JP2003125126A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an efficient image forming device with a memory for a display buffer having a required minimum capacity. SOLUTION: The image forming device having a display section for display information for a user and permitting the user to make job reservation registration is characterized in that the image forming device is provided with panels each having a display buffer used for displaying information on the display section by the number of resources capable of parallel operations and an idle panel among the panels is used to display information with respect to a job when the job uses the resource.

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 an image forming apparatus having a display section for displaying information to a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been provided an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine capable of reading an image from a document and forming the read image on a recording sheet.

Recently, a digital copying machine is known in which an image read from an original is stored as digital data and various image processing can be performed on the image data of the digital data. Further, as an example of an image forming apparatus, a digital multi-function peripheral having a network connection function, a FAX transmission / reception function and the like in a digital copying machine is also known.

Recently, the functions of such an image forming apparatus have been diversified, and it has become possible to provide various functions such as forming an image after performing desired image processing on read image data. ing. Examples of functions provided by the image forming apparatus, that is, modes, include a copy function for printing image data obtained by scanning a document, image data received via a network, and a memory stored in the apparatus in advance. A printer function for printing image data, a FAX transmission / reception function for transmitting image data obtained by scanning an original and printing image data received by facsimile, and an image data obtained by scanning an original via a network There is known a scanner function or the like for transmitting the data as a transmission or storing it in the memory of its own device.

In addition, recent image forming apparatuses can realize each function by parallel processing. For example, while a print process of an image operated by one user is performed, a scan process of an image operated by another user is performed. Can be done at the same time.

Further, recent image forming apparatuses can reserve processing for each function, that is, for each mode. For example, a copy reservation function, a FAX transmission reservation function, and a timer for transmitting image data via a network when a predetermined time has passed. It has a transmission reservation function, printer reservation function, etc., which can be used by the user to reserve processing, and when the order in which the reserved processing is executed comes, the processing is automatically To be executed.

By the way, in such an image forming apparatus,
A display unit for displaying information to the user is provided so that the user can see the status of processing currently being executed. When such a display is performed, the display content is expanded in a memory, that is, a display buffer so that the display can be performed smoothly.

[0008]

As described above, in the case of the image forming apparatus in which the user can make a reservation for processing, all of the registered processing is executed, and the execution status is displayed each time. Therefore, conventionally, it is necessary to provide the display buffer by the predetermined number of reservable registrations.

However, in such a case, an extremely large number of display buffers are required, which is a problem in designing the image forming apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide an efficient image forming apparatus in which a memory for a display buffer is minimized.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a display section for displaying information to a user and capable of performing reservation registration of a job. A panel provided with a display buffer used when displaying information on a section is provided by the number of resources that can operate in parallel, and when a job uses the resource, an empty panel of the panels is used to display information about the job. It is characterized by being used for displaying.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

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

As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment has a scanner section 2 for reading an image of an original, a printer section 3 for forming an image on a recording sheet, and a control section 4 for controlling the whole. And an input operation section 5 having an input section for a user to input an instruction operation to the image forming apparatus 1 and a display section for displaying information from the image forming apparatus 1 to the user, and a storage section 6 for storing various parameters and programs. And a communication interface unit 7 which is an interface with the outside such as a communication line.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus capable of performing the reservation registration of each function, the number of processes to be registered is very large, and the setting contents such as printing and communication are sufficiently displayed for all of them. However, in order to display the set data (parameter), many display buffers are required.

Here, the inventors do not need to display the details of the processes that have been registered for reservation but are not currently executing, and it is sufficient to display the list as shown in FIG. Paying attention to the fact that the display buffer is unnecessary, in the present embodiment, the display buffer is not prepared for such a process, and the display buffer is allocated when the process is being executed. I chose

For this reason, in the present embodiment, as many panels having display buffers as necessary to display information on one process are provided so that the processes can be operated in parallel.
When the operation of each process is started, the process and the vacant panel are combined, the information such as the parameters related to the operation of the process is copied to the display buffer of that panel, and this is displayed. I am trying to use it. This point will be further described with reference to FIG. In addition,
In the following description, each process executed by the image forming apparatus 1 is called a job.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the process of combining the panel and the registered job. As a panel group, a panel 10 for scan processing display, a panel 11 for communication processing display, and a panel 12 for print processing display are shown. 3 panels are provided, and jobs 13 to 1 are registered as a registered job group.
This is an example of the case where 7 jobs of 9 are registered.

