JP2004229123A - Image forming apparatus network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus network system capable of improving operability in the transfer of image information for a manuscript, read by arbitrary one of a plurality of image forming apparatus or read beforehand and accumulated in an external memory means, to other image forming apparatus for the distribution of printing. <P>SOLUTION: When an image size of a manuscript read by a master unit A or read beforehand is 500 and a memory remaining quantity for slave units B, C, and D is 600, 300, and 1,000, respectively, the master unit does not conduct image transfer to the slave unit C, since the memory remaining quantity of the slave unit C is smaller than the manuscript size. The slave units C and D enter linking operation upon the receipt of image transfer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus network, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus network system having a connection operation unit and capable of sharing printing by a plurality of image forming apparatuses.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses such as copiers, facsimile machines, and printers are frequently used, and some of them are connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network. Some of such image forming apparatus network systems can perform a connecting operation by a plurality of image forming apparatuses.
[0003]
The link operation means that, for example, when copying 100 originals, the given image forming apparatus exchanges information with another image forming apparatus, and the two image forming apparatuses use the image forming apparatus to copy 50 sheets per one sheet. It is a function that reduces work time by sharing work, such as printing each time.
[0004]
Further, as a conventional image forming apparatus, a printing operation of reading an original set on a contact glass, performing an operation of reading an original storing image information in a memory, and then printing an image on transfer paper based on the image information is performed. In some cases, a predetermined number of copies (set number of copies) can be obtained by repeating the process.
[0005]
Further, there is the following prior art as a conventional technique.
In a conventional image forming apparatus network system, the operability in distributing printing by transferring image information of a document read by any one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses to another image forming apparatus is improved. (See Patent Document 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-69259 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a conventional image forming apparatus network system, after reading is completed by an arbitrary one (master unit) of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, or image information of a document already read and stored in an external storage unit. Is transferred to another image forming apparatus (slave unit) to distribute the printing, the remaining memory capacity of each image forming apparatus to which the printing is distributed may be different. Therefore, the remaining memory amount of the master unit is monitored. In this case, the remaining memory amount becomes “0” during the original reading operation, and an operation of returning the original is required, which is inefficient.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and has been made in consideration of the image information of a document read by an arbitrary one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses or already read and stored in an external storage unit. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving the scanning quality when transferring prints to another image forming apparatus and distributing printing.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus network system according to claim 1 includes a reading unit that reads an original, a printing unit that prints an image read by the reading unit, and a storage unit that stores the read image. A plurality of image forming apparatuses connected via a network, transferring image information read by any one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses to another image forming apparatus, and distributing printing. Means and an image forming apparatus network system having a selecting means for selecting a single operation or a linking operation, at least one image forming apparatus transmits the read image information of the document to another image forming apparatus using the linking operation means. Distribution processing means for distributing the print by transferring the image data to another image forming apparatus when the image size of the original document is obtained after the reading of the original document is completed. Relative location, and having a confirming means for confirming the remaining memory capacity via a network, and comparing means for comparing the image size and the remaining memory capacity of the original.
[0010]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus network system according to the first aspect, the comparing unit compares the remaining amount of the memory with the image size, and determines whether to perform the transfer based on the comparison result. It is characterized by having judgment means.
[0011]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus network system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the transfer determination unit compares the remaining amount of the memory with the image size by the comparing unit, and the remaining amount of the memory is equal to or smaller than the image size. In this case, it is determined that the transfer to another image forming apparatus is interrupted.
[0012]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus network system according to the first or second aspect, the comparing means compares the remaining amount of the memory with the image size, and determines that the remaining amount of the memory is equal to or larger than the image size. A display unit for displaying information indicating an image forming apparatus having a remaining memory capacity equal to or larger than the image size.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus includes an automatic document feeder (hereinafter ADF) 1 and a document table 2, a feed roller 3, a feed belt 4, a discharge roller 5, a contact glass 6, a document set detector 7, a first tray 8, a second tray 8, and the like. Tray 9, third tray 10, first paper supply unit 11, second paper supply unit 12, third paper supply unit 13, vertical transport unit 14, photoconductor 15, transport belt 16, fixing unit 17, paper discharge unit 18 , Reading unit 50, exposure lamp 51, first mirror 52, lens 53, CCD image sensor 54, second mirror 55, third mirror 56, writing unit 57, laser output unit 58, imaging lens 59, mirror 60, finisher 100, branch deflection plate 101, stacker transport roller 102, stacker discharge roller 103, stacker tray 104, stapler transport roller 05, the stapler 106, the stapler discharge rollers 107, the staple tray 108, falling Sutobba 109, dropping the tray 110, duplex paper feed unit 111, and a branch claw 112.
[0014]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the operation unit 30.
