JP2003271017A - Image forming device system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a difference in picture quality due to differences among the kinds of paper used by a plurality of image forming devices by correcting image data according to the difference in paper kind between an arbitrary image forming device (master machine) and another connected image forming device (slave machine). <P>SOLUTION: In an image forming device system wherein the plurality of image forming devices are connected by a network, paper kind information on paper in a paper feed stage used by the master machine is transferred to the salve machine together with image data (step 21). The slave machine obtains the difference between the kind of paper used by the master machine and the kind of paper used by the slave machine and computes a correction value for the image data transferred from the master machine according to the difference between the kinds of paper (step 22). For example, paper for color print has a high white degree and normal paper is yellowish, so the slave machine which uses normal paper uniformly reduces yellow components of the image data by a certain quantity and prints an image based upon the corrected image data (step 23). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

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 system including a plurality of digital copying machines, and more particularly, a network is formed by a plurality of image forming apparatuses, and image data is transferred and printed between the image forming apparatuses. In this case, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus system capable of reducing the difference in image quality between models due to the difference in the type of paper used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an invention related to the present invention, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 20
The one described in JP-A-01-100956 is known. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus connecting system,
For the purpose of improving the use efficiency of the storage device of the image forming apparatus, for example, a plurality of image forming apparatuses such as a digital copying machine are connected, and at least one of the image forming apparatuses is a memory of each image forming apparatus. If a storage device usage status detecting means for detecting the usage status of each device is provided, and at the start of a job of the machine, it is determined from the detection result by the usage status detecting means that there is at least a storage device available for the machine. When the storage device is recognized as a storage device that can be used only for another image forming apparatus, the storage device is assigned as a storage device to be used for the job, respectively. However, it becomes possible to execute the above-mentioned job as it is, and the use efficiency of the storage device of each image forming apparatus by at least one image forming apparatus is improved. It is that it is possible to.

[0003]

Conventionally, two image forming apparatuses such as a digital copying machine are connected to construct a connection system. It is known that, in a color image forming apparatus capable of performing color printing by the image forming apparatus, the printing result differs depending on the type of transfer paper used.
In the color image forming apparatus, it is possible to set dedicated color paper for each of a plurality of paper feed stages provided, and particularly when printing is performed by a plurality of connected image forming apparatuses, the transfer used by each image forming apparatus is performed. The problem is that the image quality changes due to the difference in the paper type.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems. According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected, another image formation in which information of a paper type used in any one image forming apparatus is connected using a connection function. The purpose is to notify the device. According to a second aspect of the present invention, another connected image forming apparatus corrects an image based on a difference between a paper type used in the other image forming apparatus and a paper type used in any one image forming apparatus, An object is to output the same image as the image output by any one image forming apparatus. According to a third aspect of the present invention, when any one of the image forming apparatuses changes the sheet feeding stage due to limitless sheet feeding, the sheet type information of the changed sheet feeding stage is linked to another image forming apparatus. The purpose of this notification is to prevent the image quality of an image printed by another connected image forming apparatus from changing even when the paper feed stage is changed and the paper type is changed. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when another connected image forming apparatus changes the paper feed stage and the paper type is changed by limitless paper feeding, the image quality is corrected by correcting the image again based on the difference between the paper types. The goal is to keep things unchanged.

[0005]