Further, in the registered job group in FIG. 3, the jobs shown on the left side are jobs whose processing order is earlier.

In the state shown in FIG. 3, the job 13 is connected to the panel 10 and the job 14 is connected to the panel 11. At this time, when the panel 12 becomes empty,
The job with the earliest order until processing execution is combined with the panel 12.

The job in the next order after the jobs 13 and 14 already combined with another panel is the job 15,
Since the panel 12 is a display panel for print processing and the panel 15 is waiting for communication, the combination with the panel 12 is given to the job in the next order. Similarly, since jobs 16 and 17 are waiting for communication, the job 18 in the next order is further combined with the panel 12.

In the present embodiment, a panel is provided for each mode of the image forming apparatus to display the processing of that mode. For example, two panels for the copy function (scan processing display and print processing) are provided. (For processing display)
Two panels are provided for the printer function (one for displaying the image data receiving process via the network and one for displaying the printing process), and three panels for the fax transmission / reception function (for displaying the communication process of the facsimile transmission / reception (the communication line is If there are more than one panel, the number of panels to be provided increases accordingly) and two panels for scan processing display and print processing display are provided, and two panels for scanning function (scan processing display and image data transmission via network) are provided. Processing display).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a user interface process performed by the control unit 4 of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

The user interface processing (U / I task) in the control unit 4 waits until a message is sent from each unit of the image forming apparatus 1 (A-1, A-2),
When the message is received and the message notifies the start of the job operation, the panel search / display combining process shown in FIG. 5 is performed later (A-3), and then in step (A-3). In response to the result of the panel search / display combination processing, the display is performed by the input operation unit 5 (A-
5).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a panel search / display combining process performed by the control unit 4 of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

In the panel search / display combining process, a registered job is searched based on the job ID included in the received message (B-1), and then an empty panel, that is, a panel not currently used is searched (B-2). ).

Next, it is judged whether or not the job having the job ID included in the received message is already registered (B-3), and if it is already registered, the registered job. And the empty panel searched in step (B-2) are combined, that is, linked (B-
4).

On the other hand, in step (B-3), if the job with the job ID included in the received message is not already registered (a job generated by FAX reception of a call from another facsimile device or , A job generated by a print command from a personal computer or the like connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network, which cannot be known in advance by the image forming apparatus 1, and the job and step (B-
The empty panels searched in 2) are combined, that is, linked (B-5).

Next, the setting information of the job having the job ID included in the received message is copied to the linked panel (B-6).

By doing so, in the present embodiment, when the job is executed, an empty panel is allocated, and the contents copied to this panel are displayed on the input operation section 5.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the panel is not used at the stage where the job is reserved and registered and is not yet executed, and it is sufficient to provide the panel by the number of processes capable of parallel operation. The memory resources can be effectively used.

In the above-described embodiment, the panel is provided for each mode, but the present invention is not limited to this, and resources capable of operating in parallel (printer, scanner, You may make it provide a panel by the number of communication lines etc.).

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an efficient image forming apparatus in which the memory for the display buffer is minimized.

That is, according to the present invention, according to the present embodiment, the panel is not used at the stage when the job is reserved and registered and is not yet executed, and the number of panels is equal to the number of processes capable of parallel operation. Since it is sufficient to provide the memory resources, the memory resources can be effectively used.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for displaying a list of processes that have been registered for reservation but are not currently being executed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a process of combining a panel and a registered job.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing user interface processing performed by a control unit of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

5 is a flowchart showing a panel search / display combining process performed by a control unit of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image forming device 2 Scanner section 3 Printer section 4 control unit 5 Input operation section 6 memory 7 Communication interface section 10, 11, 12 panels 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 jobs

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 2C087 AA03 AA09 AB01 AB05 BC02                       BC06 CB17 DA03                 2H027 FA30 FA35 GA23 GA32 GB14                       ZA07                 5C062 AA02 AA05 AB20 AB23 AB42                       AB53 AC05 AC22 AF00

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a display unit for displaying information to a user and capable of performing reservation registration of a job, comprising a panel provided with a display buffer used when displaying information on the display unit. An image forming method characterized in that the number of resources that can be operated in parallel is provided, and when a reserved job uses the resources, an empty panel among the panels is used to display information about the jobs. apparatus. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the panel is provided for each mode.