JP2001119504A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device that can enhance the entire efficiency by printing out image data received from an external processing unit with less data amount with priority when the amount of the image data received from the external processing unit is less while receiving a huge amount of FAX reception data. SOLUTION: In the case of receiving a print command from the external processing unit while receiving FAX data, when a comparison means discriminates that a data quantity of the image data received from the external processing unit is less than a reference quantity, a control means interrupts the printing of the FAX data received by a FAX communication means and prints out the image data received from the external processing unit with priority.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having a facsimile communication function and connected to a host computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system in which a conventional image forming apparatus having a facsimile communication function and a host computer are connected.

A control unit 100 converts image information input from a host computer 10 or an image reading device 11 (image scanner or the like) and FAX data input via a FAX modem 12 into video data.
This is transmitted to the engine control unit 105.

In the control unit 100, a CPU 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes an external processing device such as a host computer 10 or an image reading device 11 which has a ROM 14 storing a control program and a RAM 15 used as a register or the like, and is connected via various external interfaces 16. , Receives coded image information and FAX data (code data) input through the FAX modem 12 and sends the code data to the video control unit 17.

The video controller 17 stores the code data in the RAM 18, analyzes the code data, reads out the data from the character font stored in the ROM 19 if necessary, and converts the data code into a dot image video data. After that, the data is stored in the frame memory 20.

When one page of video data is stored in the frame memory 20, the CPU 13 sends a print command to the engine control unit 105, and synchronizes with the main and sub-scanning synchronization signals from the engine control unit 105, and the The video data stored in the storage unit 20 is sequentially transmitted to the engine control unit 105.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 shows a case of a laser beam printer as an image forming apparatus. Each element of the engine unit 101 is controlled by the engine control unit 105, and exchange of video data with the control unit 100 is also performed via the engine control unit 105.

[0009] Video data input to a video interface unit (not shown) of the engine control unit 105 is sent to a laser driver 106, where ON / OFF of a semiconductor laser 107 is controlled.

A laser beam 110 emitted from the semiconductor laser 107 is deflected by a polygon mirror 108, becomes a scanning beam in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 112, and is projected on the photosensitive drum 112 via the mirror 109.
The photosensitive drum 112 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the primary charger 1
After the primary charging by 11, the laser beam 110 is turned on.
Upon receiving the exposure corresponding to / OFF, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 112.

After the colored particles (toner) are applied by the developing device 113 and a visible image is obtained, the transfer charging device 114 transfers the paper from the paper feeding cassette 1 to the paper feeding roller 1.
The visualized image is transferred to the recording medium taken out one by one by 21. The transfer residual toner is wiped off from the surface of the photosensitive drum 112 by the cleaning unit 115, and the photosensitive drum 112 prepares for the next image forming step.

On the other hand, the recording medium on which the unfixed toner image is placed is inserted into the fixing device 116, and after a permanent fixed image is obtained, the recording medium is discharged out of the apparatus as a final print in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The arrows in the figure indicate the feeding trajectory of the recording medium taken out of the sheet cassette 120 and conveyed.

The fixing device 116 includes a hollow fixing roller 117.
When the heater 119 is energized, the fixing roller 117 is heated, and the output of a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the surface temperature of the fixing roller 117 is input to the engine control unit 105. ON / OFF of the heater 119 is controlled based on the information, and a predetermined surface temperature is maintained. The pressure roller 118 is pressed against the fixing roller 117 by an urging means (not shown), and the unfixed toner on the recording medium is recorded in a nip formed by the fixing roller 117 and the pressure roller 118. It is heated and pressed together with the medium and is permanently fixed.

[0014]

However, in the above conventional example, while any one of a plurality of external processing devices connected to the image forming apparatus is performing printing processing of one image data, the other external processing devices are not. Since the printing process of the image data of the device cannot be performed, there is a problem that the waiting time becomes long when the printing process of the image data from a plurality of external processing devices is performed.

In particular, when the amount of image data received from the external processing device is large, even if the amount of FAX reception data is small while printing the large amount of data,
It is necessary to wait for a long time to print FAX reception data, and there is a problem that the overall efficiency is low.

Conversely, when the amount of FAX reception data is large,
While printing a large amount of data, it is necessary to wait for a long time to print the image data received from the external processing device, even if the amount of image data received from the external processing device is small. There is a problem of bad.

According to the present invention, if the amount of image data received from an external processing device is large and the amount of FAX reception data is small while printing a large amount of data, the FAX reception data with a small data amount is transmitted. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving overall efficiency by performing preferential printing.

The present invention is also directed to an external processing apparatus in which the amount of facsimile reception data is large and the amount of image data received from the external processing apparatus is small while printing a large amount of data. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving the overall efficiency by printing with priority given to image data received from an image forming apparatus.