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the invention of claim 1 has means for reading a document and means for forming image data of the read image information. An image forming apparatus system having a plurality of image forming apparatuses and having a connecting operation means for transferring image information read by any one image forming apparatus to another image forming apparatus to form an image, The above-mentioned other image forming apparatus is notified of the paper type information of the transfer paper on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus system according to the first aspect, the paper type of the transfer sheet on which an image is formed by the arbitrary one image forming apparatus is connected to the other image forming apparatus. The other connected image forming apparatus performs image correction at the time of image formation based on the difference in the type of transfer paper on which the image is formed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus system according to the first aspect, the arbitrary one image forming apparatus changes the type of transfer paper on which an image is formed during image formation. , Notifying the connected other image forming apparatus of the paper type of the transfer paper, and the other connected image forming apparatus performs image correction every time the paper type of the transfer paper is notified. Is characterized by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus system according to the first aspect, in the other image forming apparatus, each time the paper feed stage is changed during image formation and the paper type of the transfer paper is changed,
The feature is that image correction is performed.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
~ It demonstrates based on the Example shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a mechanical portion of a digital color copying machine which is an example of an image forming apparatus used in the image forming apparatus system of the present invention. In this digital color copying machine, a document stack is placed with the image surface of the document face up on a document table 2 of an automatic document feeder (ADF) 1 provided on the upper part of the copying machine main body, and an operation unit 30 (see FIG. ) When the upper print start key 34 is pressed, the document located at the bottom is fed to a predetermined position on the contact glass 6 by the feeding roller 3 and the feeding belt 4. It has a counting function for counting up the number of originals when the feeding of one original is completed. The fed document is read by the reading unit 50 to read the image data of the document on the contact glass 6, and the document that has been read is ejected by the feeding belt 4 and the ejection roller 5. Further, when the document set detection device 7 detects that there is a next document on the document table 2, the document is fed onto the contact glass 6 like the previous document. The feeding roller 3, the feeding belt 4, and the discharging roller 5 are driven by the conveyance motor 26 (FIG. 6).

The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are fed by a first paper feeding device 11, a second paper feeding device 12, and a third paper feeding device 13, respectively. ,
The vertical transport unit 14 transports the yellow photoconductor 15Y to a position where it abuts against the photoconductor 15Y. The yellow, cyan, magenta, and black image data read by the reading unit 50 modulates the laser emitted from the writing unit 57, and the modulated lasers emit yellow, cyan, magenta, and black photoconductors 15Y, 15C. , 15M, 1
The latent image of the image data is written in 5Bk, and the toner image of each color is formed by passing through the developing unit 27 provided on each photoconductor. And the transfer paper is for each photoconductor 1
While being conveyed by the conveyor belt 16 at the same speed as the rotation of 5Y, 15C, 15M, and 15Bk, the photosensitive members 15Y, 1
The toner images on 5C, 15M, and 15Bk are transferred. After that, the fixing unit 17 fixes the image, and the paper discharge unit 18 discharges the image to the paper discharge tray 19. When forming images on both sides of transfer paper, each paper feed tray 8-10
The transfer sheet, which has been imaged and formed from the sheet, is conveyed to the double-sided sheet feeding conveyance path 113 without being guided to the sheet discharge tray 19 side, and is switched back and inverted by the reversing unit 112 to perform the double-sided conveyance unit 11
Send to 1. The transfer sheet sent to the double-sided transport unit 111 is again sent to the vertical transport unit 14 to print an image on the back surface and then discharged.

In the case of reversing and ejecting the transfer paper, the paper which has been switchback-reversed by the reversing unit 112 is not sent to the double-sided conveyance unit 111, but the reversal discharge conveyance path 1
It is sent to 14 and discharged. Photoreceptor 15 and conveyor belt 1
6, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharge unit 18, and the developing unit 27 are driven by the main motor 25 (FIG. 6),
Each of the sheet feeding devices 11 to 13 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor 25. The vertical transport unit 14 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor 25 by the intermediate clutch 21 (FIG. 6).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operating section of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. The operation unit 30 includes a liquid crystal touch panel 31, a numeric keypad 32, a clear / stop key 33, a print start key 34, and a mode clear key 35.
The liquid crystal touch panel 31 displays function keys 37, the number of copies, a message indicating the state of the image forming apparatus, and the like.

FIG. 3 shows the liquid crystal touch panel 3 of the operation unit 30.
It is a figure which shows the example of a display of 1. When the operator touches a key displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31, the key indicating the selected function is highlighted in black. When the details of the function have to be specified (for example, the scaling value for scaling), the detailed function setting screen is displayed by touching the key. As described above, since the liquid crystal touch panel uses the dot display, it is possible to graphically perform the optimum display at that time.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device, mainly showing the main controller. The main controller 20 controls the entire image forming apparatus.
The main controller 20 includes an operation unit 3 for displaying information to the operator and controlling the function setting input from the operator.
0, an image processing unit (IPU) 49 for controlling a scanner, a control for writing a document image in an image memory, a control for forming an image from the image memory, an automatic document feeder (AD)
A distributed control device such as F) is connected.

