JP6842642B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

In a certain image forming apparatus, a non-volatile memory unit is provided in the detachable unit, and the image forming apparatus main body communicates with the non-volatile memory unit, and if the communication is not completed normally, the communication frequency. Is halved and communication is retried (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2005-84502

However, in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, when a communication error occurs, the communication frequency is halved and retries are performed to avoid the communication error. However, if the communication frequency is halved, the communication time is doubled. When the communication error is caused by the periodic noise, it is still difficult to avoid the influence of the periodic noise, and the communication may not be terminated normally.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming apparatus that suppresses the occurrence of communication errors in an environment in which periodic noise is present.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus main body, a unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and a communicable storage device attached to the unit. The image forming apparatus main body includes a communication circuit that communicates with the storage device and a controller that controls the communication circuit. Then, when a communication error occurs between the communication circuit and the storage device, the controller determines (a) whether or not the communication error has periodicity, and (b) causes the communication error. When it is determined that there is periodicity, the cycle of the communication error is specified, the timing at which the communication error occurs based on the specified cycle is avoided, and the communication circuit communicates with the storage device. Let it run. Further, when the size of the communication data between the communication circuit and the storage device is not communicable in a time shorter than the cycle, the controller divides the communication data into a plurality of divided data, and the divided data. In a plurality of times of communication, the communication circuit is made to execute communication with the storage device while avoiding the timing at which the communication error occurs.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that suppresses the occurrence of communication errors in an environment in which periodic noise is present.

The above or other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be further clarified from the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a part of the mechanical internal configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating details of the communication start timing correction process (step S8) in FIG. FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining the details of the communication start timing correction process (step S8) in FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the details of the periodicity determination process (step S10) in FIG. FIG. 7 is a timing chart for explaining the details of the periodicity determination process (step S10) in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a part of the mechanical internal configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. This image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus having an electrophotographic printing function, such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, and a multifunction device.

The image forming apparatus of this embodiment has a tandem type color developing apparatus. This color developing device includes photoconductor drums 1a to 1d, exposure devices 2a to 2d, and developing devices 3a to 3d. The photoconductor drums 1a to 1d are four-color photoconductors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The exposure devices 2a to 2d are devices that irradiate the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d with laser light to form an electrostatic latent image. The exposure devices 2a to 2d are laser scanning units having a laser diode as a light source of the laser light and an optical element (lens, mirror, polygon mirror, etc.) for guiding the laser light to the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d.

Further, a charging device such as a scorotron, a cleaning device, a static eliminator, and the like are arranged around the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d. The cleaning device removes the residual toner on the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d after the primary transfer, and the static eliminator removes static electricity from the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d after the primary transfer.

Toner containers filled with four color toners of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are mounted on the developing devices 3a to 3d, toner is supplied from the toner container, and a developer is formed together with the carrier. The developing devices 3a to 3d form the toner image by adhering the toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d. The toner container is removable and can be replaced by a service person or user.

Magenta is developed by the photoconductor drum 1a, the exposure device 2a, and the developing device 3a, and cyan is developed by the photoconductor drum 1b, the exposure device 2b, and the developing device 3b. The device 2c and the developing device 3c develop yellow, and the photoconductor drum 1d, the exposure device 2d, and the developing device 3d develop black.

The intermediate transfer belt 4 is an annular image carrier that comes into contact with the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d and primary transfers the toner image on the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d. The intermediate transfer belt 4 is stretched on the drive roller 5 and orbits in the direction from the contact position with the photoconductor drum 1d to the contact position with the photoconductor drum 1a by the driving force from the drive roller 5.

The transfer roller 6 brings the conveyed paper into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 4 and secondarily transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 4 to the paper. The paper on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 9, and the toner image is fixed on the paper.

The roller 7 has a cleaning brush, and the cleaning brush is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 4 to remove the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 4 after the toner image is transferred to the paper.

The sensor 8 is a sensor used for adjusting the toner concentration, irradiates the intermediate transfer belt 4 with light rays, and detects the reflected light.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the developing devices 3a to 3d are equipped with a toner container 11 filled with toner of each toner color. A storage device 11a is fixedly installed in the toner container 11.

