JP2002165051A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device that takes only a short waiting time until a job is completed. SOLUTION: Each of two digital copying machines (own machine and the other machine) in tandem connection is respectively provided with a storage device that stores jobs and a means that discriminates whether or not the stored job can be executed. When the own machine reads an original (step S1), the storage device of the own machine stores obtained image data. When the own machine is busy (step S2) and the other machine is not busy (step S3), a liquid crystal display section displays a message that urges a user to designate whether or not the other machine makes copying (step S4). When the user designates copying by the other machine (step S5), the own machine transfers the image data to the other machine (step S6), the storage device of the other machine stores a job unit for image forming (step S7) and the other machine performs the copying (step S8).

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, and more particularly, to a technique for connecting a plurality of image forming apparatuses to each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recent image forming apparatus is provided with a large-capacity storage device, and it is possible to temporarily store (job reservation) a work unit of image formation as a job in a storage device and sequentially execute the stored jobs. It is possible. Therefore, there is no need to wait for the completion of execution of one job and store the next job, so that the operator is not restrained to reserve a job and is convenient.

In addition, with the spread of OA equipment, offices and the like often have a plurality of image forming apparatuses such as copying machines. The plurality of image forming apparatuses can be connected to each other so that data can be transmitted (tandem connection), and image formation can be performed by another image forming apparatus based on image data captured by one image forming apparatus. ing.

[0004]

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, even when a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected in tandem, job reservation is performed on the premise that image formation is performed by the image forming apparatus that performs the operation. Had been done. Therefore, even if the image forming apparatus is executing a job (busy) and another tandem-connected image forming apparatus is not busy, if the user tries to reserve another job, the image forming apparatus is reserved. That is,
When another image forming apparatus connected in tandem is used, the job can be executed immediately, but the job is executed by the image forming apparatus after the job being executed by the image forming apparatus is completed. . Therefore, the waiting time until the job is completed is long.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an image forming apparatus having a short waiting time until a job is completed.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image forming apparatuses; and a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to each other so that data can be transmitted therebetween. A tandem connection unit, a unit that is provided in at least one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, stores the formation of input image data as a job, and determines whether the stored job can be executed. And a unit for transmitting the job to another image forming apparatus via the tandem connection unit based on the determination unit determining that the job cannot be executed. An image forming apparatus.

When an operator tries to reserve a job by operating a certain image forming apparatus (own apparatus), the own apparatus sometimes cannot execute the job immediately (busy). For example, there is a case where a job already reserved for the own device is being executed. According to the present invention, in such a case, the job is automatically reserved for another image forming apparatus (other apparatus) connected in tandem. If the other device is not busy, the job reserved for the other device is immediately executed.
That is, since the own apparatus and the other apparatus can execute a job in parallel, such an image forming apparatus has a short waiting time until the job is completed. The number of other devices may be one or a plurality.

The operation when both the own machine and the other machine are busy can be determined separately, such as making a job reservation for the own machine. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for confirming whether or not the operator may cause the other image forming apparatus to form an image based on the determination that the stored job cannot be executed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

There are cases where the other machine is installed at a location remote from the own machine, and it is not always convenient to reserve a job for the other machine even if the own machine is busy.
Therefore, as in the present invention, the operator's convenience can be improved by checking the operator in advance before making a job reservation for another machine. Even when the own device is busy, the job can be reserved for the own device when the user selects not to reserve a job for another device at the time of confirmation.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing a state in which two digital copying machines 1 and 2 are connected in tandem. The digital copying machines 1 and 2 are provided with operation units 3 and 4, respectively. The operation units 3 and 4 are arranged on the upper surface on the front side of the digital copying machines 1 and 2 so that they can be operated by looking down from above. The operation units 3 and 4 include an input key, a display unit, and the like. The operator can make various settings for the digital copying machines 1 and 2 via the operation units 3 and 4.

The digital copying machines 1 and 2 have control units 5 and 6, respectively. The control units 5 and 6 can control each unit of the digital copying machines 1 and 2 to execute a copying operation. The control units 5 and 6 include storage devices 7 and 8, respectively. The control units 5 and 6 can store (job reservation) a work unit of image formation as a job. The job includes, in addition to the image data, the number of images to be formed, the paper size on which the image is to be formed, the presence or absence of enlargement / reduction, and the like. The storage devices 7 and 8 can store a plurality of jobs. The storage devices 7 and 8 include a semiconductor memory, an HDD (hard disk drive), or a combination thereof.