Further, the main controller 20 is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses, and a connection I / F 4 for transmitting and receiving apparatus configuration and function information and information relating to operation control.
8 is connected. Main controller 20 is connected I
/ F48 is used to obtain information about the image forming apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus and set the operation to control the connecting operation.
Alternatively, it obtains a request from another connected image forming apparatus and controls the operation of its own device. Each decentralized control device and the main controller 20 exchange the machine status and operation command as necessary. Further, the main motor 25 and various clutches 21 to 24 necessary for paper transportation and the like are also connected.

FIG. 4 is an overall view showing the image forming apparatus system of the present invention. Image forming apparatuses A to E such as a plurality of digital copying machines as shown in FIG. 1 are electrically connected to each other, and if the connection mode is set in any one image forming apparatus, the images are displayed. The image forming apparatus serves as a parent machine (master machine), and another image forming apparatus connected to the parent machine serves as a child machine (slave machine).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display unit for performing an operation for setting whether or not one arbitrary image forming apparatus transmits / receives information to / from another connected image forming apparatus. is there. In the display unit shown in FIG. 5, by touching the "connect" key, the setting of the connecting operation using the plurality of connected image forming apparatuses is selected, and the self-device is the master device of the connecting operation ( As a master machine, it requests an operation to a slave machine (slave machine) that is an image forming apparatus other than itself.

Now, returning to FIG. 1, the operation of the image forming apparatus from reading the original to writing the image will be described. The reading unit 50 includes a contact glass 6 on which a document is placed and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 51, a first mirror 52, and a lens 5.
3, CCD image sensor 54, second mirror 55, third
It is composed of a mirror 56 and the like. The exposure lamp 51 and the first mirror 52 are fixed on the first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 55 and the third mirror 56 are fixed on the second carriage (not shown). When reading the original image, the first carriage,
The second carriage is mechanically scanned at a relative speed of 2: 1. This optical scanning system is driven by a scanner drive motor (not shown). The original image is read by the CCD image sensor 54, converted into an electric signal, and processed.

The writing unit 57 is composed of a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59 and a mirror 60. Inside the laser output unit 58, a polygon mirror which rotates at a high speed and a constant speed by a laser diode which is a laser light source and a motor. (Polygon mirror) is equipped. Laser light output from the writing unit 57 and modulated by the yellow, cyan, magenta, and black image data is converted into yellow, cyan, magenta, and black photoconductors 15 of the image forming system.
Irradiation is performed on Y, 15C, 15M, and 15Bk. Although not shown, a beam sensor that generates a main-scanning synchronization signal is arranged at a position near one end of each of the photoconductors 15Y, 15C, 15M, and 15Bk to be irradiated with the laser beam.

FIG. 7 shows an image processing unit (IPU) 49.
3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of FIG. The reflection of the light emitted from the exposure lamp 51 is photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 54 and converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 61. The image signal converted into the digital signal is subjected to shading correction in the shading correction unit 62, and then subjected to MTF correction, γ correction and the like in the image processing unit 63. The image signal that has passed through the scaling unit 72 is scaled according to the scaling ratio and flows to the selector 64. Selector 64
Then, the destination of the image signal is the writing γ correction unit 7
1 or switching to the image memory controller 65 is performed. The image signal that has passed through the writing γ correction unit 71 has its writing γ corrected in accordance with the image forming conditions, and is sent to the writing unit 57. Image memory controller 6
An image signal can be input / output bidirectionally between the selector 5 and the selector 64. In addition, the image memory controller 6
5 setting, reading unit 50, writing unit 5
7, a CPU 68 for controlling 7, and a ROM 69 and a RAM 70 for storing the programs and data thereof. Further, the CPU 68, via the memory controller 65,
Data can be written to and read from the image memory 66.