This image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body 21 and a unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 21. The unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 21 includes a toner container 11, developing apparatus 3a to 3d, an intermediate transfer belt 4, a fixing device 9, and the like. A storage device (in the case of the toner container 11, the storage device 11a) capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus main body 21 is attached to each unit. The storage device contains a communication circuit and a non-volatile memory.

In this embodiment, the storage device 11a installed in the toner container 11 will be described, but the same applies to the other units. In this embodiment, the storage device 11a is a wireless communication type RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification). The storage device 11a may be a wired communication type IC tag.

Information about the toner container 11 is stored in the non-volatile memory of the storage device 11a. For example, information such as the toner color and toner consumption of the toner container 11 is written in the storage device 11a by the image forming apparatus main body 21.

Further, this image forming apparatus includes a communication circuit 31 and a controller 32 in the image forming apparatus main body 21.

The communication circuit 31 communicates with the storage device 11a.

The controller 32 receives jobs such as print and copy, and executes the jobs. When executing the print job, the controller 32 controls the internal device of the image forming apparatus and the printing mechanism shown in FIG. 1 to execute printing. For example, the controller 32 is an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). Specifically, the controller 32 receives print data, controls an internal device based on the print data, and executes printing. The controller 32 controls an unillustrated drive source for driving the above-mentioned rollers and the like, a bias application circuit for applying a development bias and a primary transfer bias, and exposure devices 2a to 2d to create an electrostatic latent image. Toner development, transfer and fixing, as well as paper feeding, printing and discharging are performed.

Further, the controller 32 controls the communication circuit 31 to establish communication between the communication circuit 31 and the storage device 11a, and communicates with the storage device 11a.

In particular, when a communication error occurs between the communication circuit 31 and the storage device 11a, the controller 32 (a) determines whether or not the communication error has periodicity, and (b) causes the communication error. When it is determined that there is periodicity, the cycle of the communication error is specified, the timing at which the communication error occurs based on the specified cycle is avoided, and the communication circuit 31 is made to execute the communication with the storage device 11a. ..

In this embodiment, the controller 32 causes the communication circuit 31 to continuously perform communication with the storage device 11a for a predetermined time (for example, 500 milliseconds), resulting in at least three communication errors. When the timing is detected, (a) it is determined whether or not the communication error has periodicity based on the interval of the detected timing, and (b) when it is determined that the communication error has periodicity, the detected timing Identify the communication error cycle based on the interval.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When a communication request (for example, a request for writing data, reading data, etc.) to the storage device 11a occurs, the controller 32 executes the following processing.

First, the controller 32 sets the retry counter Cr to zero (step S1), and causes the communication circuit 31 to start communication with the storage device 11a (step S2). The controller 32 executes transmission or reception of communication data of a predetermined size between the communication circuit 31 and the storage device 11a, and detects the end of this communication (step S3).

The controller 32 starts timing at the start of communication, identifies the communication end time Tend, and stores the communication end time Tend in a storage device (RAM (Random Access Memory), non-volatile memory, etc.) (step S4). ).

After the communication is completed, the controller 32 determines whether or not a communication error has occurred based on the value of the transmitted / received communication data (step S5). If it is determined that the communication error has not occurred, the controller 32 normally completes the communication.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the communication error has occurred, the controller 32 determines whether or not the retry counter Cr is less than 2 (step S6).

When the retry counter Cr is less than 2 (that is, when the number of retries is zero or 1), the controller 32 increases the retry counter Cr by 1 (step S7), and also executes the communication start timing correction process. (Step S8).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating details of the communication start timing correction process (step S8) in FIG. FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining the details of the communication start timing correction process (step S8) in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the communication is completed as described above, the controller 32 reads the currently stored periodic predicted value tep from the built-in non-volatile memory (not shown) and (step S21). ), Read the communication end time Tend described above (step S22). The period prediction value step is a default value in the initial state, and is adjusted in the periodicity determination process (step S10) described later. The default value of the period prediction value tep is, for example, 0 millisecond.