The operation unit 30 includes a liquid crystal touch panel 31, numeric keys 32, a clear / stop key 33, a print key 34, a preheat key 35, and a reset key 36. On the liquid crystal touch panel 31, keys for mode setting and a message indicating the state of the image forming apparatus are displayed.
[0015]
Next, the operation will be described.
When the start key 34 on the operation unit 30 is pressed, the document bundle placed on the document table 2 in the ADF 1 is moved from the uppermost document to the feeding roller 3 and the feeding roller 3. The sheet is fed to a predetermined position on the contact glass 6 by the belt 4. After reading the image data of the document on the contact glass 6 by the reading unit 50, the read document is discharged by the feed belt 4 and the discharge roller 5. Further, when the document set detection 7 detects that the next document is present on the document table 2, the document is fed onto the contact glass 6 in the same manner as the previous document. The feed roller 3, the feed belt 4, and the discharge roller 5 are driven by a motor.
[0016]
The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are fed by the first sheet feeding device 11, the second sheet feeding device 12, and the third sheet feeding device 13, respectively, and are vertically conveyed. The sheet is transported by the unit 14 to a position where it contacts the photoconductor 15. The image data read by the reading unit 50 is written on the photoconductor 15 by the laser from the writing unit 57, and passes through the developing unit 27 to form a toner image. Then, the toner image on the photoconductor 15 is transferred while the transfer paper is conveyed by the conveyance belt 16 at the same speed as the rotation of the photoconductor 15. Thereafter, the image is fixed by the fixing unit 17, and the image is discharged to the finisher 100 of the post-processing device by the sheet discharging unit 18.
[0017]
The finisher 100 of the post-processing apparatus can guide the paper toward the normal paper discharge roller 102 and the staple processing unit. By switching the switching plate 101 upward, it is possible to discharge the paper to the normal paper discharge tray 104 via the transport roller 103. Further, by switching the switching plate 101 downward, the sheet can be transported to the staple table 108 via the transport rollers 105 and 107.
The transfer paper stacked on the staple table 108 is aligned with the jogger 109 for paper alignment every time one sheet is discharged, and is stapled by the stapler 106 when a part of the copy is completed. The transfer paper group bound by the stapler 106 is stored in the stapling completion paper discharge tray 110 by its own weight.
[0018]
On the other hand, the normal paper discharge tray 104 is a paper discharge tray that can move back and forth. The paper discharge tray unit 104 that can be moved back and forth moves back and forth and sorts the discharged copy paper easily for each document or for each copy unit sorted by the image memory.
[0019]
When images are formed on both sides of the transfer sheet, the transfer sheet fed and imaged from each of the paper feed trays 8 to 10 is not guided to the discharge tray 104 side, and the branch claw 112 for path switching is set. By setting it on the upper side, it is once stocked in the duplex paper supply unit 111.
[0020]
Thereafter, the transfer paper stocked in the duplex paper supply unit 111 is re-fed from the duplex paper supply unit 111 in order to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor 15 again, and a branch claw 112 for switching the path. Is set on the lower side, and guided to the discharge tray 104. As described above, the double-sided paper feeding unit 111 is used when forming images on both sides of the transfer paper.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 4, the photoconductor 15, the transport belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharging unit 18, and the developing unit 27 are driven by a main motor 25, and each of the paper feeding devices 11 to 13 drives the main motor 25. The transmission is driven by the paper feed clutches 22 to 24. The vertical transport unit 14 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor 25 by the intermediate clutch 21.
[0022]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30.
When the operator touches a key displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31, the key indicating the selected function is inverted to black. If the details of the function need to be specified (for example, a variable magnification value in the case of variable magnification), a key is touched to display a detailed function setting screen. As described above, since the liquid crystal touch panel uses the dot display device, the optimal display at that time can be performed graphically.
[0023]
In the upper left of FIG. 3, a message area for displaying a message such as "Ready to copy" or "Please wait" is displayed. On the right is a copy number display section for displaying the number of sheets set, and an automatic sheet for automatically selecting a transfer sheet. Selection key, sort key to specify the process to arrange copies one by one in the page order, stack key to specify the process to sort copies by page, staple key to specify the process to bind the sorted items one by one, 1x key for setting to 1x, scaling key for setting enlargement / reduction ratio, 2x key for setting duplex mode, edit key for setting binding margin mode, cover / insert key for setting display / interleaf mode A link mode key for dividing a large number of print operations into a plurality of printouts via a digital copier network and printing out the plurality of printouts.
Further, the state of the paper feed tray corresponding to the number of paper feed trays is shown, and a key for manually setting the paper feed tray is displayed for each paper feed tray.
[0024]
Next, the image reading means of the present invention and the processing operation until an image is formed on a recording surface will be described with reference to FIG.
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, a lens 53, and a CCD image sensor 54. . The exposure lamp 51 and the first mirror 52 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 55 and the third mirror 56 are fixed on a second carriage (not shown). When reading a document image, the first carriage and the second carriage are mechanically scanned at a relative speed of 2: 1 so that the optical path length does not change.