The connection I / F 48 is connected to the data bus of the memory controller 65 for transmitting and receiving image information,
It is configured to be able to input / output data. The image information is transferred via the image memory 66 according to the data transfer speed between the image forming apparatuses. That is, at the time of image output, after the image data is stored in the image memory 66 from the memory controller 65, the data is sequentially read from the image memory 66 according to the data transfer rate between the image forming apparatuses, and the connection I
Transfer the data to / F48. Connect I / when outputting images
After the image data transferred from F48 is stored in the image memory 66, the image controller 66 stores the image data in the memory controller 65.
The image data is processed in the apparatus via the. With the above configuration, the connection operation can be realized without being restricted by the function of the image forming apparatus.

The image sent as an original image to the image memory controller 65 is sent to the image memory 66 after the image data is compressed by the image compression device in the image memory controller 65. The reason for image compression here is that it is possible to write data of 256 gradations corresponding to the maximum image size as it is to the image memory 66, but a large amount of image memory is used for one original image. By performing image compression,
The limited image memory can be effectively used. Further, since many original image data can be stored at one time, the stored original image data can be output in page order as a sort function. In this case, when outputting an image, the data in the image memory 66 is output while being sequentially expanded by the expansion device in the memory controller 65. Such a function is generally called "electronic sort".

Further, by utilizing the function of the image memory, it is possible to sequentially read a plurality of original images into areas obtained by dividing an area of one transfer sheet of the image memory. For example, by sequentially writing four original images in the area of the image memory, which is divided into four equal parts for one transfer sheet, the four originals are combined into one transfer sheet image to obtain an integrated copy output. It becomes possible. Such a function is generally called "aggregate copy". The image in the image memory 66 is the CPU
It is configured to be accessible from 68. For this reason,
The contents of the image memory can be processed, and for example, image thinning processing and image cutting processing can be performed. For processing, the image memory can be processed by writing data in the register of the memory controller 65.
The processed image is held in the image memory again.

The contents of the image memory 66 are stored in the CPU 68.
Image data 73 via the I / O port 67.
As a result, it can be transferred to the operation unit 30. Generally, since the screen display resolution of the operation unit 30 is low, the original images in the image memory 66 are thinned out and sent to the operation unit 30. The image memory 66 may use a hard disk to store a large amount of image data. By using a hard disk, there is also a feature that an external power supply is unnecessary and images can be retained permanently. This hard disk is generally used to read and hold a plurality of standard documents (format documents) with a scanner.

The image signal for one page in the selector 64 will be described. FIG. 8 is a timing chart for explaining the image signal. In FIG.
/ FGATE is a frame gate signal indicating the effective period of the image data of one page in the sub-scanning direction, and / LSYN
C is a main scanning synchronization signal for each line, and the image signal becomes valid at a predetermined clock after this signal rises. / LGATE is a line gate signal indicating that the image signal in the main scanning direction is valid. These signals are synchronized with the pixel clock VCLK, and data of 8 bits (256 gradations) per pixel is sent for one cycle of VCLK. Further, in this embodiment, the image data is 25
The closer to 5, the whiter the image.

The operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a main flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. When the power is turned on, first, initialization processing is performed (step 1). The main contents of initialization are resetting various flags, clearing various counters,
It clears the image memory and resets the image formation mode (magnification, division, etc.). (Initialization flow is not shown) After the initialization is completed, a key input or an event (some change factor) from the image forming engine is awaited (step 2). When the user performs any key operation, the operation unit 30 notifies the user as a key input event. Similarly,
Some change in the image forming engine, for example, when a document is set on the ADF 1, a change in the signal of the document set detection device 7 is notified as an engine event. If either a key or engine event occurs, go to step 3. In step 3, it is determined whether the event that occurred is a key input or an engine. In the case of the engine, the engine event process (step 4) is called, and in the case of the key input, the key input event process (step 5) is called, and the event of step 2 is waited again.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing in detail the key input event process (step 5) of FIG.
In step 501, the key press event of the print start key is checked. If it is the print start key, copy processing is executed (step 508). In step 502, it is checked whether or not there is a key input from the ten keys. If the key event is a ten key, ten key processing is performed (step 509). In step 503, the event of pressing the clear stop key is checked. If it is a clear stop key event, clear stop processing is executed (step 510). Step 5
In 04, the press event of the print setting key is checked. A print setting process is executed in which the setting keys for various print functions are pressed (step 511).