Then, the controller 32 calculates the sum of the communication end time Tend and the cycle predicted value tep as the communication start timing at the time of retry (step S23). Then, the controller 32 waits until the communication start timing arrives (step S24).

When the communication start timing arrives, the process returns to FIG. 3, the controller 32 returns to step S2, and the above-mentioned communication is retried. When the cycle prediction value tep is 0 milliseconds, the above-mentioned communication is immediately retried without waiting.

If the retry is executed in this way and no communication error is detected in step S5, the communication ends normally.

On the other hand, if a communication error is detected in step S5 in the retry, the retry is executed again in the same manner.

Then, when the retry counter Cr becomes 2 (step S9), the controller 32 executes the periodicity determination process (step S10).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the details of the periodicity determination process (step S10) in FIG. FIG. 7 is a timing chart for explaining the details of the periodicity determination process (step S10) in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the controller 32 sets the check step counter Cs to 1 (step S41) and starts the first check step. In the check step, the controller 32 continuously executes communication, detects a communication error, and identifies the timing of the communication error.

At the start of the check step, the controller 32 stores the time point (step start time) in a storage device such as RAM (step S42), causes the communication circuit 31 to transmit the check data to the storage device 11a, and transmits the check data. The storage device 11a is made to respond to the check data having the same value and the same size as the above (step S43). The controller 32 starts timing at the step start time.

The size of the check data is set to a lower limit value (for example, 1 byte) that can be communicated, and the value of the check data is set to a predetermined value (for example, the values of all bits are 1).

When the controller 32 receives the check data from the storage device 11a in the communication circuit 31 (step S44), the controller 32 compares the transmitted check data with the received check data and determines whether or not a communication error has occurred. Is determined (step S45). Here, if the transmitted check data and the received check data do not match, it is determined that a communication error has occurred.

If no communication error has occurred, the controller 32 determines whether the elapsed time te from the step start time exceeds a predetermined value (for example, 500 milliseconds) (that is, whether it has timed out) (that is, whether it has timed out). Step S46). If the time-out has not occurred, the process returns to step S43, and the controller 32 continuously sends and receives check data (steps S43 and S44).

In this way, check data is repeatedly and continuously sent and received until a communication error occurs or a timeout occurs.

When a communication error occurs or a timeout occurs, the controller 32 stores the elapsed time te [Cs] of the current check step in a storage device such as a RAM (step S47).

Then, when the check step counter Cs is not 3 (step S48), the controller 32 increases the check step counter Cs by 1 (step S49), returns to step S42, and processes the next check step (steps S42 to S47). ) Is executed in the same way.

When the check step is executed three times, the check step counter Cs becomes 3. When the three check steps are completed (step S48), the controller 32 has at least one time-out check step based on the elapsed time te [1], te [2], te [3] of the three check steps. It is determined whether or not there is one (that is, whether or not there is at least one check step in which no communication error has occurred) (step S50).

If there is no check step for which no communication error has occurred, the controller 32 determines the absolute value of the difference between the elapsed time te [2] of the second check step and the elapsed time te [3] of the third check step. Is less than a predetermined threshold Th (that is, the time interval between the first communication error and the second communication error and the time interval between the second communication error and the third communication error are substantially equal. Whether or not) is determined (step S51).

When the time interval between the first communication error and the second communication error in the three check steps and the time interval between the second communication error and the third communication error are substantially equal, the controller 32 determines the communication error. Is determined to have periodicity, and the cycle prediction value tep is adjusted based on the elapsed time te [2] and the elapsed time te [3] (step S52), and is stored in the adjusted cycle prediction value tep. Update the cycle prediction value step. As a result, the adjusted cycle prediction value tep is applied to the next and subsequent communications.

Specifically, the controller 32 sets the average value of the elapsed time te [2] and the elapsed time te [3] in the cycle prediction value tep.

When there is at least one check step in which no communication error has occurred (step S50), the time interval between the first communication error and the second communication error in the three check steps, and the second communication error. When the time interval between and the third communication error is not substantially equal (step S51), the controller 32 leaves the cycle prediction value tep at the default value.