[0019]

According to the present invention, there is provided a data amount detecting means for detecting a data amount of received image data,
A comparison means for comparing the data amount of the image data received from the external processing device with a predetermined reference amount is provided. If a print command is received from the external processing device during FAX reception, the image received from the external processing device is received. If the comparing means determines that the data amount of the data is smaller than the reference amount, the printing of the FAX data received by the FAX communication means is interrupted, and the image data received from the external processing device is printed with priority. This is provided with a control means for causing this to occur.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image forming apparatus PF1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The image forming apparatus PF1 includes a FAX modem 32
, A control unit 200 and an engine control unit 205, and are connected to a host computer 30 and an image reading device 31 as external processing devices.

The control unit 200 includes an electric signal, which is code data input from the host computer 30 or the image reading device 31 (such as an image scanner), an FA, and the like.
FAX data input via the X modem 32 is converted into video data and transmitted to the engine control unit 205.

The CPU 33 includes a ROM 34 storing a control program, and a RAM 35 used as a register or the like.
And a host computer 30 connected to the image reading device 3 through various external interfaces 36.
It receives coded image information from an external processing device such as No. 1 or FAX data (code data) input via the FAX modem 32 and sends the code data to the video control unit 37.

The video control unit 37 stores the code data in the RAM 38, analyzes the code data, reads out the data from the character font stored in the ROM 39 as necessary, and converts the data code into the dot image video data. After that, the data is stored in the frame memory 40.

When one page of video data is stored in the frame memory 40, the CPU 33 sends a print command to the engine control unit 205, and synchronizes with the main and sub-scanning synchronization signals from the engine control unit 205. The video data stored in 40 is sequentially transmitted to the engine control unit 205.

The data amount detecting means 41 is a means for detecting the data amount of image data sent from the external processing device when the image forming apparatus receives a print command from the external processing device.

When the image forming apparatus PF1 receives a print command from a plurality of external processing devices, the data switching means 42 is a means for switching image data to be printed.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of image data processing when a print command is received from the host computer 30 or the image reading device 31 during FAX reception in the above embodiment.

When the image forming apparatus PF1 receives a fax command from an external processing device (S3) while receiving the fax data and executing the printing (S1, S2), the data amount detecting means 41 transmits It is determined whether the data amount is larger or smaller than a predetermined reference amount (S4). When the data amount is small, printing can be performed in a short time, so the data switching unit 42 switches the data to be printed,
The printing process of the FAX data is interrupted, and the printing process of the data received from the external processing device is preferentially performed (S4, S5,
S6).

If the data amount of the image data received the print command from the external processing device is large (S4), the printing process of the FAX data is continued as it is (S11), and after the printing process is completed (S12), The printing process of the data received from the external processing device is performed (S13, S14, S15).

It should be noted that the image forming apparatus FS1 may be provided with a plurality of paper outlets, and provided with a paper discharge option capable of automatically switching the paper discharge ports in accordance with an instruction from the engine control unit 200. In this case, it is possible to avoid mixing of a discharged document by switching the discharge port at the same time as switching the image data to be printed.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration of the control unit and the configuration of image data processing are the same as those of the image forming apparatus PF1.

When the image forming apparatus PF1 receives a print command from an external processing apparatus and performs a long-time print process (S21, S22) and receives a FAX reception (S23), the received FAX data When the data amount detecting means 41 determines that the data amount of the data is smaller than the predetermined reference amount (S24), printing can be performed in a short time.
The printing process of the data received from the external processing device is interrupted (S25), the printing process of the FAX data is preferentially performed (S26), and the printing of the FAX data is ended (S2).
7) On the other hand, when the data amount of the FAX data is larger than the predetermined reference amount (S24), the FAX data is received while continuing the printing process of the data received from the external processing device. In this case, the received FAX data is transmitted to the host computer 30, and the FAX data is stored in the memory of the host computer 30 (S28). Here, by using the memory of the host computer 30,
FAX without increasing the memory in the image forming apparatus PF1
Received data can be stored.

Then, the printing process of the data from the external processing device is continued (S31), and after the printing process is completed (S31).
If there is FAX data stored in the memory of the host computer 30 in S32) (S33), printing of the stored FAX data is started (S34).
The printing of the AX data ends (S35).

The above-mentioned image forming apparatus may be provided with a plurality of paper discharge ports, and a paper discharge option capable of automatically switching the paper discharge ports according to an instruction from the engine control unit. By switching image data to be printed and at the same time, switching the paper discharge port, it is possible to avoid mixing of discharged documents.

Although the above embodiment is an image forming apparatus having a facsimile communication function, the above embodiment can be applied to a copying machine, a printer, and the like capable of printing image data.

Further, the above-described embodiment is an embodiment in which a print command is received from an external processing device during FAX reception, and a case in which a FAX is received while a print command is received from the external processing device. When a print command is received from an external processing device while receiving image data from an external processing device other than a facsimile device, image data is received from an external processing device other than a facsimile device while receiving the print command from the external processing device. The above-described embodiment can be applied to the case of receiving.