At step 505, the determination of the double-sided setting key event is made. When the double-sided function is selected or deselected, the double-sided setting process is executed (step 512). In step 506, the determination of the format original setting key event is performed. When the format original function is selected or deselected,
Format document setting processing is executed (step 51).
3). In step 507, it is determined whether or not there is a key event other than steps 501 to 506. If there is a key event, other key processing is executed (step 514). When each key event process is executed, the process ends.

Next, as a prior knowledge, the IEEE 1394 and the data transfer rate will be briefly described. IEEE
1394-1995 (high-speed serial bus standard standardized by IEEE in 1995 centering on physical layer (Physical Layer, PHY) and link layer (Link Layer, LINK)) is for 100M / 200M and 400Mbps data transfer. It is a standard for hardware and software. 800M in the future,
1.6 G and 3.2 Gbps are under study. IEEE1
The 394 also has characteristic functions for plug-and-play and multimedia data transfer. It secures a band for transferring data such as video and audio, and enables real-time transfer (isochronous data). Transfer, Isochronous). IEEE13
The data transfer system on the 94 can be classified into two types: isochronous transfer and asynchronous transfer.

The advantage of isochronous transfer is that the speed of data transfer is guaranteed. Specifically, at least one packet can be sent every 125 μsec per channel, talkers and listeners up to 64 channels per node can be set, and 100,
The maximum packet size is determined by the data transfer rate of 200 or 400 Mbps. Also,
Asynchronous transfer can be performed only after all isochronous transfers are completed. Whereas isochronous transfers have the concept of channels and talkers and listeners are somewhat similar to defined broadcasts, asynchronous transfers are point-to-point. Each transaction has source and destination IDs associated with it.

Next, the connecting operation in the image forming apparatus system of the present invention will be described. FIG. 11 shows an operation when the connection mode is set by any one image forming apparatus in the image forming apparatus system in which the plurality of image forming apparatuses A to E are electrically connected as shown in FIG. It is a flowchart. The liquid crystal touch panel 3 as shown in FIG. 5 displayed on the operation unit 30 of any one image forming apparatus.
When the "connect" key is touched in 1, the connection list of the image forming apparatuses to be connected is displayed (step 11).
On the screen displaying the linked list, one or more image forming apparatuses to be set as the image forming apparatuses to be linked are selected (step 12), and the process ends. By the above operation, any one image forming apparatus is set as a master, and another connected image forming apparatus is set as a slave.

FIG. 12 notifies the image forming apparatus (slave unit) to which the paper type of the transfer paper on which an image is formed by any one image forming apparatus (slave unit) is notified, and the image formation by the slave unit is performed. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of performing. In the image forming apparatus system of the present invention, when the print start key is pressed by any one image forming apparatus (master device)
The paper type information of the transfer sheets stacked in the paper feed stage output from the single image forming apparatus (master) is transferred to the connected image forming apparatus (slave) together with the image data (step 2).
1). The image forming apparatus (slave unit) connected to the master unit obtains the difference between the type of transfer paper used by the master unit and the type of transfer paper used by the slave unit, which is notified from the master unit, and the difference between the paper types is obtained. Based on the difference, a correction value for the image data when printing by the slave is calculated (step 22). Next, the slave unit forms an image based on the correction value (step 23), and the process ends.