The two digital copying machines 1 and 2 are connected by a tandem interface cable 9 (tandem connection) via respective control units 5 and 6. By the tandem connection, the digital copying machines 1 and 2 can transmit jobs to each other and acquire information on the other digital copying machines 2 and 1. In the above embodiment, the two digital copying machines 1 and 2 both have storage devices 7 and 8, but one digital copying machine 2 has no storage device 8. Is also good. In this case, the storage device 8 of the digital copying machine 1 can store the job executed by the digital copying machine 1 and the job executed by the digital copying machine 2 separately. With such a configuration, the control unit 5 of the digital copying machine 1 controls the control unit 6 of the digital copying machine 2 so that the digital copying machine 2 can execute a job.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process of operating the digital copier 1 of FIG. 1 to reserve a job and execute the job. When a job reservation is designated from the operation unit 3 of the digital copying machine 1 (own apparatus), first, reading of a document is started in the digital copying machine 1 (step S1). The obtained image data is stored in the storage device 7 provided in the control unit 5. Next, the control unit 5 determines whether the digital copying machine 1 is in a state (busy) where the job cannot be executed immediately (step S2). The busy state means that a reserved job is being executed. If it is busy, it is determined whether or not the digital copying machine 2 (other machine) connected in tandem is busy (step S3). If it is not busy, a message prompting the user to specify whether or not to make a copy in the digital copying machine 2 is displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 3 (step S4).

When it is specified from the operation unit 3 that copying is to be performed by the digital copying machine 2 (step S5), the image data stored in the storage device 7 is transferred to the digital copying machine 2 (step S5). S6), and stored as a job in the storage device 8 (step S7). Thereafter, based on the jobs stored in the storage device 8, jobs are sequentially executed, that is, copying is performed (step S8). Step S2
If it is determined that the digital copying machine 1 is not busy,
The unit of copying based on the image data stored in the storage device 7 is stored in the storage device 7 as a job (step S9). Thereafter, copying is sequentially performed based on the jobs stored in the storage device 7 (step S10).

If it is determined in step S3 that the digital copying machine 2 is busy, that is, if it is determined that both the digital copying machines 1 and 2 are busy, a job is reserved in the digital copying machine 1 (step S3). S9) After the digital copying machine 1 finishes executing the reserved job, the digital copier 1 executes the job (step S10). If it is specified in step S5 that copying is not to be performed by the digital copying machine 2, a job is reserved in the digital copying machine 1 (step S9). The job is executed (Step S10).

If one digital copying machine is busy, such a digital copying machine 1 automatically reserves a job with another digital copying machine 2 that is not busy automatically. If the other digital copying machine 2 is not busy, the reserved job is executed immediately. Therefore, the job can be executed in parallel by the two digital copying machines 1 and 2, and the waiting time until the job is completed is shortened. Two image forming apparatuses connected in tandem to one image forming apparatus
Similarly, in the case of more than one device, if the own device is busy, a job reservation can be made to another image forming apparatus that is not busy.

The above is a case where a document is read from a scanner unit to form an image. In an image forming apparatus which can be used as a printer by connecting to a personal computer, print information is obtained from the connected personal computer. It is possible to perform processing. In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing a state where two digital copying machines are connected in tandem.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process of operating the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1 to reserve a job and execute the job.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 digital copier 5, 6 control unit 7, 8 storage device 9 tandem interface cable

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masaki Baba 1-2-28 Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka F-term in Kyocera Mita Corporation (reference) 2C061 AP04 HH09 HK11 HN15 2H027 EJ11 5B021 AA01 BB02 5C062 AA05 AB02 AB11 AB17 AB22 AB25 AB38 AB40 AC02 AC04 AC05 AC22 AC38 AE04 AE16

Claims (2)

[Claims] A plurality of image forming apparatuses; a tandem connection unit for connecting the plurality of image forming apparatuses to each other so as to be able to transmit data to each other; and at least one image forming apparatus among the plurality of image forming apparatuses. Means for storing the formation of input image data as a job, means for determining whether or not the stored job can be executed, and means for determining whether the job cannot be executed. Means for transmitting the job to another image forming apparatus via a connection means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for confirming whether or not the operator can cause the other image forming apparatus to form an image based on the determination that the stored job cannot be executed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: