The operator does not have to go to the place where the image forming apparatus is installed.
There is no need to go check each one.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram showing a configuration example of a copying system in a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a control circuit diagram showing a configuration example of an image memory controller in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart.

FIG. 5 is a control flowchart.

FIG. 6 is a control flowchart.

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart.

FIG. 8 is a control flowchart.

FIG. 9 is a control flowchart.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Copying device 3 Original reading device 4 Display device 5 Word processor 6 Communication device 10 Memory

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An operator for inputting a command
A display device having an operation unit and a display unit for displaying various information
Is connected via the interface and the image is displayed on the sheet.
An image forming apparatus for forming an image, a storage means for storing a determine by means operational state you determine the image forming apparatus, the status information indicating the determined operating state by the pre-Symbol Determination means, said display device Input via the interface from
Command is a request command that requests the status information
, The command entered is the request
If it is a command, the above-mentioned
The state information stored in the storage unit is read out,
The interface is used to display status information on the display device.
An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to output to the display device via a face.