JP2000284658A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To greatly reduce the number of writing times and to prevent writing frequency from exceeding the limit of the number of writing times by performing the updating of a counter when a power source is turned off. SOLUTION: When the power source is turned on, a present output number counter stored in an EEPROM 111 is written in an area (tmpcount) arranged on a data memory 109. Whether or not the copying of one page is normally finished is judged. In the case of judging that copying is normally finished, a value stored in the area (tmpcount) in which the output number counter on the EEPROM 111 is previously read is incremented. When the power source is turned off, the value stored in the area (tmpcount) in which the output number counter on the EEPROM 111 is previously read is written in the EEPROM 111. By such processing, the writing in the EEPROM 111 is performed only once from turning on the power source till turning off the power source, so that the writing frequency is drastically reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine for writing a counter for counting the number of output sheets into an EEPROM (electrically erasable semi-fixed storage device).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mechanical output counter has been used for an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine. However, since the mounting space of this type of mechanical counter becomes substantially large, replacement with an EEPROM, which is a semiconductor element that does not require battery backup, has been promoted in recent years.

[0003]

However, when the output number counter is written in the EEPROM,
If the counter is updated for each page of the copy, the writing frequency may exceed the limit of the number of times of writing of the EEPROM.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and has as its object to provide means for enabling the replacement by drastically reducing the writing frequency of the EEPROM.

[0005]

Therefore, in the present invention, the above object is achieved by providing an image forming apparatus according to any one of the following items (1) and (2).

(1) An image forming apparatus in which a counter for counting the number of output sheets is written in an EEPROM, wherein the updating of the counter is performed when the power is turned off.

(2) An image forming apparatus in which a counter for counting the number of output sheets is written in an EEPROM, wherein the updating of the counter is performed when a copy job is completed.

[0008]

According to the structure of the present invention as described above, the EEPR
The number of times of writing OM can be greatly reduced,
The above object can be achieved.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
A plurality of embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This drawing is also used in a second embodiment described later.

<Structure> In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus, and reference numeral 102 denotes a scanner for reading an image, which has a capability of reading a color image and a monochrome image. A scanner control unit 103 controls the scanner 102. A printer 104 that prints and outputs an image has a capability of outputting a color image and a monochrome image.

Reference numeral 105 denotes a printer control unit for controlling the printer 104; 106, an operation unit operated by an operator; 107, a display unit for displaying information; 108, a program memory for storing programs; A data memory for storing data, 110 is an image processing unit for processing image data, and 111 is an EEPROM.
Reference numeral 112 denotes a bus, which connects the components to one another.

<Operation> FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the first operation, respectively.
4 is a flowchart illustrating each operation sequence of the embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows the processing performed when the power of the apparatus is turned on.
This shows a processing operation relating to the output sheet counter. First, when the power is turned on, the EEPROM 111 shown in FIG.
Is written to the area tmpcount arranged on the data memory 109 (step S201).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing operation sequence concerning the output sheet counter for each page of the copy of the first embodiment. First, it is determined whether or not one copy page has been normally completed (step S301).

In this case, "normal termination" means whether or not the output sheet counter is counted up. For example, a forced termination by the user may be determined to be normal termination.

If it is determined in step S301 that the copying has been completed normally, the value stored in the area tmpcount from which the output sheet counter on the EEPROM 111 has been read in advance in step S201 is incremented (step S302). ), End this sequence.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S301 that copying has not been completed normally, the present sequence is terminated.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a processing operation sequence relating to the number-of-outputs counter when the power is turned off according to the first embodiment. Although the cause of the power-off is not shown in this flowchart, for example, a case in which an automatic power-off function for turning off the power at a predetermined time, or
In the case of power-off, power-off processing can be performed without special hardware.

In the case where the power supply is cut off, for example, by a mechanism that electrically disconnects the power supply on the primary side, a power supply voltage monitoring function is incorporated, and this sequence is executed when a decrease in the power supply voltage is observed. May be performed according to. That is, when the power is turned off, the value stored in the area tmpcount from which the output number counter of the EEPROM 111 has been read in advance in the step S201 is written to the EEPROM 111.

According to the above processing, the writing to the EEPROM 111 occurs only once from power-on to power-off, so that the writing frequency can be greatly reduced.

(Second Embodiment) <Structure> A block diagram showing the structure of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention shares FIG. 1 in the first embodiment, and is the same as in the first embodiment. Description is omitted.

<Operation> FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation sequence of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Before the operation sequence flow, it is assumed that the setting of the number of copies, the setting of the document to be copied, and other settings necessary for copying have been completed by the operator.

When the operator instructs the start of copying, first, the current output sheet counter value is read from the EEPROM 111 shown in FIG.
9 in the area tmpcount (step S
501).

Next, it is determined whether copying has been completed for all pages of the document set by the operator (step S502). This step S20
In step 2, if it is determined that copying has been completed for all pages of the document set by the operator,
Since all copy output is completed, tmpco
The value of unt is written into the EEPROM 111 (step S507), and the present sequence ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S502 that copying has not been completed for all pages of the document set by the operator, it is determined whether or not the specified number of copies have been completed for the page currently being copied. (Step S503). If it is determined that the designated number of copies has been completed, the control returns to step S502, and the copying is continued until the copying of all pages of the document is completed.

If it is determined in step S503 that the designated number of copies has not been completed, one page copy is performed (step S504), and it is determined whether the copy has been completed normally (step S505). In the present sequence, the determination as to whether or not copying has been normally completed can be paraphrased as a determination as to whether or not to increment the copy output counter.

If it is determined in step S505 that the copying has not been completed normally, this sequence is interrupted,
The value of tmpcount is written into the EEPROM 111 (step S507), and the copy job of the present sequence ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S505 that the copy has been completed normally, the value of tmpcount is incremented (step S506), and the control proceeds to step S5.
Return to 02.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In an image forming apparatus in which a counter for counting the number of output sheets is written in the EEPROM, the counter is updated when the power is turned off and / or when the copy job is completed, thereby greatly increasing the number of times the EEPROM is written. And the writing frequency is E
Since the problem of exceeding the limit of the number of times of writing of the EPROM can be solved, it is possible to adopt an EEPROM that requires a small mounting space for the output number counter.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to first and second embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a processing operation sequence when power is turned on in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a processing operation sequence for each copy page according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a processing operation sequence when power is turned off according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an operation sequence flowchart of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 control unit 102 scanner 103 scanner control unit 104 printer 105 printer control unit 106 operation unit 107 display unit 108 program memory 109 data memory 110 image processing unit 111 EEPROM 112 bus

Claims (2)

[Claims] An EE is a counter for counting the number of output sheets.
An image forming apparatus for writing in a PROM (electrically erasable semi-fixed storage device), wherein the updating of the counter is performed when power is turned off. 2. An EE counter for counting the number of output sheets
An image forming apparatus for writing to a PROM, wherein the updating of the counter is performed when a copy job is completed.