Here, the paper type of the transfer paper is, for example, plain paper, special paper, recycled paper, special color paper, photo paper, or OH.
For example, a P film is used, and data relating to the whiteness, tint information, ink absorption, etc. of a general transfer paper is held in each image forming apparatus for each paper type. Then, the setting regarding the paper type of the transfer paper can be set on the print setting screen of each image forming apparatus, and the paper type information of the transfer paper from any one image forming apparatus to the connected image forming apparatus is The notification is given every time the power of the image forming apparatus is turned on or the paper type of the transfer paper is changed in the print setting. Further, in the case of an image forming apparatus having a plurality of sheet feeding stages, it is possible to set different types of transfer paper for each sheet feeding stage, and in the case of a color image forming apparatus, it is possible to set dedicated color paper. However, in this case, the paper feed stage is changed, and each time the paper type is changed, the changed paper type information is notified to the connected image forming apparatus.

Next, an example of correction of image data performed by the slave unit when the transfer sheet used by the master unit is color exclusive paper and the transfer sheet used by the slave unit is plain paper will be described.
In particular, it is known that the special color paper has high whiteness,
Plain paper is rather yellowish, so the transfer paper used in the slave unit is notified from the base unit based on the difference in whiteness and tint information between the special color paper and plain paper. Calculate the corrected image data by subtracting the yellow component from the image data to be corrected by the above-mentioned difference, and if necessary, print by taking into account the ink absorption degree to obtain the same color tone between the parent device and the child device. Will be obtained.

Further, any one image forming apparatus (master unit)
However, if the paper source is changed due to limitless paper feeding,
Information on the type of transfer paper in the changed paper feed stage is notified to the connected image forming device (slave unit), and the difference between the paper types between the master unit and the slave unit is corrected again, thereby feeding It is possible to provide an image having no hue difference between the connected image forming apparatuses even if the type of the transfer paper whose stage is changed is changed.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the processing when the paper feed stage of any one image forming apparatus (parent machine) is changed. The parent machine is a plurality of paper feed stages (corresponding to the first to third trays 8 to 10 in the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1).
It is checked which paper feed tray is being used (step 31), and when it is detected that the paper feed tray has been changed, information about the type of transfer paper loaded in the paper feed tray is displayed together with the image data. , And notifies the child device (step 32). The slave receives the information about the type of transfer paper and the image data in the paper feed stage of the master from the master, and calculates a correction value for correcting the image data based on the types of both transfer papers (step Three
3) Printing is performed based on the corrected image data (step 34), the required number of printings are performed (step 35), and the process is ended.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing when the paper feed stage of the connected image forming apparatus (child device) is changed. Similarly, a connected image forming apparatus (child device)
Even when the paper feed tray of the printer is changed and the type of transfer paper in the paper feed tray of the slave is changed, the image quality difference between the master and slave is corrected by correcting the paper type. Is possible.
The slave unit checks which one of a plurality of paper feed stages (corresponding to the first to third trays 8 to 10 in the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1) is being used (step 4).
1) When it is detected that the paper feed tray has been changed, it is received from the parent machine based on the information on the paper type in the paper feed tray and the information on the paper type already notified from the parent machine. A correction value for the image data is calculated (step 42), and printing is performed based on the corrected image data (step 4).
3) The required number of prints are performed (step 44), and the process ends.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following operational effects are exhibited. (1) Action and Effect on Claims 1 and 2 The image forming apparatus according to claims 1 and 2 is configured to correct a difference between paper types of an image forming apparatus connected to any one image forming apparatus, thereby making a plurality of image forming apparatuses. Even if the type of paper used is different between the image forming apparatuses, it is possible to reduce the difference in image quality between the formed images.

(2) Action and Effect on Claims 3 and 4 The image forming apparatus according to Claims 3 and 4 is any one image forming apparatus (master unit) or a connected image forming apparatus (slave unit).
In the above, even if the paper feed stage is changed during printing, it is possible to correct the difference between the paper types each time, so the types of paper used between the plurality of image forming apparatuses are different, and the parent machine or the child machine Even if the paper feed stage is changed during image formation and the type of paper used is changed, the difference in image quality between the formed images can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a mechanical section of a digital color copying machine used in an image forming apparatus system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation unit of the digital color copying machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a liquid crystal touch panel of the operation unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an overall view showing an image forming apparatus system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display unit for setting whether or not any one image forming apparatus transmits / receives information to / from another connected image forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of an image processing unit (IPU).