After the periodicity determination process (step S10) is completed in this way, the process returns to FIG. 3, the controller 32 executes the communication start timing correction process (step S8), and when the communication start timing arrives, the communication is retried again. Execute.

If a communication error occurs even after the retry after the periodicity determination process (step S10) is completed, the retry counter Cr is 3 (step S11), so that the controller 32 sets the communication data size to the lower limit value. Then (step S12), the retry counter Cr is increased by 1 (step S7), the communication start timing correction process is executed (step S8), and when the communication start timing arrives, the communication is retried (fourth retry). ) Is executed.

If a communication error occurs even in the communication of the fourth retry, the controller 32 notifies the user of the communication abnormality (step S13) and terminates the communication abnormally. For example, the controller 32 displays a message indicating a communication abnormality on a display device (not shown).

As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the above embodiment has the image forming apparatus main body 21, the unit (toner container 11) that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 21, and the communicable unit attached to the unit. A storage device (storage device 11a) is provided. The image forming apparatus main body 21 includes a communication circuit 31 that communicates with the storage device 11a, and a controller 32 that controls the communication circuit 31. Then, when a communication error occurs between the communication circuit 31 and the storage device 11a, the controller 32 determines (a) whether or not the communication error has periodicity, and (b) causes the communication error. When it is determined that there is periodicity, the cycle of the communication error is specified, the timing at which the communication error occurs based on the specified cycle is avoided, and the communication circuit 31 is made to execute the communication with the storage device 11a. ..

As a result, communication is executed while avoiding the timing at which a communication error occurs, so that the occurrence of a communication error is suppressed in an environment where periodic noise is present. As a result, the stoppage of the device due to the communication abnormality is suppressed.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the intent and scope of the subject and without diminishing the intended benefits. That is, such changes and amendments are intended to be included in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, when communication data of a predetermined size is continuously transmitted / received between the communication circuit 31 and the storage device 11a, the controller 32 has the communication data of the predetermined size shorter than the above-mentioned cycle. When communication is not possible in time, the communication data is divided into a plurality of divided data, and the divided data is communicated a plurality of times to avoid the timing when a communication error occurs, and the communication circuit 31 is connected to the storage device 11a. Communication may be executed. At that time, even if the size of the communication data between the communication circuit 31 and the storage device 11a is set to the lower limit value, the controller 32 communicates if the divided data cannot be communicated in a time shorter than the above-mentioned cycle. May be stopped and a communication abnormality may be notified.

The present invention can be applied to, for example, printers, copiers, multifunction devices, and the like.

11 Toner container (example of unit)
11a Storage device 21 Image forming device main unit 31 Communication circuit 32 Controller

Claims (3)

Image forming device body and
A unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body,
It is equipped with a communicable storage device attached to the unit.
The image forming apparatus main body includes a communication circuit that communicates with the storage device and a controller that controls the communication circuit.
When a communication error occurs between the communication circuit and the storage device, the controller determines (a) whether or not the communication error has periodicity, and (b) the communication error has periodicity. When it is determined that there is, the cycle of the communication error is specified, the timing at which the communication error occurs is avoided based on the specified cycle, and the communication circuit is made to execute communication with the storage device. ,
When the size of the communication data between the communication circuit and the storage device is not communicable in a time shorter than the cycle, the controller divides the communication data into a plurality of divided data and divides the divided data into a plurality of divided data. To cause the communication circuit to perform communication with the storage device in a round of communication, avoiding the timing at which the communication error occurs.
An image forming apparatus characterized by. Even if the size of the communication data between the communication circuit and the storage device is set to the lower limit value, the controller cancels the communication when the divided data cannot be communicated in a time shorter than the cycle. and, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying the communication abnormality. The controller causes the communication circuit to continuously perform communication with the storage device for a predetermined time, detects timings of at least three communication errors, and (a) detects the timings. Based on the interval, it is determined whether or not the communication error has periodicity, and (b) when it is determined that the communication error has periodicity, the communication error occurs based on the detected timing interval. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the period is specified.

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