That is, in the above embodiment, the printing means for printing based on the image data, the data amount detecting means for detecting the data amount of the received image data, the data amount of the image data received from the external processing device, Comparing means for comparing a predetermined reference amount with the plurality of external processing devices, while printing first image data received from a first external processing device which is one of the plurality of external processing devices; Receiving a print command from a second external processing device, which is a device other than the first external processing device, the second image data received from the second external processing device When the comparing means determines that the data amount of the first image data is smaller than the reference amount, the printing of the first image data is interrupted, and
1 is an example of an image forming apparatus having control means for printing image data with priority.

In the above embodiment, the printing means for printing based on the image data, the data amount detecting means for detecting the data amount of the received image data, the data amount of the image data received from the external processing device, A comparing means for comparing with a predetermined reference amount, a first external processing device which is one of the plurality of external processing devices, a print command received from the first external processing device, and a first command received from the first external processing device. During printing of image data, second image data is output from a second external processing device, which is one of the plurality of external processing devices and is a device other than the first external processing device. If it is determined that the data amount of the second image data is greater than the reference amount, the second image data is received while the printing of the first image data is continued, and the second image data is received. 2 image data Transmitted to strike a computer, an example of an image forming apparatus and a control means for storing the memory to the second image data in the host computer.

[0042]

According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus connected to the external processing apparatus has an effect that the image forming process can be efficiently performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus PF1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of image data processing when a print command is received from a host computer or an image reading device during FAX reception in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system in which a conventional image forming apparatus having a facsimile communication function and a host computer are connected.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram illustrating an example of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 PF1 ... image forming apparatus, 30 ... host computer, 31 ... image reading apparatus, 32 ... fax modem, 33 ... CPU, 37 ... video control section, 41 ... data amount detection means, 42 ... data switching means, 200 ... control section, 205 ... Engine control unit.

Claims (5)

[Claims] A facsimile communication means; a printing means for printing based on the image data; a data amount detection means for detecting a data amount of the received image data; and a data amount of the image data received from the external processing device. Comparing means for comparing with a predetermined reference amount; when receiving a print command from the external processing device during FAX reception, if the data amount of the image data received from the external processing device is smaller than the reference amount, Control means for interrupting the printing of the facsimile data received by the facsimile communication means when the comparing means makes a determination and giving priority to printing the image data received from the external processing device. Forming equipment. 2. FAX communication means; printing means for printing based on image data; data amount detection means for detecting the amount of FAX data received by the FAX communication means; and an image received from an external processing device. Comparing means for comparing a data amount of data with a predetermined reference amount; receiving a print command from the external processing device, and when the facsimile communication means receives a facsimile during printing for a predetermined time or more, Control means for interrupting the printing of the data received from the external processing device if the data amount of the received FAX data is smaller than the reference amount, and printing the FAX data received by the FAX communication means with priority. An image forming apparatus comprising: A facsimile communication means; a printing means for printing based on the image data; a data amount detection means for detecting a data amount of the facsimile data received by the facsimile communication means; and an image received from an external processing device. Comparing means for comparing a data amount of data with a predetermined reference amount; receiving a print command from the external processing device, and when the facsimile communication means receives a facsimile during printing for a predetermined time or more, If it is determined that the data amount of the received FAX data is larger than the reference amount, the FAX data is received while the printing of the data received from the external processing device is continued, and the received FAX data is transmitted to the host computer. Control means for storing facsimile data in a memory in a host computer; A printing means for printing based on the image data; a data amount detecting means for detecting a data amount of the received image data; a data amount of the image data received from the external processing device and a predetermined reference amount; And a comparing unit for comparing the first image data received from the first external processing device, which is one of the plurality of external processing devices, during printing.
When a print command is received from a second external processing device that is one of the plurality of external processing devices and is a device other than the first external processing device, the print command is received from the second external processing device. When the comparing means determines that the data amount of the second image data obtained is smaller than the reference amount, the first image data
Control means for interrupting the printing of the image data, and giving priority to printing the second image data. 5. A printing means for printing based on image data; a data amount detecting means for detecting a data amount of received image data; a data amount of image data received from an external processing device and a predetermined reference amount. Comparing means for receiving a print command from a first external processing device, which is one of the plurality of external processing devices, and printing the first image data received from the first external processing device In the process, when the second image data is received from a second external processing device that is one of the plurality of external processing devices and is a device other than the first external processing device, When it is determined that the data amount of the second image data is larger than the reference amount, the second image data is received while the printing of the first image data is continued, and the second image data is received. The host computer And a control unit for transmitting the second image data to a memory in the host computer and transmitting the second image data to a memory in the host computer.