FIG. 8 is a timing chart for explaining an image signal.

FIG. 9 is a main flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing in detail the key input event processing of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation when setting a connection mode in any one image forming apparatus (master device) in the image forming apparatus system in which the image forming apparatuses A to E are electrically connected.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a case in which a connected image forming apparatus (slave unit) is notified of the paper type of a transfer sheet on which an image is formed by any one image forming apparatus (slave unit), and image formation is performed by the slave unit. It is a flowchart which shows a process.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a process when a paper feed stage of any one image forming apparatus (master device) is changed.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a process when a paper feed stage of a connected image forming apparatus (child device) is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Automatic document feeder (ADF), 2 ... Document table, 4 ... Feed belt, 6 ... Contact glass, 8 ... First tray, 9
... second tray, 10 ... third tray, 11 ... first paper feeding device, 12 ... second paper feeding device, 13 ... third paper feeding device, 14 ...
Vertical transport unit, 15 ... Photoconductor, 16 ... Transport belt, 1
7 ... Fixing unit, 18 ... Paper discharging unit, 19 ... Paper discharging tray, 20 ... Main controller, 27 ... Developing unit, 30 ... Operation part, 31 ... Liquid crystal touch panel, 32 ... Numeric keypad, 33 ... Clear / stop key, 34 ... Print start key, 37 ... Function key, 48 ... Connection I / F, 4
9 ... Image processing unit (IPU), 50 ... Reading unit, 51 ... Exposure lamp, 53 ... Lens, 54 ... CCD
Image sensor, 57 ... Writing unit, 58 ... Laser output unit, 61 ... A / D converter, 62 ... Shading correction section, 63 ... Image processing section, 64 ... Selector, 65 ... Memory controller, 66 ... Image memory, 6
7 ... I / O port, 68 ... CPU, 71 ... Writing .gamma. Correction unit, 72 ... Variable-magnification section, 73 ... Image data.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H04N 1/00 B41J 3/00 B 5C077 1/407 H04N 1/40 101E (72) Inventor Yoko Nakayama Tokyo 1-6-3 Nakamagome, Ota-ku F-term in Ricoh Co., Ltd. (reference) 2C187 AC06 AD04 AE07 AE11 AF01 AF03 BF10 BH26 CC04 GA01 2C262 AB11 EA03 EA11 EA12 GA57 GA59 2H027 DC02 EA02 EB02 ZA09 FD09B01 ZA09 FD08B02 ZA07 BB04 CC05 LG08 5C062 AA05 AA35 AB08 AB17 AB22 AB38 AB53 AC02 AC04 AC10 AC21 AC34 AE03 AF00 AF14 BC04 5C077 LL04 PP15 PP74 PQ08 PQ12 PQ23 SS02 TT02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a plurality of means for reading a document and a means for forming an image of the read image information, wherein the image information read by any one image forming apparatus forms another image. In an image forming apparatus system having a connecting operation means for transferring the image to the apparatus and forming an image, the paper type information of the transfer sheet image-formed by the arbitrary one image forming apparatus is notified to the other connected image forming apparatuses. An image forming apparatus system comprising: 2. The image forming apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein an image is formed by another image forming apparatus connected to a paper type of a transfer sheet on which an image is formed by the arbitrary one image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus system, wherein the other connected image forming apparatus performs image correction at the time of image formation based on the difference in the paper type of the transfer paper. 3. The image forming apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the arbitrary one image forming apparatus is connected to the image forming apparatus each time a paper type of a transfer paper on which an image is formed is changed during image formation. The other image forming apparatus is notified of the paper type of the transfer paper, and the connected other image forming apparatus performs image correction every time the paper type of the transfer paper is notified. Image forming system. 4. The image forming apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the other image forming apparatus performs image correction each time the sheet feeding stage is changed during image formation and the sheet type of the transfer sheet is changed. An image forming apparatus system.