JP2002211089A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image processor in which information can be displayed depending on the use environment of a user by making possible to display an extra message, arbitrarily set by the user, on a message being displayed on the scanning panel of a device for a specified event. SOLUTION: The image processor comprises means for detecting an event, means for displaying information concerning to a detected event, means for storing information being displayed on the display means, means for inputting information being displayed on the display means, means for setting information inputted by the input means, a control means for making a decision whether information concerning to an event detected by the detecting means has been set or not and displaying that information when it has been set, and a communication means.

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 for forming an image based on input image information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of this type of conventional apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The print information sent from the host computer 201 is stored in the page buffer memory 203 via the communication unit 202. Reference numeral 204 denotes a character font memory that stores a character font for referencing the character code of the character code input from the host computer.

[0005] 205 stores the image to be transferred to the recording unit 207 by developing a character patterned by the bitmap memory or developing the image.

Reference numeral 206 denotes a parallel-serial conversion unit which converts the parallel data read from the bitmap memory 205 into serial data and sends it to the recording unit 207. Reference numeral 208 denotes a CPU which controls page editing and print processing according to a control program stored in the ROM 209. RAM
Reference numeral 210 is mainly used as a work area during execution of various programs. The recording unit 207 scans a light beam irradiating the photoconductor based on the input image information to form an electrostatic latent image. The operation panel 211 includes an LCD, an LED,
The switch is composed of switches and the like, and is used by an operator to input various settings and to display an error.

[0005] Reference numeral 212 denotes a communication line for performing communication between a computer, an image forming apparatus, and the like connected via wireless communication.

Here, based on the instruction of the print information sent from the host computer 201, the A3
Consider a case where an attempt is made to print using paper. If there is no A3 paper in the cassette 1, a paper detection sensor (not shown) detects this, and an event of no paper occurs in the device. When the control program in the ROM 209 receives this paperless event, the ROM
9, the error message corresponding to the absence of paper is obtained from the error message table as shown in FIG. 2, and the display unit 4 of the operation panel of the device as shown in FIG.
A message such as “No paper. Please supply A3 to cassette 1” is displayed in the error message display area 402.

[0007]

However, in the above conventional example, it is impossible for the user to change the error message displayed on the operation panel of the device.
There were the following disadvantages.

(1) A crisp type error message is always displayed.

For example, even if a message such as "No paper. Please replenish cassette 1 with A3" is displayed on the display of the operation panel of the device, but the A3 paper is not actually in stock. Can be considered.

(2) An error message cannot be displayed in accordance with the user's use environment.

For example, the message "Service call error occurred. Code: x" appears on the display of the operation panel of the device.
When a message such as "x" is displayed, there may be a case where it is desired to contact the administrator of the device.

[0012]

According to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus for forming an image based on input image information, a detecting means for detecting an event, and an event detected by the detecting means, Display means for displaying such information; storage means for storing information to be displayed on the display means; input means for inputting information to be displayed on the display means; Setting means for setting the set information in the storage means, and control means for judging whether information relating to the event detected by the detection means has been set, and displaying the information if set. And communication means for performing communication, so that the user can arbitrarily set a message displayed on the operation panel of the device for a specific event. You will be able to view additional messages, and improves the convenience for the user.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus in the embodiment. The print information sent from the host computer 501 is transmitted to the communication unit 5
The data is stored in the page buffer memory 503 via O2. Reference numeral 504 denotes a character font memory that stores a character font for referencing the character code of the character code input from the host computer. Reference numeral 505 stores an image to be transferred to the recording unit 507 by developing a character patterned in the bitmap memory or developing an image. A parallel / serial conversion unit 506 converts the parallel data read from the bitmap memory 505 into serial data and sends the serial data to the recording unit 507. A CPU 508 controls page editing and print processing according to a control program stored in the ROM 509. RAM
Reference numeral 510 is mainly used as a work area during execution of various programs. The recording unit 507 scans a light beam irradiating the photoconductor based on the input image information to form an electrostatic latent image. The operation panel 511 includes an LCD, an LED,
The switch is composed of switches and the like, and is used by an operator to input various settings and to display an error.

Reference numeral 512 denotes a communication line for performing communication between a computer, an image forming apparatus, and the like connected via a wire or wirelessly.

For managing devices in a network environment, for example, a simple network management protocol (Simp
le Network Management Protocol). The device management software on the network management station communicates with the network management agent in the device to enable the management information base (MIB).
se), it is possible to obtain and set management data items relating to the status of the device, which are maintained in the form of a database called "se).

The user can set a message to be added to the error message displayed on the operation panel of the device by using device management software on a host computer connected under the same network environment as the device. It has become. The device is
A table as shown in FIG. 5 is generated in the RAM 510.

Next, the operation of the device will be described. Triggered when an error event occurs. Step S
At 101, it is determined whether an error event has occurred.
If the determination in step S101 is YES, step S1
Go to 02. If the determination in step S101 is NO, the process returns to the main routine. In step S102, it is determined with reference to the table in FIG. 2 and the table in FIG. 5 whether an additional message has been set. If the determination in step S102 is YES, the process proceeds to step S103. Step S1
If the judgment of 02 is N0, the process returns to the main routine. In step S103, the error message of the error that has occurred and the corresponding additional message are acquired from the table, and the additional message is displayed in the additional message display area 702 on the display unit 701 of the operation panel, and the error message is displayed in the error message display area 703.

[Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the device is set using the device management software. However, the present invention is not limited to this. I do not care.

(2) In the above embodiment, the case where one piece of additional information is displayed has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
It is also applied when displaying a plurality of pieces of additional information.

(3) In the above embodiment, the case where the additional information is displayed as a character string has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the case of an error message has been described.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to display an additional message arbitrarily set by the user on a message displayed on the operation panel of the device in response to a specific event. Information according to the use environment can be displayed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional image processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows an error message table in a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an error message display area of a display unit on an operation panel in a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an additional message table in the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an error message display area of a display unit on an operation panel in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 201 Host Computer 202 Communication Unit 203 Page Buffer Memory 204 Character Font Memory 205 Bitmap Memory 206 Parallel / Serial Conversion Unit 207 Recording Unit 208 CPU 209 ROM 210 RAM 211 Operation Panel 212 Communication Line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image based on input image information, comprising: detecting means for detecting an event; and displaying means for displaying information on the event detected by the detecting means. Storage means for storing information to be displayed on the display means, and input means for inputting information to be displayed on the display means,
A setting unit for setting the information input by the input unit in the storage unit; and determining whether information on the event detected by the detection unit is set, and displaying the information when the information is set. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit for performing communication; and a communication unit for performing communication.