[0025]
The optical scanning system is driven by a scanner drive motor (not shown). The document image is read by the CCD image sensor 54, converted into an electric signal, and processed. The image magnification is changed by moving the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 in the left and right direction. That is, the positions in the left and right directions are set on the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 corresponding to the designated magnification.
[0026]
The writing unit 57 includes a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59, and a mirror 60. Inside the laser output unit 58, there is provided a laser diode as a laser light source and a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant high speed by a motor. I have.
[0027]
The laser light emitted from the laser output unit 58 is polarized by a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed, passes through the imaging lens 59, is turned back by the mirror 60, and forms a focused image on the surface of the photoconductor. The polarized laser light is exposed and scanned in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the direction in which the photoconductor rotates, and performs recording in units of lines of the image signal output from the selector 64 of the image processing unit. An image (electrostatic latent image) is formed on the photoconductor surface by repeating main scanning at a predetermined cycle corresponding to the rotation speed of the photoconductor and the recording density.
[0028]
As described above, the laser light output from the writing unit 57 is applied to the photoconductor 15 of the image forming system. A beam sensor that generates a main scanning synchronization signal is disposed at a position near one end of the photoconductor 15 (not shown) where the laser beam is irradiated. Based on the main scanning synchronization signal, control of image recording start timing in the main scanning direction and generation of a control signal for inputting / outputting an image signal are performed.
[0029]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processing unit.
The light emitted from the exposure lamp 51 irradiates the original surface, and the reflected light from the original surface is imaged and received by an imaging lens (not shown) by the CCD image sensor 54 to be photoelectrically converted. The digital signal is converted by the D converter 61. The image signal converted into the digital signal is subjected to MTF correction, γ correction and the like in the image processing unit 63 after being subjected to shading correction 62. In the selector 64, the destination of the image signal is written, and switching to the γ correction unit 71 or the image memory controller 65 is performed.
[0030]
The image signal that has passed through the writing γ correction unit 71 is sent to the writing unit 57. The image memory controller 65 and the selector 64 are configured so that image signals can be input and output in both directions. The image processing unit (IPU) includes a plurality of data such that it can process not only image data input from the reading unit 50 but also image data supplied from the outside (for example, data output from a data processing device such as a personal computer). It has a function to select the input / output of
[0031]
A CPU 68 for setting the image memory controller 65 and the like and controlling the reading unit 50 and the writing unit 57, and a ROM 69 and a RAM 70 for storing programs and data thereof. Further, the CPU 68 can write and read data in the image memory 66 via the memory controller 65. Further, an HDD 71 for saving and storing the contents of the image memory 66 is provided.
[0032]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image signal for one page in the selector 64.
The frame gate signal (/ FGATE) indicates an effective period of one page of image data in the sub-scanning direction. The main scanning synchronizing signal (/ LSYNC) is a main scanning synchronizing signal for each line, and the image signal becomes valid at a predetermined clock after this signal rises. The line gate signal (/ LGATE) is a 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 one pixel is sent for one cycle of VCLK. The image processing unit (IPU) 49 has separate generation mechanisms of / FGTE, / LSYNC, / LGATE, and VCLK for each of the image input and output, so that various combinations of image availability can be realized. .
[0033]
In order to share work, it is necessary to transmit and receive image data and commands to and from another digital copying machine. This is accomplished by using an IEEE1394 connection interface for transmitting and receiving image data and using a serial communication line for transmitting and receiving commands. ing. The memory controller shown in FIG. 5 is realized via the connection interface driver 80.
[0034]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a software module configuration.
The job information set in the application layer is transferred to the control service layer with a start key or the like as a trigger. The control service layer interprets job information from the application and requests process information for operating the handler layer from the handler manager. The handler manager operates individual handlers according to the process information.
[0035]
The handlers include scanner handlers 206 and 219 for controlling a reading unit, image memory handlers 207 and 218 for controlling the input and output of image data to and from an image memory, a plotter handler 208 for controlling a writing unit, sheet conveyance, and a post-processing peripheral. , 217, and the processes from reading to storage in the image memory and image formation are performed in cooperation with the software module.
[0036]
Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with connection I / F drivers 204 and 214 for connecting to another image forming apparatus, so that image data and command information can be exchanged via the I / F. In the linked copy job, the linked copy job generated in the master unit is processed by the process of storing the image read by the scanner in the image memory after the job information is interpreted in the control service 203 of the master unit and the image of the slave unit. The process is executed separately in the process of transferring to the image memory.
[0037]
When the transfer of the necessary images is completed, the control service 215 of the slave unit generates a print process referring to the image data transferred in advance according to the information received from the control service 203 of the master unit, and the handler manager 216 of the slave unit. Request printing. The control service 215 of the slave unit sequentially notifies the master unit of the print job processed by the master unit. According to this information, the control service 203 of the master unit monitors the progress of the print job of the master unit and the progress of the print job of the slave unit, and performs necessary printing.
[0038]
After the job information is interpreted in the control service 203 of the master unit, the process of storing the image read by the scanner in the image memory and transferring the image to the slave unit image memory are performed on the linked copy job generated on the master unit side. Run in separate processes. When the transfer of the necessary image is completed, the control service 215 of the slave unit generates a print process referring to the image data that has been transferred in advance according to the information received from the control service 203 of the master unit, and the handler manager of the slave unit. Request printing to 216.
[0039]
The control service 215 of the child device performs control of the print job of the child device and the print job of the child device in accordance with information that sequentially notifies the parent device of a print job processed by the child device. Monitor the progress and print as much as necessary.
[0040]
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an operation environment of the image forming apparatus.
When the image size of the document read from master unit A or already read is 500, the remaining memory amounts of slave units B, C, and D are 600, 300, and 1000, respectively. At this time, since the remaining memory capacity of the child device C is smaller than the document size, the parent device does not perform image transfer to the child device C. The slave unit B and the slave unit D receive the image transfer and start the connection operation.
[0041]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen as a display unit.
On the display screen, details of the slave unit whose remaining memory is larger than the document size can be seen. Based on this information, the operator can select a slave unit to which the job is to be shared and can know the usage status of the slave unit.
[0042]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the processing operation of the image forming apparatus.
First, a connection process is selected (step S1), and it is determined whether or not the document has been stored (step S2). If the document has not been stored (step S2 / NO), the document is read (step S3). If the document has been stored (step S2 / YES), the image size is obtained from the document information (step S4). Next, the parent device checks the remaining memory of the image forming apparatus serving as the child device via the network (step S5).
[0043]
Here, the remaining memory capacity of the slave unit and the image data size are compared (step S6). When the remaining memory capacity of the slave unit is smaller than the image data size (step S6 / NO), the slave unit information is not displayed on the master unit display means (step S8), and the image transfer to the slave unit is locked (step S8). Step S10). If the remaining memory capacity of the slave unit is larger than the image data size (step S6 / YES), the slave unit information is displayed on the master unit display means (step S7), and the image is transferred to the slave unit (step S9). Next, a connection operation is performed by the child device and the parent device to which the image has been transferred, and printing is performed (step S11).
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, by confirming the remaining memory capacity before the transfer, if the remaining memory capacity is insufficient, the image is not transferred, so that the connection operation can be efficiently performed without causing the memory full or the like. Can be.
[0045]
When the remaining memory capacity of the slave unit is equal to or larger than the document size, the linking operation can be efficiently performed, and by notifying the operator of this by the display means, the operator can select the image forming apparatus to be the slave unit. It can be more convenient.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an operation unit of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of display on a liquid crystal touch panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus network system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram showing an image signal for one page in the selector according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of software modules according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an operation environment of the image forming apparatus network system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display screen example of a display screen in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a processing operation of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
200, 210 Operation panel manager 201, 211 Other application 202, 213 Copy application 203, 215 Control service 204, 214 Connection I / F driver 205, 216 Handler (resource) manager 206, 219 Scanner handler 207, 218 Image memory (HDD) Handler 208, 217 Plotter handler

Claims (4)

A plurality of image forming apparatuses having reading means for reading a document, printing means for printing an image read by the reading means, and storage means for storing the read images, connected via a network, Of the image forming apparatus of any one of the above (1) to (2), transferring image information read by an arbitrary one of the image forming apparatuses to another image forming apparatus and distributing the print, and selecting means for selecting a single operation or a connecting operation. In an image forming apparatus network system,
Distribution processing means for at least one of the image forming apparatuses transferring read image information of a document to another image forming apparatus by using the linking operation means and performing print distribution processing;
After reading of the document is completed, when the image size of the document is obtained, checking means for checking the remaining amount of memory via a network to another image forming apparatus;
An image forming apparatus network system, comprising: comparing means for comparing the image size of the document with the remaining amount of memory. 2. The image forming apparatus network system according to claim 1, wherein the comparing unit includes a transfer determining unit that compares the remaining amount of the memory with an image size and determines whether to perform the transfer based on a result of the comparison. The transfer determining means compares the remaining memory capacity with the image size by the comparing means, and determines that the transfer to another image forming apparatus is interrupted when the remaining memory capacity is equal to or less than the image size. The image forming apparatus network system according to claim 1. The comparing unit compares the remaining amount of memory with an image size, and when the remaining amount of memory is equal to or larger than the image size, displays information indicating the image forming apparatus having the remaining amount of memory equal to or larger than the image size. The image forming apparatus network system according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that performs the operation